My Review: An absolute page turner. I read this book in one sitting. I was gripped by the writing and the story. We briefly find ourselves in the 60s but mainly the story is told before and during WWII. We follow Hodaya’s story and that of her sister Bayla. Their loves are turned upside down many times, and being stuck in the hell that was Auschwitz, surrounded by death, sickness, unpleasantries, fear and the knowledge death is only a walk away. The sisters encounter an Angel in human form.

This book is beautiful, horrific, beautiful, traumatic, beautiful and real. I give it 5 stars and a recommendation for anyone who reads WWII historical fiction, I look forward to more by the author.

Auschwitz, 1943. I cradle my little sister’s feverish body and weep silently in the darkness. “I love you,” I whisper, “Remember, tomorrow we’re free.” And I know in my heart that whatever it takes, I will find a way out of here—for me, and for my sister…At the imposing iron gates of Auschwitz, twenty-one-year-old Hodaya clings to her mama and papa, her little sister Bayla’s arms around her waist. But when Hodaya is sent one way and her parents the other, a plea to keep her sister safe is the last thing in her mother’s eyes. Hodaya makes a silent promise in return.But Auschwitz is no place for a little girl, and keeping Bayla safe takes every ounce of Hodaya’s strength. She hates watching the spark in her little sister’s eyes dull, and as she hands over her daily rations of watery soup and stale bread to keep Bayla fed, she feels herself weakening by the second. But she vows to find a way out, even if it means sacrificing the young woman she once was.Admiring the bravery of other prisoners’ revolts and imagining a world in which she joins in, Hodaya battles between her determination to save Bayla and mounting despair. But in the end, it’s the most unlikely person who reminds her to dare to hope: Alaric, a German soldier. As desperate hunger closes in, Alaric draws a parcel of warm food from a satchel and offers it to Hodaya – his expression guarded, blue eyes troubled, but his hand steady.But can Hodaya trust a stranger, particularly a German? And as sickness takes hold of Bayla, is it already too late to keep her promise to keep Bayla safe—or will the last ounce of hope in her heart lead to an escape from the darkest of places?A breath-taking, gut-wrenching World War Two page-turner which will tear your heart apart at the same time it restores your faith in the power of love, family and sisterhood to triumph over evil. Perfect for fans of The Midwife of Auschwitz, The Choice and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.