Just finished The Nightingale and wow... I'm emotionally wrecked in the best possible way. This book crawled into my soul and refused to leave.

At first I wasn't sure about the pacing - it starts slow like a quiet French countryside morning. But then BAM! The war hits and suddenly I'm clutching my Kindle at 2am needing to know what happens next.

The sisters' relationship destroyed me. Vianne being all practical and Isabelle being this firecracker rebel - their dynamic felt so real. That scene where (no spoilers!) they finally understand each other? Ugly crying for sure.

What shocked me most was how this made WWII feel fresh. We've all seen war movies, but experiencing it through these women's eyes? The daily terror of Nazi occupation, the impossible choices... I kept thinking 'what would I do?' and honestly? Probably not as brave as these characters.

Pro tip: Don't read the last 50 pages in public unless you're cool with strangers seeing you sob into your latte. That ending WRECKED ME but in that beautiful way where you're glad it hurt?

10/10 would emotionally devastate myself again. Already planning to reread next year when my heart has recovered!