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Every week Tanzanite features upcoming historical fiction and history related non-fiction books that have come to her attention and may be of interest to others. Since she has an out of control TBR pile, so should everyone else!
Queen of the Conqueror by Tracey Borman. Non-fiction. US release April 3, 2012 (released in the UK earlier this year)
For fans of Alison Weir, by a rising star in the field, a groundbreaking first biography of one of England’s most consequential queens, Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror.The remarkable story of Matilda’s marriage to one of the most famous men in history reveals not just her extraordinary character but also the lasting influence that she would have on the English monarchy. All British monarchs from 1087 to the present day can trace their lineage to this first royal consort to be crowned with full pomp and formally recognized as queen. Passionate, steadfast, and wise, she was also ruthless, tenacious, and authoritative, the only person capable of taming her formidable husband. She confounded the traditional views of women in medieval society by seizing the reins of power whenever she had the chance, directing William’s policy and at times flagrantly disobeying his orders.
The Courtesan’s Lover by Gabrielle Kimm. US release May 1, 2012 (released in the UK earlier this year)
A compelling and vibrant tale from an up-and-coming fresh voice with glowing reviews and strong sales in the UK. The Courtesan's Lover is a return to the fascinating, decadent world that Kimm fans will want to savor. Francesca Felizzi, former mistress of the Duke of Ferrara, longs to be one of the most prestigious of the courtesans. But a chance encounter reveals to Francesca that her sumptuous life is a gaudy facade, and soon an unexpected event plunges her and her two young daughters into a danger she has long dreaded.
Her Highness the Traitor by Susan Higginbotham. US release June 1, 2012.
When Henry VIII dies, leaving behind his nine-year-old son as his heir, a deadly series of power struggles begins, transforming the lives of two women. Joan Dudley’s husband, the Duke of Northumberland, becomes the most powerful man in England, while Frances Grey perches with her daughter Jane dangerously close to the throne. But when Mary Tudor asserts her own right to the crown, Frances and Joan find that the lives of their husbands and children are in mortal danger. The story of the women behind the crowning of Jane Grey, this novel is an illuminating tale of ambition gone awry.
The Queen’s Vow by C.W. Gortner. US Release June 12, 2012.
For fans of Philippa Gregory’s and Alison Weir’s historical fiction, a gripping new novel that follows young Isabella of Castile in her dramatic and turbulent ascent to power, transforming herself from the defiant daughter of an exiled widow to the famed warrior-queen who irrevocably changed the future of Spain.
Isabella of Castile is one of history’s most famous and fascinating figures. She was the warrior-monarch who united a fractured kingdom; she was the passionate woman willing to risk her life to marry her true love; she was a Renaissance leader, patron of the arts, and scholar, responsible for sending Columbus to America. Revered by some as a devout leader who transformed Spain into a world power, she is reviled by others as a fanatic who ushered in an era of persecution. In The Queen’s Vow, C. W. Gortner brings Isabella’s world of faith, bloodshed, romance, and betrayal to powerful life.
Isabella of Castile is one of history’s most famous and fascinating figures. She was the warrior-monarch who united a fractured kingdom; she was the passionate woman willing to risk her life to marry her true love; she was a Renaissance leader, patron of the arts, and scholar, responsible for sending Columbus to America. Revered by some as a devout leader who transformed Spain into a world power, she is reviled by others as a fanatic who ushered in an era of persecution. In The Queen’s Vow, C. W. Gortner brings Isabella’s world of faith, bloodshed, romance, and betrayal to powerful life.
The enthralling trilogy that began with Becoming Marie Antoinette follows one of history’s most beloved and notorious figures as Marie Antoinette ascends to the throne, building the vast splendor that made her famous in the face of the dark sorrow that would eventually bring her down.
Paris, 1774. Eighteen-year-old Marie Antoinette has just ascended to the throne of France, along with her husband, Louis XVI. But life is not easy for the young royals. Despite increased pressure to produce a male heir, Louis is still unable to consummate the marriage, and countless scandals erupt as Marie Antoinette tries to forge her own identity in a court and a kingdom that will always see her as a foreigner. As she forever influences fashion with her lavish gowns and sparkling jewels, Marie Antoinette faces romantic scandal, and ripples of revolution begin spreading across the country, though no one can predict what lies ahead…
Paris, 1774. Eighteen-year-old Marie Antoinette has just ascended to the throne of France, along with her husband, Louis XVI. But life is not easy for the young royals. Despite increased pressure to produce a male heir, Louis is still unable to consummate the marriage, and countless scandals erupt as Marie Antoinette tries to forge her own identity in a court and a kingdom that will always see her as a foreigner. As she forever influences fashion with her lavish gowns and sparkling jewels, Marie Antoinette faces romantic scandal, and ripples of revolution begin spreading across the country, though no one can predict what lies ahead…
Woo hoo, awesome books on this wishlist. I'll take one of each please :) I am especially geeked out for the new Gortner and the second book in Juliet Grey's trilogy on Marie Antoinette!
December 8, 2011 10:03 AM
Ha! You found my cover online before I did!
December 8, 2011 11:27 AM
Want all them actually. The Tracy Borman cover is so much better for the US than the UK version.
December 8, 2011 12:46 PM
I want all of these lovely books!!!
December 8, 2011 2:12 PM
I think the Tracy Borman cover is just awful for a non fiction work. She's obviously wearing the same dress that's on The Sister Queens and one of Anne Easter Smith's and Christy English's - it's a late Medieval early Tudor style and centuries out. That's inexcusable in a non fiction work. It's eye-rolling for a fiction work, but publishers I am afraid just don't get that it is possible to do nice frocks that still at least reflect the character and the period. I have suffered from this myself and at least 3 of these titles have costumes that are not what the women in question would have been wearing - don't know about the Gabrielle Kim one.
December 13, 2011 4:11 AM