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My Ultimate Sister Disaster: A Novel
What happens when your sister becomes your biggest rival?
If there were a way to pick your family, fourteen-year old Franny might not pick her own. Her father is a hipster boutique owner who's constantly "friending" her on Facebook, her mother is off in Kenya jumpstarting her stalled anthropology career, and her sister Zooey, eleven months older and eight inches taller, is a precocious, prima ballerina. Lately, Zooey's so absorbed with her burgeoning ballet career that she barely seems to notice Franny. And since Zooey attends a top ballet conservatory, Franny's on her own navigating the brutal halls of her Manhattan prep school, a first-year trying to get noticed on the school paper (and by its soulful, long-lashed editor-in-chief).
But everything changes when Zooey breaks her leg and her dancing comes to grinding halt. Her ballet dreams shattered, Zooey begins to hone in on Franny's "normal" life and friends. Franny feels terrible for Zooey, but when her encroachment starts to extend to Franny's long-time crush, Franny begins to wonder if her sister might just be her worst competition...
If there were a way to pick your family, fourteen-year old Franny might not pick her own. Her father is a hipster boutique owner who's constantly "friending" her on Facebook, her mother is off in Kenya jumpstarting her stalled anthropology career, and her sister Zooey, eleven months older and eight inches taller, is a precocious, prima ballerina. Lately, Zooey's so absorbed with her burgeoning ballet career that she barely seems to notice Franny. And since Zooey attends a top ballet conservatory, Franny's on her own navigating the brutal halls of her Manhattan prep school, a first-year trying to get noticed on the school paper (and by its soulful, long-lashed editor-in-chief).
But everything changes when Zooey breaks her leg and her dancing comes to grinding halt. Her ballet dreams shattered, Zooey begins to hone in on Franny's "normal" life and friends. Franny feels terrible for Zooey, but when her encroachment starts to extend to Franny's long-time crush, Franny begins to wonder if her sister might just be her worst competition...
- GenresFictionYoung Adult
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2010
3 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Jane Mendle
3 books4 followersJane Mendle is the author of the young adult novel Better Off Famous? and Kissing in Technicolor, a novel for adults.
She is a supervisor at the University of Oregon Psychology Clinic and holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Virginia. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.
She is a supervisor at the University of Oregon Psychology Clinic and holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Virginia. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 15, 2010
For more info and reviews please visit my Book Review Blog here - A Life Bound By Books
The Ultimate Sister Disaster was a fast read with characters many can and will be able to relate to. The story is one that I think many teens face day to day throughout their lives. I’d imagine anyone with a sibling will have experienced the type of relationship that Mendle has portrayed with our two characters – Franny and Zooey.
Franny, the main character has hit a rough spot in being a teenage girl. She feels more then invisible at home and at school, feeling as if she only lives in her perfect sisters’ shadow. If you ask me, I’d say that Mendle has written what it feels like to be a girl who’s feeling invisible and angst ridden pretty spot on.
Franny and Zooey are total opposites in everything. From the way they look and act, to how they do things day to day. Franny with her love of writing and dream of being a journalist on the school paper and Zooey’s dream to be a ballerina on the world’s stage. I enjoyed watching their relationship change throughout the course of the book. It often felt as if I were a fly on the wall during this time in their lives. When Zooey’s life takes a detour everything for both of the girl’s changes; leaving Zooey to learn how to cope and Franny just looks at this as yet another way for her to be invisible.
At first it’s a struggle for both girls in their relationship. Not to mention the wacky Dad who’s never around and the absent Mother who’s away in Africa and is hard to reach – they are more then often left alone which only adds to the stress of the whole family dynamic.
By the end of the book, I had a crush on Carter, talk about great guy. I really liked the place where Franny and Zooey’s relationship was, I could see how they each grew up over the course of the story making this even more realistic for me as a reader.
I look forward to reading more from Mendle in the future. If you’re looking for a great story about two sisters and are looking for a new guy to crush on you’ve found it here. Happy reading!
The Ultimate Sister Disaster was a fast read with characters many can and will be able to relate to. The story is one that I think many teens face day to day throughout their lives. I’d imagine anyone with a sibling will have experienced the type of relationship that Mendle has portrayed with our two characters – Franny and Zooey.
Franny, the main character has hit a rough spot in being a teenage girl. She feels more then invisible at home and at school, feeling as if she only lives in her perfect sisters’ shadow. If you ask me, I’d say that Mendle has written what it feels like to be a girl who’s feeling invisible and angst ridden pretty spot on.
Franny and Zooey are total opposites in everything. From the way they look and act, to how they do things day to day. Franny with her love of writing and dream of being a journalist on the school paper and Zooey’s dream to be a ballerina on the world’s stage. I enjoyed watching their relationship change throughout the course of the book. It often felt as if I were a fly on the wall during this time in their lives. When Zooey’s life takes a detour everything for both of the girl’s changes; leaving Zooey to learn how to cope and Franny just looks at this as yet another way for her to be invisible.
At first it’s a struggle for both girls in their relationship. Not to mention the wacky Dad who’s never around and the absent Mother who’s away in Africa and is hard to reach – they are more then often left alone which only adds to the stress of the whole family dynamic.
By the end of the book, I had a crush on Carter, talk about great guy. I really liked the place where Franny and Zooey’s relationship was, I could see how they each grew up over the course of the story making this even more realistic for me as a reader.
I look forward to reading more from Mendle in the future. If you’re looking for a great story about two sisters and are looking for a new guy to crush on you’ve found it here. Happy reading!
February 27, 2020
I really like books that are the typical high school stories, and this book was nothing short of that. I really enjoyed that I couldn't always guess what was coming next.
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
Fourteen-year-old Franny feels like an outsider in her family. Her hair never cooperates, she's no good at anything, and she has a horrible name. Those things wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that her family is very talented.
Her mother is off in Kenya starting a successful career as an anthropologist. Her father is the owner of a clothing store. Her sister, Zooey, has become a ballet star and has the diva attitude to go with it. With everyone so wrapped up in their careers and lives, Franny becomes lonely and embittered towards her sister, the only one who is ever around.
When her sister breaks her leg during a career-making role and is homebound for weeks, Franny is forced to make a choice: avoid her or live with her. As Zooey starts to encroach on her sister's life and longtime crush, Franny begins to feel threatened. As tempers heat up and the truth comes out, will Franny be able to bury the hatchet and make peace with her sister, or will a guy drive the final wedge in their relationship?
Franny's character is well-developed and likeable. Her sister's diva attitude is well-constructed. The story is well-crafted and does a good job of holding the reader's interest. Although the references to J.D. Salinger's FRANNY AND ZOOEY won't be caught by those who haven't read his work, this book is wonderful and can still be enjoyed without being familiar with the classic story.
Those who like Sarah Dessen's books or realistic fiction will enjoy reading MY ULTIMATE SISTER DISASTER.
Fourteen-year-old Franny feels like an outsider in her family. Her hair never cooperates, she's no good at anything, and she has a horrible name. Those things wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that her family is very talented.
Her mother is off in Kenya starting a successful career as an anthropologist. Her father is the owner of a clothing store. Her sister, Zooey, has become a ballet star and has the diva attitude to go with it. With everyone so wrapped up in their careers and lives, Franny becomes lonely and embittered towards her sister, the only one who is ever around.
When her sister breaks her leg during a career-making role and is homebound for weeks, Franny is forced to make a choice: avoid her or live with her. As Zooey starts to encroach on her sister's life and longtime crush, Franny begins to feel threatened. As tempers heat up and the truth comes out, will Franny be able to bury the hatchet and make peace with her sister, or will a guy drive the final wedge in their relationship?
Franny's character is well-developed and likeable. Her sister's diva attitude is well-constructed. The story is well-crafted and does a good job of holding the reader's interest. Although the references to J.D. Salinger's FRANNY AND ZOOEY won't be caught by those who haven't read his work, this book is wonderful and can still be enjoyed without being familiar with the classic story.
Those who like Sarah Dessen's books or realistic fiction will enjoy reading MY ULTIMATE SISTER DISASTER.
August 3, 2011
My Ultimate Sister Disaster completely took me by surprise. With its funny situations and heartfelt family issues, I was 100% emotionally invested in this novel. Franny is the black sheep, so to speak, of her family. Her mother, father, and even older sister pretty much have a one track mind... the career comes first. So when Zooey hurts her leg, she begins to see life in a whole new way.
My Ultimate Sister Disaster is really as much about Zooey as it is about Franny. And while I adored each character, I strangely found myself gravitating more towards Zooey. After giving this some thought, I believe it was because in the beginning of the novel, I could not stand Zooey. I found her character to be annoying, self-centered, and at some points, I just wanted to her go away. However, this is a novel about how changes in our lives can make us into better people. And this is exactly what happens to Franny as well as Zooey.
It is not often that I find a contemporary fiction novel that has me hooked me, but this is exactly what My Ultimate Sister Disaster did. I breezed through this novel... laughing and even at times, crying. My Ultimate Sister Disaster gave me the warm, fuzzy feeling, and for that, it will have a special place in my heart.
My Ultimate Sister Disaster is really as much about Zooey as it is about Franny. And while I adored each character, I strangely found myself gravitating more towards Zooey. After giving this some thought, I believe it was because in the beginning of the novel, I could not stand Zooey. I found her character to be annoying, self-centered, and at some points, I just wanted to her go away. However, this is a novel about how changes in our lives can make us into better people. And this is exactly what happens to Franny as well as Zooey.
It is not often that I find a contemporary fiction novel that has me hooked me, but this is exactly what My Ultimate Sister Disaster did. I breezed through this novel... laughing and even at times, crying. My Ultimate Sister Disaster gave me the warm, fuzzy feeling, and for that, it will have a special place in my heart.
November 25, 2013
I don't know what it was about Franny's story that made me fall in love with it, but I know for sure that by the end of the book I was rooting for her and Zooey. This novel didn't leave my hands, I loved it. A great read for a teenage girl., I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and whipped through it in a day or so.
In this story, we follow Franny and Zooey, two sisters from different worlds. Zooey is a fantastic ballet dancer, and Franny is just a normal, teenage girl boiling with rage at the fact that perfect Zooey gets all the special talents and she gets nothing. But when an accident happens, and the girls spend more and more time together, the tables turn.
A MUST READ!!!
In this story, we follow Franny and Zooey, two sisters from different worlds. Zooey is a fantastic ballet dancer, and Franny is just a normal, teenage girl boiling with rage at the fact that perfect Zooey gets all the special talents and she gets nothing. But when an accident happens, and the girls spend more and more time together, the tables turn.
A MUST READ!!!
July 22, 2012
This book is rather interesting, and it depicts beautifully how a young girl goes from being overshadowed by her elder sister to stepping out from the shadows and finding her true identity, giving her confidence and more. It also shows wonderfully how the strained relationship between the sisters becomes more and more normal and eventually, they even become good friends. This book is definitely a good read when you're feeling down, it boosts confidence and morale by reminding readers that everyone is useful in one way or another; that no one is ever useless (:
July 29, 2010
This is a great book for girls who have an older sister.
November 9, 2012
Cute would really be the only way to describe it.
Currently reading
September 25, 2010SO good. all bout a regular teen and her daily drama.
May 31, 2011
haha it was cute :)makes me glad I'm the better sister :P xD so maybe three and a half I think :)
June 19, 2011
This was a cute book, and it surprised me that I liked it. 3.5 stars.
July 19, 2012
Very cute, light, quick read.
February 9, 2011
Like I can resist a book with a ballerina in it. Better quality than I thought it would be.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews