Everyone lives under the same stars and everyone has the right to love and freedom of choice! Unfortunately there are people who would deny others those rights. And that is when you need to step up and light the match to bring about change. That is what this wonderful book is about! Told from three viewpoints at three pivotal times (World War 2, the Berlin Wall, and during the pandemic), Sophie, Jenny, and Miles learn that they can be that spark and even though it might be hard, even to costing everything, it is so vitally important to stand, even when others are just going with the flow. There are so many emotions and feels, danger, love, sacrifice, secrets, betrayal, that this story just flows along nonstop! This book has a great story, woven and connecting the three times and I loved it all, feeling the desperation in getting forgeries made to save the children, making music to defy the wall and all it stands for, and making sure justice is found for the ones trampled on and forgotten. Such a good message! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this amazing message of a story!

Powerful, propulsive, moving and thought-provoking, Under the Same Stars is a timely historical mystery that held me in its thrall from start to finish. Expertly told and skillfully choreographed, Libba Bray intricately weaves together this story of friendship, love, courage, sacrifice, rebellion, secrets and murder over three timelines and multiple generations. In the small town of Kleinwald, Germany in 1940, best friends Sophie and Hanna write to the Bridegroom’s Oak and await replies from their true love, as the myth foretells. Their first replies come just as WW2 begins and their oak tree and the forest offers the girls a respite from a harsh reality where neighbours, friends and family turn on one another and no-one knows who to trust. As war rages they must grow up fast, making dangerous choices that lead them to an unimaginable and terrifying situation. In West Berlin in 1980, American teenager, Jenny, is forced to move from Dallas with her strict parents. Struggling to fit in, everything changes for her when she meets Lena, a punk girl who forces her to face feelings she’s been running from. Jenny also meets her mysterious neighbour. Frau Hermann, an old lady who tells her tales of children going missing, haunted forests, and deadly secrets. In New York in 2020, COVID-19 has forced the world into lockdown. Best friends Miles and Chloe are just a few months shy of graduation and fill their days with computer games, video chats and true crime podcasts. Then, Chloe receives a mysterious package from her grandmother that leads them to begin their own investigation into the decades-old mystery of two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak years ago. An unforgettable journey across the years filled with mystery, heart and suspense, this is a story everyone should read. It shifted seamlessly between timelines as I tried to predict how the narratives might be connected. I loved trying to piece the puzzle together as Bray dropped clues like breadcrumbs for me to follow. With the current political climate there were many themes in this story that felt very relevant and timely, the years melting away to simply reveal a story and characters that were deeply relatable and human. I felt a strong connection to the characters and was invested in their stories, particularly the protagonists. There was Sophie, the hopeless romantic who sees what is good in the world but is forced to reckon with the harsh realities that come with war. Jenny struggled to fit into the box that her parents - and society - had made for her and confronted her sexuality while finally finding the strength to be herself. And Miles was trying to decide who he wants to be and the things he wants to stand for. In these characters Bray perfectly captured the emotions of being a teenager; the confusion, frustration, desperation to fit in, and the feeling that they are misunderstood. Feelings I think everyone can relate to. These were ordinary teenagers going through ordinary feelings at an extraordinary time. Each of them had to decide if they wanted to live an easy life or stand up for what matters to them. Even if it meant risking everything. Authentic, immersive, emotional, courageous and bittersweet, I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this eCopy to review Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray is a captivating read. The novel weaves together three distinct timelines, each connected by the mysterious Bridegroom's Oak. In 1940s Germany, Sophie discovers a message in the Oak from a mysterious suitor, while her best friend Hanna uses the tree to send messages of resistance against the Nazis. In 1980s West Germany, American teen Jenny feels stifled by her strict parents until she meets Lena, a punk-rock girl determined to tear down the Berlin Wall. In 2020 New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe, stuck in COVID lockdown, uncover a cold case about two teenagers who went missing near the Oak eighty years ago. Bray masterfully intertwines these timelines, creating a rich tapestry of history, mystery, and emotion. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each grappling with their own struggles and desires. The historical settings are vividly portrayed, immersing the reader in the different eras. The themes of truth, rebellion, and reconciliation are explored deeply, making the story both thought-provoking and engaging. However, the multiple timelines can sometimes be a bit confusing, and some transitions between them felt abrupt. Despite this, the overall story is compelling and beautifully written. Overall, Under the Same Stars is a poignant and evocative tale that will resonate with readers who enjoy historical fiction and multi-generational mysteries

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review! I love Libba Bray so much! I loved the Diviners series, so I was very excited for a new book from her, and it didn't disappoint. Her characters are her strongest element, and that holds so true here, because across all three timelines, I loved the characters and they felt genuinely real, and I loved figuring out the connections between them all. The historical side is also so strong, I felt transported to not only the 1940s and 1980s, but also to 2020 and remembering how it felt to live during the lockdown (although to be honest, I really didn't enjoy these chapters because it felt too raw) . It did take a while to get fully invested in the plot, and to be honest at times the message was a bit heavy-handed, BUT this was very well-written, and I'll be thinking about these characters for a long time.