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.

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray striking and beautiful young adult historical mystery that examines truth, rebellion, reconciliation, and what must be sacrificed for a better world.
A masterfully crafted story that was so hard to put down.

I honesty struggled with the three POV. I found the WWII era more engaging and appreciated the historical aspect of the 80s. However, the COVID point of view felt a little flat. I just had a difficult time engaging and wanting to finish the book. It just turned out to not be my cup of tea, although I know there are many others who would enjoy it.

Under the Same Stars is a timely novel that calls to mind behaviors that are becoming commonplace in America.

Both heartbreaking and hopeful, Under the Same Stars takes readers to three major points in time — 1940s Germany, 1980s Germany and 2020 New York. Though I connected with two timelines better than the third, each one is well-developed and serves the story as a whole.

Author Libba Bray is an expert storyteller. Her writing is a smooth as ever. She drops clues throughout, but keeps readers guessing almost to the end.

Under the Same Stars is not a particularly dynamic read. There are some elements that are, to be sure, but a lot of its power comes in the quieter moments. It’s a good option for fans of Bray’s earlier works.

Review will be posted on 2/5/25
It's 1939 and Hanna and Sophie are two girls living during difficult times. Things are changing in their village with the arrival of Nazis. But like any teenage girls from their village, they look to the Bridgegroom's Oak tree for answers as it has matchmaking abilities. But matchmaking is not what they find there and meanwhile, the Nazis become more overbearing every day. Fast forward to the 1980s in West Berlin. Jenny has moved, along with her family, from the United States to West Berlin due to her father's work. Jenny comes from a preppy Dallas family, so the West Berlin scene is new to her. She befriends Lena, a punk, and Lena challenges her long-held beliefs in almost every area of her life. Lastly, in 2020, there's Miles and Chloe who work on a mystery surrounding Chloe's grandmother's scrapbook. They learn of two girls who disappeared from her grandmother's village and with the help of some internet sleuthing they get some answers. Each story thread has themes of overcoming oppression and ultimately of hope. Libba Bray's Under the Same Stars is a historical mystery that will be sure to keep readers flipping pages.

I have always enjoyed Bray's writing and that is the case here with Under the Same Stars. This is a powerful novel, perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys, as the story really stays with you. While I love WWII storylines, I am not sure I was in the right frame of mind to appreciate this one. I also struggled with the 2020 plot thread as the pandemic plays a role. Again, I am also not sure I am ready to read about COVID yet - too soon? Nonetheless, Bray's story kept me engaged, despite my issues with the difficult topics as well as some uneven pacing. Having three different points of view can be daunting at times, but overall, she really pulled together a powerful story that tied together the three narratives very well. Under the Same Stars is a GMA YA book club pick and I can see why. It would lend itself to wonderful discussions.

The writing was top notch, but unfortunately, Under the Same Stars didn't really grab my attention as much as I thought it would.

The book has a lot to say about the current climate regarding fascism and doing the right thing under dangerous circumstances. This is definitely an important read and Libba Bray pulls no punches in that regard. All three (well, four-ish if you count Mormor's stories/fables) POVs have something to say in regard to countering oppressive governments and recognizing propaganda for what it is.

But other than that, this book really dragged for me. I didn't care much for the modern day COVID storyline/POV. A lot of it felt like filler (typical teenage dating woes and going through Zoom school) and that really pulled me away from the heart of the story. While all of the storylines tied together, the oomph at the end when I found out the truth didn't really hit as hard because of how much this dragged.

The historical narratives were a lot stronger imo, especially the Nazi Germany storyline. But then again, that might be my own preference for WWII stories. The Cold War Germany storyline was also interesting in its historical context, but like the modern day storyline, a lot of it read like filler (more teenage dating woes, but make it queer and punk).

I appreciate the book for what it tries to say, but ultimately, it all gets bogged down by so much filler that I couldn't wait to finish it.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), and NetGalley for this arc.

Libba Bray expertly weaves together narratives of three very different time periods and somehow makes them all incredibly relevant and poignant! Her writing style is will draw you in from the first page. I already can't wait to read this again!

This story was all-encompassing and truly a wonderful tale that takes you through multiple timelines and how the individuals in those eras tackle the continuous fallout and devastation of World War II. I found myself drawn in to the narrative of the WWII era and the 80s punk era moreso than the modern COVID era, but all stories wove together so beautifully that this story will have far-lasting impacts.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved the three stories and how they intertwined together. I think this will be my favorite read of 2025 without a doubt. Beautifully written. Beautiful story. I wish I could reread for the first time.

Thanks to @netgalley, @macmillanusa, and @librofm for the combined access to this 2.4.25 release. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this story, which weaves three storylines across time. In one, Hana and Sophie work for the resistance against the Nazis. In the second, Jenny is transplanted from Dallas to West Germany in the 1980s, embracing the punk movement and trying to find herself. In 2020, Miles rides out the Covid pandemic alone, both of his mothers away due to the crisis. He reunites with his best friend digitally, helping her solve a mystery surrounding her aging grandmother. The stories weave together beautifully. I would hand this to readers in grades 9+. #yalit #highschoolreads