Tag: Ruta Sepetys

I Must Betray You – Ruta Sepetys [ARC Review]

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I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys: 9781984836038 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Synopsis:

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.

Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.

Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?

Review:

Huge thank you to Ruta Sepetys, Penguin Teen Influencers, Philomel Books and Penguin Young Readers for sharing this e-arc with me. The following review reflects my honest reading experience. 

I am a massive fan of Ruta Sepetys’s books. Each of her stories have made such an impact on me and continue to be favorites of mine. My favorite thing about Ruta’s books is that she choosing topics that are lesser known or have been forgotten. Not only do I get to read an incredible story, I also get to learn about pieces of history that I had no knowledge of. Once again she has accomplished this by sharing the moving and tragic story of Romania in its communist era. In the author’s note, Sepetys states: 

“History is the gateway to our collective story and the story of humanity. Historical fiction allows us to explore underrepresented stories and illuminate countries on the map.” 

This is exactly why I love reading historical fiction, but especially love Ruta’s books. She does a phenomenal job of telling beautiful stories while shining the light onto these underrepresented peoples and countries. The amount of time spent and research done is simply amazing. Ruta devotes her life to telling these underrepresented stories! She really is a master storyteller. I Must Betray You is a powerful read that I recommend everyone read. 

I always have complex feelings about Ruta’s books. It feels odd to say that I enjoyed it because there is so much tragedy and heartbreak. But I really did enjoy I Must Betray You despite the difficult to read parts. Ruta is able to seamlessly tell these heartbreaking stories with respect, love, and poise. She creates characters that I always come to love and bond with. I was fully immersed into 1989 Romania. I am so inspired by the citizens, especially the young people, who stood up to oppression. 

I highly encourage everyone to read the author’s note at the end of the book. Reading Ruta’s authors notes are actually one of my favorite parts of reading her books. You can just feel the amount of love and dedication that she puts into telling these stories. I’ll end my review with another quote from her author’s note, 

“Please remember that when adversity is drawn out of the shadows and recognized, we ensure that human beings living under oppression-past and present–know they are not forgotten.

Together, we can shine a light in dark corners of the past.

Together, we can give history a voice.”

I Must Betray You is already released. Check it out today!

The Fountains of Silence – Ruta Sepetys [ARC Review]

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray comes a gripping, extraordinary portrait of love, silence, and secrets under a Spanish dictatorship.

Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming promise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother’s birth through the lens of his camera. Photography–and fate–introduce him to Ana, whose family’s interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War–as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniel’s photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city.

Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys once again shines light into one of history’s darkest corners in this epic, heart-wrenching novel about identity, unforgettable love, repercussions of war, and the hidden violence of silence–inspired by the true postwar struggles of Spain.

Review:

Wow. Once again Ruta Sepetys has left me speechless. Ruta is one of my favorite authors and story tellers. I have read all of her books, and each one has told a beautiful story about forgotten moments of history. The Fountains of Silence is no exception.

Ruta Sepetys is one of the most gifted authors I have encountered. She writes historical fiction and chooses subjects that aren’t pretty or romanticized. Sepetys is always able to craft a captivating and beautiful story that shines light into dark moments of the past. With each of Sepetys books, I have learned something. The Fountains of Silence, like Between Shades of Grey, Out of the Easy, and Salt to the Sea, showed me periods or aspects of history that I didn’t know anything or very little about. I knew some vague information about the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s rule, but I never delved into the true stories and trauma of this time. Sepetys was able to create a beautiful story that seamlessly integrated the history and truth of what Spain was like at the time. It felt authentic every step of the way. You can tell that Sepetys didn’t choose this subject for shock and awe. She puts in the work and research and it shows in her incredible storytelling. I learned so much, and this book has inspired me to learn more about the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s rule.

The Fountains of Silence shows Ruta Sepetys’ incredible power of storytelling. The Fountains of Silence follows four main characters as they navigate life in Madrid, Spain. There’s Ana and Rafa, a brother and sister whose parents were part of the Republican movement against Franco, their cousin, Puri, and an American visitor named Daniel. Each of these characters lives intersect in different ways. Each is vital to the story and shows a different aspect of this period in Spain. One of my favorite parts is seeing Spain through Daniel’s photography. Sepetys was able to expertly describe what Daniel was seeing and photographing so that I could perfectly visualize the images in my mind. This elevated the already spectacular book.

One thing you can always expect from Ruta Sepetys’ books is an epic love story. The Fountains of Silence delivers another beautiful romance between two of the characters. Sepetys writes romance so well. She is able to create a love story that is vital to the plot, but never distracts or overshadows the rest of the story.

Ruta Sepetys has once again created a stunning book that is a great story, but also an importance piece of literature. The Fountains of Silence delves into a tumultuous time in Spain’s history. It shows the trauma and tragedy of the time, but also the hope and resilience of the Spanish people. The Fountains of Silence was a masterpiece and it will forever be a part of me.

HUGE THANK YOU to Ruta Sepetys, Penguin, and Philomel Books for providing this advanced readers copy of The Fountains of Silence at Book Expo.

The Fountains of Silence will be released October 1st, 2019.