Got an early read. Published Date 02 Nov 2017
Review: The title caught me straight away and wanted to read then and there. The blurb was interesting and kept me intrigued.
And average girl with the drive to succeed gets into one of the most prestigious school in England which is known to cater to big names and high end children with designer labels and money to burn, heirs and royal.
Lottie Pumpkin ends up rooming with the princess of Maradova who has come to Rosewood discretely. A misunderstanding of where she's from has most 9f the students believing she is the secret Princess of Mavardova.
Alot happens in the book. A lot of guessing games and clues on who or why someone is sending threatening notes to Lottie and Ellie (the true princess of Maradova). Everytime you think you've nailed the culprit down, theirs something there that eliminates them. Halfway through I did realise who it was and I liked the intrigue of how it still made me doubt myself.
There was an element of magic to the book which at times made it seem like there's hidden magic about and Lottie just needs to find it or unlock it. Cause things seemed easy to surreal at times for it just to be a hunch and she would instantly know with conviction that this is right or this is what the clue is or so on and not just her gut feeling telling her.
The friendship between Lottie and Ellie started of rocky and they they clicked instantly. I think they need more of a build up to just be friends instantly and there were times when they fought or snapped at eachother which made them seem much more alive and as teenagers. It was quite amusing to see Lottie jealous when her closest friend was hanging out more with someone one else.
Apart from Lottie, Ellie and Jamie who appears a quarter aways into the book, there really wasn't much character development with the other students/friends. Lottie had met a few students on her first day at Rosewood and the group of students did pop about quite a bit in the book but they literally felt like background character. Apart from Binah and Anatascia, the latter quite standoffish at times and the former a smart little owl like girl who popped about whenever she felt like it.
Lotties father was never mentioned so it feels like they'll be an important revelation about him in the coming book and with how everyone kept pointing out her likeness to the queen with the same hair and features they might be a long lost connection or maybe I'm just reaching. But the fact that Lotties mother mentioned her ancestors studying there a hundred years ago and the tiara of hers being a family heirloom there seems to be connections, not sure if it's with Ellie side or the founders of the school and houses. Most likely a connections probably to Tufty. Can't wait to find out which way it goes. As it's mentioned that she was meant to be at Rosewood.
There is alot left to be discovered yet, more secret passageways, more secret paintings and riddle's and more on the secret renegade group and it's hidden agenda. I also believe Uncle Claude will make and appearance sometime and I'm hoping to find out more about Jamie's mysterious past.
At times Lottie seemed to irritate me. She was very quite calm and held her feelings in as seem with when she interacted with her step mom but then as soon as she got to school she seemed in to minds with her personality. Quite at times when she shouldn't be and snapping at times she should be the opposite. I understand she's finding herself with all the new experience and friends and environment but I'm glad she finally settled down near the end of the book.
There was one instant I really didn't like her, it was when she bragged at being the princess to Jamie when she was portrayed as a sweet girl who would keep what's told in confidence and she didn't seem like a bragget to me, so I thought it was out of character.
All in all. It was a good book. With princess and princes and alot of mystery. I think the subtle magic needs to be cleared up cause all I kept thinking is that there's a lot hidden about and no one's touching on it an the authors making us guess on how we should interpret it.
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