The author's prose is beautiful, and that's what I loved most about this book. I enjoy historical fiction, and while I haven't read a ton of books set during the Holocaust, this has a similar message to other stories set during this time period.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

This is a time period that is oft referenced in historical fiction. I appreciated the Romanian setting and history, and think it is well suited to a YA audience. Though I liked this book, with so many others in set in this time period, it didn't stand out as much as I had hoped it would.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This is a gorgeously written book set during the Holocaust in a place I knew nothing about. It's a story of courage, endurance, of self-discovery, and of the brutality of human beings to each other, which makes the beauty of human kindness feel even more astonishing. This will be one of the very best books you read this year—if not ever.

This story packs a powerful punch. There are two author’s notes where the first, at the beginning, explains that this story is based on the author’s grandmother and her teenage years in Romania before and during WWII. The second note is at the end of the novel discussing the reality of the events and people her grandmother experienced. These events are harrowing and there is a need for trigger warning when recommending this book to our students, such as rape and genocide. Due to the realistic nature of the characters and events, I was drawn into the book and the characters. Even though I am aware of what happened to Romania during both occupations of Russia and Germany, I believe the way the circumstances and political manipulations of the Jewish people were well conveyed through the voices of the characters. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or is looking to further their understanding of the experiences of the Jewish people during that time.

Writing about the Holocaust is beyond tricky. There are some who lived it that feel only those who were there should put pen to paper, and that it is not a topic for fiction. Arnold, the granddaughter of a Jewish woman who lived through the ghastly back and forth of World War Two in Romania, feels compelled to bear witness, fictionalizing the experiences of her nana as her birthplace swung from control of the Soviets to Nazis and back. There are fewer accounts of that era from countries who spent the next fifty years locked behind an iron curtain. Secrets, bodies and history are only now surfacing to be dealt with.

Arnold has done a masterful job. The title manages to evoke the regional history, the geopolitical impact of the war and the very personal history of one adolescent girl. It delivers on all three fronts: giving readers an inside look at what it felt like. But beyond a compelling work of historical fiction, this is primarily a breathtakingly intimate look inside one girls life.

Frederieke, is the younger of two sisters, four years the junior and in thrall to her beautiful, talented, smart, strong-willed sister, Astra. Their self-involved parents marriage is disintegrating. The charming, carousing dad is out gambling and fornicating while the depressive mom is in bed, cocooned in misery. The girls fight to find food, keep up appearances, maintain their ballet regime and hold together. Then their maternal grandfather arrives and moves them home. Opa is the antithesis of all the rest of Friederieke's family - selfless, disciplined, wise, gentle, optimistic. He fixes precious things. But in the 1930's much is beyond the ability of one man to fix.

Even if readers have no interest in history and no connection to the persecution of Jews they will be gripped by the intimate, nuanced, bloody business of a girl growing to womanhood in the shadow of an idolized, egotistical sister, facing the worst humanity and history can throw at her, and fighting to find the courage to chose her own path.

A timeline, photographs of real-life counterparts, author's note and a reading list are included.

This was a heart wrenching and painful read, yet so filled with poignancy I sped my way through. I lived through the eyes of Frederieke with every step she took. As awful as the struggles were, every hurdle turned into a small miracle. The prose is gorgeous and does not over sentimentalize, making the the Holocaust so frighteningly real, and sad, and exhausting. Yet in Frederieke’s world she constantly searches for glimmers of hope. This is an honest account of a family struggling to survive in the most horrendous conditions, As dark as the days became, and I truly felt the darkness, Frederieke’s strength, fueled by familial love, is incredibly powerful. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to experience the unimaginable terrors of the Holocaust in a very real and honest portrayal. A family’s love can keep each other going one more day, and one more day, and one more day.

Woof. Let me start this off by saying this is a book set in WWII and our characters are Jewish. So if you haven't already guessed, this book is incredibly sad. I know the ending is meant to be uplifting, but I found that to be incredibly sad as well.

There are so many tw's in this that I would advise you on reading it. I think this is meant to be YA, but I would not have wanted to read this as a kid. I found a few parts to be pretty sensitive as an adult. So just be careful!

Well. I loved this book with my whole heart, which is also the heart that this story broke several times over. What even do I say to do this lovely book justice? I will just tell you why I loved it so much that I ended up pre-ordering it, yeah? Great.

►It is based on the author's grandmother's real experiences. This added such an extra element of emotion to it, frankly. Not only was the story incredibly emotionally evocative in itself, but knowing how much this meant to the author, to tell her beloved grandmother's story, it added something extra that I can't even put into words. Add to it, I learned so much about other people and places that were affected by the war. It was eye opening on so many levels, really.

►I cannot overstate how much this story moved me. I mean, I know what you're thinking: WWII novel, sure it's going to be emotional, and you're not wrong. It's just that this story has so many incredible elements that take it to that next level. Obviously, the horrors of the war are front and center, make no mistake. But it is so much more. There is so much life happening- in literal spite of the war. Rieke and her family have both the horrific war-related struggles, but also some of the more mundane struggles that don't simply go away because you're also going through a crisis.

►The hope in the darkest of times was everything. The author showed how people went on living because they simply had no other choice. I often thought about how hard that would be, and it was, but also... it was the only option, too. Our characters had no choice but to keep on keepin' on, and I loved that the author showed that side of things. That sometimes you have to go on because there is absolutely no other option. The changes their daily lives underwent was so well written- you could see how, as time progressed, little bits of their lives were stripped away by these awful people in charge, and how little they could do to fight back. The author truly did a phenomenal job allowing both the reader and the characters see these changes creep upon them, with absolutely no recourse. It was haunting, and horrifically honest. But even in the darkest times, the worst of times, the characters held steadfast to their love for each other. There were glimmers of hope and humanity in even the darkest moments, and that was worth everything.

►The writing was just next-level. Every single thing that the author did seemed purposeful and well constructed. I felt like every piece of the story was just so well crafted, but in a way that just flowed perfectly. Add to it, I felt the author's love and emotion in every single page. I truly don't think there is a greater tribute than this.

Bottom Line: There truly are not enough words to express how gobsmackingly beautiful this book is. Thank you, Ms. Arnold, for sharing your family with the world. It quite literally took my breath away.

This story about a teenager's life during World War 2 in Romania is not only about how awful it was, but also how the lessons she learned could be passed on to others. The author's notes explain that this is a story based on her own family history and that some of the events of the story actually happened. It's a powerful story of hope and love, in spite of all the terrible things that happen.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
There are so many books about World War II and the Holocaust out there, and while they remain relevant (especially if they center Jewish perspectives from Jewish voices), I respect stories that fill in the gaps of the Jewish experience during this period. The Blood Years is one of those books, being set in Romania and based on Elana Arnold’s grandmother’s family’s experience during this time, from the escalating antisemitism that existed prior to the war (originating largely post-WWI) and how their circumstances changed as Romania’s political situation did, shifting between the Axis and Allied powers, including a period of occupation by the Soviets, only to be taken over by the Nazis.
The characters and complex family relationships within this tense, changing time are vividly drawn. Rieke particularly has a tense relationship with her sister, Astra, who is often occupied with romance and is a bit selfish and cruel at times. Opa, Rieke’s grandfather, is wonderful, being of strong moral character in the wake of such a bleak situation, not to mention the fact that he’s their primary male caregiver since their father left them. As for Rieke herself, I felt for her and all she experienced, but I also admire her for her bravery and determination to survive.
Given the true events it retells, it’s not easy reading, and it’s not meant to be. The frank depictions of the impact of the hatred and violence can be difficult, but they are compassionately and poignantly rendered. It’s also complemented perfectly by the author’s note, where Arnold discusses the real context behind the events, and how anti-Semitic violence remains a problem to this day.
This is a beautiful book, and I’d recommend it to everyone, especially readers looking for a different perspective about World War II and the Holocaust.

“It is because of our capacity to love. It is because we can love more persistently than they can hate. Scripture tells us, ‘Olam chesed yibanei. I will build this world with love.’ That is what we are here to do, my girl. To build, with love.”

Fourteen-year-old Frederieke “Rieke” Teitler and her sister Astra live in a divided Czernowitz. After their father abandoned them years ago, their grandfather becomes their anchor, protecting them from growing antisemitism while their heartbroken mother withers away in her room. But as hostility against Jewish people intensifies, Rieke’s world shatters. Romance, previously forsworn by Astra, pulls her away from Rieke, and the once seemingly far-off war engulfs Romania. With Russians and Germans invading their city, every day becomes a battle to retain their home, business, and lives. Amidst the war, Rieke fights her own battles: she must decide whether the cost she must pay to keep her family safe is too high and face emotional decisions about holding on or letting go. Inspired by true events from her grandmother’s life in Romania, Elana K. Arnold paints a poignant tale of survival, love, and loss during the Holocaust.

When we think of the Holocaust and World War II, countries like Germany, Austria, and Poland immediately come to mind, but those were not the only places deeply affected by antisemitism. Arnold remembers Holocaust-era Romania through the eyes of a teen girl, making an already harrowing story all the more heartbreaking. We follow Rieke as war encroaches on her beloved city, and as antisemitism slowly seeps, like a poison, into her everyday life. With books centering around a historical atrocity, the worst part is knowing how it ends and watching the inevitable descent into tragedy. The Blood Years is no exception, as Arnold captures the horrors of how hate enveloped Europe and brutalized Jewish people. Yet, there are moments of love—Rieke and Conrad holding hands in the dark of night, Opa (the sisters’ grandfather) teaching Rieke his jeweler trade, Astra and Rieke always coming back to each other, no matter what. Even though I never ended up liking Astra (maybe, as a fellow eldest sister, her personality was just too similar to mine), I think her and Rieke’s relationship was the best part of the book. They hurt each other as only sisters can, vicious and unsparing, but they still hold so much love for each other. Only a sister can hurt you and save you at the same time. By focusing on the intimate details of their characters’ relationships, Arnold explores grief and memory by revealing the inextricable connection between love and pain. This carefully crafted story is their testimonial to the importance of never forgetting history and remembering those who have been lost.

A gorgeous, enthralling, compelling (there are not enough positive adjectives) YA historical fiction novel from the wonderful Elana K Arnold. Following a young girl in Holocaust-era Romania through her adolescence as her world is ripped open time and time again, this gift of a novel will stay with readers for a long, long time.

I liked this book a lot. The only downside was it was written more like a memoir than a fiction book. But I liked the over all story.

Content Warning: sexual assault, rape, violence, death

Frederieke (Rieke) and Astra are sisters and they are growing up in a Romania before and during World War II. The story is being told by Rieke, who has a neglectful and always heartbroken mother, an older sister who is prone to getting and doing what she wants, and her Opa – the grandfather that loves them all and does everything in his power to keep them alive and happy. We see her go from a young girl and then grow into a young woman during trouble times.

I’ve read various historical fiction about WWII and the Holocaust and each time I learn something new. This story is set in Romania and I learned so much about the history with the Romanian government and their stance on Jews, and then the Russians and then the Nazis coming through to ravage their country. I felt Rieke’s confusion seeing her homeland torn apart and her countrymen hating on her and her loved ones because they are Jewish. I felt her fears and her will to survive and sometimes her will to maybe give up. I felt like she was soft like her loving and doting grandfather. Bless his heart for taking care of these girls no matter what they were going through. I loved his character so much. And though Astra came off mean and bold – she was vibrant and wore her anger on her sleeve and I admired her for that too. I love the complicated, messy family dynamic they had but under it all – the hurt, the pain, the fighting – there was always love.

I’m glad stories like these are being told because we cannot forget what happened. This is a powerful story, with very ugly things happening around Rieke and to her as well. I felt like I was there with her and to think the author wrote it inspired by her own grandma’s story is really amazing. It’s a wonderfully written book which broke my heart many times but I love that it ended with hope.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book and it’s so powerful and impactful. I love that it’s a story set in Romania and that I learned so much about what was happening there before and during WWII. I think the fact that this was based on the author’s grandmother’s life makes it beautiful and heartbreaking.

This novel is an amazing homage to the memory of those who suffered, survived, or didn't... the holocaust but it is also a reminder that such suffering will not be forgotten. It is a historical coming of age and I am grateful that the author focused on a great main character's perspective (based on her grandmother's memories) creating a well-built narrative with characters and events that fill the fiction part.

Location: focused on a Romanian city. Told in Rieke's perspective and voice. She is a young girl who quickly became a woman during the Second World War. Her experience of growing up (although she went through many relatable experiences such as getting her first period, having a troublesome older sister, and respecting and loving her grandfather very much...) is violent and sad when her family and herself are seen as less than human. It is a novel that will remain with us for a long time.

What I love most about this novel is that it makes us think that cruelty or being robbed of life or choices or freedom wasn't and isn't something of the past or only of a period. It still is part of our current lives.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this e-Arc.

This book was so incredibly powerful and moving and beautifully crafted and written. I held my breath at every twist and turn, rooting for the characters, and loved the ending. I wanted to keep reading to know what happens next in these characters lives. Especially fascinating that it's based on a true story. Such an important story to be told, to hold in our memories.

"Have they always hated us this much...Or is hatred as easy to catch as a cold, as quick to spread as my own illness?"

This one hurt. I stayed up late to finish it, partly because it was so gripping and good and partly because it was so horrific that I knew I would not have the strength to pick it up again if I took a break.

The story starts slow - we learn who Frederieke is and who her family is. She had a tough childhood - abandoned by her father with a mother who has, in many ways, checked out. Her grandpa, her Opa, essentially rescues her and her sister and provides a safe and comfortable adolescence. Her sister, Astra, is a bit mean, stubborn, and willful. But Frederieke loves her. Her life is normal.

But you see antisemitism creep in. A slur is spoken to her when she's young. There's a subtle divide in Romania, but nothing horrific...yet. Then WWII happens. First the Soviets invade, which feels bad enough. Then the Nazis. And, we all know what that means.

This is different from other WWII and Holocaust novels. No one (not the main cast) is taken on a train to a camp. Instead, Arnold focuses on the atrocities that are committed to the Jewish people who were able to stay in their cities and their lives. The everyday horrors they experience, even though they are the "lucky" ones. Rieke experiences rape, severe illness, the suicide of a friend and her friend's mother, among other things.

"This is what I know to be true: in many ways, the war has broken me. It has filled me full of illness, and hunger, and fear, and death."

There isn't much in historical fiction about this aspect of the Holocaust. This is stark and raw - all of Arnold's YA books are stark and raw, whether they are fantasy about dragons (Damsel) or werewolves (Red Hood), they never shy away from the dark side of humans, especially the darkness that young girls have to deal with. Any yet, there is always a glimmer of hope. Of strength. And this is no different.

"I have so many reasons to hate. And I do hate - I do. And yet."

Arnold has crafted a story that lulls you in with the mundane life of a young girl and then shows how slowly, then all at once, things turned and became a nightmare. Inspired by her own grandmother's life, this feels real, but also you try to convince yourself it is just fiction because of how much it hurts. But it isn't fiction.

This is an important book and one that I won't forget.

This book was very fast paced and I quite enjoyed the book. The story was well thought out and wanted a little more.

This was an unputdownable tale of courage, love, and loss in WWII Romania that was based on the author's grandmother's experience as a child growing up under the Nazi invasion and antisemitism of Romania during the 1940's. It was absolutely riveting, and I could not turn the pages fast enough. Heartbreaking, yet beautifully written, this exquisite novel should be read by young and old alike. TEN STARS!