Mini Reviews (VII)

Mini Reviews of non-vampire books I have read recently.

Princess Mia - Meg Cabot
A princess on her own . . .

Mia has been invited to speak at a gala for Domina Rei, an elite society of powerful businesswomen. But what could she possibly have to say? Now that Michael has broken things off, Mia can barely get out of bed, and her parents are making her see a therapist. School, where Lilly still refuses to speak to her and Lana suddenly wants to be bff, is a total nightmare. Even J.P.'s efforts to cheer Mia up (he's being really sweet!) aren't helping. What's a royal to do?

Just when things couldn't get worse, Mia uncovers an old family secret, a long-forgotten diary of a teenage princess of Genovia. It could be just the thing to help Mia write her speech - but it might also change the fate of the Renaldos forever.

Poor Mia, life as a princess really isn't easy! Her grandmother wants her to continue her princess duties and her friends want to cheer her up, but after her and Michael's break-up all Mia wants to do is to lay in bed and sleep. In this book Cabot addresses the topic of depression and therapy lightly and instructively. While it isn't the funniest book to read, it's an educative and necessary topic. Rating: 3 0f 5



Forever Princess - Meg Cabot
What's a Princess to do?

It's Mia's senior year, and things seem great. She aced her senior project, got accepted to her dream college(s), and has her birthday gala coming up . . . not to mention prom, graduation, and Genovia's first-ever elections.

What's not to love about her life? Well . . .

Her senior project? It's a romance novel she secretly wrote, and no one wants to publish it. Prince Phillipe's campaign in the Genovian elections isn't going well, thanks to her totally loathsome cousin René, who decided to run against him. Her boyfriend, J.P., is so sweet and seemingly perfect. But is he the one? And her first love, Michael, is back from Japan . . . and back in her life.

With Genovia's and her own future hanging in the balance, Mia's got some decisions to make: Which college? Which guy? How can she choose? Especially when what she decides might determine not just the next four years, but . . . forever!

Forever Princess is the 10th and final book in the Princess Diaries series. And even though Mia was a bit naive and wimpy throughout the book, she still did the right things and got her happily ever after in the end! A good conclusion to a fun series. Rating: 4 of 5

Saddled With Trouble - Michele Scott
A series of a different color: the first Horse Lover's mystery.

Quarter horse trainer Michaela Bancroft's husband is divorcing her for a 22 year-old beauty. Stunned, Michaela is trying to rein in her life when she finds her Uncle Lou murdered. And when she's nearly run off the road, she suspects she's on the fast track to being the next victim.

A book full of mysteries, secrets and relationships! This well-written mystery kept my guessing about the murderer until the very last pages! Rating: 4 of 5