While this book was interesting and entertaining, it did not captivate me like many of Harmel’s previous books have. I appreciate the storytelling of little known holocaust stories, but it took me much longer to read this book than I had anticipated because I was never fully enraptured in the story.

Amazing, Beautifully written. This author has a unique voice and telling of these haunting stories that happened so long ago, a true voice for these unsung hero's of war .

An absolute work of art! Yona was kidnapped at the age of two by old-woman Jerusza. Jerusza taught Yona how to survive in the forest. After years of living in the woods, Jerusza passed away and Yona finds herself helping people who are seeking shelter in the forest as bombs are going off.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars was captivating, heartbreaking, and absolutely brilliant. Yona's character was filled with strength, resilience, and honor. She believed in following your heart and doing what is right. When her world collided with fleeing Jews, she did not run and hide. Instead, she helped them to survive in the wilderness she had known as her home since she was only a small child. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a must read story of courage and hope.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel is a very powerful story, that takes place during WWII; an unforgettable time period in our history. It is a story about conflict, war, love, sacrifice and strength of character that will be very hard to put down and will stay with you after you turn that last page. There is much to learn in this book and it is heartbreaking to read. This story is told from a different viewpoint than many others; basically about the ones who were not afraid to go on their own to help the Jews survive. A great deal of research about the thousands of Jews who survived the war hiding in the forest was done to make this story credible. There are terrible atrocities that are hard to read no matter how many stories I read. The human spirit is truly resilient.

Jerusza is sent a sign that she must steal a young child from her parents; a child she names Yona. Living in the forest with Jerusza, Yona is taught how to survive by learning how to hunt, protect herself, and gather the right berries and mushrooms. When Jerusza dies, Yona is left to survive in the forest by herself. She runs into a group of Jews who are fleeing from their city to avoid death and joins with them, to teach them about the forest. Yona is content with helping them until she is betrayed and runs to a nearby town that is controlled by the Nazis. This is where she runs into her past and must make a decision that will impact the rest of her life.

This book is not your typical book about the fleeing of Jews from the Nazis during WWll. It is so much more and it is just incredible. This book will evoke many emotions from you; I cried, was angry at characters, was cheering for certain characters and did not want the book to end
The extensive research that Ms. Harmel does shines through in the detailed descriptions of the forest, plants and the herbs to use for medicinal purposes. I could vividly see the swamp and was transported there with Yona. I highly recommend this book to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I’ve read many WWII books, but nothing remotely similar to this one. The beginning reminded me of a fairy tale story where an old woman does something that changes the course of a small child (like what happened to Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel) Then things change and young Yona is being educated by the older woman who lives under the stars. Yona does not mind being in the woods and is eager to learn anything the woman wants to teach her.

Then WWII happens and the Jews head into the woods. That is where Yona meets people for the first time. She is not sure what to do. The old woman said not to talk to anyone, help anyone because they will hurt her. The book is told in first person, which makes this tale a very up-close and personal adventure. I was captivated by Yona and how she has soaked up all the languages and survival skills the old woman taught her. She is a smart, courageous young lady learning to navigate the terrors of WWII and the desperate people fleeing into the woods. Yona faces the challenges ahead of her with determination and respect. I liked how the author had Yona examine her own feelings, thoughts, and motives as she navigates the world without the old woman by her side. This story has a strong sense of place as the woods come alive and make the story unique on many levels.

This is a wonderful read and one that would work well for your next book club pick. I enjoyed the author's note to readers about her research and all that was true and what she changed to make the story work. This is the first novel I have read by this author; it won’t be the last. It is a book you won’t soon forget.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

A new book from Kristin Harmel, following the Book of Lost Names, and once again taking place during WW2.

Yona was abducted as a child and raised in the forests. She is taught the forest, survival, languages, and religions, with the admonition to stay in the forest and away from other people because she is special. When her kidnapper dies, she meets and helps a group of Jewish people who have fled the Nazis. Eventually ending up in a Nazi held village, she must make choices between her past and her current situation.

While I definitely liked Lost Names more, Vanishing Stars is another good WW2 novel. The story is definitely a little far fetched at times, but it does make for a good read.

I read five historical fiction novels set in WWII in May and then decided to give myself a break. But when I saw this ARC, I was intrigued by the description and figured enough time had passed. I started this today and I was immediately struck by the uniqueness of this story. There is almost an element of magic in it, but it's more of a heightened senses type of magic, and very believable. I loved this story and absolutely could not put it down. The heroine is Yona, who was taken from her German parents as a little girl by Jerusza, an old woman who secretly lives in the woods of Poland. Without revealing too much, she basically teaches Yona survival skills (including self-defense/combat), various languages, medicine/healing, religions over the course of 20+ years. The story really begins in 1941 when the war begins, Germany invades Poland, and Jerusza passes away. She lives a solitary existence for a time when she comes across a Jewish family fleeing the Jewish Ghettos and the story really takes off. The author incorporates many true stories of Jews who survived the war hiding in the woods, which is something she explains at the end. Throughout the story, Yona teaches the Jews about how to survive, while they teach her what it is to open your heart and have relationships with one another. One thing I particularly liked about this story was the single timeline and POV; many of the WWII novels I've read recently have had multiple POV and timelines, and I really appreciated not having to adjust my perspective with each chapter. It honestly made it harder for me to put the book down when I had to take care of one thing or another. Overall, this was a beautiful story and one full of heartache and pain, but also beautiful. Poignant would be the right word for this one. I loved the epilogue and it really made me close the book with a smile. Highly recommended.

There are some books you read that are just absolutely unforgettable. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is one such book. We meet the main character Yona as a 2 year old child, being kidnapped from her home by Jerusza, a somewhat mystical elderly woman who believes she is performing a service, and is saving Yona from a terrible life.

Jerusza spends the next 18 years teaching Yona survival skills and practical knowledge deep within the Polish forest, and teaches her to live off what the land provides. However, she is not a parent, and she does not teach Yona what it means to love and be loved. Then, just on the eve of WWII, Jerusza dies, leaving Yona alone. Yona survives on the skills she has learned, but somehow she begins to find Jewish refugees deep within the forest who need her and her knowledge of the forest she has acquired over the years.

It is both encouraging and yet heartbreaking to witness the growth that Yona experiences as she learns to move beyond simply surviving, and instead learns to become part of a family. As the Nazis threaten everything they hold dear, Yona finds herself betrayed by someone she has come to care for, and she must overcome this perfidy away from the group. It is then that she runs directly into her past, and finds herself faced with an impossible decision.

The research that this book is based upon is stirring, inspirational, and full of courage...and at the same time, it accurately depicts the cruel, inhumane, and unthinkable actions of the Nazi army against an entire people. The characters we meet truly bring the forest of vanishing stars to life. An absolutely amazing read. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley & was under no obligation to write a review.

“The Germans, they don’t just wipe out our people, they wipe out our future.”
Yona was born to repair the world. She was born to make sure the Jewish people were not wiped out.

At the age of two Yona was stolen from her German family by Jerusza, an elderly woman, who was drawn to her for reasons we don’t know. Yona’s father was a Nazi officer who was on a mission to execute all the Jews in Poland.

As the story progresses you realize that Jerusza kidnapped Yona and raised her to be a warrior, hero, fighter, savior, caregiver and a life giver. Yona was kidnapped so that she could help save the Jewish people hiding in the forest from the Nazis.

“By the grace of god may we all be vanishing stars.” The title, The Forest of Vanishing Stars, is so appropriate, as the Jewish people were hiding in the forest hoping to become vanishing stars, so that they wouldn’t be killed. The story is based on the real heroes who hid jews in the forests of Poland during World War ll. The four Beileski Brothers, were real brothers, and four of the real heroes who led a partisan group in the forest of Belarus, Poland. They were committed to saving the jews who were hiding from the Germans. While writing this book Kristin Harmel actually spoke with one of the surviving Beileski brothers about his and his brothers experiences. The research that Harmel did for this book was meticulous and captivated me from word one.

Kristin Harmel wrote a novel based on true events in Poland during World War ll. The story was well researched, it was magical, it was intense , and it was filled with love. A must read in 2021.

Thank you NetGalley, and Gallery Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having read a few books from this author, I was intrigued by her spin on the facts of a story and the presentation that is reminiscent of a fairy tale to tell a story of hope and survival for victims of the German forces during World War II. If you’ve ever read a fairy tale in its more original form, you will see that in early days when storytelling was a way of passing information and history along, it was also used as a tool to warn children (and others) against the dangers that were out there. Using a combination of actual danger, life skills and a rather intriguing start – we jump into the story.

Yona was born to well-to-do German parents, but was stolen from them as a toddler, and raised in the forests with Jerusza, the woman who ‘sees’ things and believes that Yona was destined for a higher purpose. Years pass and Yona learns how to survive in the forests, different languages and above all, how to move invisibly and without detection. When Jerusza dies some 20 years later, Yona is on her own but not helpless. And with the war on, her skills will become invaluable to someone, not just herself. Soon she stumbles upon a group of Polish Jews, refugees from the Germans and hiding for their own survival. While we intermix the religious overtones and rights and wrongs, we also see the skills of Yona that allow these people to survive against the odds, and with the challenges of weather, rough conditions and the need to learn everything to survive in an instant.

Harmel’s use of the research she did before penning the novel, combined with the natural interplay of personalities that we meet, seeing the challenges both self-inflicted and from the war, and even the choices being made that paint every person in a shade of grey – never wholly good or bad, make for a gripping story and the overlay of magical thinking as a holdover from Jerusza’s years of influence on a young Yona allow the story to dance with the despair, but never quite dip fully in, allowing readers to feel the hope and cheer on those simply looking to survive. While it was heavier in its religious overtones, the questions that everyone must ask in their own review of history and the events that lead to absolute power plays, genocide and the ‘us versus them’ mentality are present and allow readers to enjoy while having plenty to think about after the last page. A favorite for the unique perspectives, the historic facts and the general sense of hope that is provided to the characters and readers, the story is sure to be a favorite of many while allowing new knowledge of war and the human spirit to thrive.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aVP /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

A most amazing story! I loved this book! The story of a young woman raised in the forests during WWII Alone, she is met by Jewish survivors of a ghetto and is compelled to help them survive in the woods, building shelters and harvesting food. Her life becomes complicated when she discovers love and the pain of disappointments and betrayal. This tale does not disappoint, a truly heart wrenching and beautiful story.

Honestly, I don't even know where to begin with my review. This book left me speechless, in the best way imaginable. It was unlike any WWII era book I have read and just incredible, heartbreaking and awe-inspiring. The writing was so amazing that I actually felt as if I were a part of the story and the tears that seemed to constantly flow were proof of that!

The book begins when a young girl is kidnapped from her home in Germany by an older woman. She is raised in the forest of eastern Europe by her kidnapper, who meant no harm, but in fact protection, when she took her. In the early 1940’s, after her kidnapper dies, Yona, the young girl, finds a group of Jews who are fleeing the Nazi’s and hoping the forests will bring them protection. After learning about the atrocities occurring outside the forest, Yona vows to help the group survive in the forest, and surprises herself by learning a lot from them as well.

The amount of research that went into this book was clear from very early on. The absolute horror that these people experienced, yet still managed to find the beauty in the world is truly hard to believe. Kristin Harmel is an incredible writer and the story she tells is one that everyone should read.

I struggled with this due to the many great reviews. I wasn't a fan at the start and it was hard for me to get into it at first. Overall, this was a good story but the beginning was a bit off-putting. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Taken from her German family, Yona has lived off of the land in the forests of Poland for almost her whole life. When she meets a group of people who have escaped from a Jewish Ghetto, she uses her knowledge of the forest to help them survive.
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Harmel does it yet again. This is a beautiful story, grounded in truth, with smatterings of magic, love and heartbreak through the entire novel. She writes in a way that captivates the reader and I love how much I learn every time that I read one of her novels.
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I am loving the historical fiction that is being released lately that centers around WWII but gives a different perspective or story than I have heard this far. I spent so much time reading about The Bielski Partisans after reading this. How had I never known about them??!
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All in all, a definite addition to the TBR of any historical fiction fan. Thank you to netgalley, Kristen Harmel and the publisher, Gallery books, for the eARC.

Wow, this is a very powerful book. I read a lot of historical fiction set during WWII but I had no idea about the details of this story. Extremely well researched, this one will grab you on page one and won't let go.
'After being stolen from her wealthy German parents and raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe, a young woman finds herself alone in 1941 after her kidnapper dies. Her solitary existence is interrupted, however, when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn what’s happening in the outside world, she vows to teach the group all she can about surviving in the forest—and in turn, they teach her some surprising lessons about opening her heart after years of isolation. But when she is betrayed and escapes into a German-occupied village, her past and present come together in a shocking collision that could change everything.'
This is a story of conflict, war, love, sacrifice and strength of character that will be very hard to put down and will stay with you longer after The End.

Wow!
What a enthralling and heartbreaking story.
Definitely well researched by the author.
Though I found some parts of book to be a bit slow at times and repetitive, I could not stop reading it. The story Kristin Harmel shares is so engrossing. You feel like you are right there with the characters.
I highly recommend The Forest of Vanishing Stars for anyone that enjoys historical fiction.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kristin Harmel has done it again! I adored The Forest of Vanishing Stars and binged this story in less than twenty fours hours.

After being kidnapped from her German parents and raised in the wilderness of eastern Europe, a young women finds herself alone in 1941. Soon after, she stumbles upon a group of starving Jews fleeing the Nazi terror. Stunned to learn of what is happening in the outside world, Yona vows to teach the group how to survive in the forest.

In a world full of World War II novels, The Forest of Vanishing Stars is truly unique. I loved every page. The concept of this book is based on real life stories of survival and Harmel did a fantastic job with her research- even interviewing one survivor.

I highly recommend this one to lovers of historical fiction! Five stars!

Thank you to Kristin Harmel, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for a copy of the Forest of Vanishing Stars. It is available now.

#ForestofVanishingStars #NetGalley

This is an amazing story of strength that is almost impossible to imagine. Knowing that so much of this story has basis in fact brought both tears and awe

I’ve recently started reading historical fiction and this book did not disappoint. It is one of my top 3. I felt so loved by their survival and courage.