WOW! I'm usually not a fan of short stories but this author nailed it in this book. I have read a lot of WWII historical fiction books but nothing quite like this. It was very hard reading about the Ukrainians and everything that they went through in WWII; especially with everything happening today. It was almost like time is repeating itself and it is very emotional to read. The book begins in 1942 and is told over a few years through the eyes of six different characters/stories and everything that they had to endure through the war. This book is a little over 150 pages but I felt so connected to the characters and my heart ached for them. I don't want to say much more as it is such a short book but I highly recommend this book to everyone.

A wonderful collection of stories. This was a brilliant read. Set aside plenty of time to read in without a workday. It had my head spinning with the great storytelling.

As the war in Ukraine is in its 2nd month and we are all devasted by the impact on the strong Ukrainian people and the beautiful country, this book bring us atrocities that we maybe never even knew about.
Based during the 2nd World War, tales of hardship, hunger but above all showing that Ukrainian people have courage and resilience
Written by Chrystyna, but based on tales told to her by Grandparents and family members these 6 stories show that the Ukrainian people have been in this position before. They did not bow down then and they sure as hell will not this time.
As Chrystyna says its time for David to stand up against Goliath.
A must read in these devastating times, and my thought and wishes are with Ukraine and its people, may they continue to find the strength to beat this war and be reunited with their families and loved ones 🇺🇦

This was a very moving book. The author writes with a great deal of empathy and sensitivity about the struggles of ordinary Ukrainians during World War 2. I feel like I learnt a lot about the nuances of war and I'd definitely read more from this author. Highly recommended!

Not an easy reading experience😞 but eye opening👁

This collection had a few rays of positive outcome shining through but, for the most part, was a series of vignettes of Ukrainians bludgeoned into a war that was not theirs during World War II. Most of the characters are innocent civilians caught between Stalin's forces and the Germans and their allies. So much destruction of life, property and a way of life. For me the children's experiences were the most poignant, especially little Lida's in "From Before to After-After," as families are torn apart and face sickness and starvation, not to mention cruel annihilation.

Having read these stories taken from true life experiences during WWII, I can't imagine the horror of a survivor from the 1940's facing invasion of their homeland and the chaos of war again in 2022. But these short stories give windows into the consequences of war from the perspective of individuals and families of different walks of life. It's a technique that works for me in historical fiction and made its point here. Souvenirs from Kyiv is a worthwhile effort, evocative, timely and relevant..

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is a collection of memories from those who know firsthand about the struggles Ukrainians are experiencing, though this covers before, during, and after WWII. These six stories give the reader insight to the situations that demonstrate the loss, strength, kindness, and perseverance of the authors. Sadly, history is now repeating itself. For those readers unfamiliar with the country, the author includes a map, glossary, and some historical background.

A re-print worth publishing during an important time. This book looks at the different stories of a few Ukrainians during World War 2. The story of strength will resonate with others as we unfortunately watch history repeat itself.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC.

This book was originally published in 2005, but is being relaunched in April 2022 as Ukraine is yet again under attack.

This is a short story collection based on the author's Ukrainian's family member's real life experience before, during and after WWII. As much as there's a large abundance of WWII fiction books out there, the Ukrainian perspective is rarely seen. The stories are loosely connected to each other and gives us a glimpse of the struggles of these people during that time.

These stories have a message of hope in the darkest times.

Heartbreaking. You're there. You feel their pain. Their fear. Their hunger. The despair. You're reminded that all we really know of war is of our own experience, an experience many have only experienced from the safety and security of their television screen or a book. Most of all, you're reminded that there are no winners in war, then or now. It's easy to feel anxiety as we see the past being reflected in the present. While the foreword is new, the book itself details experiences in the second world war but echoes strongly given current events.

I won't detail the stories as you need to meet them head on, with no expectations or screens to fully appreciate the despair and, yes, hope. As I type, the invasion of the Ukraine has entered its second month. We see the scenes on our tv screens, yes, but somehow even that and the starkly shattering scenes captured in pictures never quite lets us inside the heart, hopes, and dreams of the Ukrainian people. In this book, Ukrainian-American author Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger allows us to feel their hearts as she shares her stories of families past, as well as how it touched her as she researched. She weaves these stories into a tale of historical fiction but you know, you just know, the pain was real.

This book was an eye opener. Until recently, I must admit, I had no real knowledge of Ukraine or its people Her foreword, written post invasion, details a brief history of the country, noting that her goal is "to hold up a mirror to our humanity so we can reflect on how we have gotten to where we find ourselves. I write stories to help readers and listeners connect to their ability for empathy. And I write to resolve the truth behind the big picture, to make it clear that conflict is not about two teams meeting on the battlefield -- one called 'good' and one called 'bad', there are no winners in this story."

I recommend this to anyone who cares, anyone who has a thirst to know more than the news feeds dole out to us. It's a stunningly sad yet, ironically, hopeful story. The human need for freedom rings out. Read it. You owe it to yourself.

My genuine, heartfelt thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookoutture for making this book available. I shed tears, tears of sadness and hope.

This is such a beautiful story--of heartbreaking experiences of Ukrainian families during WW2. The author herself belongs to the Ukrainian-American generation and these stories are based on the stories of her own grandparents and relatives in Ukraine, during the Nazi rule. This story was written in the light of the Ukrainian-Russian war that is happening right now.

Each of these stories tells a story about bravery and courage. Larissa sews clothes, Mykhailo is a soldier, Marusia and her family are approached by the Nazis, all these stories are touching tales of how a person survived living under the Nazi regime. A heartbreaking story. The author does a good job of transporting the readers into the story, making the readers feel like they are also a part of the story. I actually enjoyed reading all the stories and felt touched by those stories.

Overall, this is an emotional heartbreaking stories of brave Ukrainian people on how they survived WWII. Worth five stars,

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Souvenirs from Kyiv is a collection of six short stories which are inspired by accounts from various family members of the author who lived through the horrors of World War Two in Ukraine, in the labour camps in Germany, and in displaced persons camps when the war had ended.

This book opened my eyes to the atrocities that Ukrainians have endured and are once again enduring in 2022.

Souvenirs from Kyiv was awarded 2nd Place in the 2014 HNS International Short Story Award and the collection won the silver medal in the IPPY Book Awards 2020 for Military and Wartime fiction.

Highly recommended for readers of Historical fiction especially World War II

A very moving and poignant read especially at this time with the conflict in Ukraine. A new author for me but one I will define look out for in the future. Over six short stories we read, and learn, about Ukraines fight for independence. Once started I couldn’t put it down.

Lucyk-Berger weaves together six stories that tell the rich and often tragic history of Ukraine and her people. Today, we watch in horror as Russia tries to bring the Ukranian people to their knees, but what most of us don’t know is that this is far from the first time Russia has perpetrated mass murder in Ukraine. This book and the information and message it contains is more important than ever. We have forgotten history and now it is tragically repeating itself. A book that made me cry and marvel at the bravery and resilience of the Ukranian people

This was a very poignant read especially at the moment and I couldn't put it down, I read it in one sitting. A collection of short stories charting the struggles that Ukraine have faced throughout history from the World War Two era including before and after the conflict. This book comprises of six stories and all are so beautifully written and are completely heart-wrenching but also have an elemnt of hope too.
This is an incredible book please read it.

Familiar with this author’s work, I gobbled up this collection, reading from start to finish over a few cups of coffee!

Merriam-Webster defines souvenir as “something kept as a reminder,” and Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger has done just that - provided us with something tangible, a reminder, of Ukrainians’ oppression and the seeds of fortitude that were planted.

Lucyk-Berger has compiled a collection of memories featuring the struggles of Ukrainians before, during and after WW2 as Germany and Russia fought for control of this resource-rich country. Reading this collection of 6 stories allows readers insight into the threads of strength, perseverance, loss, fear, suffering, hope, love, and kindness as they are woven into each Ukrainian family and relied upon to navigate through destruction on a harrowing escape from tyranny and now, in a fight for their democracy. What we are seeing today is not a new fight, it’s the continuation of a decades-old one.

For those of us unfamiliar with this country and its history, the author has included a map, a glossary, and historical background.

A worthy read based on the author’s family and extensive research.

I was gifted this advance copy by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger, Bookouture, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.