A sweeping adventure filled with a hidden island, family secrets, shocking betrayals, amazing music, and girl power, by iconic Spice Girl, songwriter and author Geri Halliwell-Horner.
It's time to find your power.
Suddenly orphaned and alone, Rosie Frost is sent to the mysterious Bloodstone Island—home not only to a school for extraordinary teens, but also a sanctuary for endangered species. There, Rosie confronts a menacing deputy headmaster, a group of mean kids intent on destroying her, and shocking family secrets. She also discovers that history can come to life in ways she never could have imagined.
When the island itself comes under threat, Rosie knows she must enter and win the Falcon Queen games in a desperate bid to save it.
But Rosie can't do it alone. She finds that believing in herself—and her friends—is the first step to finding the power she never knew she had.
*All books contain a QR code with access to original songs by Geri Halliwell-Horner!
Let’s be honest, as a huge Spice Girls fan, I got this book because Geri wrote it. I didn’t really know what to expect.
But once I started reading? Wow! I love this world that she has created. I love the characters and how they’re complex- there’s more to all of them than you expect when they first step onto the page.
Rosie had me in tears IN THE FIRST CHAPTER. The confusion and grief that come from an unexpected death felt real and raw. I’ve had many students over the years who would really, really relate to Rosie. I think she really is a hero that the world needs right now.
When I finished the last page around 2am last night I immediately wanted to go back to the beginning and start over! I can’t wait for the next book in the series!!
This was so cute! And the audiobook was so fun since Geri, the queen herself read it. Maybe it just made me feel so nostalgic hearing Geri’s voice. It brought me back to being a little girl obsessing over the Spice Girls and her voice just sounds like my childhood. I thought it was actually a good book too lol I didn’t just love it because Geri wrote and narrated it.
This book felt like a mix between Harry Potter and Percy Jackson where Hermione is the heroine and minus the Greek mythology. It felt like another book I can’t put my finger on where they have different trials.. maybe goblet of fire? But that doesn’t totally feel right.
I don’t typically read young YA books but this was one of my favorites. If you’re looking for a fun, easy audiobook this would be a great choice.
3.5 stars. As a child of Spice mania in the 90s I had to check this book out. Honestly not bad for a YA debut. Some of the royal stuff felt a bit heavy handed. She had me looking up details about Anne Boleyn on like the first page, I don't care much about history of the monarchy but it was weaved into the backstory nicely. And I do love a good historical fiction.
The second challenge of the Falcon Queen games felt a little out of place. It was essentially a talent show but since it feels like Rosie is based off a lot of Geri's own background I could see why it was there. It just didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the tournament.
All the highlights I made in this book were what I thought were cute little 90s easter eggs that I appreciated. I love that she made 1994 the special year. (re: when the Spice Girls were formed) Which brings me to my last point, I kind of wish this book would have just taken place in the 90s itself. I don't know why but I felt like that would have made the dialog a bit smoother. Otherwise, cheers Ginger Spice. I think a new generation of girl power will love this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I absolutely LOVED this book!!! It is exactly the type of fantasy I like (I’m very fussy about fantasy). To be honest I went into this book completely blind. I knew it was written by the spice girl Geri and thought it might be fun. It is definitely a young adult audience but I am totally down for that. It is definitely one of the best fantasy novels I HAVE EVER READ!! Probably second to ACOTAR!
Very quickly Rosie Frost becomes orphaned, after her mother dies, and is suddenly flown off to an island, SW of England, called Bloodstone Island. It is described as “England’s own Garden of Eden, a place where all of God’s creatures live undisturbed by the hand of man.” The island is home not only to Heverbridge school where “All who study here shall come to appreciate God’s divine majesty through the observance of his diverse creations.” But is also home to a sanctuary for endangered species.
The school was excellently described on Rosie’s first arrival and the characterisation of every single character was brilliant. Geri got it spot on and a nice balance of mean versus good characters along the way.
The school is definitely not your average school, but they have one core message:
“Any challenge you face, remember rule number one:have courage”
However, what makes it not so normal is the ghosts, importance on the past and well the dragons to say the least. During the course of the year there are 3 tasks to test the schools three main values - courage, power and freedom. And it really is a very interesting mix of tasks. Not all physical, like in many fantasy novels. And some very HILARIOUS moments!!
The only thing that annoyed me was the childishness and pettiness of the ‘mean girls’ like Ottilie; they were constantly out to get Rosie and power to her she stuck it out long enough. She was definitely a powerhouse to be reckoned with and an adventurous young lady. Ottilie on the other hand was somewhat the opposite which inevitably resulted in a FOOD FIGHT 😂 She called Rosie fat and Rosie said “Hot rage shooting through her as she grabbed a fistful of her shepherd’s pie and threw it at Ottilie’s face” the way it was written was SO funny!
In places, it feels like it’s written by a mother because there are some little phrases that only a mother would use or guidance that only a mother would give. It is kind of sweet but speaks to a younger age group.
What I didn’t expect was the serious mystery plot running through the book and was genuinely shocked at the secrets that were unveiled! I can feel there is more to come…as there are messages left to her by her dead mother…
It is such a wonderful mix of mystery, nature, animals, music, adventure, history and GIRL POWER! It really is a read for anyone and I am DESPERATE for a second book!
Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner takes you on a thrilling journey in her new book. Suddenly orphaned, Rosie Frost is sent to Heverbridge School on mysterious Bloodstone Island, which is like a Jurassic Park but for endangered animals. Queen Elizabeth I built the school over five hundred years ago in honor of her late mother, Anne Boleyn. With her distinctive red hair and intellect, Rosie is a relatable protagonist who faces adversity with resilience and determination.
I love that the author flips the script on the traditional fairy tale of Prince Charming rescuing the princess, providing an unlikely hero in Rosie. The themes of empowerment and believing in oneself resonate throughout the story, making it an inspiring read for readers of all ages. The book leaves readers on a cliffhanger, hinting at the adventures that await Rosie Frost and her friends at Heverbridge School on Bloodstone Island. Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen is a captivating adventure of empowerment and a must-read for young readers seeking an adventure filled with mystery, history, and a message of finding one's strength and purpose. Kudos to Geri Halliwell-Horner for crafting a literary gem that will undoubtedly captivate readers and leave them eagerly awaiting the next installment in this exciting series.
When Rosie Frost's mother dies and she goes to live and attend a boarding school with only a red suitcase as her mothers only possession to give to her, she finds obstacles in her way from an evil deputy headmaster and bullies all around. Will she survive her school years and the Falcon games? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good first novel by Geri Halliwell-Horner of the Spice Girls fame. If you like Fantasy stories and of characters gaining confidence in themselves, then be sure to check this book out at your local library and wherever books and ebooks are sold.
In Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen we meet our titular protagonist (Rosie), who is stumbling through school. Intelligent, but not well liked she struggles to navigate her way through high school. One day she is pulled out of class to be told that her mother has passed away and she is now orphaned. Rosie is sent to an elite school on a mysterious island as per her late mother's instructions.
Trying to find her feet in a whole new environment (with mean girls and horrid deputy headmaster), she enters the Falcon Queen games to try and save the island and it's precious animal inhabitants. Can Rosie find the strength she needs to push herself out of her comfort zone?
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book. I'm a huge history buff (the Tudors being one subject I love) and the story meshes fantasy with history very well. This could well be a way to get your teenager/young adult into it too.
Halliwell-Horner's writing is engaging, fast paced and electric. I really liked Rosie and was rooting for her. There are some very unlikeable characters that really kept the plot twisting, but as with any good story, I love to love a baddie! As expected there is a beautiful message of inner power.
I would like to thank Scholastic for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Rosie Frost & the Falcon Queen by Geri Halliwell-Horner
This new realistic fantasy YA novel is a fast and fun read. On the worst day of her life, Rosie suddenly finds herself whisked off to a private school for extraordinary students located on an island. Within hours of her arrival, Rosie encounters a sneaky assistant headmaster, a mean girl, and has a strange experience with one of the ghosts that haunt the school. Rosie is enticed to enter a harrowing competition and must figure out who her friends are and how to save the animals on the island.
While this isn’t a book I would have picked up on my own (I read it for work), I was pleasantly surprised with the complexity of the plot. This is the first book in a planned trilogy and emphasizes Girl Power and teamwork, while dabbling a bit into the topics of conservation and technology. I would recommend it to young YA fans, to those who need a boost of female empowerment, to fans of realistic fantasy adventure stories, and to readers seeking a new series.
Overall feel: a mix between Harry Potter and the Misfits: A Royal Conundrum
Something about the mix of Anne Boleyn's legacy, a special secret school to which an orphan gets mysteriously spirited away, and conservation of endangered animals felt incongruous to me. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief - particularly for the conservation elements - and too much seemed similar to Harry Potter (chosen one orphan, secret school for special kids, bullying by a kid who's family is high up, well-connected, and "enemies" of the orphan's, a school staff member having it out for said orphan, and a competition made up of several challenges). After growing up with Harry Potter and holding some nostalgia for it, I would have thought I'd enjoy the similarities; however, I think that is where the mix of different elements didn't work for me. It felt like each piece was tossed together without the worldbuilding being developed enough to make connections between the elements. For example, where is the background about why and how natural conservation was Anne Boleyn's legacy? How does the ecosystem - with all these different endangered animals brought there - make sense? It felt like the book was demanding suspension of disbelief without ever earning it by bringing the reader into a cohesive and sensical world, which might work for younger readers, but did not for me. However, I can see other readers enjoying the themes of friendship, kindness, overcoming adversity, and finding yoru voice.
A colleague and I bought this out of curiosity because although it is a celebrity author book, it had such great reviews and genuinely not ghost-written. I was NOT disappointed. Harry Potter-esque with a lot more feminism and a focus on conservation. The character building was phenomenal and the main character wasn’t annoying…which is actually quite a common occurrence for me. For an adult reader, I’d probably lean more towards 4 stars due to some plot predictability, but as this is junior fiction it deffo hit all the marks.
I know I’m not the target audience for this one but I was really excited to pick it up. Chosen one, boarding school with a Tudor inspired history? Sign me up! Unfortunately, the pacing felt slow for me and I just wanted main character Rosie to catch a break. I got sick of all the bullying and didn’t think that arc was solved by the end even though the author made it seem that way. I know this will be a series but I wish more of Rosie’s story was shared here. You can see where it’s headed but I still would have appreciated the validation. I did like that Geri narrated the audiobook.
Tyler Jessie Ferguson, I wanted to trust you even thought I though this would be bad… but it was terrible. Is the target audience 3rd graders? If so it’s not bad but it’s still a hot mess. There are so many storylines competing for attention here. Unexplained death, mysterious heritage, games and trials, bullying, environmental conservation, endangered species, evil plots, the ghost of Anne Boleyn?? It’s like the author threw everything they could think of into this book and didn’t edit whatsoever. Would have DNFed it but I was on a plane and it was relative short.
This book is well written and a fun escape ready for the YA audience. However, in so many ways it's basically Harry Potter played by a girl with a few original twists thrown in for good measure. Although, I don't think it'll have the starting power of Harry Potter. It's also kind of cheesy and rather cliché - - along the lines of so many YA books these days. But, as I'm not the target audience, I can see how the average YA reader would find it fun.
It happens rarely. I discover a book and want to read it right away, but I have to order it online and therefore have to wait a few days. Then the book comes in and I STILL WANT TO READ IT RIGHT AWAY. But it happened with this book. I used to be a huge Spice Girl fan. Their songs made me happy, I dreamed of traveling all over the world with them and I spent hours translating their songs from English to Dutch. I was very curious if this book would be my thing.
This book totally was my thing. It's clear that this book is the perfect meeting point of Middle Grade and Young Adult. Rosie is thirteen, at that age that life is starting to change, boys all of a sudden aren't just annoying anymore and it's also time to start searching for your true self. And right at that moment she loses her mom and an adventure starts. For Rosie and for us. And it's an adventure that hopefully will continue in the next installment.
First of all I absolutely loved the setting of this book. An isle full of endangered species, where it's hard to know what's fantasy and what's real, a school where all descendants of Henry's Six Wives are always welcome and a painting gallery where true ghosts might wander around. I loved how big it all felt. How our characters could explore and run around and how the trials seemed to be actually dangerous because of the isle and its inhabitants.
I also really liked Rosie. Within a few chapters I had grown really attached to her. I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and shield her from all harm. At times it was so unfair what was happening to her and I really felt for her. However, she's also doing a lot of growing and learning herself in this book. Slowly she's letting people in, starting to trust them and starting to make friends. She's learning that together you're always stronger than alone.
I can't wait to see what's waiting for her next! We didn't get all answers, so there's gonna be a sequel, right?
Ta książka pozwoliła mi cofnąć się troszkę w czasie i spędzić czas beztrosko tak jak za dzieciaka. Przeniosłam się na wyspę która jednocześnie jest rezerwatem przyrody razem z świetnie wykreowanymi postaciami! Książka przeznaczona jest dla młodzieży 12+ i wiecie co bardzo żałuje że nie było tej książki kiedy to ja zaczynałam czytać bo po tym byłabym mega zachęcona do czytania! Książka daje vibe igrzysk śmierci w innej wersji mniej brutalnej i lekko harrego Pottera tylko ze bez magii. Warto wspomnieć że książka ukazuje najgłębsza sile przyjaźni i nawet osoby starsze bądź jeszcze starsze ode mnie sięgną po książkę z przyjemnością!!! To była piękna przygoda i w wielu momentach nawet się wzruszyłam i poirytowałam bo nie mogłam znieść jednej postaci ale ona po prostu miała taka być dosłownie czułam to co główna bohaterka!!! Nie obyło się bez intryg i plot twistów które mnie wmurowały! No i ta nutka humoru ktora była wpleciona w fabułe i w bardzi odpowiednich momentach - majstersztyk 💜💜💜
Spice up your bookshelf with this read! Rosie is a more authentic and vulnerable heroine than your typical middle grade/YA book about the orphan who gets whisked off to a magical school. There were parts of this book that seemed very far fetched and others that didn’t quite make sense - almost as if the author was already writing for the sequel. But overall it was a fun escape to bloodstone island with some magic and good ol fashioned teamwork thrown in.
3.5 stars I went into this super blind and honestly reading it because its written by a spice girl! It ended up being a super cute ya story, I can get in board with anything that has an anne boleyn connection in it!
Me and Minnie both enjoyed this. Yes another ‘star’ writes a book but this had heart
Based around orphan who is sent to boarding school when her mum dies She’s visited by the ghost of Anne Boleyn and this shy scared girl begins a journey to find herself and strength
Although this book was not meant for my demographic, I really enjoyed this book. Some parts were cheesy and cliché, but again, not meant for me. I wish that this book would have been out when I was the target audience. I really would have eaten it up then!
I did really appreciate that there was a "British Slang" glossary in the back of the book. Although I knew what most of it meant, it was nice to have as a reference just in case.
If Geri comes out with more Rosie Frost books, I will definitely continue to read them!
Spice Girls fan?! Yea, me too. I can’t remember how I found this book… oh wait, yea I do! It was from Geri’s instagram. And that’s honestly why read it. This book was amazing and so well written! It was worth every second! I hope Ginger Spice writes more!!! I hope you enjoy this book too!
Just who is Rosie Frost? That’s a question which comes increasingly to the fore in this YA adventure. 13-year-old Rosie has never felt that she fits in, but that she is left out. Targetted by classroom bullies, Rosie feels she is completely alone, except for her Mum, with whom she has a close bond. They have always been there for each other, and Rosie knows that when she is stressed, she can contact her mother by sending pineapple emojis to indicate how bad things are and Mum will come to her aid.
Rosie’s world is abruptly turned upside down by a school visit from a police officer and a lawyer, who tell her that her mother has died suddenly: something Rosie believes to be a cruel joke. When her mother doesn’t answer her multiple emoji pleas, Rosie doesn’t know what is happening. She is whisked away by helicopter to a specialist boarding school, Heverbridge, in a remote location on Bloodstone Island, which is a sanctuary for endangered wildlife. The school has connections to ancient royalty, particularly Ann Boleyn and her daughter Elizabeth. Each year the school holds a gruelling competition known as the Falcon Queen Games, and only the toughest competitors make it through. When Rosie suspects that the endangered animals,and the island itself are under threat, she takes on the mantle of saving them, backed up by newly formed friendships. But not all is as it seems with some of them: indeed, who might be traitors in the midst?
Rosie uncovers some historical secrets along the way, as well as discovering the power she never knew existed within. Written by former Spice girl Geri Halliwell-Horner, this YA adventure is full of twists and turns, and is the first in a new adventure series. Suitable for ages 13+.
I’ve tried to rate this fairly on the basis this is aimed at young adults/teens and so there are obviously parts of the writing style that I found a bit ‘young’ and maybe even a little cheesy. My main gripe is that I found it was very Harry Potter-esque in many ways (but with some original twists.)
I still enjoyed it though and will see what my daughter says when she has finished it!
I picked up Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen as it’s an upcoming pick for my book club. As a lifelong Spice Girls fan, I was excited to dive in, though I promised myself this wouldn’t be a biased review. I don’t usually gravitate toward fantasy or young adult novels, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The story had a magical, almost Harry Potter–like vibe, with characters and a storyline that kept me hooked from start to finish. A fun and adventurous read that exceeded my expectations!
Was reading this as a bit of an assessment for my daughter. Really enjoyed the elements of history but the eco bent was way over the top. Also this entire book happens in like 3 weeks which was a major annoyance given the amount that happens.