Book Review: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

The Princess Diaeresis

Meg Cabot

283 Pages

First published September 19th 2000

She's just a New York City girl living with her artist mom...
News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that's why a limo meets her at the airport!)
Downer: Dad can't have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)
Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material.
Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.
Well, her father can lecture her until he's royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty--no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what's a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo?

 This was a re-read for me. I've read this entire series, and will probably slowly re-read it over time. The Princess Diaries is about a high school freshmen, Mia, who's worst thing to worry about is passing Algebra. That is until her dad finds out he is sterile and she now has to inherit the throne of a small country, Genovia.

This book is hilarious, with witty prose and some pretty interesting situations. While it didn't hold my attention as much as it did back when I was a freshman, it was still a good book with a good story-line. I loved Mia, she was strong but dramatic, pretty responsible for her age as well. I also loved Michael - there is definitely chemistry between them. Lily, on the other hand got on my nerves!

This book was a quick fun read for me that helped me to relax over the weekend. Now I just need to go pick up the other books in the series.

Book Review: Underworld by Meg Cabot

Underworld

Meg Cabot

318 Pages

Published May 8th 2012 by Point

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.
Not this time.
But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.
Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance... on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.
But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there... and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.
And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

I love anything by Meg Cabot - I just do. Back when I was just starting high school I went on a real reading splurge, tearing through the Princess Diaries series, 1-800 Where R U series, and the Mediator Series. So imagine my delight when i later found out she had a new series in the making. I loved the first, Abandon, and the Underworld was a thrilling sequel.

I loved the character growth in both John and Pierce and the chemistry between these two is yummy. Though Pierce really doesn't want to be stuck in the underworld with pretty much the angel of death, she finds herself drawn to him, unable to resist. These two are both so complex, two characters I would love to meet in real life.

I loved all the twists and turns in the plot, I never quite knew what was going to go down next. Meg Cabot is a master storyteller, knowing how to keep a reader engaged from the very first page. This dark re-imagining of the Greek myth is amazing, and I can't wait to read the conclusion!