History from a Woman's Perspective- A Book Blog

Empress Alexandra: The Special Relationship Between Russia’s Last Tsarina and Queen Victoria Author: Melanie Clegg Genre: History, Nonfiction, Biography Publisher: Pen and Sword History Release Date: 2020 Pages: 208 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Melanie Clegg takes a fresh and intimate look at the close relationship that existed between the last Empress of Russia and her grandmother Queen Victoria.      When Queen Victoria’s second daughter Princess Alice married the Prince Louis of Hesse and Rhine in 1862 even her own mother described the ceremony as ‘more of a funeral than a wedding’ thanks to the fact that it took place shortly after the death of Alice’s beloved father Prince Albert. Sadly, the young princess’ misfortunes didn’t end there and when she also died prematurely, her four motherless daughters were taken under the wing of their formidable grandmother, Victoria. Alix, the youngest of Alice’s daughters and allegedly one of the most

Dawn Empress (The Theodosian Women #2) Author: Faith L. Justice Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Raggedy Moon Books Release Date: 2020 Pages: 354 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: A calculating court. An empire at risk. With her child brother the new emperor, will her family survive his reign?        Constantinople, AD 408. Princess Pulcheria is terrified for the future. With her father’s death leaving her seven-year-old brother as the new ruler, the astute girl fears the easily influenced boy will be destroyed by the whims of a manipulative aristocracy. Vowing to protect their family legacy, the young noble convinces the underage monarch to appoint her as the imperial regent. Defending herself from duplicitous suitors, Pulcheria and her sisters escape marriage with a shocking vow, garnering favor with the people of Constantinople. But after her sibling comes of age, his ambitious wife and foolish support of heretics threaten to undo her p

The Duke and I: The Princess of Blackmare (Liji Chronicles #1) Author: Veronica Skye Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Veronica Skye Release Date: 2019 Pages: 122 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review/ Synopsis: The Duke wants me. I must fulfill the duty to my country. But there is more to me than meets the eye.       It was 672 BC and the Central Kingdom had been divided into over a hundred of warring fiefdoms. The army of my country, Lirong, perched high on top of the secluded Mount Blackmare had been miserably defeated by the invading army from the State of Jin, one of the biggest states of all with a Duke that was ready to crown himself King.       The Duke demanded not only compensation in foodstuff and livestock from my father, the Baron of Lirong, he also wanted beauties from Lirong to decorate his court. When his eyes landed on my younger sister and I, I knew my opportunity for revenge had come.      Amid the chaos in the war-torn state of

  The Empress Author: Laura Martinez-Belli Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Amazon Crossing Release Date: 2020 Pages: 458 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review/ Synopsis: From a bestselling author in Mexico comes her English-language debut—an enthralling historical novel about the tragic reign of Empress Carlota of Mexico.     It’s 1863. Napoleon III has installed a foreign monarch in Mexico to squash the current regime. Maximilian von Habsburg of Austria accepts the emperor’s crown. But it is his wife, the brilliant and ambitious Princess Charlotte, who throws herself passionately into the role. Known to the people as Empress Carlota, she rules deftly from behind the scenes while her husband contents himself with philandering and decorating the palace.      But Carlota bears a guilty secret. Trapped in a loveless marriage, she’s thrown herself into a reckless affair. Desire has blinded Carlota to its consequences, for it has left her vulnerable to her sole

The Tsarina’s Daughter Author: Ellen Alpsten Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Release Date: March 15, 2022 Pages: 487 Source: This book was given to me as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review/ Synopsis: Ellen Alpsten's stunning new novel, The Tsarina's Daughter , is the dramatic story of Elizabeth, daughter of Catherine I and Peter the Great, who ruled Russia during an extraordinary life marked by love, danger, passion and scandal.      Born into the House of Romanov to the all-powerful Peter the Great and his wife, Catherine, a former serf, beautiful Tsarevna Elizabeth is the envy of the Russian empire. She is insulated by luxury and spoiled by her father, who dreams for her to marry King Louis XV of France and rule in Versailles. But when a woodland creature gives her a Delphic prophecy, her life is turned upside down. Her volatile father suddenly dies, her only brother has been executed and her mother takes the throne of Russia.      As

Tsarina Author: Ellen Alpsten Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Release Date: 2020 Pages: 480 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Before there was Catherine the Great, there was Catherine Alexeyevna: the first woman to rule Russia in her own right. Ellen Alpsten's rich, sweeping debut novel is the story of her rise to power.      St. Petersburg, 1725. Peter the Great lies dying in his magnificent Winter Palace. The weakness and treachery of his only son has driven his father to an appalling act of cruelty and left the empire without an heir. Russia risks falling into chaos. Into the void steps the woman who has been by his side for decades: his second wife, Catherine Alexeyevna, as ambitious, ruthless and passionate as Peter himself.      Born into devastating poverty, Catherine used her extraordinary beauty and shrewd intelligence to ingratiate herself with Peter’s powerful generals, finally seducing the Tsar himself. But e

Becoming Lady Washington Author: Bette Bolte Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Mystic Owl Publishing Release Date: 2020 Pages: 416 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review        My Review: It is often said that behind every famous man lies a great woman. In this biographical novel of Martha Washington, Mrs. Bolte proves that this is the case. Martha Custis is a young widow who is in search of a father figure for her children. She meets George Washington, a Southern plantation owner with a lavish estate. They marry and live peacefully until the American Revolution pulls her husband from her. When George Washington becomes the leader of America’s army, Martha rises overnight from obscurity to fame. Eventually, Martha Washington learns that destiny is taking her to the highest position in America as the President’s Wife. The novel begins with Martha’s courtship to her first husband, Daniel Custis. Because of Daniel’s miserly father who was suspicious of her t

Katheryn Howard, The Scandalous Queen (Six Tudor Queens #5) Author: Alison Weir Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Books Release Date: 2020 Pages: 480 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Bestselling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir tells the tragic story of Henry VIII’s fifth wife, a nineteen-year-old beauty with a hidden past, in this fifth novel in the sweeping Six Tudor Queens series.        In the spring of 1540, Henry VIII is desperate to be rid of his unappealing German queen, Anna of Kleve. A prematurely aged and ailing forty-nine, with an ever-growing waistline, he casts an amorous eye on a pretty nineteen-year-old brunette, Katheryn Howard. Like her cousin Anne Boleyn, Katheryn is a niece of the Duke of Norfolk, England’s premier Catholic peer, who is scheming to replace Anna of Kleve with a good Catholic queen. A flirtatious, eager participant in the life of the royal court, Katheryn readily succumbs to the king’s at