Nor have her own subjects, for that matter. But Genovian politics are nothing next to Mia's real troubles. Between canceled dated with her long-sought-after royal consort, a second semester of dreaded Algebra, more princess lessons from Grandmére, and the inability to stop gnawing on her fingernails, isn't there anything Mia is good at besides inheriting an unwanted royal title?
Amazon.com Review
The fourth volume in Meg Cabot's popular Princess Diaries series, Princess in Waiting begins in the tiny country of Genovia, where 14-year-old Mia, the unlikely royal, is on winter break trying not to bite her fingernails. Being a princess and fighting for the installation of parking meters is tough, when all you really want to do is go back to your regular life in New York City and see your dreamy boyfriend Michael. Of course, Mia is soon back in the city, trying not to fail Algebra II and trying to stay afloat in a sea of self-doubt. Could it be true that she is merely a "massive reject" covered with orange cat hair? For that matter, is finding her missing lucky Queen Amidala underwear as important as finding her secret talent? Mia's frank, funny diary entries range from "Things to Do" lists ("Stop obsessing over whether or not Michael loves you vs. being in love with you"); lists of the valuable lessons of romantic heroines ("3. Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice: Boys like it when you are smart-alecky."); transcripts of instant-messaging rounds with Michael; to poems ("Like the Millenium Falcon in hyperdrive/ our love will continue to thrive and thrive") and general irrational tirades. Whether or not Mia ever achieves her much-sought-after "self-actualization," teens will enjoy reading her over-the-top, up-to-the-minute-hip diary. (Ages 12 and older) --Karin Snelson
Reviews:
liturairee (USA: AL) (2007/10/21): **PLEASE NOTE, I COULD NOT FIND THE CORRECT NUMBER FOR MY COPY. IT IS A PINK MASS MARKET WITH A CLOCK ON THE FRONT** Rachel B. (USA) (2010/12/27): This book is the first I've ever seen with a suggested rating of "12 and over"--and rightly so. I bought the entire series after watching the Disney movie and reading the first book, which was WHOLESOME in comparison to the following books in this series. I'm happy I took the time to read them myself before passing them on to children. Personally, I would like to warn those who would be offended to learn that through this series your child will be influenced by;
1.) A feminist and promiscuous mother that sleeps with her daughter's Algebra teacher. 2.) Mother that also has unprotected sex with said teacher and concieves his baby out of wedlock. 3.) Mother that encourages her daughter to make an appointment with her gyno and have "safe sex". 4.) Mother that relates her own first sexual encounter to her daughter at 15! 5.) A college boyfriend that tells the main character that he will not wait forever for her to "Do It". 6.) Next door neighbor named Ronnie who just underwent a sex change from a man to a woman. 7.) Grandmere who constantly drinks and smokes and implies that her grandaughter should put out. 8.) A passel of teenage freinds with hormones raging amuck and ample details and scenerios of "frenching", groping, "making out" etc... 9.) Main character later finds out that her boyfriend has already had sex with another schoolmate and then feels pressured to do so as well.
I didn't read the last two books in this series because I was completely disgusted by how Meg Cabot hit the vein of what sells to teens; S-E-X. She's making a mint off of those parents who don't really care what kind of trash molds their children.
