Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

        

Princess Academy
by Shannon Hale

Summary from Goodreads:

"Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her small village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince himself will come and choose his bride from among the girls of the village. The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess.

Miri soon finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires to be chosen and win the heart of her childhood best friend. But when bandits seek out the academy to kidnap the future princess, Miri must rally the girls together and use a power unique to the mountain dwellers to save herself and her classmates."

Rating:

The first thing that grabbed my attention with this book was the fascinating artwork of the cover. I was a bit skeptical about buying the book since it was a bit pricey. When I finally got the chance to save up enough money for it, I did not regret it. 

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Shannon Hale ever since I read The Goose Girl. Her writing style is remarkable and when I finished this book I did not doubt the Newberry Honor Award that was presented on the cover when I bought it.