Somehow I missed the first novel “Tsarina” by Ellen Alpsten. Thankfully, I didn’t need to read it before enjoying Tsarina’s Daughter but I do intend to go back and fill in some of the history for myself by reading the first book. Tsarina’s Daughter is a fascinating story about Elizabeth, the second oldest daughter of Tsar Peter the Great and Tsarina Catherine l. Elizabeth is a spoiled heir who wants for nothing. She is soon to marry King Louis XV of France. But then her father dies, her brother is executed, and her mother takes the throne of Russia and Elizabeth finds herself in mortal danger. This is a story of survival, betrayal, power, love, loss, deception and perseverance. You will get a glimpse into the Russian Empire, Russian folklore, and Russian history all tied into the beautiful and interesting life of Catherine the Great and her family.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved Tsarina so I was thrilled to get approved for this book. I didn’t love it as much as I loved Tsarina but it was a decent follow up. Again I am not sure how historically accurate the story is but it was enjoyable. The beginning started out slow, but when it picked up it was great. There are a lot of players but clearly the tide can change with the wind so when you are powerful and safe one day, could mean your demise the next day. I am so excited for the third book and cannot wait to see who she chooses to write about next.

I had read Tsarina earlier this year and learnt about Catherine I or Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya .. it was an informative read and this second book “The Tsarina’s Daughter is no less!! At the same time, one doesn’t need to read the first book to enjoy the second one, unless one prefers chronology!
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“In your end lies your beginning. No man shall disappoint you as a woman will. An Angel will speak to you. The lightest load will be your greatest burden.” Prophecy of the Golosov Ravine
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This book is about Elizabeth Petrovna, second eldest daughter of Tsar, Peter the Great and Tsarina Catherine I. She is a beautiful and spoilt princess and is looking forward to getting married to King Louis XV of France and be the Queen in Versailles. When her mother, the Tsarina dies .. Elizabeth’s world is turned upside down! She is surrounded by enemies and threats and had to find ways to survive. This story is about love, survival, loss, politics, court drama, deceit, passion, power struggle.
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The book is written well and the descriptions are vivid. I found the story engaging and gripping and had a hard time putting down the book. Thank God, for the long weekend .. I was able to finish the book.
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Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an Advance Reader Copy.
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The Tsarina’s Daughter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Tsarina's Daughter, is the dramatic story of Elizabeth, daughter of Catherine I and Peter the Great, who ruled Russia during an extraordinary life marked by love, danger, passion and scandal.
Born into the House of Romanov to the all-powerful Peter the Great and his wife, Catherine, a former serf, beautiful Tsarevna Elizabeth is the envy of the Russian empire. She is insulated by luxury and spoiled by her father, who dreams for her to marry King Louis XV of France and rule in Versailles. But when a woodland creature gives her a Delphic prophecy, her life is turned upside down. Her volatile father suddenly dies, her only brother has been executed and her mother takes the throne of Russia.
As friends turn to foe in the dangerous atmosphere of the Court, the princess must fear for her freedom and her life. Fate deals her blow after blow, and even loving her becomes a crime that warrants cruel torture and capital punishment: Elizabeth matures from suffering victim to strong and savvy survivor. But only her true love and their burning passion finally help her become who she is. When the Imperial Crown is left to an infant Tsarevich, Elizabeth finds herself in mortal danger and must confront a terrible dilemma - seize the reins of power and harm an innocent child, or find herself following in the footsteps of her murdered brother.
Hidden behind a gorgeous, wildly decadent façade, the Russian Imperial Court is a viper's den of intrigue and ambition. Only a woman possessed of boundless courage and cunning can prove herself worthy to sit on the throne of Peter the Great.

A thrilling rags to riches to rags and well wash, rinse repeat.

Don’t get me wrong here, I liked the book, but overall it was a tragic tale of self indulgence, deception and the destruction left in the path of the richest leaders of the Russian Empire in the 1700’s.

Missing for me was the life of Elizabeth, The Tsarina’s Daughter after …

From what I’ve read the book Tsarina by the same author is the first in the series and looks at the life of Catherine I, mother of Elisabeth The Tsarina’s Daughter with a third book in the works.

I read The Tsarina’s Daughter as a stand alone book and didn’t feel like I’d missed anything by not reading the 1st book. As for the alleged 3rd book, who knows?

I received this ARC for free in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you NetGalley, Ellen Alpsten and St. Martin's Griffin.

The Tsarina’s daughter by Ellen Alpsten. Wow, what a truly remarkable story about some truly remarkable people!! Peter the Great, the Grand Tsar of Russia, dies unexpectedly without nominating a male heir to inherit the throne. Who will now inherit the Empire of All Russias? Read The Tsarina's Daughter to find out..

The massive novel over 500 pages, (not a difficult read though), transports you to 18th century Russia through the rising and falling fortunes of the various successors to Peter the Great as his daughter Elizabeth Romanova tries to realise her legacy. Filled with court intrigue and interminable plots, suspense, romance, greed and betrayals, the story is bound to enthrall you. I loved not just the main protagonist but several other characters who fight for and against Elizabeth's rise to rule the Great Russian Empire. Her journey from a pampered and spoilt teenage Princess to becoming the Tsarina of all Russias, against all odds will grip you till the very end. I also learnt a lot about the history of Russia, its diplomatic and political environment at the time.

You will thoroughly enjoy this story if you are a fan of the Philippa Gregory novels about the English royal courts. While much has been written about the last Romanovs to rule Russia and the Russian Revolution, I haven't earlier found much historical fiction about the early Russian Tsars (and Tsarinas!). This book is definitely for you if you are looking for a lucid narrative of their lives and times. The author’s earlier novel Tsarina deals with the story of Elizabeth’s mother, Catherine I and the events preceding this book. However there is no compulsion to read the books in sequence, this book holds its own as a stand-alone novel.

This one had me reading late into the wee hours and I’m really hoping there is going to be a Part 3 soon. Thank you @NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Advance reader copy

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The Tsarina’s Daughter by Ellen Alpsten is a historical novel centered around Russia as the country enters a challenging time when Peter The Great (the reigning Tsar) wants his country to be more modern in education, style, clothes, etc. For too long, Russia had been considered a backwoods country with uneducated peasants and workers. As you can imagine, this change to a more contemporary way of life was not sanctioned by the ruling class, who wanted to keep their money, homes, and way of life that discouraged upward mobility. This story is primarily about the Tsarevna Elizabeth, who ascends to heights in the nobility typically reserved for men only. When Peter The Great dies without a living son/heir, Elizabeth begins her eventual rise to the throne. Like all royal households, the back alley deals, treasonous plots, and power grabs make for dangerous times for those of royal blood. The story also weaves a bit of the Russian fables and fairytales. You have to pay attention because there are a lot of characters to keep track of in the story. As a student of history, I enjoyed the Tsarevna’s growth in character and grit to become a Russian ruler leading her country into a more modern future. She would rule Russia for many years. The Tsarevna Elizabeth was one of a kind with Catherine The Great to follow. I love a good story about strong women. A bonus...the cover is lovely. #murder #politics #royalty #womensfiction #historicalfiction #Russia @netgalley @stmartinspress
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. Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book which was delightful.

#reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram #booklovers #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #idratherbereading #readinglife #mmdsummerreading @modernmrsdarcy #October 🎃

Tsarina was the first novel I experienced by Ellen Alpsten and it was very highly recommended by me to my friends who love historical fiction. The story of Catherine the I was remarkable. At the end of Tsarina, we got a glimpse of her 2nd living daughter, Elizabeth. In The Tsarina's Daughter, we get Elizabeth's story. Although much of the story covers what we had already read in Tsarina, it is from Elizabeth's perspective so we gain the depth that sets up this novel once Catherine the I passes and the Russian monarchy is once again turned upside down.

I'm not sure there is a more captivating monarchy than the line that built Russia. Nothing is conventional. Nothing is traditional. Each ruler makes their own rules. It's entirely fascinating and Elizabeth of Russia is no exception. She rules for 21 years.

This one is not to be missed.

Ellen Alpsten's The Tsarina's Daughter is the story of the daughter of Tsar Peter the Great and his wife Catherine. Catherine the Great herself is a fascinating character and the historical take on the women who preceded her in Russian history is no less exciting. The Russian court is full or intrigue and the novel takes you through all the twists and turns.

I will say if you are not familiar with Russian history and naming conventions you may have a hard time following some of the characters in the novel, but the character list at the beginning of the book will be very useful.

The Tsarina’s Daughter by Ellen Alpsten is an excellent historical fiction novel that presents a spotlight on the fascinating and complex Elizabeth Petrovna, The Empress of Russia. I loved this!

I have been fascinated not just by Russian History, but also the Romanov dynasty, so obviously I was drawn to this novel. I also am a huge fan of Ms. Alpsten and truly enjoyed the first book in this series, Tsarina, so this book was a must have for me.

This book was even better then its predecessor. Elizabeth, the daughter of Catherine I and Peter the Great was a force to be reckoned with. In a time that was socially and politically volatile, demeaning to women, and just a time and place of unrest, Elizabeth fought for every ounce of power and control. She was a fighter because she had to be. Far from perfect, she still had her strengths and furthered many of the plans and goals of advancement and enlightenment that her father, Peter the Great, began. This novel gave us fictionalized view of this fabulous woman.

It has it all: history, drama, passion, love, betrayal, sacrifice, intrigue, mystery, and so much more. What a jam-packed novel that kept me on edge from beginning to end. I recommend this to anyone fascinated with not just Russian history, but historical fiction in general.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Griffin/Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.