4.5 stars 
 Review to come! 
 Review originally posted on The Book Addict's Guide: I admit that I was a bit hesitant going into this book due to so many middle-of-the-road and disappointed reviews from fellow readers and bloggers. While I can understand where those reviews probably came from, I was actually really surprised at how much I liked THE PRINCESSES OF IOWA. 
 This book is no cake walk. Although I was able to read it fairly quickly, it's a book that deals with a LOT of issues: teen drinking, drunk driving, homosexuality, abusive relationships, and every other thing that teenagers face in their daily lives as well. It's chock-full of sensitive subjects, but I was actually pulled into the story by all of these things rather than put off by them. 
 It's not easy to watch Paige figure out where to pick up her life after a rough spring and summer. She was one of the popular girls, destined to be homecoming queen ever since the 8th grade. Usually I have a hard time reading stories from the point of view of the "popular girl" because I was never one of them, nor did I want their lifestyle, but Paige was different for me. She went through a horrific situation that FINALLY awakens her to the fact that maybe being popular isn't quite as important as the movies make it seem to be - BUT that was my problem (as it always is) with the whole "popular" story line. I JUST NEVER GET IT. I never really understood the whole Homecoming Queen/high heels/Mean Girls appeal to anyone... I guess it's never really been my style, but I find it really hard to take books seriously when the "popular" aspect goes overboard there. 
 Anyway, like I was saying, despite all that stuff, I did enjoy it because I liked watching Paige figure out what REALLY matters. One of my favorite things (and probably why I liked the book so much) was her Creative Writing class and the new substitute teacher, Mr. Tremont. Now, I have no idea how to write, but I'm constantly battling against myself on how to start because I really do want to write SOMETHING someday. Just the whole inspiration and writing scenes that weave in and out of this book made me want to pick up a pen and just WRITE. Mr. Tremont actually reminded me of one of my Geography professors in college (go figure - not even close to English), so I had a real picture of how his character should be (at least in my mind). 
 That was another reason I think I ended up liking the book - Although I think authors go a little overboard on the "popular" stereotypes, there's a reason they're stereotypes: They're true. I saw a lot of girls from my high school in Paige, Nikki, and Lacey. I wouldn't go as far as matching outfits (Please. Only Mean Girls do that, am I right?) but the partying, parents who actually provided the kids with alcohol (like in the book how Paige's mother practically encourages her to drink to stay popular), the annoying but popular jock boyfriend - ALL of these existed at my high school. Although I never understood these kids and didn't hang around with them, it all really did happen, scandals and all. I'm sure if I put some of the things that DID happen in my high school, it wouldn't even sound believable so yes, I get it. I was completely baffled by the fact that these girls got in a car accident caused by drunk driving and they were still popular. RIGHT?! But then I thought back when I was 17 or 18 when a girl at my high school hit a guy on a motorcycle because she was high and he ended up dying and somehow (I don't really know how) as far as the general public knew, she was punished to the point that I knew about it and she went back to school and her group of friends and her social status like nothing ever happened. It's just as baffling in real life as it is in a book, I guess. 
 I do think though, that for the sake of sounding believable, there were a few too many issues all crammed in the book at one time. I felt like the book could have been a bit more focused on one issue or another and it still would have had a very moving and poignant message. There was a bit much all crammed together and although I still enjoyed the book, it was kind of "Shock and Awe" that really grabbed me, I think.