From the moment I opened 'The Alice Network', I was hooked. The way Kate Quinn weaves together the stories of Charlie and Eve is nothing short of brilliant. I found myself staying up way past my bedtime, unable to put it down.

What struck me most was how real the characters felt. Eve's bitterness and trauma from her spy days leaped off the page - I could practically smell the whiskey on her breath and feel the weight of her regrets. And Charlie's determination to find her cousin? It reminded me of times I've fought against people telling me 'you can't do that' just because I'm a woman.

The historical details blew me away. I never knew about these real-life female spies during WWI, and now I can't stop researching them. That restaurant scene with René gave me actual chills - Quinn makes you feel the danger these women faced every day.

What surprised me most was how much I cared about every character, even the minor ones. That scene where Charlie finally understands her mother's fear? I had to put the book down for a minute because it hit so close to home.

This isn't just another war novel. It's about women finding their strength in impossible situations, about the messy reality of doing what's right, and about how war's scars last generations. I finished it days ago and I'm still thinking about Eve and Charlie like they're real people I met.