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

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

by Melissa Kantor (Goodreads Author)

3.66 of 5 stars 3.66 · rating details · 2,976 ratings · 372 reviews

Mrs. McBloom, clean up your room!"For nearly fifty years, that's been the refrain of janitors, principals, and students who enter the chaos of Room Five. Now the beloved Mrs. McBloom-who has taught nearly everyone in the town of Up Yonder, even Principal Pumpernickel-is about to retire. Finally, she must clean up her classroom.But where to begin? Years of science experimen...more

Hardcover, 283 pages

Published September 1st 2005 by Disney-Hyperion (first published August 26th 2005)

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YA Modern Retellings

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Feb 09, 2009 Runa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 31, 2011 Arya rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: retellings, fantasy

Ok two stars - why you ask - well because the plot was completely predictable and the author doesn't mind using language as an embelishment to even the simpest statments! Also there was much more "making out" than I would like, even though nothing worse happened. It was enjoyable to read this, unfortunatly after I finished it I thought that there was really not much point to have waded through all of the language and akward make-out scenes.

SPOILERS//

I knew from the beginning that Sam was a g...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Laura Pratz rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Plot:
I didn't really know what to expect with this book, but, to be honest, my expectations weren't high (I judged a book by its cover - sue me!). I'm glad to say, though, I was surprised.

This book started out a little slowly, and I had to scoff a little bit about the main character.

I found it a little unrealistic that Lucy barely talked to anyone, and then she says one word to Conner (the most popular guy at her school) and he's got this fat crush on her and then they're going out. Just sayin'....more

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Mar 07, 2013 Brianna.lee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Melissa Kantor’s novel, If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince?, is like the modern day Cinderella story. The main character Lucy Norton loses her mother at a young age and her life drastically changes when her father remarries. Her father and her move from San Francisco all the way to New York to live with her stepmother and two stepsisters. But since her father is constantly gone for work its more like she’s stranded in a torture chamber. As if being treated like Cinderella wasn't ba...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Maya Zauberman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Normally, I don't read much YA . It's not a genre I find myself usually into. But this book was quite good. The protagonist wasn't an idiot, and the characters were extremely well-rounded. Lucy, while creative and sarcastic, could be a little nasty and whiny at times, and the step-mom was a little bitchy at first, but seems to equally care about bringing her stepdaughter into her life at the end. The stepsisters were completely irritating at first, but later on, they became slightly nicer, espec...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this book in ninth grade, but I didn't really remember what happened. When my mom got me this book for christmas I was pretty pumped to read it again! Also, I am in love with the cover, yes, I am one of those people who judges a book my its cover...I can't help it!

Anyway, this is a story of Lucy and her move to live with her wicked stepmother and two evil stepsisters in New York. Her dad is constantly going from San Francisco to New York, so the only times Lucy really gets to see him is...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Lily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've got to say, I was totally amazed by how good this book was! I was expecting some completely vapid, popular people suck, woe is me, hey hot guy, high-school drama bull crap, but Kantor is actually an insightful and talented writer.

First off, from a pure enjoyment standpoint, this is a great teen romance. Yeah, you can see where the story is headed the entire time, but it's the kind of titillating prescience that makes the unfolding love-plot that much more enticing--you can't wait to see how...more I've got to say, I was totally amazed by how good this book was! I was expecting some completely vapid, popular people suck, woe is me, hey hot guy, high-school drama bull crap, but Kantor is actually an insightful and talented writer.

First off, from a pure enjoyment standpoint, this is a great teen romance. Yeah, you can see where the story is headed the entire time, but it's the kind of titillating prescience that makes the unfolding love-plot that much more enticing--you can't wait to see how it's getting where it's going. This novel also contains a nice dose of escapism--Lucy lives in the NYC suburbs with a ton of money, so she can have the Gossip-Girl-style glamorous high school experience even us adult ladies enjoy fantasizing about sometimes.

Aside from that, this book is just REALLY well-written. Kantor heard "show, don't tell" in creative writing class and made it an art. There are obvious themes to this novel--there's good and bad to everyone, don't judge a book by its cover, be kind and thoughtful and it will pay off. But she never has Lucy, who is, after all, a teenage girl, say, "OH HEY, I TOTALLY LEARNED A LESSON." We see these ideas play out in the resolving incongruities of the book--what Lucy reports happening (fights with her stepmother, etc.), and her emotional reactions do not match up. We LIKE Lucy--we like her outsider status, her self-expression through her art, her willingness to stand up for all the things she defines herself by (art AND basketball), but at the same time, she acts like a totally stupid, arrogant, rude teenage girl sometimes. And that's GOOD. She's believable, loveable in the way she isn't the perfect antidote to the "popular girl." Not to mention, Kantor is clearly a smarty; she peppers her prose with great references to the arts and really arresting similes.

(Basically I wish Kantor would write a nice ADULT chic-lit-emphasis-on-the-LIT book.)

TL;DR This book is written like literature, with the bubble-gum appeal of teen romance. Yum.(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-baby-ya, x-2005s, reviewed

Lucy is a half-step away from becoming a fairytale cliche. She has a wicked stepmother and two equally wicked step-spawn, her mother's dead, and her dad's so busy lawyering that she might as well be an orphan. Also, she has no friends (not even a singing bird or chipmunk). Boo hoo her life sucks.

I'd be lying if I said I picked this up without any reservations. The title is completely lame, and the Avril Lavigne-esque circa 2003 cover with the frilly skirt and Converse shoes didn't do much for me...more Lucy is a half-step away from becoming a fairytale cliche. She has a wicked stepmother and two equally wicked step-spawn, her mother's dead, and her dad's so busy lawyering that she might as well be an orphan. Also, she has no friends (not even a singing bird or chipmunk). Boo hoo her life sucks.

I'd be lying if I said I picked this up without any reservations. The title is completely lame, and the Avril Lavigne-esque circa 2003 cover with the frilly skirt and Converse shoes didn't do much for me, either. At first, I was annoyed with the characters as well. Of course Lucy immediately catches the eye of the most popular boy in school. Of course Lucy's stepmother hates her for no reason. Of course she immediately becomes super popular. Of course, of course, of course.

However, the characters keep this from being an actual cliche. Lucy is a very compelling main character, who's a fan of both art and sports. Her struggle to deal with her step-family was highly realistic, and, I imagine, will resonate with a lot of young readers. Connor, the It Boy, is also very realistic. It's easy to see why he's appealing, but he also has a lot of flaws, showing that what's attractive in high school isn't necessarily attractive in the real world.

That's what I liked about this book. Kantor sets up the stage and then yanks it out from beneath you like a magician performing a fancy trick. A lot of the cliches that seemed to be heading my way were red herrings. It dealt with a lot of controversial subjects, like drug and alcohol use, family tension, and sneaking out in a very subtle way that wasn't at all preachy. And you know? My opinion about a lot of characters changed, mostly for the better, and I was pleased that this book wasn't filled with so many of those catty bitches that suggests a lingering resentment of the female sex. The values and messages IIHaWSWMP contains are very lovely and quite sweet.

Yes, there were some aspects of this book that were predictable but they were few and far in between. All in all, this was a very endearing retelling of Cinderella as viewed through the high school lens.(less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Lynn Davidson rated it 4 of 5 stars

When you hear the title – If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? – what do you think of? Probably the first thing that comes to mind is Cinderella. And you are not far off. The main character in this enjoyable book feels as if she is being treated like a Cinderella; even her new friends think so.

When Lucy’s mother died, leaving behind her husband and young daughter, it meant it was just the two of them for several years. Then her dad remarried and moved them to live in another city wi...more

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Apr 23, 2012 Marsha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: literature-fiction, young-adult, romance

The fairy tale notion of a “wicked” stepparent is an ancient one and may simply be a projection of a child’s warped vision of how her pampered happy life has changed and not for the better. We see this in movies like “Labyrinth” and ostensibly adult books like “Bonjour Tristesse”. Another adult, one not related to you, doesn’t mean you well and if they have children of their own these offspring are favored above you.

Lucy’s dad has married another woman who already has two daughters, whom Lucy h...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Rhonda rated it 5 of 5 stars

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother Where's My Prince by Melissa kantor
5 STARS
Well if the purpose of this book is to make me feel for Lucy it was successful.
My emotions where all over the place even shed a bunch of tears.
Lucy's father got remarried and they moved from San Francisco to New York to live in her stepmother's house. Then her father kept working in San Francisco on a big case for work and flew into New york for weekends.
Lucy's stepmother is busy shopping and cares about redecorating the wh...more

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Jan 13, 2012 -k The Lady Critic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, for-review

This book made me finally realize why I'm not a huge fan of Cinderella...

:D

Ladies and gentlemen, I have realized now that, after 20+ years, Cinderella pisses me off thanks to this novel. Granted, I haven’t watched the Disney version is quite a long time (do I have it on DVD? Upon quick inspection I don’t, but I do have it on VHS) so maybe I should just to see if these feelings are even valid, but that doesn’t change the fact that I had an epiphany. Cinderella is a twit who never stands up for he...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Rapunzel rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is sadly the only book that I finished for the 12/30/2011 Read-A-Thon. I am a much slower reader than I like to think of myself. My most was 50 pages an hour. Not bad but not really all that spectacular either.

This book was offered on NetGalley because it was a favorite with the staff and I got it in order to try to find out what was wrong with my nook. For some reason it would not allow me to upload my books to my device. I eventually found out it was because I did not reauthorize my devic...more This is sadly the only book that I finished for the 12/30/2011 Read-A-Thon. I am a much slower reader than I like to think of myself. My most was 50 pages an hour. Not bad but not really all that spectacular either.

This book was offered on NetGalley because it was a favorite with the staff and I got it in order to try to find out what was wrong with my nook. For some reason it would not allow me to upload my books to my device. I eventually found out it was because I did not reauthorize my device after I had to deregister and erase my nook when I changed my email address. Because of the fact that it was over 200 pages and I happen to like fairy tale retelling I decided to read it for the Read-A-Thon.

I was not disappointed.

I really like how Lucy was not only interested in being popular and while Connor, the guy that she likes, is popular the reason that she likes him is for more than just his popularity. They both liked basketball and while that is all that they knew about each other it was a cute if completely doomed relationship. The way that the few basketball games are described is also something that I really liked. While the correct terms were used it was not done in a way that would bore people who are not as knowledgeable about the sport. I did not learn anything but I was not forced to skim over these parts either.

Yet Lucy not only likes basketball but she wants to be an artist. She has been in love with the art that is put up around the school and when she finds out that she will be in the same class as the boy who had done them she is very excited. Until she meets him and she finds out that he is very rude and short with her.Can you say love triangle? I love how the story incorporates different artists and museums. I could tell how passionate Lucy was about her art and I really enjoyed that.

I am really loving my spoiler black outs. I was going to have the text blurred but when I previewed it there was not way for me not to be able to read what was supposed to be hidden. So while the black strip does look less elegant I like that I actually give the reader the choice to pass up on the spoilers if they want to.

As a retelling of Cinderella in a modern setting I have to say that Melissa Kantor went above and beyond. I especially like how she did not just ignore that fact that hers was a retelling. There are more than enough references to Cinderella and how similar their lives were. Yet I did not find the story stale at all. It was done in new and interesting ways and while I found myself recognizing what was taken from the original story I would not say that it was not original in its own right.

My favorite part was the fact that Lucy comparing her life to Cinderella ended up being her downfall. What I did not like was the fact that nothing happened to the stepfamily because she was really not exaggerating on how horrible they were.

While I really liked the book I did feel a bit disappointed in the ending because the romance was not as well developed as it could have been and the ending felt almost rushed to me.(less)

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Dec 27, 2011 Lisa Nguyen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://shatterbooks.blogspot.com/2011...

Well i request this from netgalley and i got it for review. It's a retelling of Cinderella, I'm pretty sure you guys all know the fairy tale story :) I love love re tellings. And this one is one of them. It got published a few years ago soo yeah. I was definitely hooked to this book. I couldn't even put this book down. It took me two days to read it since I was reading other books too. I can totally feel like characters madness. This book makes me mad in a...more http://shatterbooks.blogspot.com/2011...

Well i request this from netgalley and i got it for review. It's a retelling of Cinderella, I'm pretty sure you guys all know the fairy tale story :) I love love re tellings. And this one is one of them. It got published a few years ago soo yeah. I was definitely hooked to this book. I couldn't even put this book down. It took me two days to read it since I was reading other books too. I can totally feel like characters madness. This book makes me mad in a good way. I totally HATE the stepmother.
So it's about a girl name Lucy. Her mother died when she was really young and after a couple of years. Her father re marries and they have to move into the stepmother's house. She lives in the basement, the freak?! Anyways, she's not popular at school.
Everyone.. I mean everyone likes this guy, Conner Pearson. He's the hottest guy in high school and he's single. Suddenly one day Lucy talks about Basketball and Conner overhear her talking. Then he join the conversion and they both starts liking each other. After that day, Conner and Lucy started dating. Then everyone starts noticing her and wanting to be friends. Lucy believes that Conner is her prince.
Her stepmother is soooo annoying UGH. She's like 'I want this...Oooo I want this too' It makes me mad! It's weird since i never felt mad about a book before. And her dad believes everything her stepmother says. She twist everything Lucy said. Her dad is sooooooooooo freaking blind -_____- I hate how she has to hold in her anger every time she gets 'in trouble' by her stepmother. But I do like how they treat her at the end.
Lucy loves drawing. So does her mother. She's in art class and she's the second best in the class. The best is Sam Wolff, he's the type of guy who doesn't talk at all, but that's at first. Lucy thought he was mad and stuff but after what he did to her, which i'm not going to tell you because i don't want to spoil it :) Sam and Lucy has a friend relationship......kinda.
I think you should totally read this book! :) (less)

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Dec 16, 2011 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a cute story. Lucy's dad remarried, and then moved her across the country to live with her new stepmom and stepsisters. Her father didn't die, but he kept his job where they used to live, so he was only with them on the weekends. When he was home on the weekends, of course he wanted to spend time with his new wife. Lucy's stepmom decorated the whole house except for Lucy's basement bedroom. She only had an air mattress to sleep on, but she didn't have a closet or anywhere store her clo...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother Where's My Prince by Melissa Kantor follows Lucy Norton who was uprooted from California when her Father gets married and spends most of her time alone in her room in the basement her new house with her wicked stepmother and bratty twin sisters. She is treated badly by her stepmother and her father is away most of the time and doesn't have any friends at her new school. When the school basketball star (the prince) asks her out she is very excited and finds her life...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Christy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ok, yes, the plot in this book is predictable, but this wasn't meant to be a turny-twisty type of story. This is one of those teen romance, girl gets the hot guy, but realizes the guy for her is the one she can be herself with type of stories.
The writing in itself was pretty good. There were funny parts and dramatic parts, and typical teenage ansgt-y parts. The book reads fairly easily and the story flows well. Why only three stars, you ask? Well, there are several reason.
Reason number one:...more

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Dec 23, 2010 Autumn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, young-adult, romance, worst-books-i-ever-read

Lucy is the new kid in school. She hates her stepmom and her bratty stepsisters. Not to mention her father is never home; he is always working. School is a living hell for her, she eats alone and doesnt talk to anyone in the hall ways... Nothing is going the way Lucy wants it too! Until suddenly she makes a comment about basketball and she is instantly in with the "cool" kids and hooks the hottest most popularest guy in her school.

From that point on in the book Lucy spends her days shopping, ha...more

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Jun 17, 2010 Candi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

This is an average Cinderella story, but it had some problems for me.

One, either the author has never been out of the Los Angeles area or knows nothing about basketball. Lucy, the heroine in the story, has moved from San Francisco to suburban New York and her favorite team is the Lakers. Really?!? I maybe could have liked the heroine more if I didn't hate the Lakers so much, they are not a "Cinderella" basketball team. Come on, you couldn't use the Golden State Warriors or the Sacramento Kings?...more

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Jun 04, 2010 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, stepfamilies, realistic, art, basketball, relationships, families, relationship-problems, teenagers, high-school, gutsy-girls, borrowed-from-the-library

Lucy Norton feels like Cinderella – her life is all work and no play. After her father remarries, he moves her to New York (from California) to live with her (evil) stepmother and twelve year old twin stepsisters – and then promptly returns to California to work on a “big case.” Lucy is all alone in a hostile environment (an unfurnished basement, sleeping on an air mattress and living out of cardboard boxes), and it’s always her stepmom’s word against hers. Things start to look up when Lucy attr...more Lucy Norton feels like Cinderella – her life is all work and no play. After her father remarries, he moves her to New York (from California) to live with her (evil) stepmother and twelve year old twin stepsisters – and then promptly returns to California to work on a “big case.” Lucy is all alone in a hostile environment (an unfurnished basement, sleeping on an air mattress and living out of cardboard boxes), and it’s always her stepmom’s word against hers. Things start to look up when Lucy attracts the attention of Connor, only the hottest, most popular guy at her high school (she’s finally got her prince!). Suddenly everyone knows who she is and wants to be her friend. Unfortunately, it doesn’t change things for Lucy at home. That’s going to take a lot more work. As her frustration with her situation grows, Lucy starts speaking her mind, which only gets her into more trouble. And, as it turns out, her “prince” isn’t all that perfect – their shared interests in basketball and kissing can only take them so far. Sam, the quiet and intense guy from her art class, however, is starting to seem awfully appealing.

This was unexpectedly good. Lucy and Sam are well-developed characters with some unique interests, and Melissa Kantor doesn’t skimp on the details – Lucy knows basketball AND art. And Lucy isn’t just another whiny teen; her complaints are legitimate – her father has left her in a situation where she doesn’t know anyone, and he hasn’t listened to her side of things, and he needs to be there more often. When he finally figures this out and gives her the time and attention she deserves, things are much better. Lucy isn’t a spineless, lovesick, insecure idiot either – she realizes that she and Connor are not meant to be, that they don’t have much in common – and when Connor goes off with the prom queen, she isn’t devastated. She knows who she really wants to spend her time with. It’s just the right balance of drama, romance, and teen angst. (less)

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Feb 27, 2010 Rachael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lucy Norton’s new life seems like the stuff of fairytales—in the worst possible way. Because of her father’s remarriage, she’s had to move from one coast to the other to live in a Long Island suburb. As if the move weren’t bad enough, Lucy now has a wicked stepmother, two bratty stepsisters, and a whole bunch of chores. But if Lucy is the new Cinderella, then isn’t she supposed to get the prince (okay, star basketball player), dance at the ball (or prom), and live happily ever after? Because at...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Rosa rated it 4 of 5 stars

i like this book because it is like a renewed version of a fairy tale.the fairy tale is Cinderella and the book is almost exactly like it.the only difference is that Cinderella is not in high school, doesn't live in a basement and her father is not alive.this book is also like the story Ella enchanted.this is like that story because Ella also has an evil stepmother, two stepsisters and her father is alive and away most of the time.
I think that you would like this book if you like drama and roma...more

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Apr 11, 2010 Echo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-in-10, youngadult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Still not quite sure what I thought of this book. It was alright, but not something I'll keep or reread.
The main character was hard for me to identify with, but seemed to be fairly realistic. The guy she thinks is her "prince" was a lot more likable than I expected him to be. And the guy who was actually intended for her was kind of hard to like at times, though that was the author's intention, I think.
The main character's negative feelings toward her step family actually do seem justified, thou...more Still not quite sure what I thought of this book. It was alright, but not something I'll keep or reread.
The main character was hard for me to identify with, but seemed to be fairly realistic. The guy she thinks is her "prince" was a lot more likable than I expected him to be. And the guy who was actually intended for her was kind of hard to like at times, though that was the author's intention, I think.
The main character's negative feelings toward her step family actually do seem justified, though I wouldn't call any of them "evil."
As others have pointed out, I was somewhat surprised by the drug use, drinking, and general lack of parental involvement. The main character's friends talk her into buying a thong and a sexy red dress. Once in it, the character (who is maybe 14? 15?) realizes the dress barely covers her butt. Her father notices, raises an eyebrow, and says nothing before he sends her off on a date with an older boy. Another time, the character gets in trouble with her stepmother after defending herself against her step sisters (who started calling her names). She sees a note the next morning telling her to come straight home from school. Since there's a big game that night, and she doesn't want to risk being grounded, she decides to just not come home until she's gone to the game and the party with the seniors. She packs a change of clothes, leaves her cell phone at home, and leaves for school before anyone wakes up. Then, after school, when all of her friends are doing other things and can't hang out with her, she runs off to the city and goes to an art show. She meets a boy from school and talks to him as he drinks wine. In the presence of his mother. The main character leaves the art show just in time to make it to the big basketball game, then goes to a party with her friends, where their older boyfriends are all getting really, really drunk. Finally, she arrives home late that night and finds her father waiting up for her. Is he angry that she didn't come home as soon as school was over, as she was asked? Is he angry that she left her cell phone at home and he had no way of contacting her, or that she never once called to tell him where she was or if she was ok? Nope. He just wants to have a calm talk with her about why she got into an argument with her stepmother the night before.
I wasn't too fond of some of the moments like that, but overall it was an alright book. Just not one with characters who set a great example for readers.(less)

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Dec 30, 2011 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The title and cover sort of say it all, don’t they? If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? is definitely a “chick” book. It might as well have a pink cover. (It’s lavender. Close enough.) If you’re looking for a quick, extremely light, somewhat predictable read, this is the book for you. It’s a nice bit of brain candy after you’ve read something really heavy. (Think of it as the dessert after a huge meal.)

Lucy Norton’s life is a lot like Cinderella’s. Her father’s remarriage has uproo...more The title and cover sort of say it all, don’t they? If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? is definitely a “chick” book. It might as well have a pink cover. (It’s lavender. Close enough.) If you’re looking for a quick, extremely light, somewhat predictable read, this is the book for you. It’s a nice bit of brain candy after you’ve read something really heavy. (Think of it as the dessert after a huge meal.)

Lucy Norton’s life is a lot like Cinderella’s. Her father’s remarriage has uprooted her from everything she’s ever known. She has a new home where she feels like a guest…if not the hired help. She has a stepmother and two stepsisters who only acknowledge her to criticize something. Her father is largely absent from her life. She has no friends. (At least Cinderella had some furry woodland creatures to keep her company.) And she’s got a crush on the most popular guy in school (the handsome prince, if you will). How can her fairy tale ever become reality when her life sucks so much?

As you’ve probably guessed, things turn around for Lucy pretty quickly. Two girls befriend her after it becomes obvious that Lucy’s dream guy might just see her as his dream girl. All of a sudden, Lucy is the popular girl she’s always wanted to be. Sure, her life at home is still total crap, but at least her social life is booming, right? Right? She’ll just ignore the little voices in her head that tell her that the perfect guy may not be the perfect guy for her. Join Lucy as she learns that the fairy tale isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. After all, what would Cinderella have done if Prince Charming turned out to be kind of a butthead?

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? may not be the greatest thing to hit YA literature, but female readers, particularly those in grades 7 to 10, will enjoy this light read. The book was released in 2005, so I’m betting that a lot of teen girls have already picked this one up. If not…well, maybe I’ve done a little to get one or two people to escape into this story.

If you’d like more information about this book or others by author Melissa Kantor, you can visit her website at http://www.melissakantor.com/.(less)

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Dec 26, 2011 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-galley

3.9 Stars (See how close it is to 4!)

Humorous and touching. This book gives a realistic twist on the fairytale, Cinderella.

Wicked stepmother? Check. Evil stepsisters? Check. Miserable life? Check.

Lucy Norton’s life has all the makings of a Cinderella story. Her dad’s always away on business, leaving Lucy with her cruel stepmother and bratty stepsisters. She’s burdened with chores, and has a hard time fitting in at her new school. So when she sees Connor Pearson, the star player on the varsity...more 3.9 Stars (See how close it is to 4!)

Humorous and touching. This book gives a realistic twist on the fairytale, Cinderella.

Wicked stepmother? Check. Evil stepsisters? Check. Miserable life? Check.

Lucy Norton’s life has all the makings of a Cinderella story. Her dad’s always away on business, leaving Lucy with her cruel stepmother and bratty stepsisters. She’s burdened with chores, and has a hard time fitting in at her new school. So when she sees Connor Pearson, the star player on the varsity basketball team, Lucy hopes her destiny has finally changed. With everything else going on in her life, doesn’t she at least deserve to get the handsome prince?

Melissa Kantor’s enchanting novel proves that sometimes the happy ending isn’t quite the one you’d expect. Lucy’s about to discover the truth about finding her real Prince Charming… and finding herself.

A beautiful story packed full of sweet romance and laughable scenes. It's a really easy story to get into and you will love reading through the realistic problems that occur.

Our main character, Lucy, was a fun and lovely young girl. She made me laugh (a lot) and I had no problems relating to her actions and emotions. You will either hate or love Connor, Lucy's first boyfriend, because he can be a bit of a jerk at times but also very nice. Lucy's family, just like Cinderella! I was happy to see that was one of the features Kantor pulled out from the fairytale.

Sam? I love him. Such a nice and interesting character to read about. He was a unique character and made a great twist to the story. I didn't expect his personality to change through out the book but, surprisingly, he did change, which just made me like him even more.

The plot was well thought out and it was hard to put the book down. It was easy to get into the writing style of Melissa Kantor because it was descriptive and funny. The ending was satisfying and just what I wanted! The book met my high expectations and shocked me in many ways. Melissa Kantor has done an amazing job picking out key points in the fairytale, Cinderella, and using them to make her story original.

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Apr 02, 2009 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read "If I Have a Wicked Stepmother Where's My Prince?" by Melissa Kantor. It was a new twist on the classic fairytale of Cinderella. The "new Cinderella" is named Lucy. She is a very well rounded character. She likes art, is a good student, and is into sports. Kantor stuck with the original stepmother from Cinderella. Lucy's stepmother, Mara, was a control freak that favored her own twin daughters over her stepdaughter. She seemed like she wanted to ruin Lucy's life. One difference was that L...more

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May 06, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

I really don't know what to say about this book. It was nice, but I never really connected with the main character, Lucy. She's a bit of an idiot for falling for the typical Prince Charming. She also complains about her family way too much, when I mean, they are not that bad.

I did like the whole thing about this book and family. The scene at the end when Lucy is going to prom and get's her picture taken is so sweet. But everything else was just so predictable.

Also, I think my main problem with t...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Kristina_y rated it 4 of 5 stars

when a teenage girl named Lucy is uprooted from her life with her father she loves to move across country with her new stepmother. her life is far from thrilling. while her dad stays at her old home for his job Lucy is forced to live with her wicked new mother and her less than adorable twin step-sisters. with a room in the basement that he new "mother" refuses to finish, no friends, and her beloved father not around she thought her life could only get worse, but that's where she was wrong. whil...more

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May 10, 2011 Sierra rated it 3 of 5 stars

-This was such a cute book! A modern version of the Cinderella story. It wasn't one of my favorite books, but nothing can really compete with Twilight or Beautiful Creatures or the Vampire Academy series.

I liked how it was a present time fairy tale. But some things irked me. Maybe because it's an older (not way old, but 6 years) book and language has change. Take Connor for example. He barely expressed emotion. I like when I can just imagine myself there with the character...feeling what she's f...more

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Dec 15, 2011 706sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 7th-grade-books

This book is played out just like Cindarella's life story, except with a little twist at the end. I felt like i could really connect, but only because i read CIndarella. Everything Lucy did she talked about how Cindarella had once done that. This book was very sweet, and it really fulfilled a teenage mind. At first Lucy is very sad about her stepmother, and than things miraculously get much better because of her price charming. But this prince charming has a bit of a twist. Lucy gets together wi...more

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“After all, what did Prince Charming know about Cinderella besides her shoe size?” — 96 people liked it

“Because if I have a wicked stepmother and two evil stepsisters, aren't I supposed to get a prince?” — 22 people liked it

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