So. Lydia. 
 I think I loved this more than Lizzie's diary. No, scratch that. I totally loved this more than Lizzie's diary. Don't get me wrong, the diary was fun- but it was re-hashing the series and while there was some new content, nothing really came as a surprise. This was different. This was uncharted territory filled with adorbs. 
 Oh, the adorbs. I honestly think Lydia is even more adorable in this than in the series. So awesome. 
 The character growth is phenomenal. The style is so clear. I could hear Mary's voice in my head while reading- a sure sign the writing follows the character! Lydia's character had matured, but she was still the energetic Lydia we all know and love. She's also just so real. So wonderfully real. 
 The plot was an epic tale (Okay, maybe more melodramatic and emotional, but still...) of Lydia coming to terms with things, making mistakes, and even solving some stuff. She meets some awesome people. Some less awesome people. She makes decisions. She takes the world into her own hands. 
 Basically, this book just made me all sorts of happy. I'm not sure why I don't feel like I can give 
 it that final star though. What was missing? I don't even know. Some inner force is just holding me back.