Stalking Cinderella

Vicious Wonders #3

by Leann Belle

I can feel his eyes on me.

No one is coming to protect me. My step brother lives for my torment, and I'm the only one who won't be able to go to the masquerade. I just want someone, anyone to help.

Then he appeared. He talks like the devil, but if the man in the mask will grant me my wish, I'll give him anything he asks. All I want is one night. One night to capture the prince's attention, and forget about being the girl covered in cinders..

Only, I wasn't prepared for what that attention might entail. Or how deep his obsession would run.

Stalking Cinderella is a reimagining of Cinderella with a spicy twist. This darker, grittier version of a classic tale will keep you as on edge as our heroine, with touches of horror and heat amidst the twisted romance. You'll love it if you prefer your stalker, step brother, and demonic romance with multiple possessive, morally gray love interests who are darkly obsessed with their very "good girl."

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Romance, Dark, Why Choose, Retellings, Romance, Enemies To Lovers

261 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 24, 2023

About the author

Leann Belle was born and raised in Los Angeles as an eternal dreamer, a hardcore gamer, and obsessive anime, manga, and JRPG nerd. Having fallen in love with countless villains, she immediately fell in love with the dark side of romance, and her lifelong love affair with Japanese horror and fantasy has heavily influenced her writing style as she crafts vicious and magical worlds.

When she’s not typing away behind her laptop, she’s living out of a tent off the back of her motorcycle on her quest to ride around the world. The wilderness is the best place to catch up on reading, after all!

Reviews

[Demi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was crazy weird but to be fair also hot and entertaining.

[Leann Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If ever writing a book was a guilty pleasure, that was this book for me!

I started this story, planning for it to be a 10-20k word short, and somehow I instead ended up with a shit eating grin on my face for over 60k words, and a small harem of morally grey book boyfriends I loved hanging out with. I try and have as much fun as I can in between the bleak, bloody, psychotic, and violent moments, and the obsessed prince, the vicious stepbrother, and the playful devil made that so easy. I hope you have as much fun with them as I did!

That said, if you enjoy mask play and masquerades, I would love to invite you to Prince Lazuli's Royal Ball in this fun, dark, and dirty fairy tale about an abused servant girl finding happiness on some satisfying dicks.

Let me know where this ranks on your darkness scale! Happy spooky season, everyone!

[Lauren Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3rd book in the Vicious Wonders series! A taboo Cinderella retelling. Love trapezoid. Why choose Multiple MMCs. Bully & touch her/unalive romance. Virginity trope. Very spicy & alittle cheesy but so fun.

[Plottwistsandchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Ketty · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Dark Cinderella retelling
- Why Choose/Reverse Harem
- Laundry list of trigger warnings
- Blood play
- Stalking
- Step-brother
- Men in masks
- A deal with the devil

Elise's father died and left her with her evil step-mother and a step-brother who ruined her. All she wants is a nice man to be normal with, which she thinks she has found. Of course she can't tell anyone, and he is completely unsatisfying in bed, but he promised to meet her at the masked ball. Unfortunately she can't go. At least until she offers to sell her soul for the chance and the devil answers. He answers her dark prayer and at the ball she meets a stunning stranger, who dances with her.

I have never really read a dark romance before, but when your friend all but throws the book at your face, it's just one of those things you gotta do. I went into this book with no real expectations, a list of content warnings and the looming "If you don't like it we can pretend I didn't ever suggest it" over me. I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did and it really was the best thing I read all month. The fact that I love Cinderella stories is probably a huge factor in it.

The step-brother, the prince and the devil. That's the combination of men in this. There's a lot to be said about it all, but I have learned a I hate putting my review in spoilers, so I'mma leave it at that. I will say however, that there was a slightly little twist that I didn't see coming, it was a very good bravo.

Also corn.

That is all.

Fantastic. Was a great book to read as a first dark romance, wasn't too dark, wasn't too outrageous. Was just the right shade of grey for this usually fluff reader.

[Myriam S-D · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is wrong with me 😂 5 spicy stars !

[Tabatha Reed · Rating 1 out of 5]

No. This was an absolute miss for me😒. I’m shocked because I had extremely low expectations and it managed not to meet them. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I figured this would be some fun, smutty read with a stalking stepbrother, the devil and the prince. Instead it’s a hot mess. You’ve got the standard Cinderella set up with a dead father and a wicked stepmother who abuses her. Instead of ugly stepsisters there’s a jackass stepbrother who’s completely obsessed with her and wants to bang her but can’t muster an ounce of kindness. Like, I literally hated him for the needless cruelty, it felt so out of place 🙄😒. I gathered the authors position is that h is a masochist who enjoys humiliation and degradation and that was supposed to make this ok. It still grossed me out and I’m usually into that stuff in books. I don’t know why it rubbed me the wrong way so much here 🤷🏻‍♀️.

The h is absolutely insufferable😩. I can count on my fingers the number of books I’ve read out of *thousands* that I’ve disliked the h. Seriously, I’m always team heroine 99% of the time. This h was so obnoxious though🥴. Despite a mountain of signs and evidence that her “beloved fiance” was a disgusting, selfish piece of shit that was only using her the whole time she was steadfastly and stubbornly hung up on him - even after he’s dead. It was bizarrely frustrating and wholly unnecessary. I’m talking like 87% in and she’s still hung up on that turd. 🤯😨

I figured even if this story was dumb I’d at least dig the smut. But no 😑. The story opens with her piece of shit boyfriend “pumping into her” in deeply unsatisfactory sex. From there she has various sexual encounters with Rowan (stepbrother), Zakari (the prince) and Nero (her fairy godmother/devil). It’s all touching, fingers, vibrators (or phallic objects) and oral. Why?? This is a smutty book. Why no actual sex til like 95%. What was the reason? What purpose did this serve?

It just annoyed me and has landed this author on my blacklist. Her writing skills weren’t particularly impressive, I loathed the way she plotted this story and the smut was extremely underwhelming. Leann Belle is just not for me. 🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️

[tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved thisss
this author's writing always has me hooked from start to finish, and this one was no different. I absolutely loved the characters, the spice and the story.
AND THE SPICE?! it was so good. there's some dub con and cnc. there's a stalker and some masked MMCs, there's also a little murder and then some spicy times immediately after.
I absolutely loved Elise, and I loved how the guys built her up and made her see that she has power and choices and can save herself.
all of the characters were written well in my opinion, I wish we'd gotten a little bit more of Nero but Rowan and Zak stole the show - and I'm definitely not upset about it 🤣
so if you're looking for a dark, why choose retelling of Cinderella (leaning a bit more towards the Brothers Grimm version with the three day masquerade party instead of Disney's one night), some masked MMCs, a devilish fairy godfather, a stepbrother and a prince who are both obsessed with the FMC, you are in the right place and need to start this immediately.

I don't think this is the darkest one this author has written but it is a dark romance, so check the triggers before starting!

[The Kneaded Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stalking Cinderella
By: Leann Belle
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🖤🖤🖤
In this dark retelling of Cinderella, the main female character is pursued by multiple men. Driven by adrenaline and fear, our heroine tries to escape her fate. With assistance from the devil himself, she manages to get to the masquerade, but is it with whom she wants?

I originally loved the thought of the darker storyline with taboo relationships. Unfortunately, this fell slightly short. While I did enjoy reading it, the female character was quite annoying for me. She had all these morally grey masked men falling at her feet, yet she remained fixated on a man who didn’t please her like the others did. Despite all of the signs that he was complete trash she is fixated on him for the better half of the book, even after his death. I don’t understand it, but that is just me. However, I did love the twist near the end, which added a shock factor to the story’s conclusion.
#bookreview #whychoose #stalkerromance #maskedmen #morallygrey #stepbrother

[Kirsten | Bookish.kir · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Cinderella retelling
- Reverse Harem/Why Choose
- Stepbrother
- Stalker
- Masks

I loved both of the previous RH retellings I have read of this authors, but this one unfortunately just was not my favorite. I didn't hate it and I will say I enjoyed the dark twist on the Cinderella story with the stalker prince, evil stepmother, the obsessed, bully stepbrother, and the devil as her fairy godfather, but I just couldn't stand Ella. She spent the majority of the book blinded by her infatuation with the lackluster town baker when she could have spent more time getting busy with her stepbrother or the prince. Sigh.

I received an eARC from BookSirens and this is my voluntarily honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥.5

[TheSugaredBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical retelling

I've read a lot of retellings but this one was genuinely a refreshing, and spicy, take on a classic! I was hooked from the beginning and devoured this story in one sitting! I couldn't put it down! I loved the characters, all of them! And in so many twists, I love how they were all linked throughout the story and over time! Now I'm off to read the rest of the Vicious Wonders series!

[Sadia Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sister girl you put your foot in this book. I am such a sucker for the step brother trope and I’m a big why choose girl so this book just was not put down able. The plot twist of character identity, the trauma of the Main character that reminded me to love myself a little more, the splash of fantasy with nero and the fairytale of the dark prince? This is the Cinderella story I’ll remember. Now I’m off to purchase the Alice in wonderland retelling because this series now needs my attention. Call your girl for the next release 🥹🥹

[LaVette LoVe]

Started listening to this, ya know, to do the whole series, and it's not in duet style. Sad face right there. Elena Wolfe did an amazing job!
Haven't been feeling this book as much as the first, until the forest chase with the masked man! 🔥
Exhibitionism scene with three men? Written so well.
While it was a slow start, this story really connected to me about 1/3 of the way through.
4🌟
4🌶️

[Sanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love lean her books. But this one felt just a little messy and smut heavy. Which she acknowledged.

I enjoined the read but was sometimes confused what was happening. Some scenes where so beautifully described and other a little bit less.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Joy Elizabeth]

The smut delivered, you’ve gotta squint to see the plot, but man was that fun.

Also, RIP to me. Because every time I see corn I will think of this book. And I love corn.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy fairytale fuck!

this is exactly what I needed right now. Dark Cinderella retelling with spice that was impeccable.

Rowan & Nero had me frothing at the mouth.

(listened on audiobook)

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the twisted spin this reimagining brought. The characters were sublime! The world building, the character dynamics and the spice….so much yes for this book!.

[Nicole Singleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Cilla Terrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well she has done it again ! Leanne bell is 1 of my absolute favorite authors I've ever read. I just found her this year at the beginning by accident by signing up to do an arc for the 1st book in the series. Well here we are 3 books later and I am obsessed with the series and her writing. Stocking Cinderella is a very dark twisted retelling of the traditional Cinderella story..... That Reverse Harem ,Demons, Taboo (Which is new for this series),stocking ,Definite some Gory Parts and And so so much spice. I cannot praise about this book more .She definitely hit a complete home run with stocking Cinderella. This is the 3rd book in the series so definitely check out the other 2 if you find this book appealing which are we're all mad here and there's no place oz. There is something about the way she writes the story that just pulls you in and doesn't let you go . I only got this book yesterday started reading it this morning and I'm already done. Her words flow so easily you feel like you stepped through the pages and that are now playing as the main character. There is so much emotion and feeling and even mystery and suspense in this book and all her books that is outrageous. It starts off almost in a traditional format for Cinderella but very quickly starts changing to the point where it's a complete new story but yeah you can still 100% feel the natural story still there in the background. The characters are so complex that There's almost nothing to compare to it's so good. You follow Ella Story from her growing up going to into Coming up age turmoils And how she over comes. Poor Ella is lost Herself In the story and you follow her finding her voice and her strength all over again. I absolutely love her as the leading lady in the story. The story definitely came with plenty of suspense and action That we're very well placed so that no part of it dragged or seemed unimportant every page seem to fit every part of the story... If I had to really deep down give 1 critique It is that at the end Without giving any part away to what happens in the book 1 of the main characters doesn't actually end up as 1 of her forever man And I really thought He was into the epilogue at the end . when realized he didn't actually become it that was kind of a sad point because I thought he fit perfectly with the other 2 and you could tell how much he loved her as well but Still absolutely 5 stars for me!

[This · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Genre: Fantasy/Erotica/fairytale
POV: Multible POV
Ending: HEA
Tropes: Fairytale Retelling, Forbidden Love, Dark Romance
Kinks: MF, MFM, MFMM, Stalking, D/s, Degradation, Exhibitionism, toys

Stalking Cinderella is a dark, sexy and fun retelling of the classic fairytale. I love the vicious wonders series, how the leading lady isn't just saved but grows in her own power with the help of her supportive yet naughty male counterparts. Turning the fairy godmother into a demon offering a Faustian bargain, and the prince into an adoring but dark alternative was so good. There's even a sprinkling of bully to lover in this, which usually isn't my jam, but it was written so well I loved every bit of it.
Definitely check out the trigger warnings before reading.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. You can find more of my reviews on all social platforms under the username ThisCryptidReads.
My Spice Rating - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Spice ratings -
1 🌶️- May include hands, more kissing, "fade to black" scenes. No open door spice.
2 🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens, but it isn't often. May include open door scenes but they're infrequent or rare.
3 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Spice happens more often and it is more detailed, Spice is part of the plot, or the book is 50/50 spice to plot.
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - More spice than plot, may contain kinky themes.
5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Absolute smut. Very little plot, sex heavy. The spicy scenes are very explicit, may contain triggering or dangerous themes, Dark romances and erotica.

[kymagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story: Elise, a downtrodden servant, yearns for escape from her tormentor, her stepbrother, Rowan. Her desperate plea for help leads her to a masked stranger who promises to make her dreams come true, but at a chilling cost. As the story unfolds, Elise faces the consequences of her desires. Elise's morally gray love interests Zakari, Rowan, and Nero, each bring a unique, twisted dynamic to the story pays homage to the original fairy tale while weaving suspense, emotion, and mystery into a new narrative which delves into taboo themes like stalking and dub-con. Dark RH romance with plenty of heat, twists, suspense, and more in this twisted take on the classic Cinderella story.

Audio: Narrator Elena Wolfe does a great job with Elise and female voices, and a good job with male voices. I personally prefer at least 1 female narrator and 1 male narrator in RH stories, as I sometimes lose track of what character is being voiced and a duet style narration offers more variety to the voices, especially where male voices end more of a low/husky tone when voiced by a female narrator. The audio quality is good and there were no issues.

[♥ I’d Rather Be Reading ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

- FMC: Elise (aka Elly)
- MMC's: Rowen (The Stepbrother), Zakari (The Prince), Nero (The Fairy Godfather)
- POVs Included: Multiple POVs (Elise, Rowen, Zakari, Nero)
- Book Playlist (Dark Cinderella Book Retelling Playlist)

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SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)

When Elise's father died, she was left with her wicked stepmother and a stepbrother who was constantly pushing her boundaries. So naturally she has grown up believing she holds very little worth.

But when a mysterious (and magical) stranger gives her the chance to be someone else, even if it's just for a night (or three), things seem to be changing for her.

Now she has an alluring demonic presence, a masked stalker, and a stepbrother who is getting more and more aggressive with his advances. But what does SHE want?

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REVIEW:

This was alright. Honestly I was expecting way more from this after the last two books in this series.

Both Alice and Dorothy's stories were dark, haunting, deliciously smutty, and had just the right amount of nods to the original stories to be utterly satisfying.

But with Cinderella (Elise), I felt we were missing a lot.

Firstly, I don't get why her name is Elise. This is a small thing, sure. But the first two books kept the heroine's name, so why change that now? Even if she had been Cindy or Elle, it would've made more sense. Rowen calls her Elly, but that's a nickname. I just didn't get this.

Turning her stepsisters into a stepbrother made sense for an RH, but why not have two? This is the perfect opportunity for a brothers sharing kind of thing and I think it would've been hot. Or even have it where her stepmom remarried again and there is another stepbrother who isn't blood related to them if you don't want to write outright incest, but want there to be some m/m too. Considering her stepmom seemed to be a black widow of sorts, this could've fit quite well. The third husband could've easily already been killed off-page and the whole setup would've been perfect. Or even have it setup to have happened before Elise's dad came around.

The story is just much more loose with the original themes. I think the author could've been a little more creative with the connections. The plots for the first two books weren't identical to the originals, but so incredibly intricate that it all fit in the end so beautifully. This one felt more sloppily put together and less thought out.

I also was disappointed that there was only one group scene. And no m/m like the first two! It was hinted that it happened off page, but it was disappointing that she didn't go there.

And ultimately I didn't feel like the "harem" was really an RH at all, more like a ménage. Nero joins them once, but then he leaves at the end of the book. And while there was some attraction there, it didn't feel fully developed between him and Elise.

I did like some of the liberties she took. I loved Rowen. He was fabulous. I also loved the scene where the Prince has some "alone time" with the glass slipper. That's exactly the kind of dark twisted sort of thing I like to see in these dark retellings. It morphs something innocent into something smutty and wrong and I love it.

“Well… I could go door to door and force every woman in every house to try on this shoe until we found the one who best fit it. Maybe throw a festival, and call it a contest of sorts. That would surely eliminate any room for error.”

Mason raised a brow. “Yes, because of the thousands of women in Lazuli, I’m sure only one very specific woman wears an approximate size seven-and-a-half.”

So overall I did like some things about it, but it wasn't as good as I expected it. I will still read more from the series though. I'm hoping for retellings for Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty one of these days. Would love to see those dark, twisted and of the RH variety. ;)

[Helen Dawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have absolutely loved all of LeAnn Belle's books, and this one is no different! Truthfully, I was a little skeptical at first of it was going to be good or not as a twisted fairytale considering modern Cinderella story is quiet.... plain. But I was so glad when I found myself loving the changes LeAnn Belle made considering 1) the gender swaps for both the fairy godmother and the step sisters. 2) the change in 1 Ball/Dance vs 3 Balls/Dances.

I figured out a few twists before they were revealed, but I wasn't disappointed that I figured them out early on, as it kept me on the edge of my seat to figure out if I was correct or not.

The Cinderella in this book is Elise Cenere. A girl who lost her mother and then her father at an early age, leaving her in the care of her wicked stepmother and her stepbrother. I love the twist that Elise didn't have that typical "loving and adoring" father figure. He was nothing wicked, but nothing spectacular either. He turned a blind eye to his mistreatment when he was alive and then was making her jump through hoops even in his death. All Elise wanted was her inheritance and the house her mother loved - in order to get that, though, she had to marry.

Her "wicked" stepbrother was an obstacle as she viewed him as a reason for her corruption. She just wanted to be a good girl. Simple. Boring. Not deviant. Not naughty. But her stepbrother pulled the darkness out of her. I am not going to lie, I rooted for Rowan the whole damn time. You could see he ultimately did love and care for Elise from the very beginning of the story. He might have been fucked up, but it doesn't change the fact he wanted her desperately. The question is, though... would he end up with her?

After feeling down on herself, because she cant go to the masquerade the crowned Prince is throwing, Elise calls out for a miracle... then when no one answers her call, she announces she glady would give her soul over to the devil. And, of course, the devil responds to her plea. Nero gives Elise a ball gown and carriage in order for her dreams to come true, but all of it will end at midnight.

At the masquerade, her soul calls out to another masked stranger, the crowned prince, even though she doesn't know that yet. Zak falls head over heels for Elise. His soul recognizes both the good and darkness in her own soul. He MUST have her. But, he chooses to actually win her over vs. just making her marry him immediately.

Lots of twists and turns, plus a crap ton of wonderful twisted spiciness. Please read trigger warnings before reading the book, as there are several.

Who will Elise choose in the end? Will she fight the darkness that is begging to be released and accepted?

[Robin Goodfellow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free. This does not impact my reviews in any shape or form.

Stalking Cinderella, by Leann Belle, is a dark, erotic retelling of Cinderella about how a woman finds her sexual freedom. The story introduces Elise, the titular Cinderella, who finds herself in the hands of the three most powerful men in her life; Rowan, her stepbrother and obsessive lover; Zakari, the Crown Prince and obsessive stalker; and Nero, her fairy godfather and obsessive demon. As Elly explores the darker parts of herself, she realizes the joys of being tormented by her suitors, and begins to understand the power she has and how she doesn't have to settle for a half-baked happily ever after.

This was entertaining. Yes, there are a lot of dark moments, some of which contain dubious consent. That being said, I liked seeing how all three men gathered together to ensure Elly was protected. I enjoyed how Rowan wasn’t willing to watch the abuse his mother was putting Elly through, how Zakari wanted to court Elly properly, even though it ended with a rather despicable man dying, and how possessive Nero was, and that, even though Elly and the others had literally sold their souls to him, may very well care for them after they go to Hell. The bliss they share was worth damning themselves and Zakari’s entire line. It may seem selfish, even cruel, but they were all pretty miserable before they met. If this is what gives them any semblance of life, I’m not one to judge. 

It’s interesting how accurate Elise’s relationship is with Carter mirrors real life. She isn’t one to bow to anyone, and is able to manipulate anyone she desires if it meant getting out of her stepmother’s thumb and securing her inheritance. This is a far cry from the Cinderella I’ve grown up with. And as her suitors have rightly pointed out, Carter would’ve used her and discarded her. She would’ve allowed herself to undergo the same abuses that her stepmother had subjected her to if it meant making sure she wouldn’t have to rely on her stepmother, or even Rowan, again. It makes for a rather attractive dynamic. I also liked how Rowan and Zakari decided to work together with Nero as a way to ensure her safety and happiness. True, I may not agree with the secrets they’re hiding from her, nor do I agree with the deal that Rowan and Nero made behind Zakari's and her back, but I like the idea of Elise having some semblance of power, even over Rowan. The sex scenes were the epitome of debauched, tasteful, and downright sinful, the positions they were in paralleling to Elise’s newfound pleasure. 

As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[Reads smut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leann Belle's "Stalking Cinderella" is a seductive and thrilling reimagining of the classic Cinderella tale that takes a plunge into the shadows, blending elements of horror, obsession, and twisted romance.

The story unfolds with a sense of urgency as our heroine, tormented by her stepbrother and longing for a respite, encounters a mysterious man at the masquerade. The narrative, told from her perspective, immerses readers in a world that is as alluring as it is unsettling.

Belle's writing style is evocative, creating an atmosphere charged with tension and desire. The dark and gritty tone adds depth to the reimagined fairy tale, giving it a fresh and edgy feel. The author skillfully weaves horror and heat into the narrative, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The characters, especially the enigmatic man in the mask, are shrouded in layers of mystery and obsession. The exploration of multiple possessive, morally gray love interests adds complexity to the story, making it more than a straightforward retelling. The dynamic between the characters is both intriguing and at times chilling.

The pacing is well-managed, with each chapter unraveling a layer of the plot and the characters' motivations. As the stakes rise and the obsessions deepen, readers are taken on a suspenseful journey that challenges the boundaries of love and possession.

"Stalking Cinderella" is not a fairy tale for the faint of heart. Belle's willingness to explore the darker facets of romance and obsession sets this reimagining apart. The spicy twist adds a layer of sensuality that heightens the tension, creating a story that is both alluring and unsettling.

If you enjoy fairy tale retellings with a darker, more adult edge, "Stalking Cinderella" is a captivating read. Leann Belle's skillful blend of horror, romance, and obsession creates a narrative that lingers in the mind, challenging traditional notions of love and happily-ever-afters. Just be prepared for a journey that is as thrilling as it is twisted.

[MsRHReviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, that wasn't exactly what I expected (but I liked it!)

So, silly me, missed the description of the title originally and just saw "Stalking Cinderella" and that it was a retelling. I'm a fan of RH, and while it isn't ALL I read, it is a bulk of it. This was sitting in my "TBR" list for a bit, so today I finally got around to reading it. Considering I missed the rest of the description, I ASSUMED it was going to be RH while reading it, but considering I wasn't 100% certain, it added an interesting twist for me to figure out how things were going to turn out.

I love that the prince is a darker, slightly stalker-ish character who also seems to have his stuff together. He says that he's only had a couple of one night stands just to say he's done it, but he wasn't really into it, and wanted more of an actual RELATIONSHIP, someone to love. Someone who would interest him and that he could spend time with.

I also love that instead of having an evil step sister (or three), Elise has a stepbrother. One who has always secretly had her back and watched over her, even if she didn't know it or want him to.

The way her "fairy godfather" sealed the deals was also interesting...! I did find it a bit odd that all of them kept "inserting themselves" in her all the time the way they did, and that she went with it, but, I mean, it's an RH fantasy, so why not.

The story was done in a way that a few things were predictable, but not everything. The ending wasn't *quite* how I expected it to finish, but that doesn't mean I didn't like it. I actually enjoy where it left off.

Finally, even when the book was finished, I liked reading the author's note at the end. It explains why she wrote this the way she did and a bit about her as well. The fact that she made it a bit more like Brothers Grimm was pretty awesome!

I hadn't heard of this author previously, but I'll definitely be looking up her other reads based on the old tales!!

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. simply wow. I never knew fairytales could be so steamy and riveting, but here we are with an amazing, dark, steamy retelling of Cinderella and I am completely converted.

This was such a good Cinderella retelling for so many reasons. Reverse Harem angle, step-sibling gender role reversal, stepmother being 'evil' in a way that exemplifies 'cruel' in its innermost meaning, the 'fairy god mother' twist that was so delightfully perfect and dark, the prince overall - it was simply chef's kiss.

I will say that if you are looking for more plot with sprinkling of spice, this is not the novel - it is more spice than plot, although I felt it worked perfectly with the story as-is.

Elise's inner trauma, self hatred and self confidence issues, and her journey to discover that it is OK to embrace your darker, spicier desires was so good and honestly relatable. You are not always going to have happiness thrust upon you (no pun intended), you sometimes have to work hard and endure and take it for yourself. You have to stop denying your deepest spicy desires and embrace them - it will only hold you back from true happiness/pleasure if you try to pretend you are someone other than who you are.

I wish we had gotten to see Elise's inner growth a bit more, even right at the end she still resigned her self to her fate before things went askew, and I would have liked her to put up more of a fight for herself as we progressed through the novel. However, most of the story was told by Rowan and the Prince so I do see why we didn't get that as much.

Overall this was a great book! I would 100% recommend it to those dark, spicy, erotica - fantasy -romance lovers out there. I will definitely be reading the rest of the Vicious Wonders series!

*This book was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own*

[Deborah Durand · Rating 5 out of 5]

[WARNING: This book contains elements of extreme violence, including murder and dismemberment, BDSM, voyeurism, MFM]

This is the most deliciously wicked retelling of Cinderella, that I have ever read. WOW! If the romance of Cinderella and Prince Charming were erotic and smoking hot… then this is it. Here’s the characters in this retelling:
Elise Cenere - Cinderella, a 21 y/o young woman who is naive, vulnerable and corruptible. She has been working as a servant in her own for the past 10 years.
Lydia - a perfectly evil stepmother, who first murdered Elise’s mother and then married and murdered Elise’s father
Rowan - Elly’s stepbrother, who works as a guard at the castle. His mother is Lydia, but he and Elise are stepsiblings by proximity and not biology.
Zakary Lazuli - the unattached prince who must marry to become king. His bride must be secured from the women of the kingdom via 3 weekends of masquerade balls.
Mason - bodyguard for and the only friend of Prince Zakary
Nero - a fairy godfather (really the devil 😈) to Elise and demonic advisor to the Prince. His form alternates from crow to human.
Carter Greyson - the village baker and Elise’s boyfriend

Read about the true relationship between Rowan and Elly, how the Prince sells his soul to secure Elly as his bride, about Carter’s real reason for dating Elly, and how Nero has orchestrated everything involving Elly. The author does a fantastic job of mixing humor, horror, and steamy sex scenes ❤️‍🔥 to render us speechless. The only thing I will reveal (still not a spoiler alert) is that Elly’s dress is Lazuli blue at the final masquerade ball… at least initially, and that she has more than one dance partner.

This was so good that I read it twice. Kudos to the author and 5 stars ⭐️.

[Nicole Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Reader Copy and voluntarily reviewing it. Elise Cenere was left behind after the death of her father. She refused to leave her house, her inheritance. Until she got married, she had to endure life as a virtual slave to her stepmother, Lydia, and her stepbrother, Rowan. This is retelling of Cinderella but this version is so dark and very dirty. Instead of a fairy godmother, Elise gets a demon, Nero, that wants her soul in exchange for whatever she wants. Elise's dream is to go to the Lazuli Masquerade ball. She needs a dress and is willing to sell her soul to get this dress.

The ball was created for the prince, Zakari Lazuli, to find his queen so he could take the throne. Zakari gets one look at Elise and knows she is his. Unfortunately, he has a few obstacles. Elise's stepbrother is madly in love with her. He has been keeping her safe while giving her pleasure for a long time. But not just pleasure, the dark pleasure that comes with pain and the possibility of getting caught. That's what Elise wants and needs. Elise also has a boyfriend. She believes he is her ticket out of the life her stepmother created for her.

It is real easy to forget this is a Cinderella retelling. This book is twisted. This dark tale is hot and steamy. Just when readers think they have grasped the story, it twists and turns into something else. Just when you think the story is as dark as it can get, it gets darker. Leanne Belle does a great job with this story. Everything is exactly where it needs to be. I'm with Elise. Nero, Rowan and Zakari can get it.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book by Leann Belle. She's an author to follow! Different from the first two of the series in the way the story unfolds. It's the Cinderella story but with so many twists, both steamy and dark. The steaminess definitely takes the forefront in this one but they way it intertwines with the rest, it is very natural and doesn't come off as forced at all. Cinderella's world is off kilter as you would expect - her self worth low as would be expected after what she has endured. Taking that spin on Cinderella is unique. A problem with other Cinderella stories is that the author takes a woman, dresses her up, making her all of a sudden feel good about herself and "good enough." This author does an outstanding job of using the understanding that it's not about what the woman wears - it's about how she feels and those who are in her life whether lifting her up or pulling her down. As she does with each of her novels, Cinderella takes time to get to the point that she feels "good enough" and understands herself better. If the potential triggers don't scare you away and you love steamy scenes as the author describes, then go for it! This is an excellent book! If anything, you will never look at corn the same again. ;)

To sum it up, I loved this. It's the third book of what I know will be an awesome continued (standalone) series (so excited about the upcoming "Of Monsters and Mazes"!)

I did receive an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Though … I want to caveat that with the fact that if I hadn't been able to review it for free, I definitely would have purchased it. I LOVE this author's stories and can't wait to read them all.