I really enjoyed the characters in this book. The children were fabulous in the way they each brought their own strengths to the group and how they stuck together, and the two adult main characters were great in how they helped the children. Even though there were frightful and horrible things happening throughout the book, I just never felt a sense of fear for anyone; it's one of those books where you know everything will work out in the end. Overall, it was a fine read.

I was expecting this book to be just like most War books but this was certainly different and was a really good book to read.

It was wonderful to read about how the children ended up together how the hardship and cruelty they had to go through. The book was well written and certainly was very engaging it was sad in places and also happy on other bits of the book.

It was a nice way where all the children helped people when they needed rescuing and also how they gave to people to help them.

I liked the characters especially Elsie she seemed an adorable wee girl. They all worked well together.

Would recommend this book.

In the first book in a powerful new World War II historical fiction series from Ellie Curzon, readers follow orphans Elsie and Jack as they struggle to survive the Blitz after being evacuated to the countryside where a cruel farming family exploits their loneliness. After escaping to London, they discover that their home has been destroyed and that their mother is dead, and Elsie becomes mute as they fall in with a band of orphaned former evacuees. During one particularly bad bombing raid, Elsie disappears, and Jack and his friends must find her before it is too late or they are all sent back to the country. With high stakes and an emotionally intense storyline, readers will love this powerful and moving new novel that focuses on children banding together, braving incredible dangers, and forming powerful relationships. The characters are the stars of the book, and their dynamics with each other are particularly emotional. Elsie and Jack’s relationship and character arcs are really well-written and will pull readers further into the story, while the depth of detail in both the characters and setting is absolutely fantastic. Brilliantly written and fascinating, this new World War II historical fiction series is a must-read for fans of Curzon’s other books and the genre.

I'm not even sure what to say. This is such an emotional story. I love seeing how it all eventually turned out for the lost orphans. The people that they end up finding and have looking over them is just amazing. I found it very interesting that a group of kids were doing so much in order to help those around them during the War.

This is a great, engaging read! I really loved this story!
The Blitz Kids gang is very active in London. Hitler is sending his air force to bomb out London in hopes England will surrender. But Londoners only band closer together.
Orphans, nightclub singer and a Ministry worker band together to fight not only Hitler’s destruction but also the black market.
A very uplifting read!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Now and again a book comes along that makes you lie in bed and refuse to get up until you have read the very last page. This is one such book.
I have read many books about World War II but this is my first time reading about the "Blitz Kids", a group of children who are sent to the safety of the country, but escaped and came back to be in London, This time slip novel is told from a dual point of view.
Elsie is a "Blitz Kid" trying to survive with her brother and the rest of the gang. Lisette is a singer who becomes intertwined with them when she helps save Elsie's life.
I don't want to say too much except- read this book!!! It truly showed the resilience of these Blitz children and didn't shy away from the horrors of war. The ending was amazing! Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book.
The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheLostOrphans #EllieCurzon #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetinEngland #BooksSetDuringWWIl #TheDeadEndKids

Inspired by a true story, The Lost Orphans is the first book in The Runaway Evacuees series. I found it to be an uplifting and moving tale with inspiring characters. While it’s not my favourite Ellie Curzon book, as I felt it dragged a bit and was slow towards the end, the story beautifully highlighted themes of loyalty, kindness, and the importance of friendships. What an adventure these Evacuees had. I do look forward to the next in the series. 3 ½ stars
I would like to thank the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest review.

Some books don’t just tell you a story, they stay with you. The Lost Orphans is one of those.

I went into this expecting a typical wartime historical fiction, but what I got was something so much more emotional. It isn’t really about battles or big political moments, it’s about children, about survival and about love that refuses to let go.

Jack and Elsie 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆 me. Right from the start. Elsie doesn’t speak after the orphanage is hit. She clings to Jack. Jack is this brave, barely older boy. He becomes her protector and her world. His love for her is everything.

The group of runaway children they find along the way is one of my favourite parts. These children have lost so much and still manage to come together to help others. There is so much heartbreak, hope and friendship.

This book is beautifully written. Jack and Elsie felt so real to me, I don’t think I’ll be forgetting about them anytime soon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Lost Orphans by Ellie Curzon. This is my first book by this author, but it won't be my last. It was amazing. Very moving and at times it was very heartbreaking. I had never heard of the "Blitz Kids" prior to reading this book. Although this book was a fictional story, it was based on the true story of runaway child evacuees. The book kept me engaged throughout the entire book. I would definitely recommend this book to others who like to read historical fiction. I gave this book a 5 star rating and I hope you enjoy it too. #Bookouture #EllieCurzon

Book: The Lost Orphans
Author: Ellie Curzon
Rating: 4/5 stars

The Lost Orphans was both a heartbreaking and harrowing WW2 story.
It follows main characters, young siblings Elsie and Jack, and how they managed to survive with a ragtag group of other orphans during The Blitz.

The story was bleak at times but kept me captivated. It was told through eight-year-old Elsie’s perspective, and it was sad and eye-opening as to what she and Jack experienced and what they had to endure. From being sent to live in the care of a cruel family to escaping back to war-torn London and banding together with other orphans on the streets - what they endure along the way makes them both extremely resilient.
This was especially true since Elsie, Jack, and the other orphans have no one to take care of them and must all learn to rely on each other to survive. They manage to form friendships and demonstrate how the power of love and positivity can persevere in dire situations.

The author’s writing in this story was vivid, descriptive, and had me feeling immersed in the story. It was clear that both authors, both Catherine Curzon and Helen Barrell, who write together under the pen name Ellie Curzon, did extensive research before writing about the WW2 time period.
The Lost Orphans is the first book in The Runaway Evacuees series, and I will be keeping an eye out for the other books in the series in the future.

Thank you very much again to Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to take part in the tour and for the opportunity to read an eARC of The Lost Orphans.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

the blitz kids.... the ones that people forgot.... they were sent to the country to stay safe when the blitz happened but some came back after the awful time they had there...

they reckoned it was safer in london than the country.... but the orphanage was just as worse.... but the night it was bombed ended up being the best night for the blitz kids

only at first elsie is trapped and needs help getting out
and though jack and his friends are trying to get elsie out it takes the appearance of a couple of adults to actually rescue them....

but all is not as it seems ... as someone is targeting the ones that nobody will miss and sending them out at great danger to themselves

what with the bombs and now this the blitz kids have their work cut out for themselves trying to stay one step ahead of the nuns and social services and helping during a time of need when london was a glow with fire...

its an interesting read that needs to be read that its all about the children at war... and not the adults... once you get your head around it and how helpless they feel but want to play their own part in the war its easier to understand and enjoy

I have read many books set in England during WW2, and it always surprises me when an author comes up with a new storyline. The Lost Orphans shares the story of homeless children during the blitz, as well as the black market and how they used children and homeless people to do the dirty work, considering them expendable. When war broke out, Elsie's and Jack's mother sent them to live in the country to keep them safe. They ended up on a farm where they were used as slaves, almost starved and beaten. They met 3 orphans there and they became a family. They ran away and headed back to London. Elsie and Jack were sure that their mother would take them all in. When they arrived at their home, there was a hole, and they were informed their mother had died. The five of them ended up living in an orphanage that wasn't any better than the farm they ran away from. When the orphanage gets bombed, they take advantage of the situation and end up living on the streets, but it is better than what they suffered at the hands of the nuns. They meet Mr. Wyngate and Lisette that night and they vow to take care of the kids. This is the story of what happens to them.

This was a wonderful story. It doesn't shy away from the horrors of the blitz that kills many people and destroys homes and businesses, but there is always hope. The group of friends end up helping save people during bombing raids and become local heroes called The Blitz Kids. This little group was based on a real group that were called The Dead End Kids. I was amazed at the bravery and resilience of this group of kids. Connie the song bird, Elsie the 8 year old who didn't speak and her older brother Jack who took care of her, Susan and her brother Ben and Ned, the boy with street smarts who was involved with the gangs and black market. They also had a little dog, Pippa, who actually helps them out of a few sticky situations. How these kids were able to survive in such situations was unbelievable and I admired their spunk, grit, honesty and street smarts. They were a found family along with some adults who helped them out. I really didn't know how bad some of the homes the evacuees were sent to could be, and I had no idea how the gang leaders and black marketers would use these children with no regard for their safety. I loved the ending of this one, and how hopeful it felt. The writing was excellent and drew me in from the start. I will definitely be watching for more books by this writing pair that make up Ellie Curzon.

The Lost Orphans is the first in a brand new series called The Runaway Evacuees from writing duo Ellie Curzon. I loved the previous series Village at War and this new book sees a very different setting and cast of characters from that of Bramble Heath. Set during World War Two and specifically the Blitz which caused untold loss and hardship for the citizens of London, this story follows a group of orphans from all different walks of life who do their best to navigate through turbulent times. The plot itself took a bit of time to settle down but once it did, I found myself really enjoying this tale of a plucky band of children who did incredible things in extraordinary times.

Admittedly, the first few chapters did feel a bit all over the place to be honest as they moved back and forth between 1941 and 1939 showing the origins of two orphans and how they had come to be at the orphanage. I felt I was just accustoming myself to the setting, plot and characters and their situation in 1941 and then I was jolted back to 1939 very briefly. I understand the necessity for this but I think it would have worked better to perhaps have one chapter solely dedicated to this and therefore all relevant explanation would have been provided and out of the way early on allowing the present circumstances to be explored more or less right from the get go. Aside from this issue fairly early on in the book I thoroughly enjoyed the overall story and as I have said once it found its feet everything started to fall into place and a nice rhythm occurred with plenty happening with very good overall character development. The star of the show has to be the little dog, Pippa, whom Elsie found and clings to like a safety net. You may think how could a dog have much of an overall effect on a story but it worked brilliantly here and little Pippa does deserve her own mention.

Set in the East end of London, the book has a tense opening as bombs rain down and amidst the chaos of bombs, fires and collapsing buildings 9 year old Elsie who has remained mute ever since returning from being evacuated from the countryside and upon doing so herself and her older brother Jack discovered that their mother had been killed in a raid, sets out to try and find little Pippa. Leaving the relative safety of an underground shelter she goes back to the orphanage only for a bomb to fall and obliterate the building but Jack, Ned and Connie do their best to find Elsie under the rubble alongside Lisette, a French lady who sings at a nightclub and the mysterious Wyngate who seems to appear out of nowhere but goes on to play such a crucial role throughout the entire book. The bunch of orphans hated living at the orphanage were they were more or less slaves to the nuns and their existence was viewed as nothing more than a hindrance. The nuns put on a show to the outside world and want the orphans back and will reside in a different building, but the kids have courage and tenacity and they give the nuns the slip. Now they are out on their own and have to brave the streets of London when times are tough, and they literally have nothing.

The little gang have nowhere to go and are forced to live rough and from here on in this is where their resilience and ingenuity come to the fore. They term themselves The Blitz Kids for the work they do in rescuing people caught up in the raids and earn notoriety in doing so. Despite how young they are it is truly remarkable how they look out for one another through the most challenging of times. They are so resourceful and make something from nothing time and time again but the fear of being hurt or the worst being killed in the Blitz remains a nightly threat. I found it really interesting to learn a good bit about the East End at the time and how the black market played a significant role in the plot as Ned and Jack were runners for the gangsters who operated these schemes. They did any little thing just to earn a few pence to get the gang by but this turned into something more sinister as someone is taking over the main players patch and the children of the East End involved in the running are being put in danger. This was an unexpected thread to the story which wasn’t always and the forefront and nor should it have been as the lives of the children and their resilience, bravery and tenacity were what was most important but yet said thread was a crucial piece to the overall puzzle and really made things dramatic, exciting and led to a strong climax in the final few chapters.

I’ve mentioned Lisette and Wyngate in name only but they are the two adults in the story who become like parents to the children even though they are in no way related to them or to each other. Lisette was subtly written and I feel there is still a lot more to learn about her future books. She regrets leaving Paris every day as her mother was left in the city of lights as she refused to leave and go to safety. She doesn’t know whether she is safe or dead and guilt eats away at Lisette. That’s why I felt she did so much to help the children. If she couldn’t help her mother or discover anything about her current circumstances she wanted to channel her energies into being useful. Wyngate was a pure enigma and by the end we do know a good chunk of his story but again I feel there is a lot more to come from him and even a book solely focused on himself and his exploits would be brilliant. He works for the Ministry but keeps his cards close to his chest. He appears like a knight in shining armour when the kids need him the most throughout the book having gotten themselves into situations that only an adult can get them out of. I did at some points question whether he had ulterior motives and I was desperately hoping that he was as real, caring and helpful as he came across.

The Lost Orphans was a great start to what promises to be an exciting series and you’d never know that two people were writing under one name so seamless did everything come across. OK there might have been some bits that were a bit unrealistic despite being based on a real gang of children who gained notoriety during the Blitz. I did question whether Winston Churchill would have stepped in in the manner in which he did in order help solve a very tricky situation but I suppose that’s what you can do in a work of fiction you have the liberty to play around with things. There were a few others things I did stop and think - would this really have happened? Is such and such a thing just that bit too farfetched? But then I just threw caution to the wind and enjoyed the book for what it was - an entertaining read packed full of ups and downs highlighting the bravery and indomitable spirit of those who endured the Blitz. Book two in the series, The Lifeboat Orphans, will be published in November and having a quick read of the blurb it sounds like another great read with much more in store for this hardy and courageous group of young children.

📆 single, linear timeline
👀 dual POV.
🐢 -🐇 medium-paced

What an astonishing story, made even more so realising that the "Blitz kids" are based on a real life group of children known as the "Dead End kids".

The Lost Orphans is a beautiful story, full of loveable characters, my favourite of whom is definitely Elsie. What a star she was. It really bought home the realities of the war and the hardships and heartbreak that was faced by everyday people. Children really were orphaned, sent away to homes where the people weren't kind to them; and some ran away, back to London, deciding that they'd rather face the bombs than the cruelty of those entrusted with their care.

I loved the criminal undertones that ran throughout the book too. I can only imagine that the turmoil of war made it so much easier for petty criminals to operate.

I can't wait to see whats next for our plucky band of children in book 2. I'd also love to know more of Mr Wyngate's past, and of course what Lisette's Maman is up to!

Wow. What a wonderful book and and heartfelt read for sure. Set in London in 1941 Elsie and Jack have lost everything except each other. Roaming the streets they become a part of a band of orphans but the bombings continue, Elsie is lost to them and they search high and low for her. This is really the story of the children, their strength and courage through such tough times.

I loved this book as it was written from the view of the children, which is unusual. I love the children in this story as they where written with such heart. They story is all encompassing and I couldn't put it down. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time to come. So emotional, heart-breaking yet it lifts your spirits to read of the children and what they do for each other and for others in their search for a normal life and the end of the war.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Elsie, and her older brother Jack are the only surviving members of their family. They embark on a perilous journey to find their parents, who mysteriously disappeared during the war. The devastation wrought by the conflict has left them with nothing but memories of their lost family and homeland.

With no other choice, Elsie and her brother Jack join a group of orphans and evacuees, fleeing for their lives as relentless bombs rain down. Amidst the chaos, Elsie is separated from Jack, leaving him and his friends to risk their lives once again to find her.

Ellie Curzon’s “The Lost Orphans” is a heart-wrenching tale of unwavering love and courage that transcends all comprehension. The story deeply moved me, evoking a river of tears that refused to subside.

This fast-paced novel has left an indelible mark on my heart, and I will cherish its memory for a lifetime. Curzon’s masterful storytelling immerses the reader in the story, allowing them to hear the ominous sounds of bombs and air raid sirens echoing through the pages. She breathes life into this harrowing tale, making it a must-read for anyone seeking a profound and emotionally resonant experience.

I am obsessed with Ellie Curzon’s books. Every story is so well told. I always jump at the opportunity to get an early copy of their books because I never want to wait to read them.

I loved this one because we get the children’s perspective through Elsie. Such a young girl experiencing such scary things and persevering. I liked how connected she was to her fellow orphans and her older brother. Jack was determined to protect her against all odds. Elsie is wise beyond her years, and wants to help others like her and those that get insured in the blasts.

I love the nickname The Blitz Kids. It makes their predicament known to so many and helps them get acknowledgment for all that they do.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book.

Wonderful, unputdownable historical fiction!
The Blitz in London is raging, on and on , night after night. The bombs are completely indiscriminate in what they destroy; homes, orphanages, schools, etc., are being obliterated. Out of the destruction rises a group of brave children, who band together and become known as the “Blitz Kids” for their heroic efforts to save others.
The author’s notes at the end were fascinating! The “Blitz Kids” and their good deeds were based on an actual group of children, known as “ The Dead End Kids”.

* I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

When their mum puts them on a train to the countryside to keep them safe, Jack and Elsie don’t know they will never see her again. When they decide to run away after one beating too many, Jack and Elsie take with them the other children who are being neglected on the farm.

Since coming back to London and finding out her mother has died, eight-year-old Elsie, hasn’t spoken. Her older brother Jack and the other children all do their best to look out for her.

With bombings happening regularly, the children decide to go out and help, not just run to the local shelters. They soon become known as ‘The Blitz Kids’.

This is a well-written and thoughtful story based on the children of World War 2. I found this to be an informative book, as I hadn’t realised just how much children did to help during the war.

It was also an emotional read, to lose your friends in horrific circumstances must have been devastating for the children, and the authors manage to capture those feelings.

It was a gripping story and is the first in a new series by the authors.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Children needs protection but this group of orphans protect each other and help others. They became the Blitz Kids.
Can these children together with some helpful people change things during a difficult time?
This was a great heartwarming story. I enjoy reading this series.

Thank to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this story.