The YA Historical Craze! (New novels by Claudia Gray and Lesley Livingston!)

First there were mermaids, and now we are taking a trip to the past.

Re-writing history, or just trying to make a little more sense of it.

The YA Historical Craze!

 The Lost Crown: A Novel of Romanov Russia

by Sarah Miller 

Published July 2011 by Atheneum

Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. Like the fingers on a hand - first headstrong Olga, then Tatiana the tallest, Anastasia the smallest, and Maria most hopeful for a ring. These are the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, Russian grand duchesses living a life steeped in tradition and privilege. For these young women each on the brink of beginning their own lives at the mercy of royal matchmakers, summer 1914 promises to be a precious last wink of time to be sisters together - sisters that still link arms and laugh, sisters that share their dreams and worries, and flirt with the officers of their imperial yacht.  But in a gunshot the future changes - for them, and for Russia.  As World War I ignites across Europe, political unrest sweeps Russia. First dissent, then disorder, mutiny - and revolution. For Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, the end of their girlhood together is colliding with the end of more than they ever imagined.  At the same time hopeful and hopeless, naive and wise, the voices of these sisters become a chorus singing the final song of Imperial Russia. Impeccably researched and utterly fascinating, acclaimed author Sarah Miller recounts the final days of Imperial Russia with lyricism, criticism and true compassion.

 In The Shadow of the Lampby Susanne Dunlap

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published April 12th 2011 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

It's 1854 and sixteen-year-old Molly would give anything to change her circumstances as a lowly servant in a posh London house. So when she hears of an opportunity to join the nurses who will be traveling with Florence Nightingale to the Crimea, she jumps at the chance. The work is grueling, the hospital conditions deplorable, and Miss Nightingale a demanding teacher.  Before long, the plight of British soldiers becomes more than just a mission of mercy as Molly finds that she's falling in love with both a dashing young doctor and a soldier who has joined the army to be near her. But with the battle raging ever nearer, can Molly keep the two men she cares for from harm?  A love story to savor, and a fascinating behind-the-scenes imagining of the woman who became known as "the lady with the lamp."

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published May 24th 2011 by Atheneum

This is Agnes Wilkins’ debut season and already she’s attracting the attention of one of England’s most eligible and desirable men: Lord Showalter. He’s been quite forward about his intentions and Agnes finds this at once thrilling and terrifying. He is handsome and wealthy and has this quirky interest in helping England amass the world’s finest collection of Egyptian artifacts. It could be a good match—but everything Agnes knows about courtship and high society romance comes from A. Lady novels, and it seems to be a rule that men who are too good to be true are usually hiding something.  But, what Showalter is hiding is not crumbling finances or boarish behavior. He is deceiving the whole British Empire. He is spy working for Napoleon, his orders smuggled into London in Egyptian artifacts—like the one Agnes pockets while at a mummy unwrapping party at Showalter’s home. Her innocent interest in this trinket (and childish need to keep it) jump starts a chain of events that bring out dangerous characters, dangerous circumstances, and the biggest danger of all—true love.  Jennifer Bradbury’s knack for suspense and adventure make this an amazingly rich, wildly compelling and utterly fascinating novel about the secrets in and out of a mummy’s tomb. Keep your wits and trust your heart.

Fateful by Claudia Gray  Published 2011 by HarperTeen It's about a servant girl named Tess in 1912, who wants to escape from the house where she works, and most particularly the lecherous young lord of the manor. But that's not her biggest problem. While on a voyage to America, where she plans to escape and start a new life, she meets Alec, who's ruggedly handsome, fabulously wealthy, intelligent and yet so clearly troubled that she'd rather not fall for him, but she does.  That also is not her biggest problem. Alec, it turns out, is a werewolf ... one cursed to change every night, unless and until he surrenders his independence and joins the Brotherhood, a pack of violently misogynistic werewolves who have been tracking him for months. You'd think that would be their biggest problem, wouldn't you?  But no. Their biggest problem -- though they don't know it yet -- is that they're aboard the RMS Titanic.

Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston Published 2011 by Penguin Canada A modern teen girl spirals back in time to Rome’s bloody conquest of Britain — where she befriends the daughter of a fiery queen, falls for a fierce warrior prince, and discovers that she may be the only hope of averting a devastating blood-curse.

I was watching Anastasia just the other day... Can't wait to read The Lost Crown. I think Wrapped  has a pretty kick ass cover too. And those two new novels by Lesley Livingston and Claudia Gray?! To die for!! Wonder when a cover will be released... and the Claudia Gray one? TITANIC?!