The False Princess

From the inside cover:

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.


Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.


First off, I don't like the cover much. It has nothing to do with the story. That picture she's wearing? Doesn't show up anywhere in the book. And what's with the neck, chin, mouth perspective? Bleh.

Besides that, this is a fascinating story. What a unique twist! Usually we hear about the obscure girl finding out that she's actually a princess. Imagine being raised as a princess, only to be cast out for the real deal at age 16. This book had me hooked very quickly. It starts fast and shows a lot of emotion. I was actually tearing up in the first chapter. It's well-written and completely engrossing from start to finish. Lots of twists and turns and unpredictability. Also - hooray for stand-alone novels!! No cliff-hanger and annoying loose ends left undone. The ending is great. Good romance. Really, there's not much I didn't like about this book. Not anything that I can think of at the moment. I definitely recommend this one!