mundinova's review against another edition
4.0
"She wants to make me over, just like Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries. And Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada.
Anne Hathaway is spectacularly gorgeous. Why does she keep getting made over?"
For all you Hallmark Channel loving, 90's rom-com loving, bookish geeks who secretly love makeovers out there, stand up and take notice, this book is for you! It's a light, fun read I couldn't put down even when I tried.
Heavy with Harry Potter and Jane Austen inside jokes, The Accidental Beauty Queen is the perfect escapism reading that makes you wonder when the movie will be coming out (there will be a movie, right??).
Charlotte and Ginny are sweet characters, easy to root for even when you know they're breaking the rules. The story is pretty straight forward and my only complaint is I wish there was more to the B and C story-lines to help flesh-out and add a little more depth to the pageant world. But the book isn't hindered by this at all. You'll still be entertained and laughing your way through Charlotte's missteps in sky-high heels.
"I close my eyes and try to "find my center" as Ginny and her yoga-loving friends always say. But I'm so jittery right now that I'm not sure I actually have a center. I am a doughnut."
I received a copy from NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.
Story: 3 Stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Prose/Writing: 3 stars
*Additional fun factor: 5 stars
Anne Hathaway is spectacularly gorgeous. Why does she keep getting made over?"
For all you Hallmark Channel loving, 90's rom-com loving, bookish geeks who secretly love makeovers out there, stand up and take notice, this book is for you! It's a light, fun read I couldn't put down even when I tried.
Heavy with Harry Potter and Jane Austen inside jokes, The Accidental Beauty Queen is the perfect escapism reading that makes you wonder when the movie will be coming out (there will be a movie, right??).
Charlotte and Ginny are sweet characters, easy to root for even when you know they're breaking the rules. The story is pretty straight forward and my only complaint is I wish there was more to the B and C story-lines to help flesh-out and add a little more depth to the pageant world. But the book isn't hindered by this at all. You'll still be entertained and laughing your way through Charlotte's missteps in sky-high heels.
"I close my eyes and try to "find my center" as Ginny and her yoga-loving friends always say. But I'm so jittery right now that I'm not sure I actually have a center. I am a doughnut."
I received a copy from NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.
Story: 3 Stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Prose/Writing: 3 stars
*Additional fun factor: 5 stars
whitmc's review against another edition
5.0
Twin sisters, librarian and beauty queen, who switch places for the most important beauty pageant of all? I could not say no to the opportunity to witness this in action. And I wish I had it to read all over again. Such a fun read! Absolutely perfect summer book. I couldn't put it down. Super funny, well-written, and kept me wondering how it was all going to end and I was both surprised by and satisfied with the wrap-up. I texted my SIL immediately after finishing to read it too. Highly, highly recommend.
katreadsalot's review against another edition
3.0
I couldn't put this down. It had more heart than I was expecting, the relationships between Charlotte and her parents, her sister, and Gray were complex and interesting. The only problem is that in certain sections, Charlotte seemed to overly dramatize what was going on. I found this annoying, but perhaps true to character.
ceejay's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
fromsarahsbooknook's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. There are better rom-coms... but it was entertaining.
marshmallowbooks's review
4.0
A fun read about beauty pageants and twins and being who you really are.
rachellep's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best rom com I’ve ever read and I know that this book will get a movie deal. I even started casting the actors in my head. So Charlotte and Ginny are identical twins, Charlotte in a nerdy Harry Potter obsessed librarian and Ginny is a pageant girl as well as an Instagram influencer. Ginny has a terrible allergic reaction right before her pageant festivities and convinces her sister to take her place until her swelling in gone. Charlotte has a major crush that end up being one of the judges at the pageant.
As I was reading this book I could honestly picture the scenes in my head. I love how each sister got to see the beauty and brain in themselves through their journey. Yes a girl can be beautiful and smart at the same time. It doesn’t seem like it at first but this book as a great message about women being empowered and owning who they are.
As I was reading this book I could honestly picture the scenes in my head. I love how each sister got to see the beauty and brain in themselves through their journey. Yes a girl can be beautiful and smart at the same time. It doesn’t seem like it at first but this book as a great message about women being empowered and owning who they are.
duckinggreyduck's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lindasdarby's review
3.0
This is a super quick and super fun read. This isn't anything you haven't read before - BUT its just so entertaining and enjoyable.
kittykornerlibrarian's review against another edition
2.0
I was hoping to like this better than I did. I mean, the protagonist and her love interest both quote Jane Austen, how could I not? Except I didn't much, really. I suspect this book of Having An Agenda; namely, through the main character Charlotte's thoughts and reactions, those of us who think beauty pageants are shallow are also supposed to revise our opinions and come to the glowing realization that they are all about confidence and women supporting each other. And maybe they are. I wouldn't know. Still, Having An Agenda doesn't really work for me. Especially because it's clear that beauty pageants are very much about spending a LOT of time and money on makeup and clothes and uncomfortable shoes. I'd like to put it out there that a person can be confident in comfortable clothes as well; and while the idea that wearing some sort of costume can make you feel bolder and safer is certainly valid, the story didn't convince me. And I think the pacing didn't work for me either; it felt awfully rushed and it skimmed over a lot of things, including important relationships, that I would have liked to see developed further. This one wasn't for me.