Books by authors from 9 countries are available for World Book Day 2023 at reduced prices. You can grab one of these titles for free.
UNESCO’s World Book and Copyright Day is an international celebration of books, authors, and reading. It is held annually on April 23, the anniversary of the deaths of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes.
Since 2018, Amazon celebrates the World Book Day by organizing the “Read the World” giveaway. 10 books written by authors from around the world were offered as free downloads for at least a week.
In a press release announcing the Read the World 2022 selection, Amazon shared information that more than 5.5 million Kindle books were downloaded by over 1.2 million unique readers from 190 countries.
It turns out that Amazon’s World Book Day giveaways are no more. This year, Amazon offers 9 Kindle books, but you are eligible for a free download of only one title from the list.
If you are interested in getting more than one book, you will have to pay for the remaining positions in your shopping basket. The good news is that all the recommended books are offered at prices that are reduced for World Book Day 2023 to $4.99.
Technically, the promotion works through applying to your account a credit worth $4.99 (the value of each book on a list). So, if you pick up just one book from the World Book Day 2023 selection, you will get a refund that equals its price.
The Read the World 2023 offer lasts until April 30th, 2023. I have listed all the titles below, with short blurbs. Which book are you the most interested in?
9 recommended books for World Book Day 2023
The Last Rose of Shanghai
Weina Dai Randel
China
Aiyi Shao is a young heiress and the owner of a formerly popular and glamorous Shanghai nightclub. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee who she hires to play piano, causing a sensation and making her club the hottest spot in the city.
They soon realize they share a passion for jazz and each other, but they are from different worlds, and she is engaged to another man. War and turmoil threaten their love as they must make choices between love and survival.
The Last Rose of Shanghai is an epic story of love and redemption, set in the vibrant and dangerous atmosphere of Shanghai during an era of political upheaval.
All the Lies They Did Not Tell
Pablo Trincia
Italy
In 1997, a six-year-old boy from the Bassa region of Italy was questioned by authorities and relayed stories of abuse and satanic rituals.
As the child’s story progressed, more and more people were implicated in his shocking revelations. Fifteen more children were transferred out of the region and their parents were accused of participating in the satanic sect.
Allegations of kidnapping, torture, sacrifice, and murder escalated as the Satanic Panic of the 1990s spread.
Investigative journalist Pablo Trincia returned to the scene of the crime to uncover the truth behind the stories, and his findings are as terrifying as the lies.
Say Her Name
Dreda Say Mitchell, Ryan Carter
United Kingdom
Eva, a biracial woman adopted 20 years ago, is suspended from work and dealing with the death of her adoptive parents, Cherry and Carlton “Sugar” McNeil. She joins a DNA database in the hopes of uncovering her identity and is thrilled to get a positive match.
However, she soon finds out that someone is trying to stop her from discovering the truth. She’s drawn into a dark side of society where black women disappear without a trace.
Once, someone wanted a better life for her, but now that she’s torn down the facade of her life, has she come too far to be saved again?
Small Deaths
Rijula Das
India
Lalee and Tilu Shau live in Calcutta’s notorious red-light district, both wishing for a better life. Tilu is in love with Lalee and wants to marry her to liberate her from her street life.
When a fellow sex worker and young mother is brutally murdered, Lalee is offered the chance to take her place as a high-end escort, but it soon turns dangerous.
Tilu is drawn into a rescue mission, and they must go on life-altering journeys to escape a savage fate.
Small Deaths is a modern noir that reveals the resilience and obstacles of outcasts trying to find dignity, love, and survival.
War and Me
Faleeha Hassan
Iraq
Faleeha Hassan’s memoir is a deeply personal account of her life growing up in Najaf, Iraq, and the enduring effects of loss and fear she experienced.
Despite the violence of war, she found the courage to travel alone to the front lines, searching for her father and brother. After moving to the US, she chose to focus on education for her and her children, rather than the war that had been such a part of her life for so long.
Through her story, readers gain an intimate perspective on the loving bonds of family, and how we can find courage and hope even in the most desperate of situations.
Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold
Umar Turaki
Nigeria
In Umar Turaki’s gripping novel, a mysterious plague known as the Grey has taken hold of the small village of Pilam, leaving the world to quarantine it without mercy.
With victims sapped of strength and color in their eyes, Dunka, the eldest son of a family afflicted by the Grey, takes it upon himself to leave the village in search of a cure.
Along the way, Dunka meets up with his siblings, now an unlikely family of six, as they bravely face the chaos of violence, hunger, and death.
Ultimately, this novel is a story of survival, love, and the human spirit’s capacity for hope and wonder in the face of adversity.
Broken Summer
J.M. Lee
South Korea
Lee Hanjo is a celebrated artist at the peak of his career but on his 43rd birthday, his devoted wife has disappeared.
She has published a novel about a similar artist with a questionable morality which is based on Hanjo’s past. He must reflect on a summer from his youth when a deadly lie irreversibly determined the fate of two families.
J. M. Lee’s novel explores hidden truths, denials and their consequences as those who remain must face the deceptions of the past and experience the vindication and suffering that comes with revenge.
West Side Love Story
Priscilla Oliveras
Mexico
Two familias in Texas, the Capuletas and the Monteros, have been embroiled in a decades-long feud. Mariana Capuleta and Angelo Montero, two young star-crossed lovers, are determined to end the rivalry between their familias.
To do so, they must compete in the Battle of the Mariachi Bands, despite their forbidden attraction to each other. As the stakes of their competition increase, so does their secret affair.
But with betrayals, rivalries, and broken ties, they must make sacrifices and weigh the consequences of their actions. Mariana and Angelo must fight to bring peace between their familias and make beautiful music together.
Piece by Piece
David Aguilar, Ferran Aguilar
Andorra
David Aguilar was born with one arm missing, but he refused to let this define him. At just nine years old, he built a prosthetic arm out of LEGO bricks, and he hasn’t stopped creating since.
His inventions, inspired by his passion for building, could help others and make a difference in the world. In this memoir, David shares his story of triumph and success, with humor and heart.
He talks about his family and friends, the heartbreak and loss he experienced, and how he continues to dream big and build a better world, piece by piece.
Keep exploring. Here are other tips and lists:
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