Gracepearl is almost 16 and she can't wait for this summer. She'll have her birthday and get her present chosen by her deceased mother. And she'll get to see the princes when they come to her little island for Charm School. Maybe she'll fall in love with one. She'd rather marry her island sweetheart Mackree, but he has broken up with her. And maybe she'll understand these strange dreams she's been having lately.

And maybe she'll grow up a little and quit falling for every hot bod that...more Gracepearl is almost 16 and she can't wait for this summer. She'll have her birthday and get her present chosen by her deceased mother. And she'll get to see the princes when they come to her little island for Charm School. Maybe she'll fall in love with one. She'd rather marry her island sweetheart Mackree, but he has broken up with her. And maybe she'll understand these strange dreams she's been having lately.

And maybe she'll grow up a little and quit falling for every hot bod that she sees. Maybe she'll make up her own mind and stick to it. Maybe she'll grow up a little!

I realize that Gracepearl is only 16, but wow, does she act it. So that makes it a little hard to believe that she's chosen her true love and is ready to marry and rule her people at the end of the book. She's so dang silly. The whole book is pretty silly. And what's with the nursery rhymes stuck in there all the time? That was just annoying.

I saw that several reviewers said that they found the book boring or silly, but that teens would like it. Since when do teens like boring, silly books? Yes, it's clean, except for the skinny dipping princes, but it's still not a good book. I don't think teens would really enjoy this book either. It's okay to pass a little time, but I really shouldn't have bothered to finish it. ( )

Gracepearl Coal is the cook's daughter on Miramore, the island where every summer the young princes of the nearby kingdoms come for their training. The only way to come and go from the island is on the boats that take the princes there, and Gracepearl has for many years longed to leave the island on one of those boats and see the world beyond.

Now that Gracepearl is almost sixteen, she is old enough to be betrothed. She hopes to be chosen by one of the princes, as it is her only chance of leaving Miramore. And there are two attractive young princes who seem like good potential husbands. But it is a third young man - Mackree, a stable boy on the island - to whom Gracepearl's heart truly belongs. But how can she be with Mackree without giving up her dream of seeing the world beyond Miramore?

A Pearl Among Princes was a very quick read, as it is a middle grade rather than young adult book as I originally had thought from the plot description and the ages of the main characters. However, despite the fact that it was written for a younger age group than I had expected, I did find it to be a fun and cute (at times, maybe too cute) read. If you know a preteen girl who loves fairly tales, this would be a good book to recommend or to give as a gift. ( )

Gracepearl Coal is cook's daughter on the island of Miramore - where everyone is bound in service to the twelve royal branches. The only way off the island is to capture the heart of a prince. This isn't quite as hard as it may sound - after all, Miramore is home to the charm school all princes in training attend in the summer. Now Gracepearl must choose between the destiny her dreams hint at and her childhood love, the stablehand Mackree.

I devoured A Pearl Among Princes in one sitting. I was so completely charmed by Gracepearl, her friends, and the princes (some of whom are very charming indeed) that I just didn't want to leave their world. I enjoyed the inclusion of nursery rhymes, though I wasn't always sure how they were meant to fit into the plot. But most of all, I liked the way Grace's relationship with Mackree was handled - it was simultaneously simple and complex, and I felt a real connection to their pain and confusion at their difficult circumstances.

I was looking for a fun fairy tale, and I certainly found that, but the story had an unexpectedly deep heart to it that really endeared Gracepearl and her friends to me.

More at my blog.

FTC Disclosure: I received a free review copy from the publisher. ( )

Reviewed by McKenzie Tritt for TeensReadToo.com

Gracepearl Coal lives on the island of Miramore, a special place where princes come to train. The rules have changed this year, and now princes are allowed to marry any girl on the island. For the girls it means a chance at love and a chance to escape Miramore. Gracepearl has always dreamed of leaving Miramore, especially now that she's having strange dreams about people in need of her help. What do these dreams mean, and how is she supposed to help the people she sees in them?

Gracepearl is quickly wooed by two young princes, both of whom she finds charming and exciting. Deep down, however, she knows that she only has one true love, Mackree, an island boy. The princes offer something that Mackree cannot, though: a chance to leave the island.

As Gracepearl comes closer to her sixteenth birthday, secrets are slowly being revealed. All leads up to that fateful birthday, when Gracepearl learns the secrets of her past and must make a decision that will affect her and her family forever.

A PEARL AMONG PRINCES was full of historical interest, cute romance, and plenty of secrets. Gracepearl was a wonderful character who was easy to connect with, as were her two best friends. The princes were fun to learn about, and I enjoyed their courting of Grace. The plot flowed seamlessly, never falling off course. The pacing was perfect, and I couldn't put the book down. It turned out to be an incredibly quick read!

I was surprised by this book, as it was both girly and serious. I expected a fluffy love story, which there was some of, but the book also focused on more important issues. Gracepearl was faced with some tough decisions that required true maturity.

A PEARL AMONG PRINCES was wonderful, filled with charm and an exciting plot. Girls of all ages will enjoy this book. ( )