When Yona was two years old, she was taken from the home of her German parents by an old woman, who raised the child in a forest in Poland. The old woman taught Yona everything she needed to know to survive living in the forest. The old woman had a special sense that told her Yona would have an important role in the forest in the future. After the older woman dies when Yona is a young woman, she finds herself in the position of helping others survive in the forest as Nazis attempt to eliminate all Jewish people from Poland.
The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a beautiful work of historical fiction written by Kristin Harmel. I highly recommend it to all who enjoy historical fiction.
I was given an ARC of The Forest of Vanishing Stars by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Wow, Kristin Harmel does it again. She is one of my absolute favorite historical fiction authors, and I think Forest of Vanishing Stars is her best book yet! The story is about Yona (a young girl) and her caretaker Jeruzsa and Yona’s jouney to discover who she is and where she came from. This story takes place during WW2, and is perfect for readers that enjoy reading about books that take place during this time. She will be an auto buy author for me after reading this!

A WWII story set in the forests of Poland about a girl kidnapped at a young age from a wealthy German household and raised in the forest. While Yona's kidnapping was not meant as malice, yet to keep her safe. Yona uses her skills to help a group of Jewish people escaping ghettos. But she has always been curious about her father who comes to her in her dreams. Facing the past helps her realize where she really belongs.

Such a heartbreaking read that I could not put down. Highly recommend this read!!

In a genre that often feels regurgitated and oversaturated, this story shines with originality and a unique perspective. Wow. This was like nothing I had ever heard. And while all of the stories of this time period and any war time books are heartbreaking, it was also beautifully done. It was a little difficult for me to get in to. I was kind of confused by the almost magical realism feel that the opening had. Almost like a Tangled back story…a baby stolen from parents by an old woman. But in this case the woman is trying to do something good, saving a baby from bad people who are parents. And in a bigger way, she saves her…not only her life but raises her and teaches her how to survive in the first and stay away from the enemies of war. And so she does. So many in fact that it felt slightly repetitive. But in the end, truly beautiful and heroic story.

This very well researched WW II tale taking place in the forest in Poland was quite well written and a compelling story. Based on facts but fictional, #theforestofvanishingstars kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. It was never clear that there would be a satisfying end to the tale beyond the end of the war. I really like reading WW II tales and this one featured a completely different area and premise than most.
I received this arc courtesy of #netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and I am grateful to have had the chance to read this book.

I've read a great deal of WWII historical fiction. I had not read a story about Polish Jews hiding from Nazis in the woods of Poland/Belarus. This is that story. Based on real events and real people, Harmel has added her own touches to bring the story to life. Centering around a young woman who was stolen from her German parents at age 2 and raised in the woods, the story pulls at your heartstrings and brings to life her story and those of the people she encounters.

I liked the story and read it quickly. There were moments of suspense, horror, sadness, and joy. This is usually the type of book I really love. I did like it, but it did not impact me the way some others of this genre have. It's an important story, not often covered despite the plethora of WWII era books being published currently. For that reason alone I would recommend it. In addition, this story has a wide range of emotions for the reader to experience. A good, solid read, just not the best ever.

Love a historical fiction book and Kristin Harmel does not disappoint. I was drawn into the plot and couldn't put it down!

If it’s written by @kristinharmel I’m going to love it. Just give me the book. The Forest of Vanishing Stars held up to those expectations.

In 1922, a two-year old was stolen from her bed in the middle of the night. Yona, originally Ihne, was then raised by Jerusza in the forest for the next 20 years. Yona learned how to live off the land, protect herself, detect enemies and steal when needed. Not long after Jerusza dies, Yona comes across a group of Jewish refugees who escaped into the woods from the Nazis in Poland. Yona takes this group under her wing to teach them how to survive, when to move and when her instincts sense danger. There was some controversy within the group and with Yona.

I really enjoyed that the book featured a strong female character who didn’t need a man to survive. But she also realized some of the things she was missing by being alone. The author had great character and relationship development. I also loved the fact that this historical fiction featured a different storyline and location than most of the other books I’ve read during the WWII timeframe.

I highly recommend this book!

5 Stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @gallerybooks for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This newest book by Kristen Harmel is another great book of WWll. I did not know that Jewish people fled to the forests during the takeover of Poland by the Germans during the war. Every book by this author that is historical, is always different then the one before. Her books never get boring. The subject may be the same, but she always finds a different story to tell. . I was never much for the historical genre until I read one of this authors, and can now say I’ve read them all! I now I look forward to each new one.
Thanks to Netgalley, Gallery publishers and Kristin Harmel for this ARC

I don't read a ton of historical fiction, but I truly enjoyed this read by Kristin Harmel. I particularly love WWII stories so I was hoping I would love this one and it did not disappoint. This book was powerful and heart wrenching. Would recommend to others for sure.

Thank you so much for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. Right away, I absolutely love the cover & would definitely pick this up on my own volition at the store or library. This historical fiction follows the character Yona. In this coming of age story set in WWII, the main character deals with her past of being stolen from her wealthy German parents and thus resultantly being raised in the unforgiving wilderness of eastern Europe. She finds herself alone after her kidnapper dies. Yet, despite her solidarity, she eventually comes in contact with groups of Jews fleeing Nazi regime (this is in 1941). When she finds out what's going on, she utilizes her skills/knowledge to help those hiding out. This story is inspired by incredible true stories of survival against crazy odds.

My thoughts about this book stem really from my view that this book's storyline is very unique. There are SO many WWII historical fiction books to the point where I feel like they may be running out of ideas! Yet, this one is unique and I like that it is based on true stories of survival. I appreciate the extensive amount of research that went into this book which thus makes it even better than just a fictional tale. It is insightful, well-written, and historically relevant. I really liked the book.

THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS

This is the story of Yona, the German born daughter of Siegfried and Alwine Jüttner, who was stolen as a baby by Jerusza. Jerusza, a mysterious old woman with visions of the future, raises Yona in the Nalibocka Forest of Eastern Europe. She teaches the young girl how to live in the wild and learn the ways of survival far from civilization.

As war expands throughout Europe, Yona begins to encounter groups of Jewish escapees. She uses the skills that she has developed as a youth to help them learn how to survive in the woods and evade Nazi pursuit. They in turn help her to learn how to interact socially and provide her with a sense of family life.

Through lessons learned of love, loss, and accomplishment, Yona develops into a strong young woman. But the present has a way of intersecting with the past, and Yona is immersed in danger.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book is that so much of it is set in the forest. The author’s descriptions of the beauty of nature are vivid and at times mesmerizing. Another thing that I really appreciated was, as was mentioned in the author’s notes at the end of the book, much of what Yona and the Jewish refugees experienced was based on real life events.

I would’ve liked a little less emphasis on the romantic relationships, and a little more focus on the tension that I’m sure was felt in those situations. But the mystical and spiritual qualities of this book alone elevate it to a throughly satisfying level.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Kristin Harmel, Gallery Books and Simon & Schuster, Inc. for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A wonderful World War II story! Yona is taken as a young girl from her parents and raised in the forest. As Yona gets older she discovers Jews who have escaped and are fleeing for their lives. She must decide whether to help them survive.

I enjoyed Kristin Harmel's writing style. It was easy to fall in love with the characters.

Kristin Harnett is an author I found via bookstagram and I'm so glad I did. She writes historical fiction in a way that keeps me interested throughout the story, wanting to learn more about each character.

What a story. I suggest reading the author's notes in between reading the story. I had no idea about the Jews hiding deep in the forest. This story was told beautifully. A page turner. Character's were so real and full of every emotion you can imagine in the time of war and not knowing from day to day what life was going to give you. Loneliness, fear, death, forgiveness, hatred, starvation, and love.

I love historical fiction and I love Kristin Harmels other books. Her writing style is fluid and gripping. The Forest of Vanishing Stars, while still a great read, was a bit of a let down. I went in with such high hopes. This one fell a bit flat for me.

Yona is a woman of the woods. She was kidnapped from her parents at the age of 2 by a woman who taught her to live off the land and fear other people. After her captor dies, Yona is left to survive on her own. When the war forces Jews into the woods to hide, Yona decides she has to help.

Yona’s story is intriguing and I found myself cheering for her success. But, I felt this story was slow and repetitive. Over half of the book felt like it was just Yona teaching others how to survive (hunt, fish, forage etc). I wish there was less of that and more story.

Overall, this was another great book from Harmel. For those that enjoy a touch of history, this would be a win. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have three different opinions of this book. The beginning was meh, the middle I liked, and the ending I really liked. So I landed on that I liked this book.

This is a part of WWII history I have not read before. Set in the forest of Eastern Europe, Yona is a young woman who was stolen from her wealthy German parents at a young age and raised in the wilderness. After her defacto mother figure dies, she comes across some Jews fleeing the Nazis and feels the tug to help them survive. I found this premise fascinating. But the back story of Yona felt stilted and I didn't feel connected to her as a character. Once she met the Jews she was trying to save I started to like her more but still I felt that I was lacking a connection to her character. In the end she became more fleshed out and I began to understand her more. Now, I know that the connection to her character progressing like this over the novel is in fact probably a writing choice and acts as symbolism for the growth of the character, but it made me feel disconnected and it was hard to keep reading in the beginning. 

The author's note at the end was perhaps the most fascinating part of the book, but I was missing that spark of authenticity until I read that author's note. I think more of that feeling could have been infused in the story.
*Shallow quibble. This title and the cover do not fit this book at all. Great title, but does not work for this book.

Harmel possesses an undeniable talent in sharing historical fiction in a way that can be adored by historical fiction lovers and really everyone. Her book has a fantastical air about it, nearly fairytale-like.

This is a book about a young woman who was kidnapped as a child and grows up in the forests of Poland. During WWII she shares her talents to help those fleeing through her forests by sharing everything she had learned on surviving on the land.

I appreciated how once again Harmel inspired me to want to learn more, to do more. I loved the unique perspective making it distinct while still about a topic that's quite prominent in literature. I highly recommend it to history lovers and those that just want to do more.

A Light Shining in the Darkness

Each time I read a book by Kristin Harmel, it is like being reunited with a long-lost friend. Her characters are instantly relatable, even though their lives are vastly different from anything I have ever experienced. She builds her historical backdrops with precision and care, showing deep respect for the real people who lived through horrific periods in history, such as World War II and the Holocaust. The Forest of Vanishing Stars is no exception to this, with its depiction of life on the run from the Nazi ghettos, that drove some Jews into the wild, unforgiving forests of Belarus and Poland. The name of the book itself seems to point towards the fact that the Jews, with their yellow Stars of David stitched onto their clothing, had to do their best to vanish into the wilderness in order to survive, where they might go months without seeing the stars or sun due to the heavy foliage. The heroine of the story, Yona, was raised to survive in the harsh conditions of the forest by an old Jewish woman who was guided by mystical voices to kidnap her from her privileged life, in order to prepare her for her extraordinary destiny. Whether the old woman was guided by God, or by the forest is an open question, that is finally resolved towards the end of the book when Yona observes that the forest was created by God, so perhaps He was always present after all.

Yona begins the book as a somewhat naive, and thoroughly inexperienced young woman, who knows nothing of matters of the heart, or how to forge connections in a community. Despite that, she has an unshakable desire to help others; and she quickly begins to feel responsible for the Jews fleeing unspeakable violence, into her forest, where she realizes that she is uniquely equipped to keep them alive. As she learns to love, and labor alongside others, she also learns first-hand about heartbreak and betrayal, which is what ultimately sets her on a collision course with her past, and the destiny foreseen by her kidnapper. Yona’s character arc is well-done, and as previously mentioned, entirely relatable, even though I have never had to fight for survival in the depths of winter in a forest, or run for my life into a swamp, as Yona does with those under her protection. And when she experiences the power of redemptive love, it is a balm to the soul, reminding readers of the innocent value of a true, soul-deep connection.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars delves deep into questions of God’s will, life plans, and how Christian and Jewish doctrine can exist side-by-side. I personally enjoyed these spiritual aspects of the book a great deal and saw many of my own answers to life’s questions reflected back at me. At its core, this is a book that serves as a reminder that we have an obligation to our fellow man, and that truth and love are important values to fight for, and to preserve. This is not a light reading book, but it is a thought-provoking and enjoyable one.

Excellent tale of two year old Inge, renamed Yona, being take from her bed by Jeruza to be raised in the fores in Poland. Yona was taught all the ways of forest living, including how to listen to the forest and her intuition. Jeruza died when Yona was a teen who used the skills she knew to thrive at forest living. She had been taught to avoid towns and people, particularly men. She did meet a man, which led to her taking a group, which expanded over time, deep into the forest, sharing her knowledge of forest living.
There are twists and turns in the story that are page turners. I like Kristin Harmel's notes about her research, the connection to her own heritage, and meeting the man who inspired her to write the book.
I enjoy her style of writing and flexibility of story telling. Historical fiction is my go to choice but not limited to that genre.