Author: Kathryn Williams
Publish Date: January 11th, 2022
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy!
This story follows a teenage girl’s quest to uncover the truth behind her secretive great aunt Anna, who just might be the long lost Russian princess Anastasia.It’s not every day you discover you might be related to Anastasia…or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna.For Jess Morgan, who is growing tired of living her life to please everyone else, discovering her late aunt’s diaries shows her she’s not the only one struggling to hide who she really is. But was her aunt truly a Romanov princess? Or is this some elaborate hoax?With the help of a supremely dorky, but undeniably cute, local college student named Evan, Jess digs into the century-old mystery.But soon Jess realizes there’s another, bigger truth waiting to be revealed: Jess Morgan. Because if she’s learned anything from Aunt Anna, it’s that only you can write your own story.
Penelope's Review
The story of the Romanov family is one of my favorite historical tragedies. I love reading books and watching movies based on them, their life, and their untimely end. When I saw this book, it was a no brainer that I had to read it! And I ended up absolutely loving it. Though this is not a dual timeline book, it has that feel - you go between Jess and her life, and then through the diary entries, you explore the life of her great-aunt Anna. There is so much historical information in this book, I actually learned some things myself that I hadn't previously known.
I really enjoyed how this book brought together history and mystery, as well as a dash of romance - it was really well done. I loved the writing style, it flowed so well and I felt like I was reading real conversations and real diary entries. Our main female lead, Jess, underwent some really great character development. It was great watching her come into her own and realize who she was as a person rather than who she was in relation to others. Really great messages all throughout the novel.
While I was hoping for a bit of a different end to things, (and I mean this about a few different things covered in this book) I came to realize that it ended the way it should have. The book stayed true to the message it was trying to portray and I am content with that.
If you are a fan of history, fiction, and the Romanovs, then this is the book for you! I highly recommend giving it a try :)
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
That sounds interesting and I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it.
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