Best Book of October 2024: Artifice
Artifice by Sharon Cameron book review and recommendation with NO SPOILERS
Date: 10-23-24 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 9.9/10
Title: Artifice
Author: Sharon Cameron
Pages: 416
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Scholastic Press
First Published: 2023
Number of Editions: 5
Goodreads Rating: 4.12/5
Number of Goodreads Ratings: 2,082
Amazon Rating: 4.4/5
Number of Amazon Ratings: 124
Common Sense Media Age Recommendation: 13+
Book Type: Standard
Hook: Isa de Smit has lived in her stunning city, Amsterdam, for all her life- where her parents own a small art gallery- and Isa loves it all. But, once the Nazis take control of their city, they begin stealing the gallery’s art and labeling it ‘degenerate’. This pushes Isa’s friend, Truus, to make a monumental decision. To join the Dutch Resistance- illegally working against the Nazis. As the gallery draws closer to bankruptcy, Isa makes a choice herself. To sell the Nazis a forged painting. And it works- but might get her the label of collaborator along the way. Truus comes to Isa and tells her about all the babies she is working to smuggle against the will of the Nazis- and the money she needs for it. Isa knows that selling more forgeries can get them the money for the smuggling. But, believable forgeries aren’t easy to make. Isa will need to learn the art of forgery, and along the way she gets tangled up working with a young Nazi looking to rebel. But who can she believe? And, most importantly, will the forgeries be believable? This is crucial because… the first forgery…. goes to none other than Hitler himself.
Rating: 9.9/10
I would strongly recommend this book
Review: I have a confession to make. I bought this book 100% because of its cover. I didn’t even have to read the back or look up reviews. So, I was very pleasantly surprised when the book was great too!! I LOVED this book. The plot was perfection. So many WWII books I’ve read have had such depressing plots, but this one didn’t!! It stayed up-beat enough while, of course, having plenty of action. This was the sort of book that made me laugh, cry, and have to pause while I’m reading just to process how FABULOUS of a book this is. I’ve never read anything else by this author, but the writing was so GREAT that I’m totally going to have to read more by her. I loved Isa and really all of the main character’s different roles in this book. I’m so picky with endings usually, but this one did not disappoint. I was so worried the book would be left without everything wrapping up, but then there was an epilogue!! I love epilogues!! And this one was SO great. So, if you can’t tell, I REALLY liked this book. It was: SUCH A GREAT BOOK!! BEAUTIFUL COVER, FABULOUS PLOT, AMAZING CHARACTERS, AND NEAR-PERFECT WRITING!!
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Sharon Cameron has written over seven books
She has won multiple awards, and her books have been starred on multiple lists
Her books have been sold in over 15 countries
For more information, view Sharon Cameron’s website: sharoncameronbooks.com
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