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Forthcoming Books: 2013 edition

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Mythica
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Post by Mythica » Sun May 19th, 2013, 3:43 pm

Did anyone read "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey"? I haven't gotten to it yet and already, there's another one coming out:

Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey by Countess Fiona Carnarvon
October 29, 2013

Highclere Castle has a new resident, the daughter-in-law of Lady Almina, an American beauty from New York and a descendant of famous American families.

Catherine Wendell first met Lord Porchester (Porchey), son of Lady Almina, the heir to Highclere and 6th Earl of Carnarvon, in Gibraltar. At just 19 and utterly entrancing, she had already received many proposals of marriage and immediately caught 24-year-old Porchey's discerning eye.

They married in 1922, and after the unexpected death of Almina's husband, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, they moved into Highclere Castle. Beset by death duties and money problems, the Earl and Countess were unsure they could keep Highclere. Thanks to the sale of the decade at Christies Auction House, hundreds of cherished paintings went under the hammer, from a Leonardo da Vinci to works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, and Romney. Porchey even sold the famous family pearls. By 1926 Catherine and Porchey knew they could stay.

Over the next few years, the young couple entertained at Highclere, sharing it with other royalty and friends from London society. Catherine was much loved by the staff and adored by her husband and two young children. Although Almina still occasionally came to stay, Catherine's own American mother, Mrs. Jacob Wendell, was the most regular visitor.

By 1936, Catherine and Porchey's marriage had become increasingly troubled. Devastated, Catherine bravely unraveled her marriage. Porchey hastily traveled to New York to marry his new lover, who, however, ran off the night before the wedding with a Hollywood mogul.

Now in London with her children, Catherine fell in love with a handsome and charming man, whom she married in 1938. Porchey continued at Highclere, having to find new staff (the old staff accompanied Catherine to London) and marrying the famous Austrian actress Tilly Losch on the day war broke out in 1939. Catherine's husband joined the navy while Porchey's new wife quickly left for America.

Highclere Castle was turned into a home for evacuee children as well as lodging for soldiers. Porchey joined the war effort as an army adjutant (later a liaison officer) and was commended by the Americans stationed near Highclere. Catherine and Porchey's son Henry also joined the war in 1943. Like other wives and mothers, Catherine endured the unbearable stress of waiting for news of two beloved people in her life.

Using copious materials - including diaries and scrapbooks - from the castle's archive, the Countess of Carnarvon brings alive a very modern story in a beautiful and famous setting, paying particular attention not just to the goings on upstairs, but also to the butler footmen and other staff whose lives downstairs kept the Castle moving forward into the twentieth century.

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princess garnet
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Post by princess garnet » Mon May 20th, 2013, 12:37 am

I read Lady Almina and enjoyed it. I remember Lord Carnarvon accompanied Howard Carter on his famous digs in Egypt but didn't know anything else beyond that. This book was a good intro to him as well as Highclere.
Lady Catherine is introduced towards the end of the 1st book so this looks like an interesting follow up.

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Post by SonjaMarie » Mon May 20th, 2013, 2:45 am

I read "Lady Almina" as well, I enjoyed it and will probably read this one as well if BF or the library gets it.

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Post by Divia » Mon May 20th, 2013, 9:12 pm

The outcasts is going on my list for sure! how fun. So is Fallen Women
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Mythica
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Post by Mythica » Thu May 30th, 2013, 1:37 pm

Banquet of Lies by Michelle Diener
October 22, 2013

A young noblewoman flees to London and poses as a servant to evade a murderer in this richly detailed and “compelling” (Publishers Weekly) historical novel.
Frightened for her life after her father, a British spy, is murdered, Giselle Barrington flees with the secret document her father gave her for safekeeping. Needing to hide from those now chasing her, and knowing that no one would look for a wealthy young society lady in a kitchen, she takes a job as a cook for a nobleman, determined to use her anonymity to uncover the murderer. Life below stairs gives her a new perspective on the hard realities of servants’ lives, even though she’s a highly paid one. And when her employer is drawn not only into her investigations, but also to her, they find themselves faced with the power imbalance between servant and master.

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annis
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Post by annis » Sun June 16th, 2013, 5:44 am

I see Conn Iggulden is about to venture into the Wars of the Roses period - a major shift from Caesar's Rome and Genghis Khan's dynasty. I imagine his novel will be much more Bernard Cornwell than Phillipa Gregory, though.

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The first in a series, War of the Roses: Stormbird will be released in October.

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Post by EC2 » Sun June 16th, 2013, 12:37 pm

[quote=""annis""]I see Conn Iggulden is about to venture into the Wars of the Roses period - a major shift from Caesar's Rome and Genghis Khan's dynasty. I imagine his novel will be much more Bernard Cornwell than Phillipa Gregory, though.
[/quote]

Isn't Ben Kane shifting from Rome to that period too - or is it the 100 Years War? I'm sure I read it on Twitter. Late Medieval is obviously the new Tudor!
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

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Post by Misfit » Sun June 16th, 2013, 3:20 pm

[quote=""EC2""]Isn't Ben Kane shifting from Rome to that period too - or is it the 100 Years War? I'm sure I read it on Twitter. Late Medieval is obviously the new Tudor![/quote]

I shudder at the thought that in a few years time people will be attributing it all to PG as the groundbreaker :(
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annis
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Post by annis » Sun June 16th, 2013, 5:50 pm

I think Ben's going for the 100 Years War. Christian Cameron also has a novel called The Ill-Made Knight coming out which is set around the mercenary companies of the 100 Years War. Knowing CC, it's bound to be start of a series :) And of course Bernard Cornwell has been mining the major battles of the 100 Years War for plotlines in recent times.
Last edited by annis on Sun June 16th, 2013, 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Mythica
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Post by Mythica » Wed June 26th, 2013, 10:19 am

[quote=""Mythica""]
The Tudor Bride by Joanna Hickson
October 24, 2013
I'm assuming this one is the sequel to The Agincourt Bride.

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Another one for the dejavu book covers ^[/quote]

Looks like this one has been pushed back to January 2014 - should I repost it in the 2014 topic?

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