The Ugly Stepsister by Aya Ling

The Ugly Stepsister by Aya Ling

Goodreads Synopsis
When Kat accidentally rips apart an old picture book, she's magically transported into the world of Cinderella--as Katriona, one of the ugly stepsisters! Life turns upside down now that she’s a highborn lady and must learn how to survive the social season, including how to get through the door in a huge metal hoop skirt. To get back, she'll have to complete the story, right to the end of happily ever after. But the odds are huge: the other stepsister is drop-dead gorgeous, the fairy godmother is nowhere to be found, and the prince, despite being insanely hot, openly dislikes balls. Can she ever return to the modern world?

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one had me smiling and laughing as much as it had me in tears -- which is exactly what a good book should do. One part spunky heroine, one part already knowing a story, and one part loveable cast of characters = one of my favourite reads this year so far.

I love Kat. She stuck up for what she believed in and while she may have been biased based on her experience growing up in our world, she never let that sway her from doing what she needed to. I loved her decision to do whatever it took to get home. I thought she might be persuaded to stay in the Story World rather than go home, but she had her beliefs and stuck to them. Her faith and conviction on the issues that plagued the country were my favourite part about her character. Honestly she was so relatable.

Everyone in the story was so loveable, it is hard to say who I liked the most out of the supporting characters.  Elle was such a nice girl and I was so happy for her and her happy ending. We got to know so much about her and her predicament, it was nice to see that, but it was always nice to see Kat grow in her story as well. 

Edward ... *heart eyes* I loved everything about him. I can see why he is a prince and he will make an excellent King to this Story World that I do not live in but wish I did. He was so thoughtful and did everything he could to help those in need. And he took Kat's ideas seriously which is huge for someone who obviously grew up in a world where women are treated as second-class citizens. And he cared so deeply. I just. This might be the first time I enjoyed a male lead named Edward.

The plot was fun and refreshing. I liked that Kat knew she was in the story and had to make it progress. I love fairytale retellings, but this one was something different. It was original and fun! I wish I could get dropped into a novel and play the role of one of the characters to make the story actually happen. It was so creative and went at such a good pace. The writing was also very good, which really helps when you are trying something new.

Overall: 4.5/5 stars. I loved this one. It was a refreshing take on a fairytale retelling and I really enjoyed myself while reading it. I am a tad disappointed by the ending though, like if not for the ending, I would have rated it 5 stars.