The Princess Plot

In her English-language debut, Boie takes the classic story of an average teen girl who discovers she's actually royalty and throws in some nasty political scheming and crazy plot twists, resulting in a fun, attention-keeping read. Fourteen-year-old Jenna lives with her overbearing, etiquette-crazed mother who refuses to divulge information about Jenna's father. Jenna is mysteriously cast to play the role of a princess in a film and is quickly swooped off to Scandia, a mythical European country whose real princess, Malena (who looks just like Jenna), is MIA. Boie propels the story forward by keeping the reader guessing about how the characters—Malena's power-hungry uncle, angry rebels intent on overthrowing him, Jenna's missing father and Jenna herself—fit together. Though some of the political undercurrents might be lost on younger readers, it's easy enough to decipher the good guys from the bad and enjoy the many action-packed scenes. For readers who have dreamed of being a royal or singlehandedly saving an entire country from ruin, Boie's story will hit the spot. Ages 9–up. (May)