Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce

Trickster's Choice is a wonderful fantasy about a girl named Aly who is the daughter of the country Tortall's spymaster and kings champion. In an attempt to avoid being one of her mother's projects Aly leaves home but as she is sailing her boat she gets captured by pirates and made into a slave. Aly who has learned much from her spy father through the years knows exactly how to escape. After being sold to the nobel Balitang family in the dangerous city of Rajmuat she discovers it was no accident that she was enslaved and sold to the Balitang family, who were recently exiled from Rajumat. The trickster god Kyprioth arranged things so that she could accept a bargin to protect the two eldest Balitang daughters Saraiyu and Dove. Saraiyu is known to all raka in the country to be the twice royal queen prophisized to take the throne from the current oppressive leaders and return the isles to them. Kyprioth wagered her that she could not keep the girls alive through their winter in exile. Aly accepts the challenge gaining proof of her skill as a spy to convince her father to allow her to be one of his agents if she wins. To hear how the wager unfolds you must read the book yourself. I will tell you that during her time protecting the family she meets many interesting and appealing characters who will entertain you so much you won't want it to end.

Sara (Oviedo, FL. 12th)