Iâm constantly on the lookout for a good read. Some of the best novels I read this year came from girlfriends texting titles of their must-read books, sifting through book club recs, and simply because scrolling BookTok told me to. One novel that came across my desk was Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. In fact, many of our editors added Burkeâs buzzy book to the top of their TBR list after news hit that award-winning actress Anne Hathaway is set to star and produce the book-to-movie adaptation. After closing the final chapter and taking the time to process what I had just read, I started to go on a hunt for other books like Yesteryear.
After all, this book immediately had me hooked when I found out that the New York Times Bestseller is about a modern-day âtradwifeâ influencer who wakes up in the year 1855. Sheâs forced to live the harsh reality of the pioneer lifestyle sheâs been trying to emulate on social media. If you, too, raced to the nearest bookstore and finished this canât-put-down novel, you may be recovering from a book hangover.
What other psychological thrillers are out there that encapsulate influencer culture along with a suspenseful storyline? Or are there other novels that feature women in a dystopian world? Luckily for you, Iâve pulled 10 books (each has thousands of reviews) to read next if you loved Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. From bestsellers that have similar storylines to titles that have the same suspenseful vibes, keep reading for more books like Yesteryear.
You May Also Like:
- âYesteryearâ Forces Us To Ask Ourselves: How Much of Motherhood is Performance?
- 21 Books to Read If You Loved âThe Housemaidâ
- Excited for Taylor Jenkins Reidâs New Novel? Here Are All of Her Books, Ranked
What is Yesteryear about?
A little recap about the book: Yesteryear follows Natalie Heller Mills, a wife and mother who highlights her pioneer-esque life on social media. With millions of followers, a doting husband, six beautiful children, and an entire team behind the scenes (nannies, cooks, producers, etc.), living on Yesteryear Ranch is a dream.
Until her dreamy life turns into a harsh reality. Sheâs thrust into the year 1855, and Natalie wakes up to a home, a husband, and kids that seem oddly familiarâbut arenât hers. Readers toggle between different timelines. In one, Natalie shares the journey of how she became a mega-influencer. And in another, she finds herself stuck in the 1800s, and sheâs forced to live the life she romanticizes online.
Books Like Yesteryear
Whether youâre looking for books with modern commentaries on motherhood or another novel to get over your Yesteryear book hangover, consider reading one (or several!) of these highly rated reads.
Everyone Is Lying to You
Fifteen years later, college best friends Lizzie and Bex are reunited in an unexpected way. Bex is now Rebecca Sommers and is a âtraditionalâ Instagram influencer with millions of followers. She has the perfect ranch life with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. And Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer. When Bex unexpectedly calls Lizzie with the proposition for an exclusive interview about her multimillion-dollar business venture at a high-profile influencing conference, Lizzie takes it. Except, Bex goes missing and Gray is brutally murdered on their ranch. Itâs up to Lizzie to learn Bexâs past and possibly save her life.
If youâve recently finished Yesteryear, fans have pointed out similarities between Jo Piazzaâs dark novel, titled Everyone Is Lying to You. Like Natalie in Yesteryear, Bex is a mother with a high Instagram following. Itâs a great pick if youâre looking for a book like Yesteryear: a supsenseful page-turner with a tradwife living on a ranch. Move this to the top of your TBR lineup if youâre up for a tradwife-murder mystery.
Kindred
The year is 1976, and on Danaâs 26th birthday, sheâs thrust onto a Maryland slave plantation in 1815. And her mission? To keep the white boy alive who will grow up to assault her ancestorâbecause without him, sheâll never be born. The New York Times has described this book as âWhere stories about American slavery are often gratuitous, reducing its horror to explicit violence and brutality, Kindred is controlled and precise.â This book has taken over BookTok, and itâs a read you donât want to miss out on.
For readers who loved the time-traveling aspect of Yesteryear, read Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. A young woman named Dana finds herself in the year 1815 on a Maryland slave plantation. Kindred highlights a dark and horrific timeline in American history, and Butler doesnât hold back from the harsh realities of slavery in the early 19th century. This canât-put-down novel is filled with the history of the antebellum South, and the charactersâ stories will stay with you for a long time.
Trad Wife
When Camille Deming isnât cooking, cleaning, or homesteading her picture-perfect country farmhouse, sheâs posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. Except Camille is missing a key component: a baby. Camille fears that without a baby, her relationship will suffer and her social media following will remain stagnant. After discovering a decrepit well behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby, and her wish comes true.
The Trad Wife by Saratoga Shaefer is a whirlwind of a story. Camille has everything in her life that points to the picturesque tradwife lifestyle sheâs aiming for, except that sheâs not a mother yet. If youâre up for reading about an influencer whose life is changed by a demonic pregnancy, buckle up. Shaeferâs Trad Wife is both a thriller and a horror story.
The Husbands
When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. Thereâs only one problemâsheâs not married. Sheâs never seen this man before in her life. Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life reforms around her. Laurenâs attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands.
For Yesteryear readers who liked the angle of waking up in an alternate life, give The Husbands by Holly Gramazio a read. Lauren is living in a revolving parallel universe and cycling through hundreds of husbands that are popping out of her attic. Readers will be drawing parallels to Laurenâs attic with online dating apps and the world of modern-day courtship. At what point do you decide a person is the âright oneâ? If youâre looking for more of a light-hearted read after Yesteryear, The Husbands might be the way to go.
The Push
The Push is a dark psychological thriller that questions, âWhat does it mean to be a good mother?â Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet. But in the thick of motherhoodâs exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughterâshe doesnât behave as most children do. Or is it all in Blytheâs head?
This chilling family drama dives deep into the idea that motherhood isnât picture-perfect. Coming from a line of mothers with troublesome pasts, Blythe Connor is unsure how to be a good mother herself. Sheâs determined to be a heartwarming mom. But Blythe doesnât find the connection with her daughter like she thought she would. Blythe senses something is off with Violet, but her husband dismisses her concerns, and she questions her intuition. Ashley Audrainâs The Push is a complex story examining a parentâs darkest fears. This novel is bound to put you on an emotional rollercoaster.
The School for Good Mothers
The state targets mothers like Frida Liu. Because of one mistake, Frida is sent to a government-run institution, a reform school for âgood mothers.â And in order to regain custody of her child, she must prove that a flawed mother can be redeemed and learn to be good.
Motherhood is under constant scrutiny, and in the state in which Frida Liu lives, someoneâs always watching. In Jessamine Chanâs dystopian fiction, mothers arenât allowed to have âbadâ days. Because if they do, it means theyâre unfit. After one slip-up, Frida is sent to a reform school for good mothers. She must prove sheâs worthy enough to be a good mom. The School for Good Mothers is dark and thought-provoking. Pick this novel up if youâre looking for a twisted lens on how society judges motherhood.
Followers
Orla, a budding novelist, and Floss, a wannabe A-lister, thrust themselves into high-profile lives they dreamt about. 35 years later, in a closed California village where government-appointed celebrities live every moment of the day on camera, a woman named Marlow discovers a shattering secret about her past. Marlow learns that her whole family history is based on a lie. Followers trace how the lives of Orla, Floss, and Marlow are intertwined.
Influencers and reality stars are controlled by the government and live in a village called âConstellation.â This novel shows the dark side of having a heavy social media presence and what people will do to have fameâand what theyâll do to get out of it.
People Like Her
Emmy Jackson is a breadwinning powerhouse at monetizing the intimate details of her family life. But to one of Emmyâs dangerously obsessive followers, sheâs the woman who has everythingâbut deserves none of it.
Social media personality and mom, Emmy Jackson, is up for sharing all the details of her life to continue growing her social media following. However, an obsessive follower has a personal vendetta against her. This story is told in a three-person POV: by Emmy, her husband, Dan, and her mysterious stalker.
The Compound
Lily wakes up on a remote desert compound, alongside 19 other contestants competing on a massively popular reality show. And in order to win, she must outlast her housemates to stay in the Compound the longest. But when the stakes rise, she and the other contestants are forced into some dangerous and upsetting situations.
A must-read, The Compound, was The Everygirlâs Book Club pick earlier this year. Warning: you wonât want to put this book down once youâve started it. Thereâs tension, high stakes, and a dystopian storylineâthatâs Love Island meets a thriller.
The Guilt Pill
Maya Patel has it all: her own start-up, a doting husband, influencer status, and a new baby. But behind closed doors, sheâs drowning. If she could just be a better boss, mother, wife, and friend, she wouldnât feel guilty all the time. So, when sheâs introduced to a âguilt pill,â it seems like the perfect solution for Maya. But the catch? For Maya to âhave it all,â she needs to be ready to risk it all, too.
The phrase âMoms can do it allâ takes a turn in The Guilt Pill. What would you do if one pill could take all the mom-guilt away? Saumya Daveâs sci-fi thriller highlights the challenges of motherhood and what it takes to have it all. In order to be successful in all aspects of her life, this little pill might be Maya Patelâs solutionâor her biggest problem.
FAQs
When does the book-to-movie adaptation of Yesteryear come out in theaters?
The film is currently in the early stages, and there is no official release date yet.
Will Anne Hathaway star in the film?
Yes, actress Anne Hathaway will star in and produce the Yesteryear movie.
Is Caro Claire Burke working on another novel?
In an interview with Variety, Caro Claire Burke revealed that sheâs working on âsomething.â However, the author did not give any details.
Patty Schepel, Associate Editor
As the Associate Editor, Patty works with The Everymomâs team on pitches, creating original articles, updating existing content, photo sourcing, writing shopping product descriptions, editing freelance articles, and more. With Pattyâs passion for writing, experience as a mother of two, and expertise as a pediatric nurse, she brings a thoughtful and informative perspective to The Everymom.
Products included in graphics linked within the article.