Review: A Farewell to Charms (Princess for Hire, Book 3) by Lindsey Leavitt

farewell to charms Reviewed by First Mate Keira

Title: A Farewell to Charms (Princess for Hire, Book 3)
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Format: Hardback
Page Count: 288 pages
Grade Reading Level: Grades 5-7

Summary: Desi Bascomb is a magical princess substitute prodigy and is being fast-tracked to the big leagues at Facade Agency. As a new Level 3, she’s going to get a princess to sub for on a more regular schedule and this role will be permanent while she continues to sub. This is great news but also puts a crimp on her style. She wants to talk with a fellow employee, her crush, Reed, who subs for princes… but it’s frowned upon. Desi wants to know why and she wants to change the way Facade handles sub-dropouts.

Why I read this book:

I had to wait for the library to pick the book up for circulation. I forgot about the series while waiting but it came to me recently to check out the book catalog and there it was. Score!

Likes:

I like that Desi gets to confront Prince Karl while subbing for his princess Elsa… and that he knows her to be a sub… I always thought it was weird that royalty didn’t bother to question each other if they knew about the system.
Desi's time as Princess Vanna is hilarious...
Desi's strength to stand-up to Floressa Chase who wants to ruin her mom's wedding and blame another princess in the process.

Toss-Up:

I went back and forth on Reed a lot in this book. I think in the end for me I would have preferred Karl realizing Desi was Elsa when the two royals got together and want to be with Desi... although I think Karl is significantly older than Desi's 13/14 years old. That was another aspect of the subbing that I didn't get... how do you explain the sudden maturity or immaturity in a royal (depending on who is subbing)?

Dislikes:

The sour friendship angle - it was the one extra thing in a book full of other going-ons... and if the magical sub time is supposed to make it seem like Desi's never really gone... her absence/silence on absences shouldn't be an issue with Kylie.

Buy: Farewell to Charms