This book grabbed me and I couldn't stop reading. I actually read the whole thing in two sittings. It's based on a true story about a woman who saved thousands of Jewish children during WWII. The novel opens when, as an older woman in the U.S., she happens to see a newspaper article that leads to her returning to Europe where she gets some closure on the whole incredible experience. I'll let you learn more about that yourself when you read it. You should. It's truly an amazing novel, well-written and compelling. I was so moved by this story. I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for this honest review and I'm glad I did!

Though there is an abundance of WWII historical fiction in the literary world, The Book of Lost Names caught my eye because it explores a piece of history that I hadn’t read about before. Eva lived with her parents in Paris until the Nazi occupation turned their lives, and the lives of thousands of other Jewish people, upside down. After her father is arrested, Eva flees Paris and finds herself helping the underground resistance by creating false papers for Jewish people escaping to Switzerland. I was immediately taken in by this premise, though the execution fell short for me.

The story is told in dual timelines, most of it taking place in 1942 France, and the rest in 2005. This structure felt a bit clunky, as though the 2005 chapters were added in after the rest of the book was written, and they took me out of the flow of the story. This is a plot-driven novel, and while there were plenty of events that kept moving the story forward, many of them felt predictable, including what were supposed to be some big reveals towards the end. I was absolutely fascinated with Eva’s process of falsifying documents and the network that supported the underground resistance; I really enjoyed reading about those aspects.

Ultimately this book fell flat for me, despite such a promising premise. The structure and writing style took me out of the story too often, and I never felt fully immersed in Eva’s experiences or feelings. I am grateful, though, for authors who are searching out untold stories to share with us; I certainly got a glimpse into something new!

I am an avid fan of historical fiction dealing with WWII and Kristin Harmel's, The Book of Lost Names, did not disappoint. An intriguing and beautifully written novel. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to thank Net Galley and Gallery Books for giving me the privilege to read this amazing book by Kristin Harmel. I have not read her other books but will be running to Amazon to buy them. I am a huge fan of WW2 books and find most of the books fascinating. I started this book three days ago and stayed up until after midnight to finish it. I couldn't stop reading it last night. You WILL NOT be sorry if you purchase this book and transport yourself to France during World War 2 and modern day Florida.

This book starts off prior to a round up of French Jews in Paris. Eva Traube in 1942. Eva is a graduate student with her love of books that made you instantly relate to her. One night, a neighbor asks Eva and her mother to watch two of her children as she has to go see to a sick family member. Earlier that day, a student named Joseph, warned her of the round up of Jews that was coming. Eva's parents thought that they would not be on the list. With Eva watching through a peephole, Eva's father is arrested. Eva's father had told her to see one of his French co-workers if anything happens to him. She visits him the next day and he gives her paperwork so she can create false papers for herself and her mother to travel to Switzerland. Her mother does not want to go as her father is in jail just miles away. Eva forces her mother and they end up in Aurigon, in the free zone of France, living in a boarding house when she is approached by a Priest. The Priest confides in her the work that the resistance is doing for children and Eva wants to not erase their pasts and creates a book of lost names. She meets Remy, the lovable, loyal, and risky resistance fighter who wants to do more than just forgery.

There are twists and turns that happen early on (there are characters that I distrusted and they were the ones that should have been trusted). The last third of the book goes fast and furious and I loved every minute of it.

For fans of Ellen Marie Watson and Christina Baker Kline

I have always loved Kristin Harmel's writing. I am a big historical fiction fan and I can always appreciate when it is obvious how much time and research an author puts into the writing of their novel. It is evident how much effort Harmel spends on her novels, and particularly the Book of Lost Names.

This book is a story of hope, courage, and resilience.

Eve Abrams is enjoying her leisurely semi-retired life as a librarian, when one day at work, she freezes. She recognizes a book she is shelving as "The Book of Lost Names".. thus transporting us into a transfixing and awe-inspiring tale.

Highly detailed and Highly Recommend for Historical Fiction Fans!

I would have given this a solid five stars, but as I closed in on the final chapters, I was disappointed by the climax as feeling too classic a bad guy, so to speak, and I kind of wished that a short epilogue came at the end as I felt like the closing chapter was a bit flat after the build up to it, and I wanted more. Otherwise, another great work by Harmel that takes the reader into yet another aspect of resistance during the war. Instead of the patent references to forged identity documents, we get to see some of their risks and challenges as well as a bit about how they made such convincing forgeries. Excellent book overall. Great romance for us girls 😊

I devoured this book in one day. It was so marvelously written and the story so intriguing that I couldn't put it down. The Book of Lost Names is the story of a young woman who suddenly finds her entire life torn apart. Separated from loved ones and forced on the run for being Jewish, Eva finds herself in a new town under a false alias. The only thing that saved her was being able to forge documents allowing her to travel, a skill which proves useful not only to for her own life. Caught between a desire to save herself and a willingness to help the lives of many innocent people, Eva chooses to stay and help them flee. What I love about Eva, in particular, is how much she matures and discovers the kind of person she wants to be. The scared young lady she was when she first left her home and the brave woman she becomes months later is such a lovely transition to witness.

As someone who has a passion for novels set during the Holocaust/WW2, you can often find yourself a bit bored with the storyline or feeling as though they're a bit redundant. However, this story offered something new and learning about yet another way in which many people were able to escape the Nazi's and imprisonment was genuinely exciting. I loved the twist Kristen Harmel put on this bit of history and would recommend The Book of Lost Names to all!

I don’t need to tell you that we are living in strange times. When first deciding to read this book I was hesitant. Not because I wasn’t interested but I was worried that it would be too “heavy”. However, it isn’t in me to pass up a good historical fiction novel…so I went for it! The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel has all of the ingredients for an attention grabbing story. I loved this book and didn’t want to put it down! The story goes back and forth between WW2 France and 2005. The story centers around Eva, who was a young jewish woman working for the French resistance. Eva is brave, young, and learning who she is. While reading, you get the sense that she is an ordinary girl dealing with extraordinary circumstances. My reasons for being wary of reading this book actually became part of what made it so enjoyable. Not to say we are in an environment anywhere near to the severity of war torn France, but I found comfort in being reminded that there have been uncertain times in our world before. The loss of normalcy and longing for mundane things were major themes throughout the plot. The pages paint a vivid picture of the occupied country, as well as a beautiful romance. You root for the couple the whole time. If you’re looking to get lost in adventure and passion then this is the book for
you.

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!

This is a powerful historical fiction that reveals a likely largely unknown resistance effort carried on in Southern France in the Vichy area, at first a free zone from German occupancy but then the Germans take over this area as well. Residents are hiding Jewish children, a few people skillfully forge identification papers, others are transporting Jews to Switzerland. These brave resistors put their lives in danger to try to protect and rescue victims of the German genocide. The main character, a young Jewish woman who flees Paris with her mother after the French Police arrest her father, originally intended to get herself and her mother to Switzerland but the local resistance movement recruits her because of her skill in document forgery to help others. The story told in two time periods when the main character is an older woman who takes off to Berlin to take care of something important to her, and as the young person who lives in constant danger as she works around the clock to produce vital documentation. The narrative is well written, drawing the reader into the scary time of resistance, imparting both the fear and the dedication these people embraced as they resisted the Germans and even some French citizens who often for greed supported the German occupiers.

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.