"a sparrow in terezin" by kristy cambron

Kristy Cambron's engaging Hidden Masterpiece series continues with A Sparrow in Terezin, another story of hope amid the devastation of World War II.

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Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor's story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

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.

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Picking up a few months after The Butterfly and the Violin, the present day portion of A Sparrow in Terezin follows Sera and William as they attempt to begin a life together—a life that's shaping up to be much different than they imagined.

While I was glad to catch up with William and Sera, much of their story was—I think purposefully—confusing. Just as Sera didn't understand what was happening with William, neither did the reader. But rather than enjoying the slow unpacking of his story, I ended up frustrated, as sometimes even what Sera knew was kept from the reader. Because of that, some of Sera's actions didn't make sense to me. In the end, I'm glad things turned out the way they did, but William and Sera's story isn't what will stick with me when I think about this novel in the future.

Kája's story will.

Kája's story—the portion set during World War II—makes up the bulk of the novel. I found this story to be utterly fascinating. Set in Prague, London, and the Terezin Concentration Camp, Kája's story is different from ones you normally hear of Holocaust survivors. Kája escaped Prague, built a life for herself in England, and then returned to rescue her family ... and ended up bringing hope to countless children while in Terezin.

While Kája is not directly connected to Adele and Vladimir from The Butterfly and the Violin, Sophie, the girl they rescued, is an integral part of Kája's story, and, as she did in the first novel, Sophie serves as the bridge between the past and the present.

A Sparrow in Terezin is a truly beautiful novel. I thought The Butterfly and the Violin was good, but A Sparrow in Terezin is even better. If you enjoy historical fiction or learning about World War II, then this is a series you won't want to miss! 4-1/2 stars.

Note: You really should read these books in order. First read The Butterfly and the Violin, then pick up A Sparrow in Terezin.

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Buy the book.
Read my review of Cambron's The Butterfly and the Violin (4 stars).

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Kristy Cambron has been fascinated with the WWII era since hearing her grandfather's stories of the war. She holds an art history degree from Indiana University and received the Outstanding Art History Student Award. Kristy writes WWII and Regency era fiction and has placed first in the 2013 NTRWA Great Expectations and 2012 FCRW Beacon contests, and is a 2013 Laurie finalist. Kristy makes her home in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons.

Find Kristy online: website, Facebook, Twitter

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection in Kristy Cambron's new book, A Sparrow in Terezin. Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, 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.

Kristy is celebrating by giving away a basket filled with goodies inspired by her new book!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A set of poppy notecards
• A poppy pin
• A copy of I Never Saw Another Butterfly
• A copy of the Mrs. Miniver DVD
• Literary tea bags
• Tumbler
• A copy of A Sparrow in Terezin

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 28th. Winner will be announced April 29th on Kristy's blog.



{NOT ON FACEBOOK? ENTER HERE.} Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."