Pathetic Forest of Vanishing Stars begins with a kidnapping. An old woman, who lives alone in the woods takes a young child from her home in order to save her from her parents. As Yona grows up, she is taught survival skills foreign languages, reading, and how to protect herself. Like her teacher, Yona has a sixth sense about danger and coming events. This sense helps her, and helps her to help the Jewish people she discovers in the forest one day, who are fleeing the Nazi army and certain death. There are lots of twists and turns as Yona fulfills her destiny.

I started off really liking this book and I was learning so much about how to survive in the forest. But I found myself holding my breath waiting for the shoe drop as our protagonist led a group of Jewish refugees in forrest survival but nothing really came. All these other World War II stories and one movie from the 80s kept popping in my head as I read.

Hunger Games connection: Yona/Igna will remind you of Katniss Everdeen with her prowess in the forest. Personally, I kept waiting of a homemade bow and arrow to show up but it never did. There is even a love triangle. Yona like Katniss has amazing luck and things seem to mostly work in her favor.

Salt to the Sea connection: A group of strangers become a family under the harshest conditions. I cared more for Opa and Ingrid with stronger character build up than what Harmel was able to capture in this book with her family of refugees. In fact, the two characters that had the best character build up died off page much like a cozy mystery. She chose not to have a dual time line and show us their deaths but instead just gave us a recount.

Nightingale connection: Rebel forces decide death and standing up for yourself is better than living in the shadows. Make sure to read her Author's note and get the background story.

Red Dawn connection: I have not watched this movie from the 80s in probably over 20 years but certain scenes kept popping up in my mind. Kids or rather rebel forcing who survived decide to take on the Russians. They make a trip back to "civilization" and able to secure supplies to aid their cause/survival.

Bottom line: Harmel is gifted researcher and talented writer but I feel like she missed the mark a bit on this one. Even the bad guy at the end, really did not seem that bad to me considering it nearing the end of World War II and who he is with his connection to Yona. After reading the author's note, I think she got wrapped up in providing a detailed setting and lost the storyline. With all that said, I will always read her next book.

I'd said I wasn't going to read another historical fiction novel about the Nazi occupation and the loss of Jewish lives, BUT Kristin Harmel is fast becoming one of my favorite authors AND the description of The Forest of Vanishing Stars promised a story unlike any I'd read in the past, SO I requested it. I am so glad I did. Harmel does not disappoint with this one. She blends historical facts with fictional characters into a story that will keep you turning pages well into the night. Beautifully written story. Get on the pre-order list for this one, because you will want to read it as soon as possible! A great big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC ebook version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another masterpiece from Kristin Harmel. A part of history that really hasn’t been talked about but should be. Half way through the book I understood exactly why she titled this The Vanishing Forest of Stars. A must read

Thank you to Gallery Books, Kristin Harmel and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is one of the books that grabs you right from the first page and you have to read the entire book in one sitting because you have to know what will happen to the characters.

Yona is kidnapped from Berlin at the age of 2 by a crazy lady and taken to the Forest in Poland.. Yona is taught how to survive in the forest by learning how to ice fish, how to pick the right berries and mushrooms instead of the poisonous ones and his to protect herself by killing someone if necessary. The crazy lady dies and Yona is trying to find her way when she runs into a group of Jews fleeing from the Nazis. They tell her how bad it is in the outside world and she stays in the forest to teach them how to survive.

Yona is happy with her life until she is betrayed by a member of the group she is helping and she runs to a nearby Nazi occupied town. Events that happen here will shape the rest of her life!!

This book is a high 5 star read for me and Kristin Harmel has become a favorite author because of her incredible research and stories!!’