Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen

Chapter One
Present day. Wednesday, November 30th. Late morning.


Why did being left out hurt so much? Rosie Frost had always felt like she didn t belong. All her thirteen years it had been that way, and she didn t know why.

She was sitting alone on the edge of the flimsy school table, her rucksack neatly tucked under her worn-­out old boots. Most of the other students were huddled together at the other end of the same long table. All of them packed together in the sterile classroom, under a low polystyrene-­squared ceiling and fluorescent lighting.

Rosie chewed on the end of her plastic pen, accidentally grinding it on her braces, which made a cracking sound louder than it should have.

Oi, weirdo, Simon called out. What do gingers and extinct dinosaurs have in common? The boy paused, then continued, Not enough!

The others around him laughed, and Rosie self-­consciously tucked her unruly ginger hair back down into the neck of her oversized hoodie. The giggling continued, longer than it normally would. She looked up. What was going on? And then she spotted the writing on the whiteboard.

Jane Eyre ­shut up u turd, same to u Rosie Frost ­no one likes a know-­it-­all

Rosie flinched. She never meant to be a know-­it-­all; she just found books interesting, and she couldn t help it if she knew the answer when the teacher called on her. She certainly didn t think she was clever in some extraordinary way, and she didn t mean to make anyone else look bad, but somehow it always ended up that way.

So who was it? Who was it? stammered the teacher, Miss Metcalf, her clunky earrings jangling. Which one of you wrote this?

Well, they have a point, someone called out.

The spidery writing on the whiteboard seemed to scowl over the classroom.

And where is my book? It was right here. Who took it? Miss Metcalf demanded, folding her arms.

The late November rain lashed at the thin windows of the cold classroom, as though it was trying to

Geri Halliwell-Horner is an accomplished singer, writer, producer, and actress who is widely recognized for her iconic place in British pop culture as an original member of the record-breaking girl group the Spice Girls. As Ginger Spice, Geri played a formative role in the band as they became one of the biggest-selling girl groups of all time. She is the successful author of the Ugenia Lavender book series in the UK and continues to work with the Royal Commonwealth to promote prospects through literacy to Commonwealth citizens. She was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters at Sheffield Hallam University and is an outspoken supporter of animals and an ambassador of the London Zoo. You can visit Geri Halliwell-Horner online at RosieFrostBooks.com or follow her on Instagram @GeriHalliwellHorner and on X @GeriHalliwell and on Facebook at Facebook.com/GeriHalliwell.

"This book mixes elements of fantasy with history, mystery, and adventure, but it is, at its core, a coming-of-age story. Rosie blossoms when she starts to let her walls down, and the supporting characters who eventually become her friends round out the story. The school and the island are fantastic settings: readers will be bursting to visit Bloodstone Island, with its rare creatures and old secrets. If an English boarding school on an island full of wild, rare animals isn t enough to grab readers, Rosie Frost, an empowering new heroine, certainly will."  School Library Journal

"This contemporary, girl-power story has light paranormal and fantastical elements and is fueled by a captivating mystery and adventure. It also features quick pacing, fun and engaging worldbuilding, and a lead character who is easy to root for. Exuberant, action-packed, and warmhearted."  Kirkus Reviews

"[A]n effervescent fantasy series . . . smart twists rooted in real-life history add excitement, and Anne Boleyn s indomitable spirit literally and figuratively haunts this lively debut, inspiring Rosie and propelling the tale s feminist, eco-preservationist message."  Publishers Weekly