Hello, reader!

Back at you again with a fresh new The Write Reads blog tour! It should be very obvious that I just can’t say no to Dave @ The Write Reads at this point 😂 Honestly, though, when I heard the premise of this story, I couldn’t help but sign up. Today, I’m featuring a book all about rebellious princesses and striving to be the person you want to be in a world that would tear you down for it. It’s an incredible YA fantasy called Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn!

I’m excited to participating in this unique blog tour as this post is a lead up to another I’ll be making later that highlights the fifth book in the Rosewood Chronicles, Princess Ever After. Having never read any of this series, but want to join in on the tour, I signed up to give this book a read and I’m very glad that I did! Before we get into my review, though, I want to thank all the crew at The Write Reads, the publisher, Penguin, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for my participation with this tour and an honest review. It is, as always, very much appreciated.

Alright, now let’s get to the tour stop post!

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When fairy tale obsessed Lottie Pumpkin starts at the infamous Rosewood Hall, she is not expecting to share a room with the Crown Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolf. Due to a series of lies and coincidences, 14-year-old Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life.

Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty – a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal. She must do everything she can to help Ellie keep her secret, but with school, the looming Maradovian ball and the mysterious new boy Jamie, she’ll soon discover that reality doesn’t always have the happily ever after you’d expect…

A thrilling world of parties, politics and bad ass princesses, this is the first book in the brand new series THE ROSEWOOD CHRONICLES.

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Author Links

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Connie Glynn has always loved writing and wrote her first story when she was six, with her mum at a typewriter acting as her scribe. She had a love for performing stories from a young age and attended Guildhall drama classes as a teenager. This passion for stories has never left her, and Connie recently finished a degree in film theory. It was at university that Connie started her hugely successful YouTube channel Noodlerella (named after her favourite food and favourite Disney princess). After five years of publicly documenting her life and hobbies to an audience of 900,000 subscribers on YouTube, Connie closed the book on the Noodlerella project in a bid for more privacy and to pursue her original passions in the performing arts. Connie now writes music and fiction full-time.

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When I think of YA fantasy, the word that immediately pops to mind isn’t usually ‘whimsical’, but that is the first word I thought after finishing this book! It manages to mix the whimsy of a middle grade with the more mature themes of a YA and pulls it off seamlessly.

In Undercover Princess, we’re following the story of Miss Lottie Pumpkin. Lottie is obsessed with fairy tales and all things princessy. When she works hard to get into the prestigious Rosewood Hall, it feels like her life is about to be one big fairy tale! That all changes swiftly when she meets her new roommate, Ellie Wolf… who happens to be a real life princess in disguise. Ellie just wants to live her life as a normal teenager for a little bit longer and, after circumstances lead everyone to believe that Lottie is the secret princess, she might just have that chance. But there are dangerous secrets floating around Rosewood Hall and both Lottie and Ellie soon find themselves swept up in them.

Y’all, this book somehow managed to be incredibly sweet and have my heart pounding all at the same time! It’s been awhile since I tore through a 400+ page book so fast, but I just couldn’t put this one down! This YA contemporary fantasy was an absolute delight to read from beginning to end. This was perfectly paced and, though there wasn’t a ton of action, I never once found myself bored. There were some plot points that felt a little under-explored but, hey, this is the first book in a series! I loved how whimsical this felt, even though there were certainly some darker themes involved. I loved the little puzzles and mysteries that are sprinkled throughout the story. And I especially loved the relationship between Lottie and Ellie.

Ahhh, Lottie and Ellie! Two of the most fascinating and well-written characters I’ve come across! I’ll throw Jamie in there, too, but Lottie and Ellie definitely stole the show. Watching these two interact and become from friends was such a treat. I loved how both their characters grew throughout this story. I loved how sweet Lottie is, but with a trace of steel that makes her a force to be reckoned with. I loved how fiery and independent Ellie is and how it’s clear she would do anything for the people she loves. And I loved the budding spark you can totally feel between the two of them. All of the characters in this novel were intriguing and nuanced, but Lottie and Ellie truly shined!

Final thoughts: This book feels like the perfect bridge between middle grade and YA. It has a whimsical feel that had me smiling throughout the story, but it also deals with heavy topics in a nuanced and interesting way that is definitely more geared towards young adults. It’s a fast-paced and fun ride that has action, adventure, and just a hint of romance. All the characters are incredibly well-written, but our two main characters, Lottie and Ellie, absolutely steal the show! This book reads like a real life fairy tale (but, like, one of the darker, original ones) with some mysterious puzzles and secrets scattered throughout. If you’re looking for a YA fantasy that is a quick, exciting read, you can’t go wrong with Undercover Princess!

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