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Secrets of a Reluctant Princess
At Beverly Hills High, you have to be ruthless to survive…
Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working.
Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people.
Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her.
The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on.
Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working.
Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people.
Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her.
The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on.
354 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2017
8 people are currently reading
693 people want to read
About the author
Casey Griffin
13 books231 followersCasey Griffin spent her childhood dreaming up elaborate worlds and characters. Now, she writes those stories down. As a jack-of-all-trades, her résumé boasts registered nurse, heavy equipment operator, English teacher, photographer, and pizza delivery driver. She’s a world traveler and has a passion for anything geeky. With a wide variety of life experiences to draw from, she loves to write stories that transport readers and make them smile. Casey lives in Southern Alberta with her family, and when she’s not traveling, attending comic conventions, or watching Star Wars, she’s writing every moment she can.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
May 8, 2017
Mini review:
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and Entangled: Teen in exchange for an honest review. I had heard about this book through GR. It sounded good so I requested it from Netgalley.
Honestly I don't remember much about this book. It's been awhile since I've read it. I remember liking it. The reality show aspect was seriously over done and boring. It was dramatic. I liked the MC and the friend she made. I didn't really like the main guy or the ex of her friend. There were some important topics in the book that were handled well. The miscommunication between the characters was silly. And I honestly don't understand how no one (expect for her parents) believed the MC.
I would recommend this if you're looking for a quick and cute read.
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and Entangled: Teen in exchange for an honest review. I had heard about this book through GR. It sounded good so I requested it from Netgalley.
Honestly I don't remember much about this book. It's been awhile since I've read it. I remember liking it. The reality show aspect was seriously over done and boring. It was dramatic. I liked the MC and the friend she made. I didn't really like the main guy or the ex of her friend. There were some important topics in the book that were handled well. The miscommunication between the characters was silly. And I honestly don't understand how no one (expect for her parents) believed the MC.
I would recommend this if you're looking for a quick and cute read.
February 23, 2017
I have to admit, I wasn’t really into Secrets of a Reluctant Princess in the beginning, and I quickly had an opinion ready. I’m happy to say though, that eventually the story grew on me, and I ended up really enjoying it.
For starters, the toilet business was weird, but I really liked the addition of Andy and her family being filmed for a reality TV show. It made me wary of every single character – you can never tell if they want Andy around for friendship or fame – and I liked that mistrust.
I could really relate to the nerdy side of Andy and found her easily likeable. I especially loved the larping scenes, which were really fun. Her nerd crush on Kevin was cute, too, which lead to PUNS(!) and some really steamy scenes:
It was a good change that Andy actually ended up having to work to get the boy instead of the other way around. I could really root for her.
I liked that, for once, the high school’s popular girl wasn’t a total bitch. She wasn’t 100% nice either, but it was appreciated.
Overall, I can only recommend this to anyone who enjoys a nice YA contemporary. It felt a bit long-winded at times, but I had good fun reading it.
Thank you NetGalley / Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy
For starters, the toilet business was weird, but I really liked the addition of Andy and her family being filmed for a reality TV show. It made me wary of every single character – you can never tell if they want Andy around for friendship or fame – and I liked that mistrust.
I could really relate to the nerdy side of Andy and found her easily likeable. I especially loved the larping scenes, which were really fun. Her nerd crush on Kevin was cute, too, which lead to PUNS(!) and some really steamy scenes:
”Kevin waves, and I wave back. We do that now. Sometimes we say “hello” too.”
It was a good change that Andy actually ended up having to work to get the boy instead of the other way around. I could really root for her.
I liked that, for once, the high school’s popular girl wasn’t a total bitch. She wasn’t 100% nice either, but it was appreciated.
Overall, I can only recommend this to anyone who enjoys a nice YA contemporary. It felt a bit long-winded at times, but I had good fun reading it.
Thank you NetGalley / Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy
March 7, 2017
Be still, my heart! Friends, I'm about to shamelessly gush about this book. Consider yourself warned. I mean, I admit that it did take me a few chapters to warm up to Andy but once I did? Well, you couldn't have pried me away from this book if you tried. It has everything I love. Great characters, realistic life lessons, sweet romance, and LARPing. Yes, LARPing. My nerdy heart is so happy right now.
Andy, or Adrianna as her mother prefers she goes by, is the type of character that I wish we saw more of in YA literature. Used to being bullied and mocked, she uses her fresh start in her "new life" to remake herself into someone who avoids all that. The problem is, that she soon learns that it's difficult be someone you're not. Even more than that, she learns that sometimes fitting in means being the bully. If more teens learned that lesson early on, well, high school might not be such a difficult space to exist in.
My absolute favorite part of this story though was that it was a love letter to nerdom. Griffin points out the deep divide that exists between the popular crowd, and the "nerds". However she goes beyond that by showing that it's perfectly acceptable to love what you love. Comics, drawing, cosplay, it's all in here. I was instantly able to tell that Griffin did her research, and I adored the spotlight that she gave to this group that is often ignored.
Then there were the characters. Most importantly, or maybe I have a minor crush myself, is Kevin. Kevin is sweet. He's kind, honest, and he loves LARPing. It takes his character, unafraid to be himself, to teach Andy who she really wants to be. The awkward, often tear-jerking relationship between these two was the icing on the cake really. I would have loved them even if they were just friends.
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess has it all. Family loyalty, forever friendships, high school drama, and enough giggle worthy moments to make the tear-jerking moments totally worthwhile. I loved this book! I genuinely hope you'll add it to your TBR, because it's well worth you time.
Andy, or Adrianna as her mother prefers she goes by, is the type of character that I wish we saw more of in YA literature. Used to being bullied and mocked, she uses her fresh start in her "new life" to remake herself into someone who avoids all that. The problem is, that she soon learns that it's difficult be someone you're not. Even more than that, she learns that sometimes fitting in means being the bully. If more teens learned that lesson early on, well, high school might not be such a difficult space to exist in.
My absolute favorite part of this story though was that it was a love letter to nerdom. Griffin points out the deep divide that exists between the popular crowd, and the "nerds". However she goes beyond that by showing that it's perfectly acceptable to love what you love. Comics, drawing, cosplay, it's all in here. I was instantly able to tell that Griffin did her research, and I adored the spotlight that she gave to this group that is often ignored.
Then there were the characters. Most importantly, or maybe I have a minor crush myself, is Kevin. Kevin is sweet. He's kind, honest, and he loves LARPing. It takes his character, unafraid to be himself, to teach Andy who she really wants to be. The awkward, often tear-jerking relationship between these two was the icing on the cake really. I would have loved them even if they were just friends.
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess has it all. Family loyalty, forever friendships, high school drama, and enough giggle worthy moments to make the tear-jerking moments totally worthwhile. I loved this book! I genuinely hope you'll add it to your TBR, because it's well worth you time.
March 8, 2017
5 Words: Family, fame, friendship, fun, frolics.
Oh look. Alliteration. This book deserved it, it was fab.
I knew as soon as I started this book that I was going to like it. I was looking for something fun, something to lift my spirits and make me laugh... And that's exactly what I got!
I loved Andy, how she didn't want what was being thrust upon her, how she was actually a huge geek. As much as Andy is incredibly different from me, I felt that I could actually relate to her. Probably the geekiness. She was almost a different person when she was LARP-ing and it was fab.
I liked how the film crew added a whole other element to every relationship, how no one was sure who was being real and who was in it for the fame.
What I didn't like was Andy's parents - but I did like was how their awful actions (and lack of) contributed to the story. I think this is something that may put other people off, but I forgave it because of how it contributed to the overall story.
This is a fun and flirty read that doesn't take itself seriously. It's perfect for rainy days or when you need cheering up.
Oh look. Alliteration. This book deserved it, it was fab.
I knew as soon as I started this book that I was going to like it. I was looking for something fun, something to lift my spirits and make me laugh... And that's exactly what I got!
I loved Andy, how she didn't want what was being thrust upon her, how she was actually a huge geek. As much as Andy is incredibly different from me, I felt that I could actually relate to her. Probably the geekiness. She was almost a different person when she was LARP-ing and it was fab.
I liked how the film crew added a whole other element to every relationship, how no one was sure who was being real and who was in it for the fame.
What I didn't like was Andy's parents - but I did like was how their awful actions (and lack of) contributed to the story. I think this is something that may put other people off, but I forgave it because of how it contributed to the overall story.
This is a fun and flirty read that doesn't take itself seriously. It's perfect for rainy days or when you need cheering up.
May 16, 2017
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess!!! First things first: I received this book through NetGalley.
Summary: At Beverly Hills High, you have to be ruthless to survive…Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working. Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people.Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her.The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on
***
Oh boy, I actually had a hard time rating this. But I think a 2 is the best way to rate this. I LOVED the beginning of the story, the middle part lost me a bit, there were only a few moments that I really enjoyed, the end of the story brought me back a bit.
Let's talk about the things that I loved.
I loved Andy as a main character. Boy, she was frustrating at time and she made terrible decisions. But she learned, she grew. And I was really rooting for her to get back on track, remember what's important and stop hiding behind all the characters that she was playing in her daily life.
I loved the other characters, like Harper, I was unsure of her in the beginning, or rather about her role in the book. But she was amazing and I really loved her friendship with Andy, even though it got rocky but they made it. I loved Kevin. And his sister. And his uncle. They just did their thing. They were themselved no matter what other people thought.
I also loved the larping (live action role playing) parts. I have never heard of that before in my life. But that was such an amazing part to the story, that I just really thought was interesting and so greatly done.
Things that I didn't like.
Things were getting overdramatic at times. I get it. Not only was this a story mainly set in a highschool but there was also the element of a reality tv show. The combination of the two calls for lots of drama. But it was just too much for me at times.
Corbin. The director of the show. I just. I can't put into words how I hate people like him. Bringing me straight to the next person that I hate with a burning passion. Lennox. The brainless jock. Harper's ex boyfriend. The guy that does everything to get screentime on the reality show, forcing a relationship on Andy, that she doesn't want. But all is forgiven at the end, because Corbin told him, that it was part of the show and Andy just acted like she didn't want it. WHAT?! This is making me mad for so many reasons that this whole thing just made me rate the book so low. Cause that was wrong. That was wrong on so many levels. And it's especially wrong to have Harper end up with him again. IT'S WRONG.
I thought this would be a fun and cute read, but except for a few moments, I just really struggled and parts of it, mainly the parts with Lennox, made me really REALLY uncomfortable.
Summary: At Beverly Hills High, you have to be ruthless to survive…Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working. Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people.Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her.The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on
***
Oh boy, I actually had a hard time rating this. But I think a 2 is the best way to rate this. I LOVED the beginning of the story, the middle part lost me a bit, there were only a few moments that I really enjoyed, the end of the story brought me back a bit.
Let's talk about the things that I loved.
I loved Andy as a main character. Boy, she was frustrating at time and she made terrible decisions. But she learned, she grew. And I was really rooting for her to get back on track, remember what's important and stop hiding behind all the characters that she was playing in her daily life.
I loved the other characters, like Harper, I was unsure of her in the beginning, or rather about her role in the book. But she was amazing and I really loved her friendship with Andy, even though it got rocky but they made it. I loved Kevin. And his sister. And his uncle. They just did their thing. They were themselved no matter what other people thought.
I also loved the larping (live action role playing) parts. I have never heard of that before in my life. But that was such an amazing part to the story, that I just really thought was interesting and so greatly done.
Things that I didn't like.
Things were getting overdramatic at times. I get it. Not only was this a story mainly set in a highschool but there was also the element of a reality tv show. The combination of the two calls for lots of drama. But it was just too much for me at times.
Corbin. The director of the show. I just. I can't put into words how I hate people like him. Bringing me straight to the next person that I hate with a burning passion. Lennox. The brainless jock. Harper's ex boyfriend. The guy that does everything to get screentime on the reality show, forcing a relationship on Andy, that she doesn't want. But all is forgiven at the end, because Corbin told him, that it was part of the show and Andy just acted like she didn't want it. WHAT?! This is making me mad for so many reasons that this whole thing just made me rate the book so low. Cause that was wrong. That was wrong on so many levels. And it's especially wrong to have Harper end up with him again. IT'S WRONG.
I thought this would be a fun and cute read, but except for a few moments, I just really struggled and parts of it, mainly the parts with Lennox, made me really REALLY uncomfortable.
February 24, 2017
my link text
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess tells the story of Adrianna (Andy) Bottom. She moved to Beverly Hills because her dad's toilet products have been a hit in the market and now they're rich. And because of that, there'll be a TV show about them, called Bathroom Barons. Adrianna doesn't feel like a celebrity and hates the way her stylists dress her. She's an real geek. But because she'll be on TV, she has to change her look and her behaviour. She wants to be a cool kid but she falls in love with a geek, called Kevin. Will she give up her status of cool kid or will she admit her feelings for Kevin?
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess is such an enjoyable read. I finished it in one day because it's so fast paced and easy to read. The story is really funny and sometimes dramatic, but that makes the book so good. I love the geeky things in Secrets of a Reluctant Princess because I'm a geek myself. I love reading contemporary/young adult books like this one, so I highly recommend Secrets of a Reluctant Princess to everyone who loves contemporary/young adult books!
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess tells the story of Adrianna (Andy) Bottom. She moved to Beverly Hills because her dad's toilet products have been a hit in the market and now they're rich. And because of that, there'll be a TV show about them, called Bathroom Barons. Adrianna doesn't feel like a celebrity and hates the way her stylists dress her. She's an real geek. But because she'll be on TV, she has to change her look and her behaviour. She wants to be a cool kid but she falls in love with a geek, called Kevin. Will she give up her status of cool kid or will she admit her feelings for Kevin?
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess is such an enjoyable read. I finished it in one day because it's so fast paced and easy to read. The story is really funny and sometimes dramatic, but that makes the book so good. I love the geeky things in Secrets of a Reluctant Princess because I'm a geek myself. I love reading contemporary/young adult books like this one, so I highly recommend Secrets of a Reluctant Princess to everyone who loves contemporary/young adult books!
February 7, 2017
No. 3 in my streak of reads I was let down by. I'm on a streak.
The best parts of this book were connected to LARPing (life-action role-play... I have no idea who's reading this, so just in case).* The writing is decent, the idea is executed pretty well, it's a nice quick read. But with one thing that I wish was done better: the main character. I really wanted Andy to be a little less infuriating. While she was relatable in some fashion, a large chunk of her behavior came across as cringeworthy. I really wanted to love this read.
*LARPing is something I used to do on a daily basis before my best-friend at the time moved away. We used to be the Halliwell sisters: she was Phoebe, I was Piper. I am still in touch with our Paige somewhat. I might still have the notebook that we made with the cardboard triquetra on the cover somewhere, we used to make up our own spells... I love LARPing.
The best parts of this book were connected to LARPing (life-action role-play... I have no idea who's reading this, so just in case).* The writing is decent, the idea is executed pretty well, it's a nice quick read. But with one thing that I wish was done better: the main character. I really wanted Andy to be a little less infuriating. While she was relatable in some fashion, a large chunk of her behavior came across as cringeworthy. I really wanted to love this read.
*LARPing is something I used to do on a daily basis before my best-friend at the time moved away. We used to be the Halliwell sisters: she was Phoebe, I was Piper. I am still in touch with our Paige somewhat. I might still have the notebook that we made with the cardboard triquetra on the cover somewhere, we used to make up our own spells... I love LARPing.
March 3, 2017
At Beverly Hills High, you have to be ruthless to survive…
Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working.
Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people.
Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her.
The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on.
Rating: 3.75/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: Adrianna/Andy has a super entertaining, snarky, vibrantly-written voice; this was a roMESS if I've ever read one; that director is absolute slime; lots of angst and drama; the hilarious banter between the characters is SPOT ON; I could literally "see" each of these people in the pages
HUGE thanks to Casey Griffin, Entangled: Teen, Chapter by Chapter, and Netgalley for sending me a free digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
"But your heart, dare I ask, is it still free for the taking?"
The way he asks it makes my toes curl in excitement, like he's asking for himself. I give him a daring look. "No. It is not."
He sighs in exaggerated disappointment.
"It is mine for the giving."
Hear ye, hear ye! On behalf of the Porcelain Princess (toilet thrones now 25% off at the door!) I present to you....my review! And what a grand thing it shall be, because... Wait, wait, cut. Okay, sorry penguins--my fingers got away from me. I just couldn't help myself! But this is a great way to start off--because this book? FILLED with snark, attitude, and just the right amount of teenage drama and hysterics. Seriously, if you're looking for an entertaining read with a HUGE personality, you need to pick up this one--I promise it won't let you down!
Having skimmed a few other reviews on goodreads, I can tell you it seems a majority of the readerly population was a bit... put off? by Andy/Adrianna's attitude and personality. HOWEVER...this was not the case on my end. I really enjoyed how snarky and strong-willed she is. While there were, admittedly, a few moments I cringed over (her decisions are, as the rest of humanity, rather flawed in some instances) I ADORED how much voice and spunk Casey Griffin managed to shove into each and every page. I found myself giggling aloud, dropping my jaw at some of the twists, and even raging alongside Andy as the world seemingly fell apart around her. I was thoroughly and immensely amused by her antics and her reactions to everything happening, and loved how much "growth" I saw in her throughout the read.
I wonder if I should be worried that I'm smelling so many guys in one day, like some horny Chihuahua or something. It can't be normal. It's not like Teen Vogue has scratch and sniff centerfolds or anything. Maybe that should be a thing-- Eau de Boy Band.
The plot is fairly predictable in some places--I mean, it IS a YA Contemporary Romance, after all. There are bound to be a few tropes and cliches along the way, right? But Casey Griffin managed to tell this story in a unique and inventive way, in my opinion--the "Bathroom Business" and ensuing reality TV show turned roadside disaster made this a quick, entertaining read. The focus on "being true to yourself" really helped to tie the story together in a seamless, engaging way, as well.
In the end, I proclaim this an enthralling, snarky, angsty read! I cannot wait to see what Casey Griffin delivers in the future--the amount of unique voice and personality she packed into these pages has me begging my liege for more. If you're seeking a quick, witty read with a ton of attitude, look no further than this one! Just promise not to drop it in the toilet, okay? Soggy pages are not good for reading.
March 26, 2017
SECRETS OF A RELUCTANT PRINCESS was a humorous and sweet story about a girl trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be. With lots of high school drama, the craziness of a reality show, strained family and friend dynamics, and a possible romance, it was quite entertaining. Recommended to those who enjoy some drama and humor mixed with some sweet in their contemporary YA.
I think the word I would use for this story would be fun. I really liked Adrianna in all her geekishness. I got frustrated when she didn't stand up for herself or others, but I also understood. I loved Kevin! He was such a great guy and a totally adorable geek. I loved his relationship with his sister and that he sketches. I also loved the chemistry and the banter between Adrianna and Kevin. Then there was Harper, who I wasn't too sure about at first, but who definitely grew on me. I also loved the larping. Totally freaking awesome! I loved that Adrianna designed clothes and costumes too. I also have to note that there's several parts where there are some seriously corny jokes that were actually quite endearing.
There were a couple of things that I thought could have been better. The drama was over the top in places coming off as unrealistic. I wanted it toned down. The crew for the show took liberties that didn't seem plausible, especially with Adrianna being a minor. Then there were Adrianna's parents who seemed to blame her for situations that they put her into and disappointed when she was doing what they had asked her to do. The ending also felt a little drawn out.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was definitely an entertaining read. I would have liked more development in some areas and less drama, but it was still a funny, heartfelt, and sweet story.
Content: Some innuendo, crude comments, and bullying.
Source: Received an ARC from NetGalley through Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.
This review originally appeared on Wishful Endings.
I think the word I would use for this story would be fun. I really liked Adrianna in all her geekishness. I got frustrated when she didn't stand up for herself or others, but I also understood. I loved Kevin! He was such a great guy and a totally adorable geek. I loved his relationship with his sister and that he sketches. I also loved the chemistry and the banter between Adrianna and Kevin. Then there was Harper, who I wasn't too sure about at first, but who definitely grew on me. I also loved the larping. Totally freaking awesome! I loved that Adrianna designed clothes and costumes too. I also have to note that there's several parts where there are some seriously corny jokes that were actually quite endearing.
There were a couple of things that I thought could have been better. The drama was over the top in places coming off as unrealistic. I wanted it toned down. The crew for the show took liberties that didn't seem plausible, especially with Adrianna being a minor. Then there were Adrianna's parents who seemed to blame her for situations that they put her into and disappointed when she was doing what they had asked her to do. The ending also felt a little drawn out.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was definitely an entertaining read. I would have liked more development in some areas and less drama, but it was still a funny, heartfelt, and sweet story.
Content: Some innuendo, crude comments, and bullying.
Source: Received an ARC from NetGalley through Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.
This review originally appeared on Wishful Endings.
March 10, 2017
Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
** I received an advanced readers copy from Entagled Teen in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**
Adrianna Bottom moved to Beverly Hills with her parents when their toilet empire became successful. Not only were they expanding to the California area, they were also going to be the stars of a new reality TV series called Bathroom Barons. Adrianna was less than thrilled to have cameras following her when she just wanted to fit in. She had a not so pleasant high school experience at her old school. She was teased and made fun of because of the family business and because she was geeky and not popular.
This book was cute in its own way but it was really busy. There was the reality TV angle, a love triangle of sorts, the family dynamic, the high school popularity scene and the LARPing angle. Add in a ratings hungry producer, a ton of unfortunate situations while pretending to be someone else and a ton of trust issues and it was almost enough to make my head spin. Although it had a lot going on it did manage to somehow work.
I won't lie. Adrianna/Andy made me cringe on numerous occasions. As someone who was so used to being bullied and teased, she neglected to do anything when it happened to others at Beverly Hills High. There were a few times that I wanted to reach inside the pages and give her a good shake.
Kevin was the shining star of this book for me. I really, really liked him and how he handled the bullying that came his way. He stayed true to himself and his beliefs from beginning to end. At times, I felt like he was too good for Adrianna/Andy. However, he did help her to see the errors of her ways and lessons were learnt along the way.
Over all, Secrets of a Reluctant Princess was an entertaining story with a nice moral that I'm sure teenagers will enjoy.
** I received an advanced readers copy from Entagled Teen in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**
Adrianna Bottom moved to Beverly Hills with her parents when their toilet empire became successful. Not only were they expanding to the California area, they were also going to be the stars of a new reality TV series called Bathroom Barons. Adrianna was less than thrilled to have cameras following her when she just wanted to fit in. She had a not so pleasant high school experience at her old school. She was teased and made fun of because of the family business and because she was geeky and not popular.
This book was cute in its own way but it was really busy. There was the reality TV angle, a love triangle of sorts, the family dynamic, the high school popularity scene and the LARPing angle. Add in a ratings hungry producer, a ton of unfortunate situations while pretending to be someone else and a ton of trust issues and it was almost enough to make my head spin. Although it had a lot going on it did manage to somehow work.
I won't lie. Adrianna/Andy made me cringe on numerous occasions. As someone who was so used to being bullied and teased, she neglected to do anything when it happened to others at Beverly Hills High. There were a few times that I wanted to reach inside the pages and give her a good shake.
Kevin was the shining star of this book for me. I really, really liked him and how he handled the bullying that came his way. He stayed true to himself and his beliefs from beginning to end. At times, I felt like he was too good for Adrianna/Andy. However, he did help her to see the errors of her ways and lessons were learnt along the way.
Over all, Secrets of a Reluctant Princess was an entertaining story with a nice moral that I'm sure teenagers will enjoy.
March 7, 2017
Received in exchange for a honest review.
Casey Griffin has knocked it out of the park with this book. I was so entertained and laughed so much. the book had a light hearted tone but dealt with some very real issues that teens go through. For Adrianna we get so much more.
She is a good honest character that gets lost in trying to change herself so she doesn’t experience the pains of being the butt of everyone’s jokes again and to also please her parents. Since her family was now on tv she didn’t know who was her friend or using her. She was kind hearted but did get lost in trying to please everyone but herself. It was Kevin that was a guide but she lost that along the way in her quest to not be who she was.
Kevin was a great guy. He was comfortable with who he was and doesn’t hide behind any pretenses. For this he was ostracized but didn’t care. He was kind, funny and honest. He had a thing for Casey but didn’t quite like all that she did. she was the geeky fun girl who liked comics and learned to love LARPing on the inside but portrayed something different on the outside. The producer of her show didn’t always paint her in a good light either and with things happening to her all the time it did make it hard for Kevin to always have faith in her. I hated to see him hurt by her actions whether it was unintentional or not. And his ex best friend was caught in the fray as well. Him and Kevin did need to work things out as well.
We see high school and how it really is for some. How pressure to fit in takes over and you lose yourself in the need not to be made fun of. We see how because of this we may lose our way and the one who likes us for who we really are and not what we portray to others. We see Casey struggle to fit both of her lives together and find a happy medium only in the end to realize that it is being true to yourself that matters and not what others think. Once she learns this she does everything she can to get back those that were true to her and herself in the process.
the book is entertaining, fun,endearing, addictive and light hearted. We see two people who like each other slowly not see eye to eye due to a series of events that cause one to lose their way. This makes them begin to question who they are and want to be themselves once again and the path to that isn’t easy. A funny book about finding yourself and being comfortable with who you are and getting a great guy and a wonderful set of friends in the process.
Casey Griffin has knocked it out of the park with this book. I was so entertained and laughed so much. the book had a light hearted tone but dealt with some very real issues that teens go through. For Adrianna we get so much more.
She is a good honest character that gets lost in trying to change herself so she doesn’t experience the pains of being the butt of everyone’s jokes again and to also please her parents. Since her family was now on tv she didn’t know who was her friend or using her. She was kind hearted but did get lost in trying to please everyone but herself. It was Kevin that was a guide but she lost that along the way in her quest to not be who she was.
Kevin was a great guy. He was comfortable with who he was and doesn’t hide behind any pretenses. For this he was ostracized but didn’t care. He was kind, funny and honest. He had a thing for Casey but didn’t quite like all that she did. she was the geeky fun girl who liked comics and learned to love LARPing on the inside but portrayed something different on the outside. The producer of her show didn’t always paint her in a good light either and with things happening to her all the time it did make it hard for Kevin to always have faith in her. I hated to see him hurt by her actions whether it was unintentional or not. And his ex best friend was caught in the fray as well. Him and Kevin did need to work things out as well.
We see high school and how it really is for some. How pressure to fit in takes over and you lose yourself in the need not to be made fun of. We see how because of this we may lose our way and the one who likes us for who we really are and not what we portray to others. We see Casey struggle to fit both of her lives together and find a happy medium only in the end to realize that it is being true to yourself that matters and not what others think. Once she learns this she does everything she can to get back those that were true to her and herself in the process.
the book is entertaining, fun,endearing, addictive and light hearted. We see two people who like each other slowly not see eye to eye due to a series of events that cause one to lose their way. This makes them begin to question who they are and want to be themselves once again and the path to that isn’t easy. A funny book about finding yourself and being comfortable with who you are and getting a great guy and a wonderful set of friends in the process.
June 8, 2017
*review copy received from publisher*
A sweet, fluffy fun book which had more depth than expected in the second half.
A sweet, fluffy fun book which had more depth than expected in the second half.
February 10, 2017
We couldn't be rich from something cool, like discovering a new fuel source or curing cancer. Nope. It's a luminescent pee target.
Meet Adrianna (Andy) Bottom. Her father's toilet products have recently taken off landing their entire family on new reality show, Bathroom Barons. With a last name like Bottom what other area would you go into? Anyway. With the launch of the new reality show, the family uproots from Seattle to Beverly Hills. Back in Seattle, Andy was teased relentlessly for her father's inventions, and for her nerdiness. She's hoping for a brand new start in Beverly Hills, despite the fact that her family will be on TV. But it's Beverly Hills. And Andy soon finds herself 'little miss popular' even while losing herself in the process.
This book had a cute premise and even had some cutesy parts. I really liked the attention to detail when it came to events like the LARPing tournaments. I adored Kevin and his sister. And I ended up really liking Harper after being extremely wary of her in the beginning.
But there were also things that I didn't like or that rubbed me the wrong way. First were Andy's parents. Andy was constantly taken advantage of by the director of Bathroom Barons, (think indecent exposure of a minor, staged dates/kisses that bordered on sexual assualt) and they were too busy worrying about their business or social status. I'm sorry, but if I was a parent and saw my child harassed this way, I would do more than make a call to the network. And it wasn't like they couldn't see her unhappiness or her side of the story. Just horrible parenting.
Then there was the whole 'being a nerd/geek is grounds for torment' trope. We live in an age where Marvel and DC rule cinema and television. Shows like Big Bang Theory are rated number one. I find it hard to believe that teens are so black and white here. It's cool to like superheroes people! Let's move on.
My main issue, however, was with Andy herself. She was not a strong character, instead she blended into the background a lot and I found myself more interested in what was going on around her than with her herself. But it was her treatment of the so-called "nerds" that rubbed me the wrong way. Here's a girl who knows what the teasing and ridicule feels like, yet she just sits there and sometimes even partakes in this attitude. But yet the author wants us to know that it's ok for her to act this way because deep down inside she feels differently. Or that because she's nice to them in secret, it's ok. NO. You're a weak minded girl who cares more about what people think of you than other people's feelings. There were so many places where she could have easily spoken up but instead she just let it go.
Despite the fact that I didn't like Andy herself, the wrap up of the story was just so 'teen movie cheese' that it was enjoyable. Maybe this book was just a little too young for me to enjoy fully.
I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2017
This story is about a girl named Adrianna (Andy) Bottom. Her father sold some bathroom gizmos and now is a huge success. They moved to LA from Seattle and Andy is hoping to have better luck in this school, as she was teased unmercifully at her last school. All she wanted was to fly under the radar and make a few friends but her parents decided to agree to a reality show and she found herself being followed by Corbin and his crew as the 'Princess' of Bottom's Bathrooms and Accessories, filming her every embarrassing move.
She meets a girl named Harper who is friendly, popular, and Andy hopes that this is a sign that things will be better. But her stylist made her wear tight clothes and when she went to pick up a pen in her class, the skirt ripped and everyone saw her Wonder Woman undies. Andy was mortified (as anyone would be). But Corbin and his team are merciless and recorded this horrible moment and later put it on TV. Andy fled the school, and Corbin's team, and hid in a hardware store where she met a cute boy named Kevin. She learned about larping from him and he helped her hide from Corbin.
The rest of the book is basically Corbin filming her life, editing his footage to make the situations appear to be something they weren't (typically hurting Andy and her relationships), and everyone ending up mad at Andy. Including her parents whose business starts to hurt once the show airs.
So I had a really hard time buying off on parents having their teenage daughter filmed (when she clearly did not want to be) and then blaming her when things go wrong. (they ultimately come around on her side, but this was a plot line I just couldn't understand). I did get the 'ruthless paparazzi type director' but Lennox (popular boy, was dating Harper, was suddenly 'into' Andy) was kind of a mess of a character. Like the author couldn't decide if he was mean, stupid, gullible, misunderstood, etc. And I guess he could easily have been all those things (most of us have all those tendencies) but maybe it was how she did it that made his character somewhat of a mess. Cause I think we're supposed to be happy he's with Harper at the end, but his actions just don't make sense for me to be happy he ends up a 'good guy'.
Things that happen to Andy that are misunderstood on camera: She is seen flinging ice cream on Kevin's sister Keelie, but it was really her 'friend' Mercedes. She is caught making out with Lennox in the car, but really Lennox was bribed by Corbin to make out with her, she tried to push him away, but they edited it (and added different sounds) to make it look like she enjoyed it. Corbin followed her to larping and caught Andy and Kevin, giving away that Andy was the girl Kevin had been spending time with.
Cause that was the other major twist. With all the bad things happening in her real life, Andy began larping but wore a mask so none of the larpers knew who she was. She became friends with all of them as 'herself' and she found herself very attracted to Kevin. Keelie discovered her duplicity and was going to rat her out but Corbin aired the Lennox-makeout episode and ruined everything.
Story ends with Corbin being outed, Kevin forging Andy, they saved the land for larping (her parents were going to tear it down and build another store), and Harper and Lennox got back together.
It was a fun read, but at times the plausibility of these scenarios was pretty far stretched. But it was still a decent story.
She meets a girl named Harper who is friendly, popular, and Andy hopes that this is a sign that things will be better. But her stylist made her wear tight clothes and when she went to pick up a pen in her class, the skirt ripped and everyone saw her Wonder Woman undies. Andy was mortified (as anyone would be). But Corbin and his team are merciless and recorded this horrible moment and later put it on TV. Andy fled the school, and Corbin's team, and hid in a hardware store where she met a cute boy named Kevin. She learned about larping from him and he helped her hide from Corbin.
The rest of the book is basically Corbin filming her life, editing his footage to make the situations appear to be something they weren't (typically hurting Andy and her relationships), and everyone ending up mad at Andy. Including her parents whose business starts to hurt once the show airs.
So I had a really hard time buying off on parents having their teenage daughter filmed (when she clearly did not want to be) and then blaming her when things go wrong. (they ultimately come around on her side, but this was a plot line I just couldn't understand). I did get the 'ruthless paparazzi type director' but Lennox (popular boy, was dating Harper, was suddenly 'into' Andy) was kind of a mess of a character. Like the author couldn't decide if he was mean, stupid, gullible, misunderstood, etc. And I guess he could easily have been all those things (most of us have all those tendencies) but maybe it was how she did it that made his character somewhat of a mess. Cause I think we're supposed to be happy he's with Harper at the end, but his actions just don't make sense for me to be happy he ends up a 'good guy'.
Things that happen to Andy that are misunderstood on camera: She is seen flinging ice cream on Kevin's sister Keelie, but it was really her 'friend' Mercedes. She is caught making out with Lennox in the car, but really Lennox was bribed by Corbin to make out with her, she tried to push him away, but they edited it (and added different sounds) to make it look like she enjoyed it. Corbin followed her to larping and caught Andy and Kevin, giving away that Andy was the girl Kevin had been spending time with.
Cause that was the other major twist. With all the bad things happening in her real life, Andy began larping but wore a mask so none of the larpers knew who she was. She became friends with all of them as 'herself' and she found herself very attracted to Kevin. Keelie discovered her duplicity and was going to rat her out but Corbin aired the Lennox-makeout episode and ruined everything.
Story ends with Corbin being outed, Kevin forging Andy, they saved the land for larping (her parents were going to tear it down and build another store), and Harper and Lennox got back together.
It was a fun read, but at times the plausibility of these scenarios was pretty far stretched. But it was still a decent story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2017
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
I have to admit I found Secrets of a Reluctant Princess to be far too formulaic to keep my interest. There have been some GREAT geek YA novels lately (e.g.,The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl and the fantastic The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You) and so there is much to measure up to in this subject. But cardboard characters, the prototypical plot, a rather unfunny attempt at humor, and an insipid topical plot left me very underwhelmed.Story: Andy is a geek who was bullied her whole life in Seattle because her father makes toilet/bathroom accessories. But when one of his inventions make them rich, they move to Beverly Hills and become the subject of a reality TV show: the Bathroom Barons. Our Porcelain Princess has the chance to be popular and hang out with the cool kids at Beverly Hills High - but are they interested in her or her fame? And why does she keep thinking about the handsome boy who enjoys Live Action Role Playing (LARP) and is bullied because of it? Life is about to get even more complicated for the Porcelain Princess when the producer of the TV show takes matters into his own hands to make the show racier and more scandalous.
There are two 'hooks' with this book: The Kardashians-like life of a reality TV star and the geek world (anime, comics, Larping). The problem here is that neither angles are really explored or expounded upon in a way that elevates the story. The reality TV angle should have been funny but it became tedious fast - Andy being hounded by an unconscionable producer and many misrepresentations of otherwise innocent situations. There's so much room here for a clever social commentary but Griffin never really explores the wealth of satire available; the TV show is just set dressing so Andy can have misunderstandings with hot geek boy Kevin.
The geek angle is similarly grossly underused. We are told over and over that she loves geeky things like comic books and anime. But other than a few sentences and a wardrobe malfunction featuring wonder woman emblazoned underwear, we get absolutely no perspective of Andy's secret geekiness. There is no 'show' to the 'tell' - nothing about anime whatsoever, no parallels to her life and comic characters, no superhero Easter eggs or wink winks. Rather, all we know of Andy is that she hates the cameras around her, is annoyed that her parents didn't buy her a car, and she has the hots for geek boy Kevin. My own geek heart wilted and cried at the missed opportunities - even the Larping with Kevin felt contrived and unrealistic. Neither character felt authentic as a result.
The book also hits most of the cliches of the YA romance genre: insta luv, big misunderstandings, smelling the boy all the time, girl being rude and mean to show that she is 'spirited', the boy not minding the rude and obnoxious attitude and thinking that is 'cute', the archetypal mean girls and stupid jocks in high school, the interrupted confessions, etc. etc. I've read this before and there just isn't a single original piece in this entire book, sadly.
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess isn't a terrible book. I'd categorize it as a light fluffy read for undemanding readers who think the Kardashians are awesome. Everyone else might be a bit bored by the well worn path this book's plot takes. Those who love geek stories should really check out the two books mentioned earlier in the review - they revel in, explore, and really bring out the pathos and humor in the wonderful world of comics, anime, and geekdom. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
March 12, 2017
Originally posted on Daydreaming Books.
* I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
So, this one was a bummer for me. I wanted to like this book but it was simply impossible to do so.
Adrianna or Andy's family came into the limelight overnight when his father's business shot to fame. Now, they are even having their own reality tv show but all Andy wants is freedom from all the cameramen following her everywhere. With Kevin, she feels like she can be normal but becomes difficult when she is warned not to mix with him because he's the school nerd. The only way she breathes in peace for a little while is by LARping but when all the secrets explode in her face, she has to step up in her game or lose everything.
The plot was enjoyable but a lot predictable. I almost DNF'ed it because it felt it was not going anywhere but it suddenly picked up momentum. This book had its moments but the negative factors overpowered it. When Andy's family shoots to fame, they sign a contract for a reality tv show which becomes a complete nightmare for Andy. I don't understand one thing, why does most of the parents in YA makes shitty decisions all the time, they seem less matured than the kids which is completely lame! Likewise, even when Andy's parents knew what she was going through they didn't do anything for a long time except for some screaming sometimes but it is not much until later that they take strict decisions.
I didn't connect with the characters much either. I felt bad for Andy, though, she was in this mess because of her parent's business but she didn't stand up to her choices either but it was still understandable since she was bullied in her previous school for the very same reason. I wanted to like Kevin but he was too quick to judge and I am not much of a fan of people who judge too quickly even without knowing the other side of the story.
I really, really hated Lennox, he seemed quite unaware of that fact that NO MEANS NO!! It was later revealed that he was mostly acting due to Corbin's talking but that doesn't make this any okay! I don't know how everything was rainbow and sunshine, in the end, all of it felt very unrealistic. Also, the LARing was kind of boring to read as well, I mostly skimmed those sections.
Overall, wasn't much of a good read. The plot and the characters were predictable. The writing was easy to read but the pace differed throughout the book.
Recommend it?
No.
* I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
So, this one was a bummer for me. I wanted to like this book but it was simply impossible to do so.
Adrianna or Andy's family came into the limelight overnight when his father's business shot to fame. Now, they are even having their own reality tv show but all Andy wants is freedom from all the cameramen following her everywhere. With Kevin, she feels like she can be normal but becomes difficult when she is warned not to mix with him because he's the school nerd. The only way she breathes in peace for a little while is by LARping but when all the secrets explode in her face, she has to step up in her game or lose everything.
The plot was enjoyable but a lot predictable. I almost DNF'ed it because it felt it was not going anywhere but it suddenly picked up momentum. This book had its moments but the negative factors overpowered it. When Andy's family shoots to fame, they sign a contract for a reality tv show which becomes a complete nightmare for Andy. I don't understand one thing, why does most of the parents in YA makes shitty decisions all the time, they seem less matured than the kids which is completely lame! Likewise, even when Andy's parents knew what she was going through they didn't do anything for a long time except for some screaming sometimes but it is not much until later that they take strict decisions.
I didn't connect with the characters much either. I felt bad for Andy, though, she was in this mess because of her parent's business but she didn't stand up to her choices either but it was still understandable since she was bullied in her previous school for the very same reason. I wanted to like Kevin but he was too quick to judge and I am not much of a fan of people who judge too quickly even without knowing the other side of the story.
I really, really hated Lennox, he seemed quite unaware of that fact that NO MEANS NO!! It was later revealed that he was mostly acting due to Corbin's talking but that doesn't make this any okay! I don't know how everything was rainbow and sunshine, in the end, all of it felt very unrealistic. Also, the LARing was kind of boring to read as well, I mostly skimmed those sections.
Overall, wasn't much of a good read. The plot and the characters were predictable. The writing was easy to read but the pace differed throughout the book.
Recommend it?
No.
March 8, 2017
This book was a cute YA romp through today's high school world: where "reality TV" and social media rule and being perfect is the only way to stay away from humiliation. I would liken this book to a younger Sophia Kinsella novel - full of slapstick situations which can make you laugh out loud at their absurdity- or a 2000's teen movie with a modern twist - a light, sweet movie where everything turns out all right in the end. Yay!
Andrea "Andy" Bottom is the heiress to the Bottom's Bathrooms fortune, and her family's move to Beverly Hills and newfound riches are going to be chronicled on the show "Bathroom Barons." Soudns cool right? Except Andy is more "Lord of the Rings" than Kardashian, and while she tries to reinvent herself into a diva in the middle of the popular crowd for the sake of helping out her parents' business, she secretly longs to join a group of LARPers, headed up by the cute nerd Kevin. How long can she maintain this double life before it crashes down around her? She's about to find out.
This book has a great premise - Andy is literally named the "Porcelain Princess" of Bottom's Bathrooms - and there were some scenes that just had me laughing so hard. I loved that Andy seemed to find herself in these over-the-top situations after a couple things just didn't seem to want to go her way, just like in real life. I related to her realness.
I do wish that Kevin had some more development, though. It seemed like we just sort of were told that we liked him, without showing us why we were supposed to like him. He also seemed to fall in love a lot, with practically any girl who didn't make fun of him, which isn't a great sign, but I can forgive these issues for the sake of the storyline. The star of the show is Andy, and whoever her fairytale prince is, I'll support.
I also loved the reality television storyline because it felt so relevant. Everyone seems to be getting a show these days, and to get a "behind the scenes" peak at how that can be both a curse and a blessing was really cool.
Overall, this was an easy, cute read for anyone who enjoys a good fairytale or a good pun. You'll want this "Porcelain Princess" to be your friend in real life by the time you turn the last page.
Andrea "Andy" Bottom is the heiress to the Bottom's Bathrooms fortune, and her family's move to Beverly Hills and newfound riches are going to be chronicled on the show "Bathroom Barons." Soudns cool right? Except Andy is more "Lord of the Rings" than Kardashian, and while she tries to reinvent herself into a diva in the middle of the popular crowd for the sake of helping out her parents' business, she secretly longs to join a group of LARPers, headed up by the cute nerd Kevin. How long can she maintain this double life before it crashes down around her? She's about to find out.
This book has a great premise - Andy is literally named the "Porcelain Princess" of Bottom's Bathrooms - and there were some scenes that just had me laughing so hard. I loved that Andy seemed to find herself in these over-the-top situations after a couple things just didn't seem to want to go her way, just like in real life. I related to her realness.
I do wish that Kevin had some more development, though. It seemed like we just sort of were told that we liked him, without showing us why we were supposed to like him. He also seemed to fall in love a lot, with practically any girl who didn't make fun of him, which isn't a great sign, but I can forgive these issues for the sake of the storyline. The star of the show is Andy, and whoever her fairytale prince is, I'll support.
I also loved the reality television storyline because it felt so relevant. Everyone seems to be getting a show these days, and to get a "behind the scenes" peak at how that can be both a curse and a blessing was really cool.
Overall, this was an easy, cute read for anyone who enjoys a good fairytale or a good pun. You'll want this "Porcelain Princess" to be your friend in real life by the time you turn the last page.
March 13, 2018
4.5
Moral of the story:
Just be yourself, no matter what others may think of you.
This is a great read, and for those who aren't generally interested in "princessy" stories,
don't worry, this isn't your typical princess story. It has nothing to do with royalty.
Moral of the story:
Just be yourself, no matter what others may think of you.
This is a great read, and for those who aren't generally interested in "princessy" stories,
don't worry, this isn't your typical princess story. It has nothing to do with royalty.
May 24, 2017
Super fun young adult romance with a heroine who must hide her nerdiness to become a reality star princess for her father's bathroom supply empire.
February 24, 2017
**This review will also appear on A Leisure Moment**
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Hear ye, hear ye! I introduce to you a book of royal nerdiness!
Adrianna Bottom left Seattle behind, along with the relentless teasing and bullying—but her father’s billionaire bathroom business followed. She wanted to create a new life for herself in California, which was the most relatable part about her character. I wanted to be in touch with her, get lost in her story.There were times when I could not relate to Andy. The times when she was Princess Andy of Asdor were her best moments. I loved that Andy. I understood why she acted the way she did, I did, but there was a relatable click missing. She hid who she was almost too well, even in her inner dialogue. She only let the best Andy show while LARPing, and I would have liked more of her, because that Andy was extremely likable. The comic book references and LARPing dialogue created a whole other world that deserved some endless love.
I liked the relationship she had with her best friend. I would’ve had liked a little more but was glad where Griffin decided to go with their friendship. Harper as a character was great. She had her own story of unrequited love going on in the background. I still believe that Harper deserved more than Lennox, the thorn in Adrianna’s flesh for most of the book, and didn’t understand what she saw in him. Griffin did segue some of the blame for his actions onto another character, but I can’t say that I wanted Lennox to get his happily ever after like I did the other characters in the book.
Kevin…oh, Kevin. He, Dallas Lang, and Logan Scott would make the ultimate nerd (ehem, hot nerd) trio. I didn’t know what to think of him at first, but I slowly started to fall for him. I wanted Andy to stand up and shout to the heavens that she didn’t care if he was a nerd, because she was, too! There were times when I thought Kevin deserved better than the way Adrianna—not Andy—treated him. She gave him the benefit of the doubt for some of his tough feelings for her when he didn’t know Adrianna and Andy were the same person, yes, but there were times when his opinion of her was merited. Still, I wanted them to end up together. A lot of their problems boiled down to constant misunderstandings, and Andy did tell the story. She needed to find her way, and I wanted the path to lead toward Kevin.
If you enjoyed The Replacement Crush or The Summer I Became a Nerd , then this should be added to your collection. LARPing and bathroom accessories abound in Casey Griffin’s YA debut. Not only do you have a world (Asdor) within our own, but a fresh (ha, see what I did there?) voice on the scene. Plus, there’s nerd love!
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Hear ye, hear ye! I introduce to you a book of royal nerdiness!
Adrianna Bottom left Seattle behind, along with the relentless teasing and bullying—but her father’s billionaire bathroom business followed. She wanted to create a new life for herself in California, which was the most relatable part about her character. I wanted to be in touch with her, get lost in her story.There were times when I could not relate to Andy. The times when she was Princess Andy of Asdor were her best moments. I loved that Andy. I understood why she acted the way she did, I did, but there was a relatable click missing. She hid who she was almost too well, even in her inner dialogue. She only let the best Andy show while LARPing, and I would have liked more of her, because that Andy was extremely likable. The comic book references and LARPing dialogue created a whole other world that deserved some endless love.
I liked the relationship she had with her best friend. I would’ve had liked a little more but was glad where Griffin decided to go with their friendship. Harper as a character was great. She had her own story of unrequited love going on in the background. I still believe that Harper deserved more than Lennox, the thorn in Adrianna’s flesh for most of the book, and didn’t understand what she saw in him. Griffin did segue some of the blame for his actions onto another character, but I can’t say that I wanted Lennox to get his happily ever after like I did the other characters in the book.
Kevin…oh, Kevin. He, Dallas Lang, and Logan Scott would make the ultimate nerd (ehem, hot nerd) trio. I didn’t know what to think of him at first, but I slowly started to fall for him. I wanted Andy to stand up and shout to the heavens that she didn’t care if he was a nerd, because she was, too! There were times when I thought Kevin deserved better than the way Adrianna—not Andy—treated him. She gave him the benefit of the doubt for some of his tough feelings for her when he didn’t know Adrianna and Andy were the same person, yes, but there were times when his opinion of her was merited. Still, I wanted them to end up together. A lot of their problems boiled down to constant misunderstandings, and Andy did tell the story. She needed to find her way, and I wanted the path to lead toward Kevin.
If you enjoyed The Replacement Crush or The Summer I Became a Nerd , then this should be added to your collection. LARPing and bathroom accessories abound in Casey Griffin’s YA debut. Not only do you have a world (Asdor) within our own, but a fresh (ha, see what I did there?) voice on the scene. Plus, there’s nerd love!
March 14, 2017
This review appeared on We Live and Breathe Books
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Adrianna thought she was getting a fresh start. A new city. A new school. A new look. She thought that if she shed the "Andy" parts of herself and played a better social game, that things could be different. As she worked harder towards avoiding becoming a social outcast, she began to lose parts of herself. Those missing parts were found every Sunday, when she would go LARPing. When Adrianna donned her mask, she became Princess Andy, and this princess was closer to her true self than the Porcelain Princess ever would be.
I found this book to be a very sweet and endearing look at how difficult it can be to be your true self. Andy's struggle was a typical one for many teens, but I appreciated that Griffin did not turn her into an angsty mess. Sometimes you want angst, sometimes you want light and breezy. I was in for some lighter fair today, and the drama level was exactly to my liking.
Griffin assembled a fine cast of supporting characters to help Adrianna find her way back to Andy. Among them was the geeky but awesome Kevin. Kevin was the opposite of "Adrianna". He unabashedly let his freak flag fly, and was a relatively happy guy. There were so many adorable interactions between Kevin and Andy, I couldn't help but jump on that ship. Another standout in the cast was Kevin's sister, Keelie. How do you not adore a girl who is true to her self, speaks her mind, and protects those she loves with the ferocity of a lion?
But alas, my favorite parts of this book were the LARPing parts. Griffin did a great job with all the LARPing sequences. She had me googling to learn more and wanting to fabricate a boffer so I could join in the fun. These scenes were so much fun to read, and added an extra element of enjoyment for me. What can I say? I love geeky things.
Overall: Super adorable and fun read which appealed to my geekier side.
**I would like to thank Entangled Teen and Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours for the advanced copy of this book
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Rating: 3.5 Stars
Adrianna thought she was getting a fresh start. A new city. A new school. A new look. She thought that if she shed the "Andy" parts of herself and played a better social game, that things could be different. As she worked harder towards avoiding becoming a social outcast, she began to lose parts of herself. Those missing parts were found every Sunday, when she would go LARPing. When Adrianna donned her mask, she became Princess Andy, and this princess was closer to her true self than the Porcelain Princess ever would be.
I found this book to be a very sweet and endearing look at how difficult it can be to be your true self. Andy's struggle was a typical one for many teens, but I appreciated that Griffin did not turn her into an angsty mess. Sometimes you want angst, sometimes you want light and breezy. I was in for some lighter fair today, and the drama level was exactly to my liking.
Griffin assembled a fine cast of supporting characters to help Adrianna find her way back to Andy. Among them was the geeky but awesome Kevin. Kevin was the opposite of "Adrianna". He unabashedly let his freak flag fly, and was a relatively happy guy. There were so many adorable interactions between Kevin and Andy, I couldn't help but jump on that ship. Another standout in the cast was Kevin's sister, Keelie. How do you not adore a girl who is true to her self, speaks her mind, and protects those she loves with the ferocity of a lion?
But alas, my favorite parts of this book were the LARPing parts. Griffin did a great job with all the LARPing sequences. She had me googling to learn more and wanting to fabricate a boffer so I could join in the fun. These scenes were so much fun to read, and added an extra element of enjoyment for me. What can I say? I love geeky things.
Overall: Super adorable and fun read which appealed to my geekier side.
**I would like to thank Entangled Teen and Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours for the advanced copy of this book
BLOG|INSTAGRAM|BLOGLOVIN| FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
February 17, 2017
This is a clear case of it's not you, it's me.
I don't think I'm the right audience for this book; it's your typical YA book with a heroine who is about to have her life become a reality show as her dad "discovered" a fancy toilet or something. Anyway, I don't think anyone would be interesting in watching that but worse things have had a reality TV.
Our main character is annoying to be honest but the book touches a subject that a lot of teens might be in to so that's a plus.
Not my cup of tea but I'm sure it will find its audience.
I don't think I'm the right audience for this book; it's your typical YA book with a heroine who is about to have her life become a reality show as her dad "discovered" a fancy toilet or something. Anyway, I don't think anyone would be interesting in watching that but worse things have had a reality TV.
Our main character is annoying to be honest but the book touches a subject that a lot of teens might be in to so that's a plus.
Not my cup of tea but I'm sure it will find its audience.
January 26, 2017
Despite the author's best efforts to inject a positive message into this story (be true to yourself) this is, alas, about as shallow as YA gets. While I don't necessarily have a problem with this, after all we all need a bit of fluff at times, this book is edging towards the kind of shallow that starts to grate. Andy, or Adriana, is pretty clueless. While I like that she is flawed, and while not necessarily unlikable she is annoying. Perhaps the biggest issue with the story is that I never quite believed the fundamental premise of the story. Surely if one was creating a rags to riches story one could do better than a toilet empire. Even while this part of the story is believable I doubted that it would make suitable fodder for a reality tv show. However, what I did like was Griffin's exploration of youth sub-cultures. The manga and larping references gave voice to a group of teens who often feel marginalised and we need more YA books that stray away from the middle road.
While it certainly doesn't elevate me to lofty literary heights this is not a badly written story. Indeed it will probably appeal to younger YA students (only just grown out of Disney Princesses). To be honest, I probably wouldn't want it in my library. I'm not offended by it, I just think there is better stuff out there. Unfortunately the thing I like most about the story may also be its undoing. While this book addresses underground youth sub-cultures that are considered by many to be "uncool' it does so in a language that is quite pedestrian. I suspect any young people out there who actually participate in larping would find this quite a vacuous read.
While it certainly doesn't elevate me to lofty literary heights this is not a badly written story. Indeed it will probably appeal to younger YA students (only just grown out of Disney Princesses). To be honest, I probably wouldn't want it in my library. I'm not offended by it, I just think there is better stuff out there. Unfortunately the thing I like most about the story may also be its undoing. While this book addresses underground youth sub-cultures that are considered by many to be "uncool' it does so in a language that is quite pedestrian. I suspect any young people out there who actually participate in larping would find this quite a vacuous read.
March 7, 2017
4 1/2 stars;
The first couple of chapters of Secrets of a Reluctant Princess are pure farce, in the literary meaning and not the current derogatory meaning. Adrianna (Andy), of the unfortunate last name of “Bottom” (unfortunate because of her father’s business in plumbing supplies and his tendency to (heh) plumb the depths of those puns), becomes the “Porcelain Princess” on the Bathroom Barons reality tv series based on her family’s newly acquired wealth thanks to her father’s invention the Bowl Buddy.
Now cameras are following her around and film the result of her stylist’s decision to make her wear a too-tight skirt thus showing her beloved Wonder Woman underwear. In her attempts to get away, she ends up hiding in a hardware store and meets Kevin, who is cute and shares her interests.
read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2017/02/0...
The first couple of chapters of Secrets of a Reluctant Princess are pure farce, in the literary meaning and not the current derogatory meaning. Adrianna (Andy), of the unfortunate last name of “Bottom” (unfortunate because of her father’s business in plumbing supplies and his tendency to (heh) plumb the depths of those puns), becomes the “Porcelain Princess” on the Bathroom Barons reality tv series based on her family’s newly acquired wealth thanks to her father’s invention the Bowl Buddy.
Now cameras are following her around and film the result of her stylist’s decision to make her wear a too-tight skirt thus showing her beloved Wonder Woman underwear. In her attempts to get away, she ends up hiding in a hardware store and meets Kevin, who is cute and shares her interests.
read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2017/02/0...
March 14, 2017
Adrianna Bottom's father is famous for his Bottom's Bathrooms and Accessories. It's why they've moved to Los Angeles where they're getting their own reality show. Adrianna isn't happy with her parents' decisions and doesn't want to be on television. Especially not because the director seems to want her to be someone she isn't and he's always there to film her most embarrassing moments. Starting at a new school is already scary, but constantly being in the spotlight while trying to make friends, meeting someone cute and having to aim to be popular is a difficult job for her. Adrianna doesn't know what to do and how to behave, which is why she has to keep more and more secrets from the people around her, which isn't very handy when there's a camera present almost the whole time.
Adrianna wants to make friends, but hanging out with the most popular girls at school has a price, they have rules she has to stick to. One of them is ignoring Kevin, the guy she really likes. The crowd she's spending her time with doesn't accept him and she's being advised to find someone else to hang out with. To be able to see Kevin Adrianna joins his larp group while being in disguise. Because she wears a wig and a mask Kevin and his friends have no idea who she is. Will this way to get to know him work in Adrianna's favor or will it eventually backfire and ruin her chances with Kevin and the new friends she's just made?
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess is a story about self confidence and allowing yourself to be the person you want to be. Adrianna wants to please everyone, but by doing so she makes things very difficult for herself. She's a sweet geeky girl who has to try to be someone she's not. She does a lot of introspection and eventually discovers what is important to her. It's a long journey filled with embarrassing moments, beautiful meaningful connections, friendship, peer pressure, secrets and fun. I loved the versatility of it and couldn't wait to find out if she'd find happiness or not. Kevin is a kindhearted and talented guy and they are a great match. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see if they would have a chance together.
Casey Griffin has put many interesting elements into her story. There's a real life television show with a director who only thinks about his ratings, Adrianna wants to fit in at a new school while trying to escape the cameras as much as she can and her father has a terrific original business. I especially liked the larping aspect of the story. The vivid descriptions of the costumes, rules and battles are making it come to life incredibly well. I loved Casey Griffin's obvious love for her topic, which results into a unique and unexpected plot with a strong finale. The ending is entertaining, surprising and sweet. Secrets of a Reluctant Princess is a fabulous original story written with a great sense of humor.
Adrianna wants to make friends, but hanging out with the most popular girls at school has a price, they have rules she has to stick to. One of them is ignoring Kevin, the guy she really likes. The crowd she's spending her time with doesn't accept him and she's being advised to find someone else to hang out with. To be able to see Kevin Adrianna joins his larp group while being in disguise. Because she wears a wig and a mask Kevin and his friends have no idea who she is. Will this way to get to know him work in Adrianna's favor or will it eventually backfire and ruin her chances with Kevin and the new friends she's just made?
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess is a story about self confidence and allowing yourself to be the person you want to be. Adrianna wants to please everyone, but by doing so she makes things very difficult for herself. She's a sweet geeky girl who has to try to be someone she's not. She does a lot of introspection and eventually discovers what is important to her. It's a long journey filled with embarrassing moments, beautiful meaningful connections, friendship, peer pressure, secrets and fun. I loved the versatility of it and couldn't wait to find out if she'd find happiness or not. Kevin is a kindhearted and talented guy and they are a great match. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see if they would have a chance together.
Casey Griffin has put many interesting elements into her story. There's a real life television show with a director who only thinks about his ratings, Adrianna wants to fit in at a new school while trying to escape the cameras as much as she can and her father has a terrific original business. I especially liked the larping aspect of the story. The vivid descriptions of the costumes, rules and battles are making it come to life incredibly well. I loved Casey Griffin's obvious love for her topic, which results into a unique and unexpected plot with a strong finale. The ending is entertaining, surprising and sweet. Secrets of a Reluctant Princess is a fabulous original story written with a great sense of humor.
March 12, 2017
This book had it's moments. Both really cute and funny, and a few that went on a bit too long. I loved Adrianna "Andy" Bottom, heir to the Bottoms Bathroom dynasty. She's funny, quirky, and a little unsure of herself, but she's also got a solid backbone that I loved. When her family moves from the Pacific Northwest down to Beverly Hills, subject of a new reality show based on their bathroom products, she becomes the Porcelain Princess. The victim of ridicule in her old school, she has a chance to reinvent herself in Southern California. But things go unexpectedly, hilariously wrong when on the first day of school, her new pencil skirt splits right down the back, revealing her Wonder Woman underwear for the entire world to see, literally, since the cameras are always there.
While she quickly makes friends, she sets her sights on cute, but nerdy, Kevin. Her new friend tells her that would be social suicide, so Adrianna finds a way to dodge the cameras and become someone else, someone Kevin might be interested in. The world of live-action role playing (LARPing) takes center stage as Adrianna attempts a Hannah Montana life of having the best of both worlds.
The romance is sweet and the life of a reality-TV star makes for some hysterical moments, but the LARPing was almost a distraction. I loved that side of the story, but a lot of attention was paid to the LARPing events. The first one was great. I loved seeing how their world worked, sort of like living Dungeons & Dragons. But by the third event, I found myself skimming those sections. I knew Adrianna and her friends weren't in real danger, so the sword battles and treasure hunting didn't hold my attention. I flipped past those, looking for the nuggets that moved the main plot along.
Plot
The plot centers around Adrianna's relationship with Kevin with strong subplots involving LARPing and her family's business. Themes include being true to yourself and loyalty to friends. The main plot was good. There isn't much heat in the relationship, but it's definitely cute and I was pulling for these two the whole way.
Characters
I liked all of the characters. Even the antagonist, the show's camera guy, is more than a stereotype. Some seemed cardboard on the surface, but by the end of the story, it was clear what everyone's motivations were.
What Didn't Work for Me
1. Long LARPing Expeditions. These distracted me from the main plot too much.
2. Southern California Life. Some of it didn't come across as authentic. Beverly Hills teens don't take the bus. In fact public transportation in LA is pretty much a joke. I also have a hard time believing a small plumbing store could afford the rents on Rodeo Drive. And there are few empty lots anywhere in town that resemble a forest, but I could overlook most of this for the sake of the story.
What I Enjoyed About SECRETS OF A RELUCTANT PRINCESS
1. Adrianna. She was really complex. Part nerd, part cool kid, tough yet vulnerable, there was much to like about our heroine.
2. Kevin. Sometimes I wanted to shake him, other times I felt bad for him, but I always pulled for him to get the girl.
3. Comedy. The author does a fabulous job of weaving wit and humor throughout the story.
4. LARPing. While I didn't need to read all the details of their quests, I absolutely love this idea of dressing up and becoming another character. Like Comic-Con on steroids.
5. Reality TV. I don't actually watch any reality TV aside from competitions on the Food Network, but I loved the behind-the-scenes look at life in front of the camera.
Bottom Line
SECRETS OF A RELUCTANT PRINCESS is a cute, funny romance with lovable characters.
While she quickly makes friends, she sets her sights on cute, but nerdy, Kevin. Her new friend tells her that would be social suicide, so Adrianna finds a way to dodge the cameras and become someone else, someone Kevin might be interested in. The world of live-action role playing (LARPing) takes center stage as Adrianna attempts a Hannah Montana life of having the best of both worlds.
The romance is sweet and the life of a reality-TV star makes for some hysterical moments, but the LARPing was almost a distraction. I loved that side of the story, but a lot of attention was paid to the LARPing events. The first one was great. I loved seeing how their world worked, sort of like living Dungeons & Dragons. But by the third event, I found myself skimming those sections. I knew Adrianna and her friends weren't in real danger, so the sword battles and treasure hunting didn't hold my attention. I flipped past those, looking for the nuggets that moved the main plot along.
Plot
The plot centers around Adrianna's relationship with Kevin with strong subplots involving LARPing and her family's business. Themes include being true to yourself and loyalty to friends. The main plot was good. There isn't much heat in the relationship, but it's definitely cute and I was pulling for these two the whole way.
Characters
I liked all of the characters. Even the antagonist, the show's camera guy, is more than a stereotype. Some seemed cardboard on the surface, but by the end of the story, it was clear what everyone's motivations were.
What Didn't Work for Me
1. Long LARPing Expeditions. These distracted me from the main plot too much.
2. Southern California Life. Some of it didn't come across as authentic. Beverly Hills teens don't take the bus. In fact public transportation in LA is pretty much a joke. I also have a hard time believing a small plumbing store could afford the rents on Rodeo Drive. And there are few empty lots anywhere in town that resemble a forest, but I could overlook most of this for the sake of the story.
What I Enjoyed About SECRETS OF A RELUCTANT PRINCESS
1. Adrianna. She was really complex. Part nerd, part cool kid, tough yet vulnerable, there was much to like about our heroine.
2. Kevin. Sometimes I wanted to shake him, other times I felt bad for him, but I always pulled for him to get the girl.
3. Comedy. The author does a fabulous job of weaving wit and humor throughout the story.
4. LARPing. While I didn't need to read all the details of their quests, I absolutely love this idea of dressing up and becoming another character. Like Comic-Con on steroids.
5. Reality TV. I don't actually watch any reality TV aside from competitions on the Food Network, but I loved the behind-the-scenes look at life in front of the camera.
Bottom Line
SECRETS OF A RELUCTANT PRINCESS is a cute, funny romance with lovable characters.
February 13, 2017
***ARC PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW***
Casey Griffin delivered a teen fairytale with 'Secrets of A Reluctant Princess'. It has all the great feels for a teen read and I found myself enjoying the humor and little love story that it gave us.
Adrianna Bottom is a geeky teenager who loves comics and making her own clothes. She gets picked on at school because her dad invents bathroom supplies and items. She is used to having no friends because of all of this but with her family now starring in their own reality TV show due to her dads success, she's hoping her new life in Hollywood will change everything for her.
Adrianna quickly learns that kids are still cruel unless you’re a new TV Phenomenon. She wants to just fit in and not be teased so she goes with it, until she meets Kevin. She doesn't realize Kevin is considered the "Mayor" of the geeks until the kids at school give her a lesson in who she shouldn't associate with. Adrianna isn't too big in this because she clicked with Kevin and finds that she really likes him!
Kevin works in his uncle’s store, which happens to be a hardware/bathroom store. Adrianna doesn't know he's in her class until she hides in his store trying to flee the camera crew. On the most embarrassing first day of her life, he is like a reprieve, until he's basically shunned by her because she cannot make up her mind on what side she wants to be on.
This book was definitely geared towards a more teenage audience but I loved the humor and wit in it. We all have come across the one person in school who was the awkward one and not cool, or hell we might have been that person. Yes I loved that Casey gave Adrianna a bit of the cool life, but she gave a lesson to readers on why you should be who you are.
4 "Bottom" stars
Reviewed by Jodi N.
Casey Griffin delivered a teen fairytale with 'Secrets of A Reluctant Princess'. It has all the great feels for a teen read and I found myself enjoying the humor and little love story that it gave us.
Adrianna Bottom is a geeky teenager who loves comics and making her own clothes. She gets picked on at school because her dad invents bathroom supplies and items. She is used to having no friends because of all of this but with her family now starring in their own reality TV show due to her dads success, she's hoping her new life in Hollywood will change everything for her.
Adrianna quickly learns that kids are still cruel unless you’re a new TV Phenomenon. She wants to just fit in and not be teased so she goes with it, until she meets Kevin. She doesn't realize Kevin is considered the "Mayor" of the geeks until the kids at school give her a lesson in who she shouldn't associate with. Adrianna isn't too big in this because she clicked with Kevin and finds that she really likes him!
Kevin works in his uncle’s store, which happens to be a hardware/bathroom store. Adrianna doesn't know he's in her class until she hides in his store trying to flee the camera crew. On the most embarrassing first day of her life, he is like a reprieve, until he's basically shunned by her because she cannot make up her mind on what side she wants to be on.
This book was definitely geared towards a more teenage audience but I loved the humor and wit in it. We all have come across the one person in school who was the awkward one and not cool, or hell we might have been that person. Yes I loved that Casey gave Adrianna a bit of the cool life, but she gave a lesson to readers on why you should be who you are.
4 "Bottom" stars
Reviewed by Jodi N.
March 20, 2017
I enjoyed many parts of this, but disliked many others as well.
Ok, we have Adrianna arriving at this new high school, trying to make a fresh start after horrible bullying at her last school. She’s also new in town, because her family now is rich and the stars of a new reality show. To say her life was changing is putting it mildly, lol.
Anyway, she tries to fit it and in that process she makes quite a few mistakes. I could really relate to Adrianna wanting to fit it, although I hated she felt she needed to hide her real self to do so. I loved her nerdy side.
The thing is, she was being split in half. On one hand, the girl from the reality show, surrounded by very fake people, but at least she fits in; on the other hand, a nerdy girl, being herself with her friends, but she’d be source of more bullying. I truly felt for Adrianna, it wasn’t an easy decision and she pretty much had no one she could talk about it.
Something that I really didn’t like was the lack of support from her parents. Yeah, they raised their voices when they saw their daughter was being treated unfairly in the show, but how could they think it was ok to take the daughter who was relentlessly bullied and put her on a reality show? It doesn’t make sense to me. Didn’t they consider bullying could get worse? I don’t know, the parents were not bad people, I just disliked the complete cluelessness regarding their daughter’s state of mind.
Also, I hated the part with the forced kiss. Sorry, but that was sexual harassment. I don’t understand why she didn’t threaten that boy or the TV show after that with that information. Or how no one told this boy that was wrong. I felt that guy got away with it too easy.
What I did enjoy was her time with Kevin and his friends with the LARPing thing. It was fun, with no pretenses and she could be as geek as she wanted, lol.
I also felt the story was more focused on Adrianna than her romance with Kevin (which works for me), so I’ll say I liked what I saw of him.
So, all in all, I liked Adrianna and I felt I wanted to hug the hell out of her (nothing went her way).
*Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange of my honest opinion*
Ok, we have Adrianna arriving at this new high school, trying to make a fresh start after horrible bullying at her last school. She’s also new in town, because her family now is rich and the stars of a new reality show. To say her life was changing is putting it mildly, lol.
Anyway, she tries to fit it and in that process she makes quite a few mistakes. I could really relate to Adrianna wanting to fit it, although I hated she felt she needed to hide her real self to do so. I loved her nerdy side.
The thing is, she was being split in half. On one hand, the girl from the reality show, surrounded by very fake people, but at least she fits in; on the other hand, a nerdy girl, being herself with her friends, but she’d be source of more bullying. I truly felt for Adrianna, it wasn’t an easy decision and she pretty much had no one she could talk about it.
Something that I really didn’t like was the lack of support from her parents. Yeah, they raised their voices when they saw their daughter was being treated unfairly in the show, but how could they think it was ok to take the daughter who was relentlessly bullied and put her on a reality show? It doesn’t make sense to me. Didn’t they consider bullying could get worse? I don’t know, the parents were not bad people, I just disliked the complete cluelessness regarding their daughter’s state of mind.
Also, I hated the part with the forced kiss. Sorry, but that was sexual harassment. I don’t understand why she didn’t threaten that boy or the TV show after that with that information. Or how no one told this boy that was wrong. I felt that guy got away with it too easy.
What I did enjoy was her time with Kevin and his friends with the LARPing thing. It was fun, with no pretenses and she could be as geek as she wanted, lol.
I also felt the story was more focused on Adrianna than her romance with Kevin (which works for me), so I’ll say I liked what I saw of him.
So, all in all, I liked Adrianna and I felt I wanted to hug the hell out of her (nothing went her way).
*Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange of my honest opinion*
March 13, 2017
Book Tour Review that I am Involved with. SECRETS OF A RELUCTANT PRINCESS BY CASEY GRIGGIN
BLOG TOUR – DIGITAL ASSETS
Tour Date: March 6-March 17, 2017
Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Purchase Links:
Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N| Kobo | TBD | iBooks
Link to Tour Schedule:
http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/tou...
Giveaway Information:
One (1) winner will receive a signed copy of Secrets of a Reluctant Princess + a Tiara!
Embed Code: Here's the Rafflecopter widget code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess by Casey Griffin Publication Date: March 7, 2017 Publisher: Entangled Teen At Beverly Hills High, you have to be ruthless to survive… Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working. Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people. Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her. The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on.
My Review
For me the book started out pretty slowly, and I wasn't really sure if I was going to finish it or not. Luckily the book started to get better and it was a very funny book. I think my favorite character was Kevin, he was so super cute to me, I love a character that is kind of a nerd, especially guys. I also liked Adrienne and felt bad for her at times. Some of the side characters I liked also such as Keelie whom is Kevin's sister and Harper, Adrienne best friend. My favorite parts were when they're LARPing, even though Kevin thinks shes a girl named Andi. I really liked the ending a lot. I have to mention Lennox whom Harper likes is so clueless and so naive. I am happy I requested to take part in the blog book tour for this book, and my opinion is my very own.
Casey Griffin can often be found at comic conventions on her days off from her day job, driving 400 ton dump trucks in Northern Alberta, Canada. As a jack of all trades with a resume boasting registered nurse, English teacher, and photographer, books are her true passion. Casey is a 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel finalist, and is currently busy writing every moment she can. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
BLOG TOUR – DIGITAL ASSETS
Tour Date: March 6-March 17, 2017
Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Purchase Links:
Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N| Kobo | TBD | iBooks
Link to Tour Schedule:
http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/tou...
Giveaway Information:
One (1) winner will receive a signed copy of Secrets of a Reluctant Princess + a Tiara!
Embed Code: Here's the Rafflecopter widget code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Secrets of a Reluctant Princess by Casey Griffin Publication Date: March 7, 2017 Publisher: Entangled Teen At Beverly Hills High, you have to be ruthless to survive… Adrianna Bottom always wanted to be liked. But this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Now, she’s in the spotlight…and out of her geeky comfort zone. She’ll do whatever it takes to turn the rumor mill in her favor—even if it means keeping secrets. So far, it’s working. Wear the right clothes. Say the right things. Be seen with the right people. Kevin, the adorable sketch artist who shares her love of all things nerd, isn’t exactly the right people. But that doesn’t stop Adrianna from crushing on him. The only way she can spend time with him is in disguise, as Princess Andy, the masked girl he’s been LARPing with. If he found out who she really was, though, he’d hate her. The rules have been set. The teams have their players. Game on.
My Review
For me the book started out pretty slowly, and I wasn't really sure if I was going to finish it or not. Luckily the book started to get better and it was a very funny book. I think my favorite character was Kevin, he was so super cute to me, I love a character that is kind of a nerd, especially guys. I also liked Adrienne and felt bad for her at times. Some of the side characters I liked also such as Keelie whom is Kevin's sister and Harper, Adrienne best friend. My favorite parts were when they're LARPing, even though Kevin thinks shes a girl named Andi. I really liked the ending a lot. I have to mention Lennox whom Harper likes is so clueless and so naive. I am happy I requested to take part in the blog book tour for this book, and my opinion is my very own.
Casey Griffin can often be found at comic conventions on her days off from her day job, driving 400 ton dump trucks in Northern Alberta, Canada. As a jack of all trades with a resume boasting registered nurse, English teacher, and photographer, books are her true passion. Casey is a 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel finalist, and is currently busy writing every moment she can. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
March 23, 2017
If you are a fan of The Princess Diaries, this is a fun twist. Except instead of being a real princess, Adrianna is the princess spokes model for her dad's bathroom business. A princess with a plunger, if you will. Which also lands her on a reality TV show with her family. Cool, except the fact that it's completely embarrassing to pose on a toilet in a princess dress.
The thing I loved most about this book is that Adrianna is into larping (think live-action dungeons and dragons), sewing medieval clothing for role play games, etc. It made her so interesting. I also loved her love-interest Kevin, who is an artist and also into larping. Their chemistry was gripping, adorable, and yet completely frustrating at the same time because of all the obstacles that seem destined to keep them apart.
Casey Griffin's writing was fun, light, and kept me reading straight to the end.
I did have one hang up. Remember how I said if you liked The Princess Diaries, you would enjoy this? There is a possibility that that may also be the reason that you won't like this novel. For me, it was too similar. It seemed to follow the same story line, just with different characters filling the roles. There was a lot to like, but I couldn't get over how alike the two were.
Therefore, I will need to give Secrets of a Reluctant Princess 3.5 out of 5 stars.
The thing I loved most about this book is that Adrianna is into larping (think live-action dungeons and dragons), sewing medieval clothing for role play games, etc. It made her so interesting. I also loved her love-interest Kevin, who is an artist and also into larping. Their chemistry was gripping, adorable, and yet completely frustrating at the same time because of all the obstacles that seem destined to keep them apart.
Casey Griffin's writing was fun, light, and kept me reading straight to the end.
I did have one hang up. Remember how I said if you liked The Princess Diaries, you would enjoy this? There is a possibility that that may also be the reason that you won't like this novel. For me, it was too similar. It seemed to follow the same story line, just with different characters filling the roles. There was a lot to like, but I couldn't get over how alike the two were.
Therefore, I will need to give Secrets of a Reluctant Princess 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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