I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of the blog tour for Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters! I'm relatively new to the series, having only read it all within the last few years, but I really enjoy Hale's middle grade take on princesses. Miri and her friends are clever, talented, independent young women, and it's fun to watch them grow up over the course of three novels! If you want to, feel free to check out my reviews for Palace of Stone. The reviews for The Forgotten Sisters and Princess Academy are going to be up on the blog soon!
What would you do if you were a Princess?
First of all, I'm pretty sure Anne Hathaway reacts perfectly to finding out she's a princess.
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When I was a little girl, pretending to be a princess was one of my favorite things to do when I played games. (I'm going to make an educated guess, and say that growing up watching all the Disney Princess films had a ton to do with this.) As a princess, I would pretend I owned many beautiful gowns, a ton of books (yes, I always wanted more books) and that I lived in a castle with many rooms of all sorts, and could have any kind of food I wanted (translation: cookies, always cookies) any time of the day, and could pretty much do whatever I wanted. What a dreamy life, right?
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Let's be honest though: there are days when I still like dreaming about what it would be like if I really were a princess. All these things are still a part of that daydream, to be sure - the trappings of wealth, the joys of having access to more opportunities, etc. But then, I'm sure, I'd realize that there is a ton of responsibility that comes with being a princess. You have to learn to behave a certain way, and to make sure that you're always representing your family and your kingdom to the best of your ability. You'd have to make sure to immerse yourself in the history, and present day situations of your country, since you'd become the future leader one day. And, of course, there's also the difficulty in determining if someone is genuinely your friend or lover, or merely using you. It's a lot of weight to carry on one's shoulders, and it doesn't come easy.
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I want to make a difference, as a princess, so that would probably be my ultimate goal. I would like to believe that, if I were a princess, I would take my role as a future leader and member of the royal family seriously. I'd be responsible, willing to learn and train myself in any manners or skills that I would need. I'd conduct myself with the utmost grace and courtesy. I'd get to know my people, theirs wants and needs. But I'd also try to make sure I had time to pursue my passions. To study what interested me, whether it be literature or tae kwon do. To travel to places I wanted to see. To shop for what interested me, and to spend time with those I loved. It'd have to be an equal balance really, and I'd like to think I'd be that type of princess.
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I'd also like to be the princess that gets her happily ever after, please and thank you. Just because I have to rule a country, I don't think that means I don't get my happily ever after with someone I love!
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And you know who I think is a great peg for what I'd like to be as a princess? None other than Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, of course. She's got style, poise and grace down to a T!
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And there you have it - what I would do were I a princess! As part of the tour, Bloomsbury is generously offering a giveaway for all three titles in the Princess Academy series, with the brand new covers. US ONLY! You can enter via the form below:
Please don't forget to check out the rest of the tour stops:
February 23: I Am A Reader
February 24: Fiction Freak
February 25: Mundie Moms
February 26: Lili’s Reflections
February 27: Icey Books
March 2: Mary Had A Little Book Blog
March 3: Alexa Loves Books
March 4: Pages Unbound
March 5: Ageless Pages Reviews
March 6: Good Books and Good Wine
Thanks for sharing your list!! I haven't read any of the books you've mentioned, so will have to add a few of them to my reading wishlist! Here's a link to my TTT post for this week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2015/03/top-ten-books-you-would-classify-as-all.html
ReplyDeleteI love this post Alexa! Like you, I used to pretend to be a princess and imagine all the things that I would do if I became one :) SO much fun! And yes, if I was a princess today, I would like to think that I would use my influence for good and take a stand for the causes that I would support if I had both money and people who would listen to me. And also, I'd still totally want the pretty gowns and the hughest library filled with books ;)
ReplyDeleteSO much love for Golden and the Throne of Glass series!! Both those quotes are perfection.
ReplyDeleteI basically really need to read everything else on your list! And continue the Newsoul series!
Throne of Glass series for SURE. Heir of Fire made it onto my list because that was my favourite. I swear that series gets better with every book!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this series was never even on my radar until recently. How did I not know it existed??? But I know of it now, and I think the concept is interesting. I'm not sure I want to be a princess, but the fantasy of it is something I think every girl is drawn to.
ReplyDeleteLove this post!!! I think as little girls who played princess we only wanted the glamorous part of it (translation: cookies, all the cookies). But there's so much more to it and I agree that Princess Catherine has really shown exactly what it entails. She's so poised and classy while still philanthropic... Love her! Also, love the pictures of her in the rainbow of dresses! I need more opportunities in my life to emulate her style (translation: wear more hats). :)
ReplyDeleteLoved the Throne of Glass series, To All the Boys I've Loved Before and Open Road Summer. I really want to try Golden! Seen so many people talk about it's making me curious :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this series yet but it looks so great! I've been wanting to get into middle grade more lately and this seems like a good place to start ;)
ReplyDeleteYou had me freaking out so much! I thought this was for the Meg Cabot/Macmillan stop and I was like, "Why isn't this on my calendaaaaaaaaaar!?" LOL! PHEW!!! So...I am going to stop and NOT read this because I want to do my own version of the topic in May. But yay for Shannon Hale! I am so excited for the new book. This and GOOSE GIRL are my favorites by her. And I love the new covers; I'm bummed mine won't match!!!
ReplyDeleteI chose a different Marillier book (HEART'S BLOOD) but mentioned DOTF! Annnnd I did authors at the end and focused on Jodi, whoot! I also featured an honorable mention to Sarah for ACOT&R b/c it's my favorite of her book so far. Great choices!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't put Throne of Glass on my list because I think it gets its own separate "book I loved most ever and ever" list. I totally forgot about Where the Stars Still Shine! Man, that one was so good! Love your list! :)
ReplyDeleteGlad your doing this again! Thanks for hosting!!!
ReplyDeleteDaughter of the Forest... sigh, I love that book SO MUCH. And After I Do was one I considered adding to my list, it was excellent!
ReplyDeleteI love Miri's strength!
ReplyDeleteSuper fun blog tour post! I liked all of your answers and I agree. I know Victoria Beckham isn't a princess, but I like her style ;)
ReplyDeleteI have to read almost all of them!
ReplyDeleteBut I have read Sarah J. Maas' series, that was awesome!
Im reading To All the Boys Ive Loved Before right now! Thanks for sharing your favorites <3 Bee @ Bee
ReplyDeleteReads Books
Dark Lover and Lover Eternal have always been my favorites of the BDB series. <3 Which is why I was so excited for The King and to be able to read about Wrath and Beth firsthand again!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE To All The Boys I've Loved Before. And Marillier and Forman and Lord and and and... :)
ReplyDeleteYou and Hannah both said After I Do as favorites. I really ought to add it to my TBR list!
So many contemporaries! I added them all to my TBR - just in case one day I want to read a contemporary :) The fantasies too, of course.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't read Open Road Summer, but your post just reminded me to get on that! Great picks, Alexa!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I've yet to read any of this series- but I adore Hale's Books of Bayern! The way she tells fairytales with such realistic grit and characters is transporting. I would love to read these!
ReplyDeleteAh, Dark Lover. I love all the brothers in BDB!! :D To All the Boys I Loved Before was super cute! :)
ReplyDeleteYou have much more noble goals than me. I think I'd want to make the lives of my people better but I'd need a lot of advisers since I would have no idea where to start. Haven't read this series yet but it looks really cute.
ReplyDeleteI have only read the first book in the series, Princess Academy, but it was a favorite of mine as a kid. I can't wait to read the sequels!
ReplyDeleteLoved all of the Princess Diaries GIFs! It's one of my favorite fun movies. This is an interesting topic...my first thought of princesses are the Disney ones, of course. I love the more recent ones too like Merida and Elsa. I haven't read these books, but they look like something I might enjoy.
ReplyDeleteSo many great books! I love TATBILB and Just one Day. Incarnate is coming up soon on my TBR, as is Throne of Glass. Great list.
ReplyDeleteInteresting choices. I do love the ToG series. I wish I enjoyed contemp as much as you do, but not too many of them really wow me.
ReplyDeleteYay for Golden and Incarnate! :D I almost put Heir of Fire, but changed my mind since I already had ACOTAR. LOL. I also really loved Where the Stars Still Shine.
ReplyDeleteSarah J Maas' books are some that I really want to get and read soon. Hopefully this summer :)
ReplyDeleteHere’s
My TTT