I've read a lot of stories about WWII but this one was a little different than the typical refugee story. The research was well done and I liked several of the characters but some elements didn't sit well for me. (The magical aspects of Jerusza for one.) Yona is a complicated heroine. Her skills no doubt saved lives but I had a hard time believing that she could go from isolation to leading large groups to discovering her birth father and back again.

Kristin Harmel has done it again!! LOVED this novel about WWII. I've read so many books with this as the backdrop, but this beautifully written book captured pieces I've never read or learned about before. It is so well written, so heartfelt, so moving and will keep you turning page after page. Highly recommend!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

An amazing story about a little known piece of WWII; that of the thousands of Jews who managed to survive by living in the forests of Eastern Europe. It is a skillfully woven tale intertwining the story of Yona, a young woman who was kidnapped as a child from Berlin and raised in isolation in the forests of Eastern Europe, and the people she comes to know and help in her beloved forest. It is hard to describe the plot without giving away spoilers so all I will say is that the characters are richly drawn, the writing top notch and the story one that tells not only of the loss and suffering of war but also of the light that can shine in the darkness.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is incredibly powerful. I found myself transported back in time - I was there, hiding in the woods. I could smell the blood and the swamp. I really enjoy historical fiction, especially set during this time frame. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is one of the best. It will stick with me for a long, long time.

Everything circles back. Stolen as a child, Yona must overcome the hurdles as well as the advantages of her childhood to find a life outside of the forest.

Just before Inga celebrated her second birthday, she was taken from her crib, renamed Yona, and raised in the deep forests of Germany. She was well educated and spoke four languages. In addition, she was trained to survive in the forests.She knew what herbs could be used for medicine, and what plants were safe to eat. She had hardly spoken to another person until after her teacher died in the early part of WWII. Then Yona ran across a group fo Jews trying to survive in the forest after escaping the ghetto. The Forest of Vanishing Stars, by Kristen Harmel tells the story of how Yona worked to insure the survival of these Jews who had escaped the Nazis. Yona has to learn to assimilate into a society with other people. She also finds her father, a high-ranking Nazi officer, but after trying to save a group of nuns, she runs away from him back to the forest.

It is a story full of tragedy, love, and survival during the worst of times. I read this on #NetGalley. It is scheduled for release on July 6, 2021.

An incredible, heart-wrenching book that I could not put down. I really enjoyed how different this was than other WWII stories--the elements of surviving in the wilderness for one. Harmel did an incredible job of bringing to life the characters within the book, and the survivors of the war. Highly recommend!

Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for this read.

So beautifully written. I could not put this book down and was sad it was over. I will definitely be getting more from author.

I found the premise of the book, being kidnapped and raised in the woods to read, write, and speak several languages difficult to accept. That Yona uses these skills to help Jews stay alive in the woods was admirable. That she meets her biological father in one of these a polish villages in the attempt to save others is a bit coincidental, and unrealistic. I found the characters were not very developed and not up to the standard of other books by this author.

It begins like a fairytale and journeys into a tale of survival and desperation, capturing your mind, heart, and emotions along the way. Yona begins her life as the only daughter of an up-and-coming German family in a nice home with all the comforts and amenities that go with it. At the age of two, she is kidnapped by an older woman who has spent her life in the forest. She takes Yona into the deep woods and raises her with all the knowledge needed to thrive and survive in the wilderness. After her captor’s death, Yona puts these skills to good use helping others survive as the forest becomes the only means of escape for many families and groups of persecuted Jews seeking refuge from the Nazis. This is such an amazing, well-written book, which is not your standard World War Two fare, if there is such a thing. I have read several books by Kristin Harmel and this is by far my favorite. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review.

Jerusza is an elderly woman who lived in the woods. She kidnaps 2 year old Inge, from Berlin. and trains her on how to survive in the woods over the next 20 years. She teaches Inge, who she calls Yona to keep herself separated from people.

This is where the story becomes fascinating for me. The Jews begin to enter the woods evading from the Germans. Of course, they do not know how to survive in the woods. Will Yona disobey Jeruszas orders to keep separate from people?

The characters of Yona and Zus were particularly endearing to me.

This is another aspect of World War II that I never knew. The strength of the Jews to escape from the Germans and not only survive but thrive in the woods is a lesson for all of us today.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

I think my favorite part of this whole book is the Author's Note at the end, where she explains the history and truth behind the story. It's such a powerful, gripping story of survival, and one not often told in the WW2 / Holocaust genre. Yona struggles with her identity and purpose throughout the story, and some of the lesser characters are based on real people. This isn't a light read, or one for the faint-hearted, but it's a must-read for sure!

I could not put this book down. It is beautifully written and really captivated me.

This is the story of Yona, stolen at age 2 by a woman who lives in the forest and can foretell the future. Yona and her kidnapper live off the land of the forest. Eventually the kidnapper dies and Yona is left alone in the wilderness just as World War II is beginning. Yona meets up with a group of Jews fleeing the Nazis and she joins them and teaches them to survive in the harsh forest while they teach her about life and love.

I did not want this book to end. The story captivated me and every page felt like an adventure. I really liked Yona and I loved going on a journey of self-discovery with her. There were a few twists and turns that kept me guessing and even if they didn't feel entirely plausible, I was 100% able to suspend belief for the sake of this lovely story. I was rooting for Yona and hew newfound family every step of the way.

My only small wish is that the ending was a little slower. I wanted a bit more detail about how they all ended up the way they did. Overall a really satisfying book. Can't wait to read more by this author.

This was a beautiful book! I was hooked.from the very first page! There isn't anything about this book I didn't like! I really loved the story this author told! Its one I'm going to remember for a while.

This book was received as an ARC from Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is by far my favorite historical fiction novel on Nazi Germany I have read so far. All of them were historically accurate and significant but they were nothing compared to The Forest of Vanishing Stars. While reading, I could not help but think that this woman is my hero. She survived for herself in the forest after being kidnapped and then when her kidnapper is killed she fends for herself and on her journey, she finds this group of people who are running away from the Nazis. After being rich and living the life, she is now on her own until her past and current lives clash and then chaos breaks through creating all of this drama that is super difficult to stop reading. My heart was beating faster than ever and I learned so much more new information on the Nazis that no history class ever taught me. I know this is definitely a future candidate when we start back our book club.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I was given the opportunity to read and review this book through Net Galley and I am so glad! The story sucked you in and you'll find yourself thinking about the characters long after you finish the book. Can't wait to read more by this author!!

This is not a typical WWII story. It has hints of "Where the Crawdads Sing" where you have a young woman brought up in nature and sheltered from the world of people. This time, however, the nature is a forest in Eastern Europe and the time is World War II. Being able to survive in the forest is a necessary skill for those fleeing the Nazis and here is a sheltered young woman with practical survival skills. Its a fascinating read and shows how family is what you make of it. While this is a fictional story, the author met Jews who survived the Nazis by hiding in the forest and there are many well researched details in the story. The book is a beautiful read and one I had a hard time putting down. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book gives a history lesson in its story. I never knew about the forest people hiding for years during World War II. Kristen Harmel gives a detailed, informative story of life in the forest. Food searches, survival, and escape are part of everyday life. Yona was abducted as a child. She grows up in the forest. Her kidnapper, an elderly woman, trains her to survive. The woman has a sixth sense. Later, we see Yona developing one. Yona finds a group of Jewish people hiding and teaches them to survive. They spend years hiding from the Nazis. Gina discovers her past. It was hard to stop reading once I started. Thank you, Netgalley.

I received this novel as an ARC from net galley. This book was incredibly unique. Just when I thought there was nothing new that I could read pertaining to World War II, I am pleasantly surprised. It begins with a young girl who has been taken into the forest against her will by an old woman. The woman raises the girl teaches her all she knows about living off the land of the Nalibocki Forest. She also teaches her to fear other humans and how to protect herself. When the girl, Yona grows up she encounters Jewish refugees in the forest and is determined to help them. The characters in this novel are complex, interesting and brave. I highly recommend this novel.

Inspired by true stories of survival, The Forest of Vanishing Stars is an incredible book of endurance. It follows the story of Inge, renamed Yona after her abduction at the young age of two. Jerusza, her kidnapper, takes her from her German parents. She teaches the young girl all she will need to survive the forest, from hunting to gathering berries and mushrooms, to medicinal plants, to several languages as they travel throughout the forest. She also teaches her to fear to outside world. Throughout her young life, it is only the two of them, but it is becoming difficult to stay hidden as war WWII is upon them. When Jerusza dies in 1941, Yona finds herself alone until she runs into a group of Jews fleeing the nightmares of German persecution. She shares all that she has learned, staying with them, helping them to stay alive, even feeling that she belongs until she is betrayed. Leaving the group, she ends up in a small town controlled by Nazis. It is here that she will have to confront her past. A choice will need to be made… choose to remain or return to the group she has left in the forest, her home. This obviously well-researched novel offers such vivid descriptions that you feel the commitment and sacrifice, the struggle for survival, the hopes and disappointments. It is a heart-wrenching, well-written tale of survival. Kristen Harmel has brought to life and given voice to a nightmarish time. I received a copy of this book for an honest review.