Once Upon a Twilight!: Book review: From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon

FROM SAND AND ASH
Author: Amy Harmon
Reading Level: +16
Genre: Historical Romance
Released: HERE
Review Source: Lake Union Publishing and purchased

Italy, 1943—Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II.

As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like family but divided by circumstance and religion. As the years go by, the two find themselves falling in love. But the church calls to Angelo and, despite his deep feelings for Eva, he chooses the priesthood.

Now, more than a decade later, Angelo is a Catholic priest and Eva is a woman with nowhere to turn. With the Gestapo closing in, Angelo hides Eva within the walls of a convent, where Eva discovers she is just one of many Jews being sheltered by the Catholic Church.

But Eva can’t quietly hide, waiting for deliverance, while Angelo risks everything to keep her safe. With the world at war and so many in need, Angelo and Eva face trial after trial, choice after agonizing choice, until fate and fortune finally collide, leaving them with the most difficult decision of all.

A sweeping, epic story of love, war, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Amy's words are So. Freaking. Beautiful. I cannot even fully describe what this book means to me. This is one of my all time favorite authors and this is one of my all time favorite books. I would read anything Amy writes and would one-click blindly because every single one of her books takes you on an incredible journey that stays with you forever.

From Sand and Ash is set in Italy during World War II. From the very beginning of the book I knew it was going to be heart breaking and amazing. The story starts with a little boy named Angelo being sent to live in Italy after his mother passes away. There he meets Eva. Eva also lost her mother at a young age. They grow up together as friends and end up falling in love. Angelo is catholic and Eva is Jewish. You are transporting during this horrific time in history and experience every emotion possible.

"Fear is strange.
It settles on chests and seeps through skin, through layers of tissue, muscle, and bone and collects in a soul-sized black hole, sucking the joy out of life, the pleasure, the beauty.
But not the hope.
Somehow, the hope is the only thing resistant to the fear, and it is that hope that makes the next breath possible, the next step, the next tiny act of rebellion, even if that rebellion is simply staying alive."

Absolutely, without a doubt, I give this book 5 stars. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. This book deserves ALL OF THE STARS. Please don't let the subject matter scare you, give this book a chance. Best book of 2016 for me. Stunning, emotional, amazing, EVERYTHING!! One click the kindle version and then add on the audible for an even more moving experience. You will not regret it.