Secondhand Charm

Secondhand Charm
By Julie Berry
Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers, 2010. 342 pgs. Young Adult

Evie is a small-town girl who seems to have a knack for healing. When she's offered an opportunity to study at the Royal University, she jumps at the chance to fulfill her dream of becoming a physician. However, along the way, her coach is waylaid by a bandit and then her boat is shipwrecked and her friend Aidan, with whom she seemed to be forming a blooming romance, becomes suddenly distant as they both realize that Evie isn't exactly who she thought she was. Soon, Evie is struggling with her new identity and trying to figure out what she really wants in life.

This book was a fun mixture of fantasy, adventure, and romance. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. I read this in one sitting because I was anxious to see how it would turn out. A great choice for fans of Shannon Hale's Bayern series.

AE