Title The Girl with the Red Balloon

Series The Balloonmakers, book 1

Author Katherine Locke

Release Date September 1, 2017



When sixteen-year-old Ellie Baum accidentally time-travels via red balloon to 1988 East Berlin, she’s caught up in a conspiracy of history and magic. She meets members of an underground guild in East Berlin who use balloons and magic to help people escape over the Wall—but even to the balloon makers, Ellie’s time travel is a mystery. When it becomes clear that someone is using dark magic to change history, Ellie must risk everything—including her only way home—to stop the process.

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In the spirit of complete honesty, I was hesitant to pick up. Though I've always had an insatiable curiosity about World War II and German history, I feel lukewarm towards time travel. Something, though, kept pulling me back to this book. I was intrigued, but also worried it would be a disappointment. When I caught it on sale, I threw caution to the wind and bought it. Best choice I've made in a long time.is easily the best book I've read this year. It's a darker venture into YA that definitely pays off. This was a beautifully written fictionalized piece of Berlin history.Skipping over how beautifully this was written and the interesting story line (because there are plenty of reviews that can talk about that stuff better than I can), this book made me feel things. That ending! My heart can't handle that kind of ending without a few tears. I want more. Like, Imore. Please.I'm both glad to see that there's going to be a sequel, but also a bit sad as it's not a continuation of Ellie's story. If it's half as good as, though, it's going to be amazing. I can't wait.