Bookshelf Friday - A Sparrow in Terezin by Kristy Cambron

I am so excited about this book today! Last week I shared I was reading Kristy Cambron's A Sparrow in Terezin and gave you a chance to win either it or her debut The Butterfly and the Violin. Let's start with who won...Abby Brueklander! Abby, email or Facebook me your address and which book you'd like and I'll get it out to you:)

In the meantime, here's a little about Sparrow and we'll chat on the other side.

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairytale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels she's stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy the perfectly planned future she’s planned before it even begins. Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped occupied Prague in 1939, and was forced to leave her half-Jewish family behind. Now a reporter for the Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, Kája has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

I love when books bring me back to characters I've already fallen in love with, so opening the first page and seeing Sera was like curling up with a familiar friend. The story begins on a cliffhanger with Sera and William, and how it'll resolve is initially what has you turning pages. But soon you meet Kaja and her story simply pulls you in. Through these characters Cambron weaves a story that connects through the years and speaks to the strength of love. An unfailing love. A love that can look past the darkness and still see hope.

The glimpses into World War II spanned beyond just the Holocaust. Kaja begins her time in London and much about what happened to that country was included. Seen through the eyes of this character who lived it, the historical portion of this book read beyond a simple history lesson. And, as with Butterfly, Cambron links both stories seamlessly, working them toward one another. The courage of all the women involved makes you beg for them to find a happy ending--and they do. You'll just have to read it to see what those are:)

I happily give A Sparrow in Terezin 5 out of 5 stars, and you can purchase it here.

And if you missed it, Kristy visited on Wednesday and shared her heart all about two little words: thank you. If you haven't read it, take a moment today (here) as we look toward Resurrection Sunday and find so much to be thankful for.

Have a blessed Easter, friends!