Who Made You a Princess?

Glory Prep #4

by Shelley Adina

Nothing says “alone” like a wide, sandy beach on the western edge of the continent, with the sun going down in a smear of red and orange. Girlfriends, I am the go-to girl for alone.

Or at least, that’s what I used to think.

It’s senior year at last and Shani Hanna’s life is on the fast track. She’s planning on Harvard Business School and after that, a career in her dad’s Fortune 500 company. But what she doesn’t plan on is the new exchange student at Spencer Academy--who just happens to be a real-life handsome prince. With one look, Prince Rashid of Yasir makes up his mind that Shani is princess material.

The trouble is, Shani has a crush on surfer Danyel Johnstone, one of Lissa Mansfield’s friends and a solid Christian. Just how far can she go before she has to choose between them? Because there’s more to the prince than his nine-figure net worth--and there’s more to Danyel than his crazy hair and surfboard. How can Shani make a choice without choosing God first?

Genres: Christian, Chick Lit, Young Adult, Teen, Romance

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 24, 2012

About the author

Shelley Adina is the author of 24 novels published by Harlequin, Warner, and Hachette, and a dozen more published by Moonshell Books, Inc., her own independent press. She writes steampunk and contemporary romance as Shelley Adina, and as Adina Senft, writes Amish women’s fiction. She holds an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania, where she teaches as adjunct faculty. She won RWA’s RITA Award® in 2005, and was a finalist in 2006. When she’s not writing, Shelley is usually quilting, sewing historical costumes, or hanging out in the garden with her flock of rescued chickens.

Reviews

[Natalie]

2.5 stars, rounded up.

I didn’t like that it took 150 pages (of a just over 200 page book!) for Shani to find out about the arranged marriage plot - something that is basically spelled out in the synopsis. That aside, I liked that she was able to stand up for herself by the end.

[Stacey Horvath]

📖Book: You Made A Fool Out of Death with You Beauty
✍🏻: Akwaeke Emezi
Rated: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:

It’s been five years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio and sharing a brownstone apartment with her best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.

She’s even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the overwhelming desire Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person in the house who is most definitely off-limits—his father.

This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers. Who is she ready to become? Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future? And, of course, there’s the biggest question of all—how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love?

Thoughts 💭:

When I first heard about this book I thought it was a spicy romance. But it turned out to be so much more. Yes there was spice and romance but there was also love, loss and grief, second chances and moving on after the death of a spouse. I loved how Feyi uses her artwork to cope with her grief. I could picture her pieces. I really enjoyed Feyi and Joy’s relationship. I love how real, raw and honest they are with one another. Akwaeke did a great job of bringing their friendship to life. I don’t want to give too much away but it was an unexpected book that delves into many different facets in one’s life.
.

[Brandi]

Wow. Now this was an interesting story. It's not every day a girl gets to date a handsome prince. Not a literal one, that is.
This was a really good story. I enjoyed the plot, setting, and characters. The romance and action were good too. It was great to reconnect with the characters and see where Shani's story takes her.
This was an enjoyable read. I would recommend it to teen girls, though I may be fun for adults as well.
3.5 stars on the cover. Once again, cute models, cute outfits, cute idea, but I'd prefer more modesty.
(*SPOILER ALERT!!!*)
Shani was great. At times, I disagreed with her attitude or choices, but overall, we got along well. I can totally see why she was conflicted between Rashid and Danyel. They were both so sweet. I do think she made the right choice though. I was a bit confused about her becoming a Christian. It spoke as though she did and though she was beginning to surrender, I didn't see the actual moment. Wonder what that was about.
Rashid was really sweet. He was so kind, and cool, and romantic. That was sweet how he tried to fit in and be who Shani wanted. So cute. It wasn't one bit lost on me how he was relieved when she said no. Not because he didn't like her, but because she bucked tradition, paving the way for him to choose who he wanted. I am still surprised about Vanessa though. Total surprise there.
Danyel was great too. He was so strong and spiritual. He seemed wise. At first, he was a normal clueless boy, but he ended up being a sweetheart. I liked how he was more pure. He wasn't pushy at all, but was willing to wait until she was ready. The song he wrote was sweet, though I must say I could not hear it. I don't know, the words and rhymes didn't fit well in my mind and I just could not hear the song.
Carly was, of course, amazing. Kind, supportive, sweet, brave, sincere, real. I love how she blushed when absolutely adorable Brett came up to her and kissed her. And how she put that pretty flower in Shani's hair. She just brightened up everything. I think she's my favorite character. And her book is still #1 in the series to me. We'll see if that changes.
Lissa was the same. Amazing, strong in her faith, loyal, friendly. I was so sad to hear her parents were having problems, though I did kind of wonder with them almost always so far apart. I'm wondering what happened at the premiere in the end. Anxious to find out. I'm still waiting for her dad to get saved too.
Gillian – I think she was in there the least. It didn't seem to settle on her much other than to say she was happy, still a brilliant genius, and still in love with awesome Jeremy. *sigh* But then, that's all the update I need, now, isn't it?
Mac – I hope she's better. She still needs to get saved. I'm glad she was able to deal with testifying. Her mom sounds great. And Shani was right, that was love for her to come halfway across the world to support Mac even when in doing so, she was deeply hurt.
Kaz was infinitely amazing. I am still wanting for Lissa to realize what a dreamboat she has. Seriously, he's got the looks, the faith, the family, the friendship, the love. She just stuck still seeing him as just a friend. *sigh* Don't worry, Kaz. The day will come. Eventually.
Shani's parents – I didn't like either of them much. It was clear they both, mainly her dad, cared about themselves more than their daughter, and that, honestly, is cruel. Her father was being a total child about the whole thing, and though I didn't care for how Shani acted, he did start the whole thing so, essentially, it all began with him and was his fault.
So, whoa, Vanessa. Now that was a surprise. I'm still not sure if she can learn to be anything other than a snob, but if anyone could accomplish that, it would be Rashid. With God's help. If she really quits being a jerk, they would be an awesome couple.
Meanwhile, what in the world was up with DeLayne? She was a total snob. She's usually nicer than that. Wonder if she's gonna become the next queen bee. I hope Emily gives up her place in the A-list and starts being nice, 'cuz she really could be if she wanted to. What a total idiot! Rory has got to win blockhead of the year. I cannot believe he said that. And while trying to ask someone out? Talk about needed lessons in common sense.
Oh, before I go, one thing I noticed that was kind of strange to me. On the back cover of this one about Shani, an African-American girl, is a quote by Jaci Velasquez, a Hispanic singer. But then on the back of Carly's book (Carly's Hispanic) it has a quote by Mandisa, who's African American (she's a singer too, FYI). I just thought that was kind of strange how they were on those books instead of switching. To show diversity, maybe? I don't know.
But what I do know is this is a good book. And I hope I enjoy the next one as much as I did this one.

[Kelly]

I absolutely love the All About Us series. It has everything I would have just foamed at the mouth over as a teenaged girl. There is plenty of girl talk, cute boys, and stories with conflict but still a fun light read. The thing that I love about it most is the friendships. It is nice to see Gillian, Carly, Lissa, and Shanni support each other through their various ups and downs. That is what friends are for, and it is always good to see those kinds of positive role models in a book for teens. Of course you have to have a bad guy here and there too, because let's face it even if this series primarily takes place in a boarding school...we are talking high school aged students and all the fun and agony they can bring. This is what also allows it to be true to life.

This book focuses on Shanni who heads back to school after a sunny summer with her friends and a month of hanging around with her friend Lissa's buddies Kaz and Danyel. Shanni is definitely crushing on Danyel, and the last month of the summer ends too fast. Back at school she has senior year to focus on, and her mom informs her that a playmate from her childhood will be attending Spencer and she hopes Shanni will go out of her way to be friendly. Her playmate is a prince, and Shanni's parents have plans that Shanni has not been let in on.

Shanni has a lot to think about. Rashid is a great guy though totally spoiled by living the life of a prince. He is very attractive and pursues her intensely. Danyel is six hours away. He likes Shanni, but his faith is important and he certainly wants to take his time. Shanni is a girl who never had a boyfriend before and now she has more than she can handle. Something has to give and someone has to be let go.

What I liked: Everything...really. Well, as I said, I really enjoyed the solid friendships in the story. I am also really glad that Mac was brought back. I loved her in Be Strong & Curvaceous. She is a strong voice and I look forward to the next book in the series as it will focus on her. I liked that the book showed Shanni's gradual move to prayer. It has been nice seeing her grow in developing faith. I also always like reading about lovely clothes. Great descriptions! The only thing I thought was odd was with all the name dropping of designer shoes, dresses and whatnot...it seemed odd that Shanni's dad wore Polo. I know...silly, but it just struck me odd. :)

This is a wonderful series for teens. I enjoyed it a great deal. It is definitely a series that I would not worry about picking up for my nieces, who have read all of them so far. :)

[Jennifer Wardrip]

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

WHO MADE YOU A PRINCESS?, the fourth installment in Ms. Adina's ALL ABOUT US series, focuses on Shani Hanna.

Shani has just spent the last part of summer vacation hanging out at Lissa's place. While there, she met a cute boy, Danyel Johnstone. But it isn't until Shani gets the courage at the end of the break to tell Danyel that she's interested in him and believes there's something between the two of them that she can breathe a sigh of relief. Shani returns to Spencer Academy proud of herself for having the courage to approach him, even if nothing happened before she headed back to school.

Once Shani returns to school, she finds out that an old childhood friend, Rashid, will be going to Spencer for the term. Shani doesn't tell her friends that she has a history with Rashid, especially when they find out that he's none other than Prince Rashid al Amir of Yasir. Shani's parents alert her that he'll be attending and to show him friendship and kindness.

It isn't until Shani is faced with TWO boys after her attention that the reason for her parents' push towards Rashid becomes clear. Shani, not sharing her friends' Christian values until now, resorts to asking God for help and guidance in the tough decision she is ultimately faced with.

The ALL ABOUT US series is a wonderful series for teens to enjoy. It shows the confusion that teens face and the tough decisions that they may be forced to make. As with all books in the series to date, the story is free of loose morality and full of friend support and guidance from God. Ms. Adina never preaches in any of her books and leaves the reader feeling proud of the decisions that the characters have made by the end of the stories.

[Christy Trever]

Who Made You a Princess by Shelley Adina is the fourth book in the All About Us series about a group of teenage girls attending the elite Spencer Academy in San Francisco. Shanni Hanna has been on the sidelines in the previous novels, but she takes her turn on center stage here. In her senior year at the school, Shanni's deciding between Stanford and Harvard to get her MBA in business, but her love life has been pretty boring up til now. After meeting surfer cutie Danyel, Shanni's ready to find out what it means to be in love, but then Rashid, the Prince of Yamir, a oil-rich kingdom near Saudi Arabia starts attending the school and paying hard to ignore attention to Shanni. Shanni's hard pressed to choose between the two hotties: Danyel prays for her and writes sweet poetry, but Rashid gives her a $2 million diamond necklace and and never goes anywhere without his two bodyguards. What's a girl to do? I really love this series for teen girls. The characters are real without being cardboard stereotypes, and they struggle with issues of faith along with the real world troubles that make being a teen heaven and hell all wrapped together. The characters have been growing with each novel, and that makes them a joy to read. I was a bit worried that Adina was going to take the cliched road with this plot of prince vs pauper, but the twist is an unexpected doozy with implications that will still be rippling in future novels. I hope the senior year at Spencer Academy is extra long, because I will miss this series when it ends.

[Michelle]

This was a decent story, but I found myself skimming a bit at the end. Maybe because it seemed a tad unbelievable - the characters were sort of like people in 90210 only richer. Then again, I have no clue about how wealthy people live. Maybe their lives really are exactly the way they were portrayed in this story. The teens seemed a bit mature for their ages, too. I kept thinking they were in college by the way they acted until I realized they were in high school. I did enjoy the female characters and the minor romantic elements. Shani was believable and so was Rashid. (I could even hear his accent when he spoke.) The relationship with Shani and Danyel seemed a bit surprising to me in regards to how it came together. It's hard to say too much without posting a spoiler so I'll just say this was a nice story but not one that I'll be raving over and telling people to run out and buy. I must add that I was impressed with the author's knowledge of fashion, couture and shoes. Maybe this is just one of those books that would have been more enjoyable had I read the prior books in the series first.

[Jill Williamson]

Review by Jill Williamson

Shani returns to Spencer Academy for her senior year with high hopes of starting a relationship with Danyel, a cute musician who’s a friend of a friend. But a blast from her past has enrolled at Spencer. Prince Rashid al Amir is studying for a term abroad. He and Shani used to play together as children. And wow, has Rashid grown up! But when Shani discovers that her parents have made arrangements with Rashid’s parents that the two will someday marry, she doesn’t know what to do. She likes Rashid okay, but marriage? And what about Danyel?

Okay, I know I said I liked book three the best so far, but this one was really close. I liked book three so much that I picked this one up right away so I could get more of Carly, then got sucked into Shani’s love triangle! Shelley Adina really knows how to take a girl’s dreams and meld it into a fiction story that rocks. These books are fun and honest and the characters just keep getting better and better. Highly recommended! If you haven’t read this series, go do it now!

[drey]

This is my first All About Us novel, & I wasn't sure whether it would be easy to pick up without having read any of the others. Rest assured, this is easy enough to read as a stand-alone.

Shani Amira Marjorie Hanna is back at Spencer Academy with her friends, and a new boy to drool over. Adding excitement to the student body at Spencer is Prince Rashid al Amir, who gets fawned over by everyone but somehow only wants to hang with Shani.

When Shani finds out that she is the Prince's intended, she is confused and angry. Who has their marriages arranged in this day & age anyway? How could her parents do this to her? And after learning of the history between hers & the prince's family, Shani has to decide whether she can & will become Rashid's princess, or if she can stand up for her own choices.

This was a quick and easy read. The plotline was predictable and the girls a little overly bratty, in my opinion.. But hey, summer's coming up, and this is a perfect beach read.

[Debbie]

Okay, somehow I missed that this book was a Christian, young adult book so I found the constant references to prayer groups a finding God a little disconcerting. Nonetheless it was a quick, enjoyable read. The characters were a little irritating in how privileged they were with their expensive clothing, manicures, pedicures, etc. but as you gain insights into each of their lives behind all the glitz they became more likeable. It also made me want to go back and read Carly’s story. The excerpt from Mac’s story also sounds interesting and I plan to put it on my list of books to read. If you want a quick, religious beach read this summer this would be one to pick up.

[mom2wah]

Food young adult book that deals with lifes challenges and standing up for youirself.