I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys review

Title:  I Must Betray You

Author:  Ruta Sepetys

Ch: 81 plus Epilogue

Pg: 317

Genre:  YA Historical Fiction

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Penguin

 

It’s hard to believe that a book that takes place in 1989 is historical fiction seeing as it was only 33 years ago. And I was alive when said events took place, granted I was only two. But that’s what I must Betray you by Ruta Sepetys is. Set in communist Romania and told through the eyes of teenage Cristian Florescu.

I don’t tend to cry reading YA but I must Betray You had me in tears, but it also had me laughing and celebrating with the characters. Ruta Sepetys is the queen of YA historical fiction, she writes the history from the point of view of teens living through it. But it’s doesn’t feel like your reading YA. It’s written in a way that anyone from teens and up can get something from the story learn something.

While I learned about the Cold War and Communism in Europe, though my history teachers in high school skimmed over it my mom filled in the gaps as did my history professors in college I didn’t learn about how the conditions were in Romania. I mean I knew that they had a dictator and unlike most of my western peers I knew that Dracula was a work of fiction but that Transylvania is indeed a region of Romania.

As a reader you cannot read I Must Betray You and not be affected. You won’t be the same reader you where before I know I’m not. I didn’t not what to make of the quote “some believe that Dracula is the most frightening character associated with Romania. When they learn the truth, will it haunt them?” In the Beneath the Gilded Frame section when I started the book but did I understand by time I closed the book.

Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke review

Title:  Curse of the Specter Queen

Author:  Jenny Elder
Moke

Ch: 40 plus epilogue

Pg:  340

Series: Samantha Knox book 1

Genre:  YA Historical Fiction

Rating: 4.5 stars

Publisher: Disney- Hyperion

 

I enjoyed the Curse of the Specter Queen it gave me Indiana Jones and The Mummy Vibes with a strong and determined heroine. I loved Sam. A bookworm who may finally get her own chance to have an adventure. She reminded me of a younger Evie from The Mummy.

I loved Jenny’s first book Which was a Robin Hood retelling so I knew that I would love this one as well. She writes strong heroines that are true to the time period that their story takes place in. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. 

 

The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein review

 Title:  The Enigma Game

Author:  Elizabeth Wein

Series: Code Name Verity book 2

Genre:  Historical fiction, YA Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for young readers

     The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein is the second book in the Code Name Verity series though it’s the newest in publication order. The events of this book take place before Code Name Verity but after The Pearl Thief. So if you’re like me and read the books as they came out you’ve read them Code Name Verity, Rose Under Fire, The Pearl Thief.  Which doesn’t take away from individual stories two much as they all are technically stand alones you’re just slightly spoiled for some events.  I don’t regret the way I read them as I fell in love with the history in each book.  So if you’re new to the new to the series and having read them yet start in order.

The Enigma Game while a standalone will make a little more sense if you read it after The Pearl Thief and your save yourself spoilers for the last two books. Though this book focuses on three teenagers Louisa, Jamie and Ellen they aren’t typical teenagers by modern day standards. They grew up quickly in the mist of WWII. But that adds to the story and keeps if from reading like a YA novel which makes it a good book for adults as well.