Title: The Flight Girls      

Author: Noelle Salazar   

Genre: Historical Fiction    

Publisher: Mira Books

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars 

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A stunning story about the Women Airforce Service Pilots whose courage during World War II turned ordinary women into extraordinary heroes

1941. Audrey Coltrane has always wanted to fly. It’s why she implored her father to teach her at the little airfield back home in Texas. It’s why she signed up to train military pilots in Hawaii when the war in Europe began. And it’s why she insists she is not interested in any dream-derailing romantic involvements, even with the disarming Lieutenant James Hart, who fast becomes a friend as treasured as the women she flies with. Then one fateful day, she gets caught in the air over Pearl Harbor just as the bombs begin to fall, and suddenly, nowhere feels safe.

To make everything she’s lost count for something, Audrey joins the Women Airforce Service Pilots program. The bonds she forms with her fellow pilots reignite a spark of hope in the face war, and–when James goes missing in action–give Audrey the strength to cross the front lines and fight not only for her country, but for the love she holds so dear.

Shining a light on a little-known piece of history, The Flight Girlsis a sweeping portrayal of women’s fearlessness, love, and the power of friendship to make us soar.

Review:

Thank you @harpercollinsca for the copy of this book!

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I absolutely loved this book! A combination of World War Two historical fiction and rockstar females who show the world they are just as tough as men made this book really stand out to me!

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The book focuses on Audrey, a female pilot who is a flight instructor in Hawaii at the time of the Pearl Harbour attack which launches the US into the Second World War. Once the war amps up for the US, Audrey joins a special group of women who train to fly army planes, so that they can ferry them around the US to different bases. This was known as the WASP program, and these women didn’t get recognized for their service until much later (I can’t remember exactly when). The fact that this book takes a true piece of history and weaves it into historical fiction in such a seamless and compelling way really is amazing! I loved the character of Audrey, and her fellow female pilots, and they really showed how strong they were in their own contributions to the war. There is also a love story, but I didn’t feel like the love story was the main part of this book, but that it was woven into the overall narrative. Some may disagree on that, but that’s generally how I interpreted it! 

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If you’re a fan of historical fiction and love World War Two era books, then you definitely have to pick this one up!

Happy reading!