I thought it was a beautiful tribute to these amazing characters we’ve grown to love over the course of three books. The ending of Purple Hearts made me smile, chuckle, and yes, there were some tears. It’s also imaginative, hopeful, and filled with moments that I enjoyed.ĭamn, I like these Soldier Girls and I am a bit sorry their story concluded. Like the other two books in the Front Lines series, Purple Hearts is not for the squeamish. This book takes the reader from D-Day through the end of World War II (and beyond) including their first-hand experiences at the Dachau Concentration Camp. They’ve seen the unimaginable, done the unthinkable, and are still standing despite injuries, imprisonment, and the nightmares of war that can never be forgotten. What if these young women kicked ass alongside the men regardless of race, gender, and religion? A female, koummya -carrying platoon sergeant, why not? A female black medic, why not? A female Jewish intelligence agent, why not?Īs Purple Hearts opens with D-Day, our three soldier girls most definitely are no longer the young recruits originally introduced in book one. They are soldier girls of World War II in this unique series that combines actual history with a ‘what if?’-what if women were allowed to enlist and were drafted to serve on the front lines during the second World War. This is the third book in Grant’s Front Lines series featuring Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr, and Rainy Schulterman. Because despite the heavy subject matter, at heart, it’s a story of three young women and Grant did a masterful job weaving it all together. Likely you’ll run the gauntlet of feelings-horror, revulsion, admiration, anger, and yes, even joy. You can’t finish this book and not feel something. You can’t read Purple Hearts by Michael Grant and not feel anything. Rainy Schulterman, Purple Hearts, chapter 3, page 41 “But she has learned something about fear: you must always listen to it, but you need not give in to it.”

Michael grant purple hearts