Well done, Ruta Sepetys! A great book. Heartbreaking, but nicely written. 
 This book is a novel, but is actually based on history, during WWII. this story is written from the perspective of a teenager named Lina. she and her family are taken from their home in Lithuania by the Soviets. This story tracks the next year plus of all hardships they go through. The labor camps, the illnesses that struck, the deaths of fellow Lithuanians, cruel degrading treatment and more. 
 much is known about Hitler's reign, but what about those sent to Stalin? What of the voices never heard? This is one of those voices, crying out after all these years. The imagery if vivid. You see how lives are lived, you see the love and pain and sorrow. But it is more than that. you feel it. this book literally moved me to tears. 
 The is a hint of romance, and much community love. There is loss and heartbreak. There is pain and suffering. There is hope. The characters are endearing and so well done. Lina is one amazing young woman with all sure endures. 
 If you are looking for a happy, upbeat book, this is not it. This novel shows how Lithuanians (and other people too) were treated during the war. It is well paced, and starts off with a bang with the Soviets coming for the girls family right at the beginning. It is brutally honest. It is not always easy writing about such treatment from a young teenagers perspective, but this captured it perfectly. My only complaint to the book is the chapters were too short and I wish I could have continued on Lina's story a little longer. 
 *I won this as a First-Read giveaway on goodreads.com. all thoughts and opinions of this review are strictly my own.*