European Royalty discussion

***ROYALTY ROMANCE***

***ANY EUROPEAN COUNTRY, ANY TIME PERIOD, FICTION OR NON-FICTION***


Okay everyone, it's that time of the month - time to nominate! Anyone who would like to nominate one book may do so in this thread.

The theme this month is ROYALTY ROMANCE (any European country, any time period, fiction or non-fiction). Why romance? Well, this read leads right up to Valentine's Day, so why not! As always, we're flexible. The romance can be between a royal and non-royal or even two non-royals as long as some European royalty is involved somewhere. And just because it's romantic doesn't mean there is a happy ending (hello Romeo & Juliet)!

Since this group has read SO MANY books together, I'm only going to exclude the last two years of books that this group has read from being nominated (so books we read together more than two years ago are now okay). A list of every book this group has read together in the last two years is at the end of this post (alphabetically by author, then by title if we've read more than one book by that author), so please try not to nominate a book from this list.

Please try to check amazon or some other site to make sure the book is easily available - the last thing we want is to nominate some great book that no one can get! If you nominate more than one book, only the first book listed will make it into the voting poll (so save additional books for the next months!). Also, if the book doesn't fit the theme, I won't add it to this month's voting poll, but I will carry it over to the next theme that it does fit under if you would like.

Feel free to nominate one book of your choice in this thread until December 3rd, 9pm Eastern (quick turn around here because I might not have easily access to a computer for a couple days after that).

At around that time, I'll make a voting poll and list all the nominated books in it, and people can vote in the poll until the poll closes (set to last through December 7th). Discussion will start on January 15th.

Happy Nominating!



BOOKS WE HAVE READ AS A GROUP IN THE LAST TWO YEARS (PLEASE DON'T NOMINATE):

Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric by Veronica Buckley

The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick

Three Maids for a Crown: A Novel of the Grey Sisters by Ella March Chase

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

A Venetian Affair: A True Tale of Forbidden Love in the 18th Century by Andrea Di Robilant

The 19th Wife: A Novel by David Ebershoff

To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Christy English

Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser

Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III by Flora Fraser

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood by Alexandra Fuller

From Splendor to Revolution: The Romanov Women, 1847-1928 by Julia P. Gelardi

The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George

We Two: Victoria and Albert: Rulers, Partners, Rivals by Gillian Gill

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner

Gone with the Windsors by Laurie Graham

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

Sex with the Queen: 900 Years of Vile Kings, Virile Lovers, and Passionate Politics by Eleanor Herman

The Traitor’s Wife by Susan Higginbotham

The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis

The Devil's Queen: A Novel of Catherine de Medici by Jeanne Kalogridis

Through a Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert Massie

Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert Massie

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran

Harriet and Isabella by Patricia O’Brien

Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman

When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman

The Queen's Secret by Jean Plaidy

Victoria Victorious: The Story of Queen Victoria by Jean Plaidy

Sarum: The Novel of England by Edward Rutherfurd

Avalon: A Novel by Anya Seton

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith

The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir

Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor

Winter King: The Dawn of Tudor Englandby Thomas Pennis one of my top 2012 TBR books. Maybe there is romance with Elizabeth of York?

Queen By Right: A Novel by Anne Easter Smith

For the King's Favor AKA The Time of Singing by Elizabeth Chadwick



I know it's the third in a series but I'm pretty sure it involves different main characters than book 1 and 2 and so can be read individually.

Karen wrote: "Winter King: The Dawn of Tudor Englandby Thomas Pennis one of my top 2012 TBR books. Maybe there is romance with Elizabeth of York?"

This is a fine choice for the topic (like I said, we're flexible!), but just be aware that it technically doesn't get released in the US until March 2012, so you probably won't be able to find it in a US book store or library for this read. There are UK copies available now through awesomebooks.com and independent sellers at amazon though (and I'm sure elsewhere online).

Sara W wrote: "Karen wrote: "Winter King: The Dawn of Tudor Englandby Thomas Pennis one of my top 2012 TBR books. Maybe there is romance with Elizabeth of York?"

This is a fin..."

Definitely need to wait until US libraries have copies.

Would count as romance? If so i'd like to renominate it for this nominating period.

Is it bad manners to suggest my own novel, Mistress of the Sun, the tragic story of the very real romance between Louise de la Vallière and Louis XIV, the Sun King of France? I'd be reading it along with you!

If it's not too late - and if an additional option is helpful to have a wider choice for the vote: by Priya Parmar

Sandra wrote: "Is it bad manners to suggest my own novel, Mistress of the Sun, the tragic story of the very real romance between Louise de la Vallière and Louis XIV, the Sun King of France? I'd be reading it alon..."

I just finished that about a month ago. If I'd known, I'd have waited! I got another friend started on Josephine a few days ago. Fiendishly addictive. Which reminds me-- shouldn't you be publishing your next book? We're waiting!!! :-). Love, a fan.

Jennifer, thank you! This is a great note to start my day.

My next novel, also set in the Court of the Sun King, is with my editor now.

Cheers, Sandra

What about? Bittersweet within my heart, it's more of a volume of poetry to her husbands and some letters to Elizabeth I but it sounds good to me.

Karen wrote: "Sara W wrote: "Karen wrote: "Winter King: The Dawn of Tudor Englandby Thomas Pennis one of my top 2012 TBR books. Maybe there is romance with Elizabeth of York?" ...

Definitely need to wait until US libraries have copies."

Sounds good! Definitely keep it in mind for a future read - according to amazon it comes out March 6, 2012, so it would probably be fine for the March 15 - April 15 (or later) read.

Brett wrote: "Would count as romance? If so i'd like to renominate it for this nominating period."

Absolutely works!

Sandra wrote: "Is it bad manners to suggest my own novel, Mistress of the Sun, the tragic story of the very real romance between Louise de la Vallière and Louis XIV, the Sun King of France? I'd be reading it alon..."

Definitely not a problem! :)

Sue wrote: "If it's not too late - and if an additional option is helpful to have a wider choice for the vote: by Priya Parmar"

It's not too late - I didn't get the poll up before going on vacation (my bad), so anything nominated before I close the thread is fine.

Destiny wrote: "What about? Bittersweet within my heart, it's more of a volume of poetry to her husbands and some letters to ..."

Sure, why not? It sounds interesting!

Okay, nominating is finally closed and it's time to vote! I had grand plans on doing this before my vacation, but I kind of ran out of time. :)