"People do things for love. Sometimes, they do great things. Sometimes, terrible. Sometimes, the great and the terrible are one and the same."

Just . . . so, so brutal.fiction historical-fiction young-adult15 s Shannon Miz1,280 1,068

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 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.

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight2023 favorites read-for-review8 s MarthaAuthor 24 books436

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.8 s1 comment Patty (IheartYA311)800

This story was full of hurt and hate. It was very hard to read, very real. Well written and triggers many emotions.4 s Stefy132 3

Thank you to Harper360YA for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I’ll admit when I opened the package and saw this book I was sceptical. I’m a fantasy girl at heart who loves to get lost in the impossible, in the magic and The Blood Years was far from what I ever thought I would read.

1) I’m not big on war time novels
2) I’m not overly fond of “based on true events”

But I am open to new things and I’m glad for it because this book was actually pretty good.

It’s very sad and is based on horrific true events, but it also makes for a compelling read as I feel these days we are very ignorant to what has happened in the past and with current day events we are also very selfish and self entitled to what we currently have. But I won’t go into the political side of things, I always try to keep that out of my .

The story follows two sisters and their family in war time Romania. Their struggle to survive and live when there was so much prejudice at that time. The horror and monstrous behaviour of people towards their fellow man.

I’ll admit I had no idea how hard the war hit those regions, but then I was never really taught World War history in school, which is just shocking IMO.

But there is also love and light in this story and I think the message is simply that through all the hardship and horror, family and love and hope is the strength you need and that alone cannot break you.

The blood years will be available to buy on November 9th3 s EmilyAuthor 1 book627

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 able, 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.arcs3 s mia :)97 136

incredibly moving and based on the author's grandmother's experiences during world war two. definitely going to be one of my top reads for 2024historical-fiction important-subjects2 s Anna726 11

Exquisite. Devastating. You can’t put it down. You will think about it for every moment you aren’t reading it.historical-fiction read-in-2024 ya-fiction2 s Steph4,890 70

Oh. My. Goodness. This. Book.
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