Ruta Sepetys

As World War II draws to a close, four teens meet aboard the "Wilhelm Gustloff" a cruise ship that will give them passage out of Prussia before the Russians overtake the retreating German troops. The cruise ship, built to hold 1,500 passengers, is laden with over 10,000 desperate people. The four band together and try to survive when a Russian torpedo slams into the ship.

"Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into the country under the welcoming guise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of a Texas oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera. Photography--and fate--introduce...

"At the Castellana Hilton in 1957 Madrid, eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson connects with Ana Moreno through photography and fate as Daniel discovers the incredibly dark side of the city under Generalissimo Franco's rule"--Provided by publisher.

An artistic sixteen-year-old is forcefully separated from her family by Soviet soldiers and sent to one of Stalin's work camps in Siberia. Despite suffering through cruel and harsh conditions, Lina finds refuge in the connections she makes with other deportees and in the art she continues to create to document her experiences.