A Pearl Among Princess by Coleen Murtagh Paratore

A Pearl Among Princes, by Coleen Paratore, isn't so much a fairy tale adaptation. But doesn't it look like one?

This is the story of Gracepearl, a young girl growing up on an island where all the princes from surrounding kingdoms are sent to learn to be charming--dancing, flirting, dating. But it's recently been declared that the princes may now marry commoners, and not just other royalty. So now Gracepearl and her friends dream of marrying a prince and getting away from their tiny island. But of course, the prince has to be worthy of them, too.

I liked the premise here. My main problem with this book was that it felt like part of a much bigger story, and this was just a tiny part of it. There were lots of hints about the political situation and succession and the world itself, and the book was so short (a very quick read) that I found I wanted to know what happens next more than I enjoyed the story itself.

In spite of that, the narration takes a lively voice and it's a funny, quirky story. Recommended especially for younger audiences, as it doesn't fill out the potential that it hints at.