A friend posted about this book in anticipation of it's release and I immediately did a search for it. The cover reminded me a bit of another book I read that I loved. It took me a bit to get into the story, I was overwhelmed by so many people, but it didn't take long for me to get sucked into this book and I found it very hard to put down. The story was unique and full of wonderful vivid characters who will stay with you long after you finish the last page. I highly recommend The LIttle Wartime Library!
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a librarian, I may be a little biased. <em>The Little Wartime Library</em> reminds us of how timeless a library is, wherever its setting. How a library is more than a place that just lends books to a community, but also serves as a safe space. A place where you can escape to, and still see the world.

Thompson transports you back to 1945 wartime Britain, and it’s obvious that she has done her homework. The characters are likeable enough, but I think I enjoyed learning about everything happening around them instead of the MCs themselves. I think that’s because there wasn’t much depth to them. Even though a wartime story, this was a light read.

If you love books and libraries, The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson will touch your heart. Based on real events and people, Thompson wove a tale of untold heroes during London during WWII. When the library in Benthnal Green was bombed, the librarians set up an underground library in an unused part of London's tube system. In fact a whole community live there with 5000 beds, a theatre, AND a library. This story is about the people in that community and the impact the young librarians had on that community.

At the end of the book, Thompson gives a historical look at the real events and people who made this underground library a success. It was a wonderful read. I was allowed to read this on #NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book for the historical context. I greatly enjoyed the two main characters figuring out there voice being a female during the time of war and growing into their roles.

One more spunky and the other more reserved. I believe this book will do well in the general adult genre and should sell very well.

This wasn't a 5 star book for me but I still believe this has a good place in the library setting.

Over the holidays I read the ARC for The Little Wartime Library that’s due to be released February, 21. I’m thinking all of you will want to preorder this delightful read. It’s got wonderful characters and humor but also takes a serious look at the devastation of war. Plus you’ll learn all about the history of the library that was moved to an underground tube station after it was bombed in the blitz.

First of all, thank you for the opportunity to read and throughly enjoy this book.
Set during World War 2, this book is based on Clara Button who created and underground library in London. As they are today libraries are extremely important, but no more so than during times of war. Not only was the underground library a place for people to find the positive and uplifting morale, it was also used as a safe space for shelter.
Based on actual events, Kate Thompson wrote a wonderful and positive book which is pure joy for all to read.

The best thing about this book was the historical information piece. I had no idea that underground stations were used as shelters during the war or that there was an unground library. I loved learning about the history of Bethnal Green at this time.

The beginning of the book seemed to be quite slow for me. I had trouble getting into the story and while there were plot points that seemed interesting, it just seemed to fall a little flat.

Even though I had trouble getting into the story, I am really glad I stuck with it. About halfway through, the action really started to pick up and it started to become more of a page turned for me.

I did really enjoy the characters, especially Ruby. She was scandalous and a rule breaker and I just found myself falling in love with her any time the story was told from her point of view.

During World War 2, Clara Button, a young widow, and her friend Ruby, have opened a library down in the underground tube, an unfinished section of the subway, now containing bunks, a theatre, and a library.

Clara believes that during trying times, books become even more important, providing an escape, entertainment, and information to people who are trying to cope with the war.

This book was good, but not great. There was a lot of British slang used that kept me stopping to try to understand the meaning. There were a lot of characters but none really fleshed out. I did enjoy Clara, as a librarian, matching people to books she thought they would enjoy.
Three out of five stars.

Clara and Ruby and friends guide the reader to a world underground during the London Blitz era.The love and dedication to each other, readers of all ages and occupations warms the heart. The background of the war breaks the heart. Despite one “ gentleman,” the love and support these struggling people demonstrate throughout the tragedies and joy,causes gasps of shock as well as sighs of kindness. The overarching theme of tenacity and selflessness renders late night page turning and worthwhile sleepless evening. The author’ s note adds to the understanding of this precious library, the importance of libraries and appreciation of librarians. The atrocities of WWII Ned to be told as does the resourcefulness of so many. Highly recommended read.

This is a fantastic book with characters that are loveable. The fact that it is based on a true story makes it even more wonderful to read.

A good story with some strong points. I would recommend for people who have an interest in the topic.

This will be a book I’ll be recommending to everyone to add to their TBR list! The imagery was just fantastic. So many heartbreaking moments wound together in a story of survival, loss, and love. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this novel.

📖 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 📖
📕 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: The Little Wartime Library
✍️ 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: Kate Thompson
🗓️ 𝐔𝐒𝐀 𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: February 21, 2023
🚇 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: Historical Fiction
📱 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓: eARC
✨ 𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭- 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯! 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵?!

Attention historical fiction fans… add 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 to your TBR list or pre-order NOW! You’re sure to love it. It’s based on the true story of the library built over the tracks of the Underground in London— specifically at the Bethnal Green Station— during World War II. This shelter was used to escape the bombings during the Blitz. It ended up being an incredible refuge consisting of a theatre, nursery, cafe, sleeping bunks, and of course… a library!

The Little Wartime Library follows the life of Clara Button, the big hearted librarian who does so much for the residents of this resilient community. She’s no ordinary librarian, more like a social worker at times, especially for the children and the women of the shelter. Though the wartime setting is somber, there are so many inspirational and uplifting moments. I especially loved the relationship between Clara and her glamorous best friend and library assistant, “Ruby Red Lips” (i.e. Ruby Monroe). Their bond is more like that of sisters than best friends! Ruby brings a lot of light and humor to the story. The theme of love is woven throughout the story and overall it’s a beautiful read that I highly recommend.

I love that this book is based on actual events. After reading this, search “Bethnal Green tube station” on Google and read about the history. It’s so interesting.

This book was a delight to read. I’ve heard my mother’s stories of London during the Blitz, but she was a child, so she doesn’t remember much. And of course, in case you hadn’t noticed, I love books. I strongly believe in the power of books to change lives, and that is the message of this novel.

Based on a true story and well-researched, with plentiful notes at the end, this book tells the story of a library in a tube station. There was actually a thriving community of people in the station, sleeping there every night to be safe from German bombs, then working in their normal jobs by day.

Clara and Ruby are the opposite—working in the underground library by day and returning to their own homes at night. Clara, widowed, is lonely, while Ruby seeks the company of many many, affirming life the best way she knows how. She avoids going home, where her mother has been beaten down by Ruby’s stepfather.

In addition to the dangers inherent in living in London in the Blitz, there is also someone attacking women on the streets at night. Clara herself is almost attacked, only to be saved by Billy Clark, a conscientious objector who worked for the ambulance corps.

Clara’s supervisor has vastly different ideas from hers about the purpose of a library. He doesn’t believe uneducated people should be allowed library cards. He wants to censor what books are allowed in the library. They are constantly at odds, and their conflict is integral to the story. I kind of hate him.

The characters are varied—in class, in status, in personality. They are all well-drawn. While Clara is the protagonist of the story, Ruby is a close second, and there are many others who are well worth our time in getting to know. The dialogue is natural and the conflicts are real. And the conclusion is very satisfying.
There are references to many books of the period, some which I know and love, and others which are now on my TBR list.

I will definitely read this book again.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Domestic violence, bombing attacks, death (including of children), drinking, sex (closed door), attempted rape, wartime atrocities. A little bit of salty language, including the F word occasionally.

Who Might Like This Book:
Anyone who likes stories of WWII, especially WWII London. Book lovers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this delightful book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2023/01/upcoming-fiction-releases.html

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for ARC, in exchange for an honest review* <

Heart-wrenching, inspirational, extraordinary.

A beautiful story about courage and hope: at least that's what I thought when I started reading The Little Wartime Library. I can't begin to imagine the terror everyone faced during World War II and having a place where they could escape, even if it was not for long. I have read a lot of historical fiction novels, one of my favorite genres, and a few that dealt with books. But, from all the books I have read in the past, I haven't read anything like The Little Wartime Library, and it didn't take long to become my favorite book of the year. I'm trying to figure out the words to describe how I am feeling right now. This book will make you cry and make you angry, but it will also give you hope and have you smiling. When I came across this book on Netgalley, I wasn't sure what to expect, but both the title and the cover captured my attention, and I'm glad it did.

Clara &Ruby: I loved them both right from the start. If I were asked which of the two were my favorite, I don’t think I would be able to choose. These are fictional characters, but to me, they were real. Both women had courage, with all the bombing and the losses that both had experienced. Despite everything, they kept going, helping others in need. I loved their friendship; everyone should have a friend like the two. Clara and Ruby reminded me of a few of my closest friends, who were there for me every step of the way. I loved that the book was written from Clara and Ruby’s point of view, giving the readers a chance to get to know each of them. When I reached the end of the book, I hesitated to turn the last page because I didn’t want to say goodbye. I believe that Ruby and Clara’s friendship kept them going until the end.

Underground Library that’s such a unique location to have a library. Like Clara, and Ruby, I love books, and libraries are such an important part. I loved how each person in the Library, including the children, and the impact it had on each of them. It was an escape for each of them, and that’s what books are me, a chance for escape into a different world. The description of the Library had me imagine that I was transported into the Library, along with everyone else. It was magical.

There wasn’t a single page in the book where I wasn’t craving more. The Little Wartime Libraryis the story I will return to. It was hard to read at times, yet I had difficulty putting this book down. Even now, I cannot get this story out of my mind. A story that is worth every single page.

ARC received by NetGalley. Thank you!

During WWII residents of London were sometimes forced to make the underground tube stations their home. The tubes provided safety and a glimmer of security during very uncertain and scary times. The tubes became micro-communities where people would gather with the commonality that was binding them; the effort to stay alive and safe.

One of these tubes, The Bethnal Green tube turned into a true community with social gathering spaces, strangers that became friends and family...and a little underground library. Ran by children's librarian Clara Button, a war widow, and her assistant, a sassy young woman named Ruby, this library became a refuge for many people calling the tube home. The Little Wartime Library follows the inter-woven lives of this underground library and the people that found shelter in the comfort they found there.

I am not one to give spoilers for reviews so I will just say that the characters of this book last a very lasting impression on me. A slimy director had me cringing and angry at their actions that at one point I had to set the book aside for a moment. Another had me heartbroken for them and yearning to give them the love they so desperately needed. It takes a talented author to develop a plot and characters that will do this, and Kate Thompson delivered.

Based on a true story, The Little Wartime Library is perfect for lovers of historical fiction, well developed characters and the desire to feel a wide range of emotions as they turn the pages.

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson is based on true events set around WWII when an underground library is built over the tracks from a bombed out railway tube, Bethnal Green. Bethnal Green tube station was the scene of a terrible civilian disaster when 173 people, 62 children, were killed in a stampede on their way to shelter there during an air raid in March 1943.
The author has well researched the background into this lovely heartfelt story.
Clara Button is not an ordinary librarian. While the world is still at war, Clara has created the country's only underground library. This community thrives. There are bunk beds, a nursery, a cafe and a theatre that offer shelter and escape from the bombs that fall above them. Along with her friend and library assistant, Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is just what everyone needs in their little life underground.
This is such a beautiful story set during World War II. It shows the strength and courage that a librarian must go through, to ensure people have books to read, friendships and support through the toughest times England has ever seen.

So many people are homeless and living in this underground world and Clara is determined to make sure that there are books for them to read and does everything she can to encourage more people into the library. She and her assistant, Ruby start a children’s bedtime reading session and a book club for anyone who wants to join. They later start a travelling library for the factory workers who can’t get to the library. These women were genius and visionary.

There are people who are against what she is trying to do, but Clara never gives up. As Germans continue dropping their bombs, many people from the underground are affected. It was difficult to picture the atrocities these people had gone through.

This story was beautifully written. There are true events that are heart-breaking and some that are heart-warming but we see Clara and Ruby advocate for the people who really need this library.
I enjoyed reading this story and I can picture this being made into a movie!!
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Libraries are the engines of our education and our escape, never have they been more important in transforming our lives.”

Author Kate Thompson’s 5-star historical fiction focuses on the pioneering efforts of two women who effectively transformed the lives of wartime Londoners.

In September 1940 after a bomb damaged their local library branch, librarian Clara Button and her bibliophile bestie Ruby Munroe created the country’s only underground library in the unfinished Bethnal Green tube station, 78 feet below ground - the only place where the bombs couldn’t be heard. Their aim was to offer solace and foster a joy of reading amongst the East Enders.

The characters are the highlight of this delightful book. Clara, a war widow, had every reason to be bitter. She disregards her ‘imposed upon’ obligations and her losses and channels her energy into providing equal opportunity books to everyone in the secret community. Ruby has a big heart and puts others before herself, desperately wanting to hide her inner unhappiness and loss. You’ll be in awe of the sense of community the author creates and come to love many of the library patrons.

Based on the real history of the Bethnal Green Library, Thompson’s book reveals that although COVID and The Blitz are both very different, the effect on reading has been the same. Books, in both cases, were “a key weapon in the fight for morale.” The Blitz revealed the need to have equal access to reading material and the stigma of reading for escape and relaxation lifted. Covid revealed the need for equal access to information via the internet. We may not have had the bibliobus that the East Enders had, but our community had a book bicycle that travelled between communities to the shut-ins. I’ll never forget the first time I re-entered the library after the restrictions were lifted. The protocols were worth every effort.

This book is a true gem and helps us realize the value of a library - the heartbeat of a community. Reading for Victory may have been a wartime slogan, but, reading for victory during the recent pandemic was a war on COVID.

“Library work isn’t all about books. It’s the people who make it special; you never know who’s going to walk in and what their story is.”

“Stories are the grease of life.”

“Books were their escape into another, less punishing, world.”

The author’s note at the end was as enjoyable as the novel! This is essential reading for bibliophiles around the world.

I was gifted this precious copy by Forever, Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately from the first chapter the dialogue was stilted and trite, the characters were cliched, and the plot felt thin (considering this is based on a true event, that's a remarkable accomplishment).

I usually love books that are set in and around libraries and books and this book was another one that I ended up loving. When I first began to read it, I wasn't too sure I'd want to finish it because shortly after the start of the story the Pandemic (Covid-19) was brought up and I've heard so much since January 2020 about the Pandemic I just wasn't sure; however, I am so glad that I continued reading!

One thing I don't think people can live without is hope and that's one thing that I felt this book provided. Hope in times of war, distress, pandemics, natural disasters, etc. is something people hand onto...lose that and life looks too bleak. I love how important the little library was to the MC and how much it became like a lifeline to the community. I can't even imagine having my library shut down as in wartime. Of course, during the pandemic it was. (I live in California so just about everything was.)

I highly recommend this book! If you read it, I also suggest you read all of the notes after the "Epilogue". There is very interesting information in that entire section and I loved it as well. I would read it after the story though, not prior to reading it.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.