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What happened to Cinderella after she married the Prince? Set in the late 1700s as Napoleon is rising to power, Cinderella embarks on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to come to terms with her failed marriage and her inability to have a child. Torn between the Queen's insistence that she try all means necessary to conceive and her own desires, she agrees to travel to Paris to consult with a witch to help her become pregnant. Her journey leads her to find her long lost Fairy Godmother and aids her to solve the mystery behind her mother's death. Yet the Fey Lord, the Silver Fox, also takes notice in her and her world is suddenly turned upside down...
197 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 2011
214 people are currently reading
1048 people want to read
About the author
Ron Vitale
37 books51 followersRon Vitale is a fantasy and science fiction author. He has a Master’s degree in English Literature from Villanova University where he studied the works of Alice Walker and Margaret Atwood, interpreting their novels with a psychological Jungian approach by showing how the central female protagonists in their novels use storytelling as a means to heal themselves from trauma. He lives in a small town outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In the fall of 2008, he published his fantasy novel Dorothea’s Song as an audiobook on Podiobooks and for sale in the Amazon.com Kindle store, and in 2011 he published Lost, the first book in the Cinderella’s Secret Witch Diaries series, in 2012 the second book in the series, Stolen, was published and in 2014 the third book in the series, Found was released.
Ron has since published Awakenings and Betrayals, books 1 and 2, of the Witch’s Coven Novel series, Faith, the first book in the Jovian Gate Chronicles and Ahab's Daughter, book 1 in the Werewhale Saga. He keeps himself busy by writing his blog, and on learning how to be a good father to his kids all while working on his next book.
In the fall of 2008, he published his fantasy novel Dorothea’s Song as an audiobook on Podiobooks and for sale in the Amazon.com Kindle store, and in 2011 he published Lost, the first book in the Cinderella’s Secret Witch Diaries series, in 2012 the second book in the series, Stolen, was published and in 2014 the third book in the series, Found was released.
Ron has since published Awakenings and Betrayals, books 1 and 2, of the Witch’s Coven Novel series, Faith, the first book in the Jovian Gate Chronicles and Ahab's Daughter, book 1 in the Werewhale Saga. He keeps himself busy by writing his blog, and on learning how to be a good father to his kids all while working on his next book.
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May 11, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. While I’m not a huge fan of fairy tales, it’s always intriguing to read new takes on them. And of course, who doesn’t wonder what happens after the “happily ever after” moment? As any married person can tell you, the adventure doesn’t END when you fall in love and get married. It BEGINS.
Vitale’s book was clever and surprisingly original, despite stemming from the familiar fairy tale. Written as a series of letters to her fairy godmother, Cinderella discusses her fears and pleads for help. She begins to feel trapped and unloved by her Prince. It only gets worse from there. Once she agrees to go to Paris to consult a witch to help her become pregnant, the story takes an amazing turn. I will not spoil what happens, but it was surprising and unpredictable!
I loved the dramatic turn of events. It is difficult to write this review without including spoilers. I’ll just say that as a woman, the naivety of girls in fairy tales has always irked me as does the advice to follow your heart blindly. Yet it’s that kind of advice these girls get from trusted sources. The turn of events in the book changed that and finally, Cinderella gets the kind of advice I think women can appreciate. Follow your BRAIN! Watching her grow from a young, scared, naïve princess into a wiser and cautious woman was satisfying.
This is the first twist on Cinderella I’ve ever read, so I can’t compare it to others, yet I realize there are a few popular ones out there. I still think this one is worth reading.
Great novel and one I will definitely recommend.
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/05...
Vitale’s book was clever and surprisingly original, despite stemming from the familiar fairy tale. Written as a series of letters to her fairy godmother, Cinderella discusses her fears and pleads for help. She begins to feel trapped and unloved by her Prince. It only gets worse from there. Once she agrees to go to Paris to consult a witch to help her become pregnant, the story takes an amazing turn. I will not spoil what happens, but it was surprising and unpredictable!
I loved the dramatic turn of events. It is difficult to write this review without including spoilers. I’ll just say that as a woman, the naivety of girls in fairy tales has always irked me as does the advice to follow your heart blindly. Yet it’s that kind of advice these girls get from trusted sources. The turn of events in the book changed that and finally, Cinderella gets the kind of advice I think women can appreciate. Follow your BRAIN! Watching her grow from a young, scared, naïve princess into a wiser and cautious woman was satisfying.
This is the first twist on Cinderella I’ve ever read, so I can’t compare it to others, yet I realize there are a few popular ones out there. I still think this one is worth reading.
Great novel and one I will definitely recommend.
http://meganm922.blogspot.com/2012/05...
June 29, 2016
Content warnings: alcohol, violence
Review can be found here at Blow Pop's Book Reviews.
Review can be found here at Blow Pop's Book Reviews.
January 22, 2016
I am abandoning this story.
This story was such a disappointment. Then again, I should’ve guessed by reading the description. I tried my hardest to get through this book, but after six days and having only read 15% of the book, I gave up. It seemed as if they were trying to destroy the fairy tales just for the sake of destroying it, where Prince Charming only married Cinderella because he was fascinated by the appeal of magic and where Cinderella only married him to get away from her old life, and so on and so on.
It has elements of Into The Woods, in that matter but it’s done in such a sudden and wrong way, it’s just hard to read. It’s all written in diary entries, which is also part of why I didn’t like it, I have nothing against that style but it just made Cinderella seem ignorant, plain stupid almost actually.
As for the plot, I can’t even judge it as I never got to that point, I tried so hard but I just couldn’t.
FULL REVIEW: https://melgoethals.wordpress.com/201...
This story was such a disappointment. Then again, I should’ve guessed by reading the description. I tried my hardest to get through this book, but after six days and having only read 15% of the book, I gave up. It seemed as if they were trying to destroy the fairy tales just for the sake of destroying it, where Prince Charming only married Cinderella because he was fascinated by the appeal of magic and where Cinderella only married him to get away from her old life, and so on and so on.
It has elements of Into The Woods, in that matter but it’s done in such a sudden and wrong way, it’s just hard to read. It’s all written in diary entries, which is also part of why I didn’t like it, I have nothing against that style but it just made Cinderella seem ignorant, plain stupid almost actually.
As for the plot, I can’t even judge it as I never got to that point, I tried so hard but I just couldn’t.
FULL REVIEW: https://melgoethals.wordpress.com/201...
December 29, 2011
3 1/2 STARS !!
Cinderella's Secret Diary is ideal for the older who enjoy fantasy, magic and a different spin to a story .. It is cleverly written, giving us a different insight into The story of Cinder and her prince. Maybe not such a happily ever after, and a fairy god mother that portrays a different side.
Ron has woven mystery , romance, betrayal, magic, Fae, and many concepts that you will not see coming. An intriguing storyline, that will hold your interest from page one.
Cinderella's Secret Diary is ideal for the older who enjoy fantasy, magic and a different spin to a story .. It is cleverly written, giving us a different insight into The story of Cinder and her prince. Maybe not such a happily ever after, and a fairy god mother that portrays a different side.
Ron has woven mystery , romance, betrayal, magic, Fae, and many concepts that you will not see coming. An intriguing storyline, that will hold your interest from page one.
September 6, 2016
This Cinderella retelling definitely took an unexpected turn after the first 1/3 of the book. I enjoyed it overall but it did have some minor problems.
March 27, 2020
What happens after Happily Ever After? After Cinderella marries her prince, life is not as perfect as she had hoped. After the initial magical attraction wears off, Cinderella finds herself lonely and in fear that she will be abandoned.
The book is written as a diary and letter to her fairy godmother. It is an interesting premise, quite unique and clever the way magic is involved in a very different way. However, I found all the explanations at the start are a bit boring and didn't really enjoy the diary format. The narrator was quite good though a little saccharine sweet for me.
The book is written as a diary and letter to her fairy godmother. It is an interesting premise, quite unique and clever the way magic is involved in a very different way. However, I found all the explanations at the start are a bit boring and didn't really enjoy the diary format. The narrator was quite good though a little saccharine sweet for me.
April 3, 2020
I received this book for free at my request but the opinion is of my own. I really loved and enjoyed this book. It’s definitely interesting to see what could happen to Cinderella after she married the prince. Was there really a happily ever after? Does she ever see her fairy godmother again? Does she end up having a family of her own? Travel to see her adventures and the finding of herself.
January 25, 2013
We all know the story of Cinderella, right? Stepmother, evil step-sisters, forced to work as a lowly servant, Fairy Godmother, magical shoes and dress, meets the Prince at the ball, falls in insta-love, loses shoe, Prince finds her again thanks to magical shoe only fitting her of all the girls in all the land, and then they live happily ever after. Like that...or possibly not.
What if some years into their marriage, the Prince is more interested in hunting, carousing, flirting with other ladies and sowing his wild oats? The Queen, his mother is unhappy about the lack of heirs being conceived and while Cinderella (actually name Sophia) is a princess, she is constantly lonely and frequently reminded of her lowly background. She dreams of re-kindling that first spark of love with her husband, and also wants to go to Paris and see the world.
This book is set in the 1700s, around the time of Napoleon's rise to power. Cinderella writes almost daily in her diary, pouring out her woes and hoping that her Fairy Godmother will return and make her life a better place again. The Queen agrees to send her and her companion Clarissa to France, to see a witch who might help Cinderella conceive an heir, and they stay in a chateau outside Paris with Josephine (yup, that one, Napoleon's wife). There's a handsome young nobleman named Henri who catches both the ladies' eye, and talk of magic and witchcraft and a Silver Fox who is also King of the Faeries, and mysteries surrounding the death of Cinderella's mother.
When I read the synopsis for the book, this seemed to be right up my alley. I'm a huge fan of most things even vaguely fairy tale related, and love a good reinterpretation of fairy tales and myths. A sequel of sorts to Cinderella grounding it in actual history? Sounds cool. Unfortunately, I thought the first half of the book was a tedious drag, and the second half (once the identity of the Fairy Godmother's been revealed) was a confusing mess. I see what the author was trying to do, and I suspect he's trying to empower Cinderella to make her own choices and show how strong and independent she is. Unfortunately, I think she mostly came across as a sad-sack whiner, painfully naive and downright stupid a lot of the time. She kept refusing to heed the warnings of those around her, she made countless incredibly foolish decisions and as the whole book is written in first person diary entries from her POV, you don't really get a handle of any of the other characters in any great depth.
I thought her initial actions in France were foolish in the extreme, and while she shows some courage and bravery in choosing a harder path once she's forced to make certain choices, I still didn't like her all that much, as she kept blundering into new and dangerous situations due to her complete lack of common sense and thought to the consequences of her actions. The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because some of the ideas in this book were good, and could probably have turned out ok, I just really didn't like the execution of them much. I spent far more time being bored or frustrated when reading this book than impressed and liking it, which is a shame, because the premise was very intriguing.
Disclaimer! I was given a free copy of this book in return for reviewing it. Thanks to Ron Vitale, but based on this, I'm not sure I'll be trying any more of your books.
What if some years into their marriage, the Prince is more interested in hunting, carousing, flirting with other ladies and sowing his wild oats? The Queen, his mother is unhappy about the lack of heirs being conceived and while Cinderella (actually name Sophia) is a princess, she is constantly lonely and frequently reminded of her lowly background. She dreams of re-kindling that first spark of love with her husband, and also wants to go to Paris and see the world.
This book is set in the 1700s, around the time of Napoleon's rise to power. Cinderella writes almost daily in her diary, pouring out her woes and hoping that her Fairy Godmother will return and make her life a better place again. The Queen agrees to send her and her companion Clarissa to France, to see a witch who might help Cinderella conceive an heir, and they stay in a chateau outside Paris with Josephine (yup, that one, Napoleon's wife). There's a handsome young nobleman named Henri who catches both the ladies' eye, and talk of magic and witchcraft and a Silver Fox who is also King of the Faeries, and mysteries surrounding the death of Cinderella's mother.
When I read the synopsis for the book, this seemed to be right up my alley. I'm a huge fan of most things even vaguely fairy tale related, and love a good reinterpretation of fairy tales and myths. A sequel of sorts to Cinderella grounding it in actual history? Sounds cool. Unfortunately, I thought the first half of the book was a tedious drag, and the second half (once the identity of the Fairy Godmother's been revealed) was a confusing mess. I see what the author was trying to do, and I suspect he's trying to empower Cinderella to make her own choices and show how strong and independent she is. Unfortunately, I think she mostly came across as a sad-sack whiner, painfully naive and downright stupid a lot of the time. She kept refusing to heed the warnings of those around her, she made countless incredibly foolish decisions and as the whole book is written in first person diary entries from her POV, you don't really get a handle of any of the other characters in any great depth.
I thought her initial actions in France were foolish in the extreme, and while she shows some courage and bravery in choosing a harder path once she's forced to make certain choices, I still didn't like her all that much, as she kept blundering into new and dangerous situations due to her complete lack of common sense and thought to the consequences of her actions. The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because some of the ideas in this book were good, and could probably have turned out ok, I just really didn't like the execution of them much. I spent far more time being bored or frustrated when reading this book than impressed and liking it, which is a shame, because the premise was very intriguing.
Disclaimer! I was given a free copy of this book in return for reviewing it. Thanks to Ron Vitale, but based on this, I'm not sure I'll be trying any more of your books.
August 16, 2016
One of the most common complaints about the Cinderella story is that it sends the wrong message to young girls; that some prince will be able to rescue them from whatever problems they are having and allow them to live happily ever after. I am not convinced that this is exactly the intent of the very early Cinderella stories, but it seems to be the message that a lot of people take from the story now.
This premise seems to be one of the reasons for the plethora of alternative versions of the Cinderella story that have appeared in recent years. Ron Vitale attempts to rehabilitate the fairy tale’s message in the Cinderella’s Secret Witch Diaries series.
At the beginning of this story, Cinderella and the Prince have been married four years, and it’s not going well. The main problem for the Prince is that he now finds Cinderella boring and has moved on to finding amusement elsewhere. Cinderella finds some consolation in writing in a diary. She addresses her complaints to the Fairy Godmother, whom she hasn’t heard from in some time. Then one day the Fairy Godmother writes back. In the same diary. She urges Cinderella to free her mind if she wants to be happy.
Cinderella’s first impulse in the direction of freeing her mind is to wish to travel. She wants to go to France.
But it turns out that nobody is quite who they seem to be. While she is in France, Cinderella meets a former nobleman turned musician with whom she has an affair – but it turns out he does not love her as much as she had assumed. Her best friend and lady-in-waiting is also in love with the musician. The Fairy Godmother is really the King of the Fae, and he does not have Cinderella’s best interests at heart. And the Witch she is supposed to see at the behest of the Queen, and who the Fairy Godmother had warned her against, turns out to be the only one who unfailingly supports her.
There is a long, drawn-out battle between Cinderella and the King of the Fae, and it doesn’t look good for Cinderella during most of it, despite the fact that Cinderella discovers that she has magic of her own.
In the end, Cinderella does learn a few useful lessons, which she writes down for the benefit of her unborn daughter. On the whole, however, I was a bit disappointed in the story. What I most didn’t like was Cinderella’s involvement with Henri while she was still a married woman, especially after Clarissa, the lady-in-waiting, indicated she was in love with him too. This was just made worse when she attempted to roast Henri with her newfound magical powers when he rejected her after she told him about the child. Certainly, in this story, Cinderella is much more of a modern woman than we are used to. But I thought it caused her to lose the power of goodness and caring that was her main strength in the old story.
This is the first part of a three-part story, however, so maybe it gets better as it goes along.
This premise seems to be one of the reasons for the plethora of alternative versions of the Cinderella story that have appeared in recent years. Ron Vitale attempts to rehabilitate the fairy tale’s message in the Cinderella’s Secret Witch Diaries series.
At the beginning of this story, Cinderella and the Prince have been married four years, and it’s not going well. The main problem for the Prince is that he now finds Cinderella boring and has moved on to finding amusement elsewhere. Cinderella finds some consolation in writing in a diary. She addresses her complaints to the Fairy Godmother, whom she hasn’t heard from in some time. Then one day the Fairy Godmother writes back. In the same diary. She urges Cinderella to free her mind if she wants to be happy.
Cinderella’s first impulse in the direction of freeing her mind is to wish to travel. She wants to go to France.
But it turns out that nobody is quite who they seem to be. While she is in France, Cinderella meets a former nobleman turned musician with whom she has an affair – but it turns out he does not love her as much as she had assumed. Her best friend and lady-in-waiting is also in love with the musician. The Fairy Godmother is really the King of the Fae, and he does not have Cinderella’s best interests at heart. And the Witch she is supposed to see at the behest of the Queen, and who the Fairy Godmother had warned her against, turns out to be the only one who unfailingly supports her.
There is a long, drawn-out battle between Cinderella and the King of the Fae, and it doesn’t look good for Cinderella during most of it, despite the fact that Cinderella discovers that she has magic of her own.
In the end, Cinderella does learn a few useful lessons, which she writes down for the benefit of her unborn daughter. On the whole, however, I was a bit disappointed in the story. What I most didn’t like was Cinderella’s involvement with Henri while she was still a married woman, especially after Clarissa, the lady-in-waiting, indicated she was in love with him too. This was just made worse when she attempted to roast Henri with her newfound magical powers when he rejected her after she told him about the child. Certainly, in this story, Cinderella is much more of a modern woman than we are used to. But I thought it caused her to lose the power of goodness and caring that was her main strength in the old story.
This is the first part of a three-part story, however, so maybe it gets better as it goes along.
February 27, 2017
This story started out okay, not spectacular, or exciting but okay. I didn't like what they had done to the fairy godmother, and I didn't like how magic became such a huge part of this story. Once the magic really became important, the story just went downhill for me. Which is weird, since I usually love magic. Because this book is in Diary format, the only person you really get to know is Cinderella. And she was whiny, naive and very stupid, so not really my type of characters. I would have liked to know more about other characters, but no such luck.
All in all, because I really love Cinderella, this became a disappointment for me.
All in all, because I really love Cinderella, this became a disappointment for me.
December 12, 2012
Lost was unlike anything I have read before. It tells the story of Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother in a completely new and unexpected way. It is told in diary format and was a creative way to tell the story. Frankly, even though it deviates from the original, I liked it far better. Tons more intrigue, mystery, fantasy, and romance.
The book pulled me and I couldn't put me down. The romance was so well-done and the voice of Cinderella was so perfect that it was hard to remember that it had been written by a man, I also liked that there was a bit of a message in it, with Cinderella's romance story. That loving oneself is just as important as being loved by or loving another. That added a bit of a journey to Cinderella's diary that made it much more personal and made the diary-esque style that much deeper.
The second book, Style, is out now and I am going to be reading that, too!
The book pulled me and I couldn't put me down. The romance was so well-done and the voice of Cinderella was so perfect that it was hard to remember that it had been written by a man, I also liked that there was a bit of a message in it, with Cinderella's romance story. That loving oneself is just as important as being loved by or loving another. That added a bit of a journey to Cinderella's diary that made it much more personal and made the diary-esque style that much deeper.
The second book, Style, is out now and I am going to be reading that, too!
April 28, 2016
I wanted to love this book so bad
I wanted this book to be so much more than it was. It had the potential to be amazing. Maybe I'm biased since I've read so many books on fairies but this really left a lot to be wanting. The beginning is almost too predictable and the end is quite boring and hard to get through. The most exciting part is her and Henri and parts of her and the Prince. I really weathered was a different ending where the Prince and her reconciled. I believe he did love her from the way he watched out for her when she was ill however sit makes him seem so scornful when his mood suddenly changes like mood swings much.... an okay read but I really had higher hope.
I wanted this book to be so much more than it was. It had the potential to be amazing. Maybe I'm biased since I've read so many books on fairies but this really left a lot to be wanting. The beginning is almost too predictable and the end is quite boring and hard to get through. The most exciting part is her and Henri and parts of her and the Prince. I really weathered was a different ending where the Prince and her reconciled. I believe he did love her from the way he watched out for her when she was ill however sit makes him seem so scornful when his mood suddenly changes like mood swings much.... an okay read but I really had higher hope.
July 5, 2016
Well i didn't know what to expect of this book but i was not one of my favorite readings so far.
i understand the reason beyond this book, the idea of the happy ever after and what's next.... the idea of this story is a great one, tell the people what's next, but i don't like what he did with the story.
Well i don't know if i will ever read the next one or not, but if i do it's only for curiosity and for not left a serie unfinished.
i understand the reason beyond this book, the idea of the happy ever after and what's next.... the idea of this story is a great one, tell the people what's next, but i don't like what he did with the story.
Well i don't know if i will ever read the next one or not, but if i do it's only for curiosity and for not left a serie unfinished.
March 1, 2017
I was reeled in by the clever premise of whatever happened to Cinderella after she married the Prince, but it quickly became obvious that this type of story is just not for me. Witches and Fairies and talking animals and magic spells are just too far removed from my interests. It reminded me a lot of “Son of a Witch” in that way; a book I equally disliked.
The narration just made it worse - like listening to an overly dramatic and immature tween reading her diary. Drivel.
Needless to say I am not going to bother with the rest of the series!
The narration just made it worse - like listening to an overly dramatic and immature tween reading her diary. Drivel.
Needless to say I am not going to bother with the rest of the series!
June 25, 2014
Rarely do I ever fail to finish a book, but after two hours of what seemed like a bad Cinderella version of "A Series of Unfortunate Events", I gave up. Although I don't usually mind sad books, this one dragged on endlessly with a confused plot line. Every time it looks like Cinderella may catch a break, she either does something stupid or falls prey to terrible luck. Disappointing, boring, and depressing. No thank you.
September 8, 2013
Love the idea of continuing fairy tales after the initial HEA. I found the writing confusing, especially towards the end of the book as it was written in diary form but another character would take over and write some of the entries. The Cinderella in this book was whiny, and I just did not care for her.
December 14, 2016
I read this as part of a task to read a book that a friend had rated a one star. Going on that tidbit, I didn't expect much from the story.
Call me surprised! It was a pleasant read and a fun twist on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. Poor Cinderella (or maybe not so much because she makes many a poor choice), but her life is full of those who betray her in some way.
Call me surprised! It was a pleasant read and a fun twist on the classic Cinderella fairy tale. Poor Cinderella (or maybe not so much because she makes many a poor choice), but her life is full of those who betray her in some way.
February 12, 2013
I was very disappointed in this book. The idea was great, however the execution was not. I hated Cinderella; to be honest I can not think of a character I even liked in the book. Good ideas but that is really about it.
September 29, 2015
I can't get through this book. It's horrible. Cinderella is nothing but a winy baby and Prince Charming is a hurtful cheating liar... I'm all for putting a twist on classic stories but this is horrible. It's written like a diary not like a real story. Just horrible.
December 31, 2012
Wow this jumped around a lot, and seemed to leave quite a few holes. Also, it pushed a feminist agenda a little too hard.
March 24, 2013
One of the worst books I have ever read. I'm so happy I got it free from Amazon. I finished it almost 24 hours ago & have already forgotten everything about this book, it's that bad.
July 30, 2016
Good thought
I was really liking this book until the plot twist came and made it dumb. One star cause it started good and one cause I did finish it.
I was really liking this book until the plot twist came and made it dumb. One star cause it started good and one cause I did finish it.
July 25, 2016
Lost is a story of Cinderella with a twist. The prince is not "the prince" and the fairy godmother is not who she claimed herself to be. Cinderella is not so innocent with her happily ever after.
December 6, 2017
Lost is a period like telling of what life was like for the cinder girl turned princess in diary form. Through Cinderella’s diary we get a glimpse at the everyday struggles and thoughts as she lived out her ‘happily ever after’ at court with the prince during Napoleon’s rise to power. Add to that the element of magic and so much more and you have Ron Vitale’s Lost. Vitale’s writing style in this novel is what I would expect for the 18th century, which was a little difficult to get used to at first, but after about 10 pages the dialect transported me further into the story. There were a few instances where I began to get bored with the story, the pace had slowed and not a lot was happening. Much like the diary entries of anyone who has ever recorded their daily activities, fortunately unlike most diaries I have read the story picked back up quickly and the excitement was brought full force. Lost (Cinderella’s Secret Witch Diaries) is touted to be perfect for New Adult fans, and while I agree with that, it also holds an incredible number of passages that would be perfect for teenage girls (I would say 16-18) to apply to their lives, they are some amazing words that I would have loved to have read when I was that age. In fact, I have saved these quotes to share with my daughters in their “coming of age” letters. I will share a few down below in the Favorite Quotes sections. Many of these quotes were highlighted by previous readers anywhere from 8 to 22 times.
July 10, 2020
What happens after happily ever after? Lost turns the story of Cinderella on its heals with an unhappy future for the couple.
Sometimes when listening to a book it’s difficult to know if the issue is with the narrator of the audiobook or the character they are narrating. Whichever is the case, I found myself not liking the Cinderella in this book. I found her voice too perky, and her character weak, and unappreciative. However, the last hour or two of the book things changed, Cinderella finally grew a spine, and the fairy godmother showed “her” true colors.
There is a historical spin the author chose to put on the story that really doesn’t work. He named Cinderella as Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte) the wife of King George III. This is clearly not historical fiction as a quick read up in the real Charlotte reveals she is nothing like this Cinderella. She was the daughter of a duke who met her husband on her wedding day and apparently had a good marriage until George’s decent into madness. The couple had fifteen children. Fifteen children!
This book is appropriate for YA and adult readers. I’d recommend teens and above.
The audiobook narrator’s voice, while too perky for my taste, is clear, and she does a decent job with different characters.
Sometimes when listening to a book it’s difficult to know if the issue is with the narrator of the audiobook or the character they are narrating. Whichever is the case, I found myself not liking the Cinderella in this book. I found her voice too perky, and her character weak, and unappreciative. However, the last hour or two of the book things changed, Cinderella finally grew a spine, and the fairy godmother showed “her” true colors.
There is a historical spin the author chose to put on the story that really doesn’t work. He named Cinderella as Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte) the wife of King George III. This is clearly not historical fiction as a quick read up in the real Charlotte reveals she is nothing like this Cinderella. She was the daughter of a duke who met her husband on her wedding day and apparently had a good marriage until George’s decent into madness. The couple had fifteen children. Fifteen children!
This book is appropriate for YA and adult readers. I’d recommend teens and above.
The audiobook narrator’s voice, while too perky for my taste, is clear, and she does a decent job with different characters.
September 3, 2023
I really wanted to love this book! I've seen some sneak peeks of the authors writing through his newsletters and that was awesome, but also very different from the way this first book was written. I couldn't get used to the literal diary writing format sadly. That took a lot of the suspense out for me and it created distance between me and the characters. The writing style also wasn't really my jam, too formal and old-timey for lack of a better word. But, I can completely understand why other people would fall in love with it.
That being said, the concept is amazing. I love the fact that this story takes place after the well-known fairy tale, showing that not everything is as great as it would seem when 'happily ever after' is supposed to happen. The story also really fits within the timeframe, which is thought out very well. And the characters all have their own personalities and flaws. I could get into the second part of the book a little easier, though some paragraphs were a little repetitive, but then it started to get a little too bizarre for my taste and I wasn't really sure where the story was going. The author has really intrigued me with the world he has created for Cinderella, so I will definitely give book 2 a try :)
That being said, the concept is amazing. I love the fact that this story takes place after the well-known fairy tale, showing that not everything is as great as it would seem when 'happily ever after' is supposed to happen. The story also really fits within the timeframe, which is thought out very well. And the characters all have their own personalities and flaws. I could get into the second part of the book a little easier, though some paragraphs were a little repetitive, but then it started to get a little too bizarre for my taste and I wasn't really sure where the story was going. The author has really intrigued me with the world he has created for Cinderella, so I will definitely give book 2 a try :)
March 17, 2025
If you're looking for Cinderella happy ever after and wants some magical twists with fae and some character growth, this is for you. However, be weary of reading entries/letters to a fairy godmother as a storytelling feature. Not my style itself, but it's readable. The sneak peek at the end made me tear my eyes out cause apparently she's learned ziltch.
This is a sequel to the forever ever after from the Disney classic (even tho they did make a sequel), with twists as the series name kinda gives it all away.
In this telling, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother isn't at all all that goodness. A fae in disguise, War, wants her for whatever reason, but the girl is living her life and dealing with falling in love with the wrong men and then falling pregnant. A diary meant for herself and godmother, will turn into a diary meant for her daughter. She holds power, but the whole story is her being an underdog even in royalty, and even outside of it. Her bestie? Not worthy, the witch helping her? A learning curve. Will she prevail and grow? Probably. I must admit it took me WEEKS to finish this book and had considered for the first time creating a DNF shelf on Goodreads. I did obviously. But I must admit I won't pursue book 2-6. At all. Not my style.
This is a sequel to the forever ever after from the Disney classic (even tho they did make a sequel), with twists as the series name kinda gives it all away.
In this telling, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother isn't at all all that goodness. A fae in disguise, War, wants her for whatever reason, but the girl is living her life and dealing with falling in love with the wrong men and then falling pregnant. A diary meant for herself and godmother, will turn into a diary meant for her daughter. She holds power, but the whole story is her being an underdog even in royalty, and even outside of it. Her bestie? Not worthy, the witch helping her? A learning curve. Will she prevail and grow? Probably. I must admit it took me WEEKS to finish this book and had considered for the first time creating a DNF shelf on Goodreads. I did obviously. But I must admit I won't pursue book 2-6. At all. Not my style.
February 12, 2017
While the Cinderella story we all know is the foundation for this book, it doesn’t stay on that theme. It begins in the castle showing that Cinderella did not get her happy ever after with the Prince. She tells us all about her life by writing in her diary to her Fairy Godmother.
She and the Queen go to France to visit a witch so that Cinderella can get pregnant and produce an heir. In France is when things get interesting. She meets Henri who is staying at the same villa and develops feelings for him. She meets the witch and then things really start to go off of the Cinderella story and the action begins.
I don’t want to give any spoilers because that is not really fair so you will need to read it yourself. But needless to say, Cinderella’s life is not what you would think of as happy ever after.
She and the Queen go to France to visit a witch so that Cinderella can get pregnant and produce an heir. In France is when things get interesting. She meets Henri who is staying at the same villa and develops feelings for him. She meets the witch and then things really start to go off of the Cinderella story and the action begins.
I don’t want to give any spoilers because that is not really fair so you will need to read it yourself. But needless to say, Cinderella’s life is not what you would think of as happy ever after.
April 28, 2019
FREAKING AWESOME!!!
Holeeee Craaaap! Nope, not a mistake. Man talk about breaking it down! Tossing some low blows. A rollercoaster of circumstances and unexpected surprises that propel your emotions into play fabulously. One blazing storyline and gripping plot catapult this baby to life effortlessly. The characters are original with depth and qualities its easy relate. Solid individuals who balance out and play off one another brilliantly. The scenes are so vividly descriptive it gives you a full understanding and realism that flows smoothly from scene to scene without a hitch. Remarkable job Ron, thanks for sharing this incredible jewel.
Holeeee Craaaap! Nope, not a mistake. Man talk about breaking it down! Tossing some low blows. A rollercoaster of circumstances and unexpected surprises that propel your emotions into play fabulously. One blazing storyline and gripping plot catapult this baby to life effortlessly. The characters are original with depth and qualities its easy relate. Solid individuals who balance out and play off one another brilliantly. The scenes are so vividly descriptive it gives you a full understanding and realism that flows smoothly from scene to scene without a hitch. Remarkable job Ron, thanks for sharing this incredible jewel.
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