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The Best Worst Life of Magnolia Wade
Not yet published
Expected 9 Feb 27What if you suddenly became famous for the worst performance of your life? The head of an elite girls’ school sees her polished life unravel when her cult-movie past is revealed in this funny, hopeful novel about second chances.
Magnolia Wade has become famous overnight—all because of a smashing failure she thought she’d buried. Twenty-one years ago, she starred as a blue alien princess in Alien Storm, a spectacularly bad sci-fi flop.
Now she’s Dr. Maggie Wade, the respected head of an elite girls’ school in Washington, DC, when Alien Storm unexpectedly emerges as a global cult sensation.
Fans in cosplay descend on campus, reporters come calling, and school board complaints quickly escalate. Worse yet, Maggie’s teenage daughter, Rose, adores the film and feels betrayed that Maggie hid the movie even from her. But for Maggie, Alien Storm is tied to painful, hidden chapters of her life with her costar, now-famous director Rob Carraway, locked tightly in the center.
With her career on the line, but desperate to repair her relationship with her daughter, Maggie agrees to join the film’s reunion tour—if she can bring Rose.
As they embark on a chaotic journey of friendship, fandoms, and second chances, Maggie must confront the best and worst of her past—every devastating, heartbreaking, glorious piece of it.
Magnolia Wade has become famous overnight—all because of a smashing failure she thought she’d buried. Twenty-one years ago, she starred as a blue alien princess in Alien Storm, a spectacularly bad sci-fi flop.
Now she’s Dr. Maggie Wade, the respected head of an elite girls’ school in Washington, DC, when Alien Storm unexpectedly emerges as a global cult sensation.
Fans in cosplay descend on campus, reporters come calling, and school board complaints quickly escalate. Worse yet, Maggie’s teenage daughter, Rose, adores the film and feels betrayed that Maggie hid the movie even from her. But for Maggie, Alien Storm is tied to painful, hidden chapters of her life with her costar, now-famous director Rob Carraway, locked tightly in the center.
With her career on the line, but desperate to repair her relationship with her daughter, Maggie agrees to join the film’s reunion tour—if she can bring Rose.
As they embark on a chaotic journey of friendship, fandoms, and second chances, Maggie must confront the best and worst of her past—every devastating, heartbreaking, glorious piece of it.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 9, 2027
About the author
Joani Elliott
3 books144 followersJoani Elliott believes in the magic of stories, a good cup of tea, and the power of living a creative life. She has taught writing at the University of Maryland and Brigham Young University. She lives with her husband and two daughters near Salt Lake City, Utah. For book club resources, virtual author chats, and more, visit joanielliott.com.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First, thank you, Lake Union Publishing, for letting me get an e-ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
4/5 — stars
This was a really fun read. Maggie, years after participating in Alien Storm, a sci-fi movie where she played the blue princess alien, finds out that it’s suddenly resurfaced. Her life now could not be more different from then, and it gets turned upside down by its resurgence.
I love Joan Elliott’s writing style. Her chapters were short, and the story was so enticing. I will definitely plan to read more books from her in the future.
4/5 — stars
This was a really fun read. Maggie, years after participating in Alien Storm, a sci-fi movie where she played the blue princess alien, finds out that it’s suddenly resurfaced. Her life now could not be more different from then, and it gets turned upside down by its resurgence.
I love Joan Elliott’s writing style. Her chapters were short, and the story was so enticing. I will definitely plan to read more books from her in the future.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review