This week I rounded up some reads that have been on my wish list for a long time. I am working on completing a full set of C.W. Gortner's novels at the moment. I really miss him. He was a wonderful human and I look forward to reading all of his novels.
"For fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, bestselling author C. W. Gortner effortlessly weaves history and drama in this captivating novel about one of the world’s most notorious families. Glamorous and predatory, the Borgias fascinated and terrorized fifteenth-century Renaissance Italy, and Lucrezia Borgia, beloved daughter of the pope, was at the center of the dynasty’s ambitions. Slandered as a heartless seductress who lured men to their doom, was she in fact the villainess of legend, or was she trapped in a familial web, forced to choose between loyalty and survival?
With the ascension of the Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, a new era has dawned in Rome. Benefitting from their father’s elevation are the new pope’s illegitimate children—his rival sons, Cesare and Juan, and beautiful young daughter Lucrezia—each of whom assumes an exalted position in the papal court. Privileged and adored, Lucrezia yearns to escape her childhood and play a part in her family’s fortunes. But Rome is seductive and dangerous: Alliances shift at a moment’s notice as Italy’s ruling dynasties strive to keep rivals at bay. As Lucrezia’s father faces challenges from all sides, the threat of a French invasion forces him to marry her off to a powerful adversary. But when she discovers the brutal truth behind her alliance, Lucrezia is plunged into a perilous gambit that will require all her wits, cunning, and guile. Escaping her marriage offers the chance of happiness with a passionate prince of Naples, yet as scandalous accusations of murder and incest build against her, menacing those she loves, Lucrezia must risk everything to overcome the lethal fate imposed upon her by her Borgia blood.Beautifully wrought, rich with fascinating historical detail, The Vatican Princess is the first novel to describe Lucrezia’s coming-of-age in her own voice. What results is a dramatic, vivid tale set in an era of savagery and unparalleled splendor, where enemies and allies can be one and the same, and where loyalty to family can ultimately be a curse".
"Richard Matheson's What Dreams May Come, a powerful tale of life--and love--after death was the basis for the Oscar-winning film starring Robin Williams.
The New York Times bestsellerA LOVE THAT TRANSCENDS HEAVEN AND HELL
What happens to us after we die? Chris Nielsen had no idea, until an unexpected accident cut his life short, separating him from his beloved wife, Annie. Now Chris must discover the true nature of life after death.
But even Heaven is not complete without Annie, and when tragedy threatens to divide them forever, Chris risks his very soul to save Annie from an eternity of despair".
""As England's very first queen regnant, I must remember to keep my feminine emotions hidden from my people, and from the world, for nothing said weakness like the tearful blubbering of a woman."
As a girl, Mary had been a disappointment from the moment she was born.
Deemed utterly useless to inherit the throne of England, Mary soon learns that despite being born the daughter of a king, nothing in her life would come easily. And when Henry VIII divorces his queen in favour of another, Mary's future takes an uncertain turn.
Through lost loves and unbearable grief, Mary fights to hold on to the hope that her life would one day bear some meaning, leading her on a hopeless path to achieve her twisted fate nothing".
"This information-packed volume opens with a brief history of this centuries-old technique and a look at the many ways slow cooking and braising transforms the texture of food as well as enhances the natural flavors. Comprehensive descriptions cover the types of slow cooking and explain every stage of the process, from preparing the food in order to achieve the best results to properly testing the food for optimum doneness, providing readers with all the knowledge they need to turn out delicious and memorable meals. Slow cookers, Dutch ovens, roasting pans, and other important equipment are clearly described and pictured.
Five chapters filled with more than 130 recipes follow, offering a range of irresistible ideas for preparing and braising fish and shellfish, poultry, meats, and vegetables, both using a traditional stovetop or oven method, as well as a slow cooker. The chapters begin with invaluable advice on buying and preparing fresh foods, and the recipes, each one handsomely photographed, perfectly balance everyday fare, such as braised Brussels sprouts with pancetta, chicken marsala, with special-occasion dishes, including veal stew with asparagus, and Italian braised short ribs.Detailed instructions and step-by-step photographs explain the basic techniques of slow cooking and braising such as browning ingredients, carving large cuts of meat, and preparing delicious side dishes. A glossary of culinary terms and ingredients completes this indispensable volume".
The Ultimate Rose Book by Stirling Macoboy
"A celebration of roses from around the world presents photographs of 1,500 roses selected for their beauty, fragrance, and popularity and organized into four categories: old garden, modern garden, miniature, and wild".
