This one was really tough for me. On one hand, I really loved the writing style and I kept trying to force myself to get through it. On the other hand, it was really slow-paced and I felt like every time I would sit down to read, I wouldn't get very far. I might wait to see if this one comes to audio before continuing, as I know this one has a lot of potential, it just isn't for me right now.

It's 1939 in Romania. War has come to Europe. Rieke and her older sister Astra make a vow never to fall in love after their father leaves them. Their Opa comes and takes them to live with him. While living with their grandfather, Rieke loves going to his jewelry shop and dancing with Astra at the local dance studio. Later though, Astra falls for the dashing older doctor while Rieke watches in horror as her beloved town is invaded first by the Soviets and then by the Nazis. All the while she vows to survive.

What worked: Powerful, stirring account of a teen's experience growing up during the Holocaust in Romania. What I loved about this story is readers see not only the Nazi invasion but also the Soviets invading and taking over their town. Things are hard and difficult for Rieke and her family, but more so due to the fact they are Jewish.

Heartwrenching portrayals of the horror of war that affects everyone. The author doesn't flinch at the harshness of this time. Rieke sees friends, family, and acquaintances being taken away by both the Nazis and the Soviets. The long lines of rations. The ugliness of hate. There's one scene where Rieke goes with her family to the countryside and a woman in a yellow dress frowns at her and says a racist comment under her breath. That experience doesn't leave Rieke, who doesn't understand why anyone would hate someone just because they were Jewish.

Another huge plus is this novel shows the complexities of war and how it brings both the best and worse of someone to the surface. Astra is the strong-willed sister and the descriptions of their relationship felt authentic. Astra isn't one-dimensional at all and shows her own vulnerabilities during this horrific time in history.

There's also mention of rape by a family acquaintance and brutality during the time period. But there's also mention of courage, sacrifice, and even hope. The ending of this novel I felt was perfect!

I love stories that are based on family history! As a teen, I used to beg my own Italian grandfather to share stories of his youth and the time he served in the Northern African campaign during WWII. The end of the novel goes over the family members this story is inspired by. Plus, there are numerous books and websites to visit for more information.

Gripping, painful at times historical based loosely on the author's nana's experience growing up during the Holocaust in Romania. A must-add to any school library. Perfect for book club selections for books dealing with the Holocaust.

I couldn't put this book down. It's more important than ever that we tell the truth about history, and that those stories come from those who have heard the stories from their families. Arnold honors her grandmother's story of being a teen in Romania during the Russian occupation.

Reike and her family live in Czernowitz, Romania when Russia invades and then the Nazis. Every day, their world changes. It's the story of love, loss and survival.

Trigger warning for violence, sexual assault, anti-semitism. The author's note at the end of the book should be required reading.

I'm always looking for books set in this time period outside of the norm - books set in other countries outside of Germany, France, or Russia. Books about different lived experiences during WWII and the Holocaust. So I was very excited to read this story. Set in Romania, it gives us a different perspective, as they were first occupied by the Soviet Union, then the Germans. We're given a chance to see the different ways those occupations affected the country, particularly the Jews.

The characters in this book are based on the author's grandmother and her family, and I thought it was a really beautiful tribute. The characters felt real and raw - they weren't always likeable, particularly Astra, the older sister, who is sometimes cruel to her little sister. I really loved Opa, and the way he stuck to his morals no matter what. In such a dark time, that must have been so hard to do. Also, don't skip the Author's note at the end - it's powerful, and a great reminder that we learn history so that we can see the patterns and stand up for injustice everywhere.

There are some really dark moments in this book, as to be expected from any book set in this time period, so be aware of the content warnings. There is sexual assault and rape in this story, as well as violence. I'd say this book is best for older teens.

Went into this thinking I’d pace myself and start with a few chapters. Should’ve known by Part One’s title (Astra and Her Lover) to buckle up.

I was highly invested in the story, the characters, and what fate would befall them.

Because you know, going in, this isn’t going to be an easy story. The fact that it was lived by Arnold’s nana is heart wrenching (what happened after the train pulls out of the station? Did you see her smile of welcome in the photo at the end?)

I read. Way past my bedtime. Woke up (earlier than usual) to continue reading. And it wasn’t me, having lunch and finishing the book, getting misty eyed (warning: The Wheelbarrow) closing the book and saying, damn.

Look back. Look around. Pay attention.

What a beautiful, tragic story from Elana K. Arnold, one of my favorite authors. This story is even more meaningful knowing it was inspired by the author's grandmother. In a time when it feels like many people have forgotten our past or are unwilling to learn from it, Rieke's story is a poignant reminder of the true consequences of hate, and the human capacity for hope. The author paints a vivid picture of Holocaust-era Romania, but what truly shines are the characters in this story. Astra in particular is larger-than-life, and watching her blaze through the story without a regard for anyone's feelings is a wild ride. It's also incredibly rewarding to see Rieke evolve from the timid caretaker of her older sister to a young woman who knows her own mind and is willing to take charge of her life, despite what anyone else thinks. This is the kind of stories that give me hope for the future.

4.5 stars/5 stars
Recommended if you like: historical fiction, WWII, non-German/Britain/US WWII, Jewish characters, younger teen MC

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 5/18 and will be posted to my review blog on 6/7 and to Instagram on 6/8.

TW: Holocaust, rape

I always enjoy reading historical fiction books set outside the traditional countries we see historical fiction set in (i.e., USA, Britain, France, Germany...maybe Russia, but not many of those). This book is set in Romania and starts slightly before their occupation and ends almost immediately after liberation ('liberation'). It was interesting to get a different view of that era of history, especially since Romania had to deal with both Soviet and German occupation.

It was interesting to read about the recent history of Romania leading up to WWII since it isn't really a country I know too much about. The parts about the Soviet and German occupation were also interesting, but at least I know what to expect from that (and I also actually read a nonfiction book about Romania in WWII in 2022 or '21). Both occupations are horrifying in their own ways and have slightly different threats and rules. The juxtaposition between the two worked well to highlight both the similarities and the differences between the Soviets and Germans.

Frederieke, Rieke, starts the story around age 12/13 (except for the prologue, where she's 6), when things are tense in Europe but still relatively calm in Romania. At the time, her life largely revolves around school, ballet, her sister, and Opa. Over the course of the story Rieke has multiple points where the world shifts under her feet, both in small ways, like her father leaving, and in big ways, like occupation. Each time her world shifts, Rieke must reorient and make a decision about how she is going to move forward. This next part is slightly spoilery, but I'm not putting a spoiler warning since it relates to one of the TWs: There is a part toward the end where Rieke is raped by an older man, though the scene isn't particularly graphic, and it's mentioned as happening several more times before Rieke is hospitalized for an unrelated illness. It is also heavily implied that Astra was raped during Soviet occupation.

Opa, Rieke and Astra's grandfather, has already lived through one world war and isn't looking forward to a second one. He tries to protect the girls and his family as long as he can, but the hate of others isn't so easy to hide, and their hardships only become worse when the Germans take over the country. Despite everything going on, Opa continues to put his family first and continues to strive to uphold the morals he holds close.

Astra is a hard character to fully like. At the beginning of the book, she's relatively okay, but the more Rieke remembers her younger childhood and the more we see Astra falling in love, it's clear she's not a very nice person to her sister. Since Rieke is the narrating character, that makes it kind of hard to like Astra even if Rieke loves her older sister dearly. That being said, Astra becomes much better toward the middle/later parts of the book, though she still has her moments (and I'm not super thrilled that she allowed what was going on with Rieke toward the end). I will say though, by the end of the book it's very, very clear that Astra loves Rieke dearly, even if it isn't always expressed.

Marcel does fit with Astra, though he's largely flighty only with her. Rieke doesn't like him at first, and so I didn't like him at first either, but he really does come through for the family he becomes a part of. I won't comment on his romantic flightiness, but he definitely isn't a bad person.

I think the author did a good job capturing the wider picture of what was going on in Romania while also keeping the focus on Rieke and her family. She also does a good job of shifting between the two, with Rieke being able to note the larger changes occurring around her by noticing the ones that impact her and the daily lives of those around her. The historical part of the book was done very, very well in my opinion.

Overall, this was a good book. Obviously I am not a fan of the second TW, and on the one hand I'm glad it was kind of brushed over but on the other hand I do feel like more attention should've been called to what was happening. Unrelated to that, I liked that Astra, Rieke, and their friends were dancers. There really aren't enough books where people are just casually ballet dancers.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!