** spoiler alert ** One of the first series I ever got through was Tamora Pierce Lioness series and even now, being in my mid twenties, I can still go back and re-read enjoying it everytime. The story follows Alanna a noble, who gifted with a special power, is sent to train with other mages at a special school while her twin brother, Thom, is sent to the castle of Tortall to train as a knight. Not wanting to become a mage and her brother having no stomach for fighting, she trades places with him to train as a knight instead all the while masquerading as a boy (and no her brother does not have to masquerade as a girl, they are simply "twin brothers").There she meets other knights in training who, taking pity on the skinny boy and admiring his courage at the same time, befriend her. Among her friends are Prince Johnothan of Tortall and you can probably guess for yourself where the story goes from here. The series covers Alanna's first year right through to her knighting, with all the ups and downs most teenage girls go through including first loves, all the while trying to hide from her friends her true identity. Pierce throws in some obstacles along the way including a rogue called George who is he king of thieves and a trouble maker to boot, but lovable all the same. You really have to read the series to get the full effect, it's absolutely awesome, although if you're hoping for our lady knight to one day become a queen you're be sorely be disappointed, but happy with the outcome in the end all the same. I'd also reccommend the Wild mage and Lady Knight series to anyone else who loves this one. The others I found I couldn't finish, and didn't enjoy as much.