Publication Date: March 2022

Synopsis:

In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kyiv, wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son–but Hitler’s invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper–a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.

Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC–until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.

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What To Expect:

The Diamond Eye is a historical fiction novel based on the true story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, known as Lady Death, the most successful female sniper in history. You can expect well-researced historical aspects, depictions of a sniper in the field, and a vague open door romance.

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Content Warnings:

Language: Moderate – Strong curse words used sporadically throughout

Sexual Content: Open door – heavy kissing; one open door scene, not overly descriptive; one fade-to-black scene; some innuendos

Violence: Moderate – Depictions of war and sniper activities, with descriptions of blood and death; mentions of rape and suicide

Substance Use: Moderate – Smoking and drinking depicted throughout

Prejudices: Moderate to Heavy – Sexism

Religious Themes: Brief mentions of God. The main character is an atheist. Not a focus of the story.

Other Topics: Moderate – Grief and PTSD; teen pregnancy

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