Inspiring novel based on the true story of the forced famine that took place after Stalin invaded Ukraine. Set in the present day, with reflections into the past through the journal of a young woman who endured starvation, hardship and the loss of her family. She commits to tell her story in the journal so that she can one day share the truth with the world. Timely novel. A must read for anyone interested in the history of Ukraine.

The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken tells the tragic story of one girl’s fight through the Holodomor. As Ukraine fights for its freedom, it’s time to remember the past.

I love historical fiction most because there are so many stories and events I never learned about in my American schooling. The Holodomor is one of those events. I am grateful to Erin Litteken for bringing Katya’s story to life.

Katya is a young girl in love when our story begins. But, as time passes, life is never the same again. Katya loses so much during this time of war and famine, yet she continues. Katya is firm and steadfast in her love. When tragedy befalls her repeatedly, she finally allows herself some happiness in America.

On the flip side, in this dual timeline, we meet Katya’s granddaughter, who also experiences tragedy. It takes learning her family’s past to come to grips with her future. The diaries connected brilliantly to history and how life has always been challenging.

I adored this story. My heart broke, and I wept more than I smiled, yet this book spoke to me and earned a special place in my heart. I am happy to award this book a full 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend The Memory Keeper of Kyiv to anyone who wants to learn more about the world around them and how harsh governments ruin the best of people.

😭This book has ripped my heart out into shreds. 😭

The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken is told from two timelines. One from the late 1920s and the other from the 2000s.

The main topic of the book is about the 1930s famine in Soviet Ukraine also known as Holodomor and a grandmother who is keeping secrets from her family.

I loved reading about the famine and the effects it had on people even though this was a historical fiction book it was insightful. I must admit I have never heard about this famine. It was very daunting to learning that shortly after the famine finished, the holocaust arrived. What a terrible time it must have been?

Harbouring food, writing secret notes, sneaking around in the dark, and living off food scraps such as making soup from potato skins really shows what life was like.

The characters in the book I think will have a rent free space in my head and in my heart for quite some time.

I highly recommend this one to anyone who loves gut wrenching war fiction books.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC for reviewing purposes.

Publishing is a business with a years-long trajectory, so when a book comes out with subject matter that coincides with current events, it feels propitious. Inspired by her great-grandmother’s story, Erin Litteken decided to write a novel based on her life in Ukraine before and after World War II. She had no idea the book would be published just as Ukraine fell into crisis once again. As the world admires the strength of the Ukrainian people, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv highlights the roots of that strength.

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Really enjoyed this book. Very different from my normal choice of reading material. I had never heard of Holodomor. So I really learned from the book. The strength and courage shown was amazing in this book. I’d definitely recommend this to everyone.

A harrowing storyline, but a book that definitely needs to be read. So heartfelt, heartbreaking and filled with memorable and engaging characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read "The Memory Keeper of Kyiv". It is my pleasure to offer this honest review.

I learned so much about the history of Ukraine during the 20th century by reading the novel. Considered the 'breadbasket of Europe' Stalin craved the land -- not the people. Author Litteken obviously did a great deal of research on this time in Ukrainian history and did an excellent job of depicting the horrors of the Russian occupation. Stalin created a famine and thousands of Ukrainians literally starved to death. Obviously, Russia still considers the land as theirs as we see from their actions in 2004 and 2022. Again, they desire the land and care nothing for the people.

The book tells the story of one family as they endured the brutality of the Russian occupation and how their lives were impacted living in America. I enjoyed the book very much and recommend it.

I absolutely loved this book, albeit it has a harrowing storyline.
So well written and such a lesson for people now.

I won't say I enjoyed this one. Because how can you say you enjoyed a book even of fiction book about this subject matter. I am glad to say that I read it and I did indeed learn a lot. Though I think I went through half a box of tissues in the process of reading it.

Perfect time as to the release of this book. Unfortunately, Ukraine has continuely had to defend herself against invasion and decimation and their courage at this moment is outstanding. Have been unable to review due to illness. Review coming soon! This novel looks fantastic and but I highly recommend it anyways! Can't wait to read this one! And the cover is perfect.

A great telling of a terrible time in Ukrainian history.

A riveting story. Almost 4 million deaths... Putin's Russia is every bit as bad as Stalin. After all of this known history, can we believe anyone that denies or can't believe in Russian war crimes and genocide. It's the essence of being Russian it seems. Certainly the essence of Putin. Shame on the Russian 'sheeple'.

This is a book based on true events during the Homodor. The story is heartbreaking and at times hard to bear, but must be told and must be read by all. What people do to survive is unfathomable.

The story takes us to Ukraine, with two sisters Alina and Katya living on a farm with their parents. Stalin's enforcers arrive and a simple life changes in a minute. The girls marry lifelong friends and first loves, the two brothers Pavla and Kolya. Stalin's enforcers tried to convince all the farmers to join the Collective Farming system, but when they did not it was enforced upon them and the evil acts they did to the people are deplorable.

Some in the village managed to survive, but sadly, most did not. The book takes us back and forth in time, as the family pain and secrets travel through generations.

This book and characters will stay with me for a long time. I know some of Ukrainian history because I have a close friend who is from there and she shares quite a bit. Now, in this present time, the Ukrainian people are under seige once again...and the pain will once again travel through generations...... the timing of this book is hard to believe.

Heartfelt gratitude to Erin Littenken for writing a great book, to the publisher and to NetGalley for the honor of reading it and offering a review.

Wow! - This an amazing book.

I had never heard of the Holodomor in Soviet Ukraine in the 1930’s but what a horrific period in Ukraine’s history. I love historical fiction because facts in history books are all well and good but to experience it on the page from a personal perspective is something else. It beggar’s belief that some humans can be so cruel to their fellow man and Ukrainians have suffered with Stalin, and then the Nazi’s and, of course, Putin. Reading this alongside the current conflict was extremely thought-provoking.

With the current situation with Russia's treatment of Ukraine, this book is even more poignant. It takes place during Stalin's rule and follows a family that deals with the results of his policies. There are a great deal of difficult situations and sadness, but also hope and resiliency.

I really tried to read this book, but after 3 tries I gave up. I just couldn't get into it. I will try again later.

This is a story that will live in the memory long after you finish reading it. Particularly poignant given the current situation in Ukraine, this is an important narration of a time in history likely to be unfamiliar to many, as it was to me.

Based loosely on events which took place in the author’s own family history, this is a tale of brutality and dictatorship but one where, love, strength and resilience triumph in the face of extreme adversity.

Told in a dual timeline, Katya’s tale is revealed through a journal she kept during the 1930s in Ukraine which she shares with granddaughter Cassie in the modern day.

There are some obvious parallels between Cassie and Katya’s lives in terms of love and loss but it is Katya’s storyline which is utterly engrossing and keeps the reader hooked throughout.

Although a work of fiction, it is impossible to ignore the real-life events on which it is based. There are many echoes with modern day Ukraine and only by telling these stories, can we hope to stop history from continuing to repeat itself, making this a must-read novel.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Set in two timelines, this novel follows Katya, a young Ukrainian girl, in the early 1930’s through the Holodomor - a forced starvation - which occurred under Stalin’s rule in Ukraine. This timeline is incredibly well written with complex characters. I found myself thoroughly engaged in all chapters from the historical timeline, even through the sometimes unbelievable (though historically accurate) horrors they were faced with.

The modern time line focuses on Cassie, a young widowed mother who moves in with her grandmother to help care for her after she is involved in an accident. If you are a frequent reader of dual timeline historical fiction, I’m sure you can guess where this is going. I did not find the characters in the modern timeline as engaging, although as far as dual timelines go it is fairly well done.

Having never heard of the Holodomor before I didn’t know what to expect with this book. I am grateful for the research that went into this novel.

Heartbreaking and horrifying at times, this is a must read for historical fiction readers. I especially recommend it to those who read WWII era Holocaust themed novels, as this has a similar feel, similar horrors, and similar spirit of survival.

This was incredible. It brings to light the issues within Ukraine at such an unfortunate time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

When Stalin's collective invades her village, 16 year old Katya and her family must make a choice. Those who do not join the collective disappear in the middle of the night. Those who join the collective are forced to give their land, food, and possessions to the collective. Either choice means death. In the modern day, Cassie, Katya's granddaughter finds her writings and journal. Slowly, she begins to learn her Katya's story and the history of Ukraine.

While Katya's story was absolutely fascinating, Cassie's story was boring and predictable. I wish the author had written solely about Katya and left the modern day story out. I knew almost nothing about the famine in Ukraine and found the historic aspects heartbreaking. I wish more authors would write about these difficult and overlooked events. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

WoW!!! The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken was a very powerful written book and You will need tissues handy. This is the book is of a Ukranian family’s survival of the Holodomor, - this is literally death by hunger, and was another horrific time in the history of Ukrainia. This was a time of famine, terror, deportation, and death. The famine was manmade by Stalin and the Soviets, as they stripped the country of its food.

This book is a must read, a love story woven in, and the back and forth with present day. which will have you hooked from the very first few pages that will take you breathe away. You will learn about Katya's life.

""I never imagined the release of my novel on a past oppression of the Ukrainian people would coincide with such a parallel tragedy." Erin Litteken""

May we never forget, lest history repeat itself.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.