"Like a River from Its Course" by Kelli Stuart ... and a Kindle Prize Pack Giveaway!

Travel back in time in Kelli Stuart's new novel, Like a River from Its Course, as the city of Kiev is bombed in Hitler's blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union. This sweeping historical saga takes the reader on a captivating journey into the little-known history of Ukraine's tragedies through the eyes of four compelling characters who experience the same story from different perspectives. Based on true stories gathered from fifteen years of research and interviews with Ukrainian World War II survivors, Like a River From Its Course is a story of love, war, heartache, forgiveness, and redemption.

Celebrate the release of Like a River from Its Course with Kelli by entering to win a Kindle Fire Prize Pack.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Like a River from Its Course
• A Kindle Fire
• A Kindle Fire case (winner's choice)
• A $30 Amazon gift card

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on July 18th. The winner will be announced July 19th on Kelli's blog.

My Review...

This story is a bit different from others I have read. It is written in three parts, from the viewpoint of four different characters. It also allows the viewer to see Ukraine, which is a little known side of World War II. It is based on true stories from research and interviews with Ukrainian World War II survivors.

The story chronicles the following characters:

·         Maria Ivanovna, a fourteen-year-old girl forced to work at a German labor camp. She only wants to get back to her family.

·         Ivan Kyrilovich, a father who finds himself mistaken for a Jew and in line to be shot in a “killing ditch.”

·         Luda, a sixteen-year-old girl who is pregnant after being raped by German soldiers and abandoned by her father.

·         Frederick Hermann, a soldier who believes in Nazism and is desperately trying to please his demanding father.

I have read a number of fiction books about World War II, but none quite as engaging as this. It is unique in its perspective (Ukraine), as well as with the diverse POV’s the readers follow throughout the story. Also, none of the main characters are Jewish. This book is Stuart’s historical fiction debut, and it shows that she has a very promising future in this genre. The research is detailed, and she seamlessly weaves in history. This is a gripping, eye-opening tale which puts a face to the atrocities of war. I highly recommend this book!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publisher as part of the Litfuse blogger program in exchange for an honest review.