A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

 A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell -352 pages

Virginia Hall was an American who fearlessly organized and directed resistance networks in occupied France in World War II, and went on to work for the CIA. Initially, she strived to be a diplomat but was relegated to administrative tasks in the State Department. With her language skills and knowledge of France, she volunteered to work covertly for the British SOE and then served a second tour as part of the American OSS. The book does an excellent job of describing the dangers the resistance members faced and the physical toll it took on those who managed to survive the war.

The Lost Book of Bonn by Brianna Labuskes

The Lost Book of Bonn by Brianna Labuskes-368 pages

In 1946 Germany, the Library of Congress sends Emmy over to help the Monuments Men retrieve and catalog precious books that the Nazi's plundered. When she arrives she stands awed at a huge warehouse piled with books.  Emmy is one of many assigned the task of finding their rightful owners. She becomes enthralled by the inscription in one particular book and makes it her life's work to find out who the book was from and who it was given to.

Very intriguing with characters that bring a lot of depth and realism to the story.  I enjoyed it very much.  

 

Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown

 Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown-304 pages

Nightly air raid sirens are a fact of life in 1942 London.  Intent on keeping everyone in the family safe is all consuming.  Eighteen year old Nellie counts herself as one of the lucky ones to have everyone she loves still living.  Until one night, when in the chaos of the sirens, something unthinkable happens and her world is shattered.  

Very well written as you are transported to another time and place.  I enjoyed this very much.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan-353 pages

Three women from very different backgrounds come together to save the community's beloved library during the Blitz in World War II London.  When the library walls suffer destruction the women move a large number of  books to the underground where the residents shelter every night for protection from the bombs.  Through reading stories and coming together as a community it passes the time and brings everyone closer.

Very well written.  I enjoyed it very much.

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin 403 pages I love reading about World War II. This book took an unexpected turn because both of the main characters were from America but living in France, and met through a bookstore. The widower and the owner of the bookstore were both working for the resistance without the other one knowing. Their escape from France was very hard and kept me on the edge of my seat. I won't spoil the ending by telling you what happens and who makes it back to America. As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books. Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission. Master of WWII-era fiction Sarah Sundin invites you onto the streets of occupied Paris to discover whether love or duty will prevail.

Night by Elie Wiesel

 

Night (The Night Trilogy #1) by Elie Wiesel, 120 p.

"Born in the town of Sighet, Transylvania, Elie Wiesel was a teenager when he and his family were taken from their home in 1944 to Auschwitz concentration camp, and then to Buchenwald. Night is the terrifying record of Elie Wiesel's memories of the death of his family, the death of his own innocence, and his despair as a deeply observant Jew confronting the absolute evil of man. This new translation by his wife and most frequent translator, Marion Wiesel, corrects important details and presents the most accurate rendering in English of Elie Wiesel's testimony to what happened in the camps and of his unforgettable message that this horror must simply never be allowed to happen again." -- from back cover.

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn, 448 p.

"In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kiev (now known as Kyiv), wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper--a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.

Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC--until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila's past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.

Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever."--=Goodreads

Kate Quinn never disappoints. Her historical fiction is so well-written and engaging. Nazis, women snipers, and motherhood. I'll read everything Quinn publishes.

 

Clash of the Carriers: The True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot by Barrett Tillman

 Clash of the Carriers by Barrett Tillman -337 pages

Tillman's book is one of the few devoted to the Battle of the Philippine Sea that took place in June 1944. It includes testimony from many of the battle's participants and gives an accurate account of Japanese losses. Well over 300 enemy aircraft were destroyed and three carriers sunk (two by U.S. submarines). The Japanese likely would have lost more ships, if they hadn't remained at the longest possible distance from the U.S. fleet to launch a strike. The battle left Japan's carrier-based air power in ruins, and demonstrated the superiority of U.S. technology and industry. But the book also gives a clear picture of individual human effort and bravery within a massive battle.

The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes

 

The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes-516 pages

This book is inspired by the true story of the Council of Books in Wartime.  For anyone who loves books and the freedom to read what we want just reading about the book burnings in Germany made me furious.

This book is about three women who are woven together by their love of the written word and preserving it for the future.  It was a slow start for me, so many characters and plots taking place on different continents.  I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did.  The author put a lot of research into this book and I learned things that I was not aware of.  It is well worth your time.

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

 

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles-351 pages

Based on the true story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris.  Another wonderful story about the power of books to unite us and bring us together in times of chaos and upheaval.  On the brink of WWII, Paris 1939.  Young Odile can't believe that she landed a job at the American Library.  As the war unfolds and days turn into years, it can change everything you hold dear; your family, friends, lovers.  Suddenly you find yourself not knowing who to trust and one misstep can change your whole trajectory in life.  Fast forward to Montana 1983.  We catch up with the much older Odile and her very inquisitive teen neighbor Lily.  Their love for each other grows as Odile helps  Lily navigate her teen years, loss of a loved one and a upheaval in her family life.  A slow start in the beginning, but once I got into it I enjoyed it very much.

Ostkrieg: Hitler's War of Extermination in the East by Stephen G. Fritz

 Ostkrieg: Hitler's War of Extermination in the East by Stephen G. Fritz -640pages

The author is a history professor at East Tennessee State University, and wrote this book to give a complete picture of the eastern front in one volume. It clearly explains the racist ideological and desperate material motivations of the Nazi regime to attack the Soviet Union and Poland. It also details how the invasion impacted tens of millions of people who were starved, enslaved, or murdered in areas overrun by German forces. Readers interested in how the Holocaust and World War II shaped today's Ukraine and Russia will find it informative. 

Flying Angels By Danielle Steel

 Flying Angels by Danielle Steel-6 Audio CDs; 7 hrs. 25 min. (288 pages, print)

"Flying Angels" is the story of Four American nurses who enlist as Army/Air Force Nurses during World War II. Eventually, Audrey, Lizzy, Louise, and Alex sign up for the Medical Air Evacuation Transport and are deployed to England. Plenty of back story precedes the women's enlistment. In England, the four women meet Pru and Emma who are English army nurses. They all quickly become friends. Each experiences love and loss as was the case in reality during World War II. This is well-written and a good listen/read. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. I listened to the audiobook on a recent road trip. 

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, 624 p. 

"1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of East-End London poverty, works the legendary code-breaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter—the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger—and their true enemy—closer..."--Goodreads blurb

This turned out to be one of my favorite surprises of the year, so far. It was simply impossible to put this great story down. I read it nearly all in one day. Emotional, intriguing, and beautifully written. Five stars from me, which doesn't happen often!
 

Violeta: A Novel by Isabel Allende

 

Violeta: A Novel by Isabel Allende-322 pages

Violeta is telling her life story in the form of a letter to someone she loves.  She is born in 1920, the youngest of 6, the previous 5 being boys.  Her mother is sickly and spends most of her time in bed throughout Violetas life..eventually succumbing to consumption.  Her father dies when she is fairly young.  The Great Depression has a lot to do with his death and between the two events the family is forced to live in the country with some distant relatives.  They ride a train into the countryside with as much as they could pack from their previous lives.  Violeta goes from a life of privilege to one of hard work.  But she realizes that this is the best time of her life and will reflect years later on how she came of age and how it taught her valuable lessons that will see her through the hard times. 

She lives through a Great War and the fight for women's rights.  She survives not one but two pandemics.  She is married, and yet has many passionate affairs.  She experiences love and tragedy through her two children.  Through it all she is strong and a survivor.

I enjoyed it very much.  Though I must confess I got lost with all the different names because I was not familiar with any of them.  I like to think about all of the changes that people who lived during these years went through.  They truly were the toughest generation.

  

The Death of Hitler's War Machine by Samuel W. Mitcham Jr.

 The Death of Hitler's War Machine: The Final Destruction of the Wehrmacht by Samuel W. Mitcham Jr. -376 pages

This account of the last days of World War II in Germany details not only the collapse of the Wehrmacht, but also the dire circumstances of the refugees across Europe. The author shows how out of touch Hitler became as the Allies closed in from east and west, and does not gloss over the atrocities committed by the Soviets against civilians in the war's final weeks. In light of the current war and refugee crisis, this is a stark reminder that the situation in Europe could be even worse.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak-566 pages

I previously read this during a teen librarianship class while studying for my MLS. I thought it was a good book then and I have an even greater appreciation for it after reading it a second time. It's the story of a young girl named Liesel who arrives, starving and lonely, at 33 Himmel Street, Molching, Germany during World War II. It's a story of love and loss. It's about Liesel's love for her foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann and their love for her. Also, it's about the love between Liesel and Max Vandenburg, Liesel and Rudy, and all of Liesel's friendships. It's a coming-of-age story for Liesel. She goes from illiterate to writing a book of her own. Along the way, Liesel "steals" books and steals words away from Hitler and Nazi Germany. A quote from Liesel that stays with me is "I have hated the words and I have loved them and I hope that I've made them right." Words can be a very powerful tool for both destruction and building up. Hitler gained power through his rhetoric. He was a demagogue who said what the German people wanted to hear at the time. Albus Dumbledore says to Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that “Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” This is another great quote about the power of words. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. 

Rogue Heroes: The History of the S.A.S. by Ben Macintyre

 Rogue Heroes: The History of the S.A.S. by Ben Macintyre--380 pages

The author has written several popular history titles, and this book details the formation, missions, and personalities of the British S.A.S. force in World War II. The unit began as a special raiding force in Egypt and was forced to adapt into a assault unit for the Allied landings in Sicily and Italy. In France and Germany the unit participated in desperate and sometimes chaotic fighting during the war's final months. A good examination of a very unconventional military unit. 

The Force: The Legendary Special Ops Unit and WWII's Mission Impossible by Saul David

 The Force by Saul David--360 pages

The book recounts the formation of the First Special Service Force as a joint Canadian-U.S. unit originally intended for deployment to mountainous and snow-covered terrain. Their intense training in Montana, and the decisions of the Allied high command regarding the unit's first deployment are covered in detail. The book does a fine job of describing the regiment's first assault on a mountaintop in Italy in 1943, and the many men who lost their lives in that critical battle.

Sicily '43 by James Holland

 Sicily '43: The First Assault on Fortress Europe by James Holland-598 pages

This is a long-overdue popular account of a major Allied campaign that's been overshadowed by later events. The Sicilian invasion was a major test of coordination between the U.S. and British armies and their naval counterparts. The author does an excellent job of discrediting certain criticisms of the 38-day battle, such as too many German units were allowed to escape across the straits of Messina. The book gives an accurate picture of combat experiences in various parts of the sweltering island, and the overall importance of capturing the island in the Allied strategy.

Tumult in the Clouds by James Goodson

 Tumult in the Clouds by James Goodson -238 pages

Goodson was an ace World War II fighter pilot who first flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Battle of Britain before joining the American "Eagle Squadron" and later the U.S. 4th Fighter Group. His experiences included flying Hurricanes, Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Mustangs. He was not credited with his final two victories since he was shot down on that mission while strafing an ME163 rocket plane. He was nearly shot as a spy by the SS before being reunited with many friends in a P.O.W. camp where he spent the remainder of the war.  The author included profiles and stories of his pilot comrades, many of whom did not survive.