The Accidental Empress: A Novel | 
pickElizabeth (Sisi) is 15 years old when she marries into the Habsburg family and becomes Empress of Austria. She immediately gains the favor of the people but life at court is very difficult for a wild and independent girl. This is one of the best books I‘ve read in a while, I was completely engrossed in it. 👍🏻
pickIn 1854, the Austrian emperor is almost betrothed to princess Helene until he is smitten by her sister Sisi and the rest is history. The author sticks mostly to the truth: the horrid things her mother-in-law did to her were true. But it made the long book longer and often hard to read. Beautifully written; it‘s a good book but sometimes hard to bear. #Hungary #readingeurope2020 @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB
I did it!! I finished #readingeurope2020 a short while ago! It‘s time for a party on Litsy!! I‘ll review the book later... party is more important!! Thanks to the loveliest @Librarybelle and @BarbaraBB for hosting this challenge. Y‘all are the best!!
@Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @TheSpineView @Clwojick @bookgoil @andrew65 @squidget
My last challenge book and a cup of hot tea.
#crushtherush #readyourway #wintergames #merryreaders #wintersolstice #dashingdecember #ChristmasSpirit #24b4Monday #shutdownreadathon @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @TheSpineView @Clwojick @bookgoil @andrew65 @squidget
#Hungary #readingeurope2020 @librarybelle @barbarabb
#two4tuesday Thanks @TheSpineView for the tag!
1. I‘ve given my secretary her gift and all the attorneys in my office.
2. I sure the heck hope so! 😁 Probably the tagged one will be the last one I need to finish for #readingeurope2020. That is, if I don‘t have to work. I‘ve had a major project to finish that normally I get two months to finish, now reduced to about two weeks. So I may have to work. 😕
Two-and-a-half books to go to finish #readingeurope2020! Because work has been so busy I haven‘t had time to to finish the tagged book. It‘s long and I‘m only halfway into it. I‘m making such good progress despite my crazy work because I‘ve broken down and gotten audio and ebooks—even though I bought the books ages ago—so I can listen while doing chores and read the ebook during insomnia. So...another audiobook it‘s going to be.
There‘s a lovely part of this book set at Christmas time, so I‘m counting it as a holiday read (if I finish it) for #wintergames! #crushtherush #readyourway #merryreaders @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick @TheSpineView @Clwojick #readingeurope2020 #Hungary @Librarybelle @BarbaraBB
Having three of my most recent books be about or at least mention the Ottoman Empire (and sadly had to return the fourth on the Ottoman‘s battle for Malta because of a narrator I disliked), I‘m very happy to note that yet another book addresses the “Eastern Question.” The Ottoman Empire strikes back! This was clearly my year for the Ottomans! #Hungary #readingeurope2020 #feastmode #crushtherush
I‘m ready to start the #feastmode readathon! Here are my goals:
Finish:
📖 The Balkan Express
📖 Esme Thanksgiving
📖 Make progress in The Accidental Empress
📖 Pick an audiobook for Malta
📖 Listen to at least 3-4 hours in my Malta audiobook
Needing an alternative read to the Balkan War when it gets too depressing, I‘ve started the tagged book for #Hungary.
Book 7 for #readingeurope2020
Two books I got today in a nice haul for #readingeurope2020 #austria. The tagged book was already on my tbr list. Score.
pickI never heard of Empress Elizabeth. This is my favorite type of reading:. Heavily researched fiction writing about obscure historical figures that affected the world. When music was mentioned, I googled it to listen as I read. Enchanting. Next up: The Violinist of Venice.
she welcomed that pain. It was just a small penance to be paid for the selfish, inexcusable act of falling in love with her sister‘s groom. And what was worse, for feeling happy at the indisputable fact that he seemed to love her in return. Loved her, Sisi, even when Helene was meant to be his bride. And so, in the darkness, she cried.
-Allison Pataki, The Accidental Empress
so-soThis book was just okay... Slow but I‘m looking forward to the next one😻😻
so-soI finished the book this morning in bed before I had to get up for work. Nothing like reading In the morning before work. This was our book club pick for the month of May. I really can‘t review it because it‘s not my “cup of tea”. I like that my book club causes me to read outside my comfort zone. But sometimes, a book is outside my comfort zone because it‘s not really something I want to read. Didn‘t hate it. Just not me.
I found this haunting. How many times have we failed to see what is good in our life because we are only searching for the perfect.
April 3: #AprilInBooks #BookSetinAnotherCountry; this is actually another of my favorite authors; I haven‘t gotten around to reading it yet, but it‘s a new locale for me as it‘s set in the Hapsburg Empire of Austria-Hungary, so we shall see.. 🤓🤩👑
#riotgrams Royalty. This is a really great series and it is well written.
pickLove this book and the writing. I REALLY got into the characters.
The only book on my tbr shelf in the living room that has #cursive #fallintobooks
pickLOVED THIS!!!!! Kept finding excuses to keep reading even though I have so much to do!!!
pickI knew nothing about Empress Elisabeth of Austria before I started this book. Elisabeth had such a tumultuous life among the Hapsburgs and what started out as a beautiful love story, ended quite sourly. Now I know I have to read the suquel Sisi to see how her life played out since this novel stopped halfway though her life.
Wow, that was a long, busy week! I don't think I've posted since last weekend. Just had a nice dinner out with the husband and am now getting ready to relax and enjoy my "dessert". Book-latte-bath. Happy Friday everyone.
Tenia tantas ganas de empezar con este libro!!! 🎊😍 I can't wait anymore!!! 💖 Sissi!!! #sissi #royals #novelahistorica #librosenespañol #reinas #spanish
panLesson learned - don't pick up books next to the B&N checkout counter. I love historical fiction and am fascinated with Empress Sisi but I can honestly say that I enjoyed reading her Wikipedia page more than this book. I had to check that it wasn't YA because the way it is written assumes the reader can't be older than 13. Next time I am taking @Reviewsbylola advice on a book pick!
This is my Women's Historical Fiction book club selection for April or as I call it BadAss Women in History. My reading buddies are distracted by all the action going on outside since everyone is out enjoying this gorgeous weather.
pick"So quick bright things come to confusion" is not only a perfect epigraph it's an apt description of this book. Glittering and beautiful but deeply sad, just like its subject.
Still, it was engrossing and I will definitely be reading more about Sisi and the Hapsburgs in general.
My cat thinks this book is about her, although she has no idea what all this "accidental" rubbish is about.
??
Another #bfpick (I think he's attempting to use books to fill in my gaps in European history through random book purchases. (I took AP US and then world history, he took AP US and then European history) I've never known anything about Sisi, the wife of Franz Joseph other than a few lines in a textbook, excited to read this one!
I took the morning off work to go to traffic court (my registration expired 7 months before I was pulled over. I had no idea). Traffic court took all of 25 minutes. My ticket was dismissed. I just had to pay court costs. So, I've spend time at the library and I just want to B&N to use my 30% coupon. I also picked up a cheap copy of this book that so many people have loved. #winning
Trying to get some reading done during the work day! I'm loving the story of Sisi and the Autrian Empire!!!
In this book, women have to use their ~charms~ to wield any kind of power, my reading spot is distinctly more appealing to me than the looks of the lives in Viennese court that line the pages
My hold at the library came in. Here's hoping I will be able to read it in August.
pickI enjoyed this telling of the life of Empress Elizabeth and the struggles she lived through. The fictional embellishments were well immersed into the actual historical events. I'm looking forward to the second book and how the story continues 4⭐️.
Sunshine and a new book. Have had this one for a very long time and never gotten to it. Hoping it is good.
pickVery beautifully written book. It brought me into the lives of this noble family and their craziness. Well worth the read. Must read this before reading Sisi.
Starting this one tonight for my historical fiction book club, hope it's good.
