Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

I really like Shannon Hale but I had put off reading this book because of the title--silly, I know, but I kind of have to be in the mood to read a "princess" book.

However, I was surprised by this book! It's not really a "princess" book at all. It's a book about courage, change, education, friendship, family, love and a little bit of mysticism. I really liked it.

It's set in the mountains in an extremely remote village where the only industry is the quarry. In fact, to these people, the quarry is everything. But what happens when it is decreed that the prince will choose his bride from among the girls in this village? More than you can imagine, actually.

This is the kind of book that I enjoy most. It has: strong characters that change through adversity, varied positive messages, and an uplifting ending. I guess it's been marketed for the voracious female "tween" market, but it's a sweet read for anyone. Highly recommended.