Death in Florence: The Medici, Savonarola, and the Battle for the Soul of a Renaissance City by Paul Strathern (nonfiction 2015)

While I've certainly read a lot about these people and this period, Strathern puts it all together in an effective narrative. 

The Gods of Olympus: A History by Barbara Graziosi (nonfiction 2014)

Really interesting, fun, funny, and full of learned observation.  This book follows the 12 from ancient times to the Renaissance. 

Blood and Beauty by Sarah Dunant (historical fiction)

Since I recently read The Borgias, the enlightening analysis by Meyer, I can't get behind this thing.  The author seems to have gone out of her way to choose some of the craziest rumors about the family, so her attempt at a psychological portrait of Lucrezia in particular rang hollow to me.

The Borgias by G.J. Meyer (nonfiction)

Meyer systematically dismantles the crazy rumors that pass for Borgia history, something I've been waiting for.  Even better are the explanations of the social, political, religious, and artistic trends of the times.  Five stars.

Niccolo Machiavelli - an Intellectual Biography by Corrado Vivanti (nonfiction)

Part of a veritable storm of books recently, this one focuses on Mach's thought.  The author transforms what might be a drier topic into an narrative full of interesting insight.

Machiavelli: A Renaissance Life by Joseph Markulin (historical fiction biography)

Many times the author seems to be wishing he was writing a political and military analysis of Italy at the time.  It isn't a bad thing, and it would help any reader who wasn't familiar with the circumstances to understand Machiavelli's motives.  Overall, this long book is enjoyable, especially in depictions of day to day Florentine life and the love story, but it does have some slow sections.  There must have been some recent renewal of interest in Machiavelli, as I recently reviewed an analysis of his writings, and I just saw a new nonfiction biography on the shelves.

Queens and Mistresses of Renaissance France by Kathleen Wellman (nonfiction)

Interesting and fun review of how these women have been depicted and not depicted by their contemporaries and subsequent historians.  This type of nonfiction can get kind of dry, but Ms. Wellman keeps it snappy with lots of examples and new analysis.

The Deadly Sisterhood A Story of Women, Power, and Intrigue in the Italian Renaissance, 1427-1527 by Leonie Frieda (nonfiction)

I've read Frieda's biography of Catherine de Medici and this is just as good, telling the story of various women from the generation before her.  These women were often left as regent of their husbands' or sons' city states because of the turmoil of the times.  Turns out the Italian Renaissance was also a renaissance for women, even if it didn't last long.

The Malice of Fortune by Michael Ennis (historical fiction)

Any number of historical fiction writers go for the Borgias, Machiavelli, and Leonardo.  This one is high-quality, a mystery that I didn't figure out for quite a ways into the story.  It is obviously well-researched, suspenseful, and includes a pretty good love story.

The Lost Battles: Leonardo, Michaelangelo and the Artistic Duel that Defined the Renaissance by Jonathan Jones (nonfiction)

Art history can be dry, but when we're talking about the artists who changed our conception of art, changed our vision of ourselves, Mr. Jones is lyrical and exciting.  Full of insights about the art of Leo and Mike, art as a whole, artists, and history itself.  Five stars.