I was a sucker for a beautiful story and was pulled into a WW2 story. You know what, I'm not mad about it either. This turned out to be the most beautiful, heartbreaking story I have ever read.

Told from two perspectives 9well technically three), it's a powerful story about overcoming boundaries and barriers in the face of adversary. It's very relevant to the times that we are living in now and it made me stop and reflect many times over. I loved this book, and I ordered a copy for my shelves.

I didn't love this one but I also didn't hate this one. However I'm not sure how I feel about this one.

Incredibly emotional. A story of Hiroshima told from the perspective of an American ghost and a young mother. It seems well researched and feels authentic, this is not a story taking advantage or making fun of its subject. It felt very caring in the telling. Intensely character driven and filled with a mothers love for her daughter. It has definitely left an impression on me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Regalo Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Micah's plane goes down over Hiroshima killing him instantly. The first person that he sees when he awakens as a spirit is Kiyomi. He begins following her and her daughter (Ai) and learning about their culture and their lives. He makes spirit friends and learns to love Hiroshima and Japan. As he develops feelings for Kiyomi and releases his hatred of the Japanese, he realizes that he will do anything for Kiyomi. Then fate tests his resolve.

I really like this book and while it has some issues (confusing POV shifts, first person to third person shifts, etc) I thought it was pretty solid overall. I enjoyed the look into a historical event that I have only ever really heard one side of. I love the insight into Japanese culture. I was familiar with a lot of it and it was pretty accurate. I'm not familiar with Buddhist or Shinto beliefs so I cannot verify the accuracy of this part of the story, but the author seems well-researched.

What really would have made this a higher ranking for me would be less of the "spirit journey". The last 20% of the book was the journey and while it brought some clarity and resolution to the story, it didn't need to be so long. I skipped through a lot of it.

Another reason it is a solid three-star book is because it honestly isn't for everyone. I don't know a single person that I could recommend this to. Because it is so specific and niche, it wouldn't be on many TBRs.

I have struggled with this review. I have mixed thoughts and wasn't sure how to put them together coherently.

The story starts with Micah who is a bombardier flying over Hiroshima in early 1945 when he accidentally falls to his death. He wakes up as a ghost. He sees widow Kiyomi and starts to follow her in her everyday life, from her factory to her home. He cannot communicate with her, cannot understand her, but the more he sees, the more he witnesses Kiyomi's love for her daughter Ai and starts to see the Japanese not as his enemies, but as humans suffering. It shows the impact the war has on the "enemy"

The summary of this book states that Hiroshima is about to be bombed, and Micah must warn Kiyomi and her daughter. However, he doesnt know the bomb is about to be dropped.

Micah does fall in love with Kiyomi of course and he does find a way to communicate. It was actually a bittersweet story.

I think the author did some really good research and gave a great deal of detail about what was going on in Japan. He used Japanese words throughout, which added to the feeling that this world was in japan.

All that being said... I didn't care. It felt like something I was watching from afar. I kept reading more because I was very curious as to what would happen next, not because I was drawn in.

I love the message about humanity. In war, not everyone is good and not everyone is bad. But everyone suffers.

I rate this 3.5 stars - with 3 being average. Mostly because it was really different and thought provoking. And the world building was outstanding.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and to NetGalley for the arc which did not impact my review

"In the Real of Ash and Sorrow" is as poetic a title as its cover is.

I'm not usually one for stories that include elements of fantasy, such as ghosts, but I couldn't resist this beautiful book title and cover. Having recently returned from holidays in Japan, where I witnessed the commemoration of the destruction of Hiroshima by the atomic bomb, this book felt even more touching.

The pitch is as follows: Micah Lund is a bombardier flying over Hiroshima in early 1945 when he accidentally falls to his death, not far from war widow Kiyomi Oshiro. Waking up as a ghost and smitten by Kiyomi, Micah decides to follow her in her everyday life, from her factory to her home. He cannot communicate with her, cannot understand her, but the more he sees, the more he witnesses Kiyomi's love for her daughter Ai and starts to see the Japanese not as his enemies, but as humans suffering from the war.

I'm a bit surprised that the summary of the book says: "Hiroshima is about to be bombed, and Micah must warn Kiyomi and her daughter" as Micah has no idea the A-bomb will be dropped on Hiroshima, and when he finally manages to communicate with Kiyomi and Ai, but isn't to warn them of the imminent destruction of their city.

I enjoyed the beginning of the book, it gives a nice account of life in Japan towards the end of WWII (something Western people are often not familiar with) and seems to really capture Japanese culture at the time with obedience and sacrifice for one's family as central values. I really enjoyed how the author used Japanese words (hai, neh, arigato, etc.), it made things more realistic as it better represents how people expressed themselves.

I appreciated all the research the author did into that period to be as accurate as possible, it is impressive and commendable. However, despite describing the poverty, the hunger, the pain, etc., I felt little emotion, including in the worst parts of the book. Knowing that the Japanese could reincarnate as spirits lessened the impact their potential death could have had. The romance wasn't one I particularly rooting for either, even if it was mostly sweet.

As the book progressed, there were more and more fantastic elements, and more of the book took place in mystical places, which I regretted as it isn't my cup of tea. I didn't especially appreciate the final chapters of the book, except maybe the very last page or two, which I found to be bittersweetly hopeful.

I feel like some elements of the book where never solved - I'm still not completely sure why Micah reincarnated as a ghost, how he could move from place to place as a ghost when he dreamt, what expects him in the Pure Land, etc. At the same time, I wished there'd be less of a focus on the ghost side of the book and more on the reality of life in Japan in 1945.

Overall, I rather enjoyed the book, I really liked reading a book about a context I don't much about, and the writing was good. However, the plot, the fantastic elements and the resolution of the book didn't really convince me. I'd therefore give it 3.5 stars.