You may recall when I had the first contest for PALACE OF STONE, I said, "If you win, you are required to read the book and email me about how much you liked it. That's right--REQUIRED! You are NOT allowed to dislike this book!" Well, the first of the winners has responded, and she was very good at following instructions. We can only guess if she truly means it or just fears me (I'm scary), but I'm going to post the non-spoilery parts of her email here because it made me so happy.
"No surprise, I loved it. I’ll admit I wondered about the sequel since Princess Academy stands so well on its own, but now I cannot imagine one without the other. The story flows seamlessly throughout the two books. Miri is a delight as always. She does everything with such conviction, even her mistakes are respectable...Palace of Stone is a remarkable story and one that I will constantly recommend. "