Language: PG13 (69 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, wild animals)
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
13yo Rosie Frost finds herself enrolled in the exclusive boarding school located on Bloodstone Island. Originally built as a tribute to her mother Anne Boleyn by Elizabeth I, now the school boasts an endangered animal reserve. The ghost of Queen Anne is haunting Rosie, encouraging her. She arrives the day before and immediately enters the annual school games, is trying to navigate a pretty horrible bully who seems to have it out for Rosie because she's there on scholarship, and the headmaster, Mr. Hemlock is certainly up to something. Thank heavens she makes a couple of friends in the first few days.
Oh! I was pulled in right away. I love that it takes place in a non-magical world and involves an environmental concern. The historical connections were fun - I learned a lot about Anne Boleyn and loved that there are Aragons and Cromwells at the school too - so much intrigue. Rosie is trying to deal with the sudden death of her mother, but isn't given tools or counseling to help her - which I felt was pretty irresponsible for a modern day school even if it's in a 400 year old castle of sorts. There's a sequel which I'm excited to read, but this book 1 stands on its own. Rosie is white, some of the other characters are described as brown.
Lisa Librarian
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