catreader18's review against another edition
5.0
Grace, Eva, Poppy, and Alice are nurses recently stationed at Pearl Harbor. They thought it would be a great time and felt lucky they were there. Then the shooting began and their lives changed forever. They were thrust into the war and the only choice was to survive.
I have read many WWII stories and am very interested in this time in history. When I started reading the book it reminded me of the movie, Pearl Harbor, and I was a little disappointed because I had heard this story before. As I kept reading the nurse’s stories continue to the aftermath of the war. They are sent overseas while still dealing with the horror and immense loss of Pearl Harbor. I loved reading about the female view of WWII from the battlefield. I also loved reading about the characters as they grew both personally and in their jobs. I was fascinated by the book and highly recommend it.
I have read many WWII stories and am very interested in this time in history. When I started reading the book it reminded me of the movie, Pearl Harbor, and I was a little disappointed because I had heard this story before. As I kept reading the nurse’s stories continue to the aftermath of the war. They are sent overseas while still dealing with the horror and immense loss of Pearl Harbor. I loved reading about the female view of WWII from the battlefield. I also loved reading about the characters as they grew both personally and in their jobs. I was fascinated by the book and highly recommend it.
diamondc's review against another edition
5.0
I’m so happy I came crossed this book. From the first page I was hooked. The author takes you on a journal of 4 Female military nurses at war. There was tears and heartache. I was disappointed to see the story end. But the ended was great! I can’t wait to read another book.
athorn's review against another edition
5.0
I feel as if I haven’t read historical fiction in a long time but this was definitely the book to jumpstart that. I loved how it took a different look on an important part in history. When I thought of WW2 I tended to think of countries and the brave soldiers who fought- and it’s not like that’s not important or a big part of it, it’s just that it was so interesting to see the world and the war from the point of view of the nurses. I loved this book and definitely recommend it.
kayemcie's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very cute easy read. If you enjoy history, I definitely recommend this novel as it has love, loss, strength, and friendship!
aliciafromtheashes's review
3.0
Prose: 2/5
Characters: 3/5
Style: 1/5
Plot: 3/5
I wanted to love this book, but in the end, it was just okay. There were moments I loved and moments I hated. The inconsistency of one character (Grace) in particular was extremely infuriating. Eva was by far my favorite character, and her growth/journey felt the most authentic. The dynamic between Grace and April as sisters was very relatable. I'd pick it up if you don't have anything more pressing to read, but it's not a must-read.
Characters: 3/5
Style: 1/5
Plot: 3/5
I wanted to love this book, but in the end, it was just okay. There were moments I loved and moments I hated. The inconsistency of one character (Grace) in particular was extremely infuriating. Eva was by far my favorite character, and her growth/journey felt the most authentic. The dynamic between Grace and April as sisters was very relatable. I'd pick it up if you don't have anything more pressing to read, but it's not a must-read.
cc06's review
4.0
Wonderful book- soft on the romance but heavy on the action of war, and how it impacts young nurses. Lots of heartbreak, and real issues that pull at your heart strings. Found some of the characters hard to like but by the end they won me over.
megswhitaker's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
bookanonjeff's review against another edition
5.0
Starts Out Feeling Like The Movie, Becomes So Much More. Through the opening third of this book or so, when our central characters are at Pearl Harbor, it is very hard to break away from comparing the scenes here to the Ben Affleck / Kate Beckinsale movie from the turn of the Millenium. Which isn't an overly bad thing - this reader loved that movie and it made a fair amount at the box office to boot.
And then we get to Dec 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy. (Though I do wish Lane had included that particular phrase when showing some of Roosevelt's speech the next day.)
At the actual attack, Lane does a superb job of getting us into the heads of these particular characters as the events and aftermath are unfolding. It is here that she truly sepatates her tale from the movie, and it is at this point that the reader never really thinks about the movie again until sitting down to write the review.
To go much in depth at all with the plot beyond this is to veer close to spoiler territory, but suffice it to say that for those that survive Dec 7, the book continues with the efforts to further support the war, this time in the Africa Campaign. Superb writing here again, though there *is* a rape scene that some may want to be aware of going into this. But Lane does an excellent job of expanding our scope in this section to see not just the soldiers and nurses, but the townspeople they are working among.
Overall maybe my one complaint here is that the ending is perhaps a bit too tidy, particularly after doing such an amazing job of showing the various horrors of war from the small and personal to the grand and international. Still, very much a recommended book.
And then we get to Dec 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy. (Though I do wish Lane had included that particular phrase when showing some of Roosevelt's speech the next day.)
At the actual attack, Lane does a superb job of getting us into the heads of these particular characters as the events and aftermath are unfolding. It is here that she truly sepatates her tale from the movie, and it is at this point that the reader never really thinks about the movie again until sitting down to write the review.
To go much in depth at all with the plot beyond this is to veer close to spoiler territory, but suffice it to say that for those that survive Dec 7, the book continues with the efforts to further support the war, this time in the Africa Campaign. Superb writing here again, though there *is* a rape scene that some may want to be aware of going into this. But Lane does an excellent job of expanding our scope in this section to see not just the soldiers and nurses, but the townspeople they are working among.
Overall maybe my one complaint here is that the ending is perhaps a bit too tidy, particularly after doing such an amazing job of showing the various horrors of war from the small and personal to the grand and international. Still, very much a recommended book.
jesforeverlostinbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this YA historical romance about four nurses who met at Pearl Harbor right before it was bombed and you followed their stories throughout the war. I didn’t really like the audio… the reader voices were a little whiny.