8 ratings | 2 reviews | avg rating:4.50

Cynthia’s Year In Books

Cynthia’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Cynthia’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Cynthia’s 2025 Year in Books

Cynthia LeBrun’s Followers (10)

Cynthia’s Bookshelves

to-read (1)
currently-reading (0)
read (9)
did-not-finish (0)

Cynthia’s Friends (5)

Marsha

2,199 books | 1,593 friends

Alex Helm

102,137 books | 1,675 friends

Ed Tomaszewski

95 books | 1 friend

Mateusz

1,747 books | 126 friends

Paulette MacQuarrie

20 books | 2 friends

Cynthia LeBrun

Goodreads Author

Born

Canada

Member Since

October 2023

edit data

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Cynthia LeBrun questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

Hi Cynthia! I had the opportunity to read an advance review copy of your book, and I absolutely love it. What was your inspiration for the novel?

Cynthia LeBrun My mother-in-law, Veronika, was the inspiration for this novel. As she got to know and trust me, she spoke freely about her family and village life un…moreMy mother-in-law, Veronika, was the inspiration for this novel. As she got to know and trust me, she spoke freely about her family and village life under Stalin’s occupation of Ukraine in the 1920’s and 30’s.
Over hours of taped interviews, I came to know and love the carefree, mischievous girl she was at the age of six and her loving, protective father and mother as well as the various members of the Polish, Ukrainian and Jewish community of Kuzmin in Western Ukraine.
Often Veronika cried as she told of how one member of her family after another were sent to the Siberia gulags on trumped up charges and how people desperate with hunger tried to flee the Holodomor, the famine.
Yet Veronika also told me of the moments of joy and community strength as the people tried to hold on to their culture, their faith and their lives.
The similarities between Stalin and Putin’s tactics to destroy Ukraine and its people are uncanny, and I felt it was a story that had to be told. (less)

flag

3 likes · like
Comment

See 1 answer from Cynthia LeBrun…

Combine Editions
Cynthia LeBrun’s books

Average rating: 4.42 · 38 ratings · 14 reviews · 1 distinct work • Similar authors

Black Sunflowers

4.42 avg rating — 38 ratings — 2 editions

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

1 post
Cynthia LeBrun's Blog

Black Sunflowers

I will die, I will die. And nobody will know my grave. And nobody will come and remember, Only the nightingale will sing. Inspired by a real—life story, Black Sunflowers illuminates one of the darkest times in Ukrainian history: the Holodomor or "death by hunger." The book begins in 1928, in Soviet—occupied Ukraine, where Veronika and her family live on their farm in the close—knit village of Kuzm Read more of this blog post »

1 like · Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on October 18, 2023 18:35

rss
Cynthia’s Recent Updates

Cynthia LeBrun has read Black Sunflowers by Cynthia LeBrun (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I’m excited to see the Kindle edition of my book, Black Sunflowers is out!!
Feb 19, 2025 04:36PM · 4 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Black Sunflowers by Cynthia LeBrun. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Black Sunflowers by Cynthia LeBrun <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia LeBrun rated a book it was amazing Ukrainian Food Flair: Authentic Recipes from Canada's West Coast by Sylvia Molnar	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This is a phenomenal cookbook with all the recipes I’ve heard about but could never find in other books. What I especially love is the simple family recipes that Ukrainian and Polish people grow up with. Recipes like: buckwheat kasha, radish salad, a ...more
Feb 19, 2025 01:19PM · like · see review
Cynthia LeBrun wants to read On Freedom by Timothy Snyder (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 29, 2024 06:49AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of On Freedom by Timothy Snyder. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — On Freedom by Timothy Snyder <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia LeBrun and 1 other person liked Rose's review of Black Sunflowers: "Black Sunflowers is a first novel by Cynthia LeBrun. Based on a true story, it follows a Polish family through the post-World War One and Holodomor period into the early part of the second World War. As such, it helps to provide a context for underst" Read more of this review »
Jul 29, 2024 10:48PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Black Sunflowers by Cynthia LeBrun. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Black Sunflowers by Cynthia LeBrun <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Cynthia LeBrun rated a book really liked it Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 27, 2024 08:05PM · like
Cynthia LeBrun and 2 other people liked Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch's blog post: A pic from the Kobzar event with Adrian Lysenko "Just had a virtual chat with two first-time-published kidcritters and Adrian’s name came up. Then I realized, this lovely pic wasn’t on my website. Adrian has been in my writing group for a very long time and he’s a FABULOUS writer."
Jun 23, 2024 03:20PM
Cynthia LeBrun answered Marsha's question: Hi Cynthia! I had the opportunity to read an advance review copy of your book, and I absolutely love it. What was your inspiration for the novel? My mother-in-law, Veronika, was the inspiration for this novel. As she got to know and trust me, she spoke freely about her family and village life under Stalin’s occupation of Ukraine in the 1920’s and 30’s. Over hours of taped interviews, I came to See Full Answer
Jun 23, 2024 01:39PM · 3 likes · like