Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

The 35th category is all about the royals.
For those reading in order: August 28 – September 3, 2017

Suggestions for this category: link
To discuss the book, don't forget to add it in the A-Z folders or join the existing discussion. Please, don't discuss the book here.

Progress Post:
- What are you reading this week?
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?

- What are you reading this week?
Eye of the Storm by Frank Cavallo

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
A fictional world. Threya is the Queen of Talkoras.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No thanks. I like my privacy

What are you reading this week?
Victoria by Daisy Goodwin

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
The book is based on the diaries and letters of real world Queen Victoria of England

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
I'll pass. Too much pressure and publicity--though the clothes and the house would be nice.

What are you reading this week year(??)?
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional.

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Although I like the idea of being able to use my privilege and position to help others, in reality, I couldn't cope with having to "people" so often. I'd be under the table in the foetal position after about two days.

- What are you reading this week?
The Royal We by Heather Cocks

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
It's supposed to essentially be fan fiction based on Kate Middleton and Prince William.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
I think so! Since I'm a social worker I just couldn't pass up the chance to make such a huge impact. And the clothes wouldn't be a bad bonus :P

The King, Black Dagger Brotherhood #12, by J.R. Ward.


- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
It´s based in the fictional world of Vampires and the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
It would be nice to be influentially good in peoples lives but at the same time the notion of freedom, liberty and privacy are completely compromised more in this tecnological era.

- What are you reading this week?

Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?

Fictional/Fantasy

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?

No. Not sure it's something you should desire, because ego might get in the way of duty.

What are you reading this week?
Captive Prince

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional!

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
I LIVE for medieval-style whathaveyou, so back then? Hell yeah! Now I probably wouldn't mind because they have ca$h money and I'm a rider (hello, fancy horses). I'm from a Commonwealth country and the Queen barely has that much real influence, let alone a lesser member of the royal family, so how bad could it possibly be?

What are you reading this week?
The One by Kiera Cass

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Maybe for a day or a week, but I think the publicity and lack of privacy would put me over the edge eventually.

What are you reading this week?
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No, I don't think that I would.

- What are you reading this week?
Vinland Saga, Omnibus 5 by Makoto Yukimura (Graphic Novel)

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?It's real: the prince Canute, later King Canute also know as King Cnut the Great.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?I wouldn't like to be royalty, they live under the scrutiny of everyone in society, so no, thank you!!!

- What are you reading this week?
Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare)

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Oh, likely fictional, but one never knows.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
And give up my privacy? Unlikely.

What are you reading this week?
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge.

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
It's fictional.

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No, I wouldn't want to be.

- What are you reading this week? Oz: Ozma of Oz
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? fictional land, it has queens and princesses though.
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Princess maybe.

What are you reading this week?
I chose The Selection since I've been hearing so much about it for the past year or so.

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
I don't think so, not if I would actually have to take power at some point and make decisions to affect a whole country. That's way too much stress for me. I also wouldn't like to give up all my privacy either.

What are you reading this week? The Crown and the Crucible by Michael R. Phillips ( reading it now)
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?fictional
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?No

Progress Post:
- What are you reading this week? Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens/Brandon Sanderson 2/2/17

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No

- What are you reading this week?
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No. Just rich, maybe.

- What are you reading this week?
The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
It's about Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
I wouldn't like to be royalty. If I had to decide then a minor and obscure one, like Victoria, Princess of Sweden :D

What are you reading this week?
Suddenly Royal by Nichole Chase

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional world

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Nope I sure wouldn't! It might be nice to have some of the things that go with it but I don't think I would do too well with all responsibilities that come with it. Also I wouldn't like having my life on display for everyone .

- What are you reading this week?
I finished The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
It's fictional but the character is VERY similar to Elizabeth II, without ever naming her.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No.

- What are you reading this week?
A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional, and there is a lot of royalty in these books almost everyone want to be king/queen.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
no, to many people watching everything you do

- What are you reading this week? The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? Fictional

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be? Nope, I wouldn't.

- What are you reading this week? Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? Fictional

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be? Nope.

The Taming of the Queen

It's about the (real world) last wife of Henry VIII

Would I like to be royalty? Not even one tiny bit!

WILD CARD - I've replace the royalty prompt with: A book based on a true story

I'm reading A Piece of the World by Christina Klein, a novel based on the story of Christina's World, a painting by Andrew Wyeth.

What are you reading this week?
Windwitch by Susan Dennard

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional.

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No thanks!

- What are you reading this week?
Spirit Bound

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional, royalty in the vampire world

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Only if I can be a lesser know one, to be able to enjoy the perks without being too known

-What are you reading this week? The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? Fictional
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be? No

What are you reading this week? A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? Fictional royalty in Russia, post-Bolshevik Revolution era.

If you could be royalty, would you want to be? Sure, maybe a low-key countess or lady, if I could keep that title under wraps a bit. I always thought that having a "von" in one's name could be fun.

- What are you reading this week? Cinder
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? fictional
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be? I just read a book on Elizabeth the II. Her reign is amazing. She works really hard. Maybe if I was a not so well known princess. It would be fun working for charities. I'd definitely be interested in that part and the jewels.

What are you reading this week?
Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
I'm a queen in my own head :-)

Progress Post:
- What are you reading this week?

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?

It is a fictional book, but features characters who are part of the royal family in Asanteland, which is a real location and a real historical lineage

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?

Nope.

What are you reading this week?
The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennet


Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Real world - it features Queen Elizabeth II.

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
I'll pass, the constant scrutiny would be hard.

- What are you reading this week? Dividing Eden
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? Fictional
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be? Some unknown rich one.

- What are you reading this week? Prince's Gambit
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? Fictional
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be? Only if I was a royal who had the power to actually institute change. If I'm going to be a figurehead, there's no point.

- What are you reading this week?
The Selection

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No. I think this book highlights some of the difficulties of being of that elevated status. I wouldn't like always being under the scrutiny of the public and I don't think I would like to have that much power. Also, it wouldn't be fun if someone dictated all my time and told me how to act.

What are you reading this week?

The Uncommon Reader

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?

Real life--Queen Elizabeth II is the main character.

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?

I'd like to be the second royal child--all of the perks, less of the stress!

What are you reading this week?
Four Queens: The Provençal Sisters Who Ruled Europe by Nancy Goldstone

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Real world royalty. The book is set in the 13th century, and follows four sisters - Marguerite, Eleanor, Sanchia, and Beatrice - who end up becoming the queens of France, England, Germany, an Sicily. Other royal figures are mentioned as well.

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Oh goodness no! Between the scrutiny and the life-or-death decision-making, I would probably have a meltdown. Props to people who can handle the position, but royalty/ruling isn't for me.

- What are you reading this week?
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Probably not.

- What are you reading this week?
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional world
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
No way, I like my privacy and hate attention so I know I would hate having others watching me all the time.

What are you reading this week?
A Court of Wings and Ruin

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional- Fairy Royalty

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Current royalty, at least in America, is movie and music stars and I can not act or sing, so no.

What are you reading this week?
House of Names

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Depends on how you feel about the Greek Myth cycle. I'll say fictional.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
I'd prefer to stay under the radar. Women in royal houses didn't seem to get a really good deal in the past and I'm not sure living in the public eye now is much better. 24 hour a day 7 day a week job doesn't sound like much fun to me, even with the perks.

- What are you reading this week? Heartless


- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional, it's in a kingdom in Wonderland.

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Haha, no, thank you very much. But I'd like to have the castle.

I read for this week Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, and Murder in Medieval England by Alison Weir, who is my favorite historian. It is about Queen Isabella, daughter of the French King Philip IV, wife of the English king Edward II, mother of Edward III, and one of the most fascinating persons in history. Neglected by her husband for a male favorite whom he lets misrule England, Isabella leads a rebellion and the only successful invasion of England. She takes Edward's mortal enemy as a lover - who proceeds to misrule England... Fascinating story, complete with a murder - or escape?? - of a king, a coup via a secret passage in a castle, adultery and murder of a queen, salacious affairs, intrigue, forceful personalities. Loved it.

No, I would not want to be royalty. Too much publicity, having to marry for political reasons. And having to rule, of course. As Zaz said, though, I would take the castle! :)

- What are you reading this week? The Young Elites
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty? Fictional
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be? Probably not

What are you reading this week?
Fudoki by Kij Johnson

Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Emperor Sutoku was real, but the princess who is the main character is fictional.

If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Not at all! I would love to be independently wealthy, but not at the expense of being under constant scrutiny and the lack of freedom to just do whatever I wanted.

- What are you reading this week?
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional

- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Sure, why not

- What are you reading this week?
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Fictional
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Yes and no. The ability to travel and meet people would be amazing, but that constant microscope, no.

- What are you reading this week?
The Second Empress: A Novel of Napoleon's Court
- Is your book about fictional or real world royalty?
Real World - Maria Bonaparte, the second wife of Napolean and Empress of France
- If you could be royalty, would you want to be?
Absolutely not: too too much pressure and expectations, no privacy, etc

Note: Josephine did not last as Nap's wife: she could not or did not produce an heir... Maria, however was a mother, to Napoleon II