But unlike Mama, I would not go to heaven. My secrets…

“I didn’t agree with Cokie. It wasn’t just rich folks. Mother was soul broke, too.”

— Ruta Sepetys

“What if this is a horrible mistake?" I croaked. "Oh, it'll be horrible fine, just a bunch of pretentious rich people with shelves of…

— Ruta Sepetys

“There was no ‘Miss Woodley.’ There was Willie. Willie was about life, and she grabbed it by the balls. Y’all know that. She loved…

— Ruta Sepetys

“The fact that Cincinnati thought I resembled him in any way sickened me. It made me want to run and hide. When I was…

— Ruta Sepetys

“Well, I don't know, Lina. But let's just say I've met a lot of dead people.”

— Ruta Sepetys

“War is catastrophe. It breaks families in irretrievable pieces. But those who are gone are not necessarily lost.”

— Ruta Sepetys

I wasn't certain of anything anymore, except that New Orleans was a faithless friend and I wanted to leave her.

— Ruta Sepetys

“Andrius turned. His eyes found mine. "I'll see you," he said. My face didn't wrinkle. I didn't utter a sound. But for the first…

— Ruta Sepetys

“Some wars are about bombing. For the people of the Baltics, this war was about believing. In 1991, after fifty years of brutal occupation,…

— Ruta Sepetys

“I don't want to see no dead body. Willie ain't in there. She put her walkin' shoes on. She gone to see the Lord.”

— Ruta Sepetys

“They drink like fish and ask the most probing questions." "Welcome to the South." Patrick laughed.”

— Ruta Sepetys

“That’s a good hustle,” I told him. “We both got a little hustle, don’t we?” He pulled on his jacket. “But I like to…

— Ruta Sepetys

Andrius, I'm...scared." He stopped and turned to me. "No. Don't be scared. Don't give them anything Lina, not even your fear.

— Ruta Sepetys

Sometimes there is such beauty in awkwardness.

— Ruta Sepetys

Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother's was worth a pocket watch.

— Ruta Sepetys