Under the Same Stars

By Libba Bray

Instant New York Times Bestseller • A USA Today Bestseller An Indie Bestseller A Good Morning America Book Club Pick • Edgar Award Winner Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee • An Audible Best Audiobook of the Year • A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year • A Rainbow Booklist Top Ten for Teen Readers Title

"Under the Same Stars will leave you shattered and wildly hopeful."
—E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars and Genuine Fraud

"Stirring and absolutely unforgettable" —Samira Ahmed, New York Times-bestselling author of Internment and Hollow Fires

"Full of banter, romance, humor and a little bit of magic" —Gayle Forman, author of Not Nothing and After Life

From New York Times-bestselling and Printz Award-winning author Libba Bray comes a propulsive historical mystery that examines truth, rebellion, reconciliation, and what must be sacrificed for a better world.

It was said that if you write to the Bridegroom’s Oak, the love of your life will answer back. Now, the tree is giving up its secrets at last.

In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom's Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too—but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis.

In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own.

In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are slogging through the last few months of senior year when an unexpected package from Chloe’s grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak eighty years ago.


This edition includes gorgeous stained edges!

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Published Feb 4, 2025

480 pages

Average rating: 7.03

34 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Finney0411
Jul 02, 2026
10/10 stars
I actually won this book from the giveaways through@goodreads. If I could give this book more than 10 stars, I absolutely would. This book takes place in three different timelines. The first is World War II in Germany, the second is 1980 in Berlin Germany, and the last one is New York City during covid. The changing of the timelines is very easy to follow. That, honestly, makes a world of difference. I don't like giving spoilers out during my reviews, so I will keep this one very simple. I do not get very emotional when it comes to books. I love reading, but most time when I finish the book, I finish the book. At the End of This Book, once I pieced everything together and realized what was really going on, I burst into tears. It was such a shocking and bizarre response for me, but it just showed how much I truly loved this book. I used to read books by Libba Bray in the early 2000s. So I've been a fan for a very long time. In fact, when I first opened the package and saw the name of the author, I got very excited because I knew how well Ms Bray writes. I actually had to force myself to stay awake, just so I could finish this book. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I'm the girl who will see you at a bookstore and know that you're looking for something that will take your breath away. And then I will tell you all about this book and tell you to go and purchase the book right then and there. Maybe I should be a part of Ms Bray's promotional team, LOL.
NinjaNeo
Dec 23, 2025
10/10 stars
Amazingly surprised, although it's Libba Bray. Why would I be surprised to love yet another one of her books?? This was very empowering and motivational, but also quite educational! We shift POVs from characters in different time periods (1940s Germany, 1980 Berlin, and 2020 New York). They're all somehow connected to a mysterious tree rumored through myths to have magical abilities. The mystery is not only in the connection, but discovering the true story behind two missing teens in the winter of 1941. The educational part? Learning more about how the Nazi regime worked in disappearing people, along with an inside perspective of East & West Berlin while they were still divided by the Berlin Wall. I've filled two pages in my reading journal with powerful quotes that encourage activism & hope. Not only is my book signed, but above her signature Libba added: "Resistance + Love = Hope"
GetLit_Corrie
Sep 22, 2025
Did not finish.

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