Stravaganza : City of Stars

The second gripping book in the series, taking the reader into two vivid worlds - one our own, one parallel to ours and very similar to 16th-century Italy. Passion, intrigue, drama and adventure - enter the world of Stravaganza.

Georgia fell asleep with the model of the flying horse in her hand, wishing she could find a place where horses had wings and she could fly away from her troubles forever.

Georgia loves horses and hates Russell, her step-brother. It seems Russell's main aim is to make Georgia miserable, whereas all Georgia wants to do is to go horse-riding whenever she can get the opportunity.

When Georgia finally saves up enough money to buy the little model of a winged horse she has admired in the window of an antiques shop, she knows she has to keep it well out of Russell's way in case he realises it is important to her. But what Georgia doesn't know is that the little horse offers her an escape to another world and another time, that of the sixteenth century Remora, a city that is similar to Siena in Italy.

Readers will once again be bewitched by the dangerous, treacherous world that is Talia. And Georgia will have to work out her role in this exhilarating yet terrifying new world.

About the Author

Mary Hoffman is a bestselling children's author and reviewer. She is the author of the picture book Amazing Grace, which is an international bestseller. Her first novel for Bloomsbury, Stravaganza: City of Masks sold over 85,000 hardback copies pre-publication and the series has since gone on to sell in over 24 different countries. Mary is a complete aficionado of Italy, and spends as much time as she can there - all her love for Italy has been infused into the Stravaganza series. Mary is also the editor of Armadillo, a children's review magazine. She was shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Prize with her novel The Falconer's Knot. She has three grown-up children and lives with her husband in West Oxfordshire.