Princess Academy — Shannon Hale

IT WAS A LOVELY IDEA AND MIRI WISHED SHE COULD BELIEVE IT, BUT SHE KNEW LOWLANDERS WOULD NEVER ALLOW A CROWN TO SIT ON A MOUNTAIN GIRL'S HEAD.

High on the slopes of rocky Mount Eskel, Miri's family pounds a living from the stone of the mountain itself. But Miri's life will change forever when word comes that her small village is the home of the future princess. All eligible girls must attend a makeshift academy to prepare for royal life. At the school, Miri finds herself confronting bitter competition among the girls and her own conflicted desires to be chosen. Yet when danger comes to the academy, it is Miri, named for a tiny mountain flower, who must find a way to save her classmates -- and the future of their beloved village.