She escapes, burying grief in music and work.Īubrey is a rising jazz musician in New York, before he is called to duty. Her devoted childhood friend had recently turned out to be something more, and as they were just discovering each other in a new way, he and the rest of her family died in a bombing. The other couple starts miles away, Colette is Belgian, a bewitching singer that bears the weight of war personally. From survivor's guilt and grief to racism and injustice, this story touches upon all the broken parts of humanity and what we need to do to save it.

zMisunderstandings of all sorts, injuries of all kinds, this book does not shy away from the hardships that WWI and WWII inflicted upon us. James despises killing, but after his talent for it is recognized, he is forced use this ability, to his great dismay.

No love is easy though, and with war in the air, there's bound to be complications. Tender and innocent, not graphically described, but very meaningful and moving. They fall hard and fast, that sweet, young kind of romance that is all curiosity and wonder, and emotion. James is in love with her at first sight, but heads off to war two days later. These couples are against the odds - Hazel is sweet, determined, and a brilliant pianist. To save herself from public ridicule, Aphrodite begins a beautiful, tear-jerking story of two couples in WWI to show her husband (who doesn't love her anyway, but still wants her back) the power of love and why she, Aphrodite, needs to be with the one she loves. Hephaestus (Aphrodite's husband) catches them together, and threatens to expose them on trial in front of the entire community. The book starts at a hotel in WWII (richly described - very exotic and ominous, in my opinion), with Aphrodite and Ares alone and in love, but unmarried (quite the scandal). This author expertly writes from the viewpoint of Aphrodite, the greek goddess of love and passion. Plot is described below.įantastic writing, and a truly touching story combine in one of the best books I have ever read. This book has changed my life - a truly powerful, moving, and just touching story of love and friendship against all odds. I have no words for this display of magnificence in YA literature.

The lovely war