Duchessina

Book excerpt: From the New York Times-bestselling author:She is the wealthiest and most envied girl in all of Italy—but she yearns for freedom… Young Catherine de' Medici is the sole heiress to the entire fortune of the wealthy Medici family. But her life is far from luxurious. After a childhood spent locked away behind the walls of a convent, she joins the household of the pope, where at last she can be united with her true love. But, all too soon, that love is replaced with an engagement to a boy who is cold and aloof. It soon becomes clear that Catherine will need all the cunning she can muster to command the respect she deserves as one of sixteenth-century France's most powerful queens, in this riveting historical novel in the Young Royals series. “This captivating tale of the rise of this Italian merchant family is seldom portrayed, and it plays out delightfully in this well-written novel.”—School Library Journal “A sympathetic, engrossing portrait of a noble girl who, later in life, became a feared queen…With meticulous historical detail, sensitive characterizations, and Catherine's strong narration, Meyer's memorable story of a fascinating young woman who relies on her intelligence, rather than her beauty, will hit home with many teens.”—Booklist Includes a family tree