Thank you Netgalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Kristin Harmel.
This novel takes place in the forests of Poland during WWII when Germany is set on eliminating the Jewish population. The way Yona teaches the Jewish people in her camp how to hide and survive is just amazing. She teaches them how to hunt, fish and build shelters, makes medicine from plants is just unbelievable.
This novel makes you laugh, cry, outrages you, and most of all it teaches you how people can help each other during the worst of times. Gives hope to humanity.
I love Kristin Harmel writing and her research is extensive.
She is one of my go-to authors.
Highly recommend

**I was excited to receive a complimentary copy of The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel from NetGalley. Opinions in this review are completely my own.**

I love books set during WWII. I have never read any other novels where they took this storyline though and showed how Jews escaped into the forest and survived throughout the war like this. I was fascinated by this concept. I especially appreciated the author's note at the end of the book explaining the true events that related to the novel.

I liked the idea of this book more than the actual book. I thought the story was interesting and well researched, but I just didn't really engage with any of the characters. I really wanted to like Inge/ Yona, but I just thought she lacked something to make me care about her. Like, I should have cared when Alexsander broke her heart or when she met her father, but it just felt a bit flat for me. I still enjoyed the story, but I didn't find myself feeling sad that the story ended and that I was missing the characters.

‘The Forest of Vanishing Stars’ by Kristin Harmel

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books/Simon & Shuster Canada and Kristin Harmel for an advance digital copy for my honest review.

This was another awesome historical fiction book by Kristin Harmel! It takes place in the forests of Poland around WWll. It amazes me what the Jewish people were able to live through to survive the atrocities inflicted upon so many.

The author develops very realistic characters from her incredible research. The lead character Yona is a very strong female who was raised in the forest by Jerusza. She had been kidnapped by her on her second birthday. Yona uses her learned skills to help Jewish escapees survive in the wilderness for years. We find out from the author’s note at the end that this story is based on real events and people. I can’t imagine living through what they had to endure.

I love when I learn about historical events in such a captivating story.

July 6, 2021 Release
#Netgalley #GalleryBooks
#TheForestofVanishingStars
#KristinHarmel

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I found out this book was by Kristin Harmel I knew I needed it in my life. It was completely different from The Book of Lost Names but equally as good. It wasn’t as romancy as the later. I loved the whole premise of a girl stolen and raised in the woods never knowing what was happening in the world around her. Reminded me kind of Tangled or Sleeping Beauty. It really actually made me want to take classes to learn what plants are edible and can heal wounds. (I am a nurse so I thought that would be cool knowledge to have). Tina was one of the smartest and bravest characters I have ever read about. This is another must read book.

This is the newest releases from the best-selling American author of such books as 'The Book of Lost Names", "The Winemaker's Wife" and "The Room on Rue Amelie". This is also an historical fiction and is set in Poland during WWII. The story revolves around Yona, who at the age of two is stolen from her wealthy German parents by a woman in her eighties. She is raised in the forest, never seeing any human contact. The woman trains her in survival (hunting, fishing, gathering, shelter, first aid and self defense). When the old woman dies, Yona has become a young woman uniquely able help the many Jewish refugees fleeing into the forests. Eventually though her origins catch up with her. This is a great recommendation for fans of the genre and anyone who likes stories of survival against nature as well. I really enjoyed it.

Book Review
The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel


Thank you to @netgalley and @simonandschusterca for my gifted copy in return for an honest review

Historical Fiction has a special place in my heart. There is something magical about writing someone’s personal history and experience as it relates to real events and making an emotional connection to history for the reader.

Yona is a woman content with her solitary life in the forest. Untouched by war and politics, her life is simple. Her caretaker Jeruza has taught her languages, herblore, how to guide herself by the stars , how to forage for food, build shelter and most importantly, live unseen. When she discovers others living in the forest she offers to help, not knowing the perils the Jewish people fleeing nearby German occupied villages have faced or the dangers that have followed them.

Yona’s coming of age story pulled me in from the beginning. She is naive to the prejudice and discrimination faced by Jewish people and the Nazi occupation. Her sheltered upbringing leaves her vulnerable and curious about the outside world, its people and her past. I enjoyed reading about her journey to learn about her own desires and her blossoming compassion for others…. To yearn for love and to be loved in return. A story every one can empathize with.

This was such a unique perspective on WW2. I found the end notes just as interesting as the book. I appreciated the thoughtful research done by the author to reflect the true events that led to their fictional stories.

Perfect for lovers of Pam Jenoff and Genevieve Graham.

I have not read a whole slew of novels surrounding the period of World War II, but the ones I have read were more centered in cities, such as Berlin or London. So to me, <b>The Forest of Vanishing Stars</b>, is a unique novel, set mostly in the forests of Poland spanning many years, before and during WWII.

It is a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of survival in the wilderness, detailing how many Jews were able to survive the ongoing genocide by living off the secrets of the forest.

Yona was stolen from her home in Berlin at the age of two by Jerusza, who teaches her all that she knows of living in the wild. She also teaches her practical things like languages, science subjects, geography, etc. in addition to how to care for different ailments with herbs and barks, how to make shelter, hunt and fish; and most importantly, how to blend into the forest. Yona also develops intuition for danger over her years in the forest and knows when it is critical to continue moving out of harms way.

So much was revealed to me while reading this book. I felt like I got a closer look at the tragedies that occurred during the years leading up to and during WWII. It left me with a grave sense of sadness and loss. So so many lives were lost.

I found this novel to be very emotionally charged in certain areas, and that may be personal to me, but I shed many tears of both joy and sadness as I read.

There were conversations held between Yona and a Nazi commander that also shed light on how many atrocities were committed that were out of the hands of the commanders themselves. For many, it was do or die. Disclaimer: I cannot speak to the accuracy of the nature of these exchanges and the veracity behind them in the grand scheme of the Nazi reign, nor am I trying to make light of the past events. However, given how these exchanges were portrayed, it alludes to how little control either party had over the atrocities that occurred.

Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed this novel and all of the emotions that it evoked within me. Harmel has true talent in her storytelling. I will definitely be looking for more of her works in the future!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Simon and Schuster Canada, for this advanced digital copy and the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions expressed are my own. Upon publishing of this novel, I will also be posting my review to Amazon Canada.</i>

💕”Perhaps the most complicated things are also the most beautiful”💕

Overall Rating: 4.5 - rounded to 5 stars
Short Chapter Rating: 2.5/5 - the chapters are very long!

In my opinion, this is another successful novel from Kristin Harmel. She is so good at making you feel so much for the characters. I loved Yona, her story and how strong she was. Yona was a complex character and very likeable. You were rooting for her, and it's a testament to how the author develops her characters. The writing is easy to follow and she makes you want to keep reading. I know there were some mixed reviews and some people thought it was boring. It was definitely a bit slower in the beginning but I wasn’t bored. I enjoyed learning all about the different characters and life in the forest.
I also highly recommend reading the authors note at the end - it's very interesting, she does a ton of research for her stories and it really comes through!

Is this book for you? If you like Historical fiction, strong female leads, WWII stories, a different viewpoint on how people survived the war, then this is for you!

She has very quickly become one of my favourite authors and I can’t wait to read her other books!

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for this #arc in exchange for my honest review. This comes out on July 6th!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of the ebook.

My life was a jumbled mess early on into starting this book, so it took me longer than I would have liked.

It started well! The middle was quick and there could have been more. The end was a little of both.
I’ve rounded up, but definitely enjoyed it. Also, I appreciate the author’s reasoning on spelling in her note at the end.
The last chapter could have been an epilogue.

KKristin Harmel is quickly becoming an autobuy author for me. After reading The Book of Lost Names earlier this year (and arguably my best book of the year so far), I leapt at the chance to read an advanced copy of her new book.

This book started out very differently than I was expecting and unlike most World War II historical fiction that I've previously read. I was questioning how this could even be related to the war. If you read this, just trust it and give it time as it picked up nicely!

There are so many elements to enjoy with this story! I love when a historical book has me learning something new and googling throughout the process. There is love, loss, faith vs religion, resilience, betrayal and a main character who has to figure out who she wants to be, not who she is supposed to be.

The writing was fluid and very easy to follow. It is one of those books that when the title is written in a paragraph, you have an "ah ha" moment and finally understand its meaning (it gave me goosebumps!). The very last page, very last paragraph has so much weight that I won't spoil here but it's an important reminder for all of us.

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for the advance e-copy! Pub day is July 6, 2021.

4.5 Stars

Yona is only a toddler when she is kidnapped from her wealthy German parents and raised in the forests of Eastern Europe by Jerusza.  Jerusza is an old woman who imparts extensive wisdom to Yona, including how survive in the forest.  When Jerusza dies in 1941, Yona is a young woman now totally alone.  With only vague recollections of her parents, she chooses to remain in the only world she has ever really known.

Yona’s solitary existence is suspended when she happens upon a group of Jews fleeing persecution by the Nazis.  When she learns of what is happening in Europe outside of the forest, she knows she needs to share her survival skills to keep this group safe and healthy.  In turn, the group shares with Yona the importance of connecting with others.

This book is beautifully written. Where the book excels is in the character development and the interpersonal relationships between Yona and others. Despite only socializing with Jersusza most of her life, Yona’s motivation and drive to help others, despite this being out of her comfort zone, truly captivated me. Yona feeling that helping the Jews was her destiny was inspiring. I truly appreciated the kindness of Yona and others as humanitarians at a time when they had lost so much.

The author’s extensive research into the creation of this book was clearly evident. This was, however, an emotional read for me. There are numerous moments which recount horrific things that the Jews experienced under Hitler’s rule which almost prevented me from finishing the book. I would therefore caution those readers who are sensitive to these atrocities before they decide to read this book.

What I Liked About The Forest of Vanishing Stars:

- The extensive research which went into creating this story
- The character development and interpersonal relationships.
- The moments of kindness and humility from Yona and her group

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book. This is the first Kristin Harmel book that I have read but it certainly won't be the last!! What a gripping story. It holds you from the first page to the last page. The main character Yona is a character of perseverance, kindness and forethought. Her kindness many times leads her on a difficult path but her mission to do good in a world gone crazy is admirable to say the least. As I read more and more of the historical novels set around WWII, I am always interested to learn new things and see the different sides of a story. This book definitely taught me very many new things about the Jewish plight during the war in Poland. Although it started out as a somewhat fantasy theme, Harmel manages to draw that into an incredible story that holds you until the end. A captivating and exciting read that you won't be sorry that you picked up!!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery Books, Simon and Schuster Canada, and Kristin Harmel for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
*This review may contain some spoilers*

I CANNOT get enough of Kristin’s stories! She transports the reader into the past and you feel as though you are right there with the characters, feeling what they feel, seeing what they see, smelling what they smell. I am absolutely mind blown with every story of hers I read.

Following Yona through the first couple of decades of her life and the hard lessons she is taught without love, and then seeing the kind, compassionate, and caring person she becomes is beautiful and honestly a bit hard for me to wrap my head around. She has such a big and strong heart, and she expresses her courage and bravery in bold ways.

There are so many aspects of war I did not consider prior to reading this book, and the lifestyle Yona lives and the life skills she is in possession of are among those. To understand there were people who took to the forest to escape the Germans is not something we care to think about, but I am glad has been brought to my attention. The hard work, thought, care, and courage it would have taken to escape one’s home and live a completely different way of life is immense. And the ease with which the characters make a decision to save others is unfathomable. And the wide array of characters! While most of the ones we meet are Jewish, they are still so different from one another!

I am so grateful to Kristin for continuing to shine light on the lesser known parts of the atrocities that were taking place in the early half of the 1900s and look forward to furthering my education and knowledge of these times. If you pick up this book, be sure to read the authors note! It has so much information on the research process and how this story came to be.

Love this book and this author, she spins you a story that makes you feel like you are part of the book.

This book is very unique it takes a real event and gives it a new spin about living in the forest during World War II and surviving and helping the Jewish refugees make it even though the Germans are searching for them.

Yona past is what makes this story, when she finds out who her parents are and what they are doing (at least her father) it makes her fight back even harder.

Great read

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a compelling and intriguing story that blends the slightly mythical with the horrors of war.
Yona was raised by the forest - she's know how to survive, thive, and hide. The woman who stole her from her family at the tender age of 2 made sure that she knew everything that she would need to survive - reading and languages and religions, how to kill a man, how to leave no trace of her existence. How much she would need to use all of these skills, how many lives would depend on them, perhaps the old woman knew, but Yona was only beginning to appreciate how much she knew when everything she was taught was put to the test.

It's 1943 and the war is raging, and Yona is alone in the forrest when she comes across a family that is fleeing the ghetto. She was taught to stay away, to stay hidden, that people were dangerous. Her first glimpse of the horrors of war change her - she can no longer stay hidden and alone, not when she can help people live. When she comes across another group that is struggling to survive, she joins them to help keep them safe, teaching them how to leave no trace so they can't be tracked, how to live off what the forrest has to offer, and how they can heal. They become family, something that Yona has never had, and then something more.

Love, trust, family, pain, grief, sacrifice... all told in a way that makes you feel such empathy for them and their drive to survive, if only to honour those who did not.

Worth a read, esp if you are looking for a unique WWII story that is well researched and authentic.

Wonderful, beautifully written WWII historical fiction, based on a true story of a young woman who grew up in a Polish forest and who used her knowledge of the forest and wilderness to help many Jewish people hide from the Nazis.

The descriptive, lyrical writing pulls you in and captivates you throughout the novel. I started this last night and could not put it down. Filled with heartbreak, sorrow, loss but equally, courage and hope, the story really touched me and provided some insight into the horrors the Jewish people faced from the Nazis. I have read many WWII fiction novels but this one finds its own unique way to tell this important story.

I love historical fiction as it educates, transports and captivates.. Kristin Harmel is one of the top writers of historical fiction and I am always enthralled and amazed by her beautiful novels. In addition to picking up the 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The Forest of Vanishing Stars when it releases on July 6, I highly recommend checking out her backlist.

Thanks to @simonschusterca and @netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is historical fiction at its very best.

The book is heart wrenching yet inspiring.

During World War 2 many Jewish people escaped to the forest in Eastern Europe in order to survive with their lives from the persecution of the Germans.

The resilience, strength and determination of the Jewish people is just amazing and will touch your heart.

You will cheer for Yona and her group, you will cry with them and mourn them but most of all you will admire them

The Forest of Vanishing Stars will stay with me a very long time and it is not a story we should ever forget.

Please take time to read the author's notes at the end of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada, Gallery Books for an awe inspiring heart moving read.

Another great book from Kristin Harmel!!! This is my 2nd of hers and I loved both 🙌🏼

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What I loved…

•Great descriptive language that made it so easy to imagine the forest, the characters and their mannerisms, the life they lead, the fear they felt - I felt utterly immersed in this historic world.

•The romance aspects! Despite all they are going through, of course characters manage to find love (and heartbreak!)

•A vision of WW2 I had never before read about in great detail, living in the forest and surviving off the land while hiding is a pretty incredible feat.

Definitely one worth reading if you’re a fan of historical fiction! 💕

Read if you like: WW2 stories, survival stories.
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The book follows Yona, who was stolen from her German parents and taught to live in the forest. This proves to be useful when the Second World War starts and she meets Jewish Refugees after they escaped into the forest.
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I loved learning about the Bielski Brothers and how they basically set up their own society in the forest during the war, so this book fascinated me. I loved Yona; she was sheltered and naïve in terms of some aspects of society, but she proves to be the only one who can help the group survive the winter in the forest. I also loved the discussion around are you born a bad person or is it how you're raised/your environment.
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CW: violence, war, death, child abduction, torture, mild sexual content.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I know that there is a lot of World War II historical fiction available out there, but this book is different.
It tells the story of one woman who was raised in the forest and how the survival skills that she was taught (but the woman who kidnapped her from her German home as a baby) helps her save the lives of the Jewish refugees she discovers hiding in the forest.
The author's note at the end was a fascinating read. I liked learning about the amount of research that went into writing this book. I found it very interesting to see how the events in the book were based upon real events from history.