(Chapter 1 only) In the winter of 1941-1942, Leningrad is under siege, and Karen Hamilton, a seventeen-year-old American musician, finds herself trapped and struggling to survive. Throughout the city, people are dying of starvation and frostbite, and Karen knows that if she doesn't escape immediately, she will share their fate. If she has any hope of leaving Russia and reuniting with her fiancé, Bobby, in New York, she must do the impossible: cross enemy lines and then stow away. On her harrowing journey, Karen encounters Petr, a young conscripted Russian soldier. She isn't sure she can trust him-he is equally wary of her. But as the two join forces in order to stay alive, an unexpected romance takes root. Now, as Karen gets closer to the reality of escape, she has a choice to make: Will she return to a safe life in America with Bobby, or remain in war-torn Russia with Petr? This is a sample chapter of the book that will be available October 18 from Lake Union Publishing.

WATTY '19 AWARD WINNER! [editing] 𝐕𝐀𝐌·𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐘·𝐄𝐑 ˈvamˌpī(ə)r slāər 𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯 → a young woman bestowed with powers that originate from the essence of a pure demon, which gives her superhuman senses, strength, agility, resilience and speed in the fight against forces of darkness. Madeline Hayes didn't understand a whole lot lately, if not these 3 things: #1. Being a Slayer sucked. #2. Stiles was an idiot. #3. Something much more terrible than an Alpha or a Kanima was on its way to send Beacon Hills to Hell in a handbasket. From ashes, they were cast out. From ashes, they rise again. HIGHEST RANK: #1 - dylanobrien #1 - buffy #2 - fanfic #2 - stilesstilinski #6 - teenwolf #30 - teenromance