A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS
by Kathleen Baldwin
Release date: May 19th, 2015
Published by Tor Teen
Genre: Yound Adult Historical Fiction
Format: Hardcover, eBook
by Kathleen Baldwin
Release date: May 19th, 2015
Published by Tor Teen
Genre: Yound Adult Historical Fiction
Format: Hardcover, eBook
SUMMARY
It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in
shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for
Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The
daughters of the beau monde who don't fit high society’s constrictive mold are
banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so
their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual
girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle the girls in the
dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a
scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But
Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed,
marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord
Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new
invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way
to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts...
PURCHASE LINKS
MY REVIEW
A captivating, fast-paced and historically accurate, A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS delivers an original story of what may have happened during one of Europe's most historical moments...
It is 1814, during the time of Napoleon's exile... war has wreaked havoc throughout Europe, and everyone has endured some sort of loss.
The Stranje House has a reputation for reforming rebellious and disorderly young ladies into top-notch marriageable young woman by using extreme measures of punishments. However, we soon realize that much of what is presumed about the house and its inhabitants is a ruse and that there is much more to what is happening behind its closed doors.
Georgie is not what her parents desire and demand her to be; according to them she is eccentric, reckless and an embarrassment to them and their family name. What we soon learn from Georgie is that she is an independent young woman that is ahead of her time. She is smart, brave and fearsome; although somewhat quirky and clumsy too (which makes her more favorable and relatable). But nothing, not even her wild unruly red hair, can stop her from always asking questions, studying the world around her and looking for ways to conduct science experiments. She is desperate to develop a solution that could have saved her brother's life, who was killed during the ongoing war. Although the results won't bring back her brother, it would bring her solace to avenge his death with it.
It is 1814, during the time of Napoleon's exile... war has wreaked havoc throughout Europe, and everyone has endured some sort of loss.
The Stranje House has a reputation for reforming rebellious and disorderly young ladies into top-notch marriageable young woman by using extreme measures of punishments. However, we soon realize that much of what is presumed about the house and its inhabitants is a ruse and that there is much more to what is happening behind its closed doors.
Georgie is not what her parents desire and demand her to be; according to them she is eccentric, reckless and an embarrassment to them and their family name. What we soon learn from Georgie is that she is an independent young woman that is ahead of her time. She is smart, brave and fearsome; although somewhat quirky and clumsy too (which makes her more favorable and relatable). But nothing, not even her wild unruly red hair, can stop her from always asking questions, studying the world around her and looking for ways to conduct science experiments. She is desperate to develop a solution that could have saved her brother's life, who was killed during the ongoing war. Although the results won't bring back her brother, it would bring her solace to avenge his death with it.
The other girls at the house all have their peculiarities as well. Each one has a specific ability almost to a supernatural state, but believable... it is quite a mystery as to how and why these girls have been brought to stay at the Stranje House. They are all quite poised and knowledgable. However, in the end, they are a curious bunch that have managed to live harmoniously and supportive of each other.
And then there is Sebastian as known as Lord Wyatt; he is charming and brilliant... the banter between him and Georgie was amusing. And I very much enjoyed watching their love/hate relationship bloom into more. The story is fast-paced, so their relationship develops just as quickly. But done well and tasteful. And I do hope that we do get to see more of them in the next book... even though we are already spoiled by knowing that the next book will be told from a different point-of-view.
I highly recommend this book to those who absolutely love historical fiction, to those who love mysteries with spies running about... and, to those who love contemporary reads that have a classic flair with accurate details and well-developed characters set in an awe inspiring period of time!
*A hardcover copy was sent to me from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
GIVEAWAY
- 10 winners will receive a finished
copy of A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS.
- US Only.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
"I love
adventure in books and in real life. I've roamed the Rocky Mountains, wandered
the desert, enjoyed way too many classes in college, was stalked by a mountain
lion, lost an argument with a rattlesnake, fell in love at least a dozen times,
finally met and married my very own hero, and together we've raised four
free-spirited children."
Award-winning author - Kensington published four of Kathleen's Regency romantic
comedies, including MISTAKEN KISS, a Holt Medallion finalist. DIARY OF A
TEENAGE FAIRY GODMOTHER, was a Golden Quill finalist. Her upcoming Historical
YA series with TorTeen, A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS, is a Junior Library Guild
Selection and won a Marlene.
TOUR SCHEDULE
Week One:
5/11/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
5/12/2015- Pandora's Books- Review
5/13/2015- Her
Book Thoughts- Guest
Post
5/14/2015- Pretty
Little Pages- Review
5/15/2015- Chapter
by Chapter- Interview
Week Two:
5/18/2015- The
Book Belles- Review
5/19/2015- Alice Marvels- Guest Post
5/20/2015- Bumbles
and Fairy-Tales- Review
5/21/2015- Bookish
Things & More- Interview
5/22/2015- Wishful Endings- Review
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