Rise of the Princess

Super fun middle grade book showcasing facing your fears even against opponents that are tougher/bigger/stronger than you. Rise of the Princess is a coming of age, adventure featuring strong female characters which is always a treat in literature. I loved the whole “save the princess” trope but rather than being saved by a male hero, the reader follows strong, independent female heroes. I love a good adventure of feminism and female empowerment.

One of my favorite aspects of this book are the characters. They each have their own personalities, spot on to how young girls actually behave. Having my own kids I see a lot of quirks and things they say similar to the girls in the book.

I'd like to touch on my other favorite part of the book and that's how magical the entire world is written. The author has excellent world building skills and really brings the magic. From fairy sidekicks to magical unicorns Rise of the Princess is dripping with magic. The setting gives you this whimsical, magical ambience that totally absorbs you into the story.

I think/hope this is going to be a series. I had my 10 year old son read this with me and he enjoyed it a lot even with female protagonists. He keeps asking me for the next one