Sioux City Reads 2027 Nominee: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Now through November 30, cast your vote to help select the next Sioux City Reads title at SiouxCityLibrary.org/siouxcityreads.  

The chosen book will serve as inspiration for events, discussions, and challenges throughout the upcoming 2027 Sioux City Reads initiative.  

2027 Sioux City Reads Nominee Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is the story of a traditional American woman, a “tradwife” influencer, who suddenly awakens in the brutal reality of 1855—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel. 

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the heir to a political dynasty? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it. 

Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible. 

A gripping, electrifying novel that is as darkly funny as it is frightening, Yesteryear is a gimlet-eyed look at tradition, fame, faith, and the grand performance of womanhood. 

“Funny and sharp enough to draw blood from both sexes. This book is going to be around for a long time.” —Stephen King 

“A bold and biting satire, Yesteryear…will have you cackling and gasping right to the final page.” —Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid series 

The winner will be announced in December. Visit SiouxCityLibrary.org/siouxcityreads, the Library’s Facebook page, or sign-up for the Library’s e-newsletter at SiouxCityLibrary.org/news to get all the latest updates.