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The Princess Diaries #8
Princess on the Brink
At last, Mia is a junior. An upperclassperson. So why is it that everything is going so terribly wrong? What is she doing in Intro to Creative Writing? When she has made it through Algebra and Geometry, why must she be faced with Precalculus? All this is nothing compared to the news Michael springs on her, however. Her beloved boyfriend could be leaving for Japan for a year—or more! Precalc has nothing on preparing for the worst separation ever!
Turns out there is one way she might convince Michael to stay. But will she? Or won't she? No matter what, Mia seems headed for disaster.
Turns out there is one way she might convince Michael to stay. But will she? Or won't she? No matter what, Mia seems headed for disaster.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published December 26, 2006
259 people are currently reading
10764 people want to read
About the author
Meg Cabot
279 books35.4k followersLibrarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,109 reviews
February 22, 2024
I'm actually concerned at the amount of people reviewing this book and hating on Mia, a 16-year old MINOR who is pressured by her 19-year-old boyfriend (4 months from turning 20!!!) to have sex, and how 90% of reviewers think Mia is the worst.
Mia is VERY annoying and immature for her age, and yes she is not likeable.
BUT THE AUTHOR ADMITS THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS ILLEGAL ON PAGE 96! The age of consent in New York is 17 and Mia and Michael have been dating since she was 14 and he was 18!!! THIS IS NOT OK.
The 2000s were a different time, I get it, but the romance between Mia and Michael is WRONG. Michael should be LOCKED. UP. for pressuring a MINOR to have sex, and being in a relationship with her in the first place.
But it's genuinely alarming the amount of people who hate Mia over Michael on these Goodreads reviews and think Mia is worse than him. They're both awful characters, yes, but Mia is the CHILD in this relationship and Michael should know better.
If you want to know more of my thoughts, I have reading vlog on YouTube dedicated to the entire Princess Diaries series: https://youtu.be/X4dU9lclvmk
Mia is VERY annoying and immature for her age, and yes she is not likeable.
BUT THE AUTHOR ADMITS THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS ILLEGAL ON PAGE 96! The age of consent in New York is 17 and Mia and Michael have been dating since she was 14 and he was 18!!! THIS IS NOT OK.
The 2000s were a different time, I get it, but the romance between Mia and Michael is WRONG. Michael should be LOCKED. UP. for pressuring a MINOR to have sex, and being in a relationship with her in the first place.
But it's genuinely alarming the amount of people who hate Mia over Michael on these Goodreads reviews and think Mia is worse than him. They're both awful characters, yes, but Mia is the CHILD in this relationship and Michael should know better.
If you want to know more of my thoughts, I have reading vlog on YouTube dedicated to the entire Princess Diaries series: https://youtu.be/X4dU9lclvmk
February 13, 2017
I AM SO DONE WITH MIA RIGHT NOW. SHE IS THE WORST. 3.5 STARS.
November 4, 2009
i've been betrayed by meg cabot.
princess diaries 8 is so bad that i might have to give up my faith in the entire series.
to begin with, michael and mia broke up. which sucks, but was basically inevitable. what makes it betrayal is the WAY that they were broken up. the first major problem is that for the past few books, cabot has sort of drifted from the characterizations that made the first three installments such a guilty pleasure. now it's more of a pop-culture-driven, facile extrapolation of an originally pleasing premise. so the characters of michael and mia, as depicted in this book, do not feel like the same ones that i met that happy winter in puerto rico.
some of that can be explained away by the aging of the characters. whereas the first three books comprised a single semester of mia's freshman year, successive books have been as sporadic as a week or two's worth of entries per year of mia's life.
but not all of it.
here's the problem. mia and michael still have not consummated their relationship. this was getting to be boring, because (aside from the fact that cabot did the story already in all american girl) there seemed to be no real reason for mia's hesitation. it was basically the same conversation over and over again. like watching season 4 of dawson's creek except with michael moscovitz, who is yummy, instead of pacey (who is not). so cabot cooked up this ridiculous scheme for mia to offer herself as a sacrifice, basically, to keep michael from moving to japan to study for a year.
weak sauce to begin with, right?
but it got worse. much worse.
instead of merely having michael turn her down (which was actually in character, because he felt her manipulation and didn't want to get her hopes up), cabot sprung on us the most unwelcome news that michael had been tooling around with judith gershner during the events of princess diaries III.
way harsh. and untrue to the character of michael. there was, certainly, no reason to believe that he was as virginal as mia. lilly mentioned, for example, a girl at "hebrew camp." but judith gershner? i wanted to wretch!
and that's even before i get started on her character of JP, aka the guy who doesn't like corn in the chili. his crush on mia is painful. her reaction to it (blissful ignorance) is worse. and they used this, plus the gershner issue, to break up michael and mia.
i may never recover my lost innocence...
princess diaries 8 is so bad that i might have to give up my faith in the entire series.
to begin with, michael and mia broke up. which sucks, but was basically inevitable. what makes it betrayal is the WAY that they were broken up. the first major problem is that for the past few books, cabot has sort of drifted from the characterizations that made the first three installments such a guilty pleasure. now it's more of a pop-culture-driven, facile extrapolation of an originally pleasing premise. so the characters of michael and mia, as depicted in this book, do not feel like the same ones that i met that happy winter in puerto rico.
some of that can be explained away by the aging of the characters. whereas the first three books comprised a single semester of mia's freshman year, successive books have been as sporadic as a week or two's worth of entries per year of mia's life.
but not all of it.
here's the problem. mia and michael still have not consummated their relationship. this was getting to be boring, because (aside from the fact that cabot did the story already in all american girl) there seemed to be no real reason for mia's hesitation. it was basically the same conversation over and over again. like watching season 4 of dawson's creek except with michael moscovitz, who is yummy, instead of pacey (who is not). so cabot cooked up this ridiculous scheme for mia to offer herself as a sacrifice, basically, to keep michael from moving to japan to study for a year.
weak sauce to begin with, right?
but it got worse. much worse.
instead of merely having michael turn her down (which was actually in character, because he felt her manipulation and didn't want to get her hopes up), cabot sprung on us the most unwelcome news that michael had been tooling around with judith gershner during the events of princess diaries III.
way harsh. and untrue to the character of michael. there was, certainly, no reason to believe that he was as virginal as mia. lilly mentioned, for example, a girl at "hebrew camp." but judith gershner? i wanted to wretch!
and that's even before i get started on her character of JP, aka the guy who doesn't like corn in the chili. his crush on mia is painful. her reaction to it (blissful ignorance) is worse. and they used this, plus the gershner issue, to break up michael and mia.
i may never recover my lost innocence...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2024
i’m sooo disappointed with this book! both mia and michael suck! mia is using sex as a tool to keep michael around and that’s just sooo unsafe to write for young readers because it makes it seem like it’s something for only men to enjoy and for women to use to get what we want and that’s just not true.
i’ve always been a bit uncomfortable with the age gap but it’s normal in american schools so i ignored it but the books where michael starts saying he wants to have sex with mia is where i start to dislike michael! i just feel like he was so different in this book and said things i didn’t imagine him saying! their dynamic works best when michael is in high school and i really wish meg cabot would’ve wrote michael as only a year older like lana, i feel like once michael got to college he completely changed. i know mia is an unreliable narrator especially when it comes to michael.
idk this book just really sucked!
i’ve always been a bit uncomfortable with the age gap but it’s normal in american schools so i ignored it but the books where michael starts saying he wants to have sex with mia is where i start to dislike michael! i just feel like he was so different in this book and said things i didn’t imagine him saying! their dynamic works best when michael is in high school and i really wish meg cabot would’ve wrote michael as only a year older like lana, i feel like once michael got to college he completely changed. i know mia is an unreliable narrator especially when it comes to michael.
idk this book just really sucked!
June 11, 2015
Oh geez.. Lots of people made mistakes in this book, but it was highly entertaining. I'm so anxious for the next! I know I've read these before, but I actually can't remember what happens in the next book..
January 6, 2019
This was terrible.
1. Mia is so annoying. I’m tired of the “my boyfriend is my entire life” whining, and for the first time I agreed with Lilly.
2. Michael is the worst boyfriend ever. “It’s hard to be with you and not have sex” - wtf?
3. The equating of Japanese women with geisha with women who just have sex with anyone is simply racist and builds on years of the stereotype of over-sexualized and fetishized Asian women. Disappointing to read.
1. Mia is so annoying. I’m tired of the “my boyfriend is my entire life” whining, and for the first time I agreed with Lilly.
2. Michael is the worst boyfriend ever. “It’s hard to be with you and not have sex” - wtf?
3. The equating of Japanese women with geisha with women who just have sex with anyone is simply racist and builds on years of the stereotype of over-sexualized and fetishized Asian women. Disappointing to read.
August 11, 2015
Well that's more like it! I really enjoyed this book in the Princess Diaries series. It was the first time that Mia's immature and childish behavior came back around and I really like it. Not that I don't like Mia or I'm not rooting for her, I just think she needed a moment to "not go her way" and learn some lessons. Excited for the next book!!
March 3, 2017
DNF/on hold @ 60%
2.5 stars
I finally understand why I was so obsessed with Mia as a 12-year-old.
We were on the same maturity level.
I'm done with this series.
2.5 stars
I finally understand why I was so obsessed with Mia as a 12-year-old.
We were on the same maturity level.
I'm done with this series.
November 27, 2019
I hate Mia Thermopolis club, population: ME.
April 14, 2020
Coronavirus Re-Read: I skipped book six, but now I sort of wish I read it to evaluate the first sex conversation. Honestly, Mia is over dramatic and I hate her more every time I mature. I do remember stating that Michael wasn't perfect because he didn't divulge about his past sex history sooner, but again I really need to revisit six to see if it would have naturally came up. I'm sort of thinking it didn't or he might've alluded to it and she overlooked it. Honestly, Mia sort of deserved what happened in this book. You can definitely tell the age in this one. Honestly though, I do like book eight because the series finally started moving again.
Also, I still hate Lily but do feel sorry for her. And JP comes out to be very obviously sleazy with age.
To see full binge for books 8-10 click here.
Here’s the thing about this one. A lot of people hate it. And I get it, but I really think that this book in the long run made the series.
Yes, the breakup was painful. But it really was inevitable and I think in the long run it strengthened M&M. The thing is, when I first read this book I was ready for Michael and Mia to break up.
Yes, them breaking up was like a getting pushed into the fountain scene for me. Sad and sick but true.
I love the couple, but Mia was grossly immature at this point. And thankfully, Meg showed that the immaturity had consequences. I don’t think that’s something that is often seen in YA. That being said, I wasn’t exactly a fan of Michael in this one either. He really should’ve been more open about his sexual history than Mia, rather than to have her make gross assumptions.
I.E. I think he should’ve brought it up in book six.
It makes him human though, so again I think it was good characterization. But I see lots of people putting the breakup entirely on Mia. When I really think it was both of them-though mostly Mia.
Reading the series again, the JP plot becomes blatantly obvious. I don’t even know why I shipped Jia way back then. Probably because I was sort of done with M&M and maybe I was suppose to ship Jia at that point.
The book was surprisingly fast to read. I think it’s only a few pages over two hundred pages or so. Definitely one of the more thinner volumes, but then again I don’t think this is a volume where you really want to get into Mia’s head that much.
She is at her absolute worse here.
Lilly, as annoying as she can be, is actually a very sympathetic character. I think because Mia is just bat shit insane in this one, that you can’t help but feel sympathy for Lilly. Though, I’d think she’d get a clue about JP.
Overall, this is a very well written book. While the break up is heart breaking it needed to happen and I thought the way it was done was well done.
Also, Mia, your precious gift….no one cares.
Also, I still hate Lily but do feel sorry for her. And JP comes out to be very obviously sleazy with age.
To see full binge for books 8-10 click here.
Here’s the thing about this one. A lot of people hate it. And I get it, but I really think that this book in the long run made the series.
Yes, the breakup was painful. But it really was inevitable and I think in the long run it strengthened M&M. The thing is, when I first read this book I was ready for Michael and Mia to break up.
Yes, them breaking up was like a getting pushed into the fountain scene for me. Sad and sick but true.
I love the couple, but Mia was grossly immature at this point. And thankfully, Meg showed that the immaturity had consequences. I don’t think that’s something that is often seen in YA. That being said, I wasn’t exactly a fan of Michael in this one either. He really should’ve been more open about his sexual history than Mia, rather than to have her make gross assumptions.
I.E. I think he should’ve brought it up in book six.
It makes him human though, so again I think it was good characterization. But I see lots of people putting the breakup entirely on Mia. When I really think it was both of them-though mostly Mia.
Reading the series again, the JP plot becomes blatantly obvious. I don’t even know why I shipped Jia way back then. Probably because I was sort of done with M&M and maybe I was suppose to ship Jia at that point.
The book was surprisingly fast to read. I think it’s only a few pages over two hundred pages or so. Definitely one of the more thinner volumes, but then again I don’t think this is a volume where you really want to get into Mia’s head that much.
She is at her absolute worse here.
Lilly, as annoying as she can be, is actually a very sympathetic character. I think because Mia is just bat shit insane in this one, that you can’t help but feel sympathy for Lilly. Though, I’d think she’d get a clue about JP.
Overall, this is a very well written book. While the break up is heart breaking it needed to happen and I thought the way it was done was well done.
Also, Mia, your precious gift….no one cares.
January 5, 2008
Honestly I'm getting more and more disappointed with Meg Cabot. Her books are addictive but they are getting so sexual for a teen book that it kind of bothers me. Honestly 15 year old girls do NOT need to know how to make themselves orgasm in the shower. And while its great that she at least talks about safe sex, does she really need to talk about safe sex in every book? Its just frustrating to me as a mom. I dont want my girls reading about that kind of stuff until they are much older than the age bracket she writes for. But other than the sex stuff Mia is charming as ever.
October 7, 2021
Hmm...LOT OF questionable decisions on Mia and Michael’s part.
[REVIEW]
Well. I wasn’t expecting it to end like THAT.
Before I review, let’s go through a brief summary of the book’s main plot: Mia, now a high school junior, learns that Michael (her boyfriend of two years) is moving to Japan for a year for college. Afraid that she and Michael will breakup while he’s gone, the story follows Mia devising a plan to stop him from leaving. A plan that involves them having sex the night before he leaves.
This book took a different turn from the humor found in the previous books. In the last seven books, we watched Mia get all tangled up in messy situations in her school life, social life, and royal life. While Mia can be annoying with her constant overthinking and impulsive assumptions, her reactions make sense to me. Life (including her strict grandma, her stubborn best friend Lilly, and school bullies like Lana Weinberger) keeps throwing punches at Mia, and she can’t seem to catch a break from it. She’s stressed out, and is being pulled in all directions. OF COURSE she’s going to always worry and assume the worst.
In the previous books, I’ve always find myself laughing and cheering Mia on to find her voice and happiness.
But in this book? YIKES.
Let’s start with Mia. In this book, we saw a totally different side of Mia. Usually, I’m shaking my head towards Grandmere, Lilly, and/or Lana for putting Mia under stress and high expectations. This time, though, I was surprised to find myself shaking my head mostly towards MIA. Her overthinking levels dialed up to 100. Her assumptions and plans to stop Michael from leaving had me yelling, “WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU THINKING, MIA?!”
And that’s not where my problems with the book end.
Look, I get the worry about suddenly shifting into a long distance relationship. It’s a risk, and it’s difficult for some people to adjust to. But Mia’s reaction and plan to STOP Michael from moving? I was not on board with it AT ALL. Her plan and reasons were manipulative, selfish, and quite out-of-character for her. And the worst part? Mia KNEW it was wrong. She KNEW that it was selfish, but she made the plan anyway, and I couldn’t support that.
Now, let’s go to Michael. When I first started reading this series, I liked him well enough. But then around the sixth book, he started pressuring her about sex. And then in this book? Let me show you a few instances where Michael was a terrible boyfriend:
1) These two lines:
“It’s hard to be with you and not have sex.”
And...
Michael telling Mia that it would easier for him to live in a different continent away from her because he’s “sick of the cold showers.” Also because it’s weird for her to expect them to wait to have sex until she’s a senior.
WHAT. THE. HECK. If Mia isn’t ready, Mia isn’t ready. Simple as that. Pressuring her isn’t sexy or romantic, and Michael should be ashamed of himself for pressuring and gaslighting her.
2) When Michael revealed that he slept with Judith Gershner during the events in the third book, Mia had every right to be angry at him. Michael, however didn’t treat it like so—just like he didn’t validate her wishes and reasons to wait until her senior year for them to have sex. He should’ve been more open about his sexual history, and just as Erin said in her review: “When someone is seriously upset, the appropriate response is not to act like they have no right to be upset.”
I can’t remember the any of the other subplots because MY GOSH, I’M SO FRUSTRATED WITH MIA AND MICHAEL. The only thing I can think of is that I officially don’t trust J.P. now. He was fine when we met him in the seventh book, but now I’m suspicious of what his true intentions are. I know he gave Mia some great advice in this book, but there was something…off about him. Especially with that timing of hugging and kissing Mia RIGHT AS Michael showed up behind her. And in stories, when it’s too good to be true...it normally is.
I’m not going to stop reading the series, but unlike the other books, I’m going into the next book with a sour taste in my mouth. I’m honestly not sure how this’ll go down for Mia. I mean, I know it won’t be a sad ending, but I don’t know what the heck is going to happen to Mia and Michael, Mia’s friends, her royal life, or really anything.
On to book nine...
P.S. Here’s a link to Erin’s review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
[REVIEW]
Well. I wasn’t expecting it to end like THAT.
Before I review, let’s go through a brief summary of the book’s main plot: Mia, now a high school junior, learns that Michael (her boyfriend of two years) is moving to Japan for a year for college. Afraid that she and Michael will breakup while he’s gone, the story follows Mia devising a plan to stop him from leaving. A plan that involves them having sex the night before he leaves.
This book took a different turn from the humor found in the previous books. In the last seven books, we watched Mia get all tangled up in messy situations in her school life, social life, and royal life. While Mia can be annoying with her constant overthinking and impulsive assumptions, her reactions make sense to me. Life (including her strict grandma, her stubborn best friend Lilly, and school bullies like Lana Weinberger) keeps throwing punches at Mia, and she can’t seem to catch a break from it. She’s stressed out, and is being pulled in all directions. OF COURSE she’s going to always worry and assume the worst.
In the previous books, I’ve always find myself laughing and cheering Mia on to find her voice and happiness.
But in this book? YIKES.
Let’s start with Mia. In this book, we saw a totally different side of Mia. Usually, I’m shaking my head towards Grandmere, Lilly, and/or Lana for putting Mia under stress and high expectations. This time, though, I was surprised to find myself shaking my head mostly towards MIA. Her overthinking levels dialed up to 100. Her assumptions and plans to stop Michael from leaving had me yelling, “WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU THINKING, MIA?!”
And that’s not where my problems with the book end.
Look, I get the worry about suddenly shifting into a long distance relationship. It’s a risk, and it’s difficult for some people to adjust to. But Mia’s reaction and plan to STOP Michael from moving? I was not on board with it AT ALL. Her plan and reasons were manipulative, selfish, and quite out-of-character for her. And the worst part? Mia KNEW it was wrong. She KNEW that it was selfish, but she made the plan anyway, and I couldn’t support that.
Now, let’s go to Michael. When I first started reading this series, I liked him well enough. But then around the sixth book, he started pressuring her about sex. And then in this book? Let me show you a few instances where Michael was a terrible boyfriend:
1) These two lines:
“It’s hard to be with you and not have sex.”
And...
Michael telling Mia that it would easier for him to live in a different continent away from her because he’s “sick of the cold showers.” Also because it’s weird for her to expect them to wait to have sex until she’s a senior.
WHAT. THE. HECK. If Mia isn’t ready, Mia isn’t ready. Simple as that. Pressuring her isn’t sexy or romantic, and Michael should be ashamed of himself for pressuring and gaslighting her.
2) When Michael revealed that he slept with Judith Gershner during the events in the third book, Mia had every right to be angry at him. Michael, however didn’t treat it like so—just like he didn’t validate her wishes and reasons to wait until her senior year for them to have sex. He should’ve been more open about his sexual history, and just as Erin said in her review: “When someone is seriously upset, the appropriate response is not to act like they have no right to be upset.”
I can’t remember the any of the other subplots because MY GOSH, I’M SO FRUSTRATED WITH MIA AND MICHAEL. The only thing I can think of is that I officially don’t trust J.P. now. He was fine when we met him in the seventh book, but now I’m suspicious of what his true intentions are. I know he gave Mia some great advice in this book, but there was something…off about him. Especially with that timing of hugging and kissing Mia RIGHT AS Michael showed up behind her. And in stories, when it’s too good to be true...it normally is.
I’m not going to stop reading the series, but unlike the other books, I’m going into the next book with a sour taste in my mouth. I’m honestly not sure how this’ll go down for Mia. I mean, I know it won’t be a sad ending, but I don’t know what the heck is going to happen to Mia and Michael, Mia’s friends, her royal life, or really anything.
On to book nine...
P.S. Here’s a link to Erin’s review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2018
This is the worst book that I have read in this series.
Mia is so lame.
What is she thinking about going to that musical with J.P will save her from all the problems???
Really???...
That will pop out more disasters on her way.
So disappointed; there is no development I see from the main character .
Mia is so lame.
What is she thinking about going to that musical with J.P will save her from all the problems???
Really???...
That will pop out more disasters on her way.
So disappointed; there is no development I see from the main character .
December 16, 2020
#GuadalupeReinas2020: #7 Libro que te haga sonreír, reír o carcajearte.
(2.5)
La cantidad de DRAMA adolescente en este libro es digna de un show de la CW, holy shit. Mia comete muchos errores, pero a la vez no podía evitar sentir muchísima empatía porque es todavía una niña; siento que el siguiente libro va a ser de crecimiento, parece ser que Mía dejará de ser tan infantil al (por fin) ver las consecuencias de sus actos.
(2.5)
La cantidad de DRAMA adolescente en este libro es digna de un show de la CW, holy shit. Mia comete muchos errores, pero a la vez no podía evitar sentir muchísima empatía porque es todavía una niña; siento que el siguiente libro va a ser de crecimiento, parece ser que Mía dejará de ser tan infantil al (por fin) ver las consecuencias de sus actos.
January 14, 2012
This is a higher 3 star rating than past Princess Diaries books have received. I actually enjoyed this much more than any of its predecessors; I gave it the same number of stars as some of the others got simply because I'm trying to class up my ratings system. Books are gonna have to earn their stars from now on!
Well, Princess on the Brink is much more about Mia and Michael's relationship than many of the past books have been. Michael reveals that he is going on a very long trip to Japan in order to-- wait for it-- build a robotic arm that will allow doctors to perform open-heart surgery without actually having to open the chest. I honestly don't even understand that, but Michael is a genius and I'm not. I also don't understand why a guy that smart likes Mia, but the heart wants what the heart wants.
This book was much more sex-focused than previous books. As soon as I realized that would be the case, I decided I would be liberal-minded and not complain about it in my review. However, after awhile something about it was unpleasant to me. I think it's because:
a) Mia's complaints were valid. They were never treated as such. When someone is seriously upset, the appropriate response is not to act like they have no right to be upset. Even if you think you did nothing wrong, MICHAEL.
b) The sexual content seemed to come out of nowhere. I didn't feel like the past books talked about sex this much; Cabot seemed to do it just to preach her message.
c) I really did not want to know that Mia and Tina have been copying the 40 Year Old Virgin movie and masturbating with showerheads. Seriously. That reveal alone is why I put this book on my "disturbing moments" shelf. Also, the fact that it took Mia an hour to get it right was disturbing in itself.
I cannot stress that "c" portion enough. Some things cannot be unread...
Well, Princess on the Brink is much more about Mia and Michael's relationship than many of the past books have been. Michael reveals that he is going on a very long trip to Japan in order to-- wait for it-- build a robotic arm that will allow doctors to perform open-heart surgery without actually having to open the chest. I honestly don't even understand that, but Michael is a genius and I'm not. I also don't understand why a guy that smart likes Mia, but the heart wants what the heart wants.
This book was much more sex-focused than previous books. As soon as I realized that would be the case, I decided I would be liberal-minded and not complain about it in my review. However, after awhile something about it was unpleasant to me. I think it's because:
a) Mia's complaints were valid. They were never treated as such. When someone is seriously upset, the appropriate response is not to act like they have no right to be upset. Even if you think you did nothing wrong, MICHAEL.
b) The sexual content seemed to come out of nowhere. I didn't feel like the past books talked about sex this much; Cabot seemed to do it just to preach her message.
c) I really did not want to know that Mia and Tina have been copying the 40 Year Old Virgin movie and masturbating with showerheads. Seriously. That reveal alone is why I put this book on my "disturbing moments" shelf. Also, the fact that it took Mia an hour to get it right was disturbing in itself.
I cannot stress that "c" portion enough. Some things cannot be unread...
July 9, 2016
Holy shit!! I LOVED IT OMG. I usually wait to read the next one of a series but no way in hell I'm waiting. This take a turn I wanted to take, AND what can I say? I don't like Lilly and I do like P. J. :)
(4 stars instead of 5 because Mia was really immature in this one)
(4 stars instead of 5 because Mia was really immature in this one)
September 30, 2022
Zaczynam mieć serdecznie dość Mii.
April 30, 2009
am an adult but very fond of the Princess Diaries books. This is not my favorite book, simply because it is not as funny as the previous ones. But it is written about issues that interest me. After all, I've been a teenager myself. I thought it was wise of Meg Cabot to raise questions about intimacy issues betweet Mia and Michael. Every girl dating an older boy at some point has to face the same problem: should she DO IT with her more mature boy-friend even if she is not ready, or break up with him because they are not quite compatible (yet) on the maturity level. I am sure it was right for them to break up (at least for now). I was disappointed though that Mia had to jump into the relationship with JP right away, I would have preferred her to concentrate on her school instead.
In regards to so many readers complaining that Mia was totally neurotic in her reaction to the news that Michael had already "given away his Precious Gift," I totally understand her despair. Michael should have known that it was important to her simply because she was holding on to her PG. So his dismissal of her feelings would have enraged me, too.
In all, I am quite satisfied with the books and looking forward to the last installment and Mia and Michael's reunion.
P.S. There is something wrong with JP, don't you think so?
In regards to so many readers complaining that Mia was totally neurotic in her reaction to the news that Michael had already "given away his Precious Gift," I totally understand her despair. Michael should have known that it was important to her simply because she was holding on to her PG. So his dismissal of her feelings would have enraged me, too.
In all, I am quite satisfied with the books and looking forward to the last installment and Mia and Michael's reunion.
P.S. There is something wrong with JP, don't you think so?
August 14, 2016
I really liked this book, and this series. Mia is a mess. Her self esteem never gets the chance to grow. Her "best friend" is terrible! With friends like that, who needs enemies? Her Grandmother rarely has a good word for her, and the one subject in school she thought she excelled at, she gets 'F's'. A creative writing teacher, who tries to stop her creativity. Sounds about right.
But, the real heartbreak is with the 'love of her life.' I like Michael, but I don't like him pressuring her about sex. Every month he asks her if she is ready yet. She's a girl, not dinner. Also, if the girl thinks sex should be shared between two people who love each other, and he thinks 'they were just messing around.' She needs to pause. I mean, the 'just friend' was in a relationship at the time. Then, almost everyone she talks to about it, take his side. "It's just sex." says her MOM! There are emotions involved. If not, there should be. She needs some time away from all the negative influences in her life, and take time to build herself.
But, the real heartbreak is with the 'love of her life.' I like Michael, but I don't like him pressuring her about sex. Every month he asks her if she is ready yet. She's a girl, not dinner. Also, if the girl thinks sex should be shared between two people who love each other, and he thinks 'they were just messing around.' She needs to pause. I mean, the 'just friend' was in a relationship at the time. Then, almost everyone she talks to about it, take his side. "It's just sex." says her MOM! There are emotions involved. If not, there should be. She needs some time away from all the negative influences in her life, and take time to build herself.
October 20, 2017
O QUE FOI ESSE LIVRO???
Quando eu penso que a Mia tava evoluindo, amadurecendo, ELA ME FAZ UMA CAGADA DESSAS. Eu juro que eu fico tentando aliviar a barra dela pensando "Ela tem 16 anos, ainda tem muito a amadurecer", "tem muita gente que pensa isso com essa idade"... Mas é MUITA falta de noção, sério.
Foi o primeiro livro que eu gostei mais da Lily do que da Mia - e olha que durante todos os outros eu ficava tentando entender porque elas eram amigas. Todos os livros se passam em poucos dias, mas esse foi coisa de 3-4 dias, foi praticamente corrido - o que, talvez, a autora tenha feito pra ~~justificar~~ as decisões impulsivas (pra não dizer sem noção) da Mia.
Eu fiquei EXTREMAMENTE incomodada. Eu vou continuar a série porque já disse que ia terminar até o fim do ano, mas faltam 2 livros e eu não estou nem um pouco empolgada de continuar
Quando eu penso que a Mia tava evoluindo, amadurecendo, ELA ME FAZ UMA CAGADA DESSAS. Eu juro que eu fico tentando aliviar a barra dela pensando "Ela tem 16 anos, ainda tem muito a amadurecer", "tem muita gente que pensa isso com essa idade"... Mas é MUITA falta de noção, sério.
Foi o primeiro livro que eu gostei mais da Lily do que da Mia - e olha que durante todos os outros eu ficava tentando entender porque elas eram amigas. Todos os livros se passam em poucos dias, mas esse foi coisa de 3-4 dias, foi praticamente corrido - o que, talvez, a autora tenha feito pra ~~justificar~~ as decisões impulsivas (pra não dizer sem noção) da Mia.
Eu fiquei EXTREMAMENTE incomodada. Eu vou continuar a série porque já disse que ia terminar até o fim do ano, mas faltam 2 livros e eu não estou nem um pouco empolgada de continuar
August 24, 2007
COME ON!!!!
DUDETTE!!
You are so...oblivious!!!
JESUS CHRIST!!
Can't YOU SEE??
Going to the stupid Beauty and the Beast musical, with J.P., no less is NOT gonna make things better!! It is TOTALLY gonna make things worst than it already is!!!!
Here are some examples:
Lilly will actually believe that you are lying, BECAUSE!!! Because you went out with J.P. AGAIN.
Lilly will tell Michael about you going out with J.P.!! Need I say more?
You are actually doing what your Grandmere wants you to do!! Which is going out with Abernathy the fourth or whatever his name is!!!
DUH!!!
DUDETTE!!
You are so...oblivious!!!
JESUS CHRIST!!
Can't YOU SEE??
Going to the stupid Beauty and the Beast musical, with J.P., no less is NOT gonna make things better!! It is TOTALLY gonna make things worst than it already is!!!!
Here are some examples:
Lilly will actually believe that you are lying, BECAUSE!!! Because you went out with J.P. AGAIN.
Lilly will tell Michael about you going out with J.P.!! Need I say more?
You are actually doing what your Grandmere wants you to do!! Which is going out with Abernathy the fourth or whatever his name is!!!
DUH!!!
Read
July 22, 2021mia is REPRESENTATION for dumb anxious bitches and i feel held and heard
March 27, 2009
bad book she acts like this boy is her only life
hes not and lily is so rude
hes not and lily is so rude
December 5, 2015
So this book didn't have the perfect happy resolved ending. I left of on a somewhat tense note and now I really want to read the next one! Finally, it wasn't a mountain plot (i.e. starts on a low note-->climax-->resolution). It was more like....I dunno....a plateau!
Mia wasn't ready to have sex. It irritated me how selfish she was, and how she was like, "If I have sex with Michael, he'll stay here instead of moving to Japan to help make a mind-blowing invention because free sex from me! And free sex is so much more important to a guy like Michael than creating a robotic arm that aids in heart surgery!"
For a girl concerned about feminism, she is reallllly sexist! And it pissed me off! She thinks that MICHAEL of all people cares about free sex. That is so......LOW of her! That's like stooping down to prostitution levels almost!! UUUGGGH!
And then she broke up with him because he decided to pursue an incredible accomplishment and because he had sex like two years prior and she couldn't be the one to take away his virginity. Immature much? I understand that she may be pissed and hurt that he didn't tell her. She is entitled to that. But her reaction was majorly drama queen of her!
I was fairly sure that JP was crushing on Mia this whole time. I mean, he broke up with Lily the hour he found out that Mia was single for cryin' out loud! And then he kissed her! CAHM AHHN!
She ate meat!! And she liked it! She was so depressed after breaking up with Michael that she went against one of her basic principles! I could never be a vegetarian. At least she swallowed her pride for two seconds to send Michael an apology email, albeit a short one.....like, two words.
Can't wait to see what other stupid or otherwise decisions she is going to make in the next book!
Mia wasn't ready to have sex. It irritated me how selfish she was, and how she was like, "If I have sex with Michael, he'll stay here instead of moving to Japan to help make a mind-blowing invention because free sex from me! And free sex is so much more important to a guy like Michael than creating a robotic arm that aids in heart surgery!"
For a girl concerned about feminism, she is reallllly sexist! And it pissed me off! She thinks that MICHAEL of all people cares about free sex. That is so......LOW of her! That's like stooping down to prostitution levels almost!! UUUGGGH!
And then she broke up with him because he decided to pursue an incredible accomplishment and because he had sex like two years prior and she couldn't be the one to take away his virginity. Immature much? I understand that she may be pissed and hurt that he didn't tell her. She is entitled to that. But her reaction was majorly drama queen of her!
I was fairly sure that JP was crushing on Mia this whole time. I mean, he broke up with Lily the hour he found out that Mia was single for cryin' out loud! And then he kissed her! CAHM AHHN!
She ate meat!! And she liked it! She was so depressed after breaking up with Michael that she went against one of her basic principles! I could never be a vegetarian. At least she swallowed her pride for two seconds to send Michael an apology email, albeit a short one.....like, two words.
Can't wait to see what other stupid or otherwise decisions she is going to make in the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2016
When reading this series in my childhood, I stopped at book 7 so this was brand new to me. I was surprised how sad the ending was! I was not expecting that to happen at all! Mia is such a relatable character. Yes, she makes some odd decisions. But didn't most people at 16? I wasn't a big fan of Michael at times in this one I really can't wait to read on the rest of the series and see how it resolves.
June 6, 2021
*Giving this entire series 5 nostalgia stars* All these reviews I’m reading (all written presumably by adults) bashing Meg Cabot for writing Mia as so dramatic and immature... she’s 15?? That’s why I loved this series so much as an angsty teen girl! So you can’t as a 40 year old mom relate to 15 yo Mia and instead find her insecure and annoying? Rereading this as an adult I am aware that Meg Cabot wasn’t writing this for me and can simply enjoy how it really encapsulates how I felt as a dramatic, super insecure, definitely annoying 15 yo girl
August 23, 2018
This did not just happen! I cannot believe this one ended the way it did! So all ended on a happy note for Mia. This one is not the fairy tale ending I was expecting, but Mia is growing up and real life is not a fairy tale. It was fun while it lasted. . .
December 30, 2017
Mia turned into such a jerk during this one. Stop referring to your virginity as a "precious gift"! *rolls eyes* Super annoying... Girl, you're definitely not ready for sex if you keep making a big deal about that and acting the same as you did at age 14. And while I do love Michael, I'm really liking JP right now.
June 28, 2017
My heart is breaking! That was the saddest book I've ever read.
March 14, 2020
Oh boy this was a doozy to get through. As always me reviews are based solely on enjoyment, and so are my ratings. This review WILL have spoilers.
To start with, for 80% of the book I was sure I was going to rate it 2 stars. Which is a low rating for this series, I've rated at least one of these books 5 stars. However the ending, and the fact that Mia actually had to deal with consequences for once in her life, made me bump the rating up to 3 stars. And my love for JP. Let's get into it.
The Summary:
Mia is starting her junior years of high school, and dealing with three things, chiefly the fact that Michael is moving to Japan to work on robotics that would revolutionize the medical field - and he'll be there for up to a year. In an effort to keep him in New York, Mia decides to give Michael her virginity, which just goes all wrong. The other things are mostly subplots, Lilly annoys her because she wants Mia to run for President as a puppet leader again and Mia doesn't want to. There's also the matter of JP having a huge crush on her and letting her get away with things, while she alienates the rest of her friends during his Michael induced temper tantrums.
If you can't tell, I wasn't Mia's biggest fan during this read.
The Good:
- Mia deals with real consequences for the first time! Normally when things happen to her, they seem unjustified and everyone agrees with her in the end that it's not fair. In this book Mia has consequences, losing Michael and Lilly, and even Mia admits that she deserves to lose Michael.
- JP. He does bad things, i.e dating Lilly while liking Mia, but he's really kind to Mia and sort of her rock throughout this. In general JP has taken Michaels place as the sympathetic and likeable love interest, and his Timothee Chalamet looking ass is the love of my life.
- The end plot of Mia's dad always loving her mom. It was so sweet it brought me to tears, and was a real moment of connection between him and Mia, which isn't something we get often.
The Bad:
- So many things. I can't rant about it all in this section, but there were so many problems.
- MIA. She continuously drives me crazy in these books, but this one really took the cake. She's self centered, mean to all her friends and Michael, whom she claims to love, and just down right illogical. She went from being a sort of ditsy but well meaning Princess in training in the first book, to someone who actively does damage because she simply can't comprehend that her actions have consequences.
- Most of the people in Mia's life. I don't really know how to classify this, but people in Mia's life either were letting her do whatever she wants, or just being mean to her. Of course this is all from Mia's POV, so it's not objective, but oh my gosh Mia had no one to check her that she would actually listen to.
- The fact that Mia is using sex like this, when sex so clearly makes her super uncomfortable. I know, she can change her mind, but she really doesn't. To her, sex is not something pleasurable for women, it's a tool, something to use and 'give' to someone. It's just a super toxic mentality to write about in a book series for young girls. You can have Mia be weary of sex without her being like this? And I don't understand why Michael, a very intelligent young man, wasn't more offended that Mia thinks him so simple that sex would change his mind. He puts up a mild front of offence, but then they start fighting about Judith so it doesn't really get very much word count.
The Strange:
- The Star Wars references have been replaced by LOTR references. I can only assume that Meg Cabot watched Revenge of the Sith and decided she didn't want Mia comparing her and Michael to Padme and Anakin anymore, so no more Star Wars references.
- Her grandmere is normally actively a problem, but in this one she's just funny, like saying that bourbon fixes all problems when Mia is crying about Michael.
- Perin? I don't know how to explain it but she is a lesbian, I swear to god, and it's never talked about, but there's this subtext. Give Perin more page time.
- The entire subplot / thread about Mia trying to find out if Lilly and JP had sex over the summer. It was just weird and didn't fit, and she shouldn't care if she doesn't like JP
Overall this book frustrated me, which is more and more becoming the case with these books. Genuinely, I took a several day break in the middle of a sentence (since I'm listening on audiobook) because Mia was making me so mad with her choices, and I knew what was coming and that I wouldn't like it. In the end I gave my phone to my sibling, connected bluetooth headphones and told her she wasn't allowed to pause it or let me take them off until the book was over. Because I avoid things, and boy did I want to avoid Mia's mistakes.
I liked that Mia faced consequences and in the end came to her senses. But that should have been the act 2 climax. I need more resolution, not just between her and Michael, but also Lilly and JP. A lot of this book just felt like filler, like Meg Cabot knew the plot points but didn't know how to fill them in in an interesting way. Which sucks so much to say about a book I so badly wanted to like.
It's gotten to the point where no more audibooks are available to me, and I have to decide if pursuing the books physically is worth it. They will take much more time to read, and with my frustration with Mia, and the messages that Meg Cabot is baking into her books - I just don't know if it's worth it.
To start with, for 80% of the book I was sure I was going to rate it 2 stars. Which is a low rating for this series, I've rated at least one of these books 5 stars. However the ending, and the fact that Mia actually had to deal with consequences for once in her life, made me bump the rating up to 3 stars. And my love for JP. Let's get into it.
The Summary:
Mia is starting her junior years of high school, and dealing with three things, chiefly the fact that Michael is moving to Japan to work on robotics that would revolutionize the medical field - and he'll be there for up to a year. In an effort to keep him in New York, Mia decides to give Michael her virginity, which just goes all wrong. The other things are mostly subplots, Lilly annoys her because she wants Mia to run for President as a puppet leader again and Mia doesn't want to. There's also the matter of JP having a huge crush on her and letting her get away with things, while she alienates the rest of her friends during his Michael induced temper tantrums.
If you can't tell, I wasn't Mia's biggest fan during this read.
The Good:
- Mia deals with real consequences for the first time! Normally when things happen to her, they seem unjustified and everyone agrees with her in the end that it's not fair. In this book Mia has consequences, losing Michael and Lilly, and even Mia admits that she deserves to lose Michael.
- JP. He does bad things, i.e dating Lilly while liking Mia, but he's really kind to Mia and sort of her rock throughout this. In general JP has taken Michaels place as the sympathetic and likeable love interest, and his Timothee Chalamet looking ass is the love of my life.
- The end plot of Mia's dad always loving her mom. It was so sweet it brought me to tears, and was a real moment of connection between him and Mia, which isn't something we get often.
The Bad:
- So many things. I can't rant about it all in this section, but there were so many problems.
- MIA. She continuously drives me crazy in these books, but this one really took the cake. She's self centered, mean to all her friends and Michael, whom she claims to love, and just down right illogical. She went from being a sort of ditsy but well meaning Princess in training in the first book, to someone who actively does damage because she simply can't comprehend that her actions have consequences.
- Most of the people in Mia's life. I don't really know how to classify this, but people in Mia's life either were letting her do whatever she wants, or just being mean to her. Of course this is all from Mia's POV, so it's not objective, but oh my gosh Mia had no one to check her that she would actually listen to.
- The fact that Mia is using sex like this, when sex so clearly makes her super uncomfortable. I know, she can change her mind, but she really doesn't. To her, sex is not something pleasurable for women, it's a tool, something to use and 'give' to someone. It's just a super toxic mentality to write about in a book series for young girls. You can have Mia be weary of sex without her being like this? And I don't understand why Michael, a very intelligent young man, wasn't more offended that Mia thinks him so simple that sex would change his mind. He puts up a mild front of offence, but then they start fighting about Judith so it doesn't really get very much word count.
The Strange:
- The Star Wars references have been replaced by LOTR references. I can only assume that Meg Cabot watched Revenge of the Sith and decided she didn't want Mia comparing her and Michael to Padme and Anakin anymore, so no more Star Wars references.
- Her grandmere is normally actively a problem, but in this one she's just funny, like saying that bourbon fixes all problems when Mia is crying about Michael.
- Perin? I don't know how to explain it but she is a lesbian, I swear to god, and it's never talked about, but there's this subtext. Give Perin more page time.
- The entire subplot / thread about Mia trying to find out if Lilly and JP had sex over the summer. It was just weird and didn't fit, and she shouldn't care if she doesn't like JP
Overall this book frustrated me, which is more and more becoming the case with these books. Genuinely, I took a several day break in the middle of a sentence (since I'm listening on audiobook) because Mia was making me so mad with her choices, and I knew what was coming and that I wouldn't like it. In the end I gave my phone to my sibling, connected bluetooth headphones and told her she wasn't allowed to pause it or let me take them off until the book was over. Because I avoid things, and boy did I want to avoid Mia's mistakes.
I liked that Mia faced consequences and in the end came to her senses. But that should have been the act 2 climax. I need more resolution, not just between her and Michael, but also Lilly and JP. A lot of this book just felt like filler, like Meg Cabot knew the plot points but didn't know how to fill them in in an interesting way. Which sucks so much to say about a book I so badly wanted to like.
It's gotten to the point where no more audibooks are available to me, and I have to decide if pursuing the books physically is worth it. They will take much more time to read, and with my frustration with Mia, and the messages that Meg Cabot is baking into her books - I just don't know if it's worth it.
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