The Heir and The Spare (Untitled #1) by Emily Albright

Published by: Merit Press

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Rating: ****

American Evie Gray has finally achieved her dream. To be able to attend Oxford just like her mother did before she tragically died. But there is more to the story. Directed throughout her life by mysterious envelopes written by her mother, Evie finds herself in the same school, and friendship circle as the spare heir to the British throne, Edmund. The two dance around the city of London and surrounding cities as they try to figure out what exactly Evie's mother wants, and whether there is such a thing as fairytales.

My first impressions of this book were quite dismissive. It felt too cringeworthy, especially after the Kate and Wills story but now that I have read this, I can honestly say that it definitely isn't as bad as I thought.

Starting with Evie's brief moving into her student digs at Oxford, she is immediately befriended by fellow students and meets the mysterious Edmund (who looks familiar but not). The book quickly introduces the reader to all of what they need to know about everyone whilst setting up the romance pretty quickly (and rather solidly.)

The Heir and The Spare can be purchased from Amazon now.

P.S. I Still Love You (To All The Boys I've Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You (To All The Boys I've Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han

Published by: Simon and Schuster for Young Reader

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Rating: ****

I've had the paperback sitting on a shelf for about a month and a half staring at me. Unfortunately due to the start of my third and final year of University and just not being in the right mood to read it, I've not properly been able to read it until now!

Jenny Han is famed for her amazing summer read series The Summer I Turned Pretty. That series made me fall in love with her writing style and the wonderful characters she creates. 

P.S. I Still Love You continues on from the first book, and follows young Lara Jean as she tries to decipher what her heart wants admist the fiasco with Peter. I'm not going to lie. As a twenty year old I had huge flashbacks for how I felt at her age and some parts I argued were a bit too fantasized but I'm not American or raised with her parents so maybe I'm wrong for feeling that way.

Lara Jean continues her deciding on whether she wants Peter or not, her sisters are so funny and she becomes as we all do, confused. I admire Han on not making her a weak character, a victim of the Bella Swan syndrome but instead simply who she is. A young teenager with the world ahead of her. I laughed and smiled my way through the book and by the time I closed the last page, I couldn't help but think of Belly from the Summer series. 

Both girls are so similar that I feel like I'm reading an alternative world version of the Summer series and that makes me feel like I'm getting another chance to relive that series. (Frantically burrows out the series.)

But there was so much that I couldn't fault. Miss Han has a fantastic way of creating teenage protagonists who mature and transform so much over the span of the series that it's almost as if we too are growing up with them. That's something I admire in authors, particularly Young Adult as it helps us become who we will be someday.

P.S. I Still Love You is available to buy from Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Royal Wedding (The Princess Diaries #11) by Meg Cabot

Royal Wedding (The Princess Diaries #11) by Meg Cabot

Published by: William Morrow Paperbacks

Genre: New adult, romance

One stage of my reaction to the announcement of the book

When I heard there was a new Princess Diaries novel last year, I cried tears of joy, happyness and excitement. I've grown up reading Meg Cabot. I read her adult books through my mother (who probably didn't realise I was reading the Boy series or Queen of Babble whilst she was working or not near me). Nonetheless I grew up reading her. Embarassingly I got into the Princess Diaries later than I should have. I was busy with Jinx, the Mediator series (Jesse <3) and Airhead. But as I cracked open the nnth book (i was a late reader and got them in the wrong order) I found myself reaching out for my library card and ordering the series.

Months later and I managed to get ready for the tenth book which we all assumed to be the last (and thank the lord it wasn't). Oh how I wept over how Michael and Mia got back together, laughed through Lana's neverending dialogues. I just loved the life of the dysfunctional POG (Princess of Genovia). Of course we all knew there was something about JP that didn't add up but still we held faith in our clumsy and awkward princess. 

It worked out though! 

The eleventh book is targetted for a more adult audience as us Princess Diaries readers have matured and grown into young woman who are secretly still wondering what would Mia do. Yes I question my choices through seeing how book characters would choose them. But Cabot hasn't lost her touch. I smiled and cried through the book. *Spoiler* I'm more ashamed that Frank is dead. I LOVED Frank and Helen!! *End Spoiler* 

But Grandmere is still the same. We couldn't have a book without her. And there's more of a realistic theme to the books. Readers will witness firsthand the problems of a couple separated by work but Mia and Michael manage to make it happen. They even have a surprise. But overall, all readers will reminisce about the good old days where we used to be able to read about Mia and we managed to glean information about what it's like to be older. 

Now we're left wanting to go back to those days where everything was brilliant and innocent. But at least this book channels those emotions into making you want that twelfth novel. Especially with the addition of a little sister. But again who knows what will happen to the Genovian royal family or with the Royal Wedding.

Royal Wedding is available from Waterstones here and on Amazon UK here.

US readers can purchase the book here.