Turn the Page Tuesday - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

It's time for Turn the Page Tuesday, hosted by Adrienne at Some of a Kind. A chance to tell you all what I've been reading and see what is on others nightstands.

My friend Yolanda from Perfectly Imperfect sent me this book when she ended up with two copies of it. I had seen reviews and heard so much about it, all good, that I couldn't wait to start reading it. Once I did, I couldn't put it down and finished it in record time. I love the format that the authors choose, getting to know the characters through their letters to each other. Set on Guernsey Island shortly after the German occupation ended, it tells the story of the strength of the island people. Juliet is a writer who, through her address written in a book that she had to sell during the war, becomes penpals with first Dawsey, who is an islander, and then the other members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Fascinated by them and their stories, Juliet goes to the island to meet them and research their stories in hopes of writing her next book. The authors did such a fantastic job bringing their characters to life that each and every one of them became my friends too and I couldn't wait to find out what they had to say next. On one hand, it was a good light read, on the other, gave us insight into the heartbreak of the occupation. As a mother, I cannot even fathom the heartbreak of sending your children away to keep them safe, not knowing where they are for so many years. What a horrible thing to have to do. This was such a good book, one that I will be re-reading, re-visiting old friends from time to time.

From the back cover of the book:
January 1946: Writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.

"Traditional without seeming stale, and romantic without being naive...It's tempting to throw around terms like 'gem' when reading a book like this. But Guernsey is not precious....This is a book for firesides or long train rides. It's as charming and timeless as the novels for which its characters profess their love."
~San Francisco Chronicle Book Reviews

Mmmm....this one was so good.

I'm now just finishing up a silly vampire story, "Definitely Dead" by Charlaine Harris, set in New Orleans. Where has your reading taken you this week?