I received a free e-ARC of this book from Netgalley.
One of the best books I've read this year. Deeply moving with wonderful characters. If you like historical fiction at all, then you need to pick this book up. I was moved to tears several times.

Oh, I loved this book by @kristin_hamel! To be fair, I'll hit up just about any book about WWII, and this one had it all: mystery, intrigue, love, betrayal, priests, Nazis, disapproving mothers, two timelines, and so much more. The book of Lost Names is well-written, well-paced, and its characters have multiple layers and a great deal of depth.

The book begins with Eva, an elderly librarian, seeing a book in featured in a New York Times article about books stolen by the Nazis. It was a book that meant so much to her a lifetime ago, and immediately we're transported to occupied Paris. We learn about Eva's life, her beloved father and mother and how she fled Paris to escape to a small town where she found her pushed aside talent as an artist made her perfect for forging documents to save hundreds of lives.

The Book of Lost Names kept my attention and I couldn't put it down. I loved it. Eva is an interesting character with depth, and the naivete of someone her age. I loved that Eva and her parent had a tumultuous relationship, fraught with differing points of view over what was going on in their world, and yes, I loved the love story. I gasped out loud at least twice while reading it.

If you're looking for a WWII book in the vein of The Nightingale and The Huntress, pick it up when it comes out. I loved it.

The Book of Lost Names is an important book, as is this book with the same title. It highlights some of the brave work done by the French resistance fighters during WWII And showcases the courage of the French every day people in risking their lives for innocent Jewish children and others. I enjoyed the writing, the characters, the story, and the history behind it. Yes, some parts were a bit predictable, but in a quite satisfying way. It was all very thought-provoking and kept my interest from the first word until the last. I would highly recommend this book and look forward to reading others by the same author. Thanks to NetGalley for this Advance Reading Copy.

80-year old Eva Traube Abrams, still working partitme as a librarian, comes across an article in the New York Times about a German librarian looking to reunite confiscated books with the true owners. Soon she is on a plane headed to Berlin to hold a book she has not seen in over 60 years. The novel travels back to Eva's life in wartime Paris. Her parents don't really believe that they will be arrested by the Nazis, although her father has made plans to save Parisian-born Eva. When worst comes to pass and her father is arrested, Eva uses her artistic skills to forge documents so that she and her mother can escape. Once they arrive in Aurignon, Eva is faced with going back to try to save her father while dealing with her distraught mother. Eva's skills bring her to the attention of the local Resistance headed by the Catholic priest, Pere Clement. Eva is recruited to work with a young man named Remy to forge documents to save children fleeing to Switzerland. Working side by side to save the children, Eva finds herself falling for this non-Jewish man, much to mother's chagrin. Concerned that the children will forget their past because of the new names on their documents, Eva and Remy devise a code hidden within the pages of a book.

This was an excellent work of historical fiction. It takes place in Europe during WWII and has a little bit of everything - history, romance, mystery and great cast of characters. We first meet the main character, Eva as an elderly woman living in the U.S. But the author quickly takes us back to 1942 in Paris. Eva discovers she has a talent for forgery when she creates false documents for herself and her mother after her father is taken away by the Germans. She finds herself caught up in the WWII version of creating identity theft in the back room of a catholic church with a delightful young man. The Book of Lost Names is a book in whch Eva logs, via a secret code, the names of her fellow Jews who she creates fake identies for. The story is suspenseful and heartwarming at the same time. The characters are well-developed and the author does an excellent job of portraying their stuggles with friendship, family, loyalties and love. This is the first book I've read by Kristin Harmel and will definitely look for others by her. Thank you to Net Galley for the advance copy.

This book is a historical fiction that goes between 2005 (Eva in the present) and the 1940's (Eva in the past). This book is all about WWII when Germany takes over Paris, France. Eva is a Jewish girl that lived in Paris. This book will stay with me for so long. It will touch your heart. Eva is a girl that loves book that after the war become a librarian, but during the war she helped Jewish kids escape France to safe their life. She used The Book of Lost Name to help her remember all the kids real names. This book has sadness, l0ve, misunderstanding, and so much more. If you loved The Nightingale you will love this or if you love historical fiction books about WWII Paris France books. I loved this book so much, and this book should get a million stars. This is one of the best historical fiction books I have read. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher or author via NetGalley, booksirens, or goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

Another enjoyable read from Kristin Harmel. I was apprehensive during the first part of the book, as the story line of a young woman becoming part of a resistance network during WWII has been done quite a bit. However, Harmel was able to put some original touches and events that made it a memorable one. I loved most of the characters, although I struggled with the relationship of the main character, Eva, and her mother. 

It really picked up pace during the second half and I couldn't put it down! I would've liked a little more depth at the ending with regards to the "lost names". 3.5 stars rounded up!

I received this ARC from Netgalley. Kristin Harmel has done it once again, pulled me in and I could not put this book down. Historical fiction at its absolute best. Relatable and likeable characters and an engaging storyline. I highly recommend to everyone who loves historical fiction.

This book was amazing. I now want to read every book that Kristin has written! I love how the story followed Eve as she jumped back and forth from a young woman to an 80 year old. You can tell that the author did a lot of research about Germany France during the Holocaust time. The characters were well developed and I thought it was so touching that Eve got to see Remy again at the end of her life. Such a neat idea to write the children's real names in a book so they wouldn't be forgotten. Wonderful book!

Characters may be fictional along with the stories told, but there is a reason why historical fiction is my favorite genre. Authors must undertake a fantastic amount of research to support their stories, and Kristin Harmel has done her research in “The Book of Lists.” Like other Harmel books, this one toggles between past and present-day seamlessly (mostly in the past), making for an engaging story, which kept me guessing. I refused to put it down and go to bed until I knew how it would end.

It was fascinating to learn more about the network of forgers and the role they played to support the work of the resistance fighters. Not only did they possess artistic skills to be able to replicate documents, but they worked tirelessly under extreme pressure and the constant danger of being exposed. I think it is safe to say that they were among the “unsung heroes” of the resistance efforts.

The inclusion of Eva’s son in the present-day story was the only part of the plot that seemed either underdeveloped or possibly unnecessary to the overall outcome of the story.

I have lost track of how many WWII books I have read, and this one will rank among my favorites, along with “The Winemaker’s Wife.”

The Book of Lost Names is an engrossing dual timeline book. In 2005, Eva runs across a newspaper article showing a picture of a book that she knows intimately. The article explains that a librarian in Berlin is trying to find the owners of books looted during WWII. During the war, Eva became a forger for the French Resistance. Her documents saved hundreds of lives, as Jewish children were smuggled into Switzerland. We travel with Eva to the library to claim her book and we are with her during the war as she struggles through the war. This was a well written and researched book. Although Eva is fictional, she is based on actual facts. Ms. Harmel has spent time on how and why the forgers worked their documents. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to review #TheBookOfLostNames, I have found a new author to follow.

In 2005, Eva Abrams sees an article in the New York Times seeking the owner of a rare book that had been looted by the Nazis. Eva knows it’s her book that she’d thought was lost long ago, and that it contains a secret she’s waited 60 years to find. With single-minded purpose she books a trip to Berlin to claim it, hoping it might contain a message from her long lost lover who died in 1944.

From Florida 2005, readers are taken to 1942 Paris where we’re introduced to Eva Traube. She and her parents don’t believe there’s going to be a roundup of Jews but, when her father and thousands more are taken, she and her mother escape to Free France where they planned to continue on into Switzerland. Instead, against her mother’s wishes, she becomes involved with the French Resistance. In the hidden library of a Catholic church her artistic skills are put to use forging identity documents for hundreds of Jewish children escaping to Switzerland. There she and Rèmy, a fellow forger, develop a secret code based on the Fibonacci sequence and use a rare book to record the real names of the children to whom they were giving false identities.

Through flashbacks between the past and present readers learn of the difficulties Eva faced by falling in love with a Catholic, the battles she had with her grieving and bitter mother, and the hard work she did to save the lives of many children. We see the ways in which the Catholic church was involved in saving lives, the love she held for Rèmy, and how she’d hidden her true self for many years. It is a story of love, hope and faith, in the midst of despair, that rings true to its time and place.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
One day Eva takes a look at a newspaper and sees a picture of a book she hasn’t seen in decades - the Book of Lost Names. The book is an old religious text holding a code that only Eva can break.

This book has several hallmark elements I love: a strong female character, French resistance, storylines in dual timeframes. And Harmel does not disappoint. This book is engaging, interesting and heart breaking. I strongly recommend it. Even if you’ve read a lot of books in this genre it still feels fresh.

You must read this powerful story of a jewish family during WWII. Eacaping from Paris Eva finds herself helping jewish children excape to Switzerland. Since she has to give them new identities and names she finds a way to record their original Names. This is one of the best books of the year.

I devoured this book! Talk about a roller coaster of emotions, this is quite the ride! Eva and her mother flee to the free zone in France, after her father is taken by the Nazis. She discovers her talents can be put to good use by the Resistance. What follows is a story of incredible courage, danger, love, loss, deceit, and self discovery. Many times along the way I found myself holding breath and clenching my jaw!! The ending wrecked me.

THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES
BY KRISTIN HARMEL

This book was very similar to a book I recently read and reviewed early called, "The Paris Children," by Gloria Goldreich." It also was about a woman fleeing Paris during occupied France to the Southern free zone to forge documents for children to be led across the mountains to be free in Switzerland. The only difference was in "The Paris Children," the children were to travel further to Pakistan. In this novel in the Author's Note she also drew much of her research on a book called, "Adolfo Kaminsky: A Forger's Life by Sarah Kaminsky among others. In "The Paris Children," Kaminsky is mentioned in the text as a character where one of the forgers in the resistance once worked besides to gain knowledge in how to forge documents. Both books are inspired by true stories and it is highly coincidental that I read both almost back to back.

This one was about an almost retired librarian living in Florida and one day as she is shelving books she spots an article where she sees a photograph of an 18th century religious book that goes on to say that there was much looting across Europe done by the Nazi's and she recognizes that the image in the article is the book of lost names that she hasn't seen in 65 years.

She was known back then as Eva who is earning her PhD when a young man named Joseph comes up to her in Paris warning her that the Nazi's are rounding up thousands of Jews and sending them to work camps. A couple of days later her father tells her that if anything happens he has paid his friend enough money for her and her mother to get false documents that will get them to safety in Switzerland. A few nights pass and that dreadful knock on the door comes and her father is arrested. Her and her mother visit that friend and he helps them but they go to Southern France where they stay. For the next year and a half Eva is involved in forging false documents for the masses until it is no longer safe to remain where they are. A priest had recruited Eva and she was first forging documents with a young man named Remy. Her mother never approved of the work Eva was doing. Her mother remains heartbroken over the loss of her husband Eva's father.

Eva had gone back to Paris within two days with Remy as her guide to Drancy to inquire about her father with fake paper's with a ruse to free him saying he was part Argentinian but when they arrived at Drancy they are told her father was already put on an eastward train bound for an extermination camp.

This was very much like "The Paris Children," also how many French gendarmes sold or traded the names of good French Jewish people doing important work who were betrayed by their own people. I thought this was also a well written story but felt as if I had read it already. This one was a little lighter as it had a happy ending.

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

Publication Date: July 21, 2020

#TheBookOfLostNames #KristenHarmel #Simon&SchusterPublishing #NetGalley
THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES
BY KRISTIN HARMEL

This book was very similar to a book I recently read and reviewed early called, "The Paris Children," by Gloria Goldreich." It also was about a woman fleeing Paris during occupied France to the Southern free zone to forge documents for children to be led across the mountains to be free in Switzerland. The only difference was in "The Paris Children," the children were to travel further to Pakistan. In this novel in the Author's Note she also drew much of her research on a book called, "Adolfo Kaminsky: A Forger's Life by Sarah Kaminsky among others. In "The Paris Children," Kaminsky is mentioned in the text as a character where one of the forgers in the resistance once worked besides to gain knowledge in how to forge documents. Both books are inspired by true stories and it is highly coincidental that I read both almost back to back.

This one was about an almost retired librarian living in Florida and one day as she is shelving books she spots an article where she sees a photograph of an 18th century religious book that goes on to say that there was much looting across Europe done by the Nazi's and she recognizes that the image in the article is the book of lost names that she hasn't seen in 65 years.

She was known back then as Eva who is earning her PhD when a young man named Joseph comes up to her in Paris warning her that the Nazi's are rounding up thousands of Jews and sending them to work camps. A couple of days later her father tells her that if anything happens he has paid his friend enough money for her and her mother to get false documents that will get them to safety in Switzerland. A few nights pass and that dreadful knock on the door comes and her father is arrested. Her and her mother visit that friend and he helps them but they go to Southern France where they stay. For the next year and a half Eva is involved in forging false documents for the masses until it is no longer safe to remain where they are. A priest had recruited Eva and she was first forging documents with a young man named Remy. Her mother never approved of the work Eva was doing. Her mother remains heartbroken over the loss of her husband Eva's father.

Eva had gone back to Paris within two days with Remy as her guide to Drancy to inquire about her father with fake paper's with a ruse to free him saying he was part Argentinian but when they arrived at Drancy they are told her father was already put on an eastward train bound for an extermination camp.

This was very much like "The Paris Children," also how many French gendarmes sold or traded the names of good French Jewish people doing important work who were betrayed by their own people. I thought this was also a well written story but felt as if I had read it already. This one was a little lighter as it had a happy ending.

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

Publication Date: July 21, 2020

#TheBookOfLostNames #KristenHarmel #Simon&SchusterPublishing #NetGalley
THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES
BY KRISTIN HARMEL

This book was very similar to a book I recently read and reviewed early called, "The Paris Children," by Gloria Goldreich." It also was about a woman fleeing Paris during occupied France to the Southern free zone to forge documents for children to be led across the mountains to be free in Switzerland. The only difference was in "The Paris Children," the children were to travel further to Pakistan. In this novel in the Author's Note she also drew much of her research on a book called, "Adolfo Kaminsky: A Forger's Life by Sarah Kaminsky among others. In "The Paris Children," Kaminsky is mentioned in the text as a character where one of the forgers in the resistance once worked besides to gain knowledge in how to forge documents. Both books are inspired by true stories and it is highly coincidental that I read both almost back to back.

This one was about an almost retired librarian living in Florida and one day as she is shelving books she spots an article where she sees a photograph of an 18th century religious book that goes on to say that there was much looting across Europe done by the Nazi's and she recognizes that the image in the article is the book of lost names that she hasn't seen in 65 years.

She was known back then as Eva who is earning her PhD when a young man named Joseph comes up to her in Paris warning her that the Nazi's are rounding up thousands of Jews and sending them to work camps. A couple of days later her father tells her that if anything happens he has paid his friend enough money for her and her mother to get false documents that will get them to safety in Switzerland. A few nights pass and that dreadful knock on the door comes and her father is arrested. Her and her mother visit that friend and he helps them but they go to Southern France where they stay. For the next year and a half Eva is involved in forging false documents for the masses until it is no longer safe to remain where they are. A priest had recruited Eva and she was first forging documents with a young man named Remy. Her mother never approved of the work Eva was doing. Her mother remains heartbroken over the loss of her husband Eva's father.

Eva had gone back to Paris within two days with Remy as her guide to Drancy to inquire about her father with fake paper's with a ruse to free him saying he was part Argentinian but when they arrived at Drancy they are told her father was already put on an eastward train bound for an extermination camp.

This was very much like "The Paris Children," also how many French gendarmes sold or traded the names of good French Jewish people doing important work who were betrayed by their own people. I thought this was also a well written story but felt as if I had read it already. This one was a little lighter as it had a happy ending.

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

Publication Date: July 21, 2020

#TheBookOfLostNames #KristenHarmel #Simon&SchusterPublishing #NetGalley

Such a good book and well written!! It really conveys the love of books with the backdrop of the uncertainties of WWII...

Stunning, simply stunning! I am a fan of historical fiction, especially books set during World War 2, and The Book of Lost Names was impossible to put down. It is a book that touched my heart and soul; one that will haunt my thoughts for a long time. It is a book that I need to share with family and friends. I think The Book of Lost Names should be required reading for all high school students, and I think it would make a fabulous book discussion title. I can also picture it made into a movie. Well done, Kristin Harmel!

3.5 for this book.
I always enjoy Kristin Harmel’s WWII books, the premise of this one was about Eva- a young girl escaping France with her mother helping others with forgery documents.
Very interesting to learn about and I was so deeply invested in these characters. I loved Eva. She’s a book lover so I loved her even more.
This book had a bit of everything- romance, family drama, history with a hint of mystery.
What I didn’t like was the ending- I felt like I was just left hanging. The story could have went on, there was more but it just abruptly ended. Also, through the middle there was a lot of repetition. Some more focus on the 2005 timeline would have nice too and with the son.
Overall, I enjoyed it and liked learning about this piece of the war I didn’t know much about.
Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced ebook copy.

Once again, Ms Harmel has hit a home run with this WWII historical fiction!

We begin this story meeting an elderly librarian in Florida as she sees an image of a book that she has not seen in decades! The image and article is of a book that our librarian used to log the names of Jewish children that had been smuggled out of France. The story takes off from there...

The story is told in alternating timelines and it is easy to follow. When we are in our current time period, I kept thinking, "Let's get back to 1942/43". This was a wonderful book that kept me on the edge of my seat for a few days. I loved it and that is why I gave it 4 Stars! I did take 1 star away because I really would have liked to have focused more on the names of the children in present day. Perhaps that is her next book!!!!!

My thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this advanced readers copy. This book is due to release in July 2020.