A School for Unusual Girls is the first captivating installment in the Stranje House series for young adults by award-winning author Kathleen Baldwin. #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot calls this romantic Regency adventure “completely original and totally engrossing.”It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a … fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don’t fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies plans that entangle the girls in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads or their hearts .
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What a fun book! Interesting, intelligent girls, cute guys and a fresh, intelligent plot. Best news of all, it’s a series–and the second book is supposed to be just as strong as the first.
This book was amazing! I absolutely loved it. Georgie, the main character, is a spunky scientist with wild, curly hair the colour of fire and an intelligent mind that behaves recklessly. All of the characters are surprisingly well-developed and I really appreciate that. You don’t get much character depth in some stories. All in all, I definitely recommend this book. Pick up your copy today! 🙂
It’s 1814 when Napoleon has been exiled to Elba and Britain is at war. After starting a fire with a science experiment and burning down her father’s stables, Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House for reformation. The school is known for its harsh methods, and the torture chamber she’s shown seems to confirm this type of discipline. Abandoned and desperate, she vows to conform and become a proper lady so she can go home. But then stranger things occur as she makes friends with the other students. All is not as it appears at Stranje House, and this applies to handsome Lord Sebastian Wyatt as well. Will Georgie’s mistakes condemn them all, or can she learn to think things through to find a viable solution to their problems? This story captivates from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the exciting finale. As the mysteries unfold, you’ll root for Georgie to succeed in her mission and save a king. Note that the subsequent spin-off novels feature another girl’s viewpoint. I would have liked for Georgie’s story to continue.
I read this not realizing it was young adult. It was a good read and I am going to read the rest of the series.
Not a huge fan of Regency books, mostly because they tend to factor in weird age inappropriate romances (men in the late 20’s and early 30’s with 16 and 17 year old girls – eww), but this series at least tries to give the girls the benefit of the doubt as far as their talents and abilities go. A quick fun read.
A fun read. I also checked the next book out, reading that now.
I love this series, am now in the third book
I was pleasantly surprised reading this book. The author was very thorough when describing the characters and I thought the writing was excellent! I bought the next two books in the series and am enjoying them as well.
From the author’s humorous historicals I knew she could write a good story, and this did not disappoint. This one is not intended to be humorous. It is actually a bit sad, told from the viewpoint of Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam, whose unloving family has sent her away. The story starts a bit gothic. 16-year old Georgie is confused upon her arrival, expecting punishment. She soon learns differently, finally being allowed to use her interest in chemistry.
There is a bit of political intrigue and mild romantic interest (no more than a kiss). It kept my interest throughout.
At the beginning you think one thing, but then when you realize what is going on, you want to be a part of the girls’ school and go on a mission with them. Good for older teens and adults. I plan to read the next book in the series.