The hot pink cover of Palace of Spies doesn’t really scream “18th century,” but underneath all that fuchsia is a fun tale of historical fiction. Peggy Fitzroy is an orphan in England, living under the guardianship of her wealthy uncle. While she has all the necessities provided for her, along with a close relationship with her cousin, Olivia, Peggy’s uncle makes it very clear that his support is solely a result of his sense of familial duty. To get Peggy out of his hair, he arranges a marriage that looks good on paper. But when this lovely suitor attempts to rape Peggy, she informs her uncle that there will be no marriage. Enraged, he takes advantage of this opportunity to toss her out on the street. A strange man with the fantastic name of Mr. Tinderflint comes to Peggy’s rescue. In return, he wants her help. She must pose as Francesca, a lady-in-waiting to Princess Caroline, to gather information on a possible plot to overthrow of King Geroge I. The real Francesca is dead, but no one at court knows this; it’s believed that she is merely ill.
This review and others are posted at Inspiring Insomnia.

3.5 stars

So, pose as someone you’ve never met, risk being found out and executed, and attempt to spy while you’re at it. Sounds like an easy task, right? Even if Peggy looks identical to Francesca, how can she mimic her voice and mannerisms? How can she have conversations with people who knew the real Francesca? This is where reminding yourself that this is a work of fiction comes in handy. Before being sent to court, Peggy is given lessons on how to behave like an upper-class lady by Tinderflint and his associates. They also tell her what they know about Francesca and her relationships. But what they don’t tell her is their true motivations behind the scheme.

Zettel does well depicting life at court, with both the frivolities and potential danger it entails. Francesca’s friends and enemies are now Peggy’s friends and enemies, and she must navigate these relationships without blowing her cover. The story successfully builds the tension and intrigue, as neither we nor Peggy know exactly what to expect from the outcome of this scheme. There are some surprising revelations, setting the stage for the second book in the series. Peggy’s interactions with Princess Caroline were limited in this story, but that should change with the sequel. It will also be nice to (hopefully) see more of Peggy’s independence come through, when she’s better able steer her own story.

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Author Sarah Zettel has picked out an interesting and, I think, under-used era for her witty YA spy thriller set during the reign of the first of the Hanover Georges, when Jacobites still schemed to put a Stuart back on England’s throne. Sixteen year old orphan Peggy Fitzroy has been well educated, but she’s forced to accept a dubious offer of employment from a man claiming to have been a friend of her mother when her uncle throws her out of his house because she refused the odious marriage he arranged.

 

After a crash course in the complicated manners and politics of the royal court and with a copious application of court makeup to aid her disguise, Peggy is set up to masquerade as Francesca, a lady in waiting to Caroline, Princess of Wales.  Her purpose is to gather information, but Peggy is not at all sure who she is working for. Hanover supporters? Jacobites? A criminal intending to blackmail? A royal court wannabe hoping to gain influence? Adding to the intrigue and danger, the Lady Francesca who Peggy is impersonating disappeared from court under mysterious, probably sinister circumstances and is likely dead, possibly murdered.

The idea that Peggy could successfully stand in for Lady Francesca among people who knew her well  stretches credibility, but I enjoyed the story’s rich historical setting, lively first person narration, and risky, madcap adventures too much to care about that.  The first of a series, I’ll be watching out for the next installment.  I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley; the opinions in this review are mine.

It is almost November, so I thought I would make a list of what I am looking forward to read.

 

 

Most Anticipated:

 

1. Curtsies and Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

 

2. Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne -finally the paperback is out!!!-

 

3. The Vanishing Game by Kate Kae Myers -finally the paperback is out!!!-

 

4. Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris -finally the paperback is out!!!-

 

 

Books That Look Really Great:

 

 

1. The F- It List by Julie Halpern

 

2. The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 

3. Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel

 

4. Loud Awake and Lost by Adele Griffin

 

5. He said, she said by Kwame Alexander

 

 

A lot of fun new books and I can't wait until they come out and I can read them. 

Peggy Fitzroy’s led a normal life. That is, until her uncle kicked her out for refusing to marry the dastardly scoundrel he chose for her. Forced into the streets, Peggy is desperate for a way to support herself in a time where women were not allow to have an occupation. Under duress, she allows herself to be convinced to impersonate Lady Francesca, a lady-in-waiting in King George I’s court. Lady Fran died, supposedly of a fever, and now they need someone to take her place. Though Peggy is sure she doesn’t understand their motives, she knows that this will keep her fed, clothed, and sheltered until she can find other reputable employment. But she soon realizes that there is more going on in court than meets the eye and if she doesn’t figure out what it is soon, she may follow in Fran’s footsteps to an untimely demise.

 

Peggy is a very entertaining character. She’s clever enough to give Hermione Granger a run for her money, but balanced out with a healthy dose of fear at the appropriate moments and a penchant for hysteria if things get too out of hand. She’s stubborn enough to want to stay around and figure out what game is afoot instead of running off with the jewels she has collected, which she could easily live off of the rest of her life. Then there is her cousin, Olivia. If I loved Peggy, then I adore Olivia. Smart and sassy, with a flair for drama, this girl had me begging for a sequel from her perspective. In the first chapter, when her and Peggy where play-acting to an imagined drama, I was rolling with laughter. My one lament of this novel is we don’t get nearly enough of her, or the leading man.

 

Speaking of the leading man, Matthew Reade is also a hilarious character. From his first meeting with Peggy, to the end of the last battle, he screamed swoon-worhty male. Funny and hot, with a passion and talent for the arts, I was instantly in love. He has an ultra-sweet side and genuinely cares for Peggy, regardless of the façade. He fits right into the role of leading man with perfection. The fact that he isn’t royalty or even a sir, simply a lowly apothecary’s son with the desire to pursue a career in the arts.

 

Given my love for historical romance novels, is it really any wonder that I loved this? Though it is very different, the setting and the writing style is the same and it had me swooning anew for this genre. I’ve read a handful of historical YA’s before, but nothing compares to this. It has the added bonus of no love triangles and no cliffhanger, so I have not a single thing to complain about. This has it all, intrigue, mystery, humor, with a romance light enough to not overtake the plot. It was everything I was looking for and more. If you like historical YA’s or just want to give something a little different a try, definitely check this one out.

 

****Thank you to Harcourt Children's Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group, for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

Margaret “Peggy” Preston Fitzroy is in a pickle. She’s just rejected the marriage offer her uncle Pierpont arranged. Peggy has a reason for this decision and when she tries to explain it to her uncle he issues her an ultimatum: accept the suit or be thrown out of the house. Peggy’s fate was sealed the night she met her potential suitor, Sebastian Sanford. He’s intrigued at first especially after Peggy stands up to Lady Clarenda Newbank and Peggy is happy to have his approval. Their first meeting is going well until he attempts to force himself on her and she’s saved by a gentleman, Mr. Tinderflint. Peggy is grateful until he states his reason for seeking her out: he offers her a position in King George I’s court. Peggy declines, but when her uncle throws her out of the house she has nowhere else to go. She remembers Tinderflint’s offer and accepts it. Peggy trains hard to assume the identity of a dead spy, Lady Fran. And at the palace she quickly suspects Lady Fran was murdered. As the weeks drag on, she’s afraid she’ll meet the same fate.

 

The language is a bit too modern for a historical fiction novel, but I understand why Sarah Zettel chose this avenue. Palace of Spiesreally is geared towards young teens and its use of modern language makes it easier for this age range to enjoy. Narrative is first person told via Peggy’s point of view. Peggy is a trustworthy narrator, but I would have liked a little more in-depth narration with regards to palace life and at times it felt a bit dreary, but overall the writing is solid.

 

Character development is a bit weak. Despite spending a large amount of time with Peggy, I don’t feel as if we get to know her. She feels very much out of reach and I’m not sure if it’s the way Zettel planned it since this is the first book in the series or it was by done by accident. It makes sense that Peggy would evolve as the series progresses. I found the people in Mr. Tinderflint’s employment to be the most intriguing since they aren’t who they claim to be and Peggy finds this out the hard the way. With regards to her family, I really liked her cousin Olivia and can’t wait to see what role she plays in the future. There’s a bit of a love triangle between Peggy, Robert the footman, and Matthew the artist. Of these two, Matthew is the most developed with Robert staying the background and tied to Lady Fran’s past. Then there’s Lady Fran herself, Tinderflint’s dead spy. We get a glimpse into her life, but she remains a shadow until the end and even then I’m not sure we get the whole story.

 

As for the overall reason Peggy is enlisted as a spy, I didn’t feel as if the reason or the cause was dire enough to warrant it. We’re given bits of history with regards to the Jacobites and the possibility of overthrowing King George I; though this takes a back seat with the primary focus on Peggy and fellow maid Molly and their antics. Peggy is useless as a spy and I know she’s put in the position of not knowing who to trust, but I wanted her to play a larger role and instead just stumbles upon important information which she has no idea what to do with. I have high hopes she will grow into her role. If I have one tiny gripe about Palace of Spies is the lack of a further reading or historical notes section. I do believe young readers would enjoy this and prompt them to look further into the time period and history. The best thing about Palace of Spies was the interaction between Matthew and Peggy. I adored their banter and the way their friendship developed. There are few unanswered questions and I’m hoping they’ll get addressed in the future. The big issue for me has to do with the illness Olivia experiences. Did no one alert her family? If so, what was their reaction? Ultimately, why did Peggy’s uncle believe his sister was a courtesan and how did she hide her activities as a spy?

 

Overall, Sarah Zettel’s Palace of Spies is a satisfactory read and has the potential to grow into a good series. If you’re looking for a book filled with adventure then you’ll probably enjoy this; however, if you’re looking for an in-depth mystery filled with intrigue, I suggest previewing a few pages to decide if you want to proceed. Though I do believe, Palace of Spies will be most enjoyed by young teens.