I was excited when I had the opportunity to preview this second in the Princess Private Eye series. (A big thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley.) That in itself is a recommendation as I often don't continue with middle grade series, even if I like them, because there are so many books to preview for the libraries I work with. But I loved the premise of this story that still strikes me as a combination of Princess Diaries and Spy Kids, with maybe a tinge of Annie mixed in.
Gen has settled into her role as princess of Raldonia, finding a way to balance being a normal kid with learning to be royalty. And now she gets to meet her grandfather from South Mallanthran who is coming to help rebuild relationships between the two countries (broken in part due to the marriage of her parents). Of course, nothing goes as planned and Gen soon finds herself using her detective skills. In spite of an intriguing premise, I did find this book a bit slower in the beginning but I was soon caught up in the adventures of Gen and her friends, even though I guessed the villain pretty early on. Definitely a book that I'll recommend to middle grade readers and a series I will keep following.

Once an orphan with no knowledge of her heritage. After the events of her uncle, the duke, trying to overthrow Genevieve, she is starting to settle into her new role as Princess of Raldonia. Now, she spends her days doing princess stuff and her nights playing games with her friends. When word reaches Genevieve of the South Mallanthran dignitaries and royals visiting coming for trade negotiations, she gets excited to meet her paternal grandparents. Her parents’ marriage, however, was never accepted by the Mallanthrans. Things only get worse when a gift form the South Mallanthrans is stolen. Soon, someone starts trying to sabotage the relations and negotiations with the visiting kingdom and Raldonia. With the fate of Raldonia riding on successful negotiations, can Princess Genevieve save her kingdom? Can she solve the mystery of the missing bird before it’s too late?

The plot is well-developed and engaging. The characters are enchanting, relatable, and likable. A charming, modern spin on the rags to riches story, this book feels similar to Princess Diaries. Readers who like fantasy, mystery, and adventure will want to pick this one up. It will, however, make more sense to readers who read the first book. Recommended for most middle grade library collections.

Please Note: A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. No other compensation was received.

Princess Private Eye and the Missing Robo-Bird by Evelyn Skye is teh second book about Princess Genevieve Sun who also happens to be a mystery solving sleuth. This middle grade novel was a fun read that was a cross between Princess Diaries and Nancy Drew! There are a lot of technology and social studies connections throughout the book which would lend themselves well to cross curricular activities if the book was read as a class read aloud. In the library, this would be an easy sell for students who are fans of Stuart Gibbs or James Ponti books.

I will definitely be reading the first Princess Private Eye book and purchasing both for my library!

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!