I've read my fair share of books set during WWII. However, I can't recall reading one so focused on the Ukraine.

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is an amazing historical fiction selection that incorporates stories from the author's family and their experiences. You also get a better sense of the years of occupation the people have suffered and their continual struggle to be free.

While it took me a short while to get hooked, that was in large part a reflection of my not being in the headspace for another war book. So, I set it aside to pick up at a later date. Then, I found the story consuming my attention. I found myself practically on edge waiting to see what new obstacle or struggle the main characters (Halya, Liliya, and Vika) would face and if they would all survive the war.

After reading the story, make sure to read the author's notes to learn how her family's story inspired the novel.

Beyond reading for entertainment, this title would be an excellent selection for a high school student studying the time period to read. Or, use it as a book club selection with time to discuss how history seemingly repeats itself, especially in the Ukraine.

Another fantastic book by this author. It has everything happiness, sadness, love and even laughs.

This follows the stories of three females Liliya, Vika and Halya of what they had to go through during World War 2 the tragedies. They are very strong characters and what the face in adversity. The hardship the family went through you wonder who will survive and will they ever reunite again.

This book I would imagine will be one of the bestsellers it is a wonderful book. The book flowed and I could not put it down.

Well written and hopefully the author will write more books.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing! One of my top reads of all time

Set in WWII Soviet and Polish Ukraine, this book tells the story of three Ukrainian women's will to survive through the worst and best of humanity. It's a story about war, atrocities, loss, family, culture, resistance, survival, and kindness.

This one was a very emotional but an important book to read, not only in the context of today's Russian war against the Ukrainians but in a greater history of WWII. I am the granddaughter of a Jewish, Ukrainian survivor of Auschwitz and later Bergen-Belsen. I know the Jewish story of the war, but I had no idea that other Ukrainian people were taken as slaves by the N*zi's as well to feed the war machine and how much they were looked down upon, starved, and their towns and cities destroyed. Its yet another event in a long history of colonization and subjucation of the Ukrainian people that is very important to learn.

This book is historical fiction based on author Erin Litteken's family's heart-wrenching escape from war-torn Europe.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, NetGalley, and author Erin Litteken for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review. The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is out April 24, 2023.

I was blown away by The Memory Keeper of Kyiv. It was tragic and beautiful with a story that just sucked you in. I was so excited to see a second book from Erin Litteken and I was not disappointed. There is some overlap from the first book (so read it first!). This book is all that is good in historical fiction. Well researched with personal experiences added to enhance the story line and characters. I love historical fiction that makes me research more about events and culture. I have learned about new events in Ukraine and have some Ukranian recipes to try! Add both to your list and be prepared to fall in love with some fantastic historical fiction!

I loved how most of the characters came together in this story. I loved the friendship that formed between Liliya, Halya and Slavko. Both Liliya and Slavko made it their mission to take care of Halya from the moment that the two of them met her. I’m glad that Halya had Slavko when the two of them got separated from Liliya, and I had feeling that his feelings towards Halya were more than friendship, and I wondered if she picked up on her. I enjoyed reading the story from both Liliya and Halya’s point of view, they are both different but yet the same in few different ways. The three of them had been through so much together, but I am glad that they had each other during such horrific time.

Another fantastic and thought provoking novel from Erin Litteken. THis time focusing on three young Ukrainian women. The alternating chapters of Hayla, Vika and Liliya is a great way to know each woman individually. I felt so many emotions while reading this novel just as I did with her first novel.

Extraordinarily well written, poignant, heart-breaking full of emotion and eye-opening history, a must-read for any WW2/historical fiction reader!
This is the second book I have read by Erin Litteken, and my goodness does this woman know how to pull you into the page and grab hold of your heart, your emotions and your imagination. A truly gifted author who is going to soar higher and higher!
This isn't the easiest of books to read not only because of the subject matter but with what is currently going on in the world at the minute present and past seems to blur together in a very heartstopping and deeply emotional way, but it's a story full of hope and family beautifully entwined with hard reality and history..
If you only read one historical fiction book this year, make it this one!

this is a beautiful book by Erin Litteken. it's full of emotional turmoil and is packed full of pain and loss based around Ukraine traditional.
Definitely recomended

Erin Litteken is an amazing storyteller! This well researched book describes the resilience that these three daughters of Ukraine and their families endured during World War II.
This historical fiction was inspired by the stories told to the author of the struggles that her great grandparents experienced. It shows where the Ukrainians of today draw their strength from the atrocities their ancestors survived.
I very much look forward to reading her previous book and any to follow.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for this inspirational book #TheLostDaughtersofUkraine for my honest review.
*Posted to Goodreads

So I loved the memory keeper of Kyiv and this one didn't disappoint either.

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is a beautifully written story of pain and loss and strength.. it's books like these that make me love books

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. All reviews are my own and aren't influenced by anyone else

Erin Litteken is a masterful storyteller! I read The Memory Keeper of Kyiv and loved it so I was very happy to find this book just as compelling. Litteken weaves another complex, well researched story that features strong women fighting to survive. The characters are well developed, interesting and relatable. This was a book that I found difficult to put down! Thanks #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks

This was such a great historical fiction! I loved how carefully and well planned the story was, especially in how the author connected the experiences of the women and their families during the Holodomor and how these two atrocities were committed against one group of people in little more than a decade. Teaching (and writing) History is so contextual and for one to fully understand the timeline, cause and effect and other important historical data from this period, it is essential that these events be shared in context and that is exactly what Litteken was able to do with both this book and her other novel, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv. While the two stories can be read as standalones, they also weave together a story that creates meaning for the reader in the greater span of the historical and geographical context of this setting.

I also really loved that the timeline was linear and chronological, I find that HistFics of recent years time hop way too much! This way, readers can follow the story without constant interruptions. I also liked that there were three female main characters, all connected in some way, but also each unique and with their own aspirations and unique characteristics. Each of the women are resilient, intelligent and independent while also being caring towards others, experiencing great loss, and being bound by the constrictions of their time period.

Thanks so much to Rachel and Boldwood for giving me the chance to be part of this blogtour and to read this fantastic book! Grab your copy today!

#booktour

Another great book from this author during such a painful time. Three different girls from the Ukraine and their journey during WWII. With the current unrest in the Ukraine I find myself drawn to stories of this country from the past.

Beautifully written story of pain and loss and resilience. I fully enjoyed this author telling.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. All reviews are my own.

I loved The Memory Keeper of Kyiv when I read it last year, so when I saw that Litteken is releasing a new book, I just knew I had to read it. Honestly, The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is one of the most heart-wrenching yet very moving, powerful and beautifully written book.

The story follows the lives of three women, Vika, Lilya and Halya. All three of them are trying to do their best to survive WW2 and their lives are all intertwined during the most tragic moments of the war. All three women and their stories were filled with love, resilience, compassion, and strength, even though their everyday life during the war was filled with hunger, death, loss, cruelty and terror from both the Soviets and Nazis.

The writing of this book was just superb, especially the way each chapter portrayed a different POV and made the story so rich and full. At times, it is very hard to read as Litteken doesn’t shy away from displaying these three women's hardships and tragic realities. Although heart-wrenching to read, this book has quite a few beautiful moments when the generosity of people and selflessness are shown too. The author also shows how important those little acts of resistance are and people from different countries and backgrounds support each other in the face of evil. Every character in this book was so well written that I felt like I wasn’t reading a fiction book but a true-life account.

Overall: Brilliant book! Amazing writing! Such an eye-opener and very emotional. It displays the atrocities of Nazis and Soviets during WW2 yet shows how strong Ukrainians were and always will be. Can’t wait to see what Litteken writes next, but I am sure it will be as brilliant as her last two books.

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is an historical fiction account of the author Erin Littenken’s family through war torn Europe during World War II. We witness the heart wrenching struggles of the Ukrainian people caught in the middle, wanting to be recognized as their own county, but finding both the Russians and the Germans their enemy. Not knowing who to trust, and families torn apart, friendships are forged to help keep each other alive. “Family may not always be who you expect, but it is everything.”

I read the first novel penned by this particular author and was absolutely floored. It was a time period I was familiar with, but from a countrymen I was not, and events I had only heard mention of in passing. Being brought into those harrowing times but then, and in this new work, takes your breath away.

The atrocities endured are astounding. To lose one's country to one enemy, only to have it taken by another, making your homeland the continual battlefield for so much time is beyond belief, and yet a historical truth. Reading about things that sound so BEYOND and yet were realities is mind blowing. The things people endured, were exposed to, and survived... make your heart simply ache... but not everything shared was so grim. There were moments of stillness where they could just be. There were times when the darkness was so complete, and yet hope still endured. There were pockets of love that were uncovered unexpectedly, but cherished that much more for their rarity.

It's a heartbreaking, yet beautiful story about the strength of a people to survive, endure, and blossom, beyond the expectations of their captors to create a life worth living in a world not ruled by hatred, but hope. A great pick for Historical Fiction fans that you won't want to miss!

This is the story about the forced removal of Ukrainian individuals during WWII for the purpose of forced labor in Germany. This was a practice not only done in Ukraine, but in Poland, France, and other occupied territory. When reading about WWII and the massive scale of displaced persons, its easy to focus on the victims of the Holocaust, because their numbers and experience's are staggering and difficult to imagine. However in doing so we forget about the the victims of the forced labor and removal of millions of people. Not to mention the often brutal conditions those pushed into forced labor conditions often experiences. Litteken attempts to give voice to that experience, while also building on the story from her previous book.

I liked this story. I thought the high point was the description of the forced trek of the family from Ukraine to Germany a head of the red army was compelling, especially the fire bombing of Dresden.

My biggest issue with this is the nice neat bow it all ends wrapped up in. Considering the staggering death toll, its difficult to believe that not a single member of this7 person family perished during the forced removal/migration. Granted members died before the main part of the story, and the question of Halya's family is left in the air, but over all it just ended a little too tidy for my taste. That said Litteken is a talented writer, one whose books I will always be sure to read. I honestly loved the Memory Keepers of Kiev, it was one of the best books I read last year and routinely recommend it. Litteken offers a rare perspective on the Ukrainian experience for those in the West. She is easily accessible and popular, and she offers a gate way to learn more about their culture, history and experience's. So for that I give this 4 stars, though I didn't like it as much as Kiev.

I look forward to what ever she releases next!

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine covers fascinating material about Ukraine's history during the conflict years of WW2. It follows the story of three women who have all lost family, livelihoods and their homes, but still persevere through the hardships to keep their hopes alive.

There was much of the history of the story's timeline that I had not been familiar with until I read the book and I was also impressed that this was based on the true story of some of the author's family! Litteken writes with warmth and creates characters that the reader wants to cheer for.

Much of the story is heartbreaking for all of the trials that the women must endure during these war-torn years but it also shows how the spirit of humanity is stronger than the spirit of evil as we watch them thrive in spite of all the cruelty they face.

Many thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an advance release copy in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for ARC, in exchange for an honest review*

Moving, heart -wrenching, captivating.

Some books would stay with you long after you turn the last page. The Lost Daughters Of Ukraine was one of those books for me, and even though I finished it a while back, I can’t seem to get it out of my mind. I got this book a while back from Netgalley, but due to a hectic school schedule didn’t have time to read it until recently. My mom is from Ukraine, and I was born in Ukraine and had family there, so this book was close to my heart. When I picked this book, I knew that The Lost Daughters Of Ukraine would be hard to read, and a few scenes were tough for me to read. I can’t even begin to imagine what they went through during that time, but as I read the book, I felt like I could. The descriptions in The Lost Daughters Of Ukraine were so vivid I could picture everything as I read the book. I teared up a few times while reading the book.

I loved how most of the characters came together in this story. I loved the friendship that formed between Liliya, Halya and Slavko. Both Liliya and Slavko made it their mission to take care of Halya from the moment that the two of them met her. I’m glad that Halya had Slavko when the two of them got separated from Liliya, and I had feeling that his feelings towards Halya were more than friendship, and I wondered if she picked up on her. I enjoyed reading the story from both Liliya and Halya’s point of view, they are both different but yet the same in few different ways. The three of them had been through so much together, but I am glad that they had each other during such horrific time.

Vika. She was different from the other two girls, but unique. The similarities between the three women, their bravery. Despite everything that was happening, they kept on going and not giving up hope. I know that one of the hardest things during that time, is hope, not knowing if your loved ones were dead or alive. All through the book I was hoping for the good outcome where all of them would be reunited.

The Lost Daughters Of Ukraine was one of the best researched historical fiction books that I have read this year. It was interesting to me that it was based on author’s family history, I can’t begin to imagine how hard that must been to write. I would highly recommend this for any historical fiction fans. Be prepared to be on edge of your seat from the start until the end.

This very strong book, which touches the real historical events so well, it might leave you in tears. As the author mentions herself, that‘s the story where her family history intertwines with fiction (there are pointers at the end of the book about what is what).
I‘m glad that this book touches not only one side of WWII. A huge amount historical fiction books are purely based on German Nazis as the only bad guys in history. Now, every educated person should know that it was more nuanced than that and I hate to see how hugely other parties involved and the damage done is being overlooked, especially Soviets. The damage that haunts generations brought by war, greed, inhumanity, separated and lost families. How even after the end of the war, millions of people had to flee and couldn‘t come back home because occupying forces (yes, Soviet Russia), would get them sent to gulags – to another never-ending nightmare, where their homes were destroyed or given away to occupants. I bow my head that not everybody has forgotten this, and it is worth reminding the others, as history seemingly repeats itself – as heartbreaking as it is to realise that.
On a more personal side of the story – the characters described are quite nuanced as well, there are no just bad or just good ones – it all depends on how you look and perceive things, especially in such a dire situation there were all put to. Self-guilt, fierceness, depression, faith, empathy, fear, love – all of this and more, what makes humans humane, can be found in the story.
The language used in this book is beautiful, yet very realistic, making it even more so believable, as history shows – we know that there were a lot of people with similar stories. But it doesn‘t make them just a number in statistics. They all had lives, families, personalities, hobbies and passions, and various goals in life. Reading about individuals like these helps to maintain empathy and hope for the future. We all need a lot of this.