The Princess Diaries

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Many of you know the hilarious movie staring Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway.  But the sweat Julie Andrews and flawless Anne Hathaway are a far cry from the hysterical Mia and Queen Clarisse in Meg Cabot's book.
For those of you unfamiliar with the story, The Princess Diaries is the first in a series of novels.  In the first though we meet Mia Thermopolis, a 14 year old girl living in New York with her artist mom.  Starting her freshman year of high school Mia's main concerns  are fitting in, trying not to fail algebra while her mother dates her algebra teacher, and her breasts...or lack there of.
All normal things for a teenager to be worried about.  Until her dad drops the bomb, Mia isn't just any teenager she is the Crown Princess of Genovia (a fictional European country) and the heir to the throne. 
And you thought your high school experience sucked.

I give this novel a 7 out of 10

I read these books at a perfect age when I was about 13 going into high school which made my connection to Mia that much stronger seeing as we were going through the same torture of starting high school.  But unless you are a girl from the ages of 12 to 18 (maybe even older I'll give it that) you probably won't find the humor as entertaining.
If I can say one thing for this book it is that it is hilarious.  It could make me laugh out loud and cringe with embarrassment for Mia. I could feel her pain but her witty dry humor could always keep me laughing.  The thing that I like about the book more so than the movie is that it's more realistic, it's more down to earth.  Mia's grandmother is much more sassy...well she's pretty much an old bitch but that's what makes it funny.  And Mia herself is nothing like the perfect Anne Hathaway, even after her transformation.  It makes the character more likable and relatable. 
The only thing I'd say that this book lacked was a solid ending.  I know this is only the first in series but even with that this book has a very flat ending that left me feeling a little disappointed.  Still it is a pretty good book you'll just have to pick up the next one and the next one to feel really satisfied.