About the book:
Like a River from Its Course (Kregel, June 2016)
An epic novel exposing the ugliness of war and the beauty of hope.
The city of Kiev was bombed in Hitler's blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union, but the constant siege was only the beginning for her citizens. In this sweeping historical saga, Kelli Stuart 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.
Maria Ivanovna is only fourteen when the bombing begins and not much older when she is forced into work at a German labor camp. She must fight to survive and to make her way back to her beloved Ukraine.
Ivan Kyrilovich is falsely mistaken for a Jew and lined up with 34,000 other men, women, and children who are to be shot at the edge of Babi Yar, the "killing ditch." He survives, but not without devastating consequences.
Luda is sixteen when German soldiers rape her. Now pregnant with the child of the enemy, she is abandoned by her father, alone, and in pain. She must learn to trust family and friends again and find her own strength in order to discover the redemption that awaits.
Frederick Hermann is sure in his knowledge that the Führer's plans for domination
are right and just. He is driven to succeed by a desire to please a demanding father and by his own blind faith in the ideals of Nazism.
An epic novel exposing the ugliness of war and the beauty of hope.
The city of Kiev was bombed in Hitler's blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union, but the constant siege was only the beginning for her citizens. In this sweeping historical saga, Kelli Stuart 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.
Maria Ivanovna is only fourteen when the bombing begins and not much older when she is forced into work at a German labor camp. She must fight to survive and to make her way back to her beloved Ukraine.
Ivan Kyrilovich is falsely mistaken for a Jew and lined up with 34,000 other men, women, and children who are to be shot at the edge of Babi Yar, the "killing ditch." He survives, but not without devastating consequences.
Luda is sixteen when German soldiers rape her. Now pregnant with the child of the enemy, she is abandoned by her father, alone, and in pain. She must learn to trust family and friends again and find her own strength in order to discover the redemption that awaits.
Frederick Hermann is sure in his knowledge that the Führer's plans for domination
are right and just. He is driven to succeed by a desire to please a demanding father and by his own blind faith in the ideals of Nazism.
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.
Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/28YOXRu
My Review:
Like a River From Its
Course by author Kelli Stuart is a read that is not for the faint of
heart. This is a story of the Nazi
occupied Ukraine during World War 2, and it was a harrowing feat for me to
finish. It is told from four different
viewpoints: Father and Daughter, Ivan and Maria, Luda, and a Nazi soldier,
Frederick Herrmann. This story starts in
1941 and ends in 1947. We have front row
seats as we walk with each character and their circumstances as this reign of
terror pours out in their country. At
times I wanted and did put this book down, only to pick it up again because I
wanted so badly to see some hope. And
there is. Author Stuart did a wonderful
job of presenting the gospel message, not in a preachy matter but in a real
world scenario.
I enjoyed the author’s notes in the back of the book; she
explains that even though these are fictional characters, the events were
not. As the world today again seems to
be succumbing to hatred, I found these quotes relevant and helpful:
Ivan pg. 326, “…the river of our days flowing so calmly in a
direction that I thought would last forever.
In a flash, that river was turned, unexpected and quick, dragging us
long this unforeseen path. Like a river
from its course, life has swirled away from all I expected or planned.”
Enjoy the present, for life is unpredictable. And:
Marie pg. 333, “…I think about the nature of this
world. For all the evil, there is an
awful lot of good. I’m thankful for the
sweetness of the good.”
I received a copy of this very relevant read through Litfuse
Publicity and the opinions are my own honest ones.
About the author:
Kelli Stuart is the coauthor of Dare 2B Wise and has written for several brands including Disney, American Girl, and Short Fiction Break. She has served as editor-in-chief for the St. Louis Bloggers Guild and as a board member for the St. Louis Women in Media. In addition to her writing, Kelli has spent twenty years studying Ukranian culture. Kelli lives in Florida.
What others are saying: http://litfusegroup.com/
Giveaway: Kelli Stuart’s ‘Like a River from Its Course’ Blog Tour and Kindle Prize Pack
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.
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.
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.
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