Well Party Princess started with a bang in my opinion revealing that the student government is in debt so there’s no way for Mia to implement any of her policy ideas like Cans or Bottles buckets so students will be more enviromentally responsible. Obviously, not the biggest priority for Mia’s family like Grandmere who is consumed with the faux island nation auction and stealing faux Genovia from the Reynolds-Abernathy bid.

But before you can say blackmail (Grandmere is vicious in this novel), she ursurps the fundraising plans (it was candle-making. Yes, very lame. Grandmere’s idea is honestly better) by having Mia stage and star in a musical based on her ancestor, Rosagund. And she’s to star opposite J.P. who is handsome and kind enough to give Michael a run for his money.

But that’s not all, Mia is still in a fierce internal war with her creative writing teacher who doesn’t see eye to eye in Mia’s efforts. Which is putting a big crimp into her self-esteem. Her teacher cannot be right. Mia’s writing isn’t so bad that its the reason her moving story with social commentary-No More Corn– is not getting picked by any magazine.

But the biggest deal of all is that Mia’s boyfriend may think she’s a total party dud. Between her musical debut, the auction ball and trying to show off her party prowress at michael’s college, she’s sure she’ll prove him wrong.

Now, the other books after this get serious so this one was pretty funny from start to finish. First off, Mia’s writing to the deceased Dr. Jung because she needs his advice with all the drama going on. Plus the usua lists like top 10 most beautiful women that they should be sent away and how horror movies have messed her up that’s very relatable.

Then there’s Lana trying to shake down Mia while Grandmere is truly blackmailing her with the threat of Annabel Cheeseman (Apparently it’s a real name, and despite being ridiculous, doesn’t stop Annabel from being a brown belt) and Lily’s ridiculous literary magazine idea which. . . hahaha that among Lily’s growing jealousy of J.P. is nice forshadowing for the Lily-Mia blowup that’s to come. Also there is some reality check for Mia when her latest crisis over Michael’s attentions comes to a slamming halt that Michael has his own drama to deal with too.

But honestly not as comparable to Mia’s as we read on to her junior year in Princess on the Brink (of a nervous breakdown).

Mia’s life should be getting better but Michael’s news that he’s going abroad in Japan sends Mia into yet another tailspin. Honestly, Michael has good intentions and its understandbale that he wants to do some good on her own in the field of his choice than stick to a life of being considered unworthy of a princess. And then, the virginity question comes up again. Maybe giving him her precious flower will keep him in the states?

Yes, I know, it’s very serious question but that she continually refers to it as her precious flower is just hilarious to me. But I suppose it’s realistic because Amelia is a romantic and emotional person who puts great importance in those things so when Michael slips that he isn’t a virgin, it’s just another spark to the flame. Although her mom and dad have surprisingly good advice on why Mia is taking the revelation so hard when Michael’s former flame doesn’t really matter in the present.

Honestly, they’re the only supportive people in Mia’s life right now. Well Grandmere is also surprisingly supportive of Mia having premartial sex but it also feels very weird since she’s so discouraging of Michael in general. But she’s also doing her usual Grandmere machinations in pushing Mia and J.P. together and with all the drama between her and Michael he seems like a viable option. But he’s dating Lily so it’s fine, at least she has one nice, normal male friend.

Unlike her best friend, Lily who is piling on student president campaign on Mia and harping on her over everything which J.P. is right to point is just mean behavior for a supposed best friend.

So the dissolution of their friendship at the end of the book, while the actions were wrong on Mia’s part, it was a longtime coming and understandable in the longrun.

Which brings to Princess Mia where Mia finally goes to the therapist she desperately needs. This book may have a classroom explosion and Mia bonding with Lana of all people, but it’s the most realistic that Mia would fall into a depression after all the pressure she recieves as crown princess, losing her best friend, new hate site dedicated to her and losing Michael.

Mia’s struggles with depression and being a pushover can be as frustrating for the reader as for Mia herself as she doesn’t know how to fix the situation but it all pays off in a undeniable climax where Mia stands up for herself and her ancestor, Amelia when she talks to the Domina Rei organization that the truth is Genovia is a democractic society, not a soverign monarchy.
Gasps! I know it completely changes things but the more meaningful change is in Mia as she comes to real self-actualization and maturity. So I’m excited to see how things move forward for the last few books for Mia meeting Michael again and dealing with Lily.

Also I just realized that Beverly Bellerieve might be referencing the woman Mel’s ex cheats on her with in Boy Meets Girls. I love how all her series have these sly little references to her other books.