Monday, January 30, 2012

Top Picks For 2011

I know this is so beyond late it is not even funny. Normally I would have this up with in the first week of the new year but alas life has not been working in my favor lately and I have settled upon the fact that I can only do so much. I am in the middle of searching for a new job because this whole working graveyard thing has ruined me and not only is my blog suffering but my family and I are also. So just hang in there my ever patient readers and book lovers I promise I am going to find a way to make things work out it just is going to take some time. With out further delay I would love to mention my top picks of 2011, granted  I did not get much reading done this past year so it is a short list this year but in no particular order here they are starting with my favorite categories. 

~Most Beloved~
Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth
"From the award-winning author of The King's Daughter comes a story of love and defiance during the War of the Roses.

It is 1497. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, has set royal houses ablaze with intrigue and rocked the fledgling Tudor dynasty. With the support of Scotland's King James IV, Richard-known to most of England as Perkin Warbeck-has come to reclaim his rightful crown from Henry Tudor. Stepping finally onto English soil, Lady Catherine Gordon has no doubt that her husband will succeed in his quest.

But rather than assuming the throne, Catherine would soon be prisoner of King Henry VII, and her beloved husband would be stamped as an imposter. With Richard facing execution for treason, Catherine, alone in the glittering but deadly Tudor Court, must find the courage to spurn a cruel monarch, shape her own destiny, and win the admiration of a nation" AMAZON
~Most Beautiful~
To be Queen by Christy English
Chosen as one of the Top 10 Historical Fiction Novels of 2011 by the Pittsburgh Historical Fiction Examiner
The author of The Queen's Pawn delves into the early life of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine in her new historical novel.

After her father's sudden death, fifteen-year-old Eleanor is quickly crowned Duchess of Aquitaine and betrothed to King Louis VII. When her new husband cannot pronounce her given name, Alienor becomes Eleanor, Queen of France.

Although Louis is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by the church and a God that Eleanor doesn't believe in. Now, if she can find the strength to fight for what she wants, Eleanor may finally find the passion she has longed for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen. AMAZON

~Most Compelling~
Queen by Right by Anne Easter Smith
From the award-winning author of A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York, and The King’s Grace comes another masterful historical novel—the story of Cecily of York, mother of two kings and the heroine of one of history’s greatest love stories. Anne Easter Smith’s novels are beloved by readers for their ability “to grab you, sweep you along with the story, and make you fall in love with the characters.” In Cecily Neville, duchess of York and ancestor of every English monarch to the present day, she has found her most engrossing character yet.History remembers Cecily of York standing on the steps of the Market Cross at Ludlow, facing an attacking army while holding the hands of her two young sons. Queen by Right reveals how she came to step into her destiny, beginning with her marriage to Richard, duke of York, whom she meets when she is nine and he is thirteen. Raised together in her father’s household, they become a true love match and together face personal tragedies, pivotal events of history, and deadly political intrigue. All of England knows that Richard has a clear claim to the throne, and when King Henry VI becomes unfit to rule, Cecily must put aside her hopes and fears and help her husband decide what is right for their family and their country. Queen by Right marks Anne Easter Smith’s greatest achievement, a book that every fan of sweeping, exquisitely detailed historical fiction will devour. AMAZON

~Book Review: VLAD THE LAST CONFESSION By C.C. Humphreys~
"Dracula. A name of horror, depravity and the darkest sensuality. Yet the real Dracula was just as alluring, just as terrifying, his tale not one of a monster but of a man... and a contradiction.

"The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin.
AMAZON

 
~Book Review, THE QUEEN'S RIVAL by Diane Haeger~
From the author of The Queen's Mistake comes the untold story of King Henry VIII's first well-known mistress.
A thrilling debut novel starring one of history's most famous and beloved courtesans.
 ~Book Review, SUNRISE OF AVALON by Anna Elliott~
She is a healer, a storyteller, and a warrior. When Britain is faced with threats both old and new, the strength of her love may be the kingdom’s downfall . . . or salvation.
~Lizzie~

3 comments:

  1. Interestesting list!

    I hope you find another job so that you can have a bit better balance, but in the meantime we will be here waiting to see you whenever you do have time to post!

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  2. Wonderful list! I've recently read the first in the Anna Elliott's series - (Twilight of Avalon) and LOVED it...though at first, I had a difficult time transitioning my view of the characters after having read Rosalind Miles's marvelous trilogy and other versions of the tale. I also had the great luck of meeting Anne Easter Smith and listening to her speak about Queen by Right, and her love of Cecily. With those two included in the list, I'll make sure to add them to mine! (After I finish with my current Boudica/Manda Scott obsession!)

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  3. Marg, thank you for the support and thank goodness I finally got a new job. It is working out really well since I read two books in 4 days in my first week there. I am excited to get back into the groove again, finally.

    Periodically Consistent, the first in Elliott's series was my favorite and I had heard that before that if you read Miles' series then it was a hard transition to Elliott's. I am glad you enjoyed it too. I have yet to read Miles series myself but I hope to one day. I love AES I have all of her novels but Queen by Right was the first one I have had the pleasure of reading. I fell in love with Cecily after reading Queen by Right. Good luck with your obsession!

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