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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review
4.0
This book was smiling at me for a while already, but I had been so clever to put it on a wishlist for a bookswap, which meant that I had to wait until I would either get it or would know for sure I wouldn't get it. But, I GOT IT and that made me so incredibly happy!
Just like reading the book made me very happy. The book is for sure a very light read. If you go in there for the mystery and the danger, you will probably be disappointed. If you however go in there for the friendship (or more?) between two amazing girls and the joy and horrors of being a princess, this is the perfect book for you.
The book is clearly aimed at the younger YA readers. If it had been in Dutch, I would have made my cousin read it, because she'd love it to pieces. The language used in the book is quite easy and there's quite some tell don't show at times. I have to admit, it didn't bother me that much, because it's a princess story. I wasn't expecting a very deep, layered, complicated and high standard book to begin with.
It's just cute and innocent and adorable. Especially Lottie and her excitement over everything at court is so endearing and I really felt for her. And I love the contrast between Ellie and Lottie, with them seeming to be so different, but they still have so much in common. I also really enjoyed the fact that the romance in this book was not even much of a plot and barely there. I didn't really miss it, because the friendships and slowly blossoming feelings were a joy to read anyway.
I'm very curious to read the second book and I hope there will be a translation soon, so my cousin can read it!
Just like reading the book made me very happy. The book is for sure a very light read. If you go in there for the mystery and the danger, you will probably be disappointed. If you however go in there for the friendship (or more?) between two amazing girls and the joy and horrors of being a princess, this is the perfect book for you.
The book is clearly aimed at the younger YA readers. If it had been in Dutch, I would have made my cousin read it, because she'd love it to pieces. The language used in the book is quite easy and there's quite some tell don't show at times. I have to admit, it didn't bother me that much, because it's a princess story. I wasn't expecting a very deep, layered, complicated and high standard book to begin with.
It's just cute and innocent and adorable. Especially Lottie and her excitement over everything at court is so endearing and I really felt for her. And I love the contrast between Ellie and Lottie, with them seeming to be so different, but they still have so much in common. I also really enjoyed the fact that the romance in this book was not even much of a plot and barely there. I didn't really miss it, because the friendships and slowly blossoming feelings were a joy to read anyway.
I'm very curious to read the second book and I hope there will be a translation soon, so my cousin can read it!
alextaylorm's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
theeuphoriczat's review
4.0
Thanks to #thewritereads for making this book available to me.
Oh dear, this was just the cutest thing ever. We start out with Ellie, the crown princess of Maradova who really wants to defy tradition by attending a boarding school in England. She hopes that she will be able to hide away from royal duties for as long as possible until she is announced as the next leader of Maradova. After convincing her parents, they agree that the only way they would be able to keep her safe is to make sure that when she attends Rosewood Hall, she must hide her identity and should anyone find out they would send over someone who would keep her safe.
Then we meet Lottie who has worked so hard to attend Rosewood Hall on a scholarship. She has always loved and would say at one time in her life aspired to be a princess. The epitome of perfection and poise. Suddenly, she is suspected to be the princess who is attending Rosewood Hall undercover and while she does everything to tell them that she is in fact not, the rumour had taken on a life of its own. Just when she decides to just let them continue to believe what they want, she finds out that her room mate was in fact the real Princess of Maradova.
With the rumours of the Princess of Maradova in Rosewood Hall, it took no time for the Royal family to hear and to send in Jamie Volk, who happens to be not just Ellie's childhood friend but her Partizan. Basically, Jamie is a 'highly-trained' bodyguard who has been trained from birth for his role beside Ellie. After much back and forth (not gonna spoil it), they decide that Lottie continue to pretend to be the princess and do all the princess duties which means that she needs to learn all the etiquettes appropriate for a princess. Watching Lottie learn all these learn things while still managing to keep up her grades was just multi-tasking on a different level. It is the level of dedication I need to carry out my adult duties.
Anyways, I really loved the great cast of characters we had, even the snotty bratty ones, I loved the posh culture and how even within certain groups we have people who are left out. Imagine having all the money and still being the butt of the joke, I just can't. Definitely loved how accessible reading this book was, it really brought themes like royalty and the power and privilege that it affords to someone who is not royalty in such a different way than we have seen in books like the Princess Diaries and The Selection series.
Oh dear, this was just the cutest thing ever. We start out with Ellie, the crown princess of Maradova who really wants to defy tradition by attending a boarding school in England. She hopes that she will be able to hide away from royal duties for as long as possible until she is announced as the next leader of Maradova. After convincing her parents, they agree that the only way they would be able to keep her safe is to make sure that when she attends Rosewood Hall, she must hide her identity and should anyone find out they would send over someone who would keep her safe.
Then we meet Lottie who has worked so hard to attend Rosewood Hall on a scholarship. She has always loved and would say at one time in her life aspired to be a princess. The epitome of perfection and poise. Suddenly, she is suspected to be the princess who is attending Rosewood Hall undercover and while she does everything to tell them that she is in fact not, the rumour had taken on a life of its own. Just when she decides to just let them continue to believe what they want, she finds out that her room mate was in fact the real Princess of Maradova.
With the rumours of the Princess of Maradova in Rosewood Hall, it took no time for the Royal family to hear and to send in Jamie Volk, who happens to be not just Ellie's childhood friend but her Partizan. Basically, Jamie is a 'highly-trained' bodyguard who has been trained from birth for his role beside Ellie. After much back and forth (not gonna spoil it), they decide that Lottie continue to pretend to be the princess and do all the princess duties which means that she needs to learn all the etiquettes appropriate for a princess. Watching Lottie learn all these learn things while still managing to keep up her grades was just multi-tasking on a different level. It is the level of dedication I need to carry out my adult duties.
Anyways, I really loved the great cast of characters we had, even the snotty bratty ones, I loved the posh culture and how even within certain groups we have people who are left out. Imagine having all the money and still being the butt of the joke, I just can't. Definitely loved how accessible reading this book was, it really brought themes like royalty and the power and privilege that it affords to someone who is not royalty in such a different way than we have seen in books like the Princess Diaries and The Selection series.
psychotherabee's review against another edition
3.0
(A copy of this review can also be found here: https://beautifulilies.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/undercover-princess-by-connie-glynn/)
A copy of this novel was given in exchange for an honest review.
This book has been such a delight to read for several reasons, all of which will be explored in this review that will hopefully leave you, the reader, convinced that you have to read Undercover Princess.
Let’s start with Lottie Pumpkin – yes, her name is ridiculous, yes, she does know it, and yes, she’s very sensitive about it. Well, Lottie is just about sensitive when it comes to everything and anything, which, in an era of “strong female protagonists” telling other girls they have to “man up”, is quite refreshing. Lottie’s greatest strength, aside from being brave, being kind, and being unstoppable, is that she is perceptive and so in touch with her emotions – very unusual for a teenager. Having a likeable protagonist who is a breath of fresh air is so important, and Connie Glynn nails this one.
Then we’ve got Ellie, who so perfectly complements Lottie, and, if we’re being frank, is everything Lottie isn’t. Ellie is wild, she is daring, and she turns Lottie’s whole world upside down. I loved reading about a rebel with a cause, which is exactly what Ellie is. So for readers who like their fair share of badass female characters, I present to you the Crown Princess of Maradover, Ellie Wolfson.
Rosewood is also fascinating. It gave me Hogwarts vibes – a boarding school with three houses that each student must take an aptitude test in order to find out which house they belong to. There is, of course, inter-house competition, and for this book at least, you have your Draco Malfoy and his cronies. Then there’s the mystery of William Tufty, the founder of Rosewood – like the brilliant author she is, Glynn manages to sow enough seeds for a sequel, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it comes out!
The only reason this highly re-readable book is a three star instead of a five is partly because of the mild queer-baiting, which I’m hoping will still be picked up in later book(s). You’ll know what I mean when you read the book. There’s also a problem with mischaracterisation, particularly with the introduction of Ellie – it just seems that characters are frequently OOC to suit whatever drama Glynn chooses for the sake of having drama, but this book really doesn’t need it.
The final thing that put me off this wonderful book that was otherwise a delight to read is, even now, I struggle to tell if the book is satirical or genuine. For example, the Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolfson, disguised herself as… Ellie Wolf. This is addressed in the book, but as I said before, it’s difficult to tell if it’s in satire or if the other characters are genuinely dense. I’ve been left with the same feeling a few times throughout reading the novel, which makes the writing seem somewhat clumsy.
Otherwise, this book was intriguing and difficult to put down! I would definitely recommend it to people who are into princesses, fairy tales, and are looking for a very light read. Have you read this book? Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!
A copy of this novel was given in exchange for an honest review.
This book has been such a delight to read for several reasons, all of which will be explored in this review that will hopefully leave you, the reader, convinced that you have to read Undercover Princess.
Let’s start with Lottie Pumpkin – yes, her name is ridiculous, yes, she does know it, and yes, she’s very sensitive about it. Well, Lottie is just about sensitive when it comes to everything and anything, which, in an era of “strong female protagonists” telling other girls they have to “man up”, is quite refreshing. Lottie’s greatest strength, aside from being brave, being kind, and being unstoppable, is that she is perceptive and so in touch with her emotions – very unusual for a teenager. Having a likeable protagonist who is a breath of fresh air is so important, and Connie Glynn nails this one.
Then we’ve got Ellie, who so perfectly complements Lottie, and, if we’re being frank, is everything Lottie isn’t. Ellie is wild, she is daring, and she turns Lottie’s whole world upside down. I loved reading about a rebel with a cause, which is exactly what Ellie is. So for readers who like their fair share of badass female characters, I present to you the Crown Princess of Maradover, Ellie Wolfson.
Rosewood is also fascinating. It gave me Hogwarts vibes – a boarding school with three houses that each student must take an aptitude test in order to find out which house they belong to. There is, of course, inter-house competition, and for this book at least, you have your Draco Malfoy and his cronies. Then there’s the mystery of William Tufty, the founder of Rosewood – like the brilliant author she is, Glynn manages to sow enough seeds for a sequel, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it comes out!
The only reason this highly re-readable book is a three star instead of a five is partly because of the mild queer-baiting, which I’m hoping will still be picked up in later book(s). You’ll know what I mean when you read the book. There’s also a problem with mischaracterisation, particularly with the introduction of Ellie – it just seems that characters are frequently OOC to suit whatever drama Glynn chooses for the sake of having drama, but this book really doesn’t need it.
The final thing that put me off this wonderful book that was otherwise a delight to read is, even now, I struggle to tell if the book is satirical or genuine. For example, the Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolfson, disguised herself as… Ellie Wolf. This is addressed in the book, but as I said before, it’s difficult to tell if it’s in satire or if the other characters are genuinely dense. I’ve been left with the same feeling a few times throughout reading the novel, which makes the writing seem somewhat clumsy.
Otherwise, this book was intriguing and difficult to put down! I would definitely recommend it to people who are into princesses, fairy tales, and are looking for a very light read. Have you read this book? Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!
eileenrwerst's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
timvindigni's review
4.0
This was a buddy read and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Lottie and Ellie. I just wish there were more classes. Also certain situations felt really rushed. But overall really really fun and I will continue with the series!
poisonpotato's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I enjoyed this book. At first I only really enjoyed the writing style. I found the whole super achieving person goes to a school with ridiculously rich children uncomfortable- from an this is not aspirational or is it necessary good to have teens read about highly achieving children, who simply need to study hard enough to get exceptional grades and also happen to have ludicrously wealthy parents- but once I shut off my socialist/critical brain I did enjoy the story, characters and writing.
The writing reminded me of classic children’s literature authors like j.m.Barrie.
It wasn’t until the last few chapters that I really felt engaged - the plot started to pick up - so I knew I was going to read the next book.
The characters were fun and like the hints at possible queer relationships in future books.
The hints of magic makes this feel less grounded in reality which helps the earlier mentioned critical brain.
Would recommend if you want an easy, story with intrigue, diverse characters and a teen setting.
The writing reminded me of classic children’s literature authors like j.m.Barrie.
It wasn’t until the last few chapters that I really felt engaged - the plot started to pick up - so I knew I was going to read the next book.
The characters were fun and like the hints at possible queer relationships in future books.
The hints of magic makes this feel less grounded in reality which helps the earlier mentioned critical brain.
Would recommend if you want an easy, story with intrigue, diverse characters and a teen setting.
dinnureads's review against another edition
4.0
Princess diaries meets Harry Potter :D A school full of rich and powerful children who go there at the age of 11 and are put into 3 different houses (sounds familiar?). I mostly liked the story but some of the actions of the characters were random. Ellie is a bit too reckless and Lottie too naive for my taste but Jamie was interesting. The age class of this book is also confusing. The characters are 14-15 years old and thus it feels to fit both into YA and middle grade genre. There is a little bit of romance (a loooot of mixed signals on boy-girl, girl-boy and girl-girl line) but at the same time they are a bit too childish to actually make anything happen...