The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong

 The War Librarian

Book Summary

The Paris Library meets The Flight Girls in this captivating historical novel about the sacrifice and courage necessary to live a life of honor, inspired by the first female volunteer librarians during World War I and the first women accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy.

Two women. One secret. A truth worth fighting for.

 

1918. Timid and shy Emmaline Balakin lives more in books than her own life. That is, until an envelope crosses her desk at the Dead Letter Office bearing a name from her past, and Emmaline decides to finally embark on an adventure of her own—as a volunteer librarian on the frontlines in France. But when a romance blooms as she secretly participates in a book club for censored books, Emmaline will need to find more courage within herself than she ever thought possible in order to survive. 

1976. Kathleen Carre is eager to prove to herself and to her nana that she deserves her acceptance into the first coed class at the United States Naval Academy. But not everyone wants female midshipmen at the Academy, and after tragedy strikes close to home, Kathleen becomes a target. To protect herself, Kathleen must learn to trust others even as she discovers a secret that could be her undoing.

My Thoughts

The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong is a dual timeline historical novel featuring courageous women.   We get to meet Emmaline Balakin who went from working in the Dead Letter Office to a librarian in an army camp in France in 1918.  Kathleen Carre is admitted as one of the first women into the United States Naval Academy in 1976.  Each woman will face obstacles as they enter areas dominated and run by men.  I thought the author beautifully wove the two storylines together.  The book contains good writing with realistic characters. I enjoyed getting to know Emmaline, Kathleen, and Nellie (Emmaline’s friend in France).  We get to see what life was like for them.  It was especially difficult for Kathleen who was not wanted by the male cadets or the people who ran the school.  Prejudice, banned books (censorship), secrets, lost love, courage, and bullying are the themes in The War Librarian.   

It was interesting learning about the Library War Service who was responsible for getting books to servicemen training in camps and those overseas.  At first blush, it would seem that the two storylines would be worlds apart.  As the story progresses, we get to see the similarity.   The twist was something I saw coming, but I enjoyed seeing how it played out. I do want to let readers know there is bullying, mild foul language, and an intimate situation.   If you are someone who has been bullied, you might find it hard to read one of the scenes.  I was shocked at what the female recruits were subjected to at the academy.  That they were expected to carry a purse and wear three-inch heels was idiotic.  I understand they are training soldiers, but I do not know how recruits put up with the demanding routine, the yelling, and all the rules (some of them are ridiculous). The War Librarian is an emotional story with a special ending.  The War Librarian is a captivating tale that historical fiction lovers will enjoy. 

The War Librarian is available from Amazon*.  Addison Armstrong has also written The Light of Luna Park.  You can follow Addison Armstrong on Amazon so you can receive an email when she has a new book release.  Thank you for reading my review today.  Next time I am featuring A Killing in Costumes by Zac Bissonnette.  It is the debut of A Hollywood Treasures Mysteries.  I hope that you have a happy day.  Take care, stay cool (it really is the dog days of summer), and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

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