Everything about the book screamed I’d enjoy this one, the cover, the blurb, the genre.. the question is did the emotion jump off the page for me?

Oh yes..my personal opinion is that for a topic like this emotion is the key, without it the book just won’t hit home, but I need not have worried.

I’ll try to keep the review spoiler free as possible but Liliya’s tale was the strongest for me, the most heart wrenching.. the most emotive.. my heart broke for her as one slave master is replaced with another… the German’s were meant to be liberators.. but the truth is they are far worse than the Russians.

I think the key message from the book is hope.. strength..and with current events in Ukraine I just felt this was a positive message within a hard hitting emotive story.. the pure will the survive.. to keeping moving..to fight.. the cruelty of war but the good that can shine through the dark.

Even throughout the turmoil Liliya still manages to live some form of a life, the day to day jobs to survive and for all the characters I felt this is what hits home the most, the people stuck where they are.. trying to live while under threat each and every day.

The pace of the story flowed well. There’s a changing perspective throughout the tale as the focus shifts from character to character so I do advise you take your time to really feel the characters’ lives develop, but overall the change in perspective helped me as it just kept me gripped.

The author showed real skill with emotions and descriptive scenes, the detail added really helped you imagine the events in real time.. the running.. the burning in the cheat to out run the German draft for example. Just simply beautifully written.

I just... wow!!!!!
I'm a huge historical fiction lover, specially around these war stories. And I think this is one of the best HF books I have read!!!! And believe me when I say I have read hundreds, this one goes to my top 10!!!

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine by Erin Litteken was a very moving and compelling book. Erin Litteken masterfully told the story of Ukraine’s turbulent history through the eyes and experiences of three strong female characters. Although Ukraine is presently in the midst of defending itself against the atrocities Russia has inflicted upon its people and their land, I had little knowledge about all the upheaval this country was made to endure over the years by both the Soviet Union and Poland. The Ukrainian people were caught right in the middle of these two countries. Through the lives and voices of the three female protagonists in The Lost Daughters of Ukraine, the brutalities Stalin inflicted upon the people of Ukraine were realized and felt as was the constant struggle the Ukrainian people endured with the people of Poland. If oppression from the Soviets and Poland was not enough, the Germans added to their suffering during World War II. The people of Ukraine wanted to live in peaceful harmony but Stalin, Poland and the Nazis were not compliant in their desires. Matters got even worse when the Nazis invaded Ukraine during World War II.

By 1941, the Nazis had infiltrated Ukraine and the lives of the Ukrainian people went from dire to even worse. The Nazi presence was felt by all. Food became even scarcer, farm animals were stolen by the Nazis and homes and even whole villages were burnt if the Nazis suspected insubordination against them. Children as young as ten years old were snatched from the streets and taken away from their families against their will to serve the Germans as slave laborers. These children were ripped from their parent’s arms and transported to Germany to work in munition factories. Often times, families were not privy to the locations their children had been taken to or what they would be doing.

Vika had escaped the famine imposed by Stalin during the Holodomor of 1920-1930. She and her husband and only one of her sisters escaped and made their way to Ukraine. Vika was forced to leave the rest of her family behind. She was now living in Volhynia. Vika and her husband had four children and they were Vika’s dominant concern. Her main objective was to keep them safe at any cost. Liliya was Vika’s niece. During her mere existence of seventeen years, Liliya had already experienced so much sorrow. After losing both her parents and her brother to the brutalities of both Stalin and the Nazis, Liliya decided that she would go back to Volhynia and live with her aunt and uncle. She was a talented artist and found solace in her sketching. Liliya vowed to never love anyone again because all the people she had ever loved had died. She was a grieving and troubled adolescent. Halya was a twelve year old young girl who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her mother, Katya, tried to keep Halya safe from the German soldiers who were taking innocent children for slave labor but when they became separated, Halya was snatched up by the Nazis. She became another victim of Nazi oppression.

The lives of these three characters would be woven together through their grief, love, resilience, hope, courage, despair, and compassion for each other and for those they felt so passionate about. Through their eyes, we were able to witness the hardships they were made to endure, the cruelty they were made to witness and the losses they suffered. At times, unexpected glimpses of humanity and kindness shown through and gave these three incredible women the courage to hope and find the courage to not give up.

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine was inspired by the author’s own family’s history. This was the first book that I had the pleasure of reading by Erin Litteken. At some point, I hope to go back and read her previous book, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv. The Lost Daughters of Ukraine was very well written and researched. I really enjoy books that were inspired by actual family history and this one was very convincing. It only made me even more aware of all the atrocities the people of Ukraine are going through right now. The Lost Daughters of Ukraine was about family, unbelievable devastation, loss, survival, grief, resilience and love. I really enjoyed reading The Lost Daughters of Ukraine by Erin Litteken and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for allowing me to read The Lost Daughters of Ukraine by Erin Litteken through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

**THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.**


Erin Litteken does it again. She wrote a second historical fiction novel that made me cry multiple times and I couldn't put it down. I learned more history about Ukraine and World War II, a topic I thought I knew quite a bit about. The loss, pain, and absolute terror of war are expressed through her characters beautifully, keeping hope alive in the small seeds of realism; that we can never really go home again, but we are still alive. So fight to live.

We briefly get to see Katya again from Memory Keeper of Kyiv and learn more about Halya's story. In this novel, we learn how she is taken to Germany as a laborer and her ultimate survival and immigration to America. Knowing that in Memory Keeper of Kyiv, Katya thought she was killed and never found her absolutely kills me. They were so close to being together again.

I think of this story and the stories of so many families separated by war, and narrowly escaping tragedy, and narrowly missing windows of reunion. The serendipity of life can so often leave depths of regret and questions unanswered.

Beautifully done. Thank you Erin for putting together these threads of your family's story and the history we need to be reminded of.

Halya, Vika, and Liliya are Ukrainian. I enjoyed the way their backstories were the focus of the plot and the alternating chapters made the already excellent story even better. I love novels with alternating chapters as it allows me to get into the characters’ lives. I especially liked Vika’s horse scenes because I love horses. Emotions and scenes depicting difficult moments surrounding the war were dealt with in a way that was sensitive to the reader but did not hide the reality or sugar coat what was happening.

The attention to detail was top notch. I felt like I was in the Ukraine.

The pace is great given the complexity of the subject matter. This really helped me follow the story.

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is as beautiful as it is harrowng. Halya, Vika, and Liliya each have their personal battles and lives, and it was humbling to witness their lives by their side. Halya, being the youngest at 12, has extra battles as she's discovering what the world is like with a war around her. It's a learning curve for all the characters whatever their age and circumstances really.

Though war is a huge backdrop, there's also love, loss and friendship and courage as themes. Resilience is a trait all the characters share as they fight for a sense of normality despite the terrible affects of war.

I felt so many emotions: fear, a sense of foreboding, and some parts moved me almost to tears while others were happier moments. Whatever I was feeling, I was compelled to continue the story as it was just so immersive. What makes things more raw and real is the plot is based on the author's own experiences. That makes the novel more special and poignant.

One thing I do wish ever more after having reviewed The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is that Ukraine will have peace from the current war situation soon.

Thanks to Erin Litteken, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars. I'd give it more if I could.

This is Erin Litteken's second book that I have read. It's a historical fiction novel that I just knew would be an excellent read immediately. I couldn't wait to turn my kindle on and start the book.

The story centres upon Vika, Liliya and Halya. Set during World War Two and up to 1947. We witness the devastation to them and their families, initially by the Soviets then the Germans and again the Soviets. This was such a powerful and emotional story. Especially as I read it in relation to the fact that the Ukrainians have been invaded by Russia...yet again and have been fighting for over a year now.

Erin Litteken's characters are again created to such a high standard that I felt like they were real people. I cried with them and felt everything they were going through. The bravery and tenacity of these people is the only thing that keeps them going. Even to this day, I see the brutality of the regimes that have invaded Ukraine over the years and they never give in. This is so clear as events unfold.

Again, this has been written so skillfully that you can't tell were the fictions ends and the facts begin. Erin Litteken is a master storyteller and I was spellbound by The Lost Daughters Of Ukraine. Emotional, powerful, and hard hitting. It's a book I would recommend to anyone and everyone.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, NG and Boldwood Books.

Such a remarkable book!
The Lost Daughter’s of Ukraine 🇺🇦 tells a very important story of Ukraine’s history. In this book, this country is literally surrounded by bigger and stronger-countries determined to destroy the people and culture of Ukraine.
The author has shared her personal knowledge and family history of Ukraine’s struggle during the Germany invasion and the Soviet invasion in the 1940’s.
Considering the current state of unrest in Ukraine, this book is a must read!

There are a lot of WWII books out now, with many more being released each month and it is easy to find some of the books repetitious. There are a lot of similarities in these books, but every now and again you get the opportunity to read one that is different, and you realise that this is why you continue to read books set in this period. The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is one of those books! I started learning new things even in the prologue!

Firstly, the book is set predominantly in an area of the Ukraine that I previously had little to no knowledge of. It is an area of the world with a very volatile history and, as we know from the very recent news headlines, this continues to today. This is an area that has been fought over for years, at times being invaded by the Russians, at other times by the Polish, and of course the Germans in WWII.

At first the residents of the town where this novel is set are relieved that the Russians are driven out of their country as the Germans approach, but it doesn't take long for them to realise that this change of regime does not mean that their life is going to get any easier. The Ukrainian people don't like the Polish people because of the crimes committed against them and vice versa. Both The Polish and the Ukrainians have set up resistance organisations trying to oust first the Russians and then the Germans, but there are times when they are too busy fighting each other. It's a messy world where it is difficult to know who you can and cannot trust.

This novel traces the lives of 3 women, each at different times of their lives. There is Liliya, who is a young woman who has lost her immediate family, who watched her mother die in her arms, and then her father was killed by Polish in the village they had moved to for a fresh start.

Liliya returns back to her childhood home which is now occupied by her aunt, Vika, and her young family. Vika's challenge is to keep her family, which now includes Liliya, together and safe. However, with young people being forcibly conscripted to work for the Germans, it is only a matter of time before the family will be separated. The question is can they all survive the war and find each other again.

The third main character is twelve year old Halya. She is being raised by her father and her stepmother, Katya, knowing very little of her birth mother. Katya is doing her best to protect Halya, even employing tactics such as rubbing her down with garlic to make it looks like she has a rash, so that the Germans won't select her for transportation.

In the first part of the book I was wondering how the author would bring all three strands of the story together, but gradually she did. First, Halya meets Liliya and her cousin Slavko (Vika's eldest son)and the three young people determine to stay together in the hope that they will be able to look out for each other. But staying together in a world where you are not in control of your own destiny is hard. It just takes one small incident to separate them from each other.

Vika is reluctant to leave her home, but it soon becomes clear that she will need to, or her family will face reprisals from the Russians who are forcing the Germans back and retaking the lands they once held. At every turn there is danger and it isn't always clear what the right action to take is.

We also go to see about some of the truly devastating events such as the destruction of the city of Dresden by the allies resulting in massive fires which in turn caused horrific loss of civilian life. I first became aware of the events at Dresden in the mid 1990s when i visited Dachau. We were at the train station when an elderly man tried to convince us that Dachau was closed that day so we didn't need to visit. When we pulled out our guide books to say that it should be open (pre-internet and Google) he started yelling at us about the air raids on Dresden, about the level of destruction and how people were forgetting about it. It has always stuck with me as, at that time, there were plenty of people who could have been part of those horrible events still alive. It makes you remember that we were really only one step away from that history. Reading about it in this book made me remember that exchange straight away.

The fact that at least some of the events described in this novel are based on the author's own family history, just helps to make the story even more poignant.


I was vacillating between giving this book a grading of 4.5 or 5 out of 5. Whilst the beginning was a bit choppy with the changes of narrator, the author did a great job of bringing it all together. I was moved by the individual stories and I learnt a lot. It is an excellent read and I will definitely be reading more by this author.

This book counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. You can find information in relation to the challenge here.

Check out other stops on the blog tour too!

Rating 5/5

Thank you net galley for giving me this opportunity to read 'The Lost Daughters of Ukraine'.
The story centres around three women who have lost family members during WWII.
Vika is a wife and mother who loves her family fearcely. She would do anything to keep them safe.
Viliya is a 17 year old who happens to be Vika's niece. She has lost both of her parents and her brother.
Halya is the youngest at 12 years old. As fighting continues she gets separated from her mother and is soon put on a train to Germany.
On the train to Germany Halya meets up with Viliya and her cousin Slavko. The three make a pact to stay together during the war.
Each woman has lost a lot not just family but their own being of how to survive during the turbulent time during WWII.
This book will have you in tears as it did me. It's like what is going on in Ukraine right now. No one shoukd have to live through dark times like this.
If I could I would give this book 10 stars.

I got completely lost in this book. It was so well written, and had such great characters that made easy to get absorbed in their lives. This heartbreaking yet heartwarming narrative made this a difficult but beautiful read.
The history is so well researched and written so I now know so much about that time and it makes me appreciate this book so much.

Liliya, Vika and Halya are three females living in Soviet and German occupied Ukraine during WWII. Their stories intertwine as the war ravages their lives and the lives of their families and neighbours.

I knew very little about Ukraine’s suffering in WWII, knowing only about what they are going through right now and I was horrified at their suffering. The raw anguish brilliantly described in this book brought me to tears several times.

This beautifully written book tells a wonderful yet harrowing tale of strength, courage and resilience and shows how the kindness of strangers can come to mean everything when it seems there is no hope.

Erin Litteken is a truly gifted writer.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The List Daughters of Ukraine by Erin Litteken

I've read her other book and very much looked forward to reading this one.
Set once more in Ukraine , this time we are introduced to Halya , Liliya and Vika.
Vika is a mother ,Liliya a young girl of 17 and Halya just 12.
We follow these 3 whilst they all have very different lives and struggles and each at different points in their life.
A brilliant story , often heartbreaking and harrowing , beautifully researched , and based on true life. A must read.

Well-researched and beautifully written, thought-provoking war events taking place in 1943: Ukraine: Story of three daughters in Ukraine during the Nazi occupation of Soviet Ukraine unfolds; Liliya lost her beloved brother and mother to death in the hands of Soviets who were capturing and killing the members of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists UPA. The Germans had violated the Soviet line near Volodymyr and they entered into Volhynian territory with tanks, airplanes, and bullets bursting through. She was raised by her father. Liliya lived in the middle of the war, during this time Ukrainians are not allowed to go to school by the Germans, even then her desire was to attend the Ukrainian free university in Prague. She wanted to go there when the war was over. While turning 17, Liliya understood marriage is not the answer to everything, she wished to see the world. She had her dream to see the world and study birds and wildlife. Ironically speaking she falls in love with her friend, Filip, a Polish boy. Liliya, the character is very interesting to know and she is courageous. Halya: Halya lost her mother Alina to death when she was small, since she was raised by Katya who she called Mama. During these times of war, the Germans were thousands of people were sent to work in their factories. Vikas: Being a Ukrainian, she was always worried and protective about her children, preparing her children Sophia, Bodha, Nadya, and Slavko as they grew up in a warzone. Will Vikas get her family back as they weren't safe anywhere and Liliya her niece and Slavko were taken by the Germans on a train for the German labor force.

Loved the plotline which was paced nicely and immerses the reader till the end. The story captures the period of World War 2 when Ukraine was under the control of the Germans. Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books Publishers, and Rachel Random Resources for a Complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.

Please find the Blog tour of this book on my blog: Novel Nerd Blog: https://smithareading.blogspot.com/2023/04/book-on-tour-book-review-lost-daughters.html

Inspired by the authors family history The Lost Daughters of Ukraine follow the lives of three women in Ukraine during the war. The author has put a massive amount of research in to the story and you can tell. It is told so avidly and honestly, the author is not scared to tell it how it really is no matter how painful. This is the first book I have read from the war about Ukraine and like all the others it's powerful. I felt alot of rage and anger while reading but the love shines through. My heart broke for the families and I honestly don't know how some managed to survive, it just shows the strength of the human spirit. A beautifully told story that made me scream, cry and smile.

Based on her family history, author Erin Litteken writes about the lives and survival of three Ukrainian women and their families through the Nazi enslavement and murder of their countrymen during WWII. Excellent historical writing and recommended reading.

Resilience in the times of great tragedy is a key theme in Erin Litteken’s new book, THE LOST DAUGHTERS of Ukraine. Based on stories of her great-grandmother and her research, Littleken brings the atrocities the Russians and the Nazi’s forced on the people of Ukraine during WWII. Her first book, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv (published before the start of present day Russia’s invasion of Ukraine) told the story of Russia invading Ukraine in the Holodomor in the 1930s.

In my opinion, both of these books are must reads. We follow the stories of Liliya, Halya, and Vika throughout the war. I had to take several breaks while reading about their struggles…the suffering they endured was mind boggling. Yet, there were acts of kindness at times by complete strangers. In the back of my mind, I keep thinking about how once again the Ukrainians are suffering. This is a book that definitely would lead to great discussion by book clubs.

I was so honored to be asked to be part of the book tour for ‘The Lost Daughters of Ukraine’ after reading ‘The Memory Keeper of Kyiv’ last year.

Litteken’s first book took us inside Ukraine before WWII during Stalin’s forced famine. In that book, little Halya was born. This book follows her through the invasion of both the Soviets & the Germans during WWII.

This book breaks your heart wide open for the people of Ukraine, reminding you of the devastation the people in that country have endured for decades— living their lives constantly under attack.

I found this book so fascinating because it shows us a side of WWII we don’t often read about— a country forced to fend off both the Germans & the Russians. Children as young as 10 sent to labor camps— forced to work in factories building German weapons. The conditions sounded eerily similar to concentration camps.

Litteken modeled much of this story after her own family’s experience. I simply can’t comprehend what they went through, and what people in Ukraine are experiencing today. I highly recommend this book, as well as her first novel, for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or wants to learn more about Ukraine’s history.

Follow these three girls and their lives and struggles on living in Ukraine in the 1940's with war knocking on their door! Such great research went into this fantastic story, and it gives you so much not a great story of the people who lived here but it helps to know some of the history with Russia and what Russia is doing to this country now and why. the characters before you know it they become real people and you forget that you are reading a story. If you are into history and interested in WWII and Ukraine, this is the book for you! First time reader of Erin Litteken but it will not be the last!

Another gripping tale of a girl, a young woman and a mother who struggle to survive the horrors of the Ukraine during WWII, when everyone was fighting everyone else.....Poles, Germans, Russians, and Ukrainians. All three show supreme courage in the face of their oppressors, I couldn't put the book down, and to know that many of the characters are based on memories of relatives of the author just made the book even better.

Please read this book, it is a not to be missed novel. In addition, also read her earlier book, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv. Erin Litteken is a captivating writer and I will run to find her next great read!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I am most grateful!

This kind of book that fictionalises history is never easy to read - and with good reason. It is important to keep the tragedies of the past in the public consciousness.

Extremely well-written, this book is both informative and absorbing. I learned a lot about Ukraine's history and in the current political climate it is necessary to stay informed about the past to gain a greater understanding of today.

Following the three daughters of Ukraine as they dealt with all the hardships of war was hard and I admit to shedding a few sets at the end. Although there can never be a happy ending to war, the daughters do all find a way to move forward - an important message for us all.