Glass Slippers

Sisters Ever After #2

by Leah Cypess

Cinderella's secret stepsister is in trouble for something she didn't do—will she get kicked out of the castle? The second book in the Sisters Ever After series, perfect for anyone who loves fairy tale retellings about sisters and princesses!

Meet Cinderella’s third “wicked” stepsister, Tirza. For years, Tirza has lived with the shame of what her family did to Cinderella. Against everyone’s advice, Cinderella—now Queen Ella—took a chance on young Tirza. She gave Tirza a home in the castle instead of banishing her. The queen told everyone Tirza was good and kind, not cruel like her older sisters.

But now Queen Ella’s famous glass slippers are missing, and there’s only one suspect. . . .

Tirza may have tried them on . . . but she didn’t steal them. Now she must find the true thief before she loses her royal home. But as Tirza gets closer to the truth, she finds herself getting closer to something her sisters, who might not be quite as evil as Cinderella claims.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Cinderella, Fairy Tales, Retellings, Mystery, Childrens

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2022

About the author

I wrote my first story in first grade. The narrator was an ice-cream cone in the process of being eaten. In fourth grade, I wrote my first book, about a girl who gets shipwrecked on a desert island with her faithful and heroic dog (a rip-off of both The Black Stallion and all the Lassie movies, very impressive).

After selling my first story (Temple of Stone) while in high school, I gave in to my mother’s importuning to be practical and majored in biology at Brooklyn College. I then went to Columbia Law School and practiced law for almost two years at a large law firm in New York City. I kept writing and submitting in my spare time, and finally, a mere 15 years after my first short story acceptance, I sold my first novel to Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins).

I live in Silver Spring, Maryland (right outside of Washington, D.C.) with my husband and four children.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glass Slippers by Leah Cypess is the second book in the middle grade fantasy Sisters Ever After series. The books in the Sisters Ever After series are all retellings of fairy tales with each book bringing a new story done in a new and creative way of being told from a sibling of someone in the original tales. Each of these books can be read in any order or as a standalone if choosing to do so.

This second book of the series is a retelling of Cinderella told by her third unknown step sister, Tirza. Tirza was only five when her older sisters tormented Cinderella so after Cinderella married her prince and became Queen Ella she allowed Tirza to stay in the castle with them and banished only the older step sisters. Tirza has lived with the shame of what her family had done but now when Queen Ella’s glass slippers go missing all eyes are on her no matter how many times she denies being responsible.


Again I will admit that I am way beyond the age that this series is meant for but I just can’t help myself by being drawn to the cute stories. I love when an author can take the original tale and twist it into something completely new to the point I’m frantically turning pages waiting to see how it will all turn out and that’s just what I’ve found with the Sisters Ever After series. Both books of the series have been great so far with Glass Slippers in the lead as my favorite of the series so far and I will definitely be returning for book three to see what the author comes up with next.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[human]

CINDERELLA STEP SISTER RETELLING LET'S GOOOOO

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Middle Grade Fantasy, and this is the second book in the Sisters Ever After series. I do think this book can be read as a standalone, and I have read and reviewed the first book in this series. This book is a very unique retelling of Cinderella. I had a hard time getting into this book, but once I was into the storyline I could not put it down. I loved the different take on the classic Cinderella story that this author did. I think this book is easy to read and understand what is going on, but I also think adults would enjoy this book if you like light fantasy not high fantasy books. The characters where really fun to follow. You get the story through Tirza point of view, so you are guessing if the other characters are what they want you to think they are which brings a level of suspense to the story. I really enjoyed the suspense that was going on in the story, and I always love guessing who is really good and who is really not so good. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Delacorte Press) or author (Leah Cypess) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tirzah is Cinderella's third stepsister. She was only five when Cinderella was chosen by her prince. While the other sisters were exiled, Cinderella brought Tirzah with her to the palace because she claimed Tirzah was not wicked.

Unfortunately, Cinderella - now Queen Ella - is the only one who doesn't think Tirzah is wicked. She's teased, ignored, belittled and treated poorly by everyone except her one friend Aden who is a stableboy. When the glass slippers that Queen Ella wears once a year on the anniversary of her meeting with the prince go missing, eleven-year-old Tirzah is the first one to be blamed.

Tirzah did see them in Queen Ella's bedroom. And she did try them on and dance a few steps. But then she returned them to where she had found them and left. No matter who asks, and despite no one actually listening to her, she keeps saying that she didn't take the slippers.

Things get more complicated when Aden comes to release her from the dungeon and aid her escape, since he's congratulating her on the theft. Tirzah also learns that her sisters and her godmother have been keeping watch over her and now want her to join them in overthrowing Queen Ella.

Tirzah doesn't know what to believe and doesn't know who to trust. Everyone has their own side to the conflict and all the viewpoints are confusing to her. And the slippers aren't what she thought either. They are remnants of fae magic that give the wearer power but at great cost. She sees what they do to her sisters and begins to understand why Queen Ella has kept her away from them since she moved to the castle. The slippers are calling to her and promising power.

This was an entertaining middle grade story. It has interesting characters and a fast-paced plot with lots of adventure.

[Coralie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I have to start by saying I didn't read book one. I got this little MG as an ARC from NetGalley, so I'd not even heard of the series before that. But they appear to be standalones, I believe.

Y'all know how I feel about my fairy tales XD I also happen to love Middle Grade, so I was totally up for this. And it turned out cute. I may be even interested in going back and reading the first one.

It was a quick read. It felt like an older chapter book (like Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys level). It wasn't as epic as like KOTLC and it didn't even feel as MG to me as something like The False Prince. It felt more like a Junie B. Jones or Boxcar Children or Bailey School Kids, but a little bit older. The chapters were fairly quick and it had some compelling chapter endings that made me want to keep reading.

Honestly, the whole premise was a mystery I wanted to unravel. The mystery felt like the strongest component to the story. I really wanted to know what exactly was going on and who had stolen the slippers and why.

The characters didn't particularly stand out to me, but they were mildly interesting and they weren't awful by any means. Cinderella's dual nature made me want to dig more into her and find out what the truth behind the mask was. I spent the entire book questioning if she was good or not. I was a little disappointed that I didn't feel like we quite got to the bottom of her haughty looks. The princes were adorable and I loved every moment of them! I kind of wanted more, but they were sprinkled appropriately throughout--even if they were very articulate for their ages XD The entire concept of Tirza was interesting. The third stepsister who was only a baby when all the Cinderella stuff went down. I liked Aden a lot, but again, wish we'd gone a little deeper with him. The stepsisters had me guessing for a minute as I was trying to figure out the plot, but then they turned out to be about what I expected. I did really like the dynamic between them, though. The layers in the character dynamics and the manipulation vs. truth bits were fun.

Mostly there were some interesting pieces--in the plot, with the characters, etc.--but I felt like the ending was kind of...strange? It's like we had a bumpy landing or something. Things just didn't quite resolve in a super satisfying way. For me. Now, for a kid, this may be totally fine. (I don't usually pull that line since I read a lot of MG and enjoy quite a bit of it, but in this case, it may genuinely be something that doesn't bother a kid, but my analytical brain just wanted something a little...well, more.) The twist was a little disappointing and the resolution with all the characters just fell a little flat for me. I was happy Tirza made the choices she did and I loved how things turned out with her and the queen. The stepsisters resolution kind of surprised me a little, but for the most part I was okay with it for one of them. The other, I had thought would have a different ending, but I won't say what. Aden's resolution was neat and I did mostly like what they did with the nanny. (Would have loved to see more depth there to set that up, but it was still a neat way to end her thread.)

The slippers were super cool. I loved the way Cypess made them her own and the plot really hung on them. Also, though it was a little dark, I liked how they changed colors. Speaking of, the story took a bit of a surprising dark turn. The first half of the book felt like a normal MG, light and fun with a little mystery. But the second half (especially the ending scenes) got a little more violent than I anticipated. I mean, I'm here for the fairy tales. I know they can get dark. But as an early MG, it just surprised me. Plus, the author didn't really set that expectation and possibility up early enough that I was prepared for it. So, for the parents out there, this one does deal with a little blood.

Overall, a cute story. An interesting twist and premise, and not a terrible read. Not my favorite MG or even fairy tale retelling out there. But for those littles who are learning to read more complex stories, this could be a good starter for them and a good intro into the MG world.

Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley and the above are my thoughts :)

[Debbie Mathis PA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glass Slippers is a Cinderella retelling from her stepsister, Tirza. What we learn in this story is that Cinderella actually had three stepsisters and the story is from Tirza’s point of view. We also learn that those glass slippers had some pretty serious Fae magic which Cinderella needed for protecting the kingdom she is Queen of. I found the writing to be pretty good and while this book is recommended for 9- to 12-year-old readers, but we older readers will enjoy it too! This book is a pretty quick read and the second in the Sisters Ever After series but may be read as a standalone.

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Sisters Ever After series, Leah Cypess pens a fresh and fun take on the fairytale of Cinderella. Told through the voice of Queen Ella’s youngest (and hereto now unknown) stepsister Tirza, this delightful and entertaining story contains not only magic, but touches on the theme of self-doubt, greed, and sibling rivalry. I was completely captivated from the first page and while it’s targeted at middle grade readers (9 – 15 years) it highly appealed to this adult. There was enough suspense to keep me turning pages and enough charm to make me immediately download the first book in the series once I finished Glass Slippers!

[Scarlett O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really really good and personally I think it was better than the first book of the series.

[Elevetha · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This Cinderella retelling didn't really work for me very well. I understand when there is a mystery, that you shouldn't know exactly what's going on, but the aspect of Tirzah not knowing who to trust between Queen Ella and her stepsisters honestly just caused a lot of confusion. I didn't care for going the whole story not having a clue who were the good/bad guys. That being said, I get that neither did Tirzah so we were in the same boat, but something in the telling of it I was not a fan of.

One of my bigger complaints is that this story got very dark near the end. The manner in which the shoes can be used involves blood and it just was written in a much darker tone than the rest of the book. The beginning of the story is light and fitting with the cover, but the last 20% was surprising in the turn it took. I didn't love that, as I thought it was jarring to the overall story and also not ideal for the target audience.

Okay. Lady Tremaine (or whatever they may have called her in this version) tried the glass slipper on Tirzah's foot when she was FIVE YEARS OLD. And it fit!! Tell me how freakishly large her feet were/how freakishly small Ella's feet are for that to work. Unless the shoes magically fit certain people regardless of their overall shoe size, but if that were the case, that is never made clear to my knowledge.

I really liked the reasoning behind the prince trying the shoe on any girl that breathed, as Cypess made it make sense in her story.

I had some more thoughts but I don't recall them now, so suffice to say, not terrible but not really worth it in the realm of fairytale retellings.

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I loved this even more than the first one. This is the 2nd in this series, but they each follow a sister of different fairytale characters so you could read as stand alones if you wanted. I loved the authors spin on the Cinderella story-including a 3rd never before mentioned “evil stepsister”. This was such a thrilling & suspenseful read. A main part being because you are constantly guessing if the other characters, besides the stepsister we follow, are who they portray themselves as, or who they are portrayed to be by others. I loved Tirza as a MC. She just fascinated me in a way, & I had a blast with her. The authors whole take on the glass slippers, the stepmother/stepsisters, & Cinderella was a unique story in its own right, & I loved what she did with everything. It can get a little darker at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed it & stayed on the edge of my seat. There is 1 thing I didn’t like, & I’ve mentioned not liking it in another book too I believe. There’s a part where a character walks the path of the moonlight on water-so they’re walking on water. Just made me uncomfortable because of my faith, but that’s a personal thing. This is full of danger, adventure, suspense, family, friendship, magic, & highly imaginative & entertaining. Highly recommend. BEAUTIFUL cover by Kelsey Eng too.💜

[CozyReaderKelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting take on the Cinderella story. Having an unknown, younger stepsister narrate the story gave us the familiarity of the fairytale, but with a fresh approach. This tackled a lot of real world issues like bullying and family dynamics. In terms of the fairytale, it did have a dark take on the fairy magic, which I really enjoyed. I liked not really knowing if the stepsisters or Cinderella were evil or had good intentions for most of the book. It kept me intrigued to see what would happen.

[The Keepers of the Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinderella is married and has been ruling the kingdom for the last 6 years. Beloved by the people, she dons her glass slippers once a year during the annual ball. Her stepmother is dead and the other stepsisters have been exiled. 11-year-old Tirza , Cinderella’s sister, lives in the palace, hidden away from everyone else and not treated as an equal. Her only friend is Aiden, a son of a cupcake baker. Aiden’s mom, however, has ulterior motives. When the glass slippers get taken Tirza gets accused of taking them. Determined to clear her name, Tirza battles with family loyalty, her tumultuous relationship with Ella, and the mystery of the slippers. Will she succeed?

A modern take on an old tale, the author creates a story that brings the world of fairy tales to life through the point of view of the people on the other side of happily ever after. The portrayal of unkind Cinderella and the prince doesn’t seem to fit with the original characters’ personalities, but is probably true to how Tirza would see it. Readers who like retold fairy tales, adventure, fantasy, and mysteries will like reading this book. Although this is not the first in the series, it can be read
as a stand alone.

Please Note: An electronic copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions expresses are our own.

[Leticia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this to my daughter at bedtime. Great middle grade book. Way better than the first book.

[Julia Betman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book on the Northbrook Public Library website. I decided to listen to the audio book and I really enjoyed it. The person that reads the book uses great expression when reading and changes her voice to match the different characters.

This book is a twist on the traditional Cinderella story by including a third step sister named Tirza. The story is from the point of view of Tirza. The other two stepsisters live in exile for what they did to Queen Ella. Queen Ella decided to give Tirza a chance to prove herself since she was only five years old when the other two step sisters were exiled. Tirza lives in the castle with Queen Ella in a corner room filled with mice. One day, Tirza goes into Queen Ella’s room and tries on the glass slippers. She dances around in them feeling their magic. Later, Queen Ella’s glass slippers go missing and all eyes go on Tirza. However, she put them back where she found them on Queen Ella’s bed. Read to find out who stole the slippers and how Tirza learns the truth about her two sisters that were exiled and the reason behind the death of her mom.

This book is for students in fourth through seventh grade. This book contains some violence, so it might be better for students to read in middle school.

[Lizz Axnick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore fairy tales in all their glory, re-tellings, new tellings, Russian, English, French, you name it, I love them, especially the (REAL) original Grimm tales. I like the Disney ones well enough but honestly the punishment for the bad guys is always so much better in the lore versions. This one is good for older kiddos but definitely not a younger audience.

Tirza is the third stepsister no one knew about until Ella became queen. The stepmother is dead and the two other stepsisters banished, but Tirza is dear to Ella, being only 5 when the atrocities against then Cinderella were committed and thus Ella takes her into the palace and hopes to give her a real family and show she is loved, even if she does live in a narrow tower furthest away from the heart of the castle. Her room is at least cozy.

Tirza is accused of stealing the glass slippers Cinderella wears to the annual ball when they go missing. Except she swears she didn't do it, but since everyone is gaslighting her, including Ella herself, she starts to believe she did it. And it's a whirlwind adventure to prove her innocence.

The story is full of magic, cupcakes, intrigue, deceit and scary biting bluefish. If you love the original Cinderella fairy tales, you'll like this one, which is reminiscent of the Grimm version, with sprinklings of Perrault's French version (also the version the Disney film is based on) but if you're looking for singing mice and all things nice, this is not it. I loved it and will read the first book in the series soon.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. My opinions in this review are my own.

[Robyn Tocker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book in the “Sisters Ever After” series completed! This one focused on Cinderella’s third “evil” stepsister, Tirza. Instead of being banished alongside her sisters, Tirza lives in the castle with stepsister Queen Ella, but the benefits are not quite what one would think.

I liked Cypess’ decision to give Ella a third stepsister instead of a biological sister and how she made the glass slippers almost sentient beings, drawing on people’s life force to do incredible magic. Her twist on Ella’s “godmother” was also well done.

Only two more left to read in Cypess’ series! I wonder if I’ll finish them this month 🧐 3⭐️

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

As fond as I am of fairy tales in their original forms, I also find great delight in reading fractured or reimagined ones in which secondary characters take the forefront. This one, part of the Sisters Ever After series, is just as deliciously delightful as the first one, Thornwood. It seems that Cinderella--yes, she of the glass slipper fame--had a third stepsister. Eleven-year-old Tirza is much younger than Cinderella, and even though she lives in the palace with Cinderella while her other two sisters, Danica and Esme, have been banished, she isn't entirely sure that everything about Cinderella is true or that she is to be trusted. She isn't even sure what happened before she came to live in the castle or how she and her family treated Cinderella. When Tirza tries on those glass slippers, which later disappear, she is the first one to be blamed. With even Cinderella seemingly turning on her, Tirza flees the castle and ends up embroiled in a plot that will make sure that there's no happy ending for its royal inhabitants. Could it be that the slippers were intended for her all along? And if so, can she resist their alluring power? Anyone with a taste for magic and heavy doses of betrayal as well as a surprise or two will enjoy this outing and decide to stay away from any footwear made of glass. This book is a fast read with plenty of intrigue as readers won't be sure who is trustworthy and who is not.

[Paige V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from my daughter Paige, 12 yo:

Her summary: Tirza, the third unknown stepsister of Cinderella, has always lived in the castle with disgrace about what her sisters did to Queen Ella (Cinderella). One day Tirza discovers the Queen's glass slippers on her bed, so she tries them on and dances. Later, Queen Ella's slippers are missing, and the only suspect could be Tirza. Now, it's up to Tirza to prove that she didn't steal them. Will she find them before it's too late?

Her thoughts: I was excited to read this book because my favorite princess was Cinderella when I was little.
I was hooked as soon as I read the book. Glass Slippers is the second book in the middle-grade fantasy Sisters Ever After series. To understand the series, you don't have to read the first book, Thornwood. The books stood by themselves as complete books.
It was more of a follow-up to the Cinderella story than a retelling. The story had a lot of Ah and oh moments; it was a big ol' can of sisters' drama soup.
Tirza was a well-crafted character with her hopes and dreams. On the other hand, Queen Ella was very queenly and gracious. I love how the author captured Queen Ella's queen aspect.
I won this book in an Instagram giveaway. Big thank you to @Bellesmiddlegrade for getting the author to sign it and letting me read this book.

[C.L. Colyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a delightful middle-grade fairytale retelling. Tirza isn’t very popular with those who live in the castle or in the kingdom, all because of who her family is. But just because her mom and stepsisters were wicked, doesn’t mean Tirza is. Right? To make matters worse, she doesn’t know whom to trust. Cinderella claims to love her, but does she? Her sisters claim the same thing, and they are family. Then there is her one friend…is he really her friend? Discovering the answers to these questions along with Tirza was part of the fun of this original story. Fans of fairytales are sure to enjoy the book.

I will admit, it drove me nut that Cinderella and the prince were portrayed at times as unkind. This is so opposite of who they are in the books and shows I’ve seen. I really wanted to shake them both while reminding them they are the nice ones! But don’t let this stop you from reading this enchanting book. Tirza is wonderful, and we see her grow and make her own choices.

Glass Slipper is the second book in the series but reads like a standalone. Each book in the series is a new retelling of a different fairytale.

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House, and Leah Cypess for a review copy.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!

Glass Slippers follows Tirza, Cinderella’s third stepsister who was only five-years-old when the events of the fairy tale happened. With her mother dead and her sisters in exile, Tirza grows up in the palace, generally left to her own devices and mistrusted by the majority of the court. When Queen Ella’s famous glass slippers go missing just days before the annual ball, Tirza is immediately blamed even though she’s innocent. Cypess crafts an interesting take on the classic fairy tale. Since Tirza was so young at the time, her memories of past events are fairly vague and broken. She can remember snippets but isn’t even sure what’s real or what’s imagined. It adds to the mystery of who is the hero and who is the villain, and it just makes for a great character overall.

Cypess uses both the more well-known Perrault version of the story and the infamously gruesome Grimm one. We have stepsisters cutting off parts of their feet here! I really appreciated that she didn’t shy away from these darker aspects despite writing for children. It upped the stakes and tension and made for some excellent scenes. The glass slippers were probably my favorite part of the book. Cypess does a fantastic job with them and describing the allure they hold for Tirza.

I did find myself wanting a little more from the book, particularly when it came to character motivations. We never receive an explanation for why Ella acts in certain ways toward Tirza nor do we understand why Tirza’s family mistreated Ella in the first place. The main villain’s plan was never entirely clear to me, though I won’t say more to avoid spoilers. I also wasn’t enamored with the writing, but that probably has more to do with me not being the target audience.

Overall, Glass Slippers is a fun and unique take on what happens after Cinderella’s happily ever after that fairy tale-loving kids (and adults!) are sure to enjoy.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one even more than the first one, and I can't really talk about it without spoilers, so, umm, spoilers ahead:

Tirza is the third of Ella's stepsisters, and was just five years old when the whole ball-glass-slippers thing went down. Ella and her other sisters have very different accounts of how things went down, with the evil stepsisters claiming that Ella is manipulative and faked the whole victim thing. I was kinda worried the book might actually go with that, but it didn't. Instead, we got to watch Tirza navigate her complicated family dynamic, made more complicated by the fact that she was really young when things blew up. We get to see the ways in which Ella is still impacted by those years of abuse, and watch her and Tirza come to understand each other better and communicate better with each other.

So I went from being really nervous about the book to absolutely loving it because it felt so real.

[Eileen Winfrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fresh take on the Cinderella story told from the perpective of a THIRD previously not mentioned stepsister who was only five years old when the original story was set down. Living in the palace with the king and queen Tirza (the third stepsister) has an awkward relationship with Ella and is picked on and bullied by pretty much everyone else. One day she sees the glass slippers laid out in Ella's room and tries them on. Suddenly everything changes. The slippers fit Tirza and she realizes that they are actually magical objects that derive their power from the wearer. It gets pretty bloody at the end, but in a very traditional fairy tale way. It kept me reading wondering where it was going. Solid.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readers meet Cinderella's third stepsister. She was not banished with the other two as she was too young to be part of the plots. She lives at the castle with Cinderella and the King and delights in their two sons. She is not trusted by many, and this comes to a head when the glass slippers disappear. Further twists occur when the two stepsisters reappear with plans to steal the kingdom with the magic from the slippers. Cypess offers twists and misdirections so readers have to pay attention to the characters and their actions.
The second book was not as interesting to me as her first with Sleeping Beauty's sister but middle grade readers will appreciate learning more about Cinderella's life after the fairy tale ends.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a story about someone trying to find her place in the world when it's hard to know who to trust, and everyone has their own agenda. It's about who is family and how complicated that question is. The plot gets so complicated by the end, with so many different twists, that it almost gets too hard to keep track of who is trustworthy and what everyone's motivations are. My one big crititcism of this book is that, as a Cinderella story, it sticks to the idea of the stepmother and (some of) the stepsisters being wicked, and I wish that idea had been subverted, as there are many potential readers of this book who have blended families.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinderella isn’t my favorite fairytale, but I really, really loved this retelling!

It was so good, and I loved Tirza. This was a quick read and the book twisted and explored Cinderella’s story in a really unique and interesting way.

Tirza is the third “evil stepsister,” the one you never hear about because she was only five when Cinderella meets the Prince. The way Leah Cypess wrote Tirza was super fascinating. Tirza is resentful of Cinderella because Tirza thinks Cinderella isn’t as kind as she portrays herself. Tirza also doesn’t know the whole story, so this causes a lot of misunderstandings. I will say I was totally rooting for Cinderella to be evil.

Tirza also doesn’t know exactly what happened to her mother and sisters. Tirza is not the most reliable narrator for these reasons.

There was a lot of Tirza struggling with what was going on and trying to determine what was real. Really, Tirza was trying to figure out her place and who her family is. A truly captivating story.

There was some magic which was a lot of fun. The slippers were magical in this book, which I found really interesting. And how they were unsafe, and you had to be careful when wearing them.

This book also explores marriages of convenience, which I think is important for people to understand, especially as these are becoming more common in media. This book can definitely open a conversation about how maybe Cinderella married the Prince to escape her life and how that grew into love. I wish this was focused on a little more.

Ultimately, at the end of the book, Tirza has to make a big decision. Should she follow the path of her family, or should she be on Cinderella’s side? She also comes to realize by the end of this book that what she took for haughty was actually a defense mechanism, and Cinderella realized she should have tried harder pertaining to Tirza.

Glass Slippers is definitely one of my favorite Cinderella retellings. It has action and adventure, as well as family relationships and learning you don’t have to follow the path of your family!

[Eleanor With Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leah Cypess, traditional writer of girl/girl friendship novels set in dark, realpolitik court settings often full of ghosts, assassination, and/or death, has been able to write light, young reader-aimed fairy tale retellings for one and a half books, until it was no longer humanly possible and there had to be a shark bite revealing the fairy magic that feeds on blood, following the almost poltergeistish homicidal boat tarp attack. This is hilarious.

Yes, it's good. Yes, there are cupcakes in it. (Spy cupcakes.) Go read it.

[Cara (Wilde Book Garden) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an underhyped series! I really like the writing and I love the main characters of both books (excited to see what fairytale the third one will be based on!) I also really like the twists Leah Cypess puts on the fairytales, and the way the plot keeps me guessing.

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as book 1: I found the side characters less fun, for one thing, and there were a couple things about the resolution I wish had gone differently - though I definitely think the ending works well. Overall though, still really enjoyed this installment!

CW: Grief, blood, bullying

[Kimiy ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

fairy tale related kids book, great book for middle school kids or readers that enjoy light fairy tales. this book is from the point of view of cinderella’s sister Tirza. cinderella told everyone that tirza is kind and not evil like her other sisters. one day cinderella’s glass slipper goes missing so tirza has to try to solve the mystery on who took the slipper. i received this arc from NG and this is my voluntary review.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting

This was interesting. It’s pretty neat to add in another sister or step sister into all of these fairy tales that have been so well known.

The Rapunzel one was ok but the plot was a little odd. This one I liked better though it was a little crazy with her sisters being evil and cutting off their heel and Dame Yaffa/their godmother being crazy too.

The ending was good though and kind of tied everything together.

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Cinderella retelling from the perspective of the third step-sister, taking place after Cinderella marries the prince and become queen and takes her youngest step-sister to live her with after the other two are sent away and the step-mother died.

It was well done and kept me guessing as to whom could be trusted and what was really going on. A good addition to the fairytale retellings/expansions out there.