Young Royals Series by Carolyn Meyer

Anne was a witch; I never doubted it. Month upon month I lived in terror of poison being slipped into my cup. Yet an hour before the blade bit into her flesh, they say she prayed for my forgiveness. Would I have forgiven her? No. Never.Mary Tudor's world falls apart when her father, King Henry VIII, abandons her mother and marries his mistress, Anne Boleyn... moreAnne was a witch; I never doubted it. Month upon month I lived in terror of poison being slipped into my cup. Yet an hour before the blade bit into her flesh, they say she prayed for my forgiveness. Would I have forgiven her? No. Never.Mary Tudor's world falls apart when her father, King Henry VIII, abandons her mother and marries his mistress, Anne Boleyn. Banished to a cold lonely castle, far from family and friends, Mary wears rags instead of silk and longs for her old, privileged life at the court. Her humiliation is complete when Anne orders her to serve as maid to her half-sister, Elizabeth, the new princess and heir. Yet even as she sees her future snatched away, Mary is determined to reclaim her destiny...Blood is thicker than water-unless the kind decrees otherwise. less

Imprisonment. Betrayal. Lost love. Murder. What more must a princess endure? Elizabeth Tudor's teenage and young adult years during the turbulent reigns of Edward and then Mary Tudor are hardly those of a fairy-tale princess. Her mother has been beheaded by Elizabeth's own father, Henry VIII; her jealous half sister, Mary, has her locked away in the Tower of London; and her only love interest betrays her in his own quest for the throne... moreImprisonment. Betrayal. Lost love. Murder. What more must a princess endure? Elizabeth Tudor's teenage and young adult years during the turbulent reigns of Edward and then Mary Tudor are hardly those of a fairy-tale princess. Her mother has been beheaded by Elizabeth's own father, Henry VIII; her jealous half sister, Mary, has her locked away in the Tower of London; and her only love interest betrays her in his own quest for the throne. Told in the voice of the young Elizabeth and ending when she is crowned queen, this second novel in the exciting series explores the relationship between two sisters who became mortal enemies. Carolyn Meyer has written an intriguing historical tale that reveals the deep-seated rivalry between a determined girl who became one of England's most powerful monarchs and the sister who tried everything to stop her. less

Though born without great beauty, wealth, or title, Anne Boleyn blossomed into a captivating woman. She used her wiles to win the heart of England's most powerful man, King Henry VIII, and persuade him to defy everyone--including his own wife—to make her his new queen. But Anne's ambition was her fatal flaw. This is the true story of the girl everyone loved to hate... moreThough born without great beauty, wealth, or title, Anne Boleyn blossomed into a captivating woman. She used her wiles to win the heart of England's most powerful man, King Henry VIII, and persuade him to defy everyone--including his own wife—to make her his new queen. But Anne's ambition was her fatal flaw. This is the true story of the girl everyone loved to hate. Carolyn Meyer's engrossing third novel in the award-winning Young Royals series tells Anne's fascinating story in her own voice—from her life as an awkward girl to the dramatic moments before her death. less

England anxiously awaits Prince Arthur's betrothed—the Spanish princess who will be its future queen. But when Arthur dies not long after the wedding, Catherine of Aragon's fate becomes uncertain. Will the king and Catherine's parents arrange a marriage with Arthur's brother, Henry, or will she return to Spain a widow? Through all this turmoil, the young princess's resolve remains unshaken. She will one day be England's queen . . . no matter how long it takes.

Young Catherine de' Medici is the sole heiress to the entire fortune of the wealthy Medici family. But her life is far from luxurious. After a childhood spent locked away behind the walls of a convent, she joins the household of the pope, where at last she can be united with her true love. But, all too soon, that love is replaced with an engagement to a boy who is cold and aloof... moreYoung Catherine de' Medici is the sole heiress to the entire fortune of the wealthy Medici family. But her life is far from luxurious. After a childhood spent locked away behind the walls of a convent, she joins the household of the pope, where at last she can be united with her true love. But, all too soon, that love is replaced with an engagement to a boy who is cold and aloof. It soon becomes clear that Catherine will need all the cunning she can muster to command the respect she deserves as one of France's most powerful queens.Includes a family tree. less

History paints her as a shallow party girl, a spoiled fashionista, a callous ruler. Perhaps no other royal has been so maligned— and so misunderstood— as Marie-Antoinette.From the moment she was betrothed to the dauphin of France at age fourteen, perfection was demanded of Marie-Antoinette. She tried to please everyone: courtiers, her young husband, the king, the French people, but often fell short of their expectations... moreHistory paints her as a shallow party girl, a spoiled fashionista, a callous ruler. Perhaps no other royal has been so maligned— and so misunderstood— as Marie-Antoinette.From the moment she was betrothed to the dauphin of France at age fourteen, perfection was demanded of Marie-Antoinette. She tried to please everyone: courtiers, her young husband, the king, the French people, but often fell short of their expectations. Desperate for affection and subjected to constant scrutiny, this spirited young woman can't help but want to let loose with elaborate parties, scandalous fashions, and unimaginable luxuries. But as Marie-Antoinette's lifestyle gets ever-more recklessly extravagant, the peasants of France are suffering from increasing poverty, and becoming outraged. They want to make the queen pay. In this latest installment of her acclaimed Young Royals series, Carolyn Meyer reveals the dizzying rise and horrific downfall of the last queen of France. Includes historical notes, an author’s note, and a bibliography. less

Mary Stuart was just five years old when she was sent to France to be raised alongside her future husband. But when the frail young king dies, eighteen-year-old Mary is stripped of her title as Queen of France and set adrift in the harsh world, alone. Determined to reign over what is rightfully hers, Mary returns to Scotland. Hopingthat a husband will help her secure the coveted English throne, she marries again, but the love and security she longs for elude her... moreMary Stuart was just five years old when she was sent to France to be raised alongside her future husband. But when the frail young king dies, eighteen-year-old Mary is stripped of her title as Queen of France and set adrift in the harsh world, alone. Determined to reign over what is rightfully hers, Mary returns to Scotland. Hopingthat a husband will help her secure the coveted English throne, she marries again, but the love and security she longs for elude her. Instead, the fiery young queen finds herself embroiled in a murder scandal that could cost her the crown. And her attempts to bargain with her formidable “sister queen,” Elizabeth I of England, could cost her her very life. less