If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?

This book was written in a very easy-to-relate, lighthearted way, highly reminiscent of everyone's favorite The Princess Diaries! The metaphors in this were extremely effective, and I'm really not one to say that lightly. When they were used, they were used in such a way so as not to be distractive, but to genuinely contribute to the writing. They don't seem forced in the slightest. The characters frustrated me for a while, and I was unable to see where they were coming from (particularly the basketball loving, popularity seeking main character), but soon, I did grow to tolerate them, some more than others. One thing I really loved about this book was that the main romantic interest was not incredibly obvious from the start. He was show more introduced subtly, although in the end, he seamlessly blends in to the rest of the story. Kantor not only breaks the cliches, she addresses them quite clearly before doing so, written in a very 'in your face' manner. I didn't like the title, and it wasn't actually the length of it that disturbed me--it was the fact that while, yes, she was looking for a prince, for the majority of the book, she was convinced she already had a 'prince' and the focus was more on the stepfamily than anything. Still, I loved it. I didn't agree with everything the characters said or did, but in the end, everything was adorably charming and thoroughly lovable.

Rating: 4.5/5 show less

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 show more 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. show less

I picked up the book for the title and cover alone. I didn't really bother to read the back and really I wish I had.
The book took forever for me to get into, and it wasn't for lack of trying. The writing was perfect and the detail was great, I just felt like I couldn't connect to Lucy the main character. Okay, her mother is an artist that dies when she is a baby and then after so many years (she's a teenager) her father remarries and she has to move. I understand her not liking the new stepmother and the step-sisters, but really? She complains throughout the whole book, she has no friends, has a crush on the star basketball player and her dad is almost never home.
I guess after watching a hundred different Cinderella story movies and show more not really liking the whole Cinderella fairy tale to begin with, may have made me a little cynical while reading.
After everything in the boy and friend department starts going good for Lucy, she really changes and thinks that she is all that just because she is dating the star basketball player. It's a classic move with most authors and really turned me off the book. There is the normal, talk of them drinking, making out and al the stuff high schoolers are known to do. Lucy continues to have issues with her stepmother and the step-sisters, and of course she feels as though her father doesn't care about her because he is never there.
I had to keep reading after being almost done with it and of course Lucy had to start falling for someone else, and then all of a sudden she isn't happy with everything she has. The ending was too abrupt for me and I believe that Melisa could have gotten to that point faster and then expanded on it more. show less

So Lucy starts out by comparing herself to Cinderella, but by the end she's rejecting the fairy tale set-up. She's realized that her "Prince Charming" isn't charming (it took her way too long- this was the most annoying part of the book because she obviously didn't have more than a superficial connection with him). She also fixes the situation with her stepmother (and her father), and even gives the "princesses" (stepsisters) names and personalities. Interestingly, her friendships with the two popular sophomore girls don't fall apart as she imagines they will- she finds a way to integrate herself into her new life at last.

This book was a random YA novel I picked up at the checkout at the grocery store because I liked the cover. Having never read any of Melissa Kantor's books, I wasn't sure what to expect. Lucy introduces herself to readers by making a list in class comparing herself to Cinderella. Both have dead mothers, wicked stepmothers, 2 evil stepsisters, and no friends.

The one notable difference is that Lucy's father is still alive, however, he works out of town so frequently that Lucy feels as if he has abandoned her all the same. Lucy's father has remarried and has moved Lucy from San Francisco to Long Island. Beginning her second semester in her second new school in two years, Lucy has mastered the art of being invisible. That is until Connor show more Pearson, the Prince of her new school takes notice of her. Instantly, Lucy has a new group of friends, a handsome, popular boyfriend, and plans every weekend. In all the commotion, Lucy realizes something is still missing...her. Struggling to find her true self and her true Prince Charming, Lucy battles with her new family and struggles with a self-portrait project in art class (no ironic symbolism here folks). :)

Lucy's unique mix of interest in sports and artistic abilities (not to mention her bright red hair) make her an interesting and likably different character from your typical female protagonists. Warning, contradiction to what I just said coming in 3...2...1: Reminiscent of Laurie Halse Anderson's Melinda Sordino in Speak, Lucy must draw on her her inner-strength to overcome the situation she has found herself in and to find the path that leads her to her true self (minus a Fairy Godmother).

Kantor gives Lucy a voice that most teens can relate to: frustrated with parents and siblings, desperate to fit in, and in serious need of love. show less

This review was originally posted on my review blog : http://fallingofftheshelf.blogspot.com

Lucy Norton might actually have a wicked stepmother, or so she seems to believe. While her bratty stepsister practically get away with murder, she gets in trouble for the smallest things. Her father is hardly ever home to know the difference, and merely takes what she says as over reacting. Lucy believes that her life has seriously gone down the drain, until the day she sees Connor Pearson. Every Cinderella gets a prince, right?

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? is a cute, quirky, short read. It caps out at 283 pages, and I flew through them in a matter of mere hours. I've always had a love for modern day fairy tales, and this one show more is no exception. At first I thought this book was going to be a lot about how Lucy was just a drama queen, and for awhile, it really was. I had to read on to get the full picture.

As far as I'm concerned, the way Lucy's stepmother treated her in this novel was quite wrong. I personally would have labeled her as a wicked stepmother myself, and it wouldn't have hurt to throw a bucket of water of her head to see if she melted. Her bratty daughters were no exception, as they were only nice when it benefited them. And for Lucy's father?, her blood related father?, he rarely listened to his daughter. I understood why Lucy was as dramatic as she was, and I probably would have acted the same way had I been in her shoes.

Melissa Kantor easily gave the impression of a modern day Cinderella story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A few other great things about this story are the life lessons that Lucy learns along the way. It's not only a modern fairy tale, but a coming of age novel about a girl growing into herself, and understanding her place in the world. I'd highly recommend this title to those of you who enjoy a good modern day retelling of one of your favorite fairy tales, as well as fans of other works by Melissa Kantor. show less

I picked up the book for the title and cover alone. I didn't really bother to read the back and really I wish I had.
The book took forever for me to get into, and it wasn't for lack of trying. The writing was perfect and the detail was great, I just felt like I couldn't connect to Lucy the main character. Okay, her mother is an artist that dies when she is a baby and then after so many years (she's a teenager) her father remarries and she has to move. I understand her not liking the new stepmother and the step-sisters, but really? She complains throughout the whole book, she has no friends, has a crush on the star basketball player and her dad is almost never home.
I guess after watching a hundred different Cinderella story movies and show more not really liking the whole Cinderella fairy tale to begin with, may have made me a little cynical while reading.
After everything in the boy and friend department starts going good for Lucy, she really changes and thinks that she is all that just because she is dating the star basketball player. It's a classic move with most authors and really turned me off the book. There is the normal, talk of them drinking, making out and al the stuff high schoolers are known to do. Lucy continues to have issues with her stepmother and the step-sisters, and of course she feels as though her father doesn't care about her because he is never there.
I had to keep reading after being almost done with it and of course Lucy had to start falling for someone else, and then all of a sudden she isn't happy with everything she has. The ending was too abrupt for me and I believe that Melisa could have gotten to that point faster and then expanded on it more. show less