{Review/Giveaway} THE UGLY STEPSISTER STRIKES BACK by Sariah Wilson

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O P E N I N G   H O O K:

MY STEPSISTER ELLA WAS RUINING MY LIFE. She was blonde, petite, beautiful, talented, popular, and worst of all, she was nice.

(page 3, US e-book edition)

I wasn't sure what to expect upon hearing about THE UGLY STEPSISTER STRIKES BACK.  The cover looked like a full-fledged fairy tale, so I immediately wanted it.  When I started reading, however, it was clear that this wasn't the stepsister's version of Cinderella.  For one thing, Mattie's dad married Ella's mom, and Mattie and her father aren't evil.  Neither is Ella, though she does have a few do-gooder Cinderella-esque qualities.  In fact, Mattie feels sub-par next to Ella, who is everything she isn't--and wants to be.  Ella is even dating Jake, who has been Mattie's crush since ninth-grade.

The book has a very contemporary feel, with a good, steady voice that leaves readers rooting for Mattie.  She can't get over the fact that Jake's every move leaves her melting inside, even when he acts like a jerk.  After being forced to work on a school project together and running opposite one another for Class President, she learns a lot more about him and starts seeing Jake as a real human being.  Even Ella becomes multi-faceted.  At first, she's a stereotype, and I wanted to hate her, especially because I was seeing her through Mattie's eyes.  But as the relationship between Ella and Mattie evolves, so do my feelings about Ella.  I wound up really changing my opinion about a lot of character's by the book's end.

THE UGLY STEPSISTER was a light, fast read full of fun.  I read it in one sitting, and really enjoyed the voice Sariah Wilson created for her characters.  She mixed her elements well, and while the book isn't heavy on substance, it isn't meant to be and works exactly as intended.  The character development is strong, and I liked the way family relationships were handled in a believable way.  While I would have liked to see the book be a little longer, and therefore deeper, I still enjoyed reading it and would pick up another book from Wilson in the future.

~*~

C O V E R   D E S I G N:

Cute and fun!  I love the way the cover looks hand-drawn.  It fits perfectly because Mattie loves to draw, and I could see her drawing everything on the cover.  It also caught my eye because it's just all around adorable.  

The palace on the cover catches my eye (of course), and I love the sparkle of the gold font! The uniqueness of the font for "Ugly" feels very artsy as well.  Good combo!  While cotton candy pink isn't one of my personal favorite colors, I can see how the color will appeal to a lot of readers, and it is balanced with darker colors that complement it well.  It's perfect for its genre.

  ~*~

O F F I C I A L   I N F O:

Title:  THE UGLY STEPSISTER STRIKES BACK
Author: Sariah Wilson

Release Date: Out Aug. 15, 2012

Publisher: Fire & Ice Books
Received: For Review

SUMMARY:

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.

~*~

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Praise

“My top pick of 2012 YA… This book is just. plain. fun.”

~Jordan McCollum, author of Saints & Spies and I, Spy

“Sariah Wilson's new book, The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back, is hilarious…What follows is a story of fun and romance with some good non-preachy life lessons thrown in.  The voice in the main character, Mattie, makes the whole thing.  I thought it was definitely a book I'd recommend to anyone with teenagers or who just want to read a good teen romance.”

~Julie Coulter Bellon, author of All Fall Down and All’s Fair

“Sariah [Wilson] has written one of the funniest stories I've read in such a long, long time. I literally couldn't put it down. Yes, my poor Kindle's battery died and I was attached to a short power cord, contorted in a very uncomfortable position while I read to the end…. Sariah Wilson captured the back-biting, insecure, hormone-driven, clique-riddled high school atmosphere so perfectly you'd think she never grew up. I dare you not to laugh as you read this witty and oh, so, romantic story.”

~Debra Erfert of Windows into Writing

“Sariah Wilson writes like the best of/most popular YA teen fiction/teen romance authors - Sarah Dessen, Jennifer Echols, Susanne Collins, Cassandra Clare.  She sucks you in and never lets you go.  I finished the ~194 novel in one night because I just couldn't go to sleep without knowing the ending!  I hope that Sariah comes out with more novels, I know I'll be re-reading this one all the time!  She's extremely talented and needs to be talked about.  I highly recommend The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back! to anyone (over the age of 12) who wants a YA novel that's a real modern-day fairy tale.”

~Hilary at Novel d’Tales

“This was such an entertaining story! I shouldn't have started reading it so late in the evening, because I didn't want to put it down to go to sleep…This is a book I can see myself reading several times. It's a fast, clean read with great characters, and I highly recommend it.”

~Andrea of Literary Time Out

The book is wonderful.  It’s quirky and fun.  The story makes you laugh and you fall in love with the characters right from the beginning…This is a well-written book.  It is one that will make you smile and sigh as you remember your first love.  And it has a moral…be yourself, believe in yourself and maybe, just maybe, your fairytale will come true.  Pick up this book.”

~Ana of The Book Hookup

Author Sariah Wilson

Sariah Wilson has never jumped out of an airplane, never climbed Mt. Everest, and is not a former CIA operative. She has, however, been madly, passionately in love with her soulmate and is a fervent believer in happily ever afters—which is why she writes romance. The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back is her fourth happily ever after novel. She grew up in southern California, graduated from Brigham Young University (go Cougars!) with a semi-useless degree in history, and is the oldest of nine (yes, nine) children. She currently lives with the aforementioned soulmate and their four children in Utah, along with three tiger barb fish, a cat named Tiger, and a recently departed hamster that is buried in the backyard (and has nothing at all to do with tigers).

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Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/10/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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