Great sequel with a number of twists and turns that I enjoyed. It wasn’t an overly predictable plot and there were great tensions and mystery as well as a great theme of love and sacrifice over power and fear. 

Some of it felt a little gappy in the descriptions or actions at times, and I felt like I had to infer a lot more when it could have been a little more immersive, but the emotional side of things was well described and written. I enjoyed it a lot. 

There was so much information and detail in this book, and so much repetitiveness, it probably could have been close to half the length and still been ok. I’m glad I was listening on audio or it would have been a DNF. 

I don’t know where the description is getting the “emotional” and fictional writing but this is definitely not that. It’s very nonfiction - not bad, good information, but very info heavy and had little on the actual pilots and crew’s stories. It wasn’t really about the bombers themselves but about how they operated, what it was like for them, results of the bombs, the strategy, the landscape, and every other peripheral item possible. Again not bad, but not as marketed.

Really well written and so many good concepts and lessons. I enjoyed following Lara’s story, as difficult and heartbreaking as it was. She went thru so much and endured so much but grew and thrived out of it. 

I loved the concepts of helping others thru your mistakes and being ok with yourself - not proving yourself or trying to gain approval but finding acceptance. And advocating for those around you thru shared experiences. 

I didn’t realize when I picked this up that it’s technically part of the Jane Austen Society series. I read the first one awhile ago and barely remember it but this stood on its own for the most part without an issue, though some things make more sense with that first book. 

There were a lot of peripheral characters that kept popping in and out that I sometimes had a hard time keeping track of who was who, but for the most part it didn’t affect the story too much. 

I liked the progression of Vivian and Tabitha trying to find lost loved ones, while Vivian was also trying to find herself. It was slow, sometimes too much so which made me glad I was listening to the audiobook. But it was still interesting and just different with a film and screenplay as the theme and trying to fact find in post-WW2 Italy. Overall I liked it and thought it was interesting. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine. 

I’ve read many books on WW2, and quite a few based in Poland, but have not heard of the Warsaw uprising before in August 1944. As sad as everything Poland was during the war, the bravery of its people with both the Jewish Ghetto uprising and the Warsaw Polish Army uprising is incredible. 

The book itself is written in a 1st person narrative from either sister’s perspective. It had a very introspective and observant point of view, but I honestly felt disconnected from both of them the way it was written. There was just very little relational connection to anyone in the majority of the story, and the peripheral characters had so little space given to them. Little bits and pieces but it felt more like a recounting of a memory than anything, which made it hard to invest in their story or feel for them as actual people. Their situation, absolutely, but in ambiguous sort of way. It made some of their relationships - even with each other - feel surprising when it was conveyed it was deep. 

A difficult subject matter of miscarriage, death and grief, and how a marriage can struggle under the weight of it, but a beautiful look at how love can respond with grace and patience and selflessness. 

I thought miscarriage and the grief and loss from it was dealt with well and sensitively. Having 2 earlier miscarriages than Celia’s, it resonated with what she felt. While my processing was different, I understood how she internalized and blamed herself - it’s something women often do well unfortunately. Also, the section on how a young child looks at trauma and blame I thought was also very insightful. 

I loved the romance of a spouse struggling to win the other in an existing marriage. It’s not one that I’ve read often and it was a refreshing change. The selflessness and process of that was inspiring. 

Also, I loved the characteristic of Burnaby being autistic and having to navigate a relationship like that and the challenge it brings. As a mom of an autistic kid, I loved the perspective. 

The only detractor for me was it felt like there was a concept of God causing the suffering and of calling a child to heaven when they died. In all my experience of deeply difficult circumstances that God was very much in the midst of, I can’t subscribe to that. God allowing suffering, of course, using it for sure - but not causing it. Maybe I completely misunderstood what was in the book or it was a character’s faulty view at one point, but that was disappointing for me. 

Overall tho, the book was excellent and I really enjoyed it. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

The storyline was interesting and overall I felt like it was written well, however, the main thread of the story is about a 9 year old surviving in the woods alone and facing all sorts of issues for a fairly long period of time. It just didn't feel realistic or believable. Celia's character making an abrupt shift seemed odd to me as well. If it was more believable, I think I would've liked it better. 

I did like that there was an autistic character with Burnaby and thought he was portrayed well for someone with probably mid level features. 

So good - I had such a hard time putting this down. I loved the unpredictability in it, and how the book methodically but engagingly unfolded. And I LOVED the characters. 

The secondary characters were so well done - I love it when a book has great supporting characters and this was fantastic. You either loved or hated them, felt what they felt, and they had such personalities. And of course, I loved Elspeth and Ravyn. I loved that their relationship veered from the stereotypical. Enjoyed this so much and looking forward to the next. 

3.5⭐️s. A light and easy read, it tied in a few small WW2 spy moments into a post-WW2 PI/murder mystery and conspiracy. I liked the sarcastic and bantering dialogue and the consistent flow of the book. It wasn’t too slow and didn’t get boring, and I mostly like Nick and Evelyn as characters. 

Some of the plot felt a little too coincidental, easy, or unrealistic though. And I get so tired of romances gone wrong because of jumped-to conclusions and a lack of any questions. 

I’m not sure who wrote the blurb but they were really overly ambitious. It is not what I would call it emotionally rich - more basic level romance in an action book. Totally ok for the genre but not if you create that expectation. The comparisons to some other books felt far short, as they weren’t even the same settings as some of them, let alone depth. Taken as itself on its own 2 feet,  it would have felt like a better book than to line it up against those. 

Overall though, it was easy and uncomplicated and kept my attention and I do like it. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Enjoyed this one a ton. The story unfolded really well, the mystery was great and while there were some things I predicted, there were others I didn’t. I loved both Iris and Roman as characters, and I really enjoyed the growth of their relationship, and how there was both guardedness and vulnerability. And the friendship Iris had with Artie and Marisol, was perfect. 

It was an interesting concept overall the magic plus the realism, and the way there was historical influence as well as modern in this setting. Hard to put down and looking forward to the next.