Princess in Waiting (The Princess Diaries, Vol. 4)

Rating:
Summary: They Just Keep Getting Better!
Review: I read "Princess in Waiting" in 2 sittings.I loved it because it is so wonderfully good. And coming from me, that should mean something, because I am a teen, but I don't really like teen books too much, with this series as one of my few exceptions. This fourth book lived up to the other three, it was addictive. This series does keep getting better, with each book entrancing you, and makes you unable to put it down, even as you try, as "Princess In Waiting" did. One critic said it is like " reading a note from your best friend", and that is so true.You get caught up in the story and the people, that is one of the great qualities about it.You think it is your life, and that you know them. This is the type of book/series that you wait for months for the next one to be released. I did, and I wasn't disappointed. Read it, you won't be either.

Rating:
Summary: I Guess Ms. Cabot Has Forgotten How To Write An Good Story
Review: I had been anxiously awaiting the fourth Princess Diaries book for quite some time. I was unfortunatly, out of town the day it came out, and looked around for the book for some time. I finally had to reserve the book at my local bookstore and hurried in to buy it, so impatient was I. I was extremely dissapointed. The book only spans twenty-four days and the entries were uninteresting, and I didn't care much for the detail in which Mia wrote about her time in Genovia- heck, all I wanted to read about was her first meeting with Michael when she returned to the US. But sadly, the first seventy-eight pages of the book were about her trip and, quite frankly, I DIDN'T GIVE A DARN! (And I'm sure most other readers would agree) I was also dissapointed that Cabot turned the spunky and free-spirited Mia into a whiny brat who "couldn't live" without Michael and "depended on him for her life's breath" ack. It was also pitiful to see Mia's low self-esteem. The whole book was filled with worries over how Micheal would dump her for cancelling a date (CANCELLING A DATE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!) and how Michael would dump her for "a smarter, more Kate Bothsworth-type girl." The only amusing parts of this novel (few as there were) were Mia's humorous observations about her cousin Renee. If I had actually blown sixteen dollars on the book instead of using a gift certificate, I would be extremely peeved. I can only hope that the next book in the series will actually be well-written and not filled with copious entries filled with Mia moaning about how unworthy she is of Michael. As for those of you who, like me, plan on hurrying to your closest bookstore to buy a copy of "Princess In Waiting," trust me, it's well worth waiting to buy in paperback next year or checking it out of the library for free.

Rating:
Summary: Funny and cute, but a bit empty
Review: I am a big fan of the Princess Diaries series, but I felt that this installment had the story spread a bit too thinly, and some of the jokes were overplayed.
The story begins with Mia spending winter break in Genovia, performing her royal duties and listening to Grandmere's criticism. She causes chaos when, on a public address, she improvises her script and remarks how parking meters would be an enormous help to the Genovian economy. Everybody (and Grandmere most of all) jumps on her because a princess is not "supposed to" advise the country on such matters as parking meters. She mentions it too much, and it got quite boring after about 40 pages of parking meter troubles.
Next came the Kate Bosworth worries. Mia had just started going out with Michael Moscovitz, but when she doesn't see him for tewnty days, she starts panicking that he might be seeing a "surfer-girl Kate Bosworth-type with one blue eye and one brown eye." I found this very funny at first, but 20 mentions made it go stale.
Much of the rest of the book involves Mia obsessing over whether or not Michael will dump her if she cancels her date with him. But I have to give this book a lot of credit for the lists Mia makes with Lilly and Tina (always one of my favorite parts of the book - this book includes Mia's list of hottest guys with comments by Lilly), the warped advice that Grandmere gives Mia and her attempts to follow it, the clever mentions of the movie made about Mia's life (a hint at the real Disney movie, perhaps?), and, of course, the ending. I read the ending three times because it was so sweet and romantic!
All in all, this was a pretty good book. I wouldn't put it on a list of award nominees, but it certainly isn't a waste of time. Borrow this from the library when you get the chance, it's sure to be fun even if it isn't spectacular.

Rating:
Summary: "Does Michael Love Me?" and yada yada yada
Review: I've read all of the PD books so far (anticipating the 6th due late March 2005), but this one was definately a dud. It's plot fell flat, consisting mostly of Mia's insecurities and constant moaning. Teenagers moan and groan and whine, YES, but this was down-right ANNOYING. She is in Genovia for the holidays and each journal entry is a count down to the last or next contact she will have with Michael. I can barely remember what happened because really, nothing seemed to happen during the course of this book. It's a blur to me, and I'm not willing to try to remember.

Rating:
Summary: princess in waiting not worth the wait
Review: This book was so disappointing! After the fantastic Princess in Love, the 4th book falls flat. The first 20+ pages are boring, personality-less entries in Mia's new "date book", blandly stating the facts of her Christmas break in Genovia. The entire book focuses on one thing: Mia spends the entire time moaning and whining about how much she misses Michael, and then when she finally gets back home to him, she worries that he will dump her when she tells him that she'll have to break their first date to attend a ball. Despite all her complaining, Mia appears to be doing everything possible to push Michael away, as she read the book Jane Eyre; and actually followed her Grandmere's (who dislikes Michael, "that boy")advice not to chase boys! She won't return Michael's phone calls, barely talks to him, and than wonders why he is acting "distant"! The book lacks any of the mishaps that make Mia so funny: the big crisis in this book is that someone "stole" her laundry. Also, once again, Grandmere dupes Mia once again, making you wonder: when will Mia get a clue?

Rating:
Summary: Awful
Review: I just recently picked up the series to read because I LOVE the movies. The first two were enjoyable, the third was okay, but this one is just plain TERRIBLE!! The entire length of the novel, Mia is worried about her relationship with Michael and keeping him. She thinks he is a selfish boy who will dump her for reasons such as forgetting his birthday and cancelling a date. Throw in the added bits about her being a talentless student in the Gifted and talented program and you've got a 225 page long pity party. All she does in this volume is whine about boys and trivial matters. I know she's only 14, but that is NOT what was on my mind when I was 14. I'm going to give the fifth one a shot, but Meg Cbot's wiriting needs to improve, or I might not read past it.

Rating:
Summary: Entertainment rolls!
Review: She can finally be with her loved one, and is about to go out on their first date...but grrrrrr grandmere...a ball! She didn't wanted to tell Micheal that because then she thought that Micheal would be mad and break up with her before they even went out on their first date...but then, what should she do.

Here we go, Princess Mia goes on obessing about rather to tell Micheal to cancel their date or just ignore it and...tell him on the last minute.



Rating:
Summary: how fast can I pitch this into the trash?
Review: Like practically everyone on this, I loved the first three books in this series. But come on, an entire book based on the fact that Michael might dump her because of one date (when he obviously isn't)? It's not enough to carry a book. I'm really disappointed in Meg Cabot's writing, especially in the fifth book.

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as the others, but still good
Review: In the fourth volume of the "Princess Diaries," Mia is on winter break in Genovia, dreaming about Michael, the boy she likes. When she gets back to Manhatten, she still wonders about Michael: Does he love her as a girlfriend, or just like her like a friend? Read it and find out! It is a good read but not as good as others in the series.

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as other volumes...
Review: Mia is on winter break in Genovia for her formal introduction to the Genovian populace, fighting for the installation of parking meters and desperately trying to get in touch with Michael, her new boyfriend. Soon afterwards, Mia is back in New York, trying not to fail Algebra II, watching out for her hormonal, pregnant mother, more agonizing princess lessons, and dealing with her immense self-doubt. She feels as if Michael does not feel the same way and obsesses over it in her diary ("Things to Do: Stop obsessing over whether or not Michael loves you vs. being in love with you"). Finally, when Mia gets the chance to have her first real date with Michael, her princess duties get in the way. Will Michael ever love her? Will she find her lucky Queen Amidala underwear? Will she ever find her true talent? Is there anything Mia is good at except inheriting an unwanted title?

Meg Cabot's fourth volume is not as good as the previous novels, but Princess in Waiting is still entertaining. The book is written in diary style and is full of instant message transcripts, top ten lists, poems, and witty accounts on high-school and teenage life. The characters are all three-dimensional; never unrealistic. Readers who like Cabot's previous books, or like the styles of Louise Rennison or Sarah Dessen, will love this book.