Belated Books: MEG CABOT WEEK!

In preparation for the release of Meg Cabot's new book, Overbite, on July 5th, here's a glimpse into my minor obsession with Meg Cabot!  This week, I will feature some of her books- she has written A LOT...


The Princess Diaries series (and associated bonus books!)
The Insatiable series (my review)
How to Be Popular
Teen Idol
Nicola and the Viscount (my review)
The Airhead series (my review)
All-American Girl series
Queen of Babble series
Heather Wells series
The Abandon Series (my review)
The 1-800-WHERE-R-YOU series (have only read the first two)
Pants on Fire (haven't read this yet)
Jinx (haven't read this yet)
The Boy series (have only read the first one)
She Went All the Way (haven't read this yet)
The Mediator series (haven't read these yet)
Victoria and the Rogue (haven't read this yet)
Avalon High series (have only read the first one)
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls series (haven't read these yet)

The Princess Diaries Series- SPOILERS. but this is romance/drama, not a mystery, so you probs don't care.

I don't exactly remember how I got into The Princess Diaries, but I'm pretty sure that my mom took me to see the movie when it came out in 2001.  I would have been in... 7th grade?  Soon after seeing the movie, I picked up the first book at the library and loved it, although I was surprised at how different it was from the film.  I remember reading Volume III: Princess in Love while on a camping trip- this is still my favorite from the whole series, because the ending is so magical and Michael is so hot.

Yes, I have had a major crush on Michael, both in the movie and the books- I love dark haired guys, and my boyfriend of almost 8 years is Jewish, just like Michael.  Michael is a musician, a genius, and three years older- how dreamy!

I guess the reason I love The Princess Diaries so much is the characterization... Here's a rundown of my ten favorite characters:

• Mia aka Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo (I definitely just wikied that- I forgot Grimaldi!)-  Princess Mia herself rocks for the self-discovery she goes through in the later books- she writes her own novel, Ransom My Heart, which is available for you to read!  Mia also has a lot of guts- she pulls a fire alarm, stomps on a cell phone, and eventually brings constitutional monarchy to her country.  In the books, Mia is actually blonde and looks nothing like Anne Hathaway. 2.  

• Helen Thermopolis- Mia's mom is a crazy artist who is somewhat irresponsible (particularly when it comes to family planning) but cares about Mia more than anything else in the world.

• Mr. G. aka Frank Gianini-  Mia's algebra teacher turned step-father is a stand-up guy.  He helps Mia with math, takes care of Mia's mom when he gets her pregnant, and is generally a fine male specimen. 

• Lilly Moscovitz-  I spend a lot of time wanting to punch Lilly in the face- she's pushy, selfish, and too smart for her own good- but underneath it all, Lilly is a sensitive girl who needs Mia just as much as Mia thinks she needs her. 

• Michael Moscovitz-  *dreamy*  I really would like to smell his neck, just once.  Michael is romantic, bossy, and nerdy enough to make me crazy.  I'm not sure why Michael works at a garage in the movie, because he is really just a member of the Computer Club until his band Skinner Box gets off the ground. 

• Tina Hakim-Baba- I wish that I had a friend like Tina- her father is very rich, so Tina has a body guard just like Mia.  However, Tina is shy and super super nice- she loves all things romance- and Tina is so unselfish and pure-hearted.   

• Grandmere-  HAHAHA Grandmere is a nightmare.  I can picture her with her tattooed eyeliner and cigarette, eye-balling the run in my stockings and cursing me in French.  Grandmere is the dowager princess, and she takes it upon herself to prepare Mia to be proper royalty. 

• Lars-  Lars is the most hilarious body guard- he hides Mia's diary for her, exchanges knowing glances with Michael, and generally is a quiet sidekick to Mia's shenanigans, serving as a lookout on a couple occasions and pointing out obvious flaws in Mia's plans. 

• Boris Pelkowski-  Boris is a violin virtuoso who drops a giant globe on his head because of his love for Lilly.  The globe scene alone makes him one of my favorite book characters of all times. 

• Lana Weinberger-  Lana is a nasty nasty girl- at least in the first half of the series.  I would love to know who Meg Cabot based her off of and whether or not they know about it.  I hope no one ever makes me a mean character in a book!

There are other excellent characters that I omitted, but these are my favs!

However, there was a rough patch in my relationship with The Princess Diaries... In Volume VIII: Princess on the Brink, Michael and Mia have a huge fight and he leaves for Japan for an extended stay, essentially ending the relationship.  When I got my copy of the book, I was looking forward to a fun read, but I found this book super upsetting, and I cried hysterically for a long time.  When I finally stopped crying, I changed my Facebook profile pic:

I took it with my laptop, so I had to write the note backwards, which is why it looks all facacta.

I was so mad!  I wanted to write her a letter.  I was so upset that I didn't get the next book as soon as it came out, but when I did, I was relieved to find out that Mia sort of becomes less insane and makes good decisions with the help of her therapist.  Volumes IX and X were excellent, and by the end of the series, I felt that the story had come full circle with lots of character growth.

If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend it.  Mia's voice is authentic, the NYC setting is fun, and the situations Mia finds herself in are comedic and challenging.  Fans can continue to enjoy Mia's thoughts by following her blog- on which there may or may not be hints about a wedding to come!

As mentioned above, Meg Cabot also wrote a book as Mia Thermopolis: Ransom My Heart.  For Mia's senior project, she writes a historical romance novel- that we can actually read!

During BEA week, I went to the Scholastic Store in NYC to the This is Teen event, and I actually got to meet Meg, which was an amazing experience.  There were school kids in front of me (boys and girls who looked to be in middle school), and they were SO EXCITED to meet Meg- apparently they are reading her books for school.  It was great to see middle schoolers so excited about reading- especially boys.

Highlight of my year- maybe my decade, unless I get married before 30.

Review of A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine

A Tale of Two Castles

Gail Carson Levine

May 2011

Ages 8-12 (or 23...haha)

328 pages 

This is the story of a twelve-year-old girl named Elodie who leaves her family to travel to the town of Two Castles (so named because of the two castles- one belongs to the king, the other to an ogre!!) to become a "mansioner" (aka an actress).  Elodie is very smart- she observes everything which helps her to be a good mansioner.  She hopes to become a free apprentice, as her family is very poor, but once she has embarked on her trip, she finds out that free apprenticeships are no more, and she needs to either find enough money to pay or find other employment.

During her trip, Elodie sees some new things that surprise her.  Some people are dressed strangely, there is a weird obsession with cats in Two Castles, and she meets the dragon Meenore, who hires her as an assistant.  When the ogre, Count Jonty Um, comes to Meenore to ask for help, Meenore sends Elodie back with him to be a secret agent in the castle and protect the Count.  This tale is loosely based on the story of Puss 'N Boots... but are the cats in Two Castles friends or enemies?

I absolutely loved Ella Enchanted, so I always make an effort to read anything that Gail Carson Levine writes.  I found the beginning of this book to be tentative as far as the warm, magical romance that I expect from Levine, but it definitely showed up in the second half of the book.  The plot is well-developed- a mystery with twists, turns, and close calls.  Elodie is a likeable heroine, but the supporting characters are really excellent.  Masteress Meenore the dragon is multi-dimensional, which is refreshing in a mentor (by this I mean that Meenore goes through different moods and challenges Elodie in ways that surprise the reader), and County Jonty Um is the most unique ogre that I have ever read about- I'll let you read the book to find out more!  

I give this book 4 stars and would recommend it for young readers.  You can check out the website to read the first chapter, and here is the book trailer!!

Review of Entwined by Heather Dixon

Entwined, 2011

by Heather Dixon

Greenwillow Books, HarperTeen

472 pages

All I can say is, be careful google imaging "Entwined" hahaha.

Entwined is based on the fairytale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.  The book begins like a Gail Carson Levine book:  these are the princesses, these are their cute names, and these are the adorable things that they do.  Halfway through the book, though, it becomes very dark, very much like Coraline by Neil Gaiman.  The premise of the story is that Azalea, the oldest princess, is charged with taking care of her 11 younger sisters upon her mother's death bed.  When the castle is goes into mourning, the princesses still long to dance.  Azalea discovers a magical place within the castle where they can dance without the King finding out- however, this place is maintained by the mysterious Keeper.  As the book flap says, "Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.  But there is a cost.  The Keeper likes to keep things."

I absolutely loved this book, although it was more romantic and traditional than I anticipated.  The title comes from a dance called the Entwine, which a man and woman dance together with a sash between them.  They must each hold on to an end of the sash, and the man attempts to ensnare the woman's hands within the sash, thus trapping her, while she tries to evade capture.  After three minutes, if the woman has not been "entwined," she has won the dance.

The supporting characters are charming, including not one but three romantic heroes and eleven adorable sisters including the feisty Bramble, the beautiful but shy Clover, and the contrary Delphinium.  It was fun to see how the sisters all have their strengths and weaknesses, but they ultimately love each other very much.

This is Heather Dixon's only book right now, but I hope that she will write more!  You can view the trailer here.

4 stars for a delicious, romantic fairytale!

Book Blogger Hop- Summer Release?

"Summer is coming quickly - what 2011 summer release are you are most looking forward to?"

At the end of August, Richelle Mead is set to release the first book in her Vampire Academy spin-off series, Bloodlines!  I for one am looking forward to seeing how Sydney and Jill work things out- they don't seem like the most compatible pair to me, so I am sure there will be lots of banter to go along with the drama and action.  Check out the official website- with interesting author interviews!

Thoughts on Vampire Academy Series

I feel like I owe an explanation for not blogging for a a few days- I've been completely absorbed in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead.  The last book (Last Sacrifice, #6) just came out, so I decided to follow up to reading the first book over the summer, and I got books 2-6 from the library and read them one after the other.

This series completely defied my expectations!  These books are wonderful- the plot has so many twists and turns that I could sometimes guess, sometimes not.  It's almost a shame that these are vampire books- because they bear that stigma, fewer people will read them.

Even if you think you aren't into vampires, consider reading these books- the characters are so rich that they feel like close friends now.  These books can hold their own, even up against The Mortal Instruments.  I give all of the 5 stars for excellent writing and an amazing love story that is both heart-wrenching and satisfying.

Review- A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Published in 2009

Summary from Goodreads:

Talia fell under a spell . . . . Jack broke the curse.

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic. . . .

I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.

I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!

Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels. . . . The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

I picked this book up because I loved Beastly by the same author so much- this book wasn't as good as Beastly, but I still really enjoyed it.  In Beastly, the main character has serious flaws and makes serious progress, but in this book, the growth was less transformative.  A Kiss in Time was still a fun read.  When Jack and him friend stumble upon the princess in the hidden kingdom Euphrasia, the descriptions of the differences between the real world and this lost-in-time world are really funny.  I also really liked the character Malvolia, the evil witch.  You'll see what I mean if you read this book!

4 stars- check it out if you like fairy tales!

Review- Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt

Copyright 2010

When Desi tires of her job wearing a rodent costume for a pet store, she searches the paper for a new job.  Surprisingly, she sees an add looking for a princess.  When Desi finds out that the job is real, she begins her mission to make an impact.  She "subs" for princesses who need a break and tries to use her insight to make a difference in their life situations.  This is the first book in the series; book two, The Royal Treatment, is due out in May.

This book was a fun, girly read.  It's a modern fairytale with a strong female protagonist.  I would recommend this book to grades 5 and up, but I certainly enjoyed it as well.  I wish that it was longer- it seemed like it was over before it began, but I am definitely excited for the next book to come out!  4 stars.