This story spans three different time frames and it takes quite some time to understand how all the stories fit together. As it always happens in books like this, I tend to favor one timeline's story over the others and this wasn't an exception. Bray is a great writer and each unique setting was interesting, but I really wanted to be in Kleinwald for this whole story. I did not care for Jenny's story in Berlin in 1980, and felt that we are still too close to COVID for that to be a main era to focus on - I understand why she picked all three, but I just wanted more Sophie, Hanna, and the rest of the resistance.

Libba Bray is incapable of writing anything not filled with magic, even a story where there are no actual magic elements. I'm absolutely overcome how much I love all three parts to this story, especially Hanna and Sophie's. Bray writes so excellent relationships between characters, it's remained one of my favorite things about her writing. The complexity of the characters in each setting, from the 1940s to 1980s to 2020 and the connections between each, really make this story shine. I really can't do more than gush about generally everything, this is a must read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is beautifully devastating, tragically romantic, and everything I need in a novel. Libba Bray masterfully weaves together stories from across three periods of time in an informative and heartwrenching methodology. These stories focus on the beauty and optimism that can remain even in the darkest hours of humanity when people believe that they can become the light. Through love and loss, death and new life, and faith that positive power can be achieved, this novel beautifully portrays the legacies of individuals rising to the challenge, across almost a century, in hope for a better world.

In Under the Same Stars three different groups of teens in three different decades are connected by the mystery of the magical Bridegroom's Oak in Germany, which helps people find true love. The first setting is 1940s Germany where Sophie and Hannah are resistance fighters during WW II. They not only find true love through the oak, but use it to pass valuable forged documents to those trying to escape the Nazis. In 1980s West Berlin Texan transplant Jenny meets German queer punk Lena, falls in love with her and transforms herself into Dallas, a violin player in a punk rock band. In 2020 Brooklyn, Miles and Chloe are trying to adjust to the pandemic’s restrictions, as they explore the mysteries in her grandmother’s scrapbook, featuring two German teens who disappeared in 1941. The interwoven stories begin to come together as Miles and Chloe discover her grandmother is Hannah, who survived WWII. The themes of connections and the transformative elements of storytelling, which are explored, will resonate with the readers of this powerful new novel.

Under the Same Stars follows three timelines - early 1940s Germany, summer of 1980 in West Berlin, and spring of 2020 in Brooklyn - and I quickly realized how relevant all of these times were still to today, which made this hard to get through as it hit a little too close to home. I picked this up because I loved Libba Bray's debut trilogy, and though I am not usually a WWII-book reader, I wanted to read another of her stories for nostalgia. The author's note said she wrote this primarily during quarantine, so the fact that it released post-inauguration day of 2024 was too needed.

This is hard a hard book to review because I had so many mixed emotions throughout, but it earned 5 stars for that reason. All the main characters are in their late-teens and were forced to make a decision about what they believed in and what they were willing to stand for. There is a fairytale woven throughout of the Bridegroom's Oak, a matchmaking tree in the forest that they use to exchange letters and dream beneath. As the book goes on we hear variations on this that become more and more real.

In the 1940s, we follow two best friends at the beginning of the Nazi regime. The Hilter Youth groups have come to their village and as they grow up over a few years, and their older brothers/friends return from war, they realize they can no longer stand for the propaganda and hate. It was interesting to see the subtle progress this made over time and also how fast things can turn.

In 1980 West Berlin, Jenny had just moved with her family from Texas and sneaks around to involve herself in the punk movement, those protesting the Berlin Wall and those trapped on the communist side. She feels she is finally able to be her true self, out from under the thumb of her socialite mother, and quickly finds herself in precarious situations. I did not know as much about this point in history, so I enjoyed learning about the situation.

2020 Brooklyn starts at the beginning of the pandemic quarantine, with one of Miles' moms stuck in Amsterdam and one a nurse living closer to the hospital so not to bring Covid home. He is a HS senior and on his own, still trying to do school online and connect with his friends through video calls. There was a lot of this quarantine-life that I forgot about, though I did not live in a large city, I was reminded of the pot banging NYC did for the first responders at night and washing groceries. Miles reconnects with his friend Chloe, and helps her research a box of pictures and letters of her grandma's, of two girls that went missing 80 years ago. They find evidence of Nazi resistance and start connecting the dots on the fairytales she told Chloe.

I loved how the stories interwove and all had messages of resistance and standing for good. It definitely left me with a lot to think about and reflect in my own life. I began this as an ARC, but since it was taking me so long to work through I switched to audio once it released and loved how it was produced - with multiple narrators and things like recording noises when Chloe is replying her grandma's stories. Would definitely recommend reading through audiobook. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for providing an eARC for my honest opinion.

This was a wonderful and unexpectedly timely story. I really adored how the story unfolded with the three different timelines woven with into a masterfully crafted overlap that keeps you guessing until the end. All three also highlight time periods in history where there was a forced mass upheaval from a young adults point of view as they grapple with carving out who they are and going after the life they want to have instead of the life they are expected to from the society around them. It's a powerful juxtaposition.

When I saw that Libba Bray had a new YA novel coming out, I shrieked with delight! I have been a fan of Libba's since A Great and Terrible Beauty.

Under the Same Stars is a behemoth of a book divided into three time periods, 1940's Germany, 1980's West Germany and 2020 New York City.

It is a multigenerational ride of trauma, resilience and resistance.
Sophie and Hanna cling to each other and their small town as Hitler's power grows. In the 80's American living abroad Jenny tries to find herself amongst the punk movement in a country separated by a wall. In 2010, as a global pandemic upends life during their senior year, Miles and Chloe patch up a rocky relationship as new news comes to light about a mystery surrounding Chloe's grandmother.

The pacing was really slow until about 50% of the book. I did not care for and glossed through the fable sections. To be honest, I was conflicted about reading the sections set in the pandemic (too fresh for me) and the 1980's section was horribly out of place. I think if Bray stuck to two povs (1940s and present day), the book would have felt more cohesive.

I despised the 1980s section describing the punk movement so much. Jenny and her punk friends were so unlikeable I did not care about this section at all.
I wanted to love this book, the ending was breathtaking, but it took too much slogging to get to it.

I still love Libba Bray, and Sophie and Hanna's story will haunt me forever, but this fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Macmillan for the e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

I haven’t read a Libba Bray book since The Diviners (which is one of my favorites), and I had forgotten how much I love this author’s writing. This was an epic story covering about three generations of teens living in three significant periods of history (WWII, Berlin Wall era, and Covid/George Floyd); and, I was equally invested in all three storylines and how they all tied together. The main characters show a significant amount of growth and depth, and are just easy to enjoy. There was definitely tragedy, but also hope and unity. I will highly recommend this to those who like historical fiction and/or YA fiction.

The Gemma Doyle trilogy is an all time favorite of mine, and I think there’s no doubt that Libba Bray does excellent work in the YA fantasy sphere. Of more mixed results have been her non-fantasy novels, and I think this one is the best of the lot.

This is a beautifully written, three timeline piece of historical fiction, and while it takes a while to make the connections, all three stories are both worthy on their own and enhanced by their relationship with each other.

The links between them are a bit loose, but they do work and I think that semi-tenuous style of connection actually makes them feel more plausible. Bray seems to get the crux of what matters in all three eras, and she’s written a lovable cast of characters in each of them.

The World War II timeline is a bit tough to read at the end, though that again probably makes it more realistic, and the nobility and heroism of it make it less painful, even if anything connected to this era feels extra hard to take at the moment given what’s going on in our world right now.

To that end, one of the things I loved about this book is its profound sense of hope, which I think is something I needed right now, and I loved that Bray zeroed in on the idea that sometimes the way we affect change is going to feel small, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be impactful.

I’ve been reading Libba Bray books for over twenty years. It astounds me to say that but it’s true. I started with A Great and Terrible Beauty, shortly after it was published in paperback. There’s only one book of hers I haven’t read (Beauty Queens), though I do own it and have it on my TBR. I was ecstatic to read Under the Same Stars as an ARC.

Bray has a way with characters and historical settings, especially. Each point of view had a unique voice and a unique setting that I had no trouble picturing as I read. Hanna and Sophie in 1940s Germany. Lena in 1980s Germany. Miles in New York in 2020. The last one hit the hardest in a lot of ways, as fresh as that time is in my mind. With the world as we know it falling apart around us, I think back to those early days of the pandemic and wonder how those times were more hopeful than those we’re living through now. Even when circumstances tell you otherwise, get out there and do something. Stand up, speak out. Protest. March. Call. Email. Do something. Even if it’s small. Do something. It’s better than doing nothing.

I love the progression of the story. I felt like the pacing was near perfect, especially the back third of the book. As secrets were revealed and threads of story were tied off, I looked back and wondered how I missed the signs. I had an inkling about a couple of the big reveals but was more than content to let the story lead the way. There’s always something comfortable about Bray’s writing, something I will always come back to and find a home in. Everything is so seamless, switching between settings and decades and characters. The interjections of the fairytales and the bits from other people’s point of view aside from our main three.

There is no obvious magic in this book, as there is in so many of Bray’s other books. There is a certain magic in the power of the very few accomplishing a lot. How one person can stand up and cause a tidal wave with their actions.

Lena is my favorite transformation, I think. Her personal progression and bravery through her summer in Germany was inspirational and really fun to read. I’m a 90s baby so it wasn’t a time I lived in but I found familiarity in the references to brands, magazines, celebrities, etc. I loved that her downstairs neighbor wanted her subscription to an American teen magazine, that she wanted American makeup and things like that. The fascination with America that other people have is so fun. The obsession with snacks and visits to malls and Target, when that’s just our normal everyday will never not amuse me. While Lena realizes that she’s a lesbian before she goes to Germany, she really embraces that aspect of herself and loses a lot of the shame she held inside. Against the backdrop of the Berlin wall, such things seem less important, especially when you have people who will support you, no matter what. Sophie is me, in a lot of ways, though I’m not sure how brave I would be in her circumstances. Miss Lonelyhearts, writing letters to be placed in a magical tree so she can find her true love. Keeping the fairytale alive and being hopeful for the future. She was a ray of sunshine for Hanna, and for me.

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. I think Libba Bray fans will enjoy this slightly different book from her, as well. While it doesn’t hold the magic of her two most popular series, it does have everything else I loved about those books. The characters and friendships have the same feel of those in The Diviners and in A Great and Terrible Beauty. There is depth there that I can’t find anywhere else. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

Under the Same Stars tells three stories in three different periods. It starts with two best friends in 1940s Germany, moves to an American teen visiting West Berlin in the 1980s, and also visits a teen stuck in quarantine in NYC in 2020. Libba Bray seamlessly weaves these three stories together in a consistently captivating way. This book is challenging and sad and also very full of hope.

A tree that is rumored to bring lovers together, a young woman caught up in the punk movement and a boy weathering Covid on his own are the three stories masterfully intertwined in this new novel by Libba Bray. The stories weave back and forth as we are immersed in each and with breadcrumbs Bray leads us ultimately to how they are all connected. A story of hope, though the characters are dealing with darkness. Beautiful and highly recommended.

4.5

Under the Same Stars is a multi-generational historical fiction that is timely and relevant. Told in three timelines, including 1930s/40s Germany, 1980 - Germany, and 2020 - New York, Libba Bray has written a beautiful story about resistance, truth, and love.

I loved Under the Same Stars, which might be odd considering the themes addressed, including oppression, the power of propaganda, and the consequences of resistance. Despite the heavy feel of the story, Bray manages to bring light and hope into the story.

While I enjoyed all three timelines, Sophie's and Hanna's story of a small German village in the beginning days of WWII was the most captivating. Their friendship is everything, and watching their world crumble around them was heartbreaking. I shed many tears for their story. Portions of their story were fairytale-like and beautifully written.

Germany's Punk Era, seen through the eyes of Jenny, was so atmospheric. I felt as though I went back in time and stood by Jenny's side as she came of age during this tumultuous time. Bray seamlessly weaves the German language throughout this storyline.

Miles' Covid Era storyline will likely be the section that many people struggle with. While many readers dislike Covid-focused plotlines, I think it works particularly well here. While serious topics remain in this timeline, Miles' daily life during Covid and reconnection with his best friend, Chloe, add much-needed levity and anchor the other two timelines. With that said, I would have loved more emotional depth in this timeline rather than a surface-level exploration of this era.

While this is a young adult novel, I think readers who typically dislike YA, could enough this story, especially if they are a fan of historical fiction.

I did a tandem read with the ebook and the audio. The audio narration is fantastic. January LaVoy, Jeremy Carlisle Parker, Major Curda all do a great job of bringing their characters and timelines to life.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Untwisting the mystery of how the characters of the three timelines are connected makes Under the Same Stars an exhilarating page-turner. Beyond that, the three separate stories are equal parts fascinating, terrifying and deeply moving. The parallels of the horror of WWII, the thrill of West Berlin circa 1980 and the isolation of spring 2020 work beautifully to illuminate the human condition and how, even in the worst of times, our connections are what make us whole.

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray is a great and well written story! Always enjoy everything from this author.

This was the best book that I had read in some time. The way the three stories were woven together was really well done, and the slow reveal of how they went together was beautiful. I also enjoyed the way that fairy tales were used in the book, and the idea of people both trying to atone for past misdeeds and move themselves into a future where they can both be themselves and effect change in the world around them. I also liked that the book really took a hard examination of how easy it is to be compliant and complacent as fascism is growing around you, and how prescient it was for the time we are in now. I had to give a lot of ideas and lines in the book some hard thought, and that is the best compliment that I can render.

4.5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

Libba Bray, the writer you are.

We follow three different people in three different times, waiting for the moment everything connects. I found myself getting frustrated with the characters and their choices, but once things clicked together, it was full steam ahead.

Love is resistance.

I picked up this book because I loved Libba Bray’s books as a kid, and her adult novel didn’t disappoint! I liked the different perspectives and how they all weaved together to tell a similar story.

Oh my goodness, this book was exactly what I needed right now. A story of bravery, resilience, connection and a little bit of magic, Under the Same Stars follows three timelines and three different groups of teenagers during WWII, 1980s Germany and Brooklyn during the Covid pandemic. This book really shows how important studying and remembering history is and how the past absolutely influences the present and future. Especially with what’s happening in the world now, I feel like this book is so unbelievably necessary and important. I found myself loving each timeline and its group of characters, but Sophie and Hanna in WWII era Germany really captured my heart. As connections are discovered and the invisible strings appear, you’ll find yourself turning the pages as fast as you can to see what happens next. I cannot say enough good things about this book. READ IT IMMEDIATELY.
P.S. This is probably a duh statement, but HAVE TISSUES AT THE READY.
CW: antisemitism, war, pandemic, animal death, violence, racism, homophobia, hate crimes, police brutality, murder

Thank you to NetGalley and Fierce Reads for an advanced digital readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

A young adult novel about the many ways young adults have, in the past, resisted against injustice—Nazi resistance in Germany in the 1930s, LGBTQ punks in East and West Germany in the 1980s, and young protestors after the murder of George Floyd during the COVID pandemic. Pretty heavy themes around defiance, complicity, guilt, and survival. These stories are all individually good and interesting, and the framing and interlinking tying each of the stories together is also inventively done, though the associations are sometimes weak.