Cinder Allia

by Karen Ullo

Cinder Allia has spent eight years living under her stepmother’s brutal thumb, wrongly punished for having caused her mother’s death. She lives for the day when the prince will grant her justice; but her fairy godmother shatters her hope with the news that the prince has died in battle. Allia escapes in search of her own happy ending, but her journey draws her into the turbulent waters of war and politics in a kingdom where the prince’s death has left chaos and division. Cinder Allia turns a traditional fairy tale upside down and weaves it into an epic filled with espionage, treason, magic, and romance. What happens when the damsel in distress must save not only herself, but her kingdom? What price is she willing to pay for justice? And can a woman who has lost her prince ever find true love? Surrounded by a cast that includes gallant knights, turncoat revolutionaries, a crippled prince who lives in hiding, a priest who is also a spy, and the man whose love Allia longs for most—her father—Cinder Allia is an unforgettable story about hope, courage, and the healing power of pain.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Retellings, Romance, Fairy Tales, Cinderella

318 pages, Paperback

Published June 28, 2017

About the author

Karen Ullo is the award-winning author of Jennifer the Damned, Cinder Allia, and To Crown with Liberty. She's the editorial director of Chrism Press and holds a MFA in Screenwriting from the University of Southern California. She lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with her husband and two teenage sons.

Reviews

[Jonas Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is was a amazing. It's interweaving plot had me guessing and eager the entire time. Again, Ullo manages to take the mold and brick of legend and build a more than substantial work of art. As much as our culture has heard the Cinderella story, this rendition is by far the most creative and likewise intriguing. The story is completely familiar, yet completely new. I enjoyed in particular the resilience of Cinder Allia, it is a strength that is beyond time and culture, and we see that work out in the work as she is stuck in the Middle Ages with a fortitude that resembles the modern day woman. She becomes the Lioness of her country, as St. Joan of Arc became the destined warrior of France. I liked the "fairy godmother" presentation also, who was painted in the same colors Ullo's finds in the unguarded palette of her Catholic faith. The image of the Virgin Mary is all that comes to mind as the guardian fairy protects her child from death and leads her even supernaturally to her destiny. I love the work. I'm looking forward to more from the author. I recommend to fans of Fantasy, and especially Catholics.

[Jayne de Sales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Masterfully crafted language. An interesting take on a story we thought we already knew. Definitely a page-turner that I wanted to keep going back to.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

great story

Thank you for this tale of wonder and adventure! Looking forward to another book hopefully soon! Keep on writing Karen!

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone like myself, who reads very little fantasy, a creative twist on a classic fairy tale is a good point of entry. There are only a few similarities between Cinder Allia and Cinderella, but it was enough to help ground me in the story.

With espionage, intrigue, and wavering loyalties, Cinder Allia is more complex than you might expect. A wheelchair-bound prince who lives in the shadows, a potion-dealing outsider, and a priest/spy are some of the characters that make the story so interesting.

The writing is lovely, filled with imagery.

I had trouble connecting with the characters' almost immediate declarations of love, but, with the reminder that this was a fairy tale, I was able to accept it for what it was.

[Christina Weigand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. With its fascinating characters and unexpected twists it turns the original Cinderella on it’s head. Definitely a must read for young adults. Also a good read for us closet young adults, who are a little bit older.

[Amanda Lauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinder Allia is a darker telling of the story Cinderella. It's beautifully written — Ullo is talented at her craft. She's woven a story of betrayal, intrigue, love, loss and growth that will pull you in from page one. It's a longer book but definitely worth taking the time to read. You may even like this better than the original tale!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, and since it's written by the editor of a journal that I read and love, I bought it with no hesitation and dived straight into reading it.

I still love the premise, but the execution lacked in finesse and believability, for me. Some of the reviews I read on Amazon talked about character development, but I couldn't really get past how there wasn't actually that much development in the book. If there was, it happened lightning fast, which isn't development at all. Mini spoiler: I have huge, huge issues with insta-love, and our main character had two such occasions (3 including the prince she never met? 4 including the jeweller?), which rang so utterly hollow that I struggled to enjoy the story. It was such a shame, because had the love story been developed, I would have totally been on board, because it had such great potential to be so beautiful!

The world building too, was a little sketchy for me. I had trouble fully imagining myself in the scenes - like Allia's home, and while the outside of the castle was beautifully described, I never got much of an impression of the inside. I wish the author had spent more time on making sure that the reader is fully immersed in places - not necessarily through long descriptions, succinct is always great.

The backstory with her father was confusing too. Why would she have been tried at court for the death of her mother when she was just a child? What society does that? I would have liked a better fleshing-out of this piece of culture, because it was interesting, but it seemed a little bit...random, I guess, without the full explanation.

Finally, I didn't like the main character that much. I love Cinderella, I love Cinderella stories, but this incarnation did not do it for me. I think it's because she was very much led by her emotions, and this felt childish.

Some of the writing was lovely. I wish the story had been longer, as I think this would have enabled the author to properly flesh out her world and her characters, and to bring the plot together in a better way.

[Molly W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really, really, really wanted to like this more, but in the end it was just okay. The writing is great, but the world didn't work for me - it just wasn't solid in its world-building; I wasn't convinced of an entire community believing an 8 year old would murder her mother, I wasn't convinced that Briella would be so aware, if she had been a teenager it would have worked better, we were introduced to many characters who weren't really important in the end (the Courtesan, the Demont lady, the servants there). We have magic, and sometimes it does stuff and we're Catholic, but our Godmothers are fairies who don't really do anything and have nothing to do with the faith. In a world with Catholic faith and therefore Saints and Miracles, I have a hard time making room for magic - and I'm a Catholic who loves fantasy novels! Either it should have been a magical world with a recognizable Catholic like faith or a realistic Catholic world where anything attributed to magic would have been from God if good or the Devil if not.

If the obvious Cinderella tropes had been left out or made 100% non-magic and human I think it would have been better. I liked her "Joan of Arc" ending, but I didn't like her throwing herself at just about anyone and declaring her love - by the end I didn't believe she loves Raphael because I'd just spent 50 pages reading about how she'd follow the peddler to the ends of the earth. I'm all for a character arc, but this was lacking in the end.

I found Raphael and Tristan great characters, and honestly, the book could have just been about them and I'd have been very happy.

[Erin Cupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rich with imagery and delightfully paced, Cinder Allia is the fairytale that just blossoms in the retelling. You'll see all the characters you'd expect: (the Fairy Godmother, the Wicked Stepmother, the Reluctant Prince) and all the props (the cinders, the glass), but it's all been reimagined with unexpected depth and poetry. This is an excellent read for YA readers who dig their angst best when it's seasoned with a touch of magic and a satisfying helping of bittersweet justice. Highly recommended!

[Julie Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Karen Ullo's first novel, Jennifer the Damned, which was a fascinating, unexpected vampire story. So I was interested to see what she'd do putting an "untraditional" spin on a familiar fairy tale (is that a genre yet?).

She begins in full blown "this isn't your mother's fairytale" style with Cinder Allia (Cinderella) learning from her fairy godmother than the prince has just been killed in battle. Because the fairy godmother messed up. Ouch.

Where do you go from there? We do have a wicked stepmother, a ball for all the maidens in the land, a lost slipper, cinders, and many of the traditional props, but they all turn up in unexpected ways. I thoroughly enjoyed it when they would appear, woven into a richer, fuller story that included a really interesting political situation with a neighboring country.

The story is told from multiple points of view, including the royals scrambling to recover from the prince's death. Several themes come to the fore. All the characters are driven by some sort of loss or failure while struggling with how to balance truth, justice, and mercy. And, of course, love.

There is also some background about how Allia's mother died and why her father allows her to be treated so badly (he's still alive in this version). I didn't enjoy this part as much because there were a couple of points that rang false to me, emotionally.

My quibbles are not enough to keep the story from being entertaining and definitely worth reading. Cinder Allia is a richly woven tale that stands on its own merits.

(Full disclosure: I received a review copy of the book. But my opinion is fully my own.)

[Leslea Wahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first novel I’ve read by this author, but it probably won’t be the last. This retelling of the famous fairytale was such a delight. There were so many fantastic twists to this new version that made this story engaging and fast-moving.

What happens when our heroine’s prince is killed in battle before he can rescue her from her cruel life? What any strong female would do, of course, solve the problem herself.
Armed with faith, a sword, and some unlikely allies she ventures out to find her new path in life. But will Allia be able to find love and happiness when faced with overwhelming odds including: deception at the palace, betrayal amid the noblemen, wicked lies, tragic heartache, and unfathomable cruelty?

A very enjoyable teen novel for older or mature teens, full of stunning, ornamental language.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cinderella story like you've never heard it before, Cinder Allia fills in a grim backstory to the famous Grimm fairy tale. This novel answers the burning question every reader has about the fairy tale: why would Cinderella's father allow her stepmother to treat her so badly? Ullo reveals Allia's stepmother's motives in keeping her in servitude and serves up a surprising twist in the form of a not-so-perfect Prince Charming. (ARC received from author, who is a fellow member of the Catholic Writers Guild)

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having read the author’s first book, Jennifer the Damned, I anticipated high quality writing, dynamic characters, and an excellent story from Cinder Allia, but this book exceeded all expectations. Ullo has taken the traditional Cinderella story and given it her own touch. Part fairytale, part epic adventure, I couldn’t put this book down. I cannot wait to see what this author has in store for us next!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great re-telling of Cinderella with a little Joan of Arc thrown in.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a delight to read. It strikes a wonderful balance between reinventing Cinderella, and remaining true to the classic tale, particularly the themes of faithfulness and hope. There are many characters whose lives intersect in a variety of ways, but I closed the book with a deep satisfaction at how all the various arcs were resolved.

I often dislike the phrase "strong female character" because it can imply a box that must be checked for ideology's sake, rather than a character natural to the story. But Allia is indeed strong, and a believable human being that I look forward to introducing my daughter to when she's old enough to read this book.

[Stephanie Mccall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a good Cinderella story. It's been my favorite fairytale ever since I was a little girl. In truth, Cinder Allia has been on my reading list for quite some time. It's just that my TBR pile is one of those that grows exponentially every month, so up to now I never got around to it. Well, once I did, I could barely put it down. I'm still asking what took me so long.

I rarely start a review with a discussion of the plot, but I'm going to break my "tradition" this time because the plot is something else. Every element blew me away. For instance yes, Cinderella is a nobleman's daughter who is disgraced and made a slave--but she got there because her father turned on her, accusing her of her own mother's murder. What? Then her father marries a stepmother who uses black magic to further her villainous plots. Okay, but also, what?? This Cinderella wields a sword, because the kingdom's prince taught her how when they were little kids. Okay, cool, but also, what??? The prince also has a wheelchair-using brother the king insists he tell everyone is his foster cousin, because of course a disabled prince can't be a "real" king, except then the prince is killed in battle.

Meanwhile, Cinderella's life keeps twisting and turning, bringing her closer to her happy ending, while pulling her further and further from it because it seems she'll finally hang for a murder she didn't commit... Whoa, WHAT?!?! With every twist, every chapter ending, I had to keep reading. Every new plot development had me saying, "This was *not* the Cinderella I expected!" Yet, Karen's pacing and character development works so well, nothing comes out of left field. The "math" always adds up. The suspense isn't breath-stealing as it would be in a thriller or true mystery, but was I on the edge of my seat wondering how Allia would ever become the princess, the queen, she was promised to become? Oh yeah, and I loved every minute.

Of course, the main reason I loved every minute was because of the characters. I loved these characters, and as the best ones do, they became new friends (or in the case of the villains, at least, villains I could love to hate, or respect for their solid presence in the story). These people are archetypes, but they're not cardboard. They're twists on tropes, but they're real, human, enough to be unique. For instance, yes, Allia is the kind of action-oriented Cinderella who swings a sword. She's not a shy, shrinking violet cinder maid; she's snarky and determined. Simultaneously, an unshakeable sense of justice and fiery compassion drive her. She's as sweet as a "princess classic," but that sweetness is "gingersnap," not "sugar cookie."

Similarly, yes, Prince Raphael is the hidden, outcast prince because of his disability. But he's also allowed to make wrong choices. He's also allowed to be bitter, to call himself slurs, to challenge people to own up to their ableism. And once he's worked through that, he's the guy using his gifts, his words, to become the king he should be. He embraces the guts and grit to say, "Okay, pity party's over, time for me to prove I'm worthy. If that means kicking butt, I can do that--with diplomacy and mental chess." And as a wordy gal and a disabled person, I loved every minute of it.

I could go through every character like this, but it would take too long. Just know, every character has a great balance of positive and negative traits like this, yes, even the villains. (Vivienne, for example, is in no way sympathetic, but Karen makes her motives understandable once you know her backstory, plus how Eric has treated her in the presence. Father Alester is nothing short of an enigma, a classic "gray hat" who kept me guessing the whole time). Couple these three-dimensional people with a lush, beautifully drawn classic fairytale setting, plus some real, gritty stakes of war and black magic, and I was completely sold.

Cinder Allia does lose a star on a few counts. The biggest, for me, is that sometimes, I felt like the plot had too much going on. That is, Karen tried to balance a full-scale war with the effects of a murderous potion, which also needs fatal arrow wounds to work. She then tried to balance *that* with Raphael's scheme to hide his identity from his kingdom, *plus* Briella's presence in the story, *plus* Simon the Unvanquished's poor health, *plus* Allia's past, *and* her relationship with Simon Regis. It works about 75% of the time, but that other 25%--whew, it is just too much! At times, I was confused as to what Vivienne, Solomon, and others' real goals were, how Allia would triumph, and who played what role and when.

Secondly, Karen took some risks in a book billed as Christian. Namely, there's some mild swearing--mild, but fairly frequent. There's also some gore and a rape scene that shows everything but the act. I kind of get it; we're on the battlefield for a lot of that, and most of it is tied to villainous actions. But again, Cinder Allia is billed as a Christian book, and it is geared toward a YA audience, as in, mid- to older teens. So if you're a cautious parent or guardian, I'd say, caveat emptor.

Finally, this might be a nitpick, and I freely admit, it's mostly the fault of my writer's eye. But in one book, we have an Allia, a Clara, Briella, an Eleanor, a Vivienne, a Lilianne, and a Lennard. That's a *lot* of double L sounds and short E sounds. Many times, more than one of these characters appear on the same page. Thus, it may be hard to keep up with who is who, or separate them out.

All this said, Cinder Allia is still a strong book. Again, it's certainly the most engaging and unique Cinderella tale I've seen in months. It's well worth a read and, if you don't mind the extra grit, a place on your shelf. I wish Karen Ullo had more like it.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning

A story like no other, Karen Ullo has outdone herself in creating a world I don’t want to leave. Not only are the plot unique and the characters complex, but—oh! the writing. This crappy little review can’t do it justice. This tale flows from the pages like honey mead. Just read it. I can’t go on. I’m in mourning that it’s over.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite contemporary novels, one which I believe will appeal to both adult and young adult readers. Ullo's first novel, Jennifer the Damned, was a pleasure to read, but the author has since grown significantly in her storytelling and craft, without losing the beauty, passion, and joy that was so prominent in her first book.

[OldBird · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one different kind of retelling. Take the vague idea of Cinderella tale then make it a high stakes political Medieval fantasy drama with shades of Game of Thrones and a strong Christian undertone, all while keeping the high romantic ideals of a fairytale, and you might have something like this.

Our tale involves "Cinder" Allia, a girl resigned to her fate as maid for her stepmother until she's married off. After all, the Lady Vivienne de Camesbry isn't an entirely cruel woman; she's even got a husband all lined up and it has nothing to do with inheritance should Allia not marry before her warrior father dies. What with their kingdom at war and the Crown Prince dead, it's a real possibility... Unless the Lady makes some moves of her own, and not just within her own household. She has big dreams and only one side can offer them to her, but which one? Meanwhile, second in line to the throne, Prince Raphael, suddenly finds himself caught in a quandary: when only his closest family know he exists, how can he ever ascend to the throne? While he has the brains, he's been forced to spend his life in the shadows for being disabled. When he fears the nobles will reject him, he hatches a plan with the aid of his mysterious mentor Father Alester to ensure only the right image of a prince is ever seen. Events long in he making are tipped into motion, setting Allia on a new and frightening path through her sad past into an uncertain future for herself and the kingdom.

Some things didn't quite work for me, not least the confusing "magic" aspect regarding the fairy godmother whose existence I didn't understand (she's barely there in a world without magic, yet Allia acts as if fairies are totally normal? That first confusing scene almost made me put the book down, then every time some kind of magical vision or Ex Machina occurred I didn't understand what happened. I wished she'd been some kind of religious vision, given how Christian faith is such a big thing in Allia's world. Maybe an angel even, especially when the nobles all go from anger at Raphael to peaceful acceptance after seeing her.) Characters could have their minds changed strangely easily despite holding strong views, and while I didn't mind the odd love at first sight, one case Allia and Regis came across as more of an insta-love than oldschool high romance. While the author has a wonderful way with words and descriptions, it can laspe into melodrama at times which could feel a little distracting.

Also, fair warning: sexual violence. Nothing explicit, but it's wartime, there are a lot of crude men around making terrible comments... Edging towards grimdark a bit much for my taste compared to the rest of the story tone. I didn't like how one of these characters became "nice" so easily when he'd been so vile.

Other things however really shone. I loved how the characters were more complex than their fairy tale counterparts. The "Evil" Stepmother is far more interesting; sure, she isn't nice, but her scheming doesn't make her devoid entirely of sympathy when the male characters are cast in the more villainous roles. Cinder's father makes for a particularly hurtful presence, though again he's no traditional villain. Add in a Prince who doesn't think himself Charming enough to be what his country needs, a moon-eyed accomplice who catches the eyes of the not-so-ugly Stepsister, a sneaky priest, childhood frenemies and a rogue trader with questionable morals, and we have quite the cast. Each have their own distinct backstabby roles and story arcs that really sees them grow. If anything, it was Allia herself who was the least interesting, yet she's got to go through the whole traditional story plot points as well as take up a sword and find inner strength she never knew she could use, true to modern YA style.

Another thing was just how good the retelling idea was. It takes the bare bones (a girl cruelly used as a maid by her stepmother, a prince throwing a royal ball to find a girl, a slipper being kept to identify her, True Love conquering all) and dresses them up in war and politics in a way that felt fresh, original and downright unpredictable even if you know how it's got to end. I still felt it could have done without the "fairy" bits that didn't fit this YA almost grimdark world (seriously, shades of a baby Game of Thrones done a lot better than many YA political-royal dramas I've read) but I still enjoyed the story.

Overall while it might have been a little slow or confusing at times, I liked how the retelling felt so different from all those I'd read before while still staying true to the basics of the fairy tale. A good one for fans of YA royal politics.

[Marie C C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has good pacing and I enjoyed the Prince Rafael plot, and the way the author turned the Cinderella fairy tale elements on their heads. It was creative.

Unfortunately, the book had some major issues.
First of all... It's really dark. Does there need to be so much wartime rape? I'm a grown-up and I get this is a grown-up book, but some of the grim-dark elements seemed gratuitous. I really didn't see what these elements added to the story.
Secondly, I found the title character unlikeable. She didn't do anything to make me like her until about 2/3 of the way through the book. Cinderella is supposed to be likeable, kind, generous, etc. And she is, but you don't really get to see that until over half way through the story. Also, I find female characters who fall for every male who gets within arm's reach tiresome at least, if not despicable. And Allia came across that way to me. Maybe that's not what the author intended... Perhaps it was just a side effect of the over-dramatic descriptions of every emotion that any character ever has. She also cries constantly. (Admittedly her life is hard. But she cries all the time.)
I kept reading the book because of Prince Rafael, who was both likeable and well-drawn.
The style is also distractingly over-dramatic. Neither tears nor blood oozing from wounds can possibly "fall like rain."
And then there's passages like this:
"a frigid burn of strength knifed through her chest."
Or this:
"Steel as strong and sharp as diamond severed breath from body, channeling the pain the dead could no longer feel into the arms of the one who slayed them. Sweat like lava boiled down her skin. Bile bubbled in her contracting throat while she raised the blade again."

I appreciate that the author tried to be vivid and literary in her descriptions, but it's important that the similes actually make sense. What is "a frigid burn of strength?" What is a "howl like razors?" The descriptions would be stronger and less distracting if they were toned down a little.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally, it was a good historical fiction with a nice plot and plot twist. Also, I appreciate how true it was to a Western medieval setting, in terms of the language, mode of speech, actions, objects, way of life, etc.. I found the characters quite interesting and more fleshed out than they were in the classic Cinderella fairytale. Considering it is Catholic fiction, I also love how the religiosity of the setting/characters provided a subtle and meaningful layer to the depth of the story, without coming off as preachy. The book was amazing.

However, I have one constructive criticism that I hope the author Karen Ullo may consider: Some of the character relationships felt underdeveloped. Note that I say character relationships, not the characters themselves. The thing that went on between Allia and Solomon Regis didn't feel quite real, and though I understand that she may have been infatuated with him, perhaps, it would have been better if looking for Solomon led her to her prince (Prince Raphael) -which is exactly what happened. But the problem from there is that she then went into Solomon's arms once more when he reappeared towards the end of the story, leaving less room for the relationship to develop between her and the actual man she ended up with -Prince Raphael.

It was a sudden change between Allia loving Solomon and then loving Prince Raphael, and I feel that it could've been developed more to provide a less rushed ending for that subplot.

But overall, I give it a four-star (even 4.1) because I think the story was good, except for that problem.

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard one for me to rate. There were certain aspects of this story that to me were not explained well and made some scenes either confusing or hard for me to believe. That being said, I think this is a story worth reading. There is are some very thought provoking aspects and the fact that the prince is disabled, brought a depth to this story that is unique. We are used to the prince or princess being "perfect" and I won't lie, I lean towards those stories and almost overlooked this one but I'm glad I read it. His character in particular was beautifully told and his growth over the course of the story was well paced. I'm so thankful that the author did not try to "magically fix" him in the end to wrap it up in a pretty bow. She kept her characters gritty and realistic and makes her reader think. While I didn't love this story, I'm glad I read it and feel richer for it.

content:
Sex: none, kissing
Violence: mild
Language: d*** and one use of Jesus' name in vain.

[Amy Anguish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed a lot of this story. It was a very interesting re-telling of one of my favorite fairy tales. BUT ...

It mixed Catholicism and magic which just felt weird. Why pray to God when there are magic fairies floating around? Why have a magic fairy when she only shows up sometimes? I don't know.

There were also several curse words, a couple of rape scenes (not graphic, but there), a suicide of one of the major secondary characters who would've been so much stronger if he'd repented instead, and another character killing himself in sacrifice to save the life of his daughter.

All the "romances" felt fake because all the characters had to do was see each other and they were immediately in love. That's not love. It's attraction. Or maybe lust. But it felt shallow because of the immediacy.

So, while I enjoyed the premise, some of the other parts made me knock a few stars off my review.

[Maggie Rosario · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ullo has created a dramatic, complex retelling of the Cinderella story.

Taken from a different starting point, the novel is full of darkness and light at war with one another. There is much at stake, and much for the reader to be engaged in. I found it hard to put down and truly worth the read.

Some elements were dark and, when I read it, I did not think it appropriate for the younger age of 13 I had originally intended to gift it to. It is a good read for those who are older and can read novels including dark themes of magic, sexual content (though it was not glorified on page), and various forms of death and violence.

There is much good in the novel to combat and contrast the darker themes, so I still recommend it to readers looking for a good fantasy novel.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out a little slow, but as time went on and I got to know the characters and watch the plot thicken, I just had to know what was going to become of Cinder Allia, her relatives, and the royal family. This version of Cinder Allia takes a damsel who is in distress, but shows that she does not need a prince to come save her. Faith also plays a part in this story which brings more depth to the characters.

[LuciaMaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it....I could have loved it, but there was simply too much innuendo. That poisoned my enjoyment. For goodness' sake, surely men aren't THAT lecherous in general? It seemed as though virtually everyone was making suggestive comments. Don't think that's realistic....not in normal circles anyway.
Furthermore, the end of a certain spy left me quite upset. I felt that an opportunity for a powerful lesson in redemption had been squandered.

[Allia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignoring the fact that it was amazing because the main character had the same name as me, which I never thought Id encounter; the book was really engaging and had a well thought out plot and characters

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best retellings that I have read in a long time. It is unexpected in the twists and turns of plot, and doesn’t hold back in following characters to a fitting conclusion. Everyone, even the stepmother, is complicated and nuanced. The writing is excellent.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

This book held my attention. It's another twist on Cinderella, obviously, but with quite a twist.
A young girl banned from her father's heart because of a lie.
A prince crippled from birth.
Intrigue galore, played out very well.
I can sincerely recommend it.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poignant adaptation of the classic Cinderella tale, with some underlying Catholicism. There were definitely some surprises but they made the book all the better!