"Two Moon Princess" by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

"Two Moon Princess" (published April 2010)

Written by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

Description

Middle Reader (Ages 10+), 320 pages
978-1-933718-12-5, cloth, $15.95
978-1-933718-27-7, paperback, $8.95
Guided reading level: Z; Grade level: 7 & up; Reading Recovery level: NA
To Andrea, the life of a princess is not a dream; it's tedious and stifling. But the certainties of her life, both good and bad, are thrown into chaos when she accidentally travels to an alternative world, from a cave on a forbidden beach in her family's kingdom to the warm and carefree life of Southern California. Then a careless visit to the cave results in terrible consequences: a brewing war between kingdoms, her sister's love for the wrong man, Andrea's own conflicted feelings for an enemy leader, and dark family secrets exposed. Andrea needs to act to resolve problems which she helped to create, and she faces many difficult choices, torn between duty and desire on so many levels. Readers will enjoy the mix of traditional elements of the fantasy genre, with fresh ideas and a look at our culture through the eyes of a stranger.


First-time author Carmen Ferreiro, originally from Spain, currently resides in Doylestown, PA, near Philadelphia. Visit Carmen on her website at www.carmenferreiroesteban.com
My thoughts...
I have to say that I absolutely loved this book...every page enticed me in some way, and made me want to learn more about Princess Andrea. I love fantasy books, and this one will definitely go on my favorites list.

When I was growing up, I was always dreamed of being a princess, and might have envied the life of Princess Andrea, the heroine of Two Moon Princess. She lives in a castle in a world resembling medieval Spain. Horses, servants, beautiful scenery--what's not to like? But for Andrea, a headstrong young woman, that life is stifling. She'd rather train to be a knight, but her fourteenth birthday is only months away, and she must become a "lady." That means staying inside the castle, learning to curtsy and smile and do needlework ad nauseam. No more hunting in the woods.

One day, in the midst of this unwanted transition, Andrea is accidentally transported to modern California. Now we're talking! Andrea is awed by the freedom of the teenagers she meets on a beach. Here as well, she sees her uncle, and is taken to his beautiful home. He travels freely between the two worlds by entering a forbidden cave on the night of a full moon, and tells Andrea she must return to her father's kingdom the next month. But knowing Andrea as we do, it won't be that easy.

Unfortunately, her plans don't work out, and her return to the Kingdom of Zeltia is accidental. She brings back a California boy who falls in love with the lore and swordplay of Zeltia and puts his life at risk.

The relationships between Andrea and her parents, her sister, and the young men she is attracted to in both worlds, are expertly drawn. These are no two-dimensional characters. The author skillfully exposes the motivations of everyone who plays a role in Andrea's burgeoning adolescence. We see both the good and bad sides of people who have the heroine's best interests at heart.

Andrea matures during the course of the story, traveling from her world, which has two moons, to California and back again. She gets into more than a few hair-raising predicaments along the way, but this is no "damsel in distress" story. Andrea keeps busy saving a life or two on her own, learns to accept help, and never gives up trying for the best outcome for everyone in her parallel lives.

This is a princess story to keep a young adult reader turning the pages until the end. Even after the last word, though, you'll wonder what happens to Andrea next. Lucky for us, the author has written a sequel called The King In the Stone for the same publisher.

I would definitely recommend this book - for ages 12 and up!

Thank You so much Net Galley and Tanglewood Books for allowing me to read this book! I cannot wait to read more books from you in the future!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this books free from the publisher through the Net Galley review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."