Power of a Princess

More Than a Princess #2

by E.D. Baker

From beloved author E.D. Baker, an adventurous tale about a princess who is more than what she seems -- and a kingdom whose fate rests in her hands.

Aislin is more than just a princess. Born to a fairy king and pedrasi queen, she's strong, smart, and brave, with magical gifts she's only beginning to discover. Aislin has spent her whole life keeping her family's gifts hidden from the non-magic folk who surround her kingdom, and is shocked to find out the humans knew about these enchantments all along. But when the fairies decide to move back onto human territory, it soon becomes clear that some will not be happy about this change.

As she sets out to restore the balance, Aislin chooses a surprising group of young women to join her – girls she knows are brave and loyal, but who don't have the qualities of typical guards or princess confidantes. Things only get more complicated when an old foe appears, surely up to no good. The princess knows she has the power and ingenuity to stand up for herself and her kingdom, especially with her friends by her side – will that be enough to set things right?

E. D. Baker is the author of many beloved books for young readers, including The Frog Princess , which was the inspiration for Disney's The Princess and the Frog . A classic and original fairy tale that celebrates goodness in all shapes and sizes, More than a Princess will resonate with readers who love magic, suspense, girl power, and adventure.

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Middle Grade

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 19, 2019

About the author

E.D. Baker made her international debut in 2002 with The Frog Princess, which was a Texas Lone Star Reading List Book, A Book Sense Children's Pick, a Florida's Sunshine State Readers List pick & a 2006 Sasquatch Book Award nominee. The Frog Princess inspired the Disney's Princess and the Frog!


E. D. Baker was born in Buffalo, New York and spent most of the next eighteen years in the Town of Tonawanda with her older brother and her parents. She married her husband while in college, and had two children a few years after graduating from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. When her son was four, the family moved to the state of Maryland. With two young children at home, E.D. worked part time in her husband’s business and took writing classes at the local community college. She continued taking writing classes after the birth of her second daughter, but when she and her husband divorced, she went back to school and entered the SIMAT (School Immersion Masters in the Art of Teaching) program at Johns Hopkins University. After graduating, she taught fifth grade until her parents’ health began to fail. Her son had already graduated from college when E.D. and her daughters moved north to be closer to her parents. Having gained a new perspective on what is important in life, E.D. decided that it was time to believe in herself and devoted her time to writing. Her first book, The Frog Princess, was published in 2002. E.D. has written 25 books to date and has no plans to quite writing anytime soon.

Currently E. D. Baker lives on a small farm in Maryland where she and her family breed Appaloosa horses. They also have dogs, cats and goats.

If you have a question or a comment for E. D. Baker regarding her books, you can e-mail her at edbakerbooks@gmail.com and she will try very hard to reply to your e-mails. (Just keep in mind it may take a while before she responds, because she is working on a new book for you to enjoy!) For updates, announcements on upcoming books and daily posts by E.D. Baker be sure to follow her on Facebook.

Reviews

[Darla]

Aislin is kicking butt and taking names in this sequel to "More Than a Princess." As a princess, Aislin is given the task of selecting ladies in waiting. Her choices are not all fairies and that ruffles some feathers around the palace. As she works with her family to defeat the mysterious "Her" who seems to be intent on destroying the kingdom, we will find that the varied gifts of her ladies in waiting will be needed and help save the day. Loved the character development of Aislin and her strong sense of self. It was also fascinating to discover that for the fairies "moving castle" literally means MOVING the castle. Wonderfully done with loose ends yet to be tied up in #3.

[kaya ♱]

I loved it,, though realistically I didn't read it to the last page bc it's due at the library today, I loved it

[ltsu23]

Princess Aislin is half fairy and half pedrasi, she is brave, kind and adventurous. Aislin’s grandparents, the fairy queen and king have decided to return to the human world, but some fairies aren’t happy about the move, because they dislike humans. Princess Aislin starts getting insults from magical creatures who disagree with moving, and soon Aislin finds out that a “her” could be behind it, spreading rumours.

When Aislin is required to choose a group of ladies-in-waiting, she surprisingly picks a group who aren’t all fairies. She picked them because they are all brave, smart and unique. But some fairies who really want to be a lady-in-waiting are not happy about that and causes trouble to the chosen ones. As Aislin set out to find the mysterious “her”, Aislin realises that her own magic is stronger than she thought.

I loved this book because it shows that old enemies can come back and you must make the right choice. This book is perfect for fantasy lovers and you must read the first book "More Than a Princess"! It even brings out girl power! This book is super exciting, I couldn’t put it down! With a mix of mystery, fantasy and adventure it is most likely one of the best book I’ve ever read!

(An advanced copy of this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Maia, age 10

[Lily]

Just The Sequel For More Than A Princess. I was super excited to read this book.
When her fairy grandparents decide to move their castle back to the forest and live among humans again, Princess Aislin is there to help. But to impress the humans, it is required that she chooses a loyal group of girls to help her as she goes against evil sorceresses and bloodthirsty trolls.
In this book, I noticed that Aislin doesn’t use her power as much as book one, More Than a Princess. It could possibly be that she has finally come to understand her powers, and is done testing. Even so, she has seemed to have found other ways to deal with many situations.
Twinket seemed fuller of herself in this book than in the last book, but that is the talent of Ms. Baker: She makes the lovable characters lovable, the despiteful characters despised, and the annoying characters annoying when they have to be. But as she is one of the princess’ closest friends, naturally she is chosen as a lady
And we have some new characters in the book including the giantess Salianne, and the spriggan, Kimble. Both of them are chosen to be Aslin’s ladies, or mestari, as she calls them. Kimble seems the perfect friend for Twinket, as they both seem to have the habit of wanting to make a little trouble now and than. Salianne, though obviously kind, was not with us for the first part of the book and most of her character remains a mystery. However, she seems to be a lot of help in the group, as she is larger than the rest and can do many things that even Aislin can’t. A nd then there’s Deela and Lin, who are both great. Ms. Baker has always been able to harness girl power without overdoing it, and these two are perfect examples. All these girls and their amazing and unique talents, they are unstoppable!
We also revisit some old characters: Poppy, the fairy girl who has been Aislin’s best friend for years, who can do all the things that Aislin wishes she could do, though as far as I’m concerned, drawing power from a stone is much cooler. Still, Poppy is, once again, the perfect member of Aislin’s mestari.
We also see again Tomas, not one of Aislin’s mestari but a great friend nonetheless. He seems almost like a boyfriend to Aislin, but E.D. Baker does not clarify and has us even more excited for book three to publish.
But blocking Tomas is Prince Rory, the hated, stuck-up boy that he is, who at first seems to be the same villain as “Her,” as everyone refers to as the big villain and whom I should not reveal.
If you love a book full of the right amount of girl power, no drama, and a happy ending that still leaves you at a cliffhanger, here’s your answer: The More Than A Princess series.
This book really deserves 5 stars.

[Sharon Tyler]

Power of a Princess is the second book in the More than a Princess series by E.D. Baker. I do recommend reading the series in order, but newcomers could probably catch up fairly quickly. It is currently scheduled for release on November 19 2019.

Aislin is more than just a princess. Born to a fairy king and pedrasi queen, she's strong, smart, and brave, with magical gifts she's only beginning to discover. Aislin has spent her whole life keeping her family's gifts hidden from the non-magic folk who surround her kingdom, and is shocked to find out the humans knew about these enchantments all along. But when the fairies decide to move back onto human territory, it soon becomes clear that some will not be happy about this change. As she sets out to restore the balance, Aislin chooses a surprising group of young women to join her – girls she knows are brave and loyal, but who don't have the qualities of typical guards or princess confidantes. Things only get more complicated when an old foe appears, surely up to no good. The princess knows she has the power and ingenuity to stand up for herself and her kingdom, especially with her friends by her side – will that be enough to set things right?

Power of a Princess is a nice addition to Baker's fairy related books. Aislin is still a princess that uses intelligence and kindness to solve most problems, with magic and some fighting tossed in. I liked her independence and spunk, and her constant efforts to be fair and kind. The core group of her friends and family were similar, and fairly well fleshed out. Although I felt like that push for kindness as a solution for most everything got to be a little heavy handed. The story was good, with some action and adventure that was well written. However, I just did not get engaged in this story, I felt like it was lacking some of the personal connection that I could find with pervious books from Baker. I think fans will want to pick this one up, but the series has lost some of the shine for me. I am not sure if I will continue on with this series.

Power of a Princess is a sweet continuation of the series, but I did not love it the way I was hoping to.

[April]

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book and I devoured it in a matter of mere days, an astonishing feat for a first-year graduate student. In this sequel to More Than A Princess, we follow Aislin as she adventures with her grandparents through the land of fey and into the human world. This story centers around the move of the fairy king and queen to the human world now that the events of the previous story allowed them to bring magic back to the human kingdoms. Aislin is excited to be with her grandparents during the move and to experience the human world as herself instead of being in disguise. However, the fun is dampened by a mysterious being spreading lies about the royal family and Aislin. Known only as “She”, the intrigue grows as events unfold in the fairy court that demand the attention of the royal family. Aislin sets out with her new crew of ladies in waiting, called Mestari, as they are more than ordinary ladies in waiting but guards as well. This story is full of magic, mystery, intrigue, and will keep you enraptured until the end. E.D. Baker has always has a talent for writing princesses in nontraditional ways and Aislin is a wonderful addition to her collection of characters. I cannot wait for this series to continue!

[Kim]

E.D. Baker returns with another book from the series More Than a Princess. Princess Aislin goes to the mountains to explore and make a map for her grandfather. After she'd finished she goes to see the fairy king and queen who are deciding to move back to the human world. The book has a slow start but it is mandatory for the story because otherwise the story wouldn't make sense. Most of the fairies are moving back to the human world so Aislin needs ladies in waiting. She picks a group of girls and then they go on an adventure. Despite the slow start, this book was a quick read. I think it is a great addition to the E.D. Baker collection.

It would be helpful to read the first book in this series before reading this one, but it isn't necessary for understanding the story. I would recommend this book to girls who like fairy tales and fantasy books. I still like the Frog Princess series by E.D. Baker best, but this series is still good so far.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Kelsey, age 12.

[Kasey Giard]

Right before I read POWER OF A PRINCESS , I read THE GIRL WHO FLEW WITH DRAGONS, which has a lot of adventure and action in it. By contrast, POWER OF A PRINCESS is a lot more of an internal story. There’s still action, but a lot of things happen through Aislin puzzling them out in her mind or through dialogue with others, so the pacing is very gentle.

The story is also very family-oriented. Aislin spends time with her parents and grandparents, and it’s clear she has close relationships with all of them and that they’re all a positive influence in her life.

POWER OF A PRINCESS also explores some ideas about isolationism and how it can cause harm by increasing fear of an outside group. Aislin and her family must decide how to respond to the fears of their people and rumors that circulate based on those fears.

I think this book would be a great pick for a more sensitive reader or someone looking for a thoughtful read.

[AMY]

This is book two in the series which features Aislin traveling to a faraway mountain to figure out what is going on. She has the power to connect with materials in the earth, especially the rocks. She selects a group of protectors to accompany her on a new mission in the process of resettling the fairy world back into the human domain. It is a high fantasy for girls (especially) and results in a series of adventures. I like the writing style of the author, even though the settings are definitely not familiar territory for humans. I especially like how the author has developed the main character. She always makes decisions and sticks with them if she feels she is right. Aislin is a strong female character, but just as compassionate and forgiving. She expects as much from others as she does from herself. She is smart and strong. This book is a mixture of adventure, magic, and mystery. Highly recommended for girls in Grades 4-5.

[Alyssa Marie]

Oh I enjoyed this so much! I was curious how I would like because I remember being a bored at parts of more than a princess. I was also in a reading slump where I couldn't read a book without an audiobook. This book pulled me out of my slump! It drew me in from the very beginning and I really liked learning more about this world. I think it's such a cool world and I love all different elements of it. I love aislin as a main character. She's so strong and smart and willing to accept help but isn't helpless. She's so caring and kind as well. The action was so thought out and interesting to me, her powers are so cool and different to most "fantasy that takes place in a castle" type of fantasy. I guess ED baker has sucked me in again to get another series!

[Jaymie]

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

This was a fun sequel. I enjoyed the first book in this series, and once I got back into the characters and the rhythm of the story in this one, I really enjoyed it. Aislin and her "mestari" (ladies-in-waiting/guards) are terrific. There's a great emphasis in this on character qualities like loyalty, kindness, etc. No cliffhanger, but there are threads that will carry into the next book. The fantasy elements are great - magic powers and mythical creatures - as is the setting. The suspense/danger/violence is on the mild side. Middle grade fantasy fans, and fans of this author, should check this series out!

[Kathleen Guinnane]

Princess Aislin has recently returned to the magical world from the human world. Her grandparents, the king and queen of the fairies have decided to relocate their castle and court back in the human world. Many fairies are happy about returning to their former location, but others are not and many appear to blame Aislin. A mysterious fairy referred to as "She" is spreading misinformation and distrust among the fairies and humans. Aislin, who is discovering more about her magical abilities, and her newly appointed mestari (ladies-in-waiting/guards) need to figure out who "She" is and put a stop to the rumors before someone gets hurt.

[Jodie]

Power of a Princess is the sequel to More Than a Princess. It is necessary to read the first book to understand the sequel. Power of a Princess is very much like it's prior novel, More Than a Princess. They both have about the same main characters and basic plot. In Power of a Princess, Aslin and her mestari (renamed ladies in waiting) take on an old enemy of the fey. Her mestari is made up of many different fey, including characters she met both in this book and in the previous novel. Overall, it is a great read for people of all ages.

[Nutmeg2500]

“Power of a Princess” is the second book in the “More Than a Princess” series. As fairies are moving back to the human territories rumors arise, causing trouble for Aislin. Journey with Aislin and her friends as she finds the true meaning of girl power, and teamwork. This book is great for middle and elementary students. I loved the story, especially how you got to learn more about the characters as the story progressed.
I received an advanced copy, but all opinions are my own.

[Amanda]

I shared this book with my 9-year-old daughter and we enjoyed reading this out loud to each other. E.D. Baker continues Aslin's story in Power of a Princess in a fun, thought-provoking way that all ages can appreciate.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lucia]

It was a good sequel that i read aloud to my 7 year old. However, I felt like the ending was rushed and it ends on a bit of a cliff hanger. I've looked up info to see if there is a planned book to continue the story but I was not able to find anything. It's been 4 years since this book was released so 🤷🏽‍♀️.

[Kirsti Call]

This is the perfect companion to MORE THAN A PRINCESS. Filled with adventure, girl power, and interesting twists--this action packed middle grade will keep kids turning the page. I did however, feel like this book was not quite as good as E. D. Baker's other books.

[Jenny Claiborne]

I usually enjoy E. D. Baker's books, but this one fell a little flat for me. I really wanted to like it because I loved the first one. The plotline was meh and the characters were just ok.

[Jenna]

"Power of a Princess" is an unbalanced mashup of vivid scenic descriptions and juvenile thoughts marred by unbelievable character tone and vocabulary. Hard pass.

[The]

This was even better then the first book!

[Ananiah]

This book is by far one of the best books I’ve ever had.this book was awesome and just like the More Than a Princess book this book is inspiring to me. I don’t know why but it just is

[Natasha Brown]

I enjoyed this book so much! My daughter is 6, and even though she is in first grade, this was actually an easy read for her. From the first few pages on Aslin quickly became a character that she grew to love. This is a series that I am looking forward to continuing with my daughter.

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Attempted nonconsensual kiss