Title: Wrapped
Author: Jennifer Bradbury
Level: Young Adult
Location: YA Bradbury (when it comes in)

As a young socialite in 1817 London, Agnes Wilkins’ life is full of parties, balls and other social gatherings all designed to find her a husband so she can settle down in matrimonial bliss. While Agnes understands her social position, her adventurous spirit is certainly not ready for all the restrictions that come with wife and motherhood. While at a party thrown by one of her suitors, Lord Showalter, Agnes takes part in the unwrapping of an Egyptian mummy and unwittingly falls into a treasonous conspiracy and an ancient curse. Now, with the help of a cute, intelligent British Museum employee, Caedmon, she must unravel a mystery, avert the curse and save the British Empire in the process. Not too bad for a proper English girl!

I thought this book was a lot of fun from beginning to end. Agnes is a remarkably intelligent, fun heroine. I was rooting for her the whole time. I figured out the mystery pretty early on in the story, but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment in seeing it all play out. The romance was sweet if not predictable and rounded out the story nicely. I particularly loved the ending of this one. The author made some great choices for her heroine that was entirely fitting with her character. Even though the book had a clear, satisfying ending, I suspect we will see more books starring Agnes in the future. I will be looking forward to it!

The Bottom Line: Wrapped was an inventive, fun story with a lot of action, intrigue and a little romance. Even though this is a teen book, it has no objectionable material and would be an ideal novel for tweens and young teens who are just starting to read young adult novels. Give it to girls who enjoy books with strong heroines, adventure and romance, particularly those who like a regency or Victorian setting.