Monday, June 22, 2015

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron and *GIVEAWAY*

by Andrea Renee Cox

Has a book ever swept you down a river of emotion and elegance? Was there beautiful despair tossed in?

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron not only took me down that river but sent me into an ocean of awe. The poignancy of the tale captured my interest from the first chapter and built layer upon layer of various emotions until I couldn't help but weep as I read.


This may be Kristy's debut novel, but she certainly has arrived on the book scene with gusto. I know authors often say they never "arrive," but sometimes a reader knows when an author brings a unique voice and important stories to the table. And the best part for readers, in my opinion, is that Kristy's stories teach invaluable lessons in an entertaining yet very organic way.

In the extraordinary book The Butterfly and the Violin, Sera James searches for the Holocaust painting that piqued her interest -- and captured her heart -- at the tender age of eight. Tracking down the piece of art and its secrets proves more difficult than simply calling the contacts she's made since opening her art gallery. Once she finds a sliver of a lead, Sera's real journey begins. But will she discover a victorious end to her pursuit or the birth of an entirely different dream?

The Holocaust at Auschwitz is predominantly featured in this book and may be difficult to read for some people. I recommend you pre-read this one before sharing it with your children (including teenagers).

That being said, this story is so powerful and beautiful. Honestly, words can't do it justice. It really brought history alive to me in a way that had me feeling the dirt between my toes, the filth on my skin, and hearing Adele's music as if she were playing a solo right in my living room. I greatly appreciate the attention to detail, intricate application of research, and raw passion Kristy Cambron put into the writing of Butterfly. The story reminded me of The Diary of Anne Frank and Corrie ten Boom's The Hiding Place. I hope you will enjoy The Butterfly and the Violin, a real masterpiece in our generation.
Kristy Cambron


GIVEAWAY:
I'm giving away one (1) electronic copy (for Amazon Kindle) of The Butterfly and the Violin. The giveaway goes through Thursday, June 25. The winner will be selected at random and contacted via email. If you do not include your email address in your comment, you will not be entered to win. Only U.S. residents are eligible to win, due to budget restraints. The winner will be announced on next Monday's article.

Here's how you enter: Leave a comment answering one of today's discussion questions.

Don't forget to leave your email address so I may contact you if you win.


Readers, what was the last book that moved you to tears? Do you enjoy learning about difficult topics, such as the Holocaust, in fictional books? Why or why not?


Thanks for stopping by today! I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to drop by next Monday for my latest article.

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8 comments:

TheScribblingSprite said...

I really enjoyed the Butterfly and the Violin too! I can't remember the last book that moved me to tears, but I think Francine River's Mark of the Lion series must have come close.

Kristy Cambron said...

Thank you both for these beautiful comments! You've encouraged me so as I finish up the next book I'm working on. <3 THANK YOU!

Unknown said...

I would have to say, A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert. I really felt the emotions of the characters through her writing. Butterfly is on my "to read" list, so would love to win a copy. Looking forward to your masterpiece too!

Thanks, Andrea!

tinaturpin@hotmail.com

Andrea Cox said...

Ladies, thanks for much for stopping by and joining the conversation.

Ally, I'm glad you enjoyed Butterfly. Have you read the follow-up yet? It's called A Sparrow in Terezin, and it's on my to-read list.

Tina, you are too sweet. I agree on Katie's book! Have you read any of her others? I'm really looking forward to The Art of Losing Yourself.

Kristy, thank YOU for a beautiful book. I cried my eyes out, and was so happy to have done so. Worth every tear. I'm glad we could encourage you as you finish up your next work of art. I can't wait to read it.

Blessings to you all.
Andrea

Faith Hope and Cherrytea said...

The Rose Girls had me in tears this week. I can imagine Kristy's novels would have me crying buckets! the topics and era are difficult ones. I appreciate the review and offer - TY! faithhopecherrytea at [gmail.] com [my kindle is to my US addy so cost wouldn't change]

Andrea Cox said...

I haven't heard about the Rose Girls yet, but it sounds like one I would love. Thanks for the recommendation! And thank you for mentioning the part about the cost not changing. I didn't know there was a way around it for folks who lived outside the US. Very neat. Hope you'll visit Writing to Inspire again soon.

Unknown said...

I enjoy reading about historical events in a fiction format as I can put myself in the story. My great grandparents fled from Germany so I would love to read this story.

Andrea Cox said...

Wow, Rebecca. The stories your great-grandparents could tell...

Thanks for stopping by!