The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

By Sariah Wilson

Book Summary: Everyone knows how all those fairly 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 has 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.

“The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back” is a sweet, clean, contemporary young adult romance.

My Review: I read this story in less than 24 hours; yes that’s right less then 24 hours. It is a very cute take on a modern day fairytale staring the “Ugly Stepsister”.  Mattie is a girl most people can relate to in high school. If you were not popular you know how she feels. She is funny, charming, and has all the insecurities that high school brings. She deals with bullying and takes on her world with a purpose. This is also a wonderful sister story and shows how two stepsister can become family.

I would recommend it for all ages. It is a sweet story and the John Hughes references are awesome! This is a great book that I would hope every mother can share with her daughter.

The Last Madam: A Life in the New Orleans Underworld

The Last Madam:  A Life in the New Orleans Underworld

By Christine Wiltz

Kindle Price: 4.99

Summary: In 1916, at age fifteen, Norma Wallace arrived in New Orleans. Sexy and shrewd, she quickly went from streetwalker to madam and by 1920 had opened what became a legendary house of prostitution.  There she entertained a steady stream of governors, gangsters, and movie stars until she was arrested at last in 1962. Shortly before she died in 1974, she tape-recorded her memories- the scandalous stories of a powerful woman who had the city’s politicians in her pocket and whose lovers included the twenty-five-year-old boy next door, whom she married when she was sixty-four. Combining those tapes with original research, Christine Wiltz chronicles not just Norma’s rise and fall but also the social history of New Orleans, thick with the vice and corruption that flourished there-and, like Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and Philistines at the Hedgerow, resurrects a vanished secret world.  This summary is from Amazon.

Review: I picked this up because lets face it who doesn’t like a good true story about a strong woman who made a notorious life for herself.  Unfortunately I had a very hard time finishing the book. While the facts are intriguing and Norma’s life was extremely interesting I had a very hard time following along. You start a chapter about an event in her life that may date back to the 1920’s and by the end of the chapter you could be in the 1940’s, then when you start the next chapter you could end up back in the 1930’s for a totally new event.

That being said, what an incredible woman Norma Wallace was. She was truly loyal to her family. I think Christine Wiltz says it best “Norma held her family’s secrets close, not because she was ashamed but because she had great family loyalty.”  She was a woman who new what she wanted and new how to get it. In the history of New Orleans her operation was the longest on record. Her business since was amazing.

I really wanted this to be a book I could say I loved, but unfortunately I can’t. The jumping around just got to be too much for me.

Rating on a Scale of 1 to 5: 2 (Only because I couldn’t finish it)

“Dreams, books,…

“Dreams, books, are each a world; and books, we know,
Are a substantial world, both pure and good.
Round these, with tendrils strong as flesh and blood,
Our pastime and our happiness will grow.”
-Wordsworth