The Storyteller

Written by Kathryn Williams

Narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya

With the mystery of Maureen Johnson and Brittany Cavallaro and the historical intrigue of Romanov, this genre-bending YA will pull readers into one girl’s journey of discovering the impossible tale of a long-lost aunt—and through her, the importance of being true to yourself. 

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.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jan 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9780063049420

Kathryn Williams

Kathryn Williams is the author of five books, including four young adult novels. From the South originally, she lives with her family near Portland, Maine, and teaches at The Telling Room, a nonprofit creative writing center for kids and teens, where she helps youth find and tell their own stories.  

Reviews for The Storyteller

[Eva F. · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Liked the historical aspect of it and how well it was researched.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I love all things dealing with the Romanov family and in particular Anastasia, so I was keen to get my hands on The Storyteller. The novel started slowly but it did improve once Jess and Evan started reading the journals of her great, great aunt, Anna. It soon becomes apparent that Anna could be the Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, and this is when The Storyteller became interesting. Anna's diaries were compelling and I enjoyed following her story. I was always disappointed to leave them and return to Jess and Evan, who I didn't find particularly engaging.Jess spent too much time with unlikeable people, especially her boyfriend, Ryan. For most of the novel she annoyed me, living her life to please others. Evan was more likeable but I didn't feel the chemistry between him and Jess. It would have been better had they just stayed friends.Reading "The Storyteller", it was obvious that the author had done her research. The historical detail was excellent and I thought Ms Williams finished the novel well. Although not compelling, this novel was a quick read which will introduce a new generation to the mysteries and conspiracies surrounding the last Russian Tsar and his family.