Friday, December 31, 2010

Jessi Goes Back to High School with If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?

Title/Author: If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?
Publisher/Year: Hyperion, 2005
How I Got This: From my local library
Why I Read It: I liked the cover (I won't lie), and I was hoping to connect with Lucy
Rating: 3 Stars 


Quick Synopsis: 


When high school sophomore Lucy Norton's father remarries, Lucy's life is turned upside down. She and her father move from their West Coast home to a suburb on Long Island. With a small bedroom in the unfinished basement, unlimited chores, a blank social calendar, and a huge crush on the dashing prince of the varsity basketball team, Lucy's life has the makings of a Cinderella story--complete with two bratty stepsisters and a wicked stepmother. So isn't she supposed to get the prince? And go to the senior prom? 

Melissa Kantor delivers humor and romance as she explores the struggle of finding your real prince and, more important, yourself, in this royally funny and romantic novel.  
 




This was basically your average cute, fluffy YA read. Nothing really profound happens in this story, and if you don't like reading the antics of a typical high school girl (including prom dress shopping), then you might want to pass on this one. 


There were a few things that I particularly liked about it. First of all, I have this absolute fascination with stories of kids who are struggling with their stepparents/stepsiblings. I don't know where or how this fascination started, seeing as how my parents are happily married and I only have two brothers of my own. Maybe something about walking in someone else's shoes? I dunno. So that was part of what drew me in and kept me reading. I also really enjoy stories involving high school outcasts, just because I feel like most people can relate to that. Most teenagers at some point or another just want to fit in, so it was easy for me to sympathize with Lucy on that level. 


I liked Lucy a lot, and even though she seemed a bit whiny at times to me, I think people often forget just how whiny high school teenagers are. I liked that Melissa Kantor didn't try to glaze that over, but portrayed Lucy and her friends as how they most likely would have acted. Plus, Lucy is really funny, in a sarcastic kind of way. The story is told from her point of view, and the way that she described things sometimes had me laughing out loud, especially about her first experience with a thong. I thought it was a little strange that she had this big crush on this vapid basketball player, but he was the most popular guy in school which probably had a lot of appeal to Lucy, who considered herself a nobody. And let's face it, high school is a time of trying to fit in and figure out who you are in relation to those around you. In that sense, Kantor really nailed this book. But I still rooted for Sam the whole time :) But then again, I have a thing for the quiet, sensitive artsy/nerdy guys (lol). Oh, and Jessica and Madison were hilarious. They were so ditsy and the kind of the girls I have hoped never to be like, but they reminded me a lot of Brittany and Santana from Glee that it was hard for me not to like them. 


Anyway, I also enjoyed how Lucy came to terms with who she was and what she considered her own version of her fairy tale. It was also nice to see how the family issue was played out as part of the plot, so that it wasn't just a book about high school drama. 


Overall, like I previously stated, nothing too profound happened here, but I did enjoy this book and kept flipping pages to find out what happened next. 

7 comments:

  1. Sounds like a fun light read, great review - thanks!

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  2. I started this one once and never finished it. It was a little on the sad side as far as her family for me.

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  3. I wish you all a happy new year !

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  4. Sounds like a good cotton candy read. Thanks!

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  5. I also enjoyed how Lucy came to terms with who she was and what she considered her own version of her fairy tale. It was also nice to see how the family issue was played out as part of the plot, so that it wasn't just a book about high school drama.

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