In the 1800s, Lithuania was controlled by Russia and the people hated everything about that. The Russian Empire had decided to crush the whole idea of what it is to be Lithuanian. Well, how does an empire crush a people, destroy a culture, destroy a way of life? By destroying their books, their language, their traditions. And that's what they did. Every book in Lithuanian was banned, destroyed, and burned. The people were banned from speaking their language. Anything read or spoken needed to be in Russian. Yet, the Russians thought themselves to be kind because they allowed the traditions to continue, under scrutiny and surveillance by the Cossack. Audra knows her parents are keeping something from her, and she feels like she's close to the truth. That is until Russian soldiers break into her home, take her mom and dad. Audra is left to flee, but before she does, her mom gives her a book and tells her to give it to Milda and don't stop until the book is in her hands.

Want to know what she discovers about her mom and dad? They are book smugglers. After the ban on everything Lithuanian, people began smuggling books about Lithuanian. Putting their lives in danger to be free. As Audra meets people along the way, how does she know who to trust? Will she survive?
This is a story about staying strong when it's easier to give up. A story about survival, freedom, and liberty. How far would you go to be free and keep your culture alive?

Rating- 5 out of 5 books.