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Return to the Four Kingdoms #2
The Mystery Princess
Daria has spent her whole life caring for others. So when she's rescued by traveling merchants while fleeing for her life, she's more than happy to work for them in return for her safety.
But danger follows her, as does Prince Percy. Daria thought she'd left the complications of balls and royalty behind her, but she can't hide as a servant forever--not when whole kingdoms are in peril. As the threat grows, so do the risks Daria is willing to take. But even as she puts herself in danger, Daria doubts she could ever be enough--for the people who need saving or the prince himself.
In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, the overworked orphan must face dangers, doubts, and traitors before she can hope to triumph in a ballroom.
f you enjoy clean romance, adventure, and intrigue, then try the books in the Return to the Four Kingdoms series now! These interconnected fairy tale retellings each feature a different heroine who finds herself friendless in a strange land and who must fight to save her new home and win her happily ever after.
But danger follows her, as does Prince Percy. Daria thought she'd left the complications of balls and royalty behind her, but she can't hide as a servant forever--not when whole kingdoms are in peril. As the threat grows, so do the risks Daria is willing to take. But even as she puts herself in danger, Daria doubts she could ever be enough--for the people who need saving or the prince himself.
In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, the overworked orphan must face dangers, doubts, and traitors before she can hope to triumph in a ballroom.
f you enjoy clean romance, adventure, and intrigue, then try the books in the Return to the Four Kingdoms series now! These interconnected fairy tale retellings each feature a different heroine who finds herself friendless in a strange land and who must fight to save her new home and win her happily ever after.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2021
218 people are currently reading
1692 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Cellier
126 books2,760 followersMelanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels.
She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
March 21, 2025
4 stars!
Golly, I knew that this book would be set after the prior book, but that two year time jump still shocked me!
It was really nice to see that the stepsister figure in this retelling wasn’t cruel or awful. She was flighty and was selfish at times, but she didn’t have true ill intent. The stepmother was a bit…meh, but neither were cruel. They both had their moments where I didn’t care for them or how they treated Dee, but at least they weren’t overly mean.
I did think Daria’s excuse of keeping her identity a secret was a bit weak, but I went with it. The romance felt a little rushed (this book is shorter than the rest of the series) and I didn’t quite see how Percy fell for her when she had obviously been keeping secrets from him, but I still really liked him and them together.
Overall this was a sweet retelling! I think I actually liked the first book in this series a touch more, but I liked how this book talked about fear and not giving into anxiety, which can be easy to do—especially for some characters in this book.
Ranking for this series so far:
1- “The Secret Princess” (#1)
2- “The Mystery Princess” (#2)
Main Content:
Mentions throughout the book about the High King who rules from the Palace of Light, the godmothers doing his orders and missions (who work towards the good of all and true love), godmother objects (that others can use with ill intent), & people being under enchantments/curses; Daria rejects the idea of having a godmother, thinking that no one has helped her, but is told that maybe she should ask herself how she came here safe and undiscovered by enemies; Someone is able to heal instantly due to a godmother object & others try to figure out how to get around it; A talking horse.
Fighting, Almost being abducted, Being threatened and held at knife-point, and then Seeing others stabbed, injured, blood/bleeding, & their pain (up to a few sentences); A nightmare of being attacked; A horse steps on a man hard (to protect Daria, but the man is unharmed because of a godmother object).
Starts with Daria and the group being attacked, chased, and separated; Daria and a side character struggle with fear and anxiety, and someone else talks to Daria about love defeating fear; Daria realizes she’s been letting fear rule her; Daria’s biological parents had loved her but had “been too broken to overcome their own problems” to provide her the care she needed; Daria’s new stepsister hides from doing chores, disobeys her mother, and sneaks out while being deceptive (rebelling against her mother’s tight watch).
*Spoiler, a couple mentions of an infant passing away*
Mentions of planned and attempted assassinations & the assassin; Mentions of fights, fighting, & abductions; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of stealing & thieves.
No language stronger than ‘blasted’ and ‘stupid’; A few curses are said (but not written out); Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
4 kisses lasting a sentence each,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
Some Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Warmth, Nearness, & Noticing (up to a few sentences); A few mentions of kisses & kissing.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
Golly, I knew that this book would be set after the prior book, but that two year time jump still shocked me!
It was really nice to see that the stepsister figure in this retelling wasn’t cruel or awful. She was flighty and was selfish at times, but she didn’t have true ill intent. The stepmother was a bit…meh, but neither were cruel. They both had their moments where I didn’t care for them or how they treated Dee, but at least they weren’t overly mean.
I did think Daria’s excuse of keeping her identity a secret was a bit weak, but I went with it. The romance felt a little rushed (this book is shorter than the rest of the series) and I didn’t quite see how Percy fell for her when she had obviously been keeping secrets from him, but I still really liked him and them together.
Overall this was a sweet retelling! I think I actually liked the first book in this series a touch more, but I liked how this book talked about fear and not giving into anxiety, which can be easy to do—especially for some characters in this book.
Ranking for this series so far:
1- “The Secret Princess” (#1)
2- “The Mystery Princess” (#2)
Main Content:
Mentions throughout the book about the High King who rules from the Palace of Light, the godmothers doing his orders and missions (who work towards the good of all and true love), godmother objects (that others can use with ill intent), & people being under enchantments/curses; Daria rejects the idea of having a godmother, thinking that no one has helped her, but is told that maybe she should ask herself how she came here safe and undiscovered by enemies; Someone is able to heal instantly due to a godmother object & others try to figure out how to get around it; A talking horse.
Fighting, Almost being abducted, Being threatened and held at knife-point, and then Seeing others stabbed, injured, blood/bleeding, & their pain (up to a few sentences); A nightmare of being attacked; A horse steps on a man hard (to protect Daria, but the man is unharmed because of a godmother object).
Starts with Daria and the group being attacked, chased, and separated; Daria and a side character struggle with fear and anxiety, and someone else talks to Daria about love defeating fear; Daria realizes she’s been letting fear rule her; Daria’s biological parents had loved her but had “been too broken to overcome their own problems” to provide her the care she needed; Daria’s new stepsister hides from doing chores, disobeys her mother, and sneaks out while being deceptive (rebelling against her mother’s tight watch).
*Spoiler, a couple mentions of an infant passing away*
Mentions of planned and attempted assassinations & the assassin; Mentions of fights, fighting, & abductions; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of stealing & thieves.
No language stronger than ‘blasted’ and ‘stupid’; A few curses are said (but not written out); Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
4 kisses lasting a sentence each,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
Some Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Warmth, Nearness, & Noticing (up to a few sentences); A few mentions of kisses & kissing.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
May 13, 2025
Daria was precious, Arvin is so funny, and, seriously, how many of these royals have twins?????
August 10, 2021
I eagerly await every book by this author, and this book was no exception! While this author has done a short story retelling of Cinderella before, this one is a full length version. I loved Percy and Arwin especially. Daria was a little harder for me. She is a very passive protagonist for most of the book, and finally sets aside her fears and does something by the end of the book. While this makes her very relatable (and more like a normal person), it does make her harder to like.
Still, I enjoyed the book and, though it took me longer to get into than some of this author's books, I flew through the ending! So if this one wasn't capturing you right away, it is worth it to keep going because the ending is well worth it!
Still, I enjoyed the book and, though it took me longer to get into than some of this author's books, I flew through the ending! So if this one wasn't capturing you right away, it is worth it to keep going because the ending is well worth it!
July 9, 2021
Idk, but I thought this one was kind of boring. Daria didn't have much personality. I don't know why Percy liked her. Beautiful cover though.
May 16, 2021
The Mystery Princess is the latest installment in Melanie Cellier's Return to the Four Kingdoms series. It contains many references to characters and events from her other fairy tale adaptations including The Princess Fugitive, A Dream of Ebony and White, and The Secret Princess. This book follows the same format as Melanie's other books in which a capable young lady intercepts a royal conspiracy, saves the day, and falls in love with a prince. Though it might be a bit predictable after all the other books she wrote that take place in this setting, that doesn't mean that it isn't interesting. Not only is this the first of Melanie's books to feature a dark-skinned heroine on the cover, but it is also a unique take on "Cinderella" that changes many elements of the timeworn fairy tale to keep it fresh while remaining true to the heart of the story.
Like all of Melanie's fairy tale books, The Mystery Princess has a protagonist that long-time readers were introduced to earlier in the series. Daria, or "Dee" as she goes by in this book, was one of the seven children that Princess Snow stayed with for protection in her "Snow White" retelling, A Dream of Ebony and White. Dee was the oldest of the children and acted as their caretaker before Snow showed up and offered to use her kingdom's resources to protect them. A few years later, however, Dee is involved in a caravan raid from the first book in this arc, The Secret Princess. As a result, she goes into hiding with a kind woman named Lilah, who unofficially adopts her as her stepdaughter. Dee immediately enters "mom" mode and helps Lilah with the chores and taking care of her spoiled daughter, Tallie, who becomes a little sister to her. This goes on for a couple of years until Dee's life is interrupted by a royal conspiracy that forces her to stop running away.
What makes this story unique as a "Cinderella" retelling is that Dee's surrogate family is kind and loving toward her, and the villain has nothing to do with them. The book follows the same skeletal structure of the fairy tale with Dee's stepmother refusing to let her go to the ball, but she does it to protect Dee rather than hurt her. As soon as she learns that there is an evil prince roaming the forests, Lilah is determined to do everything in her power to protect her two daughters from running into danger. At the first dance that she bans them from, it is actually Dee's stepsister, Tallie, who sneaks off to the party while Dee obeys her stepmother's command and runs into Prince Percy when she wanders through the forest looking for Tallie. Giving Dee more private time to become acquainted with the prince because she didn't attend the dance instead of having her meet him in a big distracting crowd is a clever twist on the classic tale.
The wicked Prince Damon is a far more terrifying villain than an evil stepmother could ever be. He is determined to kill the queen of Rangmere to take the throne and will stop at nothing until he gets it. He has a magic relic that makes him impervious to physical attacks, making him one of the strongest villains in any of the Four Kingdoms books. The only reason that Dee is able to get away from him with her life intact is that he is oblivious to human compassion and assumes that she wants revenge on the royals for abandoning her. She plays along to protect herself and must learn to trust in her friends and loved ones to let them help her save the kingdom, a task that becomes too daunting for her alone. Trust is a major overarching theme in this book. Not only must Dee learn to place her trust in Percy for a chance at a happy life with him, but she must also convince Lilah to trust her and Tallie enough to give up her overprotective nature and let them attend the royal ball. In that respect, it adds a deeper element to the "Cinderella" story that makes it even more meaningful in the end.
The Mystery Princess has the same level of quality, romance, and action as all of Melanie Cellier's other fairy tale books. If you are a fan of any of her previous Four Kingdoms books, you will enjoy this one as well. It is actually her third "Cinderella" adaptation in this series, but it is the first full-length one and by far the strongest. It doesn't follow the fairy tale in the traditional sense, which gives it the freedom for surprise twists and new developments. Dee is a great character who is easy to relate to, so I was eager to see what direction her adventures would take her next and watch her grow into a graceful young woman who learns to let other people into her life instead of trying to run away from her problems. It was also a pleasant surprise to see the return of Arvin, the comedic talking horse from The Secret Princess that made the book so deliciously entertaining.
Like all of Melanie's fairy tale books, The Mystery Princess has a protagonist that long-time readers were introduced to earlier in the series. Daria, or "Dee" as she goes by in this book, was one of the seven children that Princess Snow stayed with for protection in her "Snow White" retelling, A Dream of Ebony and White. Dee was the oldest of the children and acted as their caretaker before Snow showed up and offered to use her kingdom's resources to protect them. A few years later, however, Dee is involved in a caravan raid from the first book in this arc, The Secret Princess. As a result, she goes into hiding with a kind woman named Lilah, who unofficially adopts her as her stepdaughter. Dee immediately enters "mom" mode and helps Lilah with the chores and taking care of her spoiled daughter, Tallie, who becomes a little sister to her. This goes on for a couple of years until Dee's life is interrupted by a royal conspiracy that forces her to stop running away.
What makes this story unique as a "Cinderella" retelling is that Dee's surrogate family is kind and loving toward her, and the villain has nothing to do with them. The book follows the same skeletal structure of the fairy tale with Dee's stepmother refusing to let her go to the ball, but she does it to protect Dee rather than hurt her. As soon as she learns that there is an evil prince roaming the forests, Lilah is determined to do everything in her power to protect her two daughters from running into danger. At the first dance that she bans them from, it is actually Dee's stepsister, Tallie, who sneaks off to the party while Dee obeys her stepmother's command and runs into Prince Percy when she wanders through the forest looking for Tallie. Giving Dee more private time to become acquainted with the prince because she didn't attend the dance instead of having her meet him in a big distracting crowd is a clever twist on the classic tale.
The wicked Prince Damon is a far more terrifying villain than an evil stepmother could ever be. He is determined to kill the queen of Rangmere to take the throne and will stop at nothing until he gets it. He has a magic relic that makes him impervious to physical attacks, making him one of the strongest villains in any of the Four Kingdoms books. The only reason that Dee is able to get away from him with her life intact is that he is oblivious to human compassion and assumes that she wants revenge on the royals for abandoning her. She plays along to protect herself and must learn to trust in her friends and loved ones to let them help her save the kingdom, a task that becomes too daunting for her alone. Trust is a major overarching theme in this book. Not only must Dee learn to place her trust in Percy for a chance at a happy life with him, but she must also convince Lilah to trust her and Tallie enough to give up her overprotective nature and let them attend the royal ball. In that respect, it adds a deeper element to the "Cinderella" story that makes it even more meaningful in the end.
The Mystery Princess has the same level of quality, romance, and action as all of Melanie Cellier's other fairy tale books. If you are a fan of any of her previous Four Kingdoms books, you will enjoy this one as well. It is actually her third "Cinderella" adaptation in this series, but it is the first full-length one and by far the strongest. It doesn't follow the fairy tale in the traditional sense, which gives it the freedom for surprise twists and new developments. Dee is a great character who is easy to relate to, so I was eager to see what direction her adventures would take her next and watch her grow into a graceful young woman who learns to let other people into her life instead of trying to run away from her problems. It was also a pleasant surprise to see the return of Arvin, the comedic talking horse from The Secret Princess that made the book so deliciously entertaining.
June 21, 2021
Melanie Cellier has done it again!
Yet another wonderful and memorable fairy tale retelling where she works her magic , giving the classic Cinderella story a completely new perspective while paying attention to all the small details.
Yet another wonderful and memorable fairy tale retelling where she works her magic , giving the classic Cinderella story a completely new perspective while paying attention to all the small details.
December 23, 2021
This one is being shelved as Young Adult, but it felt like it was for a much younger audience. This was a solid 2 stars for me. I did add a star because it was age appropriate and that is something I can always applaud.
I liked the idea behind the Cinderella retelling and the new look at that story as a whole but it didn't quite work for me. I missed the tension...the good vs. the evil. This had so much of the same thing. Everyone doing their best with their best intentions. It never really pulled me in. So 2 stars plus an added for the age appropriate elements.
I liked the idea behind the Cinderella retelling and the new look at that story as a whole but it didn't quite work for me. I missed the tension...the good vs. the evil. This had so much of the same thing. Everyone doing their best with their best intentions. It never really pulled me in. So 2 stars plus an added for the age appropriate elements.
May 9, 2021
Once again, another fun read by Cellier.
I have the deepest admiration with how Cellier has managed to tell three (or four?) separate Cinderella stories in the same world. This one felt different from every other and still retained that Cinderella element with the balls and shoes and family situations. I'm *very* impressed that the book represented good people that could be toxic, and I think it did a very good job in making the reader feel frustrated at the characters without making us hate them (though I came close with the "stepsister"). The pacing for this one felt quick but smooth, the writing was excellent as usual, and the play between flaws and virtues was done well (as usual.)
My only complaint is that the narrative voice (first person) is starting to feel the same, which is to be expect, of course. But it does sometimes make distinguishing personalities hard. Still, I enjoyed Daria as a heroine and loved the found family tropes in the book.
Solid read.
Content: Nothing more than kissing and some violence
I have the deepest admiration with how Cellier has managed to tell three (or four?) separate Cinderella stories in the same world. This one felt different from every other and still retained that Cinderella element with the balls and shoes and family situations. I'm *very* impressed that the book represented good people that could be toxic, and I think it did a very good job in making the reader feel frustrated at the characters without making us hate them (though I came close with the "stepsister"). The pacing for this one felt quick but smooth, the writing was excellent as usual, and the play between flaws and virtues was done well (as usual.)
My only complaint is that the narrative voice (first person) is starting to feel the same, which is to be expect, of course. But it does sometimes make distinguishing personalities hard. Still, I enjoyed Daria as a heroine and loved the found family tropes in the book.
Solid read.
Content: Nothing more than kissing and some violence
May 21, 2021
I seem to remember Daria from another book, it's just been too long to know for certain.
But this is Daria's book!
So, we pick up with the evil prince, Damon, chasing a princess and her ladies. Daria is among them that are separated from Snow. Her I remember!
Fast forward 2 years, yep, and Daria, known as Dee, is traveling with a merchant caravan pretending to be a lady's step-daughter. She and her "step-sister" help the "step-mom" with all the chores. Although, in true Cinderella fashion, Daria gets stuck with the chores while Tallulah ran off and played with the other merchant's kids.
I barely remember Prince Percy but here he is too!
He's been hunting Damon for 2 years and looking for Daria. After having his curse broken (can't remember what that was), he has dedicated his life to helping the kingdoms defeat the traitor prince.
Joining forces with Daria and the kingdom of Rangmere, an elaborate plot is set to catch Damon once and for all. Will they catch him? Will Daria reveal all of her secrets? Will Percy live to spend the rest of his life with his true love? Too many questions! Well, you just have to read this one! It was so great!!
I definitely have the entire series (both of them) on my re-read list. I think binge-reading them will clear up some memories that faded while waiting for this book's release. Super excited for the next in the series. AND this cover is GORGEOUS!
But this is Daria's book!
So, we pick up with the evil prince, Damon, chasing a princess and her ladies. Daria is among them that are separated from Snow. Her I remember!
Fast forward 2 years, yep, and Daria, known as Dee, is traveling with a merchant caravan pretending to be a lady's step-daughter. She and her "step-sister" help the "step-mom" with all the chores. Although, in true Cinderella fashion, Daria gets stuck with the chores while Tallulah ran off and played with the other merchant's kids.
I barely remember Prince Percy but here he is too!
He's been hunting Damon for 2 years and looking for Daria. After having his curse broken (can't remember what that was), he has dedicated his life to helping the kingdoms defeat the traitor prince.
Joining forces with Daria and the kingdom of Rangmere, an elaborate plot is set to catch Damon once and for all. Will they catch him? Will Daria reveal all of her secrets? Will Percy live to spend the rest of his life with his true love? Too many questions! Well, you just have to read this one! It was so great!!
I definitely have the entire series (both of them) on my re-read list. I think binge-reading them will clear up some memories that faded while waiting for this book's release. Super excited for the next in the series. AND this cover is GORGEOUS!
March 26, 2024
how can so much and so little happen in a book at the time same ?? this book should come with a coupon for Ancestry.com™ because it is impossible to keep these family trees straight
August 14, 2024
Content Rating: 5/5
Theme Rating: 25/5You will be hearing more about this theme later on in this review. And, possibly, a little ranting and fangirling.
Age Rating: 11+Some romance, but only light kisses(literally just 'we kissed') and should be perfectly appropriate!
Y'all... this book!!!😍 I adore this entire series, but the theme of this book makes me so happy. Courage and love and you don't have to be enough because love is enough. THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT!!!! I also adored Daria and Percy and the found family elements and the Cinderella retelling and certain character cameos😍
I loved the way this twisted every element of the Cinderella tale... from the stepsister and stepmother to the classic glass slipper... it was the cleverest twists and though Melanie Cellier has touched on the Cinderella tale so many times, but this was by far the best one.
Okay, y'all, the theme. THE THEME!!!! Okay, we've all heard the "You are enough" shpiel too many times because we. are. not. enough We are not enough, we will never be enough apart from Jesus's blood- apart from His love. His love doesn't require us to be enough. And our love shouldn't require others to be enough. And that was the beauty of the theme of this book. You have to have to courage to accept love. You don't have to be enough for love. You just have to have the courage to accept it. And that points straight to the gospel. We are not enough. But Jesus's love accounts for that- He made the ultimate sacrifice for us, because He loves us. We will never be enough for His love- but we don't have to be. We just have to have the courage to reach out and accept it.
As for characters, I loved Daria. I hated seeing how much she'd been through in her life, but it led to the most beautiful theme ever in the history of book themes. <3<3<3 And I loved the relationships with her and Lilah and Tallie. It wasn't perfect, but are real life relationships ever? Even though things weren't perfect, they still chose each other as family and I just thought that was beautiful.
Favorite parts:
-The theme. I know I've already gone on about this, but I loved seeing the I'm not enough lie resolved by something other than the lie that you are enough. I also liked the way it faced fear and anxiety head on, and the bad habits that can come from that.
-The found family element. That was just beautiful. I'm a sucker for the found family trope, and I loved seeing that sooooo much.
Overall, this was a great story with an incredible theme that I can highly recommend! And we got to revisit some familiar characters which was amazing. Definitely recommend for all Four Kingdoms fans!
"I thought love increased the fear, but it's love that defeats fear. Love is the foundation that lets us weather whatever storms come out way. True love sees us just as we are and loves us anyway- and never wavers."
"The beauty of true love is that it's freely given. You don't have to earn it. All you have to do is have the courage to accept it.
Theme Rating: 25/5You will be hearing more about this theme later on in this review. And, possibly, a little ranting and fangirling.
Age Rating: 11+Some romance, but only light kisses(literally just 'we kissed') and should be perfectly appropriate!
Y'all... this book!!!😍 I adore this entire series, but the theme of this book makes me so happy. Courage and love and you don't have to be enough because love is enough. THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT!!!! I also adored Daria and Percy and the found family elements and the Cinderella retelling and certain character cameos😍
I loved the way this twisted every element of the Cinderella tale... from the stepsister and stepmother to the classic glass slipper... it was the cleverest twists and though Melanie Cellier has touched on the Cinderella tale so many times, but this was by far the best one.
Okay, y'all, the theme. THE THEME!!!! Okay, we've all heard the "You are enough" shpiel too many times because we. are. not. enough We are not enough, we will never be enough apart from Jesus's blood- apart from His love. His love doesn't require us to be enough. And our love shouldn't require others to be enough. And that was the beauty of the theme of this book. You have to have to courage to accept love. You don't have to be enough for love. You just have to have the courage to accept it. And that points straight to the gospel. We are not enough. But Jesus's love accounts for that- He made the ultimate sacrifice for us, because He loves us. We will never be enough for His love- but we don't have to be. We just have to have the courage to reach out and accept it.
As for characters, I loved Daria. I hated seeing how much she'd been through in her life, but it led to the most beautiful theme ever in the history of book themes. <3<3<3 And I loved the relationships with her and Lilah and Tallie. It wasn't perfect, but are real life relationships ever? Even though things weren't perfect, they still chose each other as family and I just thought that was beautiful.
Favorite parts:
-The theme. I know I've already gone on about this, but I loved seeing the I'm not enough lie resolved by something other than the lie that you are enough. I also liked the way it faced fear and anxiety head on, and the bad habits that can come from that.
-The found family element. That was just beautiful. I'm a sucker for the found family trope, and I loved seeing that sooooo much.
Overall, this was a great story with an incredible theme that I can highly recommend! And we got to revisit some familiar characters which was amazing. Definitely recommend for all Four Kingdoms fans!
"I thought love increased the fear, but it's love that defeats fear. Love is the foundation that lets us weather whatever storms come out way. True love sees us just as we are and loves us anyway- and never wavers."
"The beauty of true love is that it's freely given. You don't have to earn it. All you have to do is have the courage to accept it.
May 11, 2021
Not my favorite of Cellier’s. I like Daria and Percy just fine, and I absolutely love Arvin. Give me the haughty talking horse in every book ever please and thanks. I liked the lessons about fear, but I feel like Cellier didn’t have as much time to stretch out the story. Maybe she’s getting tired of fairy tale retellings and wants to focus mostly on her own fantasy series. Understandable. She really did peak with her Beauty and the Beast retelling. Like that’s really the best thing I’ve read of hers, and I’ve read almost everything she’s written.
April 13, 2023
It's been a while since I've read a Melanie Cellier. Sometimes that happens. I read too many books by the same author and need a little break. However, yesterday I was browsing my own books to remind me of books I had on the shelves but had forgotten about and I stumbled upon this one. I needed and wanted an easy read and this book actually seemed kinda perfect for that. So, I decided to just start reading.
The author already wrote a Cinderella retelling in this series and yet this story has a completely different feel and focus. And in away it's refreshing to have an author focus on different aspects of the series. Our Cinderella was still working hard and doing most of the chores and work, but it wasn't because her adopted family was mean or saw her as a slave. They actually did love her, even though they weren't perfect people.
However, there is still a ball, there are still amazing dresses, there is still a masquerade, there is this one issue with shoes and there is of course a prince. So, the important elements are still there, but because of the different feel of the book the book becomes quite an original retelling. There are so many original elements, so many important moments that were not part of the original tale. It's the best of both worlds: the known and the unknown.
I also liked this Cinderella. She was kind and loyal and never shying away from hard work, but she was not a damsel in distress in desperate need of saving. On the contrary. When she gets involved with a plot to usurp the throne our heroine is the one keeping her head cool and doing all the right things to give the good guys a fighting chance. Maybe she's not wielding the sword herself, but she is the one changing the game.
I certainly won't wait this long to dive into the next one!
The author already wrote a Cinderella retelling in this series and yet this story has a completely different feel and focus. And in away it's refreshing to have an author focus on different aspects of the series. Our Cinderella was still working hard and doing most of the chores and work, but it wasn't because her adopted family was mean or saw her as a slave. They actually did love her, even though they weren't perfect people.
However, there is still a ball, there are still amazing dresses, there is still a masquerade, there is this one issue with shoes and there is of course a prince. So, the important elements are still there, but because of the different feel of the book the book becomes quite an original retelling. There are so many original elements, so many important moments that were not part of the original tale. It's the best of both worlds: the known and the unknown.
I also liked this Cinderella. She was kind and loyal and never shying away from hard work, but she was not a damsel in distress in desperate need of saving. On the contrary. When she gets involved with a plot to usurp the throne our heroine is the one keeping her head cool and doing all the right things to give the good guys a fighting chance. Maybe she's not wielding the sword herself, but she is the one changing the game.
I certainly won't wait this long to dive into the next one!
March 21, 2022
Ahh I’ve missed this world and characters!!! I love how Melanie brings characters from previous books in the series into new books, showing them in years to come after their own stories end. 😆
I absolutely loved this book!!! The story, the characters, the romance, the danger and plots, it was all so good!! Also Melanie put a really unique twist on this Cinderella retelling with the stepmother and sister. Instead of being these mean, horrible people, they were actually loving and nice, just a bit oblivious at times in leaving a lot to all of the chores to Daria. I thought that was a really cool twist and made the burden on Daria harder to bear because she loved them.
Arvin is my absolute favorite!!! 😆 He’s a talking horse (from the Palace of Light, can’t forget that part 😜😂) and is a blast. I love how he’s so snarky and vain, yet helpful and caring. AND he’s been in both of the books in this series so far, so I’m hoping he’ll continue to make an appearance!!
I cannot recommend all of Melanie Cellier’s retellings enough!! They’re seriously so amazing! 😍😍😍
I absolutely loved this book!!! The story, the characters, the romance, the danger and plots, it was all so good!! Also Melanie put a really unique twist on this Cinderella retelling with the stepmother and sister. Instead of being these mean, horrible people, they were actually loving and nice, just a bit oblivious at times in leaving a lot to all of the chores to Daria. I thought that was a really cool twist and made the burden on Daria harder to bear because she loved them.
Arvin is my absolute favorite!!! 😆 He’s a talking horse (from the Palace of Light, can’t forget that part 😜😂) and is a blast. I love how he’s so snarky and vain, yet helpful and caring. AND he’s been in both of the books in this series so far, so I’m hoping he’ll continue to make an appearance!!
I cannot recommend all of Melanie Cellier’s retellings enough!! They’re seriously so amazing! 😍😍😍
March 24, 2025
Arvin is great! Hope to see him pop up again. Also I loveeee the twist on the “evil” stepmother doing what she does because of her own fear and trauma and not out of malicious intent. It brought way more depth to the relationship between her and Daria/“Cinderella”. Also love any small references to the original fairytale like the nods to midnight, her shoes, and the pumpkin carriage.
June 24, 2023
I really enjoyed the message of this book, to not let fear rule you. There was a bit of disconnect in the way Dee and Percy come together but it worked for me in the end.
November 10, 2024
Sadly, this is my least favorite story from this world. Also, why are there so many twins in Melanie Cellier's book? It's gotten to be ridiculous! Still an enjoyable read, though.
December 31, 2021
Daria’s character was a little too weak for me but that was all part of the story. I was thrilled to see Arvin’s return as he is awesome! Percy was great and his interactions with Arvin were the best. If you like stories about overcoming your past and letting go of the related baggage then you will like this book. All that discussion made the story drag a bit for me but I still enjoyed the read.
February 23, 2024
review coming soon
July 20, 2023
The longer I think about this book, the more I dislike it. This is my least favorite MC book and I have loved so many in this series.
What I liked:
The main character and the prince were likeable
Issues
The romance felt incomplete
Her adoptive family was emotionally abusive and it is brushed over in the end as if it was no big deal because the character was young or afraid.
What I liked:
The main character and the prince were likeable
Issues
The romance felt incomplete
Her adoptive family was emotionally abusive and it is brushed over in the end as if it was no big deal because the character was young or afraid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2023
Loosely based on the story of Cinderella. Dragged for me. Skimmed.
February 26, 2022
'"The beauty of true love is that it’s freely given. You don’t have to earn it. All you have to do is have the courage to accept it."'
It was fine. Honestly, I felt about the same way here as I felt about A Captive of Wing and Feather. I will now give you two good reasons why.
Exhibit A: All the characters came across flat. Especially Percy. That boy coulda been replaced with a charming brick and the story wouldn’t’ve changed (which is probably due to his character development supposedly occurring "off-screen"). And while Daria did have character development, it was incredibly similar to that of Adelaide a few books prior (except Adelaide's was handled better).
Even though I didn't care for A Captive of Wing and Feather (mostly because the romance felt forced), I liked the individual characters in that book much more than in this one.
"'I thought love increased the fear, but it’s love that defeats fear. Love is the foundation that lets us weather whatever storms come our way. True love sees us just as we are and loves us anyway...Our fears can take different forms. And sometimes it’s not that we fear to love others, it’s that we’re afraid of not being enough to earn their love in return."'
Exhibit B: Despite all this, I did love the moral. As I said before, it was incredibly similar to that explored in A Captive, but I will never get tired of "love conquering fear" and "memento mori" themes.
'"Of course, death is always waiting for us, but what’s the point of preserving life if it means giving up any chance of living it?"'
All-in-all, I'm glad I read it: it was fine. (I doubt Melanie Cellier could ever write a bad book.) But it's fair to say this was my least favorite in the Four Kingdoms universe so far.
However, I'm not really in the mood for a fairytale retelling/romance right now, which probably influenced my feelings here more than I realized. So take this review with a grain of salt.
I think I'll try reading a more complex sci-fi/fantasy for a while... just to give myself some more variety. That way, I'll be more apt to enjoy The Desert Princess when I get to it.
Thank you for coming to my TED-talk.
-Elliana Maselli
Wednesday, 23 February 2022
12:06PM
reviews for books in this universe
The Four Kingdoms:
Book 1: The Princess Companion: A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea
Book 2: The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood
Book 3: The Princess Pact: A Twist on Rumpelstiltskin
Book 4: The Princess Game: A Reimagining of Sleeping Beauty
Book 5: The Princess Search: A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling
Beyond the Four Kingdoms
Book 1: A Dance of Silver and Shadow: A Retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Book 2: A Tale of Beauty and Beast: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast
Book 3: A Crown of Snow and Ice: A Retelling of The Snow Queen
Book 4: A Dream of Ebony and White: A Retelling of Snow White
Book 5: A Captive of Wing and Feather: A Retelling of Swan Lake
Book 6: A Princess of Wind and Wave: A Retelling of The Little Mermaid
Return to the Four Kingdoms
Book 1: The Secret Princess: A Retelling of The Goose Girl
Book 2: The Mystery Princess: A Retelling of Cinderella
Book 3: The Desert Princess: A Retelling of Aladdin
March 23, 2024
4.25
This book was good!! It really was. I liked Daria and her character development, but that development as well as the romance felt told and not shown. Melanie Cellier is a fantastic write me though. So I do recommend this. Percy was quite funny but adorable. And ARVIN!! I loved the twist on Cinderella concerning the “overworked” Cinderella. That was awesome
Content: minor violence, high king/palace, enchantment (not detailed in too much magic), godmother (similar to guardian angel idea??), few kisses a hair above not detailed
This book was good!! It really was. I liked Daria and her character development, but that development as well as the romance felt told and not shown. Melanie Cellier is a fantastic write me though. So I do recommend this. Percy was quite funny but adorable. And ARVIN!! I loved the twist on Cinderella concerning the “overworked” Cinderella. That was awesome
Content: minor violence, high king/palace, enchantment (not detailed in too much magic), godmother (similar to guardian angel idea??), few kisses a hair above not detailed
July 6, 2021
I had a harder time getting into this book, largely because the Cinderella story was so different from the traditional. This was on purpose, but wasn’t what I was looking forward to.
The story picked up and had lots of movement the second half certainly!
I also had a hard time keeping all the returning characters from other books straight, although it was fun to see them again.
The story picked up and had lots of movement the second half certainly!
I also had a hard time keeping all the returning characters from other books straight, although it was fun to see them again.
April 10, 2022
I listened to this to make sure it was okay for my daughter. I liked it a lot better than the Karen Kingsbury. 😆 It was veeerrry loosely based on Cinderella, but fun to see how she made it work. Not a lot of depth or mystery, but enjoyable enough - or at least in comparison to my other reads at the moment.
May 22, 2021
You will need to have read Book 1, ‘The Secret Princess’ for this story to make sense right from the start.
You may recall that three girls went missing at the beginning of Book 1. Daria, Cassia and Daisy. In the epilogue we get a little hint as to where they all are.
“I had a visit from my godmother... She refused to tell me where we could find them, but she did at least reassure me they were alive and had each found safe shelter... They each had their own adventures to complete and kingdoms to save. Apparently we’re not meant to interfere.”
So this story picks up where they got separated from the others, and we finally get to find out what happened to them! Or at least Daria for now. 😉
I won’t give away the story but I will tell you one thing. This story may be a Cinderella retelling but you will very quickly find out it is more the essence of Cinderella and a story entirely made its own. It has been such an enjoyable read, full of mystery and intrigue. Something I never felt with any other Cinderella story. The romance isn’t super swoony, they’re both pretty awkward but in a sweet kind of way. I think it’s cute to see different types of romances, and the joyous prince and the selfless yet fearful merchant girl was such an intriguing match.
I’ve been loving this fairytale retelling series. I’ve read every single novel in the three series except a few novellas, all of which are almost like different generations of happy endings. It’s such a neat way to get to know a world created by an author and I have been loving this one.
The next book in the series is an Aladdin retelling which is one of my absolute favourites and isn’t done often, so I am really excited to see how that one turns out!
Although all books can be read on their own, I would recommend having read at least a few of the previous books.
The Four Kingdoms series
-The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood (Book Two)
-The Princess Search: A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling (Book Five)
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series
-A Dream of Ebony and White: A Retelling of Snow White (Book Four)
-A Princess of Wind and Wave: A Retelling of The Little Mermaid (Book Six)
Return to the Four Kingdoms
-The Secret Princess: A Retelling of The Goose Girl (Book One)
Content: clean
Romance: chaste kisses
Violence: sword fights, rebel attacks, nothing gory.
Language: none.
You may recall that three girls went missing at the beginning of Book 1. Daria, Cassia and Daisy. In the epilogue we get a little hint as to where they all are.
“I had a visit from my godmother... She refused to tell me where we could find them, but she did at least reassure me they were alive and had each found safe shelter... They each had their own adventures to complete and kingdoms to save. Apparently we’re not meant to interfere.”
So this story picks up where they got separated from the others, and we finally get to find out what happened to them! Or at least Daria for now. 😉
I won’t give away the story but I will tell you one thing. This story may be a Cinderella retelling but you will very quickly find out it is more the essence of Cinderella and a story entirely made its own. It has been such an enjoyable read, full of mystery and intrigue. Something I never felt with any other Cinderella story. The romance isn’t super swoony, they’re both pretty awkward but in a sweet kind of way. I think it’s cute to see different types of romances, and the joyous prince and the selfless yet fearful merchant girl was such an intriguing match.
I’ve been loving this fairytale retelling series. I’ve read every single novel in the three series except a few novellas, all of which are almost like different generations of happy endings. It’s such a neat way to get to know a world created by an author and I have been loving this one.
The next book in the series is an Aladdin retelling which is one of my absolute favourites and isn’t done often, so I am really excited to see how that one turns out!
Although all books can be read on their own, I would recommend having read at least a few of the previous books.
The Four Kingdoms series
-The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood (Book Two)
-The Princess Search: A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling (Book Five)
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series
-A Dream of Ebony and White: A Retelling of Snow White (Book Four)
-A Princess of Wind and Wave: A Retelling of The Little Mermaid (Book Six)
Return to the Four Kingdoms
-The Secret Princess: A Retelling of The Goose Girl (Book One)
Content: clean
Romance: chaste kisses
Violence: sword fights, rebel attacks, nothing gory.
Language: none.
June 15, 2023
Really 3.5 stars. At this point I'm very used to this author's particular brand of fairy tales with a twist. Still, this version of Cinderella managed to pack a lot of surprises. I think I admired it more than I loved it, but I'm still very invested in this series. And I hope it's not the last we see of Arvin (though I suspect it might be).
RMCWR:
So this is one of the seven children from the Snow White retelling
I feel like there's been a Cinderella retelling before in this series (a novella)...am I wrong?
It is FASCINATING that in this version the stepmother's toxic trait is overprotectiveness. She actually wants Cinderella to be safe, to a compulsive degree.
Is Dee/Daria actually a black girl or is that just the cover art? ("Her skin, darker brown than mine..." All right then. And she's got braids.)
I had forgotten that Arvin is golden.
As much as I enjoy these books on audio, I do wish a written version was also available. It's more difficult to go back and check details I didn't quite catch. Especially for the spelling of names.
Arvin is going to sprout wings, isn't he.
Pro tip: if someone invites you to join them in creating a new world, run. Run far. Run fast. Just run.
All right, Lila is mentally ill.
I would LOVE a visual of Daria in the purple gown and mask.
Very clever interweaving of the shoes and the pumpkin(s).
More than a touch of Stockholm syndrome going on in Daria's case toward Lila, too.
I'm sure it's difficult after narrating so many of these books to come up with different character voices, but when Daria gets worked up the narrator goes a bit...shrill.
Seventy-one percent of the way through and I'm pretty sure this is the first time we're hearing about Lila's older daughter...who people assume Daria...is? What?
If ONE MORE of these idiotic women turns down a proposal from the man they adore...
...all right, Lila comes by her trauma honestly. Ouch.
"You really make me work for every moment of romance, don't you?" Hilarious.
Aw, Arvin...(And, to quote Percy, I KNEW it!)
Celine had twin boys! There are a lot of twins in this universe.
RMCWR:
So this is one of the seven children from the Snow White retelling
I feel like there's been a Cinderella retelling before in this series (a novella)...am I wrong?
It is FASCINATING that in this version the stepmother's toxic trait is overprotectiveness. She actually wants Cinderella to be safe, to a compulsive degree.
Is Dee/Daria actually a black girl or is that just the cover art? ("Her skin, darker brown than mine..." All right then. And she's got braids.)
I had forgotten that Arvin is golden.
As much as I enjoy these books on audio, I do wish a written version was also available. It's more difficult to go back and check details I didn't quite catch. Especially for the spelling of names.
Arvin is going to sprout wings, isn't he.
Pro tip: if someone invites you to join them in creating a new world, run. Run far. Run fast. Just run.
All right, Lila is mentally ill.
I would LOVE a visual of Daria in the purple gown and mask.
Very clever interweaving of the shoes and the pumpkin(s).
More than a touch of Stockholm syndrome going on in Daria's case toward Lila, too.
I'm sure it's difficult after narrating so many of these books to come up with different character voices, but when Daria gets worked up the narrator goes a bit...shrill.
Seventy-one percent of the way through and I'm pretty sure this is the first time we're hearing about Lila's older daughter...who people assume Daria...is? What?
If ONE MORE of these idiotic women turns down a proposal from the man they adore...
...all right, Lila comes by her trauma honestly. Ouch.
"You really make me work for every moment of romance, don't you?" Hilarious.
Aw, Arvin...(And, to quote Percy, I KNEW it!)
Celine had twin boys! There are a lot of twins in this universe.
July 10, 2025
Cinderella is one of my favorite fairytales so I've read and seen a wealth of Cinderella retellings. The Mystery Princess is solidly middle of the road. It has some interesting twists that give Daria - the Cinderella character - more control over her story, but these changes are undermined by how passive Daria is. She has so much more agency than the traditional Cinderella which makes it frustrating when she doesn't use it. Luckily she does eventually start to take a more active role making this a book that finishes much stronger than it started, but it takes a while to get going.
The book tries to make the step family nice instead of evil while also keeping the stepmother controlling which was an interesting idea, but ultimately didn't work for me. The stepmother went too far for me to want her to stay in Daria's life, but it's not a major focus of the book so how big a flaw her character is will depend on how much her character bothers the reader. Her theme is control out of love and fear which will be upsetting to some readers. It didn't ruin the book for me, but it did bother me enough that I rated this three stars instead of four.
The one standout element of this version was the prince. While he's a minor character, Cellier did a great job making him likable. His only flaw was that I'm not sure what attracted him to Daria. She's pretty bland and they don't have a strong relationship, but there was nothing concerning about their relationship so it worked well enough for a book where romance wasn't the main focus.
If you're reading through the series, I'd give this one a read as it's not a bad story, but I wouldn't recommend picking it up as a standalone read. It's not a unique enough take on Cinderella for it to be worth missing the greater context provided by reading The Secret Princess first especially since The Secret Princess is a much stronger read!
The book tries to make the step family nice instead of evil while also keeping the stepmother controlling which was an interesting idea, but ultimately didn't work for me. The stepmother went too far for me to want her to stay in Daria's life, but it's not a major focus of the book so how big a flaw her character is will depend on how much her character bothers the reader. Her theme is control out of love and fear which will be upsetting to some readers. It didn't ruin the book for me, but it did bother me enough that I rated this three stars instead of four.
The one standout element of this version was the prince. While he's a minor character, Cellier did a great job making him likable. His only flaw was that I'm not sure what attracted him to Daria. She's pretty bland and they don't have a strong relationship, but there was nothing concerning about their relationship so it worked well enough for a book where romance wasn't the main focus.
If you're reading through the series, I'd give this one a read as it's not a bad story, but I wouldn't recommend picking it up as a standalone read. It's not a unique enough take on Cinderella for it to be worth missing the greater context provided by reading The Secret Princess first especially since The Secret Princess is a much stronger read!
January 6, 2023
What can I say? I have a weakness for fairy tale retellings. This particular one reads like pretty much all of Cellier's other ones, save for her original Four Kingdoms series. These books are fast (sometimes, and in the case of this one, too fast), fluffy and romantic (again, sometimes, in the case of this one especially, too romantic), and low stakes. You know the mains are going to win, and in the end get married.
The framing of this Cinderella story was fascinating. The stepmother was cruel because of a crippling fear for the safety of her daughters (including 'Cinderella'). The stepsister was unkind because she was self-absorbed and not thinking of her sister. I loved (and hated; it hurts when the main character's lesson comes at you like that) the main character's struggle, because I related to it.
However, I found the plot unsatisfying. The romance developed too quickly--which was a shame because I enjoyed it for the most part--and the main villain felt too easily dealt with. Also, it drives me crazy when the two leads share a conversation at the end about how much they love each other. I skim that (apologies).
But, when I started this book, I knew what I was in for. So, I mean, I was unsatisfied, but not disappointed, really. Just sighing at the inevitability of it. Will I keep reading the series? Yep. Why? Because they're cozy and nice to go to sleep reading, curled up in warm covers. Will I continue to be unsatisfied? Probably. They're still fun to read.
Plot: 2/5 (too underdeveloped)
Setting: 3/5 (...average?)
Character: 3/5 (Like much of Cellier's other characters)
Theme: 3/5 (great theme. Too much talking about it)
Prose: 4/5 (unnotable)
Adult Content: N/A
Extra: 5/5 (I enjoyed my time)
The framing of this Cinderella story was fascinating. The stepmother was cruel because of a crippling fear for the safety of her daughters (including 'Cinderella'). The stepsister was unkind because she was self-absorbed and not thinking of her sister. I loved (and hated; it hurts when the main character's lesson comes at you like that) the main character's struggle, because I related to it.
However, I found the plot unsatisfying. The romance developed too quickly--which was a shame because I enjoyed it for the most part--and the main villain felt too easily dealt with. Also, it drives me crazy when the two leads share a conversation at the end about how much they love each other. I skim that (apologies).
But, when I started this book, I knew what I was in for. So, I mean, I was unsatisfied, but not disappointed, really. Just sighing at the inevitability of it. Will I keep reading the series? Yep. Why? Because they're cozy and nice to go to sleep reading, curled up in warm covers. Will I continue to be unsatisfied? Probably. They're still fun to read.
Plot: 2/5 (too underdeveloped)
Setting: 3/5 (...average?)
Character: 3/5 (Like much of Cellier's other characters)
Theme: 3/5 (great theme. Too much talking about it)
Prose: 4/5 (unnotable)
Adult Content: N/A
Extra: 5/5 (I enjoyed my time)
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February 25, 2025
🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑
Onto the Cinderella one with Daria! Daria was a different character, but I was excited to get to know her better and see her happily ever after! To really see her grow and mature. Honestly, she frustrated me at certain parts and wasn’t one of my favorite characters. I wanted to yell at her on more than one occasion. Thankfully, she got better toward the end! I was excited to see more of Percy, Gabe’s little brother! He was delightful and reminded me of Gabe although Gabe is better…haha! I loved how Percy helped Daria! It was great to see Evelyn, Ava, Hans and Sarah again! I honestly wish Ava and Hans would have had more kids! I loved getting to see Clarisse and her children and to get to know her even more! She was wonderful! I would love to read a story about her! I enjoyed hearing about Pearl and Opal! I was so excited to hear about Celine’s twins! It took me a little bit to get into this book though. Perhaps cause it didn’t have all of the feels that I love in the story of Cinderella. But I will say my heart pounded wildly more than once! It got way better towards the end! Even though I didn’t love it as much as the other books by Melanie Cellier, it was another 5 star read!! Can’t wait to read the Aladdin retelling!!
Quotes that I liked:
🌑 "Because you don't have to be afraid of that, Daria. The beauty of true love is that it's freely given. You don't have to earn it. All you have to do is have the courage to accept it.”
🌑 "Of course, death is always waiting for us, but what's the point of preserving life if it means giving up any chance of living it?"
🌑 “I think it might be your inner beauty, seeping out of you no matter what you wear.”
🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑
Onto the Cinderella one with Daria! Daria was a different character, but I was excited to get to know her better and see her happily ever after! To really see her grow and mature. Honestly, she frustrated me at certain parts and wasn’t one of my favorite characters. I wanted to yell at her on more than one occasion. Thankfully, she got better toward the end! I was excited to see more of Percy, Gabe’s little brother! He was delightful and reminded me of Gabe although Gabe is better…haha! I loved how Percy helped Daria! It was great to see Evelyn, Ava, Hans and Sarah again! I honestly wish Ava and Hans would have had more kids! I loved getting to see Clarisse and her children and to get to know her even more! She was wonderful! I would love to read a story about her! I enjoyed hearing about Pearl and Opal! I was so excited to hear about Celine’s twins! It took me a little bit to get into this book though. Perhaps cause it didn’t have all of the feels that I love in the story of Cinderella. But I will say my heart pounded wildly more than once! It got way better towards the end! Even though I didn’t love it as much as the other books by Melanie Cellier, it was another 5 star read!! Can’t wait to read the Aladdin retelling!!
Quotes that I liked:
🌑 "Because you don't have to be afraid of that, Daria. The beauty of true love is that it's freely given. You don't have to earn it. All you have to do is have the courage to accept it.”
🌑 "Of course, death is always waiting for us, but what's the point of preserving life if it means giving up any chance of living it?"
🌑 “I think it might be your inner beauty, seeping out of you no matter what you wear.”
🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑
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