Carolyn Meyer Books In Order

Publication Order of Dog Vacations Books

Publication Order of Hotline Books

Publication Order of The Royal Diaries Books

Publication Order of Young Royals Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Carolyn Meyer
Carolyn Meyer is a young adult fiction author whose books have been listed among the American Library Association’s Best in this genre. Her recent historical stories explore the young lives of Princess Elizabeth, Isabel of Castilla, Mary Tudor, and Anastasia. It is amazing how well she writes about these characters and fleshes them out so well that most young readers can identify with them. The talented author also has an impressive collection of non-fiction books on diverse topics ranging from Amish and Japanese to bread baking and rock tumbling. Currently, the American-born author lives in a cozy Victorian house in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Anastasia
Anastasia tells the story of Anastasia Nicholeivna, the Russian Princess and last duchess in the Romanov Dynasty. Anastasia and her family were massacred in 1918, and the young girl was just 17 years old when she died. This book covers Anastasia’s life as a teenager and her experiences living with her family. Anastasia’s dad was Czar Nicholas II, her mom, Czarina Alexandra, and she had 4 siblings, three older sisters, and a young brother. The young lady had quite an interesting life and enjoyed engaging in all kinds of mischief, including reading her sisters’ diaries. The Romanov family lived an almost idyllic life until World War I happened.

This book will make you fall in love with the Romanov family and Russia as a whole. The writer does a perfect job of evoking a happy and close-knit family in a country with a rich culture and immense beauty. It is great having to interact with Anastasia the imp, her little brother Alexei and their three spirited sisters. The cast are well crafted and fleshed out, making them easy to love and identify with. Without relying on stereotypes and rumors, the author shows the relationship between the starets and the Romanov family in an era characterized by historical complexities. The book is witty and funny, and often, the way Anastasia speaks will catch you by surprise.

There are lots of historical facts, and the author goes into the details of what happened to the Romanov’s. We also get to hear about the infamous Anna Anderson, who tried hard to convince both Russia and America that she was Princess Anastasia. The author also shows the weaknesses in Anastasia’s parents’ rule with Nicholas, who was way too nice, and a wife who depended on Rasputin, an evil man pretending to be a holy person. Despite all these, the family had their good moments, and it is fun following them in their grand palaces, balls, and their outstanding vacations on the beach.

Anastasia is an intriguing story that captures your attention from the first page and never eases up until the end. It is a perfect read if you are in the mood for a good yet tragic young adults’ story. This book is centered on the Nicholas II family, one of the most fascinating royals in modern history. Anastasia is an easy character to love, and it is sad that she died so young and under such tragic circumstances. It is easy to imagine how life would have turned out for this Princess and her family had they all managed to escape their deaths. The book ends with a cliffhanger, and you will be so glad about this as the truth is at times hard to accept.

Mary, Bloody Mary
Mary, Bloody Mary comes first in the Young Royals series. This book retells the classic story of Mary Tudor and the events that shaped her childhood. Mary was the beloved daughter of Henry VIII and his wife, Queen Catherine. As the only child to this couple, Mary enjoyed a blissful life, and everything she wanted was handed to her. Life for the young Princess was perfect until the arrival of her step-mother, Anne Boleyn. Thanks to her father’s new wife, who was also known to be an evil witch, Mary’s life change for the worse, and it is heartbreaking what the girl had to endure at such a young age.

Mary’s evil step-mother is not only abusive, but she forces the young Princess to take care of her baby stepsister, Elizabeth. To make matters worse, the stepsisters take over Mary’s rights, and her father seemed so enchanted to see anything wrong with this arrangement. The young Princess also came under fire for her faith, and it seems like she can never do anything right in her step-mother’s eyes. Through Mary’s POV, we also get to see the drama that characterized Henry VIII rule with his outrageous affairs. Her father’s marriage to Anne Boleyn had such a negative effect on her life, and the consequences extend way after Mary’s childhood.

Eventhogh this is a work of fiction, most of the events highlighted in this story are true. Anne was documented as the ambitious and cunning mistress whose actions changed the course of the nation. The more Anne’s star continues to rise, the more unbearable life became for Mary Tudor. Had Mary been a little older or younger, life would have been entirely different as she would have managed to escape some of those horrifying ordeals. However, it seems that fate had something totally different for her. The author mainly focuses on Mary and the impact her step-mother had on her life.

Mary, Bloody Mary is the story of love, loss, fear, and jealousy. It is the tale of a little girl and her struggles trying to cope with issues that are beyond her control. The story covers a good portion of Mary’s early life, starting right before Anne’s arrival and ending shortly after she is executed. Considered the target audience, the author does a good job of eliminating graphic events that characterized Mary’s tenure on the throne. Any adolescent reader interested in Tudor fiction will love this book. The story is amazingly engaging, and the fact that there is some truth in those events gives it quite an edge. Meyer has outdone herself in retelling a classic with a unique twist and making the young minds’ information palatable.