From Sand and Ash

Captivating story line, beautiful love story during the worst of times, historically accurate, simply spellbinding. This is my second Amy Harmon book. The first was A Girl Called Sampson, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Sand and Ash was, although hard to believe, better than the first A.H. read--it really spoke to me. A Girl Called Sampson is set in the time frame of the Revolutionary War. The setting for this book is European World War II era. I am a post WW II era baby and am more familiar with that era--my father and three uncles served in WW II. My parents married following the war. I was born late 1940s. I grew up hearing stories of my Dad's and multiple uncles' experiences and memories, that is, the stories they were willing to share. There were, as expected stories they declined to share, usually the case for those directly involved in warfare. This author captures human emotion with skill and authenticity. Sand and Ash and A Girl Called Sampson immediately pulled me in and immersed me in the stories of her characters. The women in both books pulled at my heartstrings and I quickly connected with the characters. FS&A is more than a love story; it is also a history lesson that depicts the resilence of the human spirit despite the horrors of war. I highly recommend this book and this author. After two winners in a row I look forward to more of Ms. Harmon's hard-to-put-down heart-rending stories. I am also a writer, mostly short stories. As such, I am definitely critical of fellow authors and I appreciate excellence in writing. Amy Harmon is my new favorite contemporary author. Keep giving us great historical novels, Ms. Harmon! And thank you for your riveting stories that cause me to lose sleep and ignore my boring household chores. LOL

4.5 stars. I've read a lot of historical fiction set during WWII. The locations of some of those books have included England, France, Poland, Germany, and America, but I've never read a book set in Italy. For some reason, this made an old story fresh again. I didn't know what happened in Italy during the war, so the uncertainty as I read this tale was fresh. As law after law was passed and compromise after compromise came, I felt the insidiousness of WWII all over again. When the characters weren't sure whether to flee to Rome or Florence, I didn't know which city was safer. That not knowing made the journey of Eva and Angelo so much more poignant and real. Harmon's writing style in this book is excellent. All of her books have an almost lyrical nature and explore themes of love, fear, faith, hope, forgiveness and friendship in unique ways. This book, though, felt like one of her best. I highlighted so many sentences in this book because they were just so beautifully written. I appreciated the respectful way Harmon explored the Jewish and Catholic faiths through her main characters. There was beauty in them both, and I was awed to read the story of what the Italian Catholic church did during WWII in Italy. They saved 80% of the Jewish population through the bravery of their people. So amazing & humbling. There is a love story here between Eva and Angelo, but I didn't really feel like it was the focus of the book. I thought war and faith were the focus, and Harmon made the war more personal by creating two characters who loved each other and faced unique struggles during the war. The beginning was a little choppy for me as we jumped between years, but it quickly smoothed out and became a wonderful story. I would highly recommend this one.

From Sand and Ash is a harrowing story of love and faith shrouded in death and despair. Amy Harmon brings together the best and the worst of humanity on these pages, paving this journey with violence and bravery, horror and love. It's a ruthless barrage of emotions, this story, a relentless war between life and death, between good and evil, illustrated exquisitely by an author whose writing prowess knows no bounds. I was torn between eagerly unearthing the twists and turns that would surely come with each turn of the page, and dreading what was to come, dreading this book ending at all. The story of Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco is as enchanting as it is chilling. The love they share is forbidden, both by duty and by law. But their attraction, the absolute truth of their lifelong love is a beautiful, palpable thing that consumes the reader despite the horrific circumstances in which that love exists. I've read many books of the true accounts of holocaust survivors, seen the movies and documentaries, taken classes concentrating on this area of study. But never before have I been made to fall in love with an individual, with a couple, with a family, before I took such a horrific journey with them. To feel as though you know their strength, to get to know their life up until the moment it is stolen away, to know their helplessness in the face of something so unjust and so terrifying, it changes the way you look at the world, to see such atrocities through their eyes. This may be a fictionalized account inspired by true events, but you won't convince my heart Eva and Angelo aren't real. This story weaves it's way under your skin and into your soul so you feel every step of their journey, of their fight, of this miracle. It's both beautiful and tortuous what Amy Harmon does here, but it's so right. It's so important. We don't truly know fear and loss and hopelessness until we take this journey ourselves. Opening this book, turning these pages, moving along with Eva and Angelo is taking the journey ourselves. This is absolutely a story of survival and love. But, more, From Sand and Ash is a poignant reminder of where we all come from, that no matter where we live or who we pray to or what we believe in, we all come from the same place. We are all made of the same things. We all seek joy, we all look to find purpose. We all love and play and pray and laugh and hope, and we all just want to be understood. Above all else, we just want to be understood. That message screamed at me on every page, in every word. Our world would be such a beautiful, peaceful, harmonious one if we sought to understand each other instead of judging each other for the ways we are different, for the God we pray to, for where each of our trees first took root. The Law of Moses taught me that we should be celebrating our differences instead of being afraid to point them out, to label them. From Sand and Ash takes that sentiment and drives it home in a way that simply can't be ignored. It's a brutal demonstration of what comes when we stop trying to understand each other, when we stop trying to relate, when we take what makes us different and use it as a means to divide us, to hurt each other, to push each other away. We need this message. We need this book. We need this reminder that when we refuse to learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat it. I'm asked often what book has changed my life. I can't say I've ever had a clear answer. I've read books I've loved, I've read books that have made me see things in ways I never have before, I've read books I'll never forget. But From Sand and Ash is a life changing book. This book will change the way you go forward by forcing you to go back. It'll change your heart, it'll change your mind, it'll make you seek to understand rather than condemn. It'll make you choose to see the good where there seems to be only darkness. It'll remind you that we're all the same where it matters, that we've all come from the same place regardless of where we're going. It'll inspire you to be better. It'll demand you pay closer attention to the opportunities to do something important. It will humble you, empower you, it'll strengthen your awareness of your world, your history, your place in it. You can't read this book and not come away changed. From Sand and Ash is a rich work of art, a stunning masterpiece that has moved me, altered me, captivated me. It'll take your breath away, it'll break your heart in ways it's never been broken before, it'll leave you speechless. I was overcome with so much emotion while reading this brutally beautiful story. I was painfully terrified. I was both angered and uplifted, both defeated and empowered, broken yet healed. These characters, this fictionalized truth swathed in Harmon's unparalleled storytelling and her breathtaking writing style make for an epic story of bravery, love, resilience and loss that is both haunting and heartwarming all at once. As long as I live, I will carry this story with me.

I rarely reread books, but not because I don't want to, but because my TBR list is km-long and I have not enough time 🤷🏻‍♀️ But I bought my favorite book in Polish and I couldn't resist reading this book again. Yes, this is the third time I read this it 🤷🏻‍♀️ After the first time I read "From Sand and Ash" it took me days to get out of my emotional melancholy and start another book. I loved this book so much, that I talked about it to everyone and everywhere 🤭 My friends were so desperate that they read it, just so I stop talking about it 😂 And you know what, they loved it almost as much as I did 😍 Amy Harmon has the amazing gift of drawing people into the story and the protagonists lives. You feel like you know them and you are living, crying and laughing with them. From Sand and Ash is a story that takes place in World War II and the events in the war are of course terrible and hard to take or even understand, for us now. But it's the story behind the story that's makes this book even more heartbreaking and so damn emotional. A forbidden love story, between two people who have sacrificed everything for other people, from whom War has taken everything, who didn't believe that in the end they could been together and still fought with everything that they had for others lives. I recommend this book to all of you, who is not afraid to have an ugly cry for at least 50% of this book and other half mental breakdowns 🤭. Sorry, I can't help myself. I love this book so much ❤ So please read this book and enjoy! I loved every second of it (and cried not only the first time I read it) ❣

One of the best books I have ever read

Amo i romanzi di Amy Harmon. Le storie che racconta, i personaggi che descrive, le emozioni che trasmette e che suscita, a prescindere dalle ere, circostanze o luoghi raccontati. Questo romanzo è stato difficile. Ho dovuto spesso fermarmi,asciugarmi gli occhi, ricompormi e ricominciare a leggere. Sono italiana. Queste sono le storie dei “miei nonni” quelle mia dimenticate ma di rado raccontate, perché troppo dolorose, troppo vivide e presenti in un futuro che sembra voler sempre voltare le spalle alla storia. Una lettura meravigliosa, che racconta di un’Italia in uno dei suoi momenti peggiori senza togliere la bellezza ai posti, alle persone e alle atmosfere. Bellissimo.

In world war II 90% Italian Jew survived, but 90% European Jew killed. That is the fact and that is tree in which story moved from branch to branch. In the darkness of war love bloom, love generally always bloom beautifully when darkness become too deep to see. In the desperation of Vatican, sadness of christian world thousand of priest ready to give their life to help Jew. It is so painful that German forget that Christ was also Jew, but many priest never forget that. May be Angelo grow up with Eva as brother and sister, may be Angelo became priest, but love could't stop by building a thousand feet wall around you. May be they did't want to see their love, their attraction, but love is always showed more and that was why we wanted to see less. Story was excellent with lots of real life reference, but just one thing I had disappointed. I don't like happy ending, I always enjoy tragic end, but I believe that was my problem. In hopelessness of killing, destroying and devastation END should be happy, at least some people should find their loved one, should create a dream world out of darkness, should love till aged.

Loved it!! Go get it you won't regret it one tiny bit! Amy Harmon did an excellent work!! My heart feels broken hut so full at the same time!