Saturday 2 March 2013

5-STAR Review & Top Ten favorite Hollywood heroines: The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

Original Title: The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back
Author: Sariah Wilson
Publisher: Fire & Ice Books
Release Date: August 15th 2012
Source: Blog Tour
Genre: Contemporary Romance


Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust.

But what happens when you’re the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect—read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice—stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you’ve had a thing for since you were nine years old?

Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype. Mercedes, the school mean girl, has made it her personal mission to torment Mattie. But worst of all? Her stepsister Ella is the most beautiful, popular girl in school and is dating Mattie’s secret longtime crush, Jake Kingston.

Tired of being left out and done with waiting for her own stupid fairy godmother to show up, Mattie decides to change her life. She’ll start by running for senior class president against wildly popular Jake.

Ella can keep her Prince Annoying. Mattie’s going to rule the school.

And no one, not even a cute and suddenly flirty Jake, is going to stop her.

REVIEW

THIS is what I call a good entertainer.  Although I give some books 5 star rating, only very few move on to my 'favorites' shelf.  And this book made it.

Sariah, you have got a die-hard fan from the minute I started this read.   Thanks, 1000 times thanks for making this book so much fun.  I JUST LOVED IT!!!

If there is some book this author is writing, just count me in!  I am going to stalk her from now on..

So, this is the gist of the novel:

Storyline: Mattie Lowe is in love with her stepsister, Ella's boyfriend, Jake Kingston, from nine years old.

Mattie's problem: Ella looks like a barbie doll.  How will Jake notice Mattie, when he has Ella?

About the cover: This cover is completely cool.  That Mattie loves J.K image is relatable and fun.

Fun Part: Everything

I am a sucker for fairytale retellings.  When this book came up, I just want to read it.  Even if its not the blog tour, I would just have bought it, if I had known about it.

Mattie and Ella are just perfect stepsisters.  Ella is super hard-worker, energetic, kind, polite and always there for everyone.  Mattie is just majority of the teen population - with no real aim in life, mediocre lazy, swooning over a boy and well, just regular girl.  Mattie has problem in understanding that she looks good and people really like her.  She thinks Ella is the Cinderella, who gets Prince Charming, and ugly stepsisters only get to swoon over the Prince.

Jake is a cool boyfriend and its really nice to read about some normal guy after a long time.  Its good that Jake can think differently and the romance parts are great and right.

Standing up to Mercedes, who has been a real witch to Mattie, is another cool thing.  The snarky and witty dialogues are great.  The thought process of Mattie is perfect.  Okay, see, I am really not exaggerating here.  There are some quotes I would like to share here, just to prove that I am not exaggerating.

Funny moments:

"You're running for senior class president?" Only she said it the same way someone else might say, "You're going to eat dog food?"

Laugh out loud moments:

My mouth hung open, until I realized nobody wanted to see chewed up cashew chicken.

I suddenly felt all giggly and girly, which was a completely foreign feeling.  If I started twirling my hair, I was going to have Trent shoot me.

"I'm pretty sure if you look up the word witch on Wikipedia, Mercedes's picture will be there."  I did not tell him that I was the one who posted it.

Some insightful moments: ;-)

I was constantly amazed by the depths of my own shallowness.  Wait.  Could a shallow person have depths?  Whatever. 

After a week of reading this novel, Mattie's way of finding love and herself still makes me happy.  And THAT is what made me give this 5 stars.  I just was laughing and laughing in bus, when I read this.  And I still feel a smile coming when I think of the book.   This book is everything I want - my favorite movie scenes, funny incidents, cheerful romance and the HEA.  Well done, Sariah Wilson!!!

Did I even mention that I liked this novel?  Well, what to say, I do believe in love and magic.

(Sariah, please tell me when is your next book released?)

All quotes in the review are quoted from the review copy received.  And yeah, thanks for the review copy.  You are awesome!



AUTHOR TOP 10 FAVORITES



I am very happy to say that today we have one of my most favorite authors, Sariah Wilson, with a cute Author Top 10!

Her list is from the point of view of the heroine of "The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back", Mattie Lowe, telling us about Mattie Lowe’s Top Ten favorite Hollywood heroines.  So here it goes:

Mattie Lowe’s Top Ten favorite Hollywood heroines


10.  Andie Walsh, “Pretty in Pink.”  Here’s one of the ultimate outsiders, even though she is Molly Ringwald, who manages to catch the eye of the most popular guy in school just by being weird, eccentric self.

9.  Korra “The Legend of Korra.”  What can I say?  I love a girl who can bend the elements and beat the crap out of everyone around her.

8.  Sidney Bristow, “Alias.”  I love her because of the coolness of being a spy and living a double life, but also because we have the same hair.

7.  Allison Reynolds, “The Breakfast Club.”  Let’s just say I can relate to the outsider, weird, basket-case, goth-type girl who gets a makeover and the cute, hot jock is finally able to admit how he feels.  *Sigh*

6.  Usagi Tsukino, “Sailor Moon.”  Just your normal, average, kind of ditzy girl who turns out to be an awesome superhero.  And in addition to much cool fighting and animation, this is a series that is all about love.  And yes, I’m a huge romantic sap.

5.  Katniss Everdeen, “The Hunger Games.”  She may not be a manga heroine, but she might as well be.  That girl kicks some butt and takes names!  I love strong girls who are such survivors.

4.  Sakura Haruno, “Naruto.”  “Naruto” is one of my favorite manga series, and Sakura is funny, strong, kindhearted, flawed, but can take on just about anybody in a fight and win.  She is also rocking pink hair, which I am partial to.

3.  Elizabeth Bennet, “Pride & Prejudice.”  Not just because she brought me and Jake closer together for our English project , but because she’s just all kinds of awesome.  How can you not love a girl who stays true to who she is and still gets Mr. Darcy?

2.  Samantha Baker, “Sixteen Candles.”  I know, Molly Ringwald again.  (Are you sensing a pattern?)  She’s a shy little no one who gets her dream guy, just like I got my dream guy, and he used the final scene of that movie to woo me.  (Yes, I said woo.  Because I was all woo-hoo when it happened!)

1.  Anastasia and Drizella, “Cinderella.”  You guys just have no idea how hard it is to be the ugly stepsister and have a real-life Cinderella in your family!  Those girls need to be cut some slack.

Well, enjoyed this?  Me too!  Thanks Sariah for stopping by!

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