The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I loved reading The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen. It is on the 2015 Rebecca Caudill list, and it does not disappoint.

The main character, Sage, is not the most likable character, and is one that I had to grow to like. He is an orphan (classic protagonist material), who, along with three other boys, has been "purchased" by a regent named Conner for some unknown reason. As time goes on, the reason for their association with Conner becomes evident and the boys' training to be a prince begins.  Sage finds himself in a very precarious position that leaves the reader questioning motives of Conner, Sage, and the other boys. There are plenty of red herrings and plot twists in the story so that you are never quite sure who you should trust.

This truly was a captivating fairy tale that kept me interested throughout, and is enjoyable on both a child and adult level. One of my favorite parts was when you hit that point of no return, and you just have to keep reading to the end. I am thrilled that it is the first in a trilogy. I already have all of the books checked out from the library and they are in my stack, moved to the top of the heap.

Mrs. Corbett, this one moved to the top of my Caudill list favorites as well.