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.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Duration: 16 hrs 31 min
Narrated by January LaVoy; Jeremy Carlisle Parker; Major Curda

* Historical Fiction
* YA
* Multi Interconnected Timelines
* Multiple POVs
* WWII
* The Cold War
* Covid
* Complex Themes
* LGBTQ+

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray is beautifully written! I have always loved her writing style and this definitely didn’t disappoint! The story is a historical fiction (without her usual fantasy) told in three different timelines-1940s Germany (January LaVoy), 1980s West Germany (Jeremy Carlisle Parker), and Spring 2020, New York City (Jeremy Carlisle Parker). Truly is a powerful read and so much research, thought, heart and soul.

I absolutely love her talent with world/ character building. Each intricate detail, down to the flawless transitions. She had me on the edge of my seat. I won’t be going into much detail, as I don’t want to have any spoilers.

1940’s, Germany, follows two young Germany girls that are trying to navigate life and society with the heavy weight of the Nazis. This time line has so much going on in it.

1980’s, West Germany (Berlin), follows an American (Texan) who is trying to find herself. She fell in love with a punk rocker girl that is part of the punk movement.

2020, New York City, follows a young man with two moms. It covers the pandemic, BLM movement and helping a friend find out more about her ancestry.

The contrast in different timelines, they all share the themes of independence, freedom, and friendships. Highly recommend this book to those that live seamless multiple timeline stories that are rich with historical fiction.

I received an ALC of this. The narration was incredible and very well executed. I throughly enjoyed that there was multiple narrators and you knew by that, which timeline you were in. They all definitely brought the story to life.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this incredible ALC.

In Under the Same Stars, Libba Bray tells intertwines stories from 1940s Germany, 1980s West Berlin, and 2020 New York City. It is an ambitious book and Bray definitely pulled it off. I anticipate many people loving this book.

As with most multi-timeline books, I liked one more than the others, but I found all of them pretty compelling. Every time we were back with Sophie and Hanna in the 1940s, I couldn't stop reading - I needed to know what happened. Jenny's storyline in the 1980s was unlike anything I've read before and kept me on the edge of my seat. Miles's story in 2020 was more challenging for me to read simply because some of it felt too fresh.

The audiobook narration and production were extremely well done - I'd recommend listening to this book.

Master storyteller Libba Bray delivers a complex plot that will hook readers in. The intertwined narratives worked perfectly to fully tell the tale of 3 different major events/times in history. This is a must have for all collections!

This is my first read by Bray and it was an interesting and nuanced story exploring different characters across time. The characters are richly written and incredibly well developed. The story as a whole has a slower pace; however, that didn’t stop me from reading it start to finish in one day. It sucked me in with how Bray didn’t shy away from topics or controversies affecting the time periods being written about. It was interesting to experience the three different time lines and see how they all wove together. I also appreciated the choice to reveal the connections a little at a time as it helped me stay invested with the slower pacing. I enjoyed the narration for this and really appreciated the choice to use multiple narrators. It helped me keep track of the story. I felt all three did well in their roles and appreciated that they were speaking in a similar cadence where I didn’t have to adjust the speed of the story between narrator swaps.

I was provided an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

The narrators January LaVoy, Jeremy Carlisle Parker, and Major Curda were excellent! LaVoy is one of my all time favorites and I will listen to anything she narrates, but the addition of the 2 other narrators to voice Miles and the Grandmother on the tape telling the story were perfect choices. They really brought the 3 interconnected stories to life.

This follows 3 interconnected stories, and I'll admit it took me a while to figure out how they were all connected but I eventually put it all together. This follows best friends Sophie and Hanna in the 1940's in Germany as the Nazis are establishing their hold. As teenagers they are maturing from girls into women and putting their beloved fairytales and folklore behind them like the famous Bridegroom's Oak that is said to make love matches and send messages between lovers. The oak tree becomes a key part in the events that take place in their town not only when it comes to romance but to save lives. In the 19080 we meet Jenny, who has moved to Germany from Texas because of her father's job. Her parents want her to be one way but she is desperate to find her true identity. Lena a punk rocker just might hold the key to unlocking that identity as she shows her the real Germany and introduces Jenny to the punk scene. Then we have Miles, who is stuck alone doing virtual school and terrified to go outside during the COVID pandemic. His moms can't come home due to travel and Covid protocols, so he has to fend for himself. His best friend Chloe gets a strange package from her ailing grandmother that leads them to investigate two missing teenagers from 80 years ago around the Bridegroom's Oak. Those teens are Sophie and Hannah, which unfolds a story that connects Miles, Chloe, the missing girls, and Jenny in a very unexpected way.

I really liked the way this was told. It has the same beautiful writing you would expect if you have every read Libba Bray in the past. The interwoven storylines was a creative way to tell this tale. Despite the fact that all three storylines are broken up I felt like we got to know all of the characters pretty well. We see growth in all of the characters as they face their fears and opposition, stand up to bullies, and stand up for what they believe in. I also thought that the recording of the fairy tale by Chloe's grandmother was a nice touch, it not only helped with the investigation, but as with all fairy tales it was a way to hide what was really going on at the time and tell the real story of what happened.

I'm a huge fan of The Diviner's series, I grew up in the 80s, survived COVID, and I love WWII historical fiction. This book was a huge win for me. I love Libba Bray's writing, though this does not have the fantasy elements that Diviner's had. This touches on alot of things in the various historical events of the 1940s and 1980s in Germany as well as the spring of 2020 pandemic that we all just lived through. If those time periods and events are going to be triggering for you, take care and maybe shelve this one for later. I thought the author did a great job discussing the political landscapes of each time period and some of the horrible events that occurred.

4 Stars – A Slow Burn That’s Worth It

This was my first book by this author, and I really enjoyed it! The writing is beautiful, and while it took some time for the story to fully pull me in, by the end, it was absolutely worth it.

The book weaves together three timelines—1940s Germany, 1980s West Germany, and 2020 New York. Of the three, the 1980s storyline was my favorite, while the 2020 COVID timeline didn’t work as well for me—it felt less engaging compared to the historical sections.

Though labeled as YA, this is a mature read with complex themes and rich historical detail. If you enjoy slow-burning, multi-timeline historical fiction with a touch of mystery, this is definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, author, and narrators for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Wow! I loved this audiobook so much! The narrators are fantastic! I am so amazed at their talent at bringing this amazing story to life. This book takes place in multiple timelines and follows multiple characters. I was fully invested in all of the different characters and storylines. This is not just a WW2 historical fiction novel. This is so much more and I love the sprinkle of magical realism in it. This is such a unique story and I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys multiple timelines, multiple POV’s, magical realism, and historical fiction. I need a physical copy of this now! Thank you again for allowing me to review this fantastic audiobook.

The intertwining narratives were masterfully crafted, keeping me hooked from start to finish. It's a thrilling journey that seamlessly blends history and suspense, making for an unforgettable reading experience.

Another amazing book from Libba Bray. This one is historical fiction told in 3 different timelines-1940s Germany, 1980s West Germany, Spring 2020, New York City. All timelines are at a time when standing up became more and more important even if it meant your life. Each of these stories were told so well that you felt like you were in the place. It also makes you ask yourself what would you have done? This book is unfortunately very timely as well as historical. I don’t want to give away how these 3 storylines come together but I loved how it was written.

Narrated by January LaVoy 1940’s Germany; Jeremy Carlisle Parker 1980’s Germany; Major Curda 2020 New York…All narrators did an amazing job each brough the emotions and characters to life.

I am a huge fan of Bray and this book was no exception, this one did not have any fantasy elements it is historical fiction and yes I am including 2020 in that because of the historical even that happened.

This is classified YA but would be great for adults too.

4 stars

I received this audiobook from the publisher Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

What an incredible read. I love historical fiction and books that have a non-linear timeline, and Under the Same Stars fit the bill exactly. I was on the edge of my seat as the mystery unfolded, and I couldn't wait to learn more about how each story was connected.

First off, let me just say that “just because” this is marketed as a young adult book, I was left shattered and forever changed by this novel. With three different, and stealthily intertwined, timelines we see: forbidden sapphic love, first loves, first times, fear of government, separation of families, division of families based on politics, and so much more.

Our earliest timeline takes place in 1940s Germany. Two young German girls are navigating their lives against a Nazi-occupying backdrop. At the center of their story is the “Bridegroom’s Oak,” a matchmaking tree. There is SO MUCH packed into this timeline, and it is serendipitous the release of this book with so much going on with USA Nationalism as well. It is very relatable and very scary.

The next timeline is 1980s Berlin. We have an American girl, Jenny, trying to find her own voice, her own way, with her suffocating Texan parents. Jenny falls in love with a punk rocker girl, Lena, who carries the weight of separated Berlin on her shoulders. Lena is all about revolution and sticking it to “the man” and is a much-needed motivation for Jenny to take her own life, her destiny, into her own hands.

Our final timeline is 2020 NYC. The pandemic. The BLM protests. Miles, a young man with two mothers, is occupying his time by helping his friend, Chloe, with her family’s genealogy efforts. As Miles and Chloe uncover the truth, the stories from 1940s Germany and 1980s Berlin continue to unfold.

These timelines bounce around like a tennis match BUT you don’t feel jerked in any direction. All of it feels very well thought out and articulated. The tender moments in all of the different timelines ALL make you want to cry and the quick pace and intensity of the book make it very hard to put down. Like a “Who done it,” this story has you on the edge of your seat as the revelations of the timelines are displayed.

I cannot recommend this story enough for people of ALL AGES. It is a beautiful story and I feel like the older queers will be wrapped in a comforting blanket by the way Bray handles the teen angst with the sexual awakening and controlling parents.

This audiobook has three narrators for the three timelines: January LaVoy -> 1940s Germany, Jeremy Carlisle Parker -> 1980s Berlin, and Major Curda -> 2020 NYC. All three of them do a spectacular job. LaVoy is absolutely breathtaking with her German accents for the multiple characters. Jeremy Carlisle Parker is incredible not only with her accents but also the energy and tension she gives to Lena, the Berlin punk rocker. Major Curda is very convincing as a tender Miles who wants to find his place in the world in his own way. Each narrator had to bring their own tenderness, their own tension, and their own heartbreak to each timeline, and all of them did an astounding job. I highly recommend this story in an audiobook format.

I received a copy of this Advanced Listeners Copy from the publisher via Netgalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of "Under the Same Stars" . This was a unique story that gave perspective of WWII told from the 3rd reich, West Berlin and the punk movement, and of course Covid (2020)and the restrictions and lockdown that we all remember too clearly. The contrast in different timelines, while facing similar beliefs of independence, freedom, and friendships really helped captivate me as a reader.

This is my first Libba Bray book and while it is a work of YA fiction it really did step up and the Hannah, Sophie, Jenny, and Miles all distinctly different and different timelines works for the reader. Thank you also to the narrators of January LaVoy, Jeremy Carlisle Parker, and Major Curda. Each narrator really curated and shared each perspective uniquely in their intonation and tone.

I do think this is for any reader that is seeking for WWII fiction, The Cold War Fiction, and Covid reflections can make this book distinctly different from anything that is currently a YA novel.

Thank you again!!

A wonderfully told story in three separate timelines - WWII during g the third reich, 1980s during the punk revolution in West Berlin, and 2020 in NYC during the Covid lockdown. It was queer-positive, moving, and emotional. Bday did an incredible job tying the three storylines together in a natural and creative way. I was hooked from the very beginning of the book, through the very last word. Wonderful narrators (love January LaVoy!) and it’s a great story for listening. Highly, highly recommend to any age but especially YA!

Oh, Libba Bray, how I love you. I should preface this review by saying, I could never be impartial when it comes to Libba Bray. Our relationship dates back to me hounding my librarians on when the next Gemma Doyle book was coming out. So I knew I would love Under the Same Stars. And, of course, I did in fact love it.

Under the Same Stars gives us three perspectives, one in modern day America (COVID days), and two in the mid-20th century. Bray paints clear pictures of life at the time and seamlessly weaves the perspectives together.

I tandem read both the audio version and the print version and the audio version just absolutely boosted my reading experience. With fantastic, multi-cast narration, I was able to fully immerse myself in the story and I was so eager to keep reading.

This is the perfect next read for fans of Code Name Verity and Ruta Sepetys.

Libba Bray is definitely an author I love and will read anything she writes. She has written some of my favourite series (The Diviners) and has a lot of solid work! That being said, I went into this book blind only knowing that this was Bray's latest work. It did not disappoint!

Under the Same Stars tells three stories which are all interwoven by the end. I loved the three different stories, though, the one in present day (set in COVID times) was the one I was least interested in though I understand why it was an important storyline. I really loved the two other storylines: one set in WWII, and the other with Jenny navigating being an American in Germany.

I think the themes are important, and that the stories meshed well together by the end of the book. It was predictable though that isn't a bad thing! I think it's a great set of stories that reminds us to remember history. Especially in times right now where the USA is going through heavy political changes.

I enjoyed this as an audiobook so much more than reading it 1st hand. I felt the story needed to be told not just read. Great writing and entracing information.

Bray enters historical fiction (with no fantasy) in this story of three different generations of people whose stories interconnect

There's a WW2 story about two girls who have to figure out what size of the war they're on, and what they're willing to fight for. They disappear in the winter solstice.

There's a Berlin wall story about a queer teen trying to figure out who she is as an American in West Berlin. She also experiments with punk and makes some great friends

There's also a covid story about a boy in high school who is learning how to stand up for things he believes in

I really liked how all three stories came together, some in obvious ways. I don't think the mysteries here are that mysterious, I think the reader is going to figure it out before the characters do. Also this book is really well written, but it is a bit slow, but I also never wanted to leave the perspective I was in, so I was definitely engaged the whole time

I received an ALC from the publisher

I've adored Libba Bray's writing since The Diviners a few years ago (I managed to start reading it right at the start of the pandemic, which was... timely); she has such an amazing ability to combine seemingly unrelated storylines into painfully relevant tales that transcend the time period they are set in. Under the Same Stars is another case of this, though I don't know if Bray realized just HOW relevant it would be as she was creating it, set to release at the beginning of February as it is.

Under the Same Stars is told in three (seemingly) separate storylines: 1940s Germany at the height of the 3rd Reich's power, 1980s West Berlin where the wall separating the two sides of Germany is leading to an increasingly volatile situation, and 2020 New York City, as the world tries to grapple with a new pandemic and rising racial tensions. But some things transcend time, and decisions made can have an impact far into the future.

It's hard to give more details about any of the storylines without giving away major spoilers and discoveries that are a joy to uncover throughout the course of the book. Each storyline seems entirely unattached from the others, but Bray has such a talent for dropping hints that hit like a punch to the gut. It's a story of how each individual person can stand up against tyranny and fascism and work to right the wrongs of the world around them. It's about the cyclic nature of history, and how the choices one person makes might ring out through history. It's the story of human resistance.

Not every storyline is equally powerful, and certain ones absolutely resonated with me more than others: I was particularly invested in the story of Hanna and Sophie in 1940s Germany, while the 1980s Berlin storyline never managed to keep my attention as much as I had hoped. 2020 was an interesting one, because it feels SO close to the present, but it was absolutely necessary to tie everything from the other stories together.

The narrators were amazing for this one, and I'm so glad I got to experience the audio ARC! Each individual narrator brings so much uniqueness to their particular story, and the old time-y recordings throughout were amazingly well done!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy! You can pick up Under the Same Stars on February 4, 2025.

This poignant story told across multiple timelines is all too relevant for today's day and age. We see so many transformative moments in history told through the lens of three teens who are all tied together by one massive tree. Seeing how Libba Bray wove the stories together was incredible, and I loved the growth we see from each individual (no matter how the circumstances around them try to beat them down).

If you're a historical fiction girlie who loves some magical realism and multiple POVs/timelines, this is the book for you!