Reading on a Theme: Women Aviators of World War II

I'm so excited about this week's World War II Wednesday. I love reading about the women who served during World War II, and the volunteer aviators are especially intriguing. (Probably in part because I have no desire to go up in a small plane. Ever.) I'm especially thrilled with this line-up because I've long thought that the subject of the Russian Night Witches would make for an amazing YA book, and I got my wish in 2017 with not one but two publications on the subject.

 

American WASP:
Seized by the Sun is a biography of Gertrude "Tommy" Tompkins, the only one of the 38 Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) confirmed or presumed dead who is still missing. James W. Ure tells the story of Gertrude's life, from her childhood in New Jersey, her struggle with a speech impediment, her love of flying, to her training with the WASPs. Ure also writes about the ongoing search for Gertrude's plane, presumed to have gone down in the Santa Monica Bay. After reading many fictional accounts of WWII women aviators, it was very interesting to read about a real WASP and the details of her training, work, and friendships with fellow pilots. Seized by the Sun is out July 1, 2017. Review copy from NetGalley.

 

Russian Bomber:

Sixteen-year-old Valya longs to be in the air fighting the Germans. Instead she's trapped in the besieged city of Stalingrad. When a sniper kills her mother, leaving Valya alone, she makes her mind up to join the Night Witches and find her sister who is fighting with them. I loved Kathryn Lasky's book. Night Witches is written for a younger YA audience, and I thought it was an excellent introduction for its target audience. I loved Valya. She is strong and smart and feisty. It was so interesting to learn about the Night Witches' tactics, which allowed the female pilots to have great success against the more advanced German planes. Harrowing and compelling, Ms Lasky's books takes readers to the eastern front.  Night Witches is out March 28, 2017. Review copy from Edelweiss.

British ATA:

Elizabeth Wein has written three books that feature young women aviators. In Code Name Verity best friends Verity (the spy) and Kittyhawk (the pilot) are trapped in Nazi territory on the wrong side of the English Channel. Verity, in order to buy time, draws out her interrogation by writing the story of their friendship in the guise of a confession. All the praise you've heard about this book is well deserved. It is truly remarkable. The writing is superb. The action is harrowing and horrifying. The friendship is so real. And Verity is the epitome of the unreliable narrator. This book is crazy good. And completely heart-wrenching. I love the second in the series too, Rose Under Fire.

Russian Bomber:
Small town girl, Valka Koroleva's world changes suddenly when Russia enters World War II. Her best friend Pasha is conscripted into the Russian army, and Valka and her cousin Iskra leave home to join the all-female aviation groups organized by Valka's hero Marina Raskova. Gwen C. Katz populates her story with many of the real aviators who flew in the all female units. I loved feeling like I got to know them a little, even though this is a fictional tale. It was also fun how Katz attributes some of the Night Witches trickier methods to Valka's experience with a faulty engine back home. The camaraderie between the women and the truly terrifying circumstances were conveyed so well. This topic continues to be a personal favorite. Among the Red Stars is out October 1, 2017. Review copy from Edelweiss.

American WASP:
Ida Mae Jones belongs in the air, but the local aviation college refuses to give her a license because she's a black woman. With the war on, there's no fuel to fly anyway. Then Ida hears about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Ida wants to join, but she knows they'll never accept a black woman.  Desperate to live her dream, Ida passes for white and is accepted into the program. No she has to make sure no one learns her secret. I've wanted to read Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith for years, and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed how Ida's training and friendships are underscored by the issue of race in America in the 1940s.

Reading on a Theme: Troubled Siblings

Sibling relationships can be complicated. We have here five poignant tales of siblings and what it means to be family. (Troubled Sisters post here.)

Adam and Julian:
Adam Blake reconnects with his former foster brother, Julian, when Julian becomes a high school freshman. Adam quickly wraps Julian into his gregarious and fun-loving group of friends, and Julian starts to feel happier than he has in a very long time. But soon it's clear that everything is not right with Julian's home life. A List of Cages is one of those books that will just about destroy you. And, I have to caution, that you if have a hard time reading about child abuse, this book will be very triggering. It's got one of the most extreme and painful cases I've ever read. Robin Roe's debut is an emotional read. Be prepared to be wrecked. Review copy from NetGalley. 

Grace, Maya, and Joaquin:
Far from the Tree is about three adopted siblings who meet one another for the first time as teenagers. Each of the siblings is dealing with something big. Grace has recently put up a baby for adoption. Maya's parents are constantly fighting and she feels out of sink with the rest of her all-of-a-kind family. Joaquin has been in foster care his whole life. He's now with foster parents who love him, but letting himself love them back is scary. Robin Benway writes a beautiful story about how these teens grow to love one another, forgive themselves, and open up about their pasts. It's an emotional read. I really enjoyed this book. Review copy from Edelweiss.

Odette and Trudchen:

Odd & True is the story of two sisters, Odette and Trudchen, at the turn of the century. Abandoned by their parents, they grew up with their strict aunt. But Od was always able to make Tru's life a little more magical by telling her fantastical stories about their past. Cat Winters spins a story that alternates between Od's past and Tru's present. For most of the book, the reader doesn't really know if the stories that Od tells are true; if monsters really exist; if the girls really are destine to hunt them. I liked the bond between to the two sisters, but I especially loved the unraveling of Od's true past. Slowly but surely the past is revealed and the implications for the present become clear. Review copy from NetGalley.

Noah and Jude:

Noah and Jude are twins, and, as twins, they've always shared a special bond, but that was before so many things went wrong. I'll Give You the Sun alternates between Noah's narration of what happened before the troubles and Jude's narration of the aftermath. The reader wonders how the siblings could have both changed so much and what went wrong. I really loved Jandy Nelson's story. Noah and Jude are both artists, and all the art was a real bonus for me. This book has some big issue-type topics in it, but they never overwhelmed the story which remains very character driven. The themes of finding oneself, finding one's family, and being honest were my big takeaways.

Teva and her Sisters:
Teva doesn't grow up in the normal way. Every year, near her birthday, Teva unwillingly clones herself. She lives in a house full of younger Tevas, whom she address by their year (Thirteen, Fifteen, etc.), and this house full of bizarre "sisters" is challenging and involves a lot of secrets. The newest Teva is determined to be the last. When I picked up More of Me I was hoping it would have a bit of a Cat Patrick vibe, and it definitely did. Kathryn Evans's book is so weird, which is a good thing because it is definitely supposed to be weird. I really enjoyed how the reader wasn't quite sure whether or not Teva's condition was real or all in her head. Review copy from NetGalley.  

Reading on a Theme: Time Travel

It's been a while since our last time travel post, which means that it's definitely time for another one. (Yes, bad pun, I know.) Anyway, you know I can't resist a new time travel novel, especially when it has a blue (or blueish) cover. (So many blue time travel novels here.)

Romance in Time:
The Next Together is a story about two people who find each other again and again throughout history. It takes place during four different time periods with four pairs of Katherines and Matthews. The story moves from time period to time period even within chapters. I found this method of story telling to be kind of difficult to get into, but I really wanted to know how the pairs were all connected, and, as the story progressed, the potential for cross-over seemed to increase. Lauren James's book is a romantic adventure story, and I'm hoping we'll get a look at who controls the strings in the sequel, The Last Beginning, which comes out in the US in February 2018. Review copy from the publisher.

Time Accidents:
2016 is a glittery tech-utopia. It's the kind of world that the sci-fi of the 1950s predicted. That is until Tom Barron takes the first trip ever back in time and makes a colossal mistake. His return trip doesn't take him back to his 2016 but to ours. This alternate version of the world appears as an utter wasteland to Tom, but his family, his career, and his relationships have much more potential in this timeline. All Our Wrong Todays is a campy time-paradox conundrum that at the same time manages to be kind of heartbreaking and emotional. I really enjoyed Elan Mastai's debut novel. Review copy from NetGalley.

Time for Art:
Conjuror was such a pleasant surprise. The book is about Remy, who can do magic with music, and twins Matt and Em, who can create magic with their drawings. I admit, the art was a major draw for me. Matt and Em can travel through paintings. There's also a bit of a time travel element because several figures from the past travel through paintings to the present. Some of these travelers are even famous artists.  Remy, Matt, and Em will have to work together to defeat some very dangerous (and disgusting) historical figures. This was my first time reading a book by siblings John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman , and it was a really fun ride. Review copy from NetGalley.

 

Time Pirates:
All Farway Gaius McCarthy has ever wanted to do is to follow in his lost mother's footsteps and become a time traveler. As the only child to ever be born outside of time it seems only fitting. And Farway is good. The best. Destined for greatness. Until his final exam is sabotaged. With no other way to live his dream, Farway takes a job as a time pirate. With his handpicked crew, he steals from the past. And then the saboteur shows up at a job. Invictus by Ryan Graudin is a lot of fun. The characters are snarky and belong together, the stakes are incredibly high, and the time paradoxes are headache inducing. (That's just how I like them.) Review copy from NetGalley. 

Time Loop:
Wellcome Valley was a quiet place. Eddie Dane had his best friend and his grandmother but not much happened until Scarlett came to town. Scarlett's arrival ushered in a murder, an accident, an investigation, and a long-lost family member. Now Eddie is trapped in a time loop reliving the same day over and over again. No True Echo was a surprising delight. The concept of trying to discover the true timeline through an increasingly complicated investigation was so trippy. (Just how I like my time travel novels.) I'd recommend this one by Gareth P. Jones to the true time travel diehards. Review copy from NetGalley.