4.5 Stars

“You are a warrior. You are a hero, and a fighter, and a savior. You are a caretaker and a life giver.”

Thanks #NetGalley @GalleryBooks for a complimentary eARC of #TheForestOfVanishingStars upon my request. All opinions are my own.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is inspired by true stories of survival in the expansive forests of Poland during WW11. The movie Defiance with Daniel Craig depicts one of the largest hidden groups.

Yona is stolen from her wealthy Germany parents when she is two years old (1922) and raised in the wilderness by an elderly eccentric herbalist and visionary. In 1941 when Yona is a young woman, her kidnapper dies and she is left to fend for herself in the forest. She is surprised to stumble upon a group of Jews fleeing the Nazis. After her fear subsides, she is determined to teach the group all she knows about surviving in the forest. However, they teach her about community and friendship after living her life in isolation. Told in one straightforward timeline from one perspective, this is a story of found family, finding people to trust, and of survival.

The beginning of The Forest of Vanishing Stars includes some magical realism/mysticism that I wasn’t sure would work for me…..it felt like reading folklore rather than histfic. However, when the old woman/kidnapper dies, the story settles comfortably in the genre of realistic historical fiction. Every time I pick up a WW11 histfic, I am amazed and intrigued by the myriad of perspectives from which the story of this atrocious war can be told. Kristin Harmel is an extraordinary story teller!

Strong and resilient, Yona is a complicated character and survivalist. At times, she reminds me of Kya in Where the Crawdads Sing. As she overcomes her shyness around people, Yona becomes a strong and wise leader and saves many lives.

“…In the times of greatest darkness, the light always shines through because there are people who stand up to do brave, decent things.”

Strong themes in The Forest of Vanishing Stars include wilderness survival, helping others, compassion, leadership, disappointment, found family, building trust, empathy, kindness, working together, and perseverance.

“Humans had a responsibility to do more than just protect themselves. In the face of evil, they were compelled to save each other.”

Content Considerations: WW11 hardships and atrocities, isolation, survival, death, grief

I’m enthusiastically recommending The Forest of Vanishing Stars for fans of histfic (with a side of mysticism and romance), for readers who are especially interested in WW11, for those who love stories of strong, inspirational women, and for book clubs.

This was another fabulous story by Kristin Harmel. I have become quite the fan of her writing. This particular story is historical fiction, but it also has a touch of magic and some romance. I greatly enjoyed this story and can't wait to see what Harmel comes out with next.

The Forest of Vanishing Starts was an incredible read, so different from your typical WWII historical fiction books. Yona is a young woman, stolen at age two from her parents by an old woman who had visions of her. Yona (formerly Inge when she was with her family) is raised in the woods and forests of Poland, learning to live off the land and defend herself from harm. When the war reaches Poland shortly after her guardian dies, Yona is alone in a hostile forest. She finds herself face to face with people for the first time in her life, and isn’t quite sure what to do. Yona has an incredibly big heart, so she does her best to provide for and protect the people she comes across. The road to protection is not an easy one, and there are many significant events that occur, but Yona finds herself in the midst of helping others survive.

I LOVED this book. Once I got into it, I just wanted to devour it in one sitting—not possible with a toddler at home, but it was a book that drew you in and kept you thinking about it, even when you were doing other things. The characters were easily related to, and even the ones that were unscrupulous or the “bad guy” you understood where they were coming from, even if you didn’t like it. It’s a book that will stay with me for a long time, and I will highly recommend to those who ask for a book in this genre. Also— the cover is absolutely gorgeous!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Just an incredible book. The author clearly did her research, and it shows throughout including in the thoughtful and poignant author’s note. While the subject matter can be hard to read about, this book was compelling with complex characters, a vivid setting and hints of magical realism. Highly recommend this book - I’m going to be thinking about it for a long time.

I feel like I need to write two reviews on this, which should explain why I didn’t give this one a rating. On the surface, I didn’t connect with the main character, or even really like her. I liked the majority of the secondary characters. I found parts of the plot to be predictable. I also struggled to get through this, emotionally because of how vividly the atrocities committed against the Jewish (and anyone who helped them) were described.
But I think everyone should still read this book. I think everyone should know what happened, how baseless and horrible it was. We need to read about the past so that we don’t repeat it. Empathy is our greatest weapon against hate and I’ve found that reading helps to cultivate empathy because you are put into someone else’s shoes and made to see and feel things you wouldn’t normally feel. So, go buy this one. Share it with your family, friends, co-worker and the little free library in your neighborhood, so that we as a human race don’t commit these same atrocities again.

Historical fiction is where my heart always returns! I felt like I had been reading a lot of repetitive information in this genre so I took a break but this one not only brought me back but swept me off my feet!!
——
This book takes place during WWII but unlike most stories this one mainly takes place in the forest. A young woman, Yona, was stolen from her parents at a very young age and brought up by a woman named Jerusza. She teaches her how to live in the forest and use all its offerings to survive and help in the world. The unexpected twists and turns in this book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster.

I was hooked from the very beginning and didn’t want to put it down. Harmel’s research shines through in all the details. If you love historical fiction but are looking for a different point of view this is the book for you!
——
Thank you NetGalley & Gallery books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I LOVE how the author obviously did her research for this book. It showed, but it wasn’t annoying or like reading a textbook. It was very well-integrated. I loved the bits of magical realism. The pace was good, and I enjoyed the main character.

Historical fiction set primarily during war time, is typically not one of my favorite reads. I had heard so many good things about this book and author that I decided to take the chance on this book. The Forest of Vanishing Stars was a fascinating read, and one of a kind in its telling. How a young child is kidnapped and raised in the forests of Poland, she learns survival skills that most people could never dream of. Kristin Harmel has the ability to bring to life her colorful cast of characters. I certainly would recommend this book to others.

Thank you to Net Galley, Kristin Harmel and Gallery Books Publishing for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was FANTASTIC! I loved The Book of Lost Names and couldn't wait to dive into this one. I love historical fiction and primarily WWII books, but what I love most about Kristin's books is that she puts a slightly different spin on that era and shows you a perspective like you've never seen before.

I was captivated from the beginning even though the mystical element threw me off initially, but I quickly realized it's a vital part of the story. There is so much beauty and magic here on earth and this story reminds you of that even in the midst of some of the darkest days in history. Yona is certainly an unexpected hero and those are the best kind. Don't forget to read the Author's Notes following the story.

Plain & simple this is a must read for 2021!

Such a unique perspective on WWII - I have never read anything quite like this! Yona was stolen by a woman named Jerusza as a toddler and raised in the woods of Poland. After Jerusza’s death, Yona finds herself in contact with Jewish refugees fleeing ghettos established by the Nazis in Poland. Using her knowledge of the forest, Yona leads a group to fight to survive WWII in the woods. Overall, we’ll written and thought provoking. I learned a lot about groups that fled ghettos to hide in the woods that I had never learned about before - definitely pick this up if that interests you!
Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest feedback!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a review copy of The Forest of Vanishing Stars. I was intrigued by this book after reading Kristin Harmel’s last book, The Book of Lost Names, and finding it absolutely captivating! The story was propulsive, beautiful, tragic and hope-filled.

Yona was stolen from her German parents by Jerusza when she was 2 years old. She grew up in the forests with Jerusza until Jerusza’s death. Shortly after Jerusza’s death in 1941, Yona encounters a group of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi terrors. She is stunned to hear about what is happening in the outside world, but determined to teach the group all she can to help them survive.

This book is inspired by a true story about which I knew very little. It captivated me from beginning to end. I stayed up way too late finishing this book, and spent the rest of the night wishing it hadn’t ended. This is historical fiction with a splash of magical realism. Parts of this book are definitely difficult to read, but it is so worth it.

Anyone who believes they have read about the Holocaust from every conceivable viewpoint is in for a surprise with The Forest of Vanishing Stars -- and (despite the topic) it will be a delightful surprise, too.

This terrifying, uplifting, depressing, life-affirming book is set in the Naboliki Forest, on the shifting border between Poland and Belarus, during World War II. The heroine is Yona, kidnapped as a toddler and raised by a mystic survivalist to carry out her fate -- which, she discovers, is to rescue and train Jewish escapees from the ghettos in Poland.

The historical, political and botanical detail is stunning. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advance readers copy.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is Kristin Harmel’s fascinating new novel. The plot is based partially on true World War II survival stories and centers on a woman named Yona who lives in the forest. It is 1922 when two-year-old Yona is stolen from her crib in the Berlin home of her wealthy German parents. Yona’s kidnapper, Jerusza, is an 82-year-old clairvoyant who lives in the forests of Eastern Europe. Jerusza kidnaps Yona believing Yona has been born for the sake of repairing the world-tikkun olam. She foresees Yona’s parents as a threat to Yona’s future acts of heroism. Jerusza takes Yona to the Nalibocka Forest and teaches her how to survive and thrive in the wilderness. When Jerusza dies in 1942 Yona loses the only human contact she has ever known. Yona is shocked when she realizes she is no longer alone in the forest. She encounters Jewish refugees escaping Nazi atrocities and initially doesn’t know how to interact with these trespassers. She knows only of a struggle against nature, and nothing of war. Once Yona learns of the horrors these Jews have confronted she vows to help them survive. As she teaches the refugees how to establish lives in the forest, Yona learns about love and bonds between people. Unknowingly, danger awaits Yona outside the forest as a secret from her past threatens everything she has established. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is compelling and gripping. As Yona constantly risks her own life to protect others she becomes a luminary.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars offers a unique and intriguing perspective on WWII historical fiction - the story of a young German girl who was stolen from her parents at the age of 2, and raised in the woods in Eastern Europe by an elderly woman who can foresee the future. She grows up learning how to survive on the land, hide in the forest, and to understand many languages and religions. One day she discovers a group of Jews who escaped into the forest, and teaches them how to survive and hide there, and this becomes her mission, to save people who have escaped persecution and help them survive. to vanish like the stars do in the forest canopy.

I've enjoyed several of Kristin Harmel's previous books, and this one was equally sad but beautiful, a story of love persevering through hardship. The afterword was as interesting as the story itself, telling us about the author's extensive research, which parts of the story were true or fictional, and why she chose to write some aspects of the story as she did. Reading this book was an emotionally charged learning experience, and the characters were so lovable, I couldn't ask for more from any book!

Five stars in the category of historical fiction! Kristin Harmel is a favorite and I love her writing style.
This is a unique novel with memorable characters!
Thank you NetGalley!

This is my second book by this author and it's a confirmation that I've struck gold with Kristin Harmel. She aims at your heart with sniper precision and hits you right in the feels. THE FORST OF VANISHING STARS is Historical Fiction at its finest, full of adventure, heartache, heartbreak, tragedy but also hope and love.
"In the times of greatest darkness, the light always shines through, because there are people who stand up to do brave, decent things. What I am trying to say, Yona, is that in moments like this, it doesn’t matter what you were born to be. It matters what you choose to become.”

Inge was taken from her German parents when she was only two years old. Jerusza, the woman who abducted her had always known things other people didn't and thus she knew that the little girl she named Yona would change the world a little bit. She teaches Yona everything she knows, especially how to survive in the forest and staying under the radar and out of sight of other people. Years later World War II is raging and Jews are being hunted like animals. Yona's unique skills make her an asset to a group of Jews who have no idea how to not raise attention so she passes on her knowledge.

My heart broke for Yona. The old hag who stole her from her mother and father wasn't a loving parent. I deeply disliked Jerusza who was oftentimes cruel, uncaring and just awful with Yona. She took away the girl's childhood and I think I would have been more forgiving if she had been a real parent for Yona. Maybe it makes me a bad person but I was glad when this fictional character finally passed on.

After Jerusza's death Yona was alone. Humans are social animals and initially I was glad when Yona finally found a group of people she could take care of. She wanted to belong but even after months of travelling with this group she was an outsider. I hated that so much for her, how she gave her everything but was questioned and doubted at every turn. I thought that many of the people she helped were undeserving but Yona is the kinder one out of the two of us so even after her trust was broken and betrayed she looked out for them.

The heartbreak is balanced by the love and respect Yona eventually finds within the group of Jews she repeatedly saves from catastrophe. But there was one person who cherished her and loved her for who she was and dispel her doubts about her origins and gave her a feeling of belonging.
“We all come into this world with our fate unwritten, Yona. Your identity isn’t determined by your birth. All that matters is what we make ourselves into, what we choose to do with our lives."

There were some really hard situations to read about but whenever I read a book about the holocaust I think that I only have to read about it, the Jews of this world had to endure it, were hunted and killed. Even after almost 8 decades it's inconceivable to me that people would want to destroy a whole population because they are Jewish. And it still happens to this day.

But let me get off my soapbox and tell you how much I loved this story. Kristin Harmel's writing is beautiful, touching, emotionally charged and heartfelt. You can feel that telling these stories is important to her. So much research went into this book. THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS is based on true events - the forest is real, so were groups of Jews trying to survive until the war was over. It's the story about a remarkable, courageous heroic young woman, who was denied love from the early years of her life yet was kindness and love personified. You can't help but root for her. If Historical Fiction is your thing I can't recommend this enough.

I have one little niggle that didn't really influence my rating but I wanted to mention it. When Jerusza steals (then-) Inge from her parents, Inge speaks Yiddish. That was never addressed or explained and didn't make much sense to me, the only explanation I have is a bit of a spoiler but it would still be far fetched. But like I said, no biggie.

There is so much more to say about this exceptional story but instead let me encourage you to grab THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS.
“You are you, Yona, and you are extraordinary."

This was an absolutely beautiful story during the WWII time period that was more unique than others I’ve read. I enjoyed the plot being mostly in the forest and the characters it entailed. Thank you for the gifted copy in advance. Every part had a way of weaving together beautifully.

Kristin Harmel is my absolute favorite historical fiction author, y’all. After The Book of Lost Names in 2020 (one of my favorite books of all time!), I was pumped to dive in to this one.

As always, I love a unique angle with WWII historical fiction as it’s easy for storylines to get repetitive, but this was as unique as it gets, so bonus points there. Yona is just a badass and reading about badass females is my favorite. It’s so evident how much research Kristin does & I appreciate that so much in any book, but especially in historical fiction. Definitely read the author’s note at the end if you pick this one up!

4.5 stars instead of 5 just because a good bit of the book was character driven, where I prefer a little more plot driven, and obviously most of the store takes place in one location, the forest, so it was slow in a few spots, but I always acknowledge that that’s more of a “me” thing than anything. However, Harmel’s writing was so spectacular as always & truly transportive & I was invested in the characters and their outcomes. The touch of magical realism was a nice bonus too!

This was my first Kristin Harmel book and I absolutely loved it. What a beautiful different way to learn about an aspect of WW2 that I have always heard about but never took the time to learn more.

Yona's story takes place in the forests of Poland where she is taken by Jerusza from her parents when she was 2 years old. Yona's parents are German and her father in particular starts to follow the ideas of Hitler but Jerusza has a 6th sense and knows that Yona's is meant to have purpose in the woods of Poland.

Jerusza raises Yona, teaching her all the ways the forest can provide for her, how to protect herself, how to heal others, various languages, religions, etc.

Yona grows and only has contact with Jerusza, but that changes after Jerusza dies. Yona meets a few groups, saves lives, teaches people to survive and stays with one group for a few months.

This is a book worth reading so I do not want to give more away but oh I just loved the writing, the story and the characters. They make you feel, think and love.

Highly recommend this one! Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC!

This was an amazing book about history. It told a side that not many know of courage, survival, and how Yona who was kidnapped as a baby and raised in the dense forest by her kidnapper, learning so much that would help her in her future.
Her kidnapper was a Jewish mystic and believed she was supposed to kidnap Yona and prepare her for a higher purpose. She helped a group of Jews fleeing the Nazi terror, and they taught her how to live after years of isolation. This is a gripping story that will capture your attention, and it told a part of history I hadn't known before.
I received an ARC from Gallery Books through NetGalley.