Indigenous Highlighting Yiddish

World Book Day Honors Indigenous Languages

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

April 23rd is UNESCO World Book Day and this year their focus is on Indigenous languages. If you’ve read my books, you know my main characters speak Yiddish, which is in fact an indigenous language. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to speak about the history of Yiddish.

Yiddish Linguistics

If you were to literally translate Yiddish, it means “Jewish”. Linguistically, it refers to the language spoken by the Ashkenazi Jews, or the Jews from Central and Eastern Europe. It comprises a variety of languages like medieval German, Hebrew, Aramaic, Slavic and Romance languages.

Yiddish Origins

It is very difficult to pinpoint the origins of the Yiddish language. The most widely accepted theory is during the 10th century there was a great migration of Jews from France and Italy to the German Rhine Valley. The belief is to find common ground to communicate amongst these different groups, the Yiddish language emerged.

Yiddish Uses

In most Ashkenazi communities they used Hebrew as their language of study for the Bible and prayer, and Yiddish was used for their everyday communication.

Twentieth Century Yiddish

The first international conference on Yiddish language met in 1908. It was there they declared Yiddish to be the “national language of the Jewish people.” This was the beginning of establishing cultural institutions and standardization within the Jewish community to preserve the integrity of the language. 

After that organizations around the world sprung up to offer schools, literature, theater and research to further Yiddish expression. Unfortunately, this screeched to a halt during the years leading up to WWII. Soon Yiddish writers were censored and arrested or even executed. Yiddish institutions were shut down. Eventually Yiddish was outlawed in many places completely.

Indigenous Languages: Yiddish

Post WWII

The Holocaust destroyed much of the Yiddish speaking population. Those remaining were often scared to speak the language. Many who immigrated to America were also facing intense pressure to acclimate. 

Hope for the Future

But Yiddish has experienced a resurgence in the last half century. It is again being studied as a serious academic discipline. Yiddish literature has been recognized and even awarded a Nobel Prize! 

Preservation efforts thrive and the importance of remembering and sharing the language are being brought to the forefront.

The importance of UNESCO and other indigenous language preservation efforts

However, there is more work to be done. At present, 96 percent of the world’s approximately 7,000 languages are spoken by only 3% of the population. Estimates suggest that more than half the world’s languages will become extinct by 2100. Other calculations suggest that 95% of the world’s languages will become extinct or seriously endangered by the end of this century. 

It’s important to remember that these indigenous languages are not only methods of communication. They’re also expressions of culture and knowledge accumulated over millennia. They are central to identity. When these languages are under threat, so too are the indigenous people themselves.

Check out literature by Indigenous Authors

The Yiddish Book Center Digital Library can be visited HERE.

Explore 25 books that highlight beauty of Indigenous literature HERE.

Celebrate and Share Indigenous Peoples’ Day on August 9th

Looking for information about my other books? Check out my Book Page here!

Want to make sure you’re the first to hear when I release a new book or novella? Subscribe to my blog below to never miss an update!

SCBWI

The High Value of Five Letters: What is SCBWI?

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

You may have heard of it, but what does the acronym stand for? What is SCBWI?

SCBWI

What is SCBWI?

You’ve probably heard me refer to SCBWI at different times here on my website or in passing. But I’ve realized that to many of you, it’s probably just some acronym. So I wanted to take time today to actually answer this question. What is SCBWI?

SCBWI is the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. It’s an international professional organization for children’s and young adult authors and illustrators. In other words, it’s a writing guild.

What is the SCBWI Mission?

Although the organization technically caters to the creators, their mission and outreach do so much more. They joke that their belief is there can never be too many good children’s books, and they stand by that. They do whatever they can to both support creators in creating their books and also in supporting the channels and networks to get the books into reader’s hands.

Is it worth joining SCBWI?

I’ve been asked by writers before- is it worth joining a guild like this? Do I actually get my money’s worth? My answer to you would be, it depends. In the second article in this series, I will get into answering this question in more detail. What I will say here is that SCBWI has been worth my time and money.

I’ve been a member of SCBWI for over ten years now. Although my personal journey has not always aligned with the more traditional offerings of the organization, I’ve always found some value in the organization. And now, SCBWI has even opened up a number of benefits for non-traditional authors like me as well!

For instance, as a member of SCBWI, you get a TON of learning and networking opportunities. They have regular webinars, socials, conferences and more. And this is in both your regional/local chapter and on the national/international level. One of my favorite benefits has been the ability to find and match with critique group members. This was how I found my own critique group many, many years ago! 

They also offer business resources and benefits. For instance, they’ve established an organizational relationship with the Alliance of Independent Authors so all SCBWI members have access to many of their independent publishing resources and directories. SCBWI also offers numerous ways to promote yourself and your work! They have speaker listings, book listings, grants, awards and tons, tons, more.

How does SCBWI benefit the community?

I’ve mentioned all the creator benefits, but I think it’s also important to mention the community benefits. As I stated earlier, part of SCBWI’s mission is also supporting the channels for getting books in the reader’s hands. This involves partnering and supporting teachers, librarians and booksellers as well. SCBWI offers a number of ways to support classrooms and libraries. These range from the speaker directory to help aid in finding guest authors for visits, recorded author readings and book talks, themed reading lists broken down by reading level and more!

I hope this helps explain that SCBWI is so much more than just an acronym. And if you are a reader with children in your life, I hope you take some time to peruse the website and share the many offerings with others as well.

Joyana has recently accepted a volunteer position with SCBWI as their new Mid-Atlantic Independent and Self-Published Coordinator. She will be coordinating networking and programming opportunities for other Indie authors like herself. Feel free to reach out to her with any questions about this at hello@joyanapeters.com.

Author Newsletter
Subscribe now

Meet the Business Coach Footer
Find out more
Merchandise
What's in a Name

What’s in a Name?

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Just Like John Proctor questioned- How can I live without my name?

WOMENS HISTORY

What’s in a Name?

Happy March! It’s Women’s History Month and I can’t wait to share some of the fun content I’ve got prepared! We’ll start today with some info on female writers and the big question of the day- What’s in a name? Does our name actually define who we are?

Literature nerds like me might remember the anguished scene in The Crucible where John Proctor refuses to give up his name. “Because it is my name! How may I live without my name?” He views his name as his identity. His source of worth.

And yet, as we go into Women’s History Month– we have to examine the irony of this poignant scene, knowing women have been forced to give up their names in many capacities for centuries.

The theme of this year’s Women’s History Month is celebrating women in writing. This one obviously hits close to home for me. One thing it forces me to examine is the sacrifices women had to make to get their work out for public consumption. For years it was considered “unfeminine” or “unseemly” for women to be writers. Therefore, women were either turned away by editors or forced to publish under a man’s name instead of their own.

In a different capacity, the decision regarding my name came up in my own publishing journey. Any of you who know me personally know I publish under my maiden name instead of my married name. This was done for a few reasons- but honestly, the main reason was because as John Proctor said– It is my name! I began my writing journey in childhood. I practiced and got my degree in English, taught and began my MFA program all as Joyana Peters. So, yeah, I wanted to climb to the top of that mountain and fulfill that dream with the name I started with!

I leave you with this other little story to consider-

A girl was born on November 22nd, 1819. As was customary at the time, she was sent to boarding school at just five years old.

When the girl was sixteen, her mother died. Although she was thriving at school and showed great potential, she was forced to return home to work as her father’s housekeeper. The girl settled into a new monotonous existence where each day blended into the next.

At the age of twenty one, an opportunity arose. Her father decided it was time for her to marry. They moved to the city so he could search for a suitable match. But luckily, the girl developed a relationship with her liberal neighbors who hosted salons with great thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson. Over time they took her under their wing and the girl began to consider a different version of the life she was living.

What's in a Name?

Higher education for women was still not an option, but she was able to break into intellectual society by writing book reviews and translations. She eventually moved to London and found work with a publisher. There, she fell in love with a writer, but he was trapped in a horrible marriage and divorce was still not an option. Desperate to be together, they scandalized society by deciding to co-habitate together anyway.

She became an outcast, no longer welcome in society, although he suffered no consequences. But the girl decided to make the most of this time in isolation. If her name was already tarnished– why not assume the required male nom de plume and publish her writing?

The girl’s work took off like wildfire. Even Queen Victoria became a fan!

She continued to publish under the now famous nom de plume for the rest of her life. And her work has transcended time and still stands out as revelatory and brave as the woman who wrote it.

So, who was this amazing female writer? Mary Ann Evans otherwise known as George Eliot the famous writer of Middlemarch.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. What do you think our names say about us? Are they sources of our identity? Please comment on this post to share!

Did you enjoy this article? Check out these posts about some incredible Changemakers.

Find more ways to spoil your inner bookworm!

Check out the Amaryllis Co. Shop, fully stocked with custom designs perfect for every book loving Amaryllis Girl! From shirts, mugs, wine glasses, and more, I have curated a shop with all of my favorites! SHOP HERE!

Merchandise

Privacy Policy

Serialization storytelling platforms

What are Serialization Storytelling Platforms?

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Kindle Vella, Wattpad– these are two of the largest Serialization Storytelling Platforms available. But what does that mean, and are they worth checking out?

What are Serialization Storytelling Platforms?

Serialization. It’s defined as the process of breaking down a larger object into bite-sized pieces. And it’s becoming more prevalent than ever in the entertainment industry. Think of it– narrative podcast episodes, TV mini-series streaming, and of course it’s also hit storytelling! We now have authors dropping chapters or series episodes for readers to devour and build up anticipation for the next installment. And why not? Serialization Storytelling Platforms are not entirely new– Charles Dickens was famous for publishing this way. 

Studies have shown serialization leads to reader loyalty and interest. And our current society trends lend itself to this style of publishing/reading. Scrolling through and reading in short micro-break moments when we have a spare second. So, is this the wave of the future? Should we be looking into these platforms? If so, which ones should we try?

Let’s take a look at some of these serialization storytelling platforms below.

One thing to note, these are just two of the big name options out there. There are MANY more! Some options focus on just one specific genre, others have subscription models. Definitely do a deep dive on Google yourself if you’re interested!

Wattpad

Wattpad is a user-contributed fiction platform. It’s equated to the Youtube of the writing industry and is one of the original online serialization platforms. This means writers can upload anything– short stories, fan fiction, pre-released chapters etc. and share it with the world. 

Wattpad is free for all users, so that means writers are giving away their work for free. Great for readers, but one would question– does this benefit authors?

Well, it needs to be viewed as a social media site experience. Users are primarily readers, or else why would they be there searching for material? So, authors should consider it an opportunity to entice and gain followers.

Wattpad is built for the serialization format.Wattpad has made it impossible to upload an actual finished book in one single file. So, it must be uploaded and released in a chapter by chapter format. Readers can then favorite and follow an author and get an email sent to them when a new chapter is uploaded.

A word of caution– feedback I’ve found has said authors do need to be prepared to give away a full free book for best results. Just offering a few chapters leads to resentment as readers tend to view it as a paywall or bait and switch tactic. However, authors have said that at the bottom of their chapters they’ve linked to other published work for sale and hopefully readers will go ahead and purchase if they’ve become invested.

Overall thoughts? This is a definite long game option for authors. Could it work? Yes. However, it can take a long time and an investment of effort. But many authors claim they’ve found success with it and it has affected sales and gained them followers. One strategy mentioned has also been to consider using Wattpad as a beta reading process and then take their work down and publish as a full book after. 

Readers- Why not? It’s free for you to get exposed to TONS of new authors. And if you’re interested in the writing process, you can follow and participate in the editing process of an author’s new project. You do need to keep an open mind though as some work might be more polished than others. I’d say try it out and see what you think!

Kindle Vella

Kindle Vella is Amazon’s version of Wattpad. It is similar, but different. For one, it is not entirely free like Wattpad. And an important thing for authors to know– there is a commitment of exclusivity to Kindle Vella unlike with Wattpad.

If you go to the Kindle Vella website, you’ll see that the first few episodes (chapters) of any Kindle Vella story are free. However, after that a reader has to buy and use tokens to release the rest of the story. 

Feedback on this structure and application has been mixed. Readers get frustrated that it basically is a paywall. And authors have some behind the scenes things to consider as well.

One, Kindle Vella does pay the authors. Yay! Authors can expect to see 50% of the royalties. But, the price of a story varies depending on word count. For example, a 2,000 word story might cost 20 tokens while a 10,000 word story costs 100. Also, tokens vary in price depending how many a reader buys at a time. Right now, it costs readers about $1.99 to buy 200 tokens for about 20,000 words and $9.99 to buy 1,100 tokens for about 110,000 words. With that pricing an author could hypothetically make about $1 a read for 20,000 words. Not awful– do-able for readers and pretty fair for authors.

But Amazon reserves the right to change the price of tokens at any time. They could easily lower the cost of tokens which would benefit readers, but influence the author’s revenue.

Also Amazon periodically offers free token offers to entice readers to join the program. Yay, for readers, but authors then get no revenue for free token reads. 

One other difference between these two serialization storytelling platforms is the level of interaction between readers and authors. Both authors and readers love Wattpad because of the ability to leave comments and build a community. Authors view it as a free beta reading experience– you get firsthand reader’s feedback on the story as it’s unfolding. They can tweak and change things as they go if they see readers are experiencing strong reactions to something in the story. And readers love it because they get to feel that connection to the author and that their voice can be heard.

Kindle Vella does offer it’s own opportunities for feedback like liking and following a favorite author. Readers can also leave story crowns for their favorite story of the week which are then displayed in search results. Authors can also leave notes at the end of an episode including polls where readers can vote on particular things like which character is their favorite or what plot event should happen next. 

So one would argue, community can still be built between readers and authors, just in a more structured, formal way.

One of the biggest differences authors must keep in mind with Kindle Vella is that they must wait to publish their finished work in a novel format for a period of time after it is posted. There are also limitations as to how they can publish after. Like it MUST go into the Kindle Unlimited Store! And you must wait 60 days for your content to be removed from the Kindle Vella Store.

Overall thoughts? Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about Kindle Vella. For readers, there is a wide selection of content. If you’re already accustomed to using the Kindle app– you’ll find the format and store quite similar. I think in terms of value, you’re obviously can’t beat the free option with Wattpad, but as an author I love the idea of supporting the creator of the fiction you’re consuming. 🙂

For authors, I think it really depends what your plans are for after completion. If you don’t mind taking your time going wide (aka, to other vendors besides Amazon) it definitely could be worth trying.

Like this post and want to see more of Joyana’s articles on Books and Writing? Check these out.

Author Newsletter
Subscribe now

Meet the Business Coach Footer
Find out more
Merchandise
Book Lover Baby Gifts

Book Lover Gifts for Babies

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have an upcoming baby shower? Do you want something different that will stand out from the usual assortment of bottles, diapers and onesies? Then, this is your place! Read below for some great Book Lover Gifts for Babies!

* This post does contain affiliate links that might earn me a commission. But I promise the products are all things I have used in my own life and truly stand behind!

Book Lover Gifts for Babies

Book Lover Gifts for Babies

I have been to enough baby showers at this point to be able to fill that Bingo sheet in my sleep. I mean we all know the typical gifts- onesies, bibs, hats, blankets, booties etc. And yes, the baby does need those! But, is there a way to make ours stand out from the usual cute little animal themed ones? What about fostering that early love for reading? And I don’t mean by giving another copy of Good Night Moon. (It is a great book, but haven’t we all been at a baby shower where the mother-to-be gets at least two copies?) I’m talking some other creative book lover gifts for babies!

If you follow me on social media, you know my children are huge book lovers. Let’s be real, that’s probably because they have me for a mom lol. But I honestly also think it was because they were exposed to book themed items from an extremely young age. Some of their first recognizable characters were from books. The caterpillar from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Corduroy etc. They even had a Good Night Moon matching game! By having these “characters” in places outside of the books themselves, I really feel it made them more accessible and a part of their early developing world.

Lucky for you, I’ve put together a list of some great ideas to help get this book loving start for the young ones in your lives!

Clothing Book Lover Gifts for Babies

There are so many adorable options to choose from! From book themed socks, to book cover or future bookworm onesies– they’re out there! Your only problem will be weeding through and choosing your favorites. Here are a few of mine!

I love these library card socks from Out of Print. They’ve got TONS of options for children and adults. They’re actually where I’ve gotten most my T-shirts, socks, and mugs myself!

But, I’ve also gotten many favorite book themed clothing items for my children from there. One that springs to my mind was my son’s Snuggle Puppy shirt that he wore for his first birthday party. We were HUGE Sandra Boynton fans in our house. That book still makes the occasional appearance at bedtime. 😉

A couple other favorites-

Book Lover Gifts for Babies
Book Lover Gifts for Babies

Other Great Options for Children’s Book Themed Clothing

Sweet Sequels
Etsy

Personalized Children’s Books

Book Lover Gifts for Babies

I’ve given and received these adorable personalized books and they’ve always been a huge hit! My kids still love reading these books. In addition to the benefit of seeing their own name in print, the books also have positive messages in the story as well. It might be hard to give these gifts ahead of time at the shower, but they’re fantastic for once the baby comes! Shop these great personalized books below!

Shop Personalized Children’s Books

Book Baby Blankets and Bibs

What could be cuter than a baby wrapped in text from your favorite book? Check out some of these adorable hats, blankets and bibs from both children’s and adult books below!

Storiarts
Uncommon Goods
Book Lover Gifts for Babies

Something Fun for Mom and Dad

Book Lover Gifts for Babies

Let’s be real, these gifts really are for the parents more than the babies themselves. So have fun with them and let the parents get a laugh! One of my favorite baby shower gifts was Good Night Mr. Darcy– a Jane Austen Good Night Moon parody.My newborn had no clue what I was reading anyway and it made me laugh at 2 in the morning!

Book Lover Gifts for Babies
Get Good Night Mr. Darcy
Get Go the Fk to Sleep

I hope this helped get your creative juices flowing! Have some fun and enjoy giving these book lover gifts to your new little ones and their parents-to- be!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you check out my other book lover lists and blog posts! Also make sure you subscribe below to be the first to hear when I upload something new! Enjoy!

Best Historical Fiction 2022

Best Historical Fiction Books 2022

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Enjoy a round-up of the best historical fiction books from 2022!

Best Historical Fiction 2022

Best Historical Fiction Books 2022

Another year has flown by! Man, that went fast! But with it came some fantastic writing! I’ve honestly really been impressed with the historical fiction books I’ve read this year. So, with that in mind, I’ve put together a list of my faves from the year. I hope you enjoy- so here it is- The Best Historical Fiction Books 2022!

The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

I love Fiona Davis!! For a writer inspired by buildings in New York, she seriously manages to conjure up some amazing stories!


Eight months since losing her mother in the Spanish flu outbreak of 1919, twenty-one-year-old Lillian Carter’s life has completely fallen apart. For the past six years, under the moniker Angelica, Lillian was one of the most sought-after artists’ models in New York City, with statues based on her figure gracing landmarks from the Plaza Hotel to the Brooklyn Bridge. But with her mother gone, a grieving Lillian is rudderless and desperate—the work has dried up and a looming scandal has left her entirely without a safe haven. So when she stumbles upon an employment opportunity at the Frick mansion—a building that, ironically, bears her own visage—Lillian jumps at the chance. But the longer she works as a private secretary to the imperious and demanding Helen Frick, the daughter and heiress of industrialist and art patron Henry Clay Frick, the more deeply her life gets intertwined with that of the family—pulling her into a tangled web of romantic trysts, stolen jewels, and family drama that runs so deep, the stakes just may be life or death.

Nearly fifty years later, mod English model Veronica Weber has her own chance to make her career—and with it, earn the money she needs to support her family back home—within the walls of the former Frick residence, now converted into one of New York City’s most impressive museums. But when she—along with a charming intern/budding art curator named Joshua—is dismissed from the Vogue shoot taking place at the Frick Collection, she chances upon a series of hidden messages in the museum: messages that will lead her and Joshua on a hunt that could not only solve Veronica’s financial woes, but could finally reveal the truth behind a decades-old murder in the infamous Frick family.

Shop This Book Here!
Best Historical Fiction Books 2022

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

I loved this book! Call it my nerdy English teacher side coming out, I mean, I know there are few people out there who can say they truly enjoyed reading Nathaniel Hawthorne and the original Scarlet Letter. But Hester was an interesting examination of the original premise from a different perspective.

“A hauntingly beautiful––and imagined––origin story to The Scarlet Letter.” ––People

WHO IS THE REAL HESTER PRYNNE?

Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. An apothecary who has fallen under the spell of opium, his pile of debts have forced them to flee Glasgow for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they’ve arrived in Salem, Edward abruptly joins a departing ship as a medic––leaving Isobel penniless and alone in a strange country, forced to make her way by any means possible.

When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is a man haunted by his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows––while she is an unusually gifted needleworker, troubled by her own strange talents. As the weeks pass and Edward’s safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer and closer. Together, they are a muse and a dark storyteller; the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which?

In this sensuous and hypnotizing tale, a young immigrant woman grapples with our country’s complicated past, and learns that America’s ideas of freedom and liberty often fall short of their promise. Interwoven with Isobel and Nathaniel’s story is a vivid interrogation of who gets to be a “real” American in the first half of the 19th century, a depiction of the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England, and atmospheric interstitials that capture the long history of “unusual” women being accused of witchcraft. Meticulously researched yet evocatively imagined, Laurie Lico Albanese’s Hester is a timeless tale of art, ambition, and desire that examines the roots of female creative power and the men who try to shut it down.

Shop This Book Here!

Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

This book had me step outside my usual comfort zone. I was not at all familiar with either this period of history or this part of the world and their history. This book was not only so well researched and written, it was also extremely engaging. I was enthralled with these characters and their stories! I’m not going to lie, this was not an uplifting read or even what I would consider a happy ending. But, it was an important and informative read. I’m glad I read it and I would STRONGLY recommend it for others to read as well!

“Within every misfortune there is a blessing and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune, and so it goes, until the end of time.”

It is 1938 in China and, as a young wife, Meilin’s future is bright. But with the Japanese army approaching, Meilin and her four year old son, Renshu, are forced to flee their home. Relying on little but their wits and a beautifully illustrated hand scroll, filled with ancient fables that offer solace and wisdom, they must travel through a ravaged country, seeking refuge.

Years later, Renshu has settled in America as Henry Dao. Though his daughter is desperate to understand her heritage, he refuses to talk about his childhood. How can he keep his family safe in this new land when the weight of his history threatens to drag them down? Yet how can Lily learn who she is if she can never know her family’s story?

Spanning continents and generations, Peach Blossom Spring is a bold and moving look at the history of modern China, told through the story of one family. It’s about the power of our past, the hope for a better future, and the haunting question: What would it mean to finally be home?

Shop This Book Here!

The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani

This was a beautiful multi-generational story. I loved learning a new perspective of how World War II affected a part of the world. This was a heartbreaking love story, but one full of understanding and hope for the next generation.

From “a master of visual and palpable detail” (The Washington Post), comes a lush, immersive novel about three generations of Tuscan artisans with one remarkable secret. Epic in scope and resplendent with the glorious themes of identity and belonging, The Good Left Undone unfolds in breathtaking turns.

Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew. . . .
 
In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool—where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause—as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. A hundred years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family’s legacy, while Matelda contemplates what is worth fighting for. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.

Shop This Book Here!

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

This was one of my top favorite reads of the year! I’d read about Communist Russia before and seen a glimpse of what it was like living under a Communist regime, but this was a whole new perspective.First off, this was Romania, and it was interesting to see just how infiltrated, sheltered and gaslit they were. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have no idea who to trust, not even your family.

A #1 New York Times and National Bestseller!
 
A gut-wrenching, startling historical thriller about communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

Best Historical Fiction Books 2022

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.
 
Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.
 
Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?
 
Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys is back with a historical thriller that examines the little-known history of a nation defined by silence, pain, and the unwavering conviction of the human spirit.

Shop This Book Here!

What were your best historical fiction books for 2022? Please be sure to add them below in the comments!

Enjoy this list of books? Be sure to check out my other Book Lists Here!

Find more ways to spoil your inner bookworm!

Check out the Amaryllis Co. Shop, fully stocked with custom designs perfect for every book loving Amaryllis Girl! From shirts, mugs, wine glasses, and more, I have curated a shop with all of my favorites! SHOP HERE!

Merchandise

Privacy Policy