Wartime was a moment that pushed men and women to look deep into their character for strength and direction. Here is a historical account of of women willing to sacrifice youth for adventure in a foreign country. These women push during training so they will endure being home sick and temptations on foreign soil. Eight hundred African American women, highly educated, deeply moral and willing to give their full measure to see that mail sent to servicemen got to them overseas. It meant they had to stick together to rise together. It is a true testament to a little known area of American history.

This was an average read for me. Absolutely worth my time to read and I really enjoyed the premise of the book, however, the writing and story felt average.

Thank you Amistad for allowing me to read and review No Better Time, A Novel of the Spirited Women of the Six Triple Eight Central Postal Directory Battalion by Sheila Williams on NetGalley.

Published: 02/27/24

Stars 3.5

Not once in all the years I have read historical fiction and nonfiction, nor at anytime during my years in high school or University did I wonder how soldiers received their mail. No Better Time does not outline the procedures.

This short, fast, easy to read novel touches on the Women who enlisted and were assigned the duty. The difficulty comes when reading that as Women of Color in the Armed Services they were badly treated by others enlisted too. This was quite disturbing.

The women were unique and I loved their character.

I do recommend this to mature readers and for younger readers with guidance.

i Love historical fiction and this one was good. the author gives the reader a story about the war Department, Women's Auxiliary Corps (WAC). it just so happens its all women of color. the women were trained to do everything literally. imagine a resume that is the job of multiple people. they assisted in hospitals were pen pals to families, etc. i haven't read many book on WWII but I'm happy i read this one.

This was a very interesting book about a part of WWII that I knew nothing about. So many interesting moments. A little repetitive at times but a good read.

This was a quick fast paced read. A story about determination, dreams and aspirations, and friendships. This historical fiction of the 6888th central postal directory battalion, the only Black women regiment to serve during WWII, was written well and the women’s camaraderie was felt. Focusing on two characters Dorothy and Leila, the story tells of their determination to make a better life for themselves and support their country. But just as in the states, these Black women still face racism and discrimination. But through it all they persevered and stuck to their mission.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

This is a topic I'd love to have more books on, so I'm glad the author tackled it. I just wanted to *know* the characters better. I feel like through the book, there was a lot of facts, but it misses the emotional component for me.

What a privilege to be able to walk with these brave ladies as they survive a time of historic upheaval and change in not just our nation, but the world. This book is enlightening, heartbreaking and uplifting. There are passages that make me angry in the treatment of these heroes, and other passages that give me hope. I encourage anyone who enjoys reading the WWII era to read this book. It will bring to light a seldom mentioned and often forgotten part of the war and the people impacted by it.

Author: Sheila Williams @dancingonedge2
Summary: The acclaimed author of The Secret Women and Things Past Telling returns with an engrossing historical novel about a little known aspect of World War II — the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only Black WACs to serve overseas during the conflict. In the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Dorothy Thom, Spelman graduate, librarian and Francophile, joins the Women’s Army Corps wanting to do her part for the war effort. Longing for adventure, she has one question for the “Do you think I’ll get to go abroad?” As Dorothy and her sister WACs discover, life in the Army is an adventure filled with unexpected deprivations and culture shock. Women from all levels of society, secretaries, teachers, and sharecroppers, work together to navigate a military segregated by race and gender. At boot camp, the “colored girls” are separated for processing. At Ft. Riley, the women’s barracks are rustic and heated by coal-burning pot-bellied stoves while German POWs spend their incarceration in buildings with central heat and hot water. In early 1945, Dorothy and eight hundred African American WACs cross the turbulent North Atlantic to their post in England. Their orders are to process the mail sent to GIs from their loved ones back home, an estimated 17 million pieces. The women arrive to find mail stockpiled for over two years in warehouses and airplane hangars, many pieces in poor condition, the names illegible. In England and France, the WACs traverse a landscape of unimagined possibilities. With their outlooks changed forever, they return to the United States as the catalysts for change in America and build lives that transcend anything their ancestors ever dreamed of. No Better Time illuminates a love of country and duty that has been overlooked until now. Copy provided by @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Likes: This was an inspiring read filled with optimism and resilience. Williams’ storytelling is engaging, and I loved learning about strong women, especially women of color, who helped build and defend this country! This is a must-read!
Dislikes: Some of the backstories weren’t explained in as much detail as I had hoped.
#historicalfiction #WWII #AmericanHistory #Fiction #Army #WACs #WomenOfColor #POC #feminism #girlpower #booksbooksbooks

This book didn't draw me in or endear me to the characters, it almost felt like someone reciting the information they knew. I'm glad to have learned about the 6888th, but wish there had been more emotional attachment or development in the characters. It was interesting to find out the different reasons for joining and the determination and hard work, but again wish there could have been more connection to it. Felt more like snapshots into peoples lives. I wish it had been more readable, but it is still a book that I'm glad I read.

Dorothy was a very interesting character.She had a lot of education. She had a very interesting life because she was raised in Atlanta.Then a equivalent ohio. She taught for a while in florida and then she went up to spellman as a librarian. She always wanted to go to france because I one of her favorite things to do was read in french. When the war came, she decided she wanted to have an Adventure. So she signed up for the w.A c. The training was really hard and she met a lot of different women in life, especially one who had a baby at a wetlock. She was very unhappy in Ohio, but she wanted to provide for her child.. A lot of times it was really hard for these women because they were still racially disadvantaged because they could not do things like the white woman could do. They were sent overseas to help with the backlog of letters and packages. One incident they were in a pub one night when I white sellers came in and they wanted these black women to leave because they didn't feel this was right but the english part under is still up for them. Then they were sent to France and this was a real. Eye opener her thigh did amazing things say one. It was a cook and she found ways to supplement their food and talk to the local people. Dorothy was happy because it was where her favorite author was. It was a very interesting book because it showed different aspect of these women's lives and how they were trying to move forward in life.

No Better Time by Sheila Williams is an interesting book about the women who joined the army during WWII. The women faced racism, prejudice and sexism while serving in the Women Army's Corps during World War II. The 6888th were African American women who joined the Army to help the cause and did they help! Their huge task was to fix the logjam of mail and packages in Europe. They found a way to get the mail to the correct addresses through determination, perseverance, and hard work. I wish there was more depth into the characters. here's some book recommendations on the 6888th unit: Sisters in Arms by Kala Alderson and Women of the Post by Joshunda Sanders.

Reading this novel gave me insight into the early days of black females serving in the military. How they were treated and the impact they had on the soldiers. Interesting and well written. I started this book and read it until I completed it to know the outcome.

This book sheds light onto a part of history that has been overlooked until now. A group of African American women in the Women’s Army Corp played a big role in history as they were assigned to go overseas to redirect and process mail sent to GIs. Their service, laced with a love for their country, has been magnified throughout this incredible story. I adored their precious friendship and camaraderie but hoped to get to know the characters more on a deeper level. I really enjoyed that although the women came from different places, backgrounds and joined the WAC for different reasons, they shared a common bond after their experiences together.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, @bibliolifestyle and @amistadbooks for this ARC!

This is the third book I've enjoyed and read about the 6888, and It was just as good. This one offers a slightly different perspective on the women, but It stayed true to the story and was completely captivating. This story drew me in right from the beginning and I could not put it down. I read it in one sitting.. This was such an incredible, well written, engaging and enjoyable story. I will surely be putting this author on my list for future works as well as her blacklist. This was the first time I've read a book from this author, and after this it won't be my last.

I really enjoyed No Better Time. I loved the fact that it was about women who wanted to help and didn't initially know how. The reasons for signing up were quite different. It also highlighted an area I hadn't thought much about, getting mail to the right person. I loved this.

This book covered an interesting part of history that I knew little about. I was happy to read it, but somehow it read more like non fiction without very much to help me relate to the women. However, it was written cleanly and was very accessible -- I just wished I had cared more about the characters.

Quick read about a group of Black women serving during WWII. It details their experiences enlisting, training, and eventually taking posts overseas to process backlogged mail. It also touches on the sexism and racism the women face being both Black and female in the US military. The characters navigate daily challenges through friendship, cunning, resourcefulness, and sense of humor (while still making time for some fun and adventure).

To me, this felt more like non-fiction than historical fiction. It's a very simple, straightforward, high level telling of events. It reads like an attempt to balance facts with entertainment, not an attempt to ignore facts for entertainment. I would recommend to those who like reading from lesser-known perspectives in history, or those who enjoy stories of found family.

I recently read another historical fiction novel about the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and I was so interested in this piece of history that I had not previously known about. I was so excited to see this new book from Sheila Williams about the only Black WACs who served in Europe during the war.

I loved that the author used inspiration from her own family to bring her characters to life. The book covered so much historical ground while also feeling like a story about women's relationships. The historical facts never get lost in the character-driven arcs.