Sovay by Celia Rees

Sovay by Celia Rees

404 pages
Price: Hardcover-$16.99 U.S.
         Paperback-$8.99 U.S.

    Sovay Middleton is not like most girls living in 1794. Instead of sitting for portraits and going to tea parties, she would rather dress as a highwayman and rob coaches. Sovay's father has been gone for a long time and no word from her brother, Hugh, has come in a while. Sovay sets out to find her family, but instead find more trouble than she can handle.

    Her search takes her from England to France, where the people are revolting against the aristocrats. Accused of being an English spy, Sovay is caught in a web of lies and deceit. Will she and her friends have what it takes to survive the French Revolution?

    She stationed herself at the crossroads, adjusted the black eye-mask and green kerchief and loosened her weapons.

    The horses slowed as they toiled up the long hill, but as soon as they reached the summit, the driver cracked his whip, ready to make a speedy descent. Sovay rode out and the horses shied but showed no signs of stopping.

        'Stand and deliver!' she shouted.

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City of Stars by Mary Hoffman

City of Stars by Mary Hoffman
453 pages

     Tomboy Georgia is being bullied by her foster brother. When she purchases a wooden figure of a winged horse, it takes her to Talia, a parallel world resembling Italy. There, she meets a young boy named Cesare who works in the stables and is helping his father prepare for the big horse race coming up. A winged horse is born in Cesare's stable, something that happens only once in a hundred years. It is believed to bring good luck to the city in which it is born. Could it help Cesare's city win the race that is so important?
    With enemies lurking  nearby, keeping this a secret might be difficult. The di Chimici will do anything to stop their rivals from winning. And why was Georgia brought to Talia? She knows there must be a reason, but what?

http://stravaganza.co.uk/


    Dreaming of a city with flying horses was one thing . . . But coming face to face with someone she knew to be dead - that was something else again.

Previous book: City of Masks
Next book: City of Flowers.

City of Masks by Mary Hoffman

City of Masks by Mary Hoffman
340 pages
     Lucien, a young boy living in England, is sick in bed with cancer. His father brings him a beautiful journal that looks like it is from Venice. Lucien begins to read about Venice and becomes very intriuged by the Italian city. One night, Lucien falls asleep with the journal in his hand and finds himself transported to a place very much like Venice, Italy.
     In this strange city, called Talia, Lucien is healthy again. He makes friends - and enemies - with the people there and begins to like living there. Returning to Talia every night, Lucien uncovers a plot to kill the Duchessa. Meanwhile, in his own world, he seems to get better. But will these night time adventures affect his health? Will Lucien save the Duchessa of Talia?

http://stravaganza.co.uk/

Next book: City of Stars

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
314 pages

     Miri, a young girl who lives on Mount Eskel, has the opportunity to be a princess! The prince must marry and all the girl who live on Mount Eskel must be trained at the princess academy. At first, all the girls are excited, but Tutor Olana is very mean and punishes them unfairly. Miri and all the others stand up to Olana and make sure things are changed.
     For a while, things seen to go well, but then the academy is attacked and it is up to Miri to save everyone.

**Book 1**
Next book: Palace of Stone

Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry

Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry

342 pages

Price: Harcover- $16.99 U.S.

          Paperback-

      Evie lives in a village far from the sea and has always dreamed of becoming a doctor. When the king comes to her village, he offers her a scholarship to the University. On the way to town, her carriage is attacked by highwaymen and she ends up taking a ship the rest of the way. But during a terrible storm, the ship is wrecked and somehow everyone aboard survives. Evie goes to the castle where the princess is mysteriously friendly to her. Facing a bitter betrayal from her best friend, will Evie make the right choices?

Visit http://www.julieberrybooks.com/ to learn more.

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
257 pages
            
    Princess Poppy is now free of the curse that forced her and her eleven sisters to dance each night. Now, she is visiting the country of Breton to make friends with the royalty there. But a mysterious girl keeps showing up at the balls and casting spells on the people there. Poppy suspects that she is the maid Ellen, but no one knows where she is getting her gorgeous gowns from. Poppy is just the one to undo the curse that is on the poor girl, but can she do it before its too late?

**Book 2**
Previous book: Princess of the Midnight Ball

Next book: Princess of the Silver Woods

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
272 pages
                       
         A Retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Princess Rose and her twelve sisters must dance every night for the evil King Understone. The only way to be free of their curse is to die. Galen, a young soldier, meets Rose and wants to help him. A mysterious elderly gardener at the palace gives him herbs to protect him from enchantments.When the king offers Rose's hand in marriage as the reward for solving this mystery, Galen gets competition. Will Galen succeed and free the princesses from their terrible curse, or will they be condemned to dance for the rest of their lives?
                    Visit http://www.jessicadaygeorge.com/ to learn more.

**Book 1**
Next book: Princess of Glass

The Amaranth Enchantment By Julie Berry

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

306 pages

Price: Hardcover-$16.99 U.S.                                      

    Lucinda's parents never came back from a ball when she was little. Now, she is forced to be a servant to her mean aunt. When both the prince and a strange woman known as the Amaranth Witch come into the shop one day, Lucinda decides to help the woman and finds unexpected friends-and danger-along the way.

    I looked up to see the prince-the prince!-peering down over the counter's edge at me.

    'You don't need to do that,' he said.

    'Do what?'

    'Get down on your knees. Unless you are proposing marriage.'

I scrambled to my feet. 'As you wish.' I dusted off my skirt. 'You know best.' Stupid response! Could I mortify myself anymore?

    He turned and doffed his hat to Uncle, who'd only just barely gotten back on his feet.

    'I fear I must be going, sir,' he said. 'I haven't time for a special order. I need something sooner.' His eyes glanced my way. 'Your shop assistant shows great promise.'

    He was mocking me. I was ridiculous to him.

    Then he bowed to me. 'A pleasure. Might I ask your name?'

    As God is my witness, I swear this is true: I couldn't think what it was. . . .

                                                  ~The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

www.julieberrybooks.com