Dork Diaries: Birthday Drama! (Volume 13)

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Finally, for a slightly older read, Glow Up, Lara Bloom by Dee Benson follows Lara, star of the school football team, as she and her friends ‘glow up’ to become the best possible versions of themselves. Funny friends Everything is SO unbelievably PERFECT, I need to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. OUCH!! That hurt! (I just pinched myself!) Nikki Maxwell has never been popular but now she’s started at a new school, she’s hoping to leave her old dorky ways behind. Sorry! But if I dramatically dashed out of the royal ball at midnight in a glamorous, enchanted gown and lost my beautiful glass slipper, I’d step right in a pile of DOG POOP!

I think I first contracted this illness on my fifth birthday. I had invited my ENTIRE kindergarten class to my party, and my dad dressed up as a clown.

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The latest fictional novel by the Rachel Renee Russell’s ”Dork Diaries” is Tales from a NOT-SO-Happy Birthday, which is thirteenth in the series. As always, Russell delivers a funny yet plot-twisting story, geared toward children and young teens.

All the kids laughed and cheered because they thought it was all part of his very funny clown act. But I was SO upset, I couldn’t eat any of my birthday cake. With a HUGE global fanbase, Dork Diaries is the perfect series for fans of Lottie Brooks, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates. There’s no character development and “SQUEEE 😃!!”, which was kinda cute for the first few books, is really annoying me now. I understand that catchphrases can be important in the continuity of a series but I would have liked to have seen some new ones added to the ones that have been used for 13 books now. I’m also over Nikki throwing up in her mouth a little; she did it four times in this book alone. Meet Nikki Maxwell (aka Queen of the Dorks!) in the first book in the mega-selling Dork Diaries series, for fans of Lottie Brooks. Join the jokes, drama and aDORKable BFFs with over 50 million copies in print worldwide!Until he was lighting the candles on my birthday cake and somehow accidentally set the seat of his baggy clown pants on fire. Best Friends by Jacqueline Wilson is a classic and asks the question what would you do if your best friend moved miles away? If it’s the diary format that’s particularly captivating, try The Accidental Diary of B.U.G. by Jen Carney. Follow the feisty Billie’s ups and downs as she tries to work out who the school purse thief is. Could it be the annoying new girl trying to steal her BFF? Bea in Diary of an Accidental Witch by Perdita and Honor Cargill also has school troubles – her dad’s sent her to a school for witches! When I started this series I found Nikki to be relatable, if kinda melodramatic, and sweet. She’s got a loving family and friends and used to have cute little dramas at school that pretty much anyone could relate to. These days her problems are essentially most peoples’ dreams come true. I wonder how she’d cope if she had to face a real problem. I used to love this series but at this point I think I’m done. 🙁

Here's my downfall. I did just read a rating that didn't exactly like this book and it got my wheels spinning. Not wanting to spoil, (this might be a spoil, so perhaps skip to next paragraph? CAUTION) but Nikki and Brandon don't really do much. And I can see Nikki does kind of whine and doesn't exactly solve her problems like I would or some others might. But, I do respect the point that Rachel is trying to keep her readers hooked in and probably has everything solved at the last minute/last book. Maybe Rachel you could maybe do something about that when Nikki's in Paris? I'm sure my sister would love it for she is a fan of your books and agrees a small bit with me. Though I do understand this book is mainly for 3rd to 6th graders, possibly 7th. Just imagine a FABULOUS and FUN bash at the Westchester Country Club with a band, DJ, all-you-can-eat pizza, ice-cream sundae bar, two hundred of my closest friends, my loyal BFFs, my adorkable CRUSH, and a humongous birthday cake. For once, my life will be DRAMA FREE!! WOO-HOO 😃! Not likely! This is Nikki we’re talking about. She still hasn’t decided if she will be spending two weeks in Paris (all expenses paid) or going on tour with her band (you know, totally normal people problems), she’s annoyed by her sister’s culinary mash ups and freaking out about whatever potential disaster may unfold during the birthday party her two best friends are planning for her. My wonderful birthday party had turned into a complete CATASTROPHE! It was AWFUL! Thank goodness the entire thing was just a… Happy to report I liked this one a lot more than I liked the last one. If you ignore the cringy fortnite references, it was really enjoyable. It felt like the good old days when the series was just starting with Nikki and her friends doing crazy stuff that would get them arrested.We can’t miss out The Princess Diaries – a classic series by Meg Cabot, but do read the books before you watch the films. Funny, warm-hearted and full of drama, they are a must-read. Follow Nikki's adorkable life through sketches, doodles and diary entries as she shares all the details of her not-so-fabulous life full of BFF drama, hopeless crushes and an extremely cringe-worthy family. Millions of fans love reading about Nikki Maxwell and her adorkable mishaps at high school. The doodles, sketches and short diary entries make the Dork Diaries series super appealing. Plus, all the cringe moments with her family, and the fun with her BFFs are so relatable. Oh la la! Nikki and her band are invited to Paris for a super cool photoshoot – it’s a dream come true! Nikki can’t wait to learn new art styles, practice her French and explore the most romantic city in the world with her crush Brandon. Anyway, my birthday is on Saturday, June 28, and my BFFs, Chloe and Zoey, are BEGGING me to throw a big birthday party.