I got to page 180 out of 435.
I had to stop, this is a fun book, but it is dragging on. Some descriptions don't make sense. The character randomly finds a secret passage because the plot told her to, because normal people do not just move furniture.
It is a middle grade book with 13 year-olds, yet we continue to get scenes of the girls being very affectionate and possessive of each other. I'm pretty sure they're lesbians but haven't figured it out yet, maybe in the sequels, but it just seemed like a little much for how young the girls are.
I enjoy princess stories but this is just dragging on, I just don't feel like continuing. ( )

{First of 3 of Rosewood Chronicles; children's, adventure, friendship, boarding school} (2017)

Fourteen year old Lottie Pumpkin has always loved the fairy-tales and stories about princesses that her mother told her when she was young but her mother died and now she has a ... well ... not quite nice stepmother. She has worked hard and fulfilled a promise to her mum by getting into Rosewood Hall school on a bursary. When she gets there, she is accidentally confused with the Maravish princess of Mardova but the two become friends and decide to continue the deception - and so Lottie realises her dream of being a princess. But then she discovers that being a princess brings life-threatening dangers with it too.

Meanwhile, Ellie Wolf - actually Princess Eleanor Wolfson, sole child of the king and queen of Mardova - just wants the chance to be a normal teenager.

But she was smart, she was confident and she was passionate – and for Alexander that was all far more important than any of the traditional values expected of her. Although occasionally he did wish she'd watch her language around her grandparents.

She has so far managed to avoid the social duties and parties that royalty is obliged to attend and is therefore not known outside the palace but now that she is scheduled to attend a finishing school (as her ancestors have done before her) she sees this as her last chance and applies incognito to Rosewood Hall instead.

This starts off as a boarding school story but evolves into an adventure story and things get serious.

'Ellie, this is different, I promise. They've –' he faltered for a moment, then looked back into Ellie‘s eyes – 'they‘ve brought your grandmother.'

I did think Lottie got out of a few lessons rather easily, presumably because she was (supposedly) a princess. I felt sorry for her best friend, Olly, left behind at home. He supported her on her journey to join the school and is disappointed when she goes to Mardova instead of going home for the holidays especially as she can't tell him the reason. Maybe he'll have a larger role in the next book.

The prologue begins:

There are places in our world in which wondrous and whimsical things seem more capable of happening than anywhere else. You can recognise them because they are thick with an atmosphere that seems out of time and place with the rest of reality. Sometimes they exist naturally, such as hidden waterfalls or secret meadows filled with flourishing wild flowers. Sometimes they are man-made, like empty playgrounds at twilight or dusty antique shops rich with history. But occasionally, although it is rare, these spaces exist in a certain type of person.

I found this story charming and very more-ish and the characters are believable. I think it would resonate very well with its target audience; reading it as an adult I enjoyed it very much.

August 2021
4.5 stars ( )

{First of 3 of Rosewood Chronicles; children's, adventure, friendship, boarding school} (2017)

Fourteen year old Lottie Pumpkin has always loved the fairy-tales and stories about princesses that her mother told her when she was young but her mother died and now she has a ... well ... not quite nice stepmother. She has worked hard and fulfilled a promise to her mum by getting into Rosewood Hall school on a bursary. When she gets there, she is accidentally confused with the Maravish princess of Mardova but the two become friends and decide to continue the deception - and so Lottie realises her dream of being a princess. But then she discovers that being a princess brings life-threatening dangers with it too.

Meanwhile, Ellie Wolf - actually Princess Eleanor Wolfson, sole child of the king and queen of Mardova and heir to the throne - just wants the chance to be a normal teenager.

But she was smart, she was confident and she was passionate – and for Alexander that was all far more important than any of the traditional values expected of her. Although occasionally he did wish she'd watch her language around her grandparents.

She has so far managed to avoid the social duties and parties that royalty is obliged to attend and is therefore not known outside the palace but now that she is scheduled to attend a finishing school (as her ancestors have done before her) she sees this as her last chance and applies incognito to Rosewood Hall instead.

This starts off as a boarding school story but evolves into an adventure story and things get serious.

'Ellie, this is different, I promise. They've –' he faltered for a moment, then looked back into Ellie‘s eyes – 'they‘ve brought your grandmother.'

I did think Lottie got out of a few lessons rather easily, presumably because she was (supposedly) a princess. I felt sorry for her best friend, Olly, left behind at home. He supported her on her journey to join the school and is disappointed when she goes to Mardova instead of going home for the holidays especially as she can't tell him the reason. Maybe he'll have a larger role in the next book.

The prologue begins:

There are places in our world in which wondrous and whimsical things seem more capable of happening than anywhere else. You can recognise them because they are thick with an atmosphere that seems out of time and place with the rest of reality. Sometimes they exist naturally, such as hidden waterfalls or secret meadows filled with flourishing wild flowers. Sometimes they are man-made, like empty playgrounds at twilight or dusty antique shops rich with history. But occasionally, although it is rare, these spaces exist in a certain type of person.

I found this story charming and very more-ish and the characters are believable. I think it would resonate very well with its target audience; reading it as an adult I enjoyed it very much.

August 2021
4.5 stars ( )

2.5 stars. ***ARC Review from Netgalley and the publisher***

Sorry not one for me. This was a book that had an interesting premise and the friendship part was done well. But had way to many YA tropes for me. I think if I were younger I might have enjoyed this but I found myself skipping parts just to get to the end. ( )

Amazing characters and a beautiful storyline that makes you wanting more. Can't wait to read the next book by Connie and reunite with these characters once more :D ( )