Welcome to the Blog & Review Tour - and Giveaway - for Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Within These Lines
Author: Stephanie Morrill
Publisher: Blink YA
Genre: Historical Young Adult Fiction
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Evalina Cassano’s life in an Italian-American family living in San Francisco in 1941 is quiet and ordinary until she falls in love with Taichi Hamasaki, the son of Japanese immigrants. Despite the scandal it would cause and that inter-racial marriage is illegal in California, Evalina and Taichi vow they will find a way to be together. But anti-Japanese feelings erupt across the country after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and Taichi and his family are forced to give up their farm and move to a Japanese-American internment camp.
Degrading treatment makes life at Manzanar Relocation Center difficult. Taichi’s only connection to the outside world is treasured letters from Evalina. Feeling that the only action she can take to help Taichi is to speak out against injustice, Evalina becomes increasingly vocal at school and at home. Meanwhile, inside Manzanar, fighting between different Japanese-American factions arises. Taichi begins to doubt he will ever leave the camp alive.
With tensions running high and their freedom on the line, Evalina and Taichi must hold true to their ideals and believe in their love to make a way back to each other against unbelievable odds.
My Review: Haunting and evocative, Within These Lines tells the story of a young American couple separated by war and racism.
Evalina Cassano and Taichi Hamasaki's lives are changed forever with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Taichi and his family are sent away to Manzanar Internment Camp for the duration of the war, while Evalina must remain. Their love for each other is tested by distance, time, and the experiences that they each face.
Evalina is passionate and courageous, she doesn't back down when it comes to fighting for the one that she loves. Evalina is definitely determined, and when she sets her mind to something, it usually comes to pass. I admired how she didn't give up, through it all she put her head down and kept going.
Taichi has always been his family's "Good Boy" a good student and athlete, he works hard alongside his family on their farm. When he and his family are sent away to Manzanar he questions what his future will hold, and if he can ever overcome the things that he cannot change. Taichi isn't a complainer, but as unrest grows in the camp he must decide where his loyalties lie, and can he stand with a country that won't stand with him? I admired Taichi for his often quiet strength, his protectiveness and stubborn streak.
Overall, a compelling glimpse into the impact of the Japanese internment, and how it affected those within and out. A chilling read, that captures the raw emotion of the injustices suffered by many Japanese-Americans. I liked how it showed how we can love a country and not agree with everything it does, and deals with a difficult time in history. This not a popular subject matter, and I thought that the author did an excellent job of showing the varying sentiments within Manzanar and how people dealt with the internment differently. The camp is brought to life in stark, jarring detail, with only flashes of life outside brought to Taichi through letters. I liked how in the impact of the war is shown through Evalina and Taichi's peers, and the choices they make as well. This is a story that quietly grabbed me and didn't let me go till the last page, compelling, haunting, and thought-provoking, a worthy read that you won't want to miss.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."
- Is a young adult historical novel set in the World War II era
- Contains themes of love, separation, social justice, war, and diversity
- Perfect for junior high and high school students
- A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Morrill writes books about girls who are on an adventure to discover their unique place in the world. She is the author of several contemporary young adult series, as well as the 1920s mystery, The Lost Girl of Astor Street, and the WWII era romance, Within These Lines. Since 2010, Stephanie has been encouraging the next generation of writers at her website, GoTeenWriters.com. She lives in the Kansas City area, where she loves plotting big and small adventures to enjoy with her husband and three children. You can connect with Stephanie and learn more about her books at StephanieMorrill.com, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR: website | facebook | twitter | instagram
GIVEAWAY
(1) Grand Prize winner will win a release copy of Within These Lines & a special designed poster of Within These Lines from the publisher, Blink YA. Featured quote on poster: "Be Brave Enough to Care and Bold Enough to Act"
Be sure to check out each stop on the Bookstagram Tour and (upcoming) Takeover Tour, as well as this tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway began at midnight March 5, 2019 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 18, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping cost, only US mailing addresses valid. For our giveaway rules and policy, click HERE.
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