HOT Historical Fiction September

9.1.2011 Lady of the English, Elizabeth Chadwick
Two very different women are linked by destiny and the struggle for the English crown. Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is determined to win back her crown from Stephen, the usurper king. Adeliza, Henry's widowed queen and Matilda's stepmother, is now married to William D'Albini, a warrior of the opposition. Both women are strong and prepared to stand firm for what they know is right. But in a world where a man's word is law, how can Adeliza obey her husband while supporting Matilda, the rightful queen? And for Matilda pride comes before a fall ...What price for a crown? What does it cost to be 'Lady of the English'?

9.1.2011 The Queen's Gamble, Barbara Kyle
Young Queen Elizabeth I's path to the throne has been a perilous one, and already she faces a dangerous crisis. French troops have landed in Scotland to quell a rebel Protestant army, and Elizabeth fears once they are entrenched on the border, they will invade England.
Isabel Thornleigh has returned to London from the New World with her Spanish husband, Carlos Valverde, and their young son. Ever the queen's loyal servant, Isabel is recruited to smuggle money to the Scottish rebels. Yet Elizabeth's trust only goes so far—Isabel's son will be the queen's pampered hostage until she completes her mission. Matters grow worse when Isabel's husband is engaged as military advisor to the French, putting the couple on opposite sides in a deadly cold war.
Set against a lush, vibrant backdrop peopled with unforgettable characters and historical figures, The Queen's Gamble is a story of courage, greed, passion, and the high price of loyalty. . .


9.1.2011 The Unknown Ajax, Georgette Heyer
A Georgette Heyer Regency romance that takes a close look at the smuggling trade of the period, full of humor, and with a scene of family bonding and theatrics that readers will remember forever.
When a Yorkshire cousin becomes heir to the noble Darracott name and fortune, he pretends to be the country bumpkin they're all expecting. Then a family crisis thrusts Hugo into the role of an unlikely savior, and the family farce begins to unravel. But not before Hugo establishes himself as the undisputed head of the family, and his beautiful cousin Anthea discovers she's met her match.

9.2.2011 Road from the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred, Rosanne E. Lortz

You've heard of the Knights Templar, you've heard of Richard the Lionheart--now learn the story that started it all with the adventures of the First Crusade.

Haunted by guilt from the past and nightmares of the future, a young Norman named Tancred takes the cross and vows to be the first to free Jerusalem from the infidels. As he journeys to the Holy Land, he braves vast deserts, mortal famine, and the ever-present ambushes of the enemy Turks--but the greatest danger of all is deciding which of the Crusader lords to trust. A mysterious seer prophesies that Tancred will find great love and great sorrow on his journey, but the second seems intent on claiming him before he can find the first. Intrigues and passions grow as every battle brings the Crusaders one step closer to Jerusalem. Not all are destined to survive the perilous road from the West.

9.6.2011 The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen, and the King's Mother, Philippa Gregory, Non-Fiction Release
PHILIPPA GREGORY and her fellow historians describe the extraordinary lives of the heroines of her Cousins’ War books: Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford; Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV; and Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII.
In her essay on Jacquetta, Philippa Gregory uses original documents, archaeology, and histories of myth and witchcraft to create the first-ever biography of the young duchess who survived two reigns and two wars to become the first lady at two rival courts. David Baldwin, established authority on the Wars of the Roses, tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the first commoner to marry a king of England for love; and Michael Jones, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, writes of Margaret Beaufort, the almost-unknown matriarch of the House of Tudor.
In the introduction, Gregory writes revealingly about the differences between history and historical fiction. How much of a role does speculation play in writing each? How much fiction and how much fact should there be in a historical novel? How are female historians changing our view of women in history?
The Women of the Cousins’ War is beautifully illustrated with rare portraits and source materials. As well as offering fascinating insights into the inspirations behind Philippa Gregory’s fiction, it will appeal to all with an interest in this period.

9.13.2011 Sunrise of Avalon: A Novel of Trystan & Isolde, 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.
Their love has overcome endless obstacles. Never ones to shy away from danger, former High Queen Isolde and Trystan, a mercenary with a lonely and troubled past, have already endured a perilous journey to keep the underhanded Lord Marche from the throne of Britain. But now a new traitor lurks amongst the kings on Britain’s High Council—and just when they’ve realized the depth of their love for each other, a new danger calls Trystan from Isolde’s side to test the strength of their secret marriage vow. Only Isolde knows that she is carrying Trystan’s unborn child.
As Britain’s armies prepare for a final battle in which they will either turn back the tide of the invaders or see their kingdom utterly destroyed, Isolde must undertake yet another daring mission—one that will bring her even nearer to a secret that Trystan has kept for seven long years. As the clouds of war gather, Trystan and Isolde must once again fight to protect Britain’s throne. Together, they hold the key that can defeat the Saxon king, Octa of Kent, and Lord Marche. But the cost of Britain’s sovereignty may be their own forbidden love.
Based on the earliest written version of the Arthurian tales, Anna Elliott’s Sunrise of Avalon breathes new life into an age-old legend and brings the story of Trystan and Isolde to an unforgettable end.

9.26.2011 The Traitor's Wife: A Novel, Kathleen Kent

This novel was originally published under the title The Wolves of Andover.

In the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts, Martha Allen works as a servant in her cousin's household, taking charge and locking wills with everyone. Thomas Carrier labors for the family and is known both for his immense strength and size and his mysterious past. The two begin a courtship that suits their independent natures, with Thomas slowly revealing the story of the role he played in the English Civil War. But in the rugged new world they inhabit, danger is ever present, whether it be from the assassins sent from London to kill the executioner of Charles I or the wolves-in many forms-who hunt for blood. At once a love story and a tale of courage, The Traitor's Wife confirms Kathleen Kent's ability to craft powerful stories from the dramatic background of America's earliest days.

9.15.2011 History of Ancient Britain, Neil Oliver
Who were the first Britons, and what sort of world did they occupy? In A HISTORY OF ANCIENT BRITAIN Neil Oliver turns a spotlight on the very beginnings of the story of Britain; on the first people to occupy these islands and their battle for survival. There has been human habitation in Britain, regularly interrupted by Ice Ages, for the best part of a million years. The last retreat of the glaciers 12,000 years ago brought a new and warmer age and with it, one of the greatest tsunamis recorded on Earth which struck the north-east of Britain, devastating the population and flooding the low-lying plains of what is now the North Sea. The resulting island became, in time, home to a diverse range of cultures and peoples who have left behind them some of the most extraordinary and enigmatic monuments in the world. Through what is revealed by the artefacts of the past, Neil Oliver weaves the epic story - half -a-million years of human history up to the departure of the Roman Empire in the Fifth Century AD. It was a period which accounts for more than ninety-nine per cent of humankind's presence on these islands. It is the real story of Britain and of her people.

9.27.2011 The Favored Queen: A Novel of Henry VIII's Third Wife, Carolly Erickson

From The New York Times bestselling author of The Last Wife of Henry VIII comes a powerful and moving novel about Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII, who married him only days after the execution of Anne Boleyn and ultimately lost her own life in giving him the son he badly needed to guarantee the Tudor succession
Born into an ambitious noble family, young Jane Seymour is sent to Court as a Maid of Honor to Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s aging queen. She is devoted to her mistress and watches with empathy as the calculating Anne Boleyn contrives to supplant her as queen. Anne’s single-minded intriguing threatens all who stand in her way; she does not hesitate to arrange the murder of a woman who knows a secret so dark that, if revealed, would make it impossible for the king to marry Anne. 

Once Anne becomes queen, no one at court is safe, and Jane herself becomes the victim of Anne’s venomous rage when she suspects Jane has become the object of the king’s lust. Henry, fearing that Anne’s inability to give him a son is a sign of divine wrath, asks Jane to become his next queen. Deeply reluctant to embark on such a dangerous course, Jane must choose between her heart and her loyalty to the king.

Acclaimed biographer and bestselling novelist Carolly Erickson weaves another of her irresistible historical entertainments about the queen who finally gave Henry VIII his longed for heir, set against the excitement and danger of the Tudor Court.
~Lizzie~

Jean Plaidy's Stuart Saga, The Saga Breakdown

Jean Plaidy's Stuart Saga can be down right confusing and after much research I have broken the whole series down by isbn numbers, covers and even publication dates. What makes this series so complicated is the re-prints and the fact that all of Jean Plaidy's novels were released first in the U.K. then later in the US. There are numerous re-prints for each book because they have been very popular through out the past decades. The hardest part to figure out was the condensing of 3 books into one with a whole new title. I wrote this all out with the hope that someone else will be able to easily pick out which section of the House of Stuart they want to go to or which series of covers they want to start collecting.

I am proud to say I have read the whole saga from beginning to end and instantly fell in love with the "Stuart Charm". My favorite by far was the Charles the II's novels or as I read them combined into one "The Loves of Charles II". I hope that all my historical fiction lovers out there have the chance to read at least one of these richly portrayed Jean Plaidy novels because they are real historical fiction gems.

When I originally set out on the Jean Plaidy Stuart Saga endeavor I had had planned on adding every single cover art for every single novel in this saga. I found out the hard way that conflicting info and the overwhelming daunting task of making sure everything is correct, I have nixed the plan to include everything because the reality is that we are dealing with multiple releases in multiple formats spanning multiple countries. I decided to condense it down into my favorites the original releases then the three other publishers that reccently re-printed the series: Three Rivers Press, Crown Publishing, Arrow Books and Cornerstone Digital. I must note that I did not include the digital releases in publications list.

The original U.K. hardback releases of The Stuart Saga. Rare and usually expensive in good condition. Printed through out the 70's.

Three Rivers Press, beautiful novels to collect because the spine has a piece of the cover art and when you line them all up on a bookcase it shows all of the historical art. I would recommend collecting this set if you are also going to collect the other prints by Three Rivers like The Queen's of England series BUT....be for warned that if you do go with this set like I did many of these copies are very hard to get and if you order them on Amazon even though they show the Three Rivers Press version you WILL get Crown's version instead. I had a really hard time rounding all of these re-prints up especially "Murder Most Royal" but they are to die for on a bookcase. If you want to see mine all lined up check out this post on my Jean Plaidy collection. The Queens of England series is in this print and The Stuart Saga.

Crown Publishing, I have a mix of these ones I am missing the Mary Queen of Scots ones but I have "The Murder in the Tower" on to the end. I really do not like it that Crown chose to use the same cover art for "The Captive Queen of Scots" and "The Three Crowns". I really can not accept why they would do that but to me but it really throws a wrench in it for collectors because it is the most recent re-prints but it is like having a double copy. This set of re-prints really looks lovely on a shelf too like the Three Rivers prints because they made the spine very appealing. This publisher is also a good one for collecting The Tudors Series and the Lucreazia Borgia duo because they are the most recent re-prints

Arrow Books and Cornerstone Digital U.K. editions: this is where it gets complicated Arrow books published hard copies of "The Royal Road to Fotheringhay" and "The Captive Queen of Scots" but after that they stopped and Cornerstone Digital picked up the same style of cover art for the kindle aka digital versions of the rest of the series. I wish they would consider making hard copies of all of them but I doubt that will happen. Arrow books is really good to collect for other Plaidy series like

The Plantagenet Saga, Queen Victoria Quartet, Isabella and Ferdinand Trilogy, Catherine de Medici Trilogy.

Mary Stuart ~ Two Novels

• 1 "The Royal Road to Fotheringay" ~ ISBN 9780609810231, Originally Published 1955. Publications: 1968 hardback, 2004 paperback, 2007 paperback, 2010 paperback. Synopsis, Amazon, My Review

• 2 "The Captive Queen of Scots" ~ ISBN 9781400082513, Originally Published 1963. Publications: 1967 Hardback, 1967 paperback, 1965 hardback, 1969 "Fair Devil of Scotland", 1971 paperback, 1977 paperback, 2006 paperback, 2007 paperback. Synopsis, Amazon, My Review, Search my blog for more on Mary Queen of Scots

James I ~ One Novel

• 3 "The Murder in the Tower: The Story of Frances, Countess of Essex" ~ ISBN 9780307346216, Originally Published 1964. Publications: 1964 hardcover, 1971 paperback, and 1974 hardcover, 2010 paperback. Synopsis, Amazon, My Review Search my blog for more on James I

Charles II ~ Three Novels or One Combined Version

• 4 "The Wandering Prince" ISBN 9780330022415, Originally Published 1956. Publications: 1956 hardcover, 1969 paperback, 1971 hardcover, and 1972 paperback. Synopsis, Amazon, My Review

• 5 "Health Unto His Majesty" ISBN 9780330022835, Originally Published 1956. Publications: 1969 hardcover, 1969 paperback, 1972 hardcover, 1973 paperback, and 1992 hardcover. Synopsis, Amazon, My Review

• 6 "Here Lies our Sovereign Lord" ISBN 9780449232569, Originally Published 1957. Publications: 1969 paperback, 1973 hardcover, 1975 paperback. Synopsis, Amazon, My Review

• 4,5,6 Combined "The Loves of Charles II" ISBN 9781400082483, Originally published in 1972 Published as a combined re-print in 2005, The one volume version of "The Wandering Prince", "Health Unto His Majesty", and "Here Lies our Sovereign Lord". Publications: 2005 paperback, 2005 paperback. Synopsis, Amazon, Search my blog for more on Charles II

Mary II and Anne Queen of Great Britain ~ Three Novels or One Combined Version

• 7 The Three Crowns: The Story of William and Mary" ISBN 9780307346247, Originally Published 1965. Publications: 1973 paperback, 1977 hardcover, 2010 paperback. Synopsis, Amazon, My Review,

• 8 "The Haunted Sisters" ISBN 9780307719522, Originally Published 1966, "Haunted sisters" was retitled "Royal Sisters: The Story of the Daughters of James II" for the most recent re-print 2011. Publications: 1977 paperback, 2011 paperback

• 9 "The Queen's Favorites" ISBN 9780307719515, Originally Published 1966, "The Queen's Favorites" was retitled "Courting Her Highness" for the most recent reprint 2011. Publications: 1978 hardcover, 2011 paperback. Synopsis, Amazon, My Review,

• 7,8,9 Combined "The Last of the Stuarts" ISBN 9780709161974, Originally Published 1965,  The one volume version of "The Three Crowns", "The Haunted Sisters", and "The Queen's Favorites". Publications: Published 1977 Hardcover. Synopsis, Amazon, Search my blog for more on Mary II, and Anne Queen of Great Britain

~Lizzie~

Hot HF~June

6.1.2011
The Lady of Bolton Hill, Elizabeth Camden
"Female journalists are rare in 1879, but American-born Clara Endicott has finally made a name for herself with her provocative articles championing London's poor. When the backlash from her work forces a return home to Baltimore, Clara finds herself face-to-face with a childhood sweetheart who is no longer the impoverished factory worker she once knew. In her absence, Daniel Tremain has become a powerful industry giant and Clara finds him as enigmatic as ever. However, Daniel's success is fueled by resentment from past wounds and Clara's deeply-held beliefs about God's grace force Daniel to confront his own motives. When Clara's very life is endangered by one of Daniel's adversaries, they must face a reckoning neither of them ever could have foreseen".


The Quiet Gentleman, Georgette Heyer
"Returning to his family seat from Waterloo, Gervase Frant, seventh Earl of St Erth, could have expected more enthusiasm for his homecoming. His quiet cousin, stepmother, and young half-brother seem openly disappointed that he survived the wars. And when he begins to fall for his half-brother's sweetheart, his chilly reception goes from unfriendly to positively murderous".


Queen of the Summer Stars: Book Two of the Guinevere Trilogy, Persia Woolley
"In a country still reeling from the collapse of the Roman Empire, the young King Arthur and his wife Guinevere struggle to keep the barbarians at bay even as they establish the Fellowship of the Round Table. The spirited and outspoken Guinevere skillfully combats an accusation of planning to poison Arthur in a country simmering with unrest and scandal. But Guinevere's greatest battles are dangers Arthur cannot see-ones she'll have to fight on her own. And all the while, she must reconcile her thirst for freedom with her duties as queen, and her growing love for Lancelot with her loyalty to her husband. Vibrantly human and touchingly real, Guinevere reigns as a woman poised to discover the true peril and promise of the human heart".


The Fallen Kings (Morland Dynasty), Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
"1918: German troops flood back from the Russian front for an all-out assault in France, before the Americans can join the war. The under-strength British retreat; and for the first time the real possibility of defeat comes home to a shocked nation. At the front, Bertie struggles to bring his battered battalion out safely; at home Jessie, carrying his child, faces her family’s censure. Thomas follows the Romanovs to Ekaterinburg as Russia descends into bloody civil war. Emma drives an ambulance in the FANY, and Jack is shot down. In the last, terrifying year of the war, the Morlands are more than ever in the thick of it, and only love, faith, and compassion will keep the family safe until the longed-for days of peace".


Britain's Royal Heritage: An A to Z of the Monarchy, Mark Alexander Non-Fiction
"More than a biography of kings and queens, this is an encyclopedic work on every aspect of monarchy in Britain from semi-legendary times to the present day. Arranged in an A to Z format, it includes mini biographies on each of the 42 kings and queens who have ruled since the Norman Conquest, details of the royal lines in Scotland before the Act of Union, the background to the royal houses of Britain, and the consorts, largely foreign, who have married into the monarchy. Royal scandals, wars, ceremonies, households, tombs, and insignia make this a fascinating read. It is the ideal reference work for all those who want to know more about individual monarchs and about the impressive legacy of myths, traditions, beliefs, and practices which have grown up around the institution of the monarchy".

6.7.2011
The Borgia Betrayal: A Novel (Poisoner Mysteries), Sara Poole
"In the summer of 1493, Rodrigo Borgia, Alexander VI, has been pope for almost a year. Having played a crucial role in helping him ascend the chair of Saint Peter, Francesca, haunted by the shadows of her own past, is now charged with keeping him there. As court poisoner to the most notorious and dangerous family in Italy, this mistress of death faces a web of peril, intrigue, and deceit that threatens to extinguish the light of the Renaissance".


The Red Queen: A Novel, Philippa Gregory Paperback
"Nobody does the Tudors better than Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl), so it should come as no surprise that her latest—the War of the Roses as seen through the eyes of Henry VII's mother —is confident, colorful, convincing, and full of conflict, betrayal, and political maneuvering. Gregory gives readers Margaret Beaufort in her own words, from innocent nine-year-old to conspiring courtier who stops at nothing to see her son on England's throne. Gregory devotees will note the difference between the supernaturally gifted Yorkist White Queen and Lancastrian Margaret, who, despite saintly aspirations, grows worldly through three marriages; a powerless widow at 13, remarried and separated from her only son by 15, it is not until she's 29 that Margaret is ready to realize her most audacious ambitions. Gregory clones have made historical novels from a woman's perspective far too familiar to make this seem as fresh as her earlier works. Yet, like Margaret Beaufort, Gregory puts her many imitators to shame by dint of unequalled energy, focus, and unwavering execution".

Fire on Dark Water, Wendy K. Perriman
"Fire on Dark Water is recounted by an English gypsy called Lola Blaise, who knows that Captain Edward Teach is a buccaneer when she marries him but has no idea she is about to become the thirteenth wife of the infamous Blackbeard, nor does she realize the unconscionable deeds she will have to perform to avoid the fate of her tragic predecessors. The action takes place in the Eighteenth Century's 'Golden Age of Piracy'. Lola takes us on an epic journey from her early Romany childhood, to loss of innocence in the slums of London, a horrific voyage on a white slave ship, indentured servitude on a Charleston rice plantation, life in a brothel on the 'Pirate Republic' of New Providence, and ultimately aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge (Blackbeard's flagship), as she interacts with real characters in factual situations. This is a gritty, violent, realistic portrayal of the lascivious, often manic events, acted out by dangerous drunk individuals with little left to lose.  Warning: Not a tale for the faint of heart"!

Napoleon and the Rebel: A Story of Brotherhood, Passion, and Power, Marcello Simonetta and Noga Arikha Non-fiction
"Lucien was the most talented of the Bonaparte brothers, who not only can be credited for helping Napoleon seize power, but who also had a promising political career of his own. He was a romantic, an idealist, and an anti-monarchist whose love for Alexandrine, the woman he married in spite of Napoleon’s objections, caused him to fall out of favor with his powerful brother. Here, authors Simonetta and Arikha draw from a massive trove of first-hand documents, allowing them to present a rare, detailed portrait of this remarkable dynasty that reveals Emperor Napoleon and his family at their most intimate and vulnerable moments. The turbulent relationship between Napoleon and his favorite brother, Lucien, of whom the emperor said, “of all my siblings, he was the most gifted, and the one who hurt me most,” creates the perfect springboard to illustrate the bloody power struggles, romantic idealism, and corruption that characterized nineteenth-century Europe, as well as the rise and fall of the French empire".

6.15.2011
The Cecils: Privilege and power behind the throne, David Loades Non-Fiction

"For over 50 years, one family dominated England’s high offices of state. William and Robert Cecil, father and son, held unparalleled power as statesmen, diplomats, counselors and spymasters throughout Elizabeth’s reign and long beyond. From Privy Councillor to Chief Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer, both exerted far-reaching influence to secure the Queen’s realm and legacy. They enjoyed her reliance and trust, and Robert the gratitude of her successor James I, yet each inhabited a perilous world where favor brought enemies and a wrong step could lead to disaster".

6.21.2011
Revenger: A Novel of Tudor Intrigue, Rory Clements
"In his critically acclaimed debut thriller, Martyr, Rory Clements introduced readers to the unforgettable John Shakespeare, chief intelligencer to Queen Elizabeth I and older brother to Will.
Now, five years later, the Queen needs Shakespeare’s services once more. Not only is England still at war with Spain, but her court is riven by savage infighting among ambitious young courtiers.
Shakespeare is summoned by Elizabeth’s cold but deadly Privy Councillor Sir Robert Cecil and ordered to undertake two linked missions: to investigate the mystery of the doomed Roanoke colony in North America—Sir Walter Ralegh’s folly—and to spy on Cecil’s rival, the dashing Earl of Essex.
Essex is the brightest star in the firmament, the Queen’s favorite. But when Shakespeare enters Essex’s dissolute world, he discovers not only that the Queen herself is in danger, but that he and his family are also targets. With a plague devastating the country, Catholics facing persecution and martyrdom at the hands of an infamous torturer, and John’s own wife, Catherine, possibly protecting a priest—Shakespeare has his own survival to secure, as well as that of his fading but still feisty Queen".

The Dark Enquiry (A Lady Julia Grey Novel), Deanna Raybourn
"Partners now in marriage and in trade, Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane have finally returned from abroad to set up housekeeping in London. But merging their respective collections of gadgets, pets and servants leaves little room for the harried newlyweds themselves, let alone Brisbane's private enquiry business.
Among the more unlikely clients: Julia's very proper brother, Lord Bellmont, who swears Brisbane to secrecy about his case. Not about to be left out of anything concerning her beloved—if eccentric—family, spirited Julia soon picks up the trail of the investigation.
It leads to the exclusive Ghost Club, where the alluring Madame Séraphine holds evening séances…and not a few powerful gentlemen in thrall. From this eerie enclave unfolds a lurid tangle of dark deeds, whose tendrils crush reputations and throttle trust.
Shocked to find their investigation spun into salacious newspaper headlines, bristling at the tension it causes between them, the Brisbanes find they must unite or fall. For Bellmont's sake and moreâ they'll face myriad dangers born of dark secrets, the kind men kill to keep…."

Effie: The Passionate Lives of Effie Gray, John Ruskin and John Everett Millais, Suzanne Fagence Cooper
"Effie Gray, a beautiful and intelligent young socialite, rattled the foundations of England’s Victorian age. Married at nineteen to John Ruskin, the leading art critic of the time, she found herself trapped in a loveless, unconsummated union after Ruskin rejected her on their wedding night. On a trip to Scotland she met John Everett Millais, Ruskin’s protégé, and fell passionately in love with him. In a daring act, Effie left Ruskin, had their marriage annulled and entered into a long, happy marriage with Millais. Suzanne Fagence Cooper has gained exclusive access to Effie’s previously unseen letters and diaries to tell the complete story of this scandalous love triangle. In Cooper’s hands, this passionate love story also becomes an important new look at the work of both Ruskin and Millais with Effie emerging as a key figure in their artistic development. Effie is a heartbreakingly beautiful book about three lives passionately entwined with some of the greatest paintings of the pre-Raphaelite period".


Aristocrats: Power, Grace, and Decadence: Britain's Great Ruling Classes from 1066 to the Present, Lawrence James Non-Fiction
" Descended from the early knights, British nobility seized greater power with the Magna Carta, birthed English politics and performed a delicate balancing act with rulers who embraced the "divine right of kings," regardless of its effect on either the aristocracy or the impoverished lower classes. British historian James (The Middle Class: A History) effectively shows how these ambitious, proud families combined the "balance of public duty with private selfishness," transforming over the centuries from rugged warriors to Oxford-educated art collectors who expanded the British empire and occasionally started wars. Packed with rich, entertaining information on major nobles and an unusual depiction of the monarchs who irked them, James occasionally psychoanalyzes while fleshing out the reality behind these pre-media celebrities. Interestingly, the politically astute Shakespeare serves as a source on the nemesis of Queen ElizabethÖs grandfather without bolstering the argument that Richard III was an ineffectual tyrant. Regardless, anyone who indulges in modern interpretations of Tudor courts or relishes details of British historical undercurrents should enjoy JamesÖs take on the power behind the British throne and the aristocracyÖs current fight to remain relevant. 16 pages of color photos".

6.27.2.2011
The Ring and the Crown: A History of Royal Weddings 1066-2011, Alison Weir, Kate Williams, Sarah Gristwood and Tracy Borman Non-fiction
"The excitement surrounding the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton has prompted four of Britain's top historical biographers to look closely at Royal Weddings from 1066 to the present day. Professionally, Alison Weir, Kate Williams, Sarah Gristwood and Tracy Borman do events and television together, and are known affectionately, as the 'History Girls'. They bring an elan, and a passion for detail and dramatic narrative to all their subjects".


6.28.2011
Before Versailles: A Novel of Louis XIV, Karleen Koen
" Louis XIV is one of the best-known monarchs ever to grace the French throne. But what was he like as a young man—the man before Versailles? After the death of his prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin, twenty-two-year-old Louis steps into governing France. He’s still a young man, but one who, as king, willfully takes everything he can get—including his brother’s wife. As the love affair between Louis and Princess Henriette burns, it sets the kingdom on the road toward unmistakable scandal and conflict with the Vatican. Every woman wants him. He must face what he is willing to sacrifice for love.
But there are other problems lurking outside the chateau of Fontainebleau: a boy in an iron mask has been seen in the woods, and the king’s finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, has proven to be more powerful than Louis ever thought—a man who could make a great ally or become a dangerous foe".

The Tudor Throne, Brandy Purdy
"In the wake of King Henry VIII's death, England's throne is left in a precarious state - as is the peculiar relationship between his two daughters. Mary, the elder, once treasured, had been declared a bastard in favour of her flame-haired half-sister, Elizabeth, born of the doomed Anne Boleyn. Yet the bond between the sisters was palpable from the start. Now reinstated, Mary eventually assumes her place as queen. But as Mary's religious zeal evolves into a reign of terror, young Elizabeth gains the people's favour. Gripped by a tormenting paranoia, Mary is soon convinced that her beloved Elizabeth is in fact her worst enemy. And the virginal Elizabeth, whose true love is her country, must defy her tyrannical sister to make way for a new era...

George II: King and Elector (The English Monarchs Series) by Andrew C. Thompson Non-Fiction
"Despite a long and eventful reign, Britain's George II is a largely forgotten monarch, his achievements overlooked and his abilities misunderstood. This landmark biography uncovers extensive new evidence in British and German archives, making possible the most complete and accurate assessment of this thirty-three-year reign. Andrew C. Thompson paints a richly detailed portrait of the many-faceted monarch in his public as well as his private life.
Born in Hanover in 1683, George Augustus first came to London in 1714 as the new Prince of Wales. He assumed the throne in 1727, held it until his death in 1760, and has the distinction of being Britain's last foreign-born king and the last king to lead an army in battle. With George's story at its heart, the book reconstructs his thoughts and actions through a careful reading of the letters and papers of those around him. Thompson explores the previously underappreciated roles George played in the political processes of Britain, especially in foreign policy, and also charts the intricacies of the king's complicated relationships and reassesses the lasting impact of his frequent return trips to Hanover. George II emerges from these pages as an independent and cosmopolitan figure of undeniable historical fascination". 

6.30.2011
Katherine Parr: Complete Works and Correspondence by Katherine Parr and Janel Mueller Non-Fiction   
"To the extent that she is popularly known, Katherine Parr (1512–48) is the woman who survived King Henry VIII as his sixth and last wife. She merits far greater recognition, however, on several other fronts. Fluent in French, Italian, and Latin, Parr also began, out of necessity, to learn Spanish when she ascended to the throne in 1543. As Henry’s wife and queen of England, she was a noted patron of the arts and music and took a personal interest in the education of her stepchildren, Princesses Mary and Elizabeth and Prince Edward. Above all, Parr commands interest for her literary labors: she was the first woman to publish under her own name in English in England".

Last Month's Releases: May

• A Race to Splendor, Ciji Ware
• Mary of Carisbrooke: The Girl Who Would Not Betray Her King, Margaret Campbell Barnes
• The Confession of Katherine Howard, Suzannah Dunn
• Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle, Georgette Heyer
• Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain (Elizabeth I Trilogy), Margaret Irwin
• Knight's Ardor, Teresa Swift
• To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Christy English
• Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet, Stephanie Cowell Paperback Edition
• Daughters of Rome, Kate Quinn
• The Philosopher's Kiss: A Novel, Peter Prange
  Finding Emilie, Laurel Corona
  The Bird Sisters: A Novel, Rebecca Rasmussen
  Delilah, Eleanor De Jonge
  Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Alison Weir
  Jane Austen Education, A: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter, William Deresiewicz
  

~Lizzy~