"Books are a way we leave a mark on the world, aren't they? They say we were here, we loved and we grieved and we laughed and we made mistakes and we existed." The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes is for lovers of reading and books and for those who enjoy learning a piece of unknown history (at least for me) as they read. The story introduces us to three well written female characters in 3 different times periods in the WWII era. Althea, an American writer with German heritage invited to Berlin in 1933, Hannah who escapes Germany to Paris in 1936, and Vivian who is working with the Council of Books in Wartime (1944) and shipping millions of Armed Service Editions (ASEs) to soldiers overseas. I found the pacing a little slow to start but it did build as I read. By the 2nd half, I was emotionally invested and could not put the book down. I don't like sharing too much about plots so I'll stick to sharing about my reading experience. I enjoyed learning about the ASE program and the significant impact books and stories provided for soldiers overseas. I also loved the variety of arts and culture, love and titles of books, nuggets of truth about classics I've read, and even a reference to The Music Man Labuskes wove throughout. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Thanks so much to Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read an ARC.

After some time off from posting reviews, but not from reading, I’m back with a MUST READ! I love historically accurate fiction, and anything queer, and this book hits both topics. The story follows three women whose stories are interconnected, and take place in the time surrounding WWII. I will say, before the queerness was even introduced to the plot, I was entranced with these women. It took me about a third of the book before I got my head wrapped around the time jumps, but once you get accustomed to the format you will fly through this story. Unbelievably we are again living in a time where book banning is something in the zeitgeist. Be sure to contact your local government representatives to let them know that they represent all people, not just the conservative extremists. "Wherever they burn books, in the end will also burn human beings." - Heinrich Heine

This book was amazing. It's very rare for me to give out 5 stars, but this book deserved it. I read it all in one night and each POV was genuinely interesting and kept me captivated. I love historical fiction that serves as commentary on events that are currently happening and the parallels between Nazi Germany and the US today are made very clear in this book. The climactic scene in this book had me cheering out loud for how amazing it was and how few punches were pulled. The sapphic romance was intriguing and added a beautiful subplot on HEA's. The time jumps were all very clear and I always greatly enjoy when you learn how something ends before it starts. I enjoyed the continuity of the characters and how we got to see both Althea and Hannah progress in their relationship with each other and their friends/family.

TLDR: Historical commentary fiction with a sapphic relationship that is easy to read but important in terms of themes.

"Every culture, every country, every type of person in the world tells stories. They've been whispered and sung and written down on scraps of paper and they have always, aways been an indelible part of our very humanity."

First, before I even get into the story, I just want to mention that Brianna Labuskes' ability to bring you into the atmosphere of the story she is telling is a skill that not many writers possess, unfortunately. Reading her work is always some sort of immersive experience. This is my second book by her, but I will definitely be reading more. Whatever you write from here on out, consider me a fan. See it End had me feeling like I was in the story trying to solve the mystery in real time. The Librarian of Burned Books was no different. I felt like I was in Berlin and Paris and then New York. Wherever the story ended up, I was there with it desperate for more information. Soaking in the words as if my life depended on it.

I was never the biggest historical fiction fan, but this book has definitely piqued my interest in the genre. I could maybe count on one hand the number of historical fiction novels I have read in the past year. This book, however, just might have converted me. I had trouble putting it down in order to complete my daily responsibilities. My only wish was that I'd had this in audiobook form so I could listen while I was doing other things. This was a wonderful story with so many noteworthy quotes.

The Librarian of Burned Books, Brianna Labuskes (2/21/23)

I love World War II era historical fiction, but the Librarian of Burned Books is one of the best! While the book is set in the 1930s and 1940s, it has so many parallels to the modern day including censorship of differing ideas and the effects of a person living in his/her own echo chamber.

In alternating chapters, the book moves between 1932-1933 Berlin, 1936 Paris and 1943-1944 New York City. The readers are introduced to the three main characters. First, Vivian, a feisty American war widow running the Armed Services Edition books program for American servicemen. She must face down an United States Senator in a battle against censorship of the program's books. Second, Althea, a young American writer caught up in 1930s Germany and the rising Nazi movement. Lastly, Hannah is a Jewish librarian at the German Library of Burned Books in Paris who escaped Berlin with her life but is haunted by thoughts of her brother suffering in a Nazi death camp.

This book will keep you guessing until the end when all of the loose ends are tied up.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow! The Librarian of Burned Books is 5 stars!

5 ⭐️ Wow. This book was phenomenal. I’m struggling to find the words I can give to describe all of its beauty.

In The Librarian of Burned Books, we are following dual time lines from just before WWII and during WWII. We are learning the stories of Hannah and Althea, as well as Viv. All three of these incredible women are working to resist the Nazis and their sympathizers from burning books and taking away the art & stories that have been immortalized for years.

This book holds so many important ideals for us to continue holding today. It shows the need to stand up against the banning of incredible and powerful reads, and to not give up on the fight.

Keywords to get you even more interested in reading: sapphic, historic, books, WWII, Jewish MC.

The epilogue truly is what made this a 5 ⭐️ read for me, so beautiful and had me crying like a baby ❤️

Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Librarian of Burned Books releases on February 21, 2023!

A Nazi sympathizer, a Jewish lesbian, and a wealthy widow walk into Times Hall…but there’s nothing funny about it. The Librarian of Burned Books is told from the perspectives of three women over a span of 11 years from the rise of the Nazi party to the D-Day invasion. It is heartfelt and gripping, and touches on so many important issues that are still relevant today. Labuskes did a fantastic job creating rich characters who draw in the reader and create a real emotional attachment during their journeys. If you are looking for a new take on a WW2 story, I’d highly recommend reading this book! I am so thankful to William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

This was a very passionate book, and good as far as historical fiction goes. It was a little hard to differentiate the characters in my head, but that wouldn't be as much of an issue with a talented narrator in the audiobook version. Overall, I enjoyed reading it and definitely highlighted several passages, but I didn’t find myself very invested in the characters.

Many stories have been told about World War II, however, this one feels new.

1933. Althea James arrives in Berlin as the invited guest of Joseph Goebbels and his cultural exchange program. Enjoying new acclaim as a famous author, she is thrilled by the vibrancy of the city, a far cry from her village in Maine.

1935. Hannah Brecht is driven from her native Berlin after Hitler’s rise to power. She arrives in Paris and finds solace with her work at the German Library of Burned Books. The memory of the mass book burnings in her homeland is a constant weight on her mind as she feels that what happened in Germany will not be stopped.

1944. Vivian Child’s husband is killed overseas and she throws herself into providing Armed Service Editions to millions of soldiers overseas. The letters of thanks from soldiers proves the power of a book in a person’s life, as the words on the page provide both diversion and solace in dark times.

The stories of the three women are told in intertwining timelines as they face the horrors of war on a very personal level, at times pawns of forces larger than any one person, and ultimately finding their voices when pushed to the edge. Throughout is a timely message about the power of words, and how silencing one voice is the first step toward silencing an entire people.

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction centered on either women or this particular period of time will enjoy this book. (Actually anyone who loves books should enjoy this book!) The historical detail is evocative, yet the stories themselves are fresh and bring to life women we have perhaps not seen before. It is a story about love, war, sacrifice, and the power of books. Readers of historical fiction, Queer Fiction, LGBTQ fiction will enjoy this book.

I highly recommend.

Thank you to William Morrow/William Morrow Paperbacks and NetGalley for this ARC.

"The Librarian of Burned Books" is a novel centered during the time of WWII, told across three women's perspectives in different locations in time.

In Berlin, 1933: Young American writer Althea James is invited to Germany under an invitation by Joseph Goebbels, the soon-to-be chief propagandist for the Nazi Party. Her trip is under the guise of fostering good American-German relations in the wake of the Great War, however, and young Althea's naive and optimistic outlook is soon clouded when she sees the reality of what happens in Berlin. Among the many figures and celebrities she's introduced to, though, she's soon pulled into a series of events that force her to question her own beliefs and values, and make her own sacrifice.

In Paris, 1936: Hannah Brecht is adjusting to the city, after narrowly escaping Germany several years earlier. She can't escape the rising anti-Semitism sweeping Europe, however, and is still reeling from the damage done to her family; her brother Adam is still in prison and her parents have essentially abandoned her. Hannah secretly works with an underground movement at the German Library of Burned Books to keep alive the books the Nazis are trying to destroy, but her decisions from years ago continue to haunt her.

In New York City, 1944: Vivian Childs is determined to ensure that the ASE (Armed Services Editions), a program that ensures soldiers in the front line of the war have access to books, is continued, despite opposition from senator Robert Taft. Her battle is also a personal one, given the fact that her husband recently passed overseas, and she knows the comfort and benefit these books give to these men. In her attempt to rally public support, she tries to find those who experienced the book burnings in Germany a decade earlier, and is able to find a connection between a reclusive writer in Maine and and a young librarian working at the American Library of Nazi-Banned Books.

From a biased perspective, I love novels like these that highlight the contributions women made to the war efforts, which are usually overlooked. Although the initial introduction to these three women felt a little jarring given the sheer number of characters and settings to keep track of, the plotlines were carefully built up and the transitions became more seamless as the stories progressed. Each of the three main characters felt well-developed, with sufficient time and care given to their personalities and backstories, and I enjoyed how Brianna Labuskes tied their stories together in the end. The writing is complex and varied, and flows well across passages and chapters. I appreciated as well the focus given to books and their importance - not just as vehicles to advance or champion geopolitical change, but for the simple joys they can bring to readers.

Very much a recommended read when published later this month!

Following three different timelines over three different years, the librarian of band books dwells into the Nazis rise to power, and the cost that brings to all caught up in their quest for dominance. Thank you Bibliolifestyle and William Morrow Books for my physical copy. And thank you Netgalley for my DRC

I enjoyed each timeline and its slow unravel that reveals each woman’s story. How they came together, and what that meant was fascinating.

What stood out to me was the power of books and the knowledge they impart. This story so clearly demonstrates that and parallels can be found to the recent day book banning’s taking place across the United States today. For knowledge really is power.

Althea, Hannah, and Vivian are incredible characters whose journeys really made me think about what I would be willing to fight for. This is a different take on the build up to and during WWII and one I’m very glad to have read.

THE LIBRARIAN OF BURNED BOOKS by Brianna Labuskes

For being historical fiction the subject matter of this WWII story is pertinent to our current events. Censorship, book banning and burning is a way for the few to control the narrative and push their insidious agenda and beliefs onto the populace.

The story alternates between three different perspectives over an eleven year period.

1944 - Vivian Childs lives in New York working for the Armed Services Editions (ASE) program which ships books out to soldiers in the military in order to boost morale. She is currently trying to garner support for the ASE as Senator Taft has introduced a bill that will essentially censor all the books being shipped out.

1933 - Althea James is an American author who was invited by Joseph Geobbles to be part of a six month cultural immersion program in Berlin. She is young, naive, clueless about politics. She quickly learns her German host has not been upfront about his political views,

1936 - Hannah Brecht escaped to Paris from Germany shortly after Hitler came into power. She keeps to herself, working at the German Library of Burned Books.

While I wish this story was written in chronological order (at least in the beginning), the overall message and lesson is important: We cannot remain complacent or apathetic when it comes to the censoring or manipulation of our history, proven facts and information.

I usually don’t annotate passages in my ebooks, but I found myself doing so in this one.

If you like historical fiction and love books (obviously you do because you’re reading reviews), this would make for great read.


Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
Pub Date: 02.21.2023
#TheLibrarianOfBurnedBooks #BriannaLabuskes
#WilliamMorrowBooks #CustomHouseBooks

I admire Labuskes' ambition in crafting a novel with three protagonists that takes place across three countries and covers over a dozen different years! Her genius is in using the theme of censorship to unite all these strands. Althea is a young American writer who is invited to Germany in the early 1930s as the Nazis are coming to power. At first Althea sees much to admire, but then the shocking intolerance and brutality lead her to very different views. Hannah is a young German Jew, trying to survive the rise of the Nazis. And Vivian is a young American woman who works to provide novels for American soldiers serving in WWII. A powerful senator passes a bill censoring the books sent to the GIs, but Viv fights back, enlisting the help of both Hannah and Althea, who have each experienced repression and censorship personally.

So many amazing thoughts and truths about the importance of books and reading, about not censoring things you don’t agree with, and how the little things are what make a difference. Loved the point of “redemption had never lived in a single moment. It lived in a thousand of them.” The overarching thread in the book was that we tend to think life is made up most importantly of big noticeable impacts, but it’s the small shifts and seemingly insignificant actions that move the ship to change course.

Overall, I was conflicted on the book but ultimately the good parts were so good, I gave it 4 stars. Some content I was not a fan of and the first half was a bit slow and harder to get into. The 3 characters each with different timelines was a lot and didn’t give you enough time to really get invested or develop the characters. I don’t feel like the majority of the 1936 storyline with Hannah was really necessary and was just too much outside of the end. I also didn’t care for Hannah’s character. She was bitter, mean at times, lacked humility and angry (understandably), even before all hell broke loose in Berlin.

I really liked Viv and the 1944 timeline a lot. The ASE system was fascinating. But her character and timeline was the most interesting, relatable and able to be invested in, to me.

There were so many amazing concepts about books and the importance of them, the dangers of censorship and hidden agendas, and how the small things are what make the lasting impacts in our decisions and ourselves as well as history itself. Also loved all the points of how important reading is and finding books you like, not just what you’re “supposed” to like or what sounds superior. All of that really swayed the book higher for me and overtook what I didn’t care for.

On a lesser note, it seems a little of a misnomer in the title - it wasn’t really about the Librarian of Burned Books, but her and 2 other women equally. I guess it brings attention to the concept but seemed a little off target.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advanced copy of this book. All options are mine.

Books are powerhouses. They contain ideas, spark enthusiasm, and take readers on wonderful journeys. They are also considered to be conveyors of danger by entities that seek to dominate and control information.
The way Labuskes connects the 1930s book burnings in Germany and the censoring of the Armed Services Editions in 1944 is Ingenius.
I wasn’t sure how Viv, Hannah, and Althea’s stories would all interconnect until I was well into the book.
It’s well written and contains much to ponder. There are many parallels to contemporary times.
Books will always be powerful no matter how they are ingested. That power can never be snuffed out.

The premise was good but i felt lost several times reading the book. I ususally like this type of book but it seemed messy.

This book had beautifully written queer + Jewish characters and looked at some of the morally grey elements of life before and during WWII (just like in Althea's second book). The multiple perspectives are approached beautifully and intersect in powerful ways. The topics that come up - book burning, book censorship, bills being passed for the sake of society and having to allow sneaky amendments to placate the other side - are all thoroughly modern topics still relevant today. Despite this book being 416 [according to Goodreads], I flew through it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

This WWII story is told from three perspectives (Althea, Viv, and Hannah). I enjoyed each of their story lines and how they wove together. I highly recommend this book. I’m happy and thankful that The Librarian of Burned Books was featured on the Book Club Girl Facebook page so I could find out about it and read it for free.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Being a librarian, it is no surprise that I enjoy reading books about books. The added censorship component with The Librarian of Burned Books makes it all that much more relevant... especially given the current censorship issues occurring today.

4 out of 5 stars and my respect to the author.

The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes was such an extraordinary story!

I've read many books by Labuskes most of them being thrillers but I must say her writing a
was done so well.
There were so many layers of intrigue within this book.
The Council of Books in Wartime was so interesting.
The characters within book completely hooked me to the point to where I was so hooked and couldn't put my Kindle down.
Truly an unforgettable novel about the power of books and the bonds of friendship.
An enthralling WWII-era novel about the fates of three women who believe in the power of books to win over the very darkest moments of war.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.