Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

Rating:  Cleaner 

Audience:  Fifth grade and up (it is just a wee bit scary).  I was really stressed out about this rebellion.  Have recently watched the new Les Miserables movie and cried over the ending of Suzanne Collins' "Mockingjay," seeing the stirrings of another revolution just made me fret over which of my favorite characters are going to have to die. Luckily, however, I underestimated Miri's skill as a diplomat. What a relief!

Plot:  (If you haven't read the first one yet, skip this because it contains spoilers) Miri and a few other Princess Academy graduates (including Frid, who is definitely my favorite) go to the capital to attend Britta's wedding and live in the royal palace for a year as ladies of the princess. Miri also has the opportunity to attend the university there, and Peder comes to capital to start an apprenticeship with a stone carver.  However, Miri finds her new city on the brink of chaos as the common people plot to overthrow the king and his exorbitant tributes.  Miri acts as a spy on behalf of Mount Eskel, but choosing a side is difficult as Miri tries to right the wrongs of the aristocracy without betraying her best friend. 

What makes it great?

"Princess Academy" has always been my favorite of Shannon Hale's books and I was really excited when I saw that she had written a sequel. I was also apprehensive. Why? Because sequels are a scary business. If a book is the first in a planned series the later books usually turn out well, but stand-alone novels that later have sequels . . . it can go either way.

However, this really was one of the best sequels I have ever read, and it managed to be very different from the first book while still including all the Mt. Eskel pride and folklore that I loved.  If you liked "Princess Academy" then I highly recommend you read "Palace of Stone," but get on a library waiting list ASAP because it took a long time--though it was certainly worth the wait.