Not Cinderella's Type

Modern Fairy Tales #1

by Jenni James

Indy Zimmerman has a new stalker who won't leave her alone, no matter what she says to him. Never mind the fact that he's one of the most popular guys at school—she’s positive Bryant Bailey is only trying to appease his own conscience after pretty much destroying her life. But when Bryant doesn't back down and insists on having some sort of bizarre friendship with her, his magic works, and her walls slowly start to crumble. He's not her type. She's never been into guys like Bryant, but then again, she's never really known anyone quite as stubborn, or caring, or who can get her to confess stuff she wouldn't even tell her best friend.

“This is a Cinderella retelling unlike any you’ve ever read. Get ready to laugh and cry along with Indy as she discovers who she is and what she’s worth.” – Tristi Pinkston, author of Take My Advice

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, Retellings, Fiction, Cinderella

152 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2018

About the author

CLEAN ROMANCE FOR TEENS:

*The Jane Austen Diaries*
Pride & Popularity (Aug 2011)
Persuaded (Aug. 2012)
Emmalee (Jan 2013)
Mansfield Ranch (Dec 2013)
Northanger Alibi (Feb. 2012)
Sensible & Sensational (July 2015)
Sand & Sun (2016)
The Wilsons
Queen Sydney

*Jenni James Faerie Tale Collection*
Beauty and the Beast
Sleeping Beauty
Rumplestiltskin
Cinderella
Hansel and Gretel
Jack and the Beanstalk
Snow White
The Frog Prince
Twelve Dancing Princesses
Rapunzel
The Little Mermaid
Peter Pan
Return to Neverland
The Forgotten Princess
The Princess With the Golden Touch
Little Red Riding Hood
(and more...)

MIDDLE GRADE READERS:
Prince Tennyson (May 2012)

EARLY READERS:

*Andy & Annie Collection*
A Ghost Story
Greeny Meany

WOMEN'S FICTION:

*Revitalizing Jane Series*
Drowning
Swimming
Crawling
Walking
Running
Soaring


CLEAN ROMANCE FOR ADULTS:

*Eternal Realm Series*
Eternity
Destiny
Divinity

Reviews

[Jenni James · Rating 5 out of 5]

She's finally here. My modern take on Cinderella... and wow! I love this book so much. It hit a little too close to home, but I think it turned out even better than I first imagined.

And the coolest thing? My hubby and publisher secretly worked together to get this book released today: Feb 22, my birthday to surprise me! I have awesome people around me! I feel so blessed. And such a fun surprise. :)

I hope you love the book!

[Norah Una Sumner · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

The guy she's been kissing with tells her to give this other boy a chance because it might be good for her and because things are getting waaay too serious between them and she says "sure". She is reporting how her kisses with the other guy felt to the first guy.



Just... WHAT?!

I have nothing else to say. Well, I don't want to say anything because I'll get frustrated.

[Paige Bookdragon]

I take everything back. This book is not for me. The lines were cheesy. The heroine is weird. The hero talks like he's a therapist and nope. I'm done.

[aeneegma · Rating 1 out of 5]

MORE LIKE A RANT:

DNF: 42%

Gah!!! Nu-uh. No. Nope.



This book is bad. It was around 10 in the evening and I was almost half in the book until I found myself laughing. Giggling like a lunatic, until I blurted out that I can't believe that I was actually reading such a horrible book. I know right? I do sound batshit-crazy.

When I saw the title of the book the "Cinderella" part got me hooked. I love any Cinderella-esque story whether its a retelling of the fairytale in a fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian or in this book's case a contemporary setting. Then I read the blurb and then I was a goner. Yep, this is gonna be the book that'll put me right back on my reading track after a long hiatus. Drama, high school, an average girl who's being chase by an uber-hot-dude. What's not to love?

So I started reading...
First two chapter. Okay, this is a fun read. Light, bubbly, teensy. Oh, so THAT'S how he ruin Indy's life? WTF??!

Chapters 3-5... Dude you called that atoning for your mistake? And sheesh Indy aren't you just feeling morbid a few minutes ago now all you could think about is kissing him? And you did! Then you turn from this angsty teen to a giggly-gushing one.

And then next chapter, then the next... WOW! **insert sarcasm** everything went downhill from here.



The two characters swap death stories and now are feeling like they're bffs. They have this "secret friendship" where they can't be seen together and because of the evil aunt and cousins they have to do things with total discreetness. **getting my barf-bucket ready**

Then there's this scene where she told Maxton, her guy-bestfriend about this whole enchilada that's going on and then bam... She founds out that her guy-bff assumes that they are boyfriend-girlfriend for almost a year now. For almost a year, how weird that he hasn't mentioned it at all? What kind of topics do these two talk about when they're together? **hitting my head with the barf-bucket** So Indy was adamant to set things straight with Maxton, that she wasn't feeling him and she is a giggling-gaga over Bryant when... out of the blue he kissed her. And the she liked it, exactly how she like when she kissed Bryant less than fifteen pages ago. **what a "insert female degatory word"** Indy then goes telling all this to Bryant, they both decided to let Indy try this "relationship" with Maxton while Bryant will be like her new bff. And while they're having this conversation they are also having this 'supposedly' sexual tension up against the classroom wall.


This is where I decided to abandoned the book.
I don't like how the author portrays the characters. They're teens and they are entitled to reckless choices and decisions but this kind of love-play is not my cup of tea.

There's a lot of my pet-peeves in this book:
- insta-love
- poor depiction of characters
- waste of a good storyline
- pulling a Bella Swan (a girl crazy over two guys and can't choose one)

Maybe teens would find this book awesome, great, good or nice. But for me this book is horrible. I just can't, sorry.

Respect my opinion and I'll respect yours.
Rambling Reader

[Issabelle Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple of years back, I had heard about the movie based off this book. Then about a year ago, I discovered the story, but I wasn't super interested in it so I put it off as something I might try in the future. Well, that all changed a week or two ago when I saw the movie was free on YouTube. I clicked the video, just wanting to watch the first five or ten minutes to see what it was about. At first, I was like, eh, this is kinda cheesy. Boy did that change. By the end I was in near tears and knew I HAD to read the book.

And seeing the movie first was probably the biggest problem because I kept trying to compare the two. Let's just say this is probably the first time ever when I actually enjoyed the movie more than the book. *hides*

Buuut not to say I didn't enjoy this book because I sure did! It was such a fun, quick read that didn't take too much time (or brain power, lol) to get through, and being so loaded down with school and writing as I am, it was just what I needed! Plus can't we just adore how sweet and adorable the romance with Indy and Bryant was? And I LOOOVED James' contemporary spin on such a classic and beloved tale!!! I'm a sucker for a well-done YA contemporary romance novel, the only problem is it's just soooo hard to find any that are also clean. Which just makes Jenni James' Not Cinderella's Type EVEN MORE awesome because not only was the romance and novel sweet, it was also suuper clean!!! I also liked how unique each character was, especially Bryant! He's not your typical YA-romance-leading-dude character. He was very fresh and unique and it was really awesome.

Cons? Well, yeah, there were some. First the romance happened really fast since it was such a short story, but I felt like some of it was kinda unrealistic. (For a teen romance novel that is. ;) And though I liked how Indy's character's voice felt so real for a teen girl, it was also sometimes doing a lot of telling instead of showing. Also, there were a few instances when it would talk about how something happened all the time or the character did something a lot, but the problem was WE NEVER SAW IT! If this event occurred often, it would've felt more realistic to see it happen at least once.

However, I overall really enjoyed reading this story and can't wait to be able to read the second installment in the series!!!!! Indy and Bryant's story was sooo cute and sweet and I definitely recommend this quick read to anyone seeking a sweet, clean romance that'll leave you with a smile on your face!

[Faith M:) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm... This was interesting.

Stats-

Romance- Definitely a lot of romance in this book. The main theme- after all, it is a contemporary/romance.
Detailed/semi-detailed kisses; snuggling; hugging; hand-holding; romantic thoughts; cheating on her boyfriend for another boy; mentions of making out with someone and getting pregnant (didn’t happen, but is mentioned in the book as a false accusation); etc.

Content/violence- Everything mentioned above. ⬆️ The main character, Indy, is emotionally abused by cruel family members. Thoughts of suicide from 2 characters; etc.

This book has been on my tbr list for a while now, since I watched the movie (very sweet and clean), and found out that there was a book as well! Unfortunately, the movie was better in my opinion. *cringes*

This book was VERY fast-paced. The plot wasn’t laid out as well as I had hoped, and it was confusing at times. In addition, the cover itself and the pages inside are very bad quality. The cover is just a blurry screenshot of the movie:(

I liked the idea of the story, and have so much admiration for the author. I’m glad to have had a chance to read this book, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is of course a modern day retelling of Cinderella. I really like the story-line. Yes it is a contemporary young adult novel but it feels far more fairy tale instead of reality. I really enjoyed it but had to suspend a little disbelief in order to do so. Bryant was just too good to be true. Not sure I've ever met a high school junior as mature and self sacrificing as he is. This is a quick read that made me smile.

Content: Clean
Source: Kindle Unlimited

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich habe den Film zuerst auf Amazon Prime gesehen (inzwischen ist er nicht mehr kostenlos) und mochte den schon wirklich sehr, weil er mal eine sehr emotionale und tiefgründige Variante einer modernen Cinderella-Story aufgeworfen hat.
Das Buch steht dem Film in derlei Hinsicht auch in nichts nach.
Für Fans von modernen Märchenadaptionen dürfte "Not Cinderella's Type" bestimmt etwas sein. Wenn nicht für dieses, dann mindestens für jene die verschiedenste Cinderella-Storys mögen.
Die Geschichte hat Drama, etwas Trash und ganz viel Kitsch, doch manchmal braucht man auch mal so etwas, finde ich, und von daher kann diese Mischung da nicht schaden.

[Katherine Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I absolutely looove the movie, Not Cinderella’s Type!! It’s one of my favorite movies, and anyone who enjoys Cinderella stories and contemporary settings will most likely love it as well.

The book, however, was . . . nice. The aspects in the book that were similar to the movie, I loved. But anything in the book that was different from the movie, I ended up preferring the movie’s way better. The biggest difference I disliked was how the romance was done. In the movie, it was more slow going which I found fit the storyline and characters way better, than how the romance was portrayed in the book. Even though Bryant started liking Indy from the beginning, in the movie he was willing to hold back/wait and be her friend first. In the book, however, even though he said he would be her friend first, he didn’t hold back as much. Several times he would kiss her on the forehead, cheek, and neck, and they “snuggled” a couple of times as well. What bothered me most was that he would still try to kiss her and hold her EVEN AFTER he told her to give Maxton a chance and date him. As I already said, for Bryant’s character and personality, it made more sense for him to hold back and let Indy decide which guy she wanted to date (as he did in the movie) than to be all romantic-like and continue letting her know that he still wanted to date her even while she was still trying to figure things out with Maxton. By holding back and letting Indy decide on her own, Bryant seemed like a good friend. But I couldn’t see him the same way in the book because of how he acted. The movie was just so much better in this area.

There was one aspect I liked about the book that was different in the movie. The book brings up the topic of suicide and having thoughts of wanting to die. Although the movie worked fine without it and probably made it better for younger people to watch, I liked how the book handled this topic and showed it as a natural response to two characters’ grief.

Which brings me to my next point for this review. I loved that Not Cinderella’s Type (I’m speaking about the general story now which is the same for the book and movie) focuses on grief and the emotional abuse that came from the way “Cinderella’s” family treated her. This felt fresher than the other Cinderella contemporary retellings (or any Cinderella retelling for that matter) that I’ve seen or read thus far. I also loved how Bryant cared for Indy and wanted to help her out of her rough situation. He’s so sweet and an amazing guy (even if he is fictional, lol). I’m glad I read this book at least once in my life, though I’m not sure that I would read it again. The movie, on the other hand, I would still recommend! So, if you’re interested in this type of story, definitely give the movie a try! (Although it hasn’t been super recent since I last watched the movie, if I remember correctly, much of the content listed below was not in the movie. So if the content listings bother you, the movie is probably a cleaner option.)

Magic/supernatural:
Mention of “the gods” and “the other side” (to clarify, the book worded it as “the other side” but was talking about someone who had died years prior but may have been influencing some current events--like a spirit, I guess?).

Language:
Uses of “idiot,” “sheesh,” “yeesh,” and many uses of “dang/dang it” and “holy cow.” Taking God’s name in vain in the form of “oh my g*sh.”

Romance:
A few kisses as well as several kisses on the forehead, cheek, neck, etc. Mentions of “snuggling/cuddling.”

Violence:
None

Other:
Talks about suicide. Mentions a character drinking. One character accuses someone of being a floozy as well as accusing her of being the type of person who would get pregnant before marriage. Mention of a guy in his friend’s (who happened to be a girl) room one night to help her when she was sick but acted like a “gentleman” while he was there.

[Spuffed · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason this book got 2 stars instead of 1 is because the author can actually write. Unfortunately, what she wrote was just awful. This is by far, the worst retelling of Cinderella I have ever read. It reads more like fan fiction than anything.

The chick was soooooo abused by her stepmother, or aunt, I can't remember actually. And the Dude was just too knowledgable. He knows everything. He immediately understands her situation, is able to make adult conclusions about life situations he knows nothing about. And the fact that he killed her cat was just so random it was almost funny which I don't think was intended.

This is definitely a YA read for a very immature reader or for a hormonal teen who hates her stepmother and wants to commiserate. Free on KU so no big loss except for the half hour I put into it.

[Nasty Lady MJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

To see review with gifs click here.

If you read this blog you know I like crap movies. They relax me. Especially when I’m on an airplane and said crap movie is free. Like, in the case of Not Cinderella’s Type. HOWEVER I was not expecting Not Cinderella’s Type to be based on a book. Or for that matter to find out that the author was all over the movie version like her book like Johnny Wiseau was all over The Room.

Okay, in James’s case she only worked on the script in addition to the novel of Not Cinderella’s Type but it rang vanity project throughout the entire run of the movie, especially after reading the book and noticing that the most obnoxious lines were kept in. I mean, seriously do you think people are going to find lines like this charming:

Indy, you’re wrong. You think you’ve got the whole world sorted into little boxes, and when someone steps out of their box and does something you aren’t expecting, you try tour hardest to push them back in. Well, I don’t fit. I’m not meant to fit. Your walls are high and thick, but I’ll get through them somehow. Wait and see (22)

Creeper much. This is the love interest ya’ll. Well, the main one. Not the one who halfway appears and disappears in the book and randomly thinks he’s the MC’s boyfriend ’cause they’re friends ya know and that equals boyfriend. There’s much more to quote, but I’m too lazy to do so.Again, I should mention that said speaker is a pet murderer. Yes, I said murderer. He runs over the heroine’s cat in the movie. We see the poor thing get hit by a car within ten minutes of the fucking movie, and in the book its just gazed over. Oh, in the movie he makes it all better because he buys her a new fucking kitten at the end.

Do you really think buying someone a pet can replace their deceased one? It doesn’t work that way. I can attest to that personally. Because when I was ten and my beloved Penny Beagle got and quickly passed from cancer, my parents were pretty much freaked out when they saw how depressed I was (Penny was like the best dog ever) and they bought me a puppy (PJ). PJ helped, but didn’t replace the hole or the dog I lost. She wasn’t a replacement pet by any means. And it really annoyed me how Cat Killer thought because he bought a kitten he was redeemed.

God, what an asshole. Watching/Reading this I couldn’t help but hate Bryant. First the actor with his bad Draco Malfoy dye job (sorry, boo it was hideous and I am having a shallow moment because its my review damn it) to complete the arrogance and mansplaining-oh yes, mansplaining-and then there was Book Bryant who was pretty much identical to Wannabe Draco except he was described as having dark hair.

So in fairness to the actor, I don’t think it was his performance that turned me off. It was just Bryant.

The other love interest was actually built up a bit better in the movie, believe it or not. It’s sad when a movie does more character exploration than the book.

Really, sad.

The MC was kind of meh. I couldn’t hate her too much for having a love triangle especially since the mansplainer and self dubbed knight in shining armor (though I’d call him a asshole in shining armor) pretty much told her to string love interest two who randomly thought they were dating because they were friends along.

I just…

Then there was how the whole idiotic relatives were handled. James butchered the reporting thing to CPS big time. Also, if you know anything about CPS they wouldn’t have time to deal with a case like Indy’s because they are dealing with so much shit already.

Also, I don’t think this would’ve been a mandatory reporting case. There wasn’t an imminent threat of abuse or that abuse was going on right there and then. And then don’t get me started on how foster parents work and.. and…

I need to breathe.

This book is just a disaster. The only saving grace (besides the fact I paid nada for it) was that it was mercifully short. So short that I was sort of aghast when I saw how the author was charging for the book’s physical copy-though, with the cost of printing and everything I do admittedly understand it from her POV.

Still though, 152 pages is hardly a novel.

This one will mystify me for awhile. I didn’t totally hate the movie. Like I said when I watched it, I thought something was off. It’s sort of like those really bland Christian movies* that they put on Netflixs that they try to act like they’re not Christian movies to sucker you in and make borderline offensive comments throughout the entire 90 minute torture and then in the last five minutes they some revolting comment about how God solves everything and God has a plan while causing something horrific to happen to the only decent member of the cast because he/she was full of sin…

Yeah, it was like one of those demented movies but without the big lesson. Which was appreciated. But I can see what sort of adult the sanctimonious cat killer is going to become and I just want to Indy to run that she’s in danger.

[Joy Crain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic modern day twist on Cinderella with a surprise ending.

Indy isn't your typical Cinderella retelling character. She's spunky and certainly put out with Bryant. He killed her cat, the last gift her mother gave to her before dying. Her aunt and uncle treat her like a slave but Indy is too angry at Bryant to notice.

How can Bryant tell her that he's more than just sorry that he ran over her cat? He knows her spoiled cousins. They can't stop being around him. But Indy...she's so different. When shreds of light come to the surface, Bryant finds the urge to protect Indy from her home life...no matter what the cost.

I seriously felt for Indy.

After reading this I watched the movie "Not Cinderella's Type" and broke down crying during some of the scenes. This book is so touching and a must-read for anyone who loves fairytale retellings.

[Valerie Steimle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Cinderella’s Type
By Jenni James

A wonderful, modern adaptation of the famous Cinderella story which has all the makings of a fairy tale come true. Jennie James rewrites this beloved classic of a girl, Indy Zimmerman, who is kind and just wants to get along with everyone but has to deal with the most wicked and heartless of stepmothers, stepsisters and even a stepfather in the form of an aunt, cousins and uncle.

You just want justice for the poor girl as she deals with modern complications of high school, homework and boys. I found myself routing for her to win at life and find her true identity. Great characters and fast moving story made this book hard to put down. Clean teen romance and lots of fun with no swearing. Looking forward to Jennie James next adventure.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite tropes is renditions of classic stories and fairytales especially Cinderella. I have also been a fan of Jenni James other stories, so when I saw this one I knew I had to read it. Our Cinderella in Not Cinderella's Type by Jenni James is Indy Zimmerman who lives with her Aunt and Uncle and their two daughters. Indy lives in the attic and has the bare minimum and is expected to earn her keep by working around the house. Indy's mother died in a car accident and she never knew her father. All that Indy had left of her connection with her mother was her cat and even now that has gone thanks to a fellow classmate and jock Bryant. Bryant is the guy that is every girl's dream except Indy's as hello - he just killed her cat and the last piece she had connected to her mother. As the book goes along, we read as Bryant tries to befriend Indy and get in her good books. Indy tries to rebuff his friendship at every turn as to why would she want to be friends with a cat killer? During the book though we learn a bit more about Bryant and that he knows more than he is letting on about her mother's accident. Also is Bryant and his Dad, the ones that will save Indy from her living arrangements? Bryant may not be Cinderella's type but maybe he will be Indy's type after all. Find out in this sweet YA romance "Not Cinderella's Type" by Jenni James which also if you are a movie fan - this has been made into a film.

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star

The synopsis showed so much potential, but this book failed in so many aspects. The story was unconvincing, and the characters were neither relatable nor likeable.

1. The dialogue was awkward, cheesy, and plain cringe-inducing. Long drawn out and didn't get to the point.
2. Characters were one-dimensional.
3. Plot line fell flat. I couldn’t buy into the whole deal with Bryant pushing Indy to date another guy “just to find yourself” if he liked her that much.
4. More like delayed insta-love but still no lead-up to the mutual attraction.
5. Bryant seemed more like a terrible and needy therapist than a guy who liked her.
6. Her best friend Maxton seriously thought he was her boyfriend all this time and Indy didn’t know it? And she didn’t set the record straight when she found out?! Um...no.
7. Bryant’s psychologist dad taking her case and becoming her foster parent seemed too convenient.
8. And finally the naivete...how could Indy not know she was being mistreated by her aunt’s family? She was living in a closet with just a bed!

Almost DNF’d it midway, but I wanted to write this review, so I skimmed the last half.

[QueenKatie · Rating 1 out of 5]

... moving on now

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable book

I am a huge Cinderella fan and love retellings. This YA version of Cinderella was so sweet ...Indy was a perfect Cinderella and Bryant was a heart melting Prince. I highly recommend this sweet, romantic story to young and old alike. A clean story that addresses some tough issues like death of a parent and emotional abuse. I read this after I watched the movie based on this book. Really cute movie :)

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a case of the movie was better. I was really excited to read this after watching the movie last month, but it fell flat. First things, Bryant and Indy kiss like a chapter in. Like, they don't even know each other and they just share this passionate kiss and proceed to hold hands, cuddle, and he kisses her on the face a lot. It never crossed the line from that, but it made me uncomfortable. They were pretty young after all.
Also at the end Indy never actually tells Maxton the truth. She chooses to take a comp out, and just say she can't have a boyfriend instead of saying why. Then a month later she's going out with Bryant. It was rude and not considerate of Maxton's feelings at all.
My number one complaint is: When Maxton says he thought they had been dating since last year, she thinks about when he came over and is like "Oh, he's such a nice guy. He didn't try crawling in bed with me." A bit more discreatly then that, but that's what it boiled down to. Just wow. That may have been a real thought, but we didn't really need that in the book.
I did love that this book addressed emotional abuse as a real thing, and it helped show steps to get out of a situation like that.
Overall, I would skip this and go watch the movie. The kisses are kept to a minimum, and the characters show more consideration for each others feelings.

[Rmsooon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ive read " not cinderella's type " ,, this book was BAD it was short but a really messed up story ,, i gave it 1.5 out of 5 stars

[Paige (TheBookVulture) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t want to be too harsh but my gosh this might be the worst book I’ve ever read. It’s seriously awful.

[Mariah Critchfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned this was a book when I watched the movie the other day. This was a quick, fun listen, and I felt that the movie was almost exactly like the book. I saw comments in other reviews that were bashing on the fact that Indy was trying to figure out two different possible romantic relationships, but that seemed more realistic to me than a lot of the romances where there is one clear prince charming. The romance element of the story wasn't that impactful to me, but the exploration of emotional abuse has left me thinking a lot. The audiobook was only four hours and ended up being a perfect listen for a late night home organizing sesh.

[Bcs (Sarah. B) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not Cinderella's Type by Jenni James

Rating: 📱📱📱

Thoughts:
I watched the movie before reading the book, and I can honestly say that it was the best way to do it. The story-line itself is good, though there were a few things that were...odd.

Honestly, the thing most different about the book verses the movie is in the book the characters are in depression and it is said that they had thoughts of suicide. That is the only major thing different other than the movie showing the cat dying.. Even most of the lines the characters spoke are the same, only happening in different places. And of course there is the main male character's intuition, and the thought that the dead parents watched over them and helped them that is slightly creepy to be honest.

This is not Christian, so there is no real true hope that comes from God helping you through greef and being with you.

The writing... It probably would have been easier if I had read it because my libraries only had the audiobook, no ebooks. The way it was read made it so hard to know when someone was talking or thinking, and even who was talking sometimes. Also... There was a plethora of unnecessary words such as: Stuff, like, sort of, really, whatever, totally.

Favorite character, part, quote.
Bryant. I liked him way better in the movie because the friendship seemed more genuine, but he is the better character.
Part...when they get out of the house. Again, the movie part was better, but...
Quote. NA.

Bible Verse
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV
[3] Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; [4] who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.


Content List

Language/Profanity:
Holy cow;
I swear;
Trash/filth
Danged
You will be blessed by the gods for this

Faith: NA

Romance/Sex:
Snuggling
Light kisses on the nose ect.
Thinking about kissing
Kissing. Not discribed. X3

Violence ect.:
There is emotional abuse, but no violence.
Messed up view of what life is about.
Wanting to die/wanting to suicide

Other:
Not wanting to be dishonest and then lying.
Ghosip
Weird feelings (intuition)
Thinking that dead people can influence...

Part of a Series:
The first in a series of modern fairytales that are not interconnected (I don't think.)

Synopsis:
Indy Zimmerman has a new stalker who won't leave her alone, no matter what she says to him. Never mind the fact that he's one of the most popular guys at school—she’s positive Bryant Bailey is only trying to appease his own conscience after pretty much destroying her life. But when Bryant doesn't back down and insists on having some sort of bizarre friendship with her, his magic works, and her walls slowly start to crumble. He's not her type. She's never been into guys like Bryant, but then again, she's never really known anyone quite as stubborn, or caring, or who can get her to confess stuff she wouldn't even tell her best friend.

[Sharon Hogenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a hard one for me to rate. I enjoyed the story, sort of. I'm realizing that Jenni James doesn't do great endings but rushed cheesy ones, and that I don't like. Another "sort of" is that it is a story where the last portion of the book deals with abuse, and I don't like that either.

I realize that abuse is real, and quite frankly, every Cinderella story is filled with it. You can't have a Cinderella story without it. Remaining kind and pure amid the trials she always faces, no matter the version, is what makes Cinderella Cinderalla. However, I found it hard to have Social Services involved, although in this case it was probably necessary, just not what is expected when reading about Cinderella.

I didn't realize until I was reading other reviews that there is actually a movie based on this book. I watched it before reading it and I think doing so enhanced my enjoyment of the book. The book is first person and therefore leaves out a few of the details which appear in the movie. The book makes references to them (the movie is actually quite true to the book in most cases) but the movie brings them to life and transferred over to my reading. Although both movie and book are very simply done, with the two combined, I did enjoy reading Not Cinderella's Type. The reason the rating was hard for me is because I'm not sure what I would have rated it without watching the movie first, but I'm pretty sure it would have been lower.

Later...

I'd given this book four stars, but when I think of others that I've given four, I dropped it to three.

[❤SanaReads❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐,5 Fairy stars!
One stupid, ugly car accident when I was ten, and my beautiful, courageous mother was gone. And in that split second, my bright world turned black, and everything I thought I knew changed in an instant.

Not Cinderella's Type is a book that takes us back to childhood fantasies where the neglected and unwanted girl gets the prince and a happily ever after she never thought possible.

Okay, but why are you here? You didn’t answer that.”... “ Beyond feeling bad about murdering your cat, I don’t know why I’m here.” Shrugging, he continued, “I know I need to be. Something about you . . . about this . . . I’m not done. I should be here, be next to you, so I am.”

[Cassie | Lost In Tomes · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. I mainly was missing the fun element that I look for in contemporary retellings. This felt much more serious in tone.

Does have a good message that I am sure someone out there needs but overall not one I see myself recommending in the future.

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Find all reviews at: https://jaynikkibelthoughts.wordpress...

To start off with the truth, I didn't know this was a book. I have seen the movie on PureFlix and I actually like it. It's a high school girl who doesn't quite know what is happening until Bryant Bailey comes on the scene. Now fair warning while on Goodreads this is listed under abuse, it is emotional abuse. No physical abuse happens.

Bryant keeps asking Indy if she will forgive him for ruining her life. While she says no because she thinks he is just wanting to soothe his ego, she finds out they actually have more in common than she thinks. Bryan gets Indy. He actually gets her. He can guess things that even her best friend for three years never could guess let alone get Indy to confess. As Indy finds a new direction in her life she has to choose if she wants to stay hidden or actually experience the world.

Bryant is much different from the movie. Of course. In this, he is dark-haired and dark-eyed. In the movie, he is completely the opposite. But personality, I feel like he has more depth in the book. Not surprising at all. Both him and Indy were deeper. The conversations were deeper and it feels like they got connected better in the book than in the movie. The movie left out certain details that got the connection between the two. Maxton was okay. He wasn't my favorite in the movie and nothing has changed at that. Well, actually I liked him more in the movie than I did in the book. He is in wrestling than soccer. But I will say the movie gives him a bit more credit at a certain point than the book does. I can't say or else I would spoil it.

Also, some other changes were that instead of an attic room, she had a basement room. The stepsisters aren't actually mean to her in the movie just the aunt and uncle. They tend to forget about her. Bryant has three sisters in the book instead of two. We get more of a feel for Bryant and his dad. But with this book being just Indy's POV I understand that we won't get everything we did in the movie.

One thing I absolutely love about the book is that Bryant's dad is a psychiatrist and he tells Bryant he has to wait to date Indy until she has time to heal. I love that. This way they won't jump in so quickly and it be a hero complex that Indy develops.

I would say I like the book and the movie about the same. What I didn't like in the movie the book made up for and what I didn't like in the book the movie made up for. So it's a win-win.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good retelling of Cinderella, set in modern times where she doesn't need a fairy godmother just social services.

The main character is Indy a girl who like Cinderella is left with some relatives that don't particularly want her and mistreat her. It doesn't take a fairy godmother to save her just a good friend who has a dad that's willing to help.

The most noteworthy secondary character is Bryant, the friend she inadvertently makes when he runs over her cat and forever feels guilty for it. Once he learns of her situation he cannot help but want to help and after a while their feelings for each other grow.

The storyline is by no means completely original as it is based on Cinderella but it is very nice to see the story take place in a modern setting. The pacing is good.

3 stars

[Lenni Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing was not the best quality. It’s a very fast-paced book with some very weird occurrences. For example, this guy Bryant comes to Indy’s house and just assumes that, because her mom has died, she has had suicidal thoughts. That’s a very bold assumption that should never be made without really knowing a person. And to be clear: he didn’t know her then. It was the first conversation they had ever had.

Bryant and Indy are a very weird combination beyond that. Bryant talks weirdly* and everything they do together is cheesy. You can tell the author is inexperienced with writing contemporary romances.

I will say that I already saw the movie before listening to this audiobook; they’re about the same quality. The book is cheesy and the movie is cheesy; neither are the best quality. I could recommend several different Cinderella retellings that are better than this.

And despite all that negativity, I will say that I did enjoy the audiobook a bit. Although cringe-worthy, I still smiled at the sweet parts. I think that all these years of watching Hallmark movies prepared me to not die of second-hand embarrassment for these characters and the way they spoke and acted.

Side note: A guy like Bryant Bailey would never show that much self restraint in the real world. He and Indy avoid doing more than hugging (that’s right, not even kissing) for literal months. I don’t buy that for a minute. (Not to mention he practically thrust the girl he loved into the arms of another guy. Nobody does that!!!!)


*weirdly: as in, the things he says and does are things you’d never see a real teenage guy do.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Randomly long review - I watched the movie first and thought to myself very early on, "Wow, this is so Mormon-y." (Turns out, yes, it was written and produced by Mormons.) Putting that aside, I was impressed by how deep and serious the plot became. The screenplay was written by the author of the book, so I went and listened to the book the next day. There were some nominal changes but for the most part they were very similar - though the book was less Mormon-y. I liked the emotions and ending better in the movie though. So, it was a good book but for once - the movie did better? I think having the actual author write the screenplay was a great move. She was able to bring her own characters to life and improve upon it. Plus, the movie was even more clean and innocent because it was so over the top Mormon. 😅

[Maddy M-N · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason I give this the whole five stars is because this one is a throwback for me. I knew this as a Hallmark-type movie on Youtube before it was ever a book for me. I have seen that movie maybe six times. I don't know why the movie had such a hold on me, but the book held true and I was happy about it!