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Rove City #1
Midnight Wings: A Science Fiction Retelling of Cinderella.
In El's fantasies, she pilots a fighter jet for the intergalactic fleet. In reality, she's a mechanic whose social grid ranking guarantees she'll never advance beyond the lowest grunt work, and a slave in all but name to her cruel and self-centered stepmother and stepsisters. The most she can hope for is a few stolen moments of happiness practicing on her sisters' flight simulators, or talking to the mysterious stranger she met on an illicit night of stargazing. When the queen announces a competition to find new pilots for the fleet, El knows this is her chance to escape. But her stepmother will never let her compete—and then she learns that her new friend, the one person she thought she could trust, was hiding a secret that changes everything between them. It's a good thing she has a lot more friends than she thinks she does. Exciting, fast-paced, and hopeful, this science fiction retelling of Cinderella is the first in the Rove City series.
174 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2019
162 people are currently reading
558 people want to read
About the author
Ariele Sieling
71 books91 followersAriele Sieling is a Pennsylvania-based writer who enjoys books, cats, and trees. Her first love, however, is science fiction and she has three series in the genre: post-apocalyptic monsters in Land of Szornyek; soft science fiction series, The Sagittan Chronicles; and scifi fairytale retellings in Rove City. She has also had numerous short stories published in a variety of anthologies and magazines and is the author of children's books series Rutherford the Unicorn Sheep, and a series of books for authors called Writers Reach.
She lives with her spouse, enormous Great Pyrenees dog, and two cats.
She lives with her spouse, enormous Great Pyrenees dog, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
August 21, 2020
There's a lot of potential here. I love many of the ideas for the story such as the ship city and the social ranking system. It's a very interesting take on the Cinderella story. However, this book is deficient in writing style and story technique meaning it doesn't flow very well and lacks depth.
October 20, 2020
A huge thank you to Book Sirens and Ariele Sieling for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book was better than I had anticipated.
My biggest (and really, only) complaint is that it wasn't long enough, the world has so much potential even for this one story and could have easily been longer. There's so much that could've been fleshed out that would've made me love it even more.
That aside, I loved El as a character- she was a great Cinderella. The side characters were fantastic in this as well, even her evil stepmother and those dreaded stepsisters.
The world created with Rove City was extremely interesting to me and I'd love to read the others to see how that's expanded.
Ri was a great prince charming, and I loved seeing how this retelling played out. I'm such a sucker for sci-fi and space retellings of fairytales, it puts such an awesome spin on the classic tales, this was the perfect example.
Definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fairytale retellings, space, and quick reads.
This book was better than I had anticipated.
My biggest (and really, only) complaint is that it wasn't long enough, the world has so much potential even for this one story and could have easily been longer. There's so much that could've been fleshed out that would've made me love it even more.
That aside, I loved El as a character- she was a great Cinderella. The side characters were fantastic in this as well, even her evil stepmother and those dreaded stepsisters.
The world created with Rove City was extremely interesting to me and I'd love to read the others to see how that's expanded.
Ri was a great prince charming, and I loved seeing how this retelling played out. I'm such a sucker for sci-fi and space retellings of fairytales, it puts such an awesome spin on the classic tales, this was the perfect example.
Definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fairytale retellings, space, and quick reads.
May 18, 2023
Flying like Royalty
Oooo, how I love fairytales! Especially alternative storyline writings. Cinderella, of course, is my favorite. I think every woman who remembers being made to do chores instead of hanging out with her friends, waiting for that perfect someone, identifies with Cinderella.
I just adored this story because, along with being well written, well paced and having the obligatory glorious happy ever after ending, the Cinderella character gets to fly freaking fighter planes! Woohoo, way to go, Cindy!
Yes, the stepmother and stepsisters are just as mean, petty and selfish, and are horrible to El, as she's called. But author Ariele Sieling stepped up the story with social media rankings, a job as a mechanic (right?) and a palpably exotic created planet setting.
El triumphs in a way you could only dream possible. Oh, such a satisfying conclusion, El gets every dream come true. Nothing sappy, boring or old-fashioned about Midnight Wings.
Oooo, how I love fairytales! Especially alternative storyline writings. Cinderella, of course, is my favorite. I think every woman who remembers being made to do chores instead of hanging out with her friends, waiting for that perfect someone, identifies with Cinderella.
I just adored this story because, along with being well written, well paced and having the obligatory glorious happy ever after ending, the Cinderella character gets to fly freaking fighter planes! Woohoo, way to go, Cindy!
Yes, the stepmother and stepsisters are just as mean, petty and selfish, and are horrible to El, as she's called. But author Ariele Sieling stepped up the story with social media rankings, a job as a mechanic (right?) and a palpably exotic created planet setting.
El triumphs in a way you could only dream possible. Oh, such a satisfying conclusion, El gets every dream come true. Nothing sappy, boring or old-fashioned about Midnight Wings.
June 30, 2020
Overall, the premise was pretty good and the story was entertaining. I wish this story had a more detailed description of the settings.
The character weren’t that bad at all. Actually, I really liked El. My constructive criticism would be directed more at the writing and formatting than at the story.
While reading on my Kindle, I found the formatting to be a little weird at times, especially the large, hard indents at the beginning of the paragraphs.
If the author continues this into a series, she should cut out the telling and passive voice. I think with more showing and descriptions, her writing could be excellent.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Book Sirens and Ariele for the opportunity to read and review.
The character weren’t that bad at all. Actually, I really liked El. My constructive criticism would be directed more at the writing and formatting than at the story.
While reading on my Kindle, I found the formatting to be a little weird at times, especially the large, hard indents at the beginning of the paragraphs.
If the author continues this into a series, she should cut out the telling and passive voice. I think with more showing and descriptions, her writing could be excellent.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Book Sirens and Ariele for the opportunity to read and review.
June 21, 2024
I really liked this story and honestly could have read more about these characters and their world. This was my first time reading science fiction and I really enjoyed it. I understand it's a novella and it's meant to be shorter but I could have kept going!
August 23, 2020
An interesting take on the Cinderella story, set in space
December 30, 2019
4.5 stars
This was a unique retelling of Cinderella basically set on a moving space station. I generally enjoy retellings and thought this novella was a great and unusual spin on Cinderella. What I liked was that although there is a Prince who ended up helping her, it was only in the offer of an opportunity. It was up to her to accept the help of her friends and use her skills to help herself. The only thing that got a bit wearing was the long list of abuses that were heaped on her, but other than that, I very much enjoyed this story and look forward to other retellings by this author. I'm also planning on checking out her other series.
I'd like to thank #ArieleSieling, #BookSirens, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a unique retelling of Cinderella basically set on a moving space station. I generally enjoy retellings and thought this novella was a great and unusual spin on Cinderella. What I liked was that although there is a Prince who ended up helping her, it was only in the offer of an opportunity. It was up to her to accept the help of her friends and use her skills to help herself. The only thing that got a bit wearing was the long list of abuses that were heaped on her, but other than that, I very much enjoyed this story and look forward to other retellings by this author. I'm also planning on checking out her other series.
I'd like to thank #ArieleSieling, #BookSirens, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2020
Cinderella novella with a fun sci-fi twist.
Since the death of her father, El has lived with her cruel step-family. Not only do they invent chores and force El to be cook, maid, and repairman, but they also trash El's reputation on the social grid. Given such low stats and the limited space aboard their spaceship-city, El has no hope of moving out on her own. But then the Queen announces a competition to attract the next generation of fighter pilots, and El must decide if she's willing to risk hoping for the impossible.
I liked El and her story, they sit comfortably within the Cinderella framework. The step-sisters are cruel and bratty, and while they're right terrors, I understand why they're like that. I enjoyed the sci-fi setting, and I would read more of El's future adventures of more retellings.
The one place I do think this story missed out was in the descriptions of the space battles. Sure, they're all done via flight simulators, but the image of flying and dodging and spitting off lasers could have been super cool and hype. I'd have loved to see more imagery, and lingo for different types of ships and maneuvers, instead of the generally utilitarian descriptions.
**Thanks to BookSirens for the free copy**
Since the death of her father, El has lived with her cruel step-family. Not only do they invent chores and force El to be cook, maid, and repairman, but they also trash El's reputation on the social grid. Given such low stats and the limited space aboard their spaceship-city, El has no hope of moving out on her own. But then the Queen announces a competition to attract the next generation of fighter pilots, and El must decide if she's willing to risk hoping for the impossible.
I liked El and her story, they sit comfortably within the Cinderella framework. The step-sisters are cruel and bratty, and while they're right terrors, I understand why they're like that. I enjoyed the sci-fi setting, and I would read more of El's future adventures of more retellings.
The one place I do think this story missed out was in the descriptions of the space battles. Sure, they're all done via flight simulators, but the image of flying and dodging and spitting off lasers could have been super cool and hype. I'd have loved to see more imagery, and lingo for different types of ships and maneuvers, instead of the generally utilitarian descriptions.
**Thanks to BookSirens for the free copy**
September 17, 2020
This was a free e-book given to me by BookSirens for review and the following is my unbiased opinion.
Fairytale retellings are a small weakness of mine. Space opera is rapidly becoming a larger weakness. After struggling with a week long book slump filled with attempts at other genres, this one showed up, glowing, with angels singing around it.
Midnight Wings is a version of Cinderella, taking place on a spaceship-colony. The Prince is a space fighter pilot. El, our heroine, is barely living as a servant to her stepmother’s family while also working at a jet repair shop. With the help of friends, our heroine makes it to the “ball” —a flight simulator competition piloting jets against an enemy starship.
World building is a little more scant than most, but the action moves along at a good pace. A few questions left unanswered: are these people at war? Against whom? Is the colony in danger?
All in all it was a fairly good read, enough to see potential in the future works. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
.
Fairytale retellings are a small weakness of mine. Space opera is rapidly becoming a larger weakness. After struggling with a week long book slump filled with attempts at other genres, this one showed up, glowing, with angels singing around it.
Midnight Wings is a version of Cinderella, taking place on a spaceship-colony. The Prince is a space fighter pilot. El, our heroine, is barely living as a servant to her stepmother’s family while also working at a jet repair shop. With the help of friends, our heroine makes it to the “ball” —a flight simulator competition piloting jets against an enemy starship.
World building is a little more scant than most, but the action moves along at a good pace. A few questions left unanswered: are these people at war? Against whom? Is the colony in danger?
All in all it was a fairly good read, enough to see potential in the future works. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
.
July 15, 2020
Definitely a nice read
Ms. Sieling wrote an enhanced version of Cinderella. Although there are similarities, this version was more realistic. Reading this story pulls you into the world of living on a space station. El's world was so vividly described. I could see the stars, garden and those midnight roses. She struggles physically and mentally but continues to preserves. Rian was a very nice man. He accepted her for who she was not her status and isn't that what everyone wants. Very enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. I received a free copy of this book and my review is given honestly and voluntarily.
Ms. Sieling wrote an enhanced version of Cinderella. Although there are similarities, this version was more realistic. Reading this story pulls you into the world of living on a space station. El's world was so vividly described. I could see the stars, garden and those midnight roses. She struggles physically and mentally but continues to preserves. Rian was a very nice man. He accepted her for who she was not her status and isn't that what everyone wants. Very enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. I received a free copy of this book and my review is given honestly and voluntarily.
January 16, 2020
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Booksirens
This book was short and sweet so in turn, I shall keep this review short and sweet. Arielle Seiling's ability to craft such an engaging and complex sci-fi universe is astounding. I have so many questions about Rove City, Seiling managed to educate the reader on Rove City without drowning them in exposition. Leaving enough things to the imagination as to provoke thought while also taking care to make sure the reader isn't complete in the dark. The Rove City books are a series to look out for! Also, don't write this off as another simple retelling of Cinderella. Midnight Wings evades all clichés of the fairytale genre an expands on the source material. 8/10 would highly recommend it.
This book was short and sweet so in turn, I shall keep this review short and sweet. Arielle Seiling's ability to craft such an engaging and complex sci-fi universe is astounding. I have so many questions about Rove City, Seiling managed to educate the reader on Rove City without drowning them in exposition. Leaving enough things to the imagination as to provoke thought while also taking care to make sure the reader isn't complete in the dark. The Rove City books are a series to look out for! Also, don't write this off as another simple retelling of Cinderella. Midnight Wings evades all clichés of the fairytale genre an expands on the source material. 8/10 would highly recommend it.
Read
July 1, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Slavery
Child abuse mentioned
Suicidal ideation, on-page
Death of a parent from illness recounted
Cyberbullying
Slavery
Child abuse mentioned
Suicidal ideation, on-page
Death of a parent from illness recounted
Cyberbullying
June 3, 2022
This was a fun read
January 30, 2025
This was very fun with a sweet Cinderella romance on top 🫶
May 21, 2021
4 stars★★★★
**I was provided with an ARC from BookSirens for an honest review**
☞ Trigger warnings: .
Review also posted on my blog ☀︎
Synopsis ✿
Midnight Wings is a retelling of Cinderella.
El is a mechanic who dreams of being a pilot in a fighter jet for the intergalactic fleet. Her stepmother and step-sisters make her life miserable and she is stuck under their thumb with no way out. A new competition is announced to find new flight pilots and this is El's chance to change her circumstances.
Review ✿
A city space station was a cool new setting for this retelling. This was a fresh take to a well-known, well loved story. I love a story where the main female character is a mechanic, or engineer or really any STEM career/hobby.
Did this story remind me of Cinder from the Lunar Chronicles? Yeah but they aren't the same story.
The book is a short read with a total of 128 pages. Personally I found it too short, and I wished for more development between El and Ri and also the side characters that helped her. This story had emotional depth and a fun flight simulation sequence that made me want to read more of her story learning to be a pilot in intergalactic space. My favourite moments were when El and Ri were together. I needed a few more chapters on their development. Maybe Rian deliberately breaking his fighter jet just to have an excuse to visit El or a few scenes where they could work on the jet together and have some cute bonding moments together.
I also like the big makeover wasn't that much of big deal. She just washed her hair, wore mascara and different clothes. Like attainable, realistic change that didn't stop her from getting recognised. I thought it was funny that when El ran from the competition, Rian didn't have to struggle to find her.
"How did you know it was me?"
"He raised his eyebrows. "Well, aside from the cameras we had set up everywhere that caught your face from pretty much every angle...""
Questions/Issues: ✿
As Ri has a privilege of being a prince with influence and clout, the bigger question is as a leader, shouldn't he care more about how she fell through the cracks of the system and work on making sure that doesn't happen to other people?
All I'm asking is a re-evaluation on the current social grid rankings, welfare checks, the class divide and poverty levels within the society you are literally in charge of/able to influence. Just because this is a nice quick fun YA doesn't mean it can't ask big questions and entice readers to reflect on them. I think a strong message to leave the reader is Rian using his position to help develop and implement lasting change.
Characters ✿
4 stars overall
☀︎ El: 4.5 stars
☀︎ Prince Rian: 3.75 stars (I love a funny boy but idk if he has any real depth. Reminds me of Mal from Shadow and Bone. Don't ask me how or why. I have no answers.)
☀︎ Patricia: 4 stars stars (perfectly villainous)
☀︎ Lottie and Bree: 3.5 stars (perfect annoying mean girls)
☀︎ Theo: 5 stars (talking about how he helped her made me tear up)
☀︎ Glent and Chet: 2 stars (Chet was kind of an idiot that he didn't know the full extent about El's treatment/circumstances until now. .
☀︎ The rest of the side characters (Mary-Alice and Chet's friends): 2 stars because they didn't really add to the story, were actually Chet's friends not hers.
Character relationships ✿
Overall 4 stars
☀︎ El and Ri: 5 stars
☀︎ El and Patricia/Lottie/Bree: 4 stars in portraying the tension and abuse
☀︎ El and Theo: 5 stars
☀︎ El and Chet: 2 stars
☀︎ El and Glent: 3 stars (I wish he was more of a father figure and he does hold an influence over Patricia's decisions so he should have used it more)
☀︎ El and side-characters (Mary Alice): 2 stars (fell a little flat and seemed a little too convenient)
Overall: 4 stars ✰
☀︎ Pace: 3.5 stars (felt too fast)
☀︎ Steam: none (PG 13+)
☀︎ Beginning: 4 stars
☀︎ Middle: 3 stars
☀︎ Ending: 4 stars
Anyways this was a nice, quick read and El was cool.
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May 24, 2021
This story was an interesting one. I actually liked it a lot and the entire idea of Rove city is very interesting. The characters were easy to follow and overall there wasn’t too much wrong going on here. However, what sorta brought the book down was the one point prevailing through it all that didn’t hold much weight. El’s idea about not being able to go above her station which hinged almost entirely on some sort of evil deception from the prince.
One other plot thing was how her Stepmother didn’t seem quite narcissistic enough. I get that she loved her daughters, however, the argument over one of them getting a job fell flat. If, indeed, once she was old enough for their tax arrangement to change they were not rich enough to afford their lifestyle anymore, the idea of her not literally forcing her to get a job seemed odd. For her, status is everything and I can’t see someone with her agenda taking a chance of her status plummeting because of a lazy daughter. Her love of her children combined with her hate of El just didn’t outweigh her own personal motives. Anyone that self-centred would never allow something to get in the way of their dreams.
Also, there was this plot angle about her bosses son liking her. It went nowhere. He, and his friends, ended up doing what good friends do so it wasn’t even necessary for him to like her. It placed some sort of expectation like is he gonna cause trouble with her love for the prince. Is this a love triangle story? And I hate love triangles so that wouldn’t have ended well. But nope nothing. It literally went nowhere and it would’ve played of better had he just been a true friend. I honestly don’t even know why this was mentioned if it wasn’t going to go anywhere.
The treating El as a slave worked for a while but even with low scores which are important to status in Rove, she had a full paying job. One that her boss respected her talents at. Even if she could never climb the social ladder, she definitely could’ve taken that paycheck and been a poor resident living in a room only say 12X12 feet with the additional space going to a small kitchenette and shower. She didn’t come off as the type of girl who in her early 20s could be guilt-tripped into thinking she had to stay. Without her paycheck, her stepmom would be in serious trouble. Even if she did try to ruin El’s life, hers would be too.
And to the main point. So the prince, RI, didn’t come out with the fact he was the prince. El was doing the same thing not wanting him to know her scores so she’d be more appealing to him. There was no real deception going on. When she found out who he was the anger the betrayal none of that was warranted because even in real life you don’t reveal your whole life’s history on the first and second date. What if it never passed that point?
This was complied by El constantly thinking he would never want her. How does she know this? I mean the guy gave her a rose that only royalty is allowed to have. He broke serious protocol for her. She could actually get him in trouble. That’s power there. And it was all a game in her mind? How? They didn’t even have a real fight when she found out who he was and later, when she was refusing to enter the pilot competition, he insisted she enter. Got out of the transport, walked up to the door and addressed her personally. Like there is nothing, like zero her stepmom could do if she accepted a request directly from royalty.
Lastly considering the pilot competition, considering her circumstance it’s almost inconceivable that El wouldn’t be plotting to use this as an escape from her horrible living environment. She doesn’t want to be there and this could be her only escape and not once, even if she didn’t follow through, did she consider escaping. This entire story was based around her thinking she’d forever be what she was and she had zero drive to get out of it. Even with all the evidence the prince wanted her, even knowing she had some of the best flight simulation scores ever, and her newfound friends telling her she had the best chances to win, and, plot spoiler here but not so much cause we know this is going to happen, even after winning she runs away. At that point she has literally escaped. The queen wants the best and she is the best, even El would know a little bit of subterfuge to get in would be easily overlooked.
This story loses a star because of this plot angle. It was too obvious the prince liked her and there was no real deception. He told her his real name gave her an illegal rose, met her twice before the reveal, was nothing but smiles at the reveal and fought on her behalf to get in the competition. None of this is the actions of a guy playing games. This is directly connected to the fact the whole story is centred around a pilot competition that he helped organised and El never once thinks this is my chance to leave my evil stepmom behind. There wasn’t any real betrayal considering she was also trying to hide who she was and running this plotline of prince vrs low-status vrs lack of will/drive to escape didn’t hold weight. Even in the Disney version of Cinderella she couldn’t wait to get out and even the prospect of going to the ball lifted her spirits. She made her own dress for the chance to go but this El did nothing.
If it wasn’t for the fact this one thing that involved both the prince and the competition was driving the story this might have been five stars. It was an interesting and well-written story. But the lack of desire of El to escape her situation when the chance arose, coupled with her magically finding betrayal after only two meet and greets that was great enough to actually make her angry, didn’t quite make sense and unfortunately they had to for this story to work.
One other plot thing was how her Stepmother didn’t seem quite narcissistic enough. I get that she loved her daughters, however, the argument over one of them getting a job fell flat. If, indeed, once she was old enough for their tax arrangement to change they were not rich enough to afford their lifestyle anymore, the idea of her not literally forcing her to get a job seemed odd. For her, status is everything and I can’t see someone with her agenda taking a chance of her status plummeting because of a lazy daughter. Her love of her children combined with her hate of El just didn’t outweigh her own personal motives. Anyone that self-centred would never allow something to get in the way of their dreams.
Also, there was this plot angle about her bosses son liking her. It went nowhere. He, and his friends, ended up doing what good friends do so it wasn’t even necessary for him to like her. It placed some sort of expectation like is he gonna cause trouble with her love for the prince. Is this a love triangle story? And I hate love triangles so that wouldn’t have ended well. But nope nothing. It literally went nowhere and it would’ve played of better had he just been a true friend. I honestly don’t even know why this was mentioned if it wasn’t going to go anywhere.
The treating El as a slave worked for a while but even with low scores which are important to status in Rove, she had a full paying job. One that her boss respected her talents at. Even if she could never climb the social ladder, she definitely could’ve taken that paycheck and been a poor resident living in a room only say 12X12 feet with the additional space going to a small kitchenette and shower. She didn’t come off as the type of girl who in her early 20s could be guilt-tripped into thinking she had to stay. Without her paycheck, her stepmom would be in serious trouble. Even if she did try to ruin El’s life, hers would be too.
And to the main point. So the prince, RI, didn’t come out with the fact he was the prince. El was doing the same thing not wanting him to know her scores so she’d be more appealing to him. There was no real deception going on. When she found out who he was the anger the betrayal none of that was warranted because even in real life you don’t reveal your whole life’s history on the first and second date. What if it never passed that point?
This was complied by El constantly thinking he would never want her. How does she know this? I mean the guy gave her a rose that only royalty is allowed to have. He broke serious protocol for her. She could actually get him in trouble. That’s power there. And it was all a game in her mind? How? They didn’t even have a real fight when she found out who he was and later, when she was refusing to enter the pilot competition, he insisted she enter. Got out of the transport, walked up to the door and addressed her personally. Like there is nothing, like zero her stepmom could do if she accepted a request directly from royalty.
Lastly considering the pilot competition, considering her circumstance it’s almost inconceivable that El wouldn’t be plotting to use this as an escape from her horrible living environment. She doesn’t want to be there and this could be her only escape and not once, even if she didn’t follow through, did she consider escaping. This entire story was based around her thinking she’d forever be what she was and she had zero drive to get out of it. Even with all the evidence the prince wanted her, even knowing she had some of the best flight simulation scores ever, and her newfound friends telling her she had the best chances to win, and, plot spoiler here but not so much cause we know this is going to happen, even after winning she runs away. At that point she has literally escaped. The queen wants the best and she is the best, even El would know a little bit of subterfuge to get in would be easily overlooked.
This story loses a star because of this plot angle. It was too obvious the prince liked her and there was no real deception. He told her his real name gave her an illegal rose, met her twice before the reveal, was nothing but smiles at the reveal and fought on her behalf to get in the competition. None of this is the actions of a guy playing games. This is directly connected to the fact the whole story is centred around a pilot competition that he helped organised and El never once thinks this is my chance to leave my evil stepmom behind. There wasn’t any real betrayal considering she was also trying to hide who she was and running this plotline of prince vrs low-status vrs lack of will/drive to escape didn’t hold weight. Even in the Disney version of Cinderella she couldn’t wait to get out and even the prospect of going to the ball lifted her spirits. She made her own dress for the chance to go but this El did nothing.
If it wasn’t for the fact this one thing that involved both the prince and the competition was driving the story this might have been five stars. It was an interesting and well-written story. But the lack of desire of El to escape her situation when the chance arose, coupled with her magically finding betrayal after only two meet and greets that was great enough to actually make her angry, didn’t quite make sense and unfortunately they had to for this story to work.
June 15, 2025
Midnight Wings is a fun, fast-paced sci-fi retelling of Cinderella with a creative twist. El is a strong and likable main character, and I loved the idea of her working as a mechanic and dreaming of flying fighter jets. The space setting, social ranking system, and high-tech world of Rove City added a cool futuristic vibe that really worked.
There were moments where I wished the story went a little deeper—especially with the world-building—but it was still really enjoyable. The stepmother and stepsisters are satisfyingly awful, and the romance had just enough spark without taking over the whole plot. If you like fairy tale retellings with a space-age spin, this one’s definitely worth checking out.
There were moments where I wished the story went a little deeper—especially with the world-building—but it was still really enjoyable. The stepmother and stepsisters are satisfyingly awful, and the romance had just enough spark without taking over the whole plot. If you like fairy tale retellings with a space-age spin, this one’s definitely worth checking out.
May 6, 2022
Decent but it ended abruptly. It felt incomplete.
February 19, 2020
Content warnings:
I love fairy tale retellings, I love scifi romance, so of course I jumped on this as soon as I saw it. It’s Cinderella, but instead of a ball, there’s a fighter pilot competition!
Since the death of her father, El’s lived with stepfamily as their unpaid servant. Due to the housing shortage on their starship, the only way to get away from her family would be to marry or find a group of friends to live with, unlikely due to her low social ranking. Her only escape from drudgery is sneaking on to play fighter pilot simulations at night or stargazing in the ship’s greenhouse. When the Queen announces a competition to recruit a new group of fighter pilots, it sounds almost too good to be true – at least for someone like El.
For the most part, El was a determined young women, frustrated with her life but struggling to figure out how to change it and rebelling in small ways. Besides the stereotypical housework (mending clothes, mopping floors, cooking), she also works part-time at a machine shop doing repairs, including fighter jets. By this point in her life, she’s learned that complaining only gets more work piled on her, so she just buckles down and does it. For the most part, that jived well with the original fairy tale for me, though there were a few sections, after particularly bad setbacks, where El seriously contemplated whether she was better off dead. Certainly understandable given her nearly hopeless situation and the abuse heaped on her by her stepfamily, but it added a pretty dark tone to an otherwise light read for me.
While I thought reimagining the ball as a fighter pilot competition was an amazing idea (and exciting in execution), in comparison, some of the other parts of the book felt outdated. It was weird that on a giant spaceship, it was still a person doing all that basic housework. Where’s my space Roomba? Also, nobody seemed to care that El never attended school or that her stepsisters trashed her social ranking through bad reviews. After finishing the book, I’m honestly still not exactly sure what a social ranking was or what it did, other than keep El trapped with her stepfamily. As for them, the stepmother was pretty much a one-note villain, with the stepsisters not being much better.
I loved the fighter pilot scenes, and wished there would’ve been more of them, or at least more detail. I also wished more time could’ve been spent on her friends (who eventually serve as her fairy godmother) so that we had more of an idea of why they helped her out, as well as more interaction with Ri, as the romance was pretty light (and the only thing close to sexual contact was a kiss). I did love that while Ri lends a helping hand to El, it’s her hard work and tenacity that saves her, not him.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read, though I do wish that more of the fairy tale would’ve been updated, and I’ll definitely be checking out the other Rove City retellings.
I received this book for free from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I love fairy tale retellings, I love scifi romance, so of course I jumped on this as soon as I saw it. It’s Cinderella, but instead of a ball, there’s a fighter pilot competition!
Since the death of her father, El’s lived with stepfamily as their unpaid servant. Due to the housing shortage on their starship, the only way to get away from her family would be to marry or find a group of friends to live with, unlikely due to her low social ranking. Her only escape from drudgery is sneaking on to play fighter pilot simulations at night or stargazing in the ship’s greenhouse. When the Queen announces a competition to recruit a new group of fighter pilots, it sounds almost too good to be true – at least for someone like El.
“Everything El ever said was a lie. She lied about what she wanted. She lied about what she was doing. She lied about her motivations. She lied about who she was.”
For the most part, El was a determined young women, frustrated with her life but struggling to figure out how to change it and rebelling in small ways. Besides the stereotypical housework (mending clothes, mopping floors, cooking), she also works part-time at a machine shop doing repairs, including fighter jets. By this point in her life, she’s learned that complaining only gets more work piled on her, so she just buckles down and does it. For the most part, that jived well with the original fairy tale for me, though there were a few sections, after particularly bad setbacks, where El seriously contemplated whether she was better off dead. Certainly understandable given her nearly hopeless situation and the abuse heaped on her by her stepfamily, but it added a pretty dark tone to an otherwise light read for me.
While I thought reimagining the ball as a fighter pilot competition was an amazing idea (and exciting in execution), in comparison, some of the other parts of the book felt outdated. It was weird that on a giant spaceship, it was still a person doing all that basic housework. Where’s my space Roomba? Also, nobody seemed to care that El never attended school or that her stepsisters trashed her social ranking through bad reviews. After finishing the book, I’m honestly still not exactly sure what a social ranking was or what it did, other than keep El trapped with her stepfamily. As for them, the stepmother was pretty much a one-note villain, with the stepsisters not being much better.
I loved the fighter pilot scenes, and wished there would’ve been more of them, or at least more detail. I also wished more time could’ve been spent on her friends (who eventually serve as her fairy godmother) so that we had more of an idea of why they helped her out, as well as more interaction with Ri, as the romance was pretty light (and the only thing close to sexual contact was a kiss). I did love that while Ri lends a helping hand to El, it’s her hard work and tenacity that saves her, not him.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read, though I do wish that more of the fairy tale would’ve been updated, and I’ll definitely be checking out the other Rove City retellings.
I received this book for free from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
June 8, 2020
I have to admit that I was a bit biased upon reading the blurb. I’ve read several retellings of popular fairytales and I have to say that my experiences with them to this day have been very good. So, you could say I was already looking forward to it as soon as I heard it was a retelling of Cinderella. However, those of you who have not had a pleasant experience need not fear. While you can see the inspiration for the story clearly, this tale is its own story as well.
I like the fact that the main character’s name is El which, as you learn later on, is not short for Cinderella. I’ve read of several Ellas as well, so what a relief it was to not add another to the list. Similarly, the Prince in the story goes by a shortened nickname which somehow makes it more pleasant to read. I don’t know, I guess I just didn’t want the story to follow too closely to Cinderella.
We meet El and she’s in a darker place than most Cinderellas I’ve met. Yes, of course, she has the evil stepmother and two evil stepsisters (whoever said they had to be two?) and a dead father. But she also has a fellow servant, a friend, and a job. Talk about a full-time job, right? Though she is tenacious and tough, our El is burning out. I can’t really say I blame her. She’s on the brink of giving up and something as small as a kind word or flower can bring her to the brink of tears. They are the small kindnesses that make her life worth living, though even these surprises are few and far between.
Despite how resilient she’s been for her whole life, El is thinking of giving up. She has no hope and feels desperately trapped in her miserable life. As the one thing that brought her joy is taken away, she makes an almost-friend. Along with this friend comes news of a competition. If only El could join! conspiratorial wink That would make her life worth living.
In the place of a fairy godmother, we encounter a small selfless group that decides to take matters into their own hands because, paralyzed with despair, El might not make it on her own. Good thing too! She needs it!
As she steps up to the plate, we see El transform, showing her true self just in time for a sweet-but-not-too-sweet, happy ending. Just like how the best ice cream is the type that is slightly sweet but mostly creamy. Disagree with me? Then that must mean you’ve never tried the best ice cream in the world!
My complaint, if any, would lie in how blind the people in El’s life were and how the prince comes to love her despite barely knowing or talking to her. Also, I felt like there was unfinished business with the better of her evil stepsisters. Why tease us in the end if there’s no resolution there? Well, these add to the story and give it some individuality to stand out from the other Cinderella stories. For that, and for keeping me hooked, I award this book 5/5 stars. And, um, maybe change the cover? This girl doesn’t seem to suit El’s character. Our El is unconfident and hopeless. This girl, whoever she is, is obviously on the far end of confidence, verging on sassy.
I like the fact that the main character’s name is El which, as you learn later on, is not short for Cinderella. I’ve read of several Ellas as well, so what a relief it was to not add another to the list. Similarly, the Prince in the story goes by a shortened nickname which somehow makes it more pleasant to read. I don’t know, I guess I just didn’t want the story to follow too closely to Cinderella.
We meet El and she’s in a darker place than most Cinderellas I’ve met. Yes, of course, she has the evil stepmother and two evil stepsisters (whoever said they had to be two?) and a dead father. But she also has a fellow servant, a friend, and a job. Talk about a full-time job, right? Though she is tenacious and tough, our El is burning out. I can’t really say I blame her. She’s on the brink of giving up and something as small as a kind word or flower can bring her to the brink of tears. They are the small kindnesses that make her life worth living, though even these surprises are few and far between.
Despite how resilient she’s been for her whole life, El is thinking of giving up. She has no hope and feels desperately trapped in her miserable life. As the one thing that brought her joy is taken away, she makes an almost-friend. Along with this friend comes news of a competition. If only El could join! conspiratorial wink That would make her life worth living.
In the place of a fairy godmother, we encounter a small selfless group that decides to take matters into their own hands because, paralyzed with despair, El might not make it on her own. Good thing too! She needs it!
As she steps up to the plate, we see El transform, showing her true self just in time for a sweet-but-not-too-sweet, happy ending. Just like how the best ice cream is the type that is slightly sweet but mostly creamy. Disagree with me? Then that must mean you’ve never tried the best ice cream in the world!
My complaint, if any, would lie in how blind the people in El’s life were and how the prince comes to love her despite barely knowing or talking to her. Also, I felt like there was unfinished business with the better of her evil stepsisters. Why tease us in the end if there’s no resolution there? Well, these add to the story and give it some individuality to stand out from the other Cinderella stories. For that, and for keeping me hooked, I award this book 5/5 stars. And, um, maybe change the cover? This girl doesn’t seem to suit El’s character. Our El is unconfident and hopeless. This girl, whoever she is, is obviously on the far end of confidence, verging on sassy.
June 10, 2022
Midnight Wings is a novella (the first in a series) based on retellings of fairytales set in a sci-fi world. I thought this is a very appealing concept and decided to give this first part a try.
El is living on a sort of flying space-ship-station (ruled by a queen) with her evil stepmother and her two vapid stepsisters. She cannot escape her life, because they have used their connections to basically ruin her social status (it sounds like a social media based rating system, if you have a bad score you apparently cannot get a job etc.), which I thought was an inventive explanation. One day, the queen announces a figher-jet-contest for everyone of a certain age in order to find new pilots to work for her. And since El is really good at the simulations this would be a possible way out. Also, there's a prince of course ...
I thought that Midnight Wings was a solid read but did not realize all of its potential. Actually, I think I would have preferred this to be a bit longer as some parts were a bit rushed and lacked depth.
Let's maybe get to what I liked first: El was a good heroine, smart, competent, resilient. I liked that it was her skill that paved her way into a better life, not her pretty face. I also liked that it was not a fairy that helped her participate in the contest but her friends, who came together to be there for her. I also felt that Ariele Sieling captured the desperation of being stuck in an awful life without any perspective of things ever getting better very well.
On the other hand, the villains in this story were a bit to one-dimensionally villainous, without any point or reason other than to make El's life a living hell. Also, the prince is flat as a piece of paper and I thought that it was a bit of a huge coincidence how he and El met. El did not really get enough time to build a meaningful friendship with the friends who helped her out in the end. And I felt like the story resolved too easily in the end. In the fairy tale, first the stepsisters try to go with the prince and only the fact that they do not fit the shoe reveals the truth. There was no equivalent of that plotline here - which would have added some tension. Generally speaking, I also think that transporting a story that is based on medieval societies into the future would have profited from a bit more work in the details, some plot elements just don't ring very true when being plugged into the far future.
So, in short: a quick, suffiently enjoyable read but had the potential to be more.
I have received an advance review copy via BookSirens and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
El is living on a sort of flying space-ship-station (ruled by a queen) with her evil stepmother and her two vapid stepsisters. She cannot escape her life, because they have used their connections to basically ruin her social status (it sounds like a social media based rating system, if you have a bad score you apparently cannot get a job etc.), which I thought was an inventive explanation. One day, the queen announces a figher-jet-contest for everyone of a certain age in order to find new pilots to work for her. And since El is really good at the simulations this would be a possible way out. Also, there's a prince of course ...
I thought that Midnight Wings was a solid read but did not realize all of its potential. Actually, I think I would have preferred this to be a bit longer as some parts were a bit rushed and lacked depth.
Let's maybe get to what I liked first: El was a good heroine, smart, competent, resilient. I liked that it was her skill that paved her way into a better life, not her pretty face. I also liked that it was not a fairy that helped her participate in the contest but her friends, who came together to be there for her. I also felt that Ariele Sieling captured the desperation of being stuck in an awful life without any perspective of things ever getting better very well.
On the other hand, the villains in this story were a bit to one-dimensionally villainous, without any point or reason other than to make El's life a living hell. Also, the prince is flat as a piece of paper and I thought that it was a bit of a huge coincidence how he and El met. El did not really get enough time to build a meaningful friendship with the friends who helped her out in the end. And I felt like the story resolved too easily in the end. In the fairy tale, first the stepsisters try to go with the prince and only the fact that they do not fit the shoe reveals the truth. There was no equivalent of that plotline here - which would have added some tension. Generally speaking, I also think that transporting a story that is based on medieval societies into the future would have profited from a bit more work in the details, some plot elements just don't ring very true when being plugged into the far future.
So, in short: a quick, suffiently enjoyable read but had the potential to be more.
I have received an advance review copy via BookSirens and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!
May 3, 2020
Midnight Wings is a sci-fi retelling of Cinderella. While I tend to love folklore retellings, I'll admit I was a bit hesitant to read this - it's a novella, which I don't often read, and independently published, which sometimes is poorly written.
Within a couple pages, my hesitations were set at ease! The writing was great, flowing easily, dialogue written well, prose good. And the story unveiled pretty naturally, with just a few stilted exposition passages for the backstory. Honestly, when I finished the story, my main complaint was: I want more!
Some pros: I found the premise awesome. Instead of a ball, El wants to compete for a chance to be a jet fighter pilot. This is a novel twist on the fairy tale, in which she creates her own opportunity to escape the entrapment by her stepmother. El is a fairly well-developed heroine: she is moody, withdrawn, unable to communicate with people, but is a hard worker and still maintains hope even through all the adversity. The world in which this is set is quite interesting: a moving space station called Rove City.
Cons: As I mentioned above, I want more! I am aware that this is the first in a series, but I am actually talking about this specific story as it appears the other stories revolve around different people in Rove City (based on other fairy tales or stories) rather than a continuation of Midnight Wings. With more fleshing out, this could be a great full length novel, one that I would love to put on my bookshelf! I would have loved to see more development of the other characters in the book (Chet and his friends, Mary Alice, the royal family), the backstory of El and her parents and why her congenial father remarried such an ornery woman, and more exploration of her world. Social grid ranking is mentioned, but how does it work exactly? The setting is a space station, but many descriptions and settings are pretty antiquated: El wears a skirt and all cleaning is by hand, her stepmother and stepsisters wear gowns, there is a millinery; there is talk of simulators but no other fancy technology, such as how they even look up social rankings. While this doesn't detract from the tale, occasionally I was confused or taken aback by a line. This mostly made me wonder more about the world and wish the author could have further described things.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Within a couple pages, my hesitations were set at ease! The writing was great, flowing easily, dialogue written well, prose good. And the story unveiled pretty naturally, with just a few stilted exposition passages for the backstory. Honestly, when I finished the story, my main complaint was: I want more!
Some pros: I found the premise awesome. Instead of a ball, El wants to compete for a chance to be a jet fighter pilot. This is a novel twist on the fairy tale, in which she creates her own opportunity to escape the entrapment by her stepmother. El is a fairly well-developed heroine: she is moody, withdrawn, unable to communicate with people, but is a hard worker and still maintains hope even through all the adversity. The world in which this is set is quite interesting: a moving space station called Rove City.
Cons: As I mentioned above, I want more! I am aware that this is the first in a series, but I am actually talking about this specific story as it appears the other stories revolve around different people in Rove City (based on other fairy tales or stories) rather than a continuation of Midnight Wings. With more fleshing out, this could be a great full length novel, one that I would love to put on my bookshelf! I would have loved to see more development of the other characters in the book (Chet and his friends, Mary Alice, the royal family), the backstory of El and her parents and why her congenial father remarried such an ornery woman, and more exploration of her world. Social grid ranking is mentioned, but how does it work exactly? The setting is a space station, but many descriptions and settings are pretty antiquated: El wears a skirt and all cleaning is by hand, her stepmother and stepsisters wear gowns, there is a millinery; there is talk of simulators but no other fancy technology, such as how they even look up social rankings. While this doesn't detract from the tale, occasionally I was confused or taken aback by a line. This mostly made me wonder more about the world and wish the author could have further described things.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 22, 2020
I love a good space opera. I'm also a sucker for a fun fairy tale retelling. Midnight Wings combines the two, and it is delightful.
El dreams of being a fighter pilot. But with her stepmother and stepsisters trashing her reputation to lower her ranking on the social grid, taking everything she earns at her mechanic job as "payment" for keeping a roof over her head, and filling the rest of her waking hours with chore after chore, she figures the closest she'll ever get to being a pilot is the flight simulator.
But when a contest is announced, with the winner to be a fighter pilot, El thinks maybe this is her chance to escape her life of drudgery. Of course, nothing goes like she envisions, and her hope of breaking free begins to dwindle. Thankfully, she's going to get a little help from some unexpected sources.
This was really an enjoyable read! El and Ri remind me of Theo and Galian in S. Usher Evans' Madion War trilogy a little bit. In both, we have an underprivileged young woman who wants to fly/is a pilot, and life circumstances bring her into contact with a young man of the royal persuasion. Different settings, and the story unfolds differently from their meeting, but similar in that regard. It's also a bit more practical in execution than the fairy tale on which it's based, which I enjoyed. I'm not a hearts and flowers kind of girl. I much prefer El as a jet mechanic and aspiring pilot, doing her best to kick butt and take names, than the original Cinderella fleeing at midnight and leaving a delicate glass slipper behind. El is my kind of girl. Not afraid to get dirt under her nails, and not downplaying her skills for a man.
Midnight Wings isn't what I'd call a full-length story, so there wasn't quite as much world-building as I'd like to see. However, given that it's the first in a series, I'm hopeful that subsequent entries will flesh out Rove City a bit more.
Overall, I found it a solid, well-paced read, and if the ending wasn't really a surprise, the main character is absolutely a different spin on the original. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Sieling's work and meeting more of the characters in the Rove City universe.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and the author. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
El dreams of being a fighter pilot. But with her stepmother and stepsisters trashing her reputation to lower her ranking on the social grid, taking everything she earns at her mechanic job as "payment" for keeping a roof over her head, and filling the rest of her waking hours with chore after chore, she figures the closest she'll ever get to being a pilot is the flight simulator.
But when a contest is announced, with the winner to be a fighter pilot, El thinks maybe this is her chance to escape her life of drudgery. Of course, nothing goes like she envisions, and her hope of breaking free begins to dwindle. Thankfully, she's going to get a little help from some unexpected sources.
This was really an enjoyable read! El and Ri remind me of Theo and Galian in S. Usher Evans' Madion War trilogy a little bit. In both, we have an underprivileged young woman who wants to fly/is a pilot, and life circumstances bring her into contact with a young man of the royal persuasion. Different settings, and the story unfolds differently from their meeting, but similar in that regard. It's also a bit more practical in execution than the fairy tale on which it's based, which I enjoyed. I'm not a hearts and flowers kind of girl. I much prefer El as a jet mechanic and aspiring pilot, doing her best to kick butt and take names, than the original Cinderella fleeing at midnight and leaving a delicate glass slipper behind. El is my kind of girl. Not afraid to get dirt under her nails, and not downplaying her skills for a man.
Midnight Wings isn't what I'd call a full-length story, so there wasn't quite as much world-building as I'd like to see. However, given that it's the first in a series, I'm hopeful that subsequent entries will flesh out Rove City a bit more.
Overall, I found it a solid, well-paced read, and if the ending wasn't really a surprise, the main character is absolutely a different spin on the original. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Sieling's work and meeting more of the characters in the Rove City universe.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and the author. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.
June 23, 2020
An inventive young adult sci-fi retelling of Cinderella, Midnight Wings may feature the usual downtrodden protagonist but makes the magic something more down to earth.
El is a slave for her stepmother and stepsisters, but in her Pod of Rove City, the giant space station floating through the stars, she's also a fighter jet mechanic. When the Queen issues a proclamation that all young people regardless of social rank are allowed to compete in a tournament to join the city's forces, El wants to jump at the chance to better herself and escape her abusive home for good. But you know how the story goes...
There's no ballroom dancing or smushy love at first sight moments here. The romance is clean and sweet, and I was really drawn in by the midnight meet-cute between El and a handsome stranger. Making the story more about El being competent rather than just great marriage material really worked for me, and I loved that the "magic" was more about friendship and compassion than fairies.
Now it could get a little repetitive, what with listing all the unfairness heaped on El, and she repeated the same mantras over and over (that she was helpless, that there were only 3 ways she could have escaped her life). I didn't understand why everyone just shrugged off her poor treatment until someone stood up for her out of the blue (a little explanation/foreshadowing would have helped ). There's also not a lot of description to go on I wished we'd gotten to actually see a bit more of both the characters and Rove City (is it futuristic shiny and clean, or a bit Space Western rusty round the edges?) The world building is nice but maybe a bit shallow for older readers.
Overall a clean, cute and fun YA read that's easy to breeze through. Great for readers in the age range or those looking for a quick retelling that's not heavy on the romance.
El is a slave for her stepmother and stepsisters, but in her Pod of Rove City, the giant space station floating through the stars, she's also a fighter jet mechanic. When the Queen issues a proclamation that all young people regardless of social rank are allowed to compete in a tournament to join the city's forces, El wants to jump at the chance to better herself and escape her abusive home for good. But you know how the story goes...
There's no ballroom dancing or smushy love at first sight moments here. The romance is clean and sweet, and I was really drawn in by the midnight meet-cute between El and a handsome stranger. Making the story more about El being competent rather than just great marriage material really worked for me, and I loved that the "magic" was more about friendship and compassion than fairies.
Now it could get a little repetitive, what with listing all the unfairness heaped on El, and she repeated the same mantras over and over (that she was helpless, that there were only 3 ways she could have escaped her life). I didn't understand why everyone just shrugged off her poor treatment until someone stood up for her out of the blue (a little explanation/foreshadowing would have helped ). There's also not a lot of description to go on I wished we'd gotten to actually see a bit more of both the characters and Rove City (is it futuristic shiny and clean, or a bit Space Western rusty round the edges?) The world building is nice but maybe a bit shallow for older readers.
Overall a clean, cute and fun YA read that's easy to breeze through. Great for readers in the age range or those looking for a quick retelling that's not heavy on the romance.
October 30, 2021
I have a very weak spot for Cinderella retellings. It's hard to explain why the story of Cinderella, and therefore all different versions of it, speak to me like this. I guess it's the idea that no matter who we are wonderful people can fall in love with us. Or maybe it's because it's one of the few stories where the heroine is kind and loving and forgiving and obedient and still gets her happy ending, without having to change. When I saw this on BookSirens I therefore didn't hesitate.
I'm so glad that I gave this story a chance! The setting gave this story a really original touch. Although the story is relatively short the author manages to give a thorough description of the world and how life is organized within said world. Therefore it's also easy to understand why El is stuck in the situation she is in. It's not just because she loves a house or place. She simply has no other choice. She has to stick to the life she's given. There's no way out.
I also really loved that in this story El isn't longing to go to the ball. Although I'm one of the first to get angry when people say that El is just waiting for a prince to save her, it's quite clear in this case that her desire to participate in the challenge has absolutely nothing to do with the prince. She wants this for herself, because it might offer her a chance to get a better life, because it might be her way out of the situation she's in.
However, that doesn't mean there isn't any romance in the book. The romance is quite subtile and it's for sure not the main focus, but it's clearly there. And although it's not the main focus, the connection between El and her prince is there from their very first interaction. Their connection is also clearly based on their personalities. They just click. They can be themselves around each other and they can look at the other without judgement. And that? That's what true love is about!
I can't wait to read the rest!
I'm so glad that I gave this story a chance! The setting gave this story a really original touch. Although the story is relatively short the author manages to give a thorough description of the world and how life is organized within said world. Therefore it's also easy to understand why El is stuck in the situation she is in. It's not just because she loves a house or place. She simply has no other choice. She has to stick to the life she's given. There's no way out.
I also really loved that in this story El isn't longing to go to the ball. Although I'm one of the first to get angry when people say that El is just waiting for a prince to save her, it's quite clear in this case that her desire to participate in the challenge has absolutely nothing to do with the prince. She wants this for herself, because it might offer her a chance to get a better life, because it might be her way out of the situation she's in.
However, that doesn't mean there isn't any romance in the book. The romance is quite subtile and it's for sure not the main focus, but it's clearly there. And although it's not the main focus, the connection between El and her prince is there from their very first interaction. Their connection is also clearly based on their personalities. They just click. They can be themselves around each other and they can look at the other without judgement. And that? That's what true love is about!
I can't wait to read the rest!
November 22, 2021
A Thank you to BookSirens and the Author for allowing me to read this. This is my honest and unbiased review*
Hello Fellow Readers,
I am a huge fan of retellings, So when I saw that this book I knew I wanted to read this, when I saw it was the first book in a series I grew excited. I've never read a science fiction retelling of Cinderella before, and while not my favorite fairy tale by far I still enjoy the twists I read when a author takes a hold of Cinderella's story.
Sieling's Cinderella is pretty different, in Midnight wings her name is El, and is a mechanic dreaming of becoming a jet pilot. El's stepmother, Patricia, and step-siblings, Lonnie and Bree are pretty horrid to El, as to be expected. Patricia is in fact very cruel and you will immediately hate her. The city and social structure of Rove is pretty interesting, I won't go into too much detail but they live on a ship traveling through space.
El and Ri's (Prince Charming) relationship is a bit fast, but with a page length of 128 pages it's hard to really develop or do slow burn. Also, because the short page length the ending did feel rushed. I felt like Sieling was setting up the story where it could go in different directions but ultimately just went for the fastest conclusion.
This book has a lot of surprisingly emotional layers to it, that was only hindered by the short length. Did I like? Yes, but I could have absolutely loved it had it only developed a bit more. We have a main female character dreaming about flying a jet, while also being a mechanic (I personally love any female characters where the author has them in a STEM career or hobby. I will read next book in the series where Jack and the beanstalk will be Sieling's next focus.
Overall, an interesting take on a old classic.
Hello Fellow Readers,
I am a huge fan of retellings, So when I saw that this book I knew I wanted to read this, when I saw it was the first book in a series I grew excited. I've never read a science fiction retelling of Cinderella before, and while not my favorite fairy tale by far I still enjoy the twists I read when a author takes a hold of Cinderella's story.
Sieling's Cinderella is pretty different, in Midnight wings her name is El, and is a mechanic dreaming of becoming a jet pilot. El's stepmother, Patricia, and step-siblings, Lonnie and Bree are pretty horrid to El, as to be expected. Patricia is in fact very cruel and you will immediately hate her. The city and social structure of Rove is pretty interesting, I won't go into too much detail but they live on a ship traveling through space.
El and Ri's (Prince Charming) relationship is a bit fast, but with a page length of 128 pages it's hard to really develop or do slow burn. Also, because the short page length the ending did feel rushed. I felt like Sieling was setting up the story where it could go in different directions but ultimately just went for the fastest conclusion.
This book has a lot of surprisingly emotional layers to it, that was only hindered by the short length. Did I like? Yes, but I could have absolutely loved it had it only developed a bit more. We have a main female character dreaming about flying a jet, while also being a mechanic (I personally love any female characters where the author has them in a STEM career or hobby. I will read next book in the series where Jack and the beanstalk will be Sieling's next focus.
Overall, an interesting take on a old classic.
June 24, 2022
Rating: 4.5 / 5
I received an advance review copy for free through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Cinderella Science Fiction retelling.
Cinderella has always been my favorite fairy tale. So when I found this retelling, I had high hopes and expectations. It is not the first time that science fiction and fairy tales are combined in a story. But this story surprised me very much with its originality and heartbreaking storyline. It really moved me with its characters: Cinderella, the stepmother, the step-sisters, and, of course, the prince. No fairy godmother and magic, but good people, good deeds, and heartfelt determination.
It took the story of Cinderella and turned it into a story about a young girl, stuck in a low-ranking class on an intergalactic spaceship. She has nowhere to go, no way out of the clutches of her horrible stepmother and stepsisters who treat her like a servant. Her dream is to become a fighter jet pilot and be free. This opportunity arises when a competition is held for aspiring pilots to work under the queen herself, and everyone under thirty is invited. Regardless of her rank, she got an invitation.
The storyline kept a good pace and follows a good flow when it comes to the Cinderella storyline. I loved the different characters, with their clear preferences and characteristics. It gave a good idea of who had what intentions and was good or bad. The story read very fast, and I finished it before I knew it. The only flaw for me is that it is just too short. I could have spent more time with the characters and life on the spaceship. Overall it was a very interesting world with great characters.
I recommend this book to readers of fairy tale retellings and science fiction.
I received an advance review copy for free through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Cinderella Science Fiction retelling.
Cinderella has always been my favorite fairy tale. So when I found this retelling, I had high hopes and expectations. It is not the first time that science fiction and fairy tales are combined in a story. But this story surprised me very much with its originality and heartbreaking storyline. It really moved me with its characters: Cinderella, the stepmother, the step-sisters, and, of course, the prince. No fairy godmother and magic, but good people, good deeds, and heartfelt determination.
It took the story of Cinderella and turned it into a story about a young girl, stuck in a low-ranking class on an intergalactic spaceship. She has nowhere to go, no way out of the clutches of her horrible stepmother and stepsisters who treat her like a servant. Her dream is to become a fighter jet pilot and be free. This opportunity arises when a competition is held for aspiring pilots to work under the queen herself, and everyone under thirty is invited. Regardless of her rank, she got an invitation.
The storyline kept a good pace and follows a good flow when it comes to the Cinderella storyline. I loved the different characters, with their clear preferences and characteristics. It gave a good idea of who had what intentions and was good or bad. The story read very fast, and I finished it before I knew it. The only flaw for me is that it is just too short. I could have spent more time with the characters and life on the spaceship. Overall it was a very interesting world with great characters.
I recommend this book to readers of fairy tale retellings and science fiction.
January 5, 2020
Midnight Wings: A Science Fiction Retelling of Cinderella
by Ariele Sieling
Book 1 in the Rove City series
Rating: 4/5
I love retellings. I can't get enough of them but place them in outer space and I was hooked! I am in love with this new world that Ariele Sieling has created! I can't wait to read more in this series. This story is more novella length but it tells the story well and surprisingly, doesn't feel rushed at the end.
El, short for Eleanor, basically works as a slave for her stepmother and two stepsisters. Besides doing all the household chores, errands and cooking, she works at her space station's mechanic repair shop, but all the money goes to her stepmother. She dreams of being free and becoming a fighter pilot. In a world based on flight simulators and social rankings, she is the best pilot with the lowest social rankings and despairs of ever being truly free. When an opportunity to prove her prowess as a pilot comes up, will El have the courage to try for her dream or will her stepmother's abuse provoke her to give up?
Who doesn't love a Cinderella story set in a sci-fi world? Slightly Black Mirror-ish with the social ranking stuff, but I love the premise and enjoyed every second of this story. The romance actually gets a chance to develop and the fairy godmother characters are believable. El's struggles are believable and are more the focus of the story than the romance, which was is refreshing.
Highly recommend if you love retellings and sci-fi.
My thanks to the author and BookSirens for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
by Ariele Sieling
Book 1 in the Rove City series
Rating: 4/5
I love retellings. I can't get enough of them but place them in outer space and I was hooked! I am in love with this new world that Ariele Sieling has created! I can't wait to read more in this series. This story is more novella length but it tells the story well and surprisingly, doesn't feel rushed at the end.
El, short for Eleanor, basically works as a slave for her stepmother and two stepsisters. Besides doing all the household chores, errands and cooking, she works at her space station's mechanic repair shop, but all the money goes to her stepmother. She dreams of being free and becoming a fighter pilot. In a world based on flight simulators and social rankings, she is the best pilot with the lowest social rankings and despairs of ever being truly free. When an opportunity to prove her prowess as a pilot comes up, will El have the courage to try for her dream or will her stepmother's abuse provoke her to give up?
Who doesn't love a Cinderella story set in a sci-fi world? Slightly Black Mirror-ish with the social ranking stuff, but I love the premise and enjoyed every second of this story. The romance actually gets a chance to develop and the fairy godmother characters are believable. El's struggles are believable and are more the focus of the story than the romance, which was is refreshing.
Highly recommend if you love retellings and sci-fi.
My thanks to the author and BookSirens for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.
August 30, 2020
This was the first book I read by the author and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.
"Yes, yes", I can hear you think, "another retelling of the same old story..." but in all honesty, it didn't feel like that at all!
Worldbuilding:
Was good! Bit by bit we come to understand how their 'world' looks like (or at least the part that concerns El) and how the society works (or doesn't, depends who you ask). Scenes and environments were clear and detailed enough.
Character development:
Was good. Of course, you can't really expect to know the characters on a very deep level as the book is only 128 pages long, but what we do get is all the necessary info to work with. We know who the players are, their connections and attitudes towards one another and what their goals are. As for our main heroine in this part, El, we get to know her a bit better as we follow her through her trials and tribulations with her stepfamily and her boss, but also when she meets the mysterious Ri.
Pacing and flow:
Were good! I read it in one go and it was really smooth reading. It was entertaining and kept my interest and attention.
The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors. There is no sex described (if that is important to you).
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book and I enjoyed it! It was a new and refreshing spin to the old fairytale. Oh and even when you're not really into science fiction (I feel ya), give it a go, while there are sci-fi elements, it's not the main focus at all :-)
"Yes, yes", I can hear you think, "another retelling of the same old story..." but in all honesty, it didn't feel like that at all!
Worldbuilding:
Was good! Bit by bit we come to understand how their 'world' looks like (or at least the part that concerns El) and how the society works (or doesn't, depends who you ask). Scenes and environments were clear and detailed enough.
Character development:
Was good. Of course, you can't really expect to know the characters on a very deep level as the book is only 128 pages long, but what we do get is all the necessary info to work with. We know who the players are, their connections and attitudes towards one another and what their goals are. As for our main heroine in this part, El, we get to know her a bit better as we follow her through her trials and tribulations with her stepfamily and her boss, but also when she meets the mysterious Ri.
Pacing and flow:
Were good! I read it in one go and it was really smooth reading. It was entertaining and kept my interest and attention.
The book itself was well written with no (noticeable) errors. There is no sex described (if that is important to you).
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this book and I enjoyed it! It was a new and refreshing spin to the old fairytale. Oh and even when you're not really into science fiction (I feel ya), give it a go, while there are sci-fi elements, it's not the main focus at all :-)
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