At the end of 2020, a lockdown loomed ahead of me. It started the day after Christmas and was my first proper lockdown, with everything nonessential shut indefinitely. My winter break plans vanished before me.

In addition to all of this, I was just three books away from finishing my Goodreads challenge, and this is what I threw my time into. I finished Song of Achilles (which ended up being a favorite) and read a book on palm reading. When the last day of the year hit and I still had one book left, I decided to turn to an old favorite: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot.

They're much different from the Disney movies we all grew up on, but I prefer to see them as different stories entirely. There's no Julie Andrews, so many more pop culture references, and lots of very real insights on what it's like to be a teenage girl. The series grows up with Mia as she learns how to be a princess, a public figure, and a teenage girl. And maybe achieve self-actualization.

This series is, simply, FUN. It feels like returning to your teenage years in all its cringey, ridiculous glory. I enjoyed them just as much as an adult as I did as a teenager. I’ve read all 10 (and the series sequel) whenever I needed something light over the last six months, and every single one has done the job. They’re quick reads, easy to get on most library apps, and have helped me get 6 books ahead on this years Goodreads challenge!

So if the state of the world is getting you down and you just need a little escapism with a dash of early 2000s pop culture, The Princess Diaries is here for you.