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erincataldi's review against another edition
4.0
I just can't hate this series. Try as I might to despise Amish fiction, this adorable, quirky, and wholesome little Amish fairy tale series has warmed my cold black heart. I just love it! Ella is the second in the series and is loosely based on the Cinderella fairy tale. Complete with the cruel stepmother, rude stepsisters, and playful mice it has a few interesting takes as well, instead of a glass slipper there is a pie contest, there is "magic," the fairy godmother is a kind lady in the congregation, etc. It's disgustingly wholesome and clean and I still loved it. I can't wait to read Sadie, the Amish take on Snow White and I hope there are more in this series!
tiggeruo's review against another edition
5.0
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books and Netgalley. I was under no obligation to post a review and have given my honest opinion
Ella Troyer is faced with losing her mom gaining a new family and then losing her dad. She is reminded of her mother's memory to always be kind and nice. As she faces helping her stepmom and siblings with everything, she catches a suitors eye can she do it all or will something have to give?
Every time I get my hands on Sarah’s book I just can’t put it down most nights reading late into the night and this was once again one of those books. I wanted to know what happened. I have read Sarah’s other book Belle and now this one and for whatever reason these books make me feel like I’m coming home. They are so good it makes you feel like your catching up with friends and the author has that way of just reaching through the pages to keep you interested and going from beginning to end. Seriously this book was amazing. I loved everything about it. The author kept it light but also with a lesson to be learned while reading this wonderful story. The author leaves you hungry both physically and spiritually.
Ella Troyer is faced with losing her mom gaining a new family and then losing her dad. She is reminded of her mother's memory to always be kind and nice. As she faces helping her stepmom and siblings with everything, she catches a suitors eye can she do it all or will something have to give?
Every time I get my hands on Sarah’s book I just can’t put it down most nights reading late into the night and this was once again one of those books. I wanted to know what happened. I have read Sarah’s other book Belle and now this one and for whatever reason these books make me feel like I’m coming home. They are so good it makes you feel like your catching up with friends and the author has that way of just reaching through the pages to keep you interested and going from beginning to end. Seriously this book was amazing. I loved everything about it. The author kept it light but also with a lesson to be learned while reading this wonderful story. The author leaves you hungry both physically and spiritually.
arjayebrewerforestfern's review against another edition
5.0
I loved how the ball was changed with the rumspriner (excuse my spelling) and the glass slipper replaced with a pie which of course the step sisters claim is theirs of course along with their mother. The bit where they find out whose pie it is along with other things is so good along with that neither step sister can cook very well at all. It’s a much more homely version of Cinderella and I loved the little details eg the gift in the pie.
I love this Amish retelling of Cinderella which was one of my favourite fairy tales growing up.
I love this Amish retelling of Cinderella which was one of my favourite fairy tales growing up.
kristinasshelves's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this retelling more than the original Cinderella! Ella is such a model of a good Christian woman and it was fantastic to see her love with Hannes blossom. The evil step-mother and step-sister characters were so awful, but the twist at the end was awesome! I wish there were more than three books in this series!
jbrooxd's review against another edition
5.0
A delight from start to finish! I loved how the author adapted the Cinderella story to the Amish setting. After watching Ella’s mistreatment at the hands of her step-family for most of the book, the ending made me sit up and cheer. Fantastic! This is a must-read series for me.
I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
ladywithaquill's review
4.0
Fairytale retellings are a bit addicting for me - the minute I see the word "fairytale," I immediately pick up the book and start reading. And if it's an Amish retelling? Now my interest is peaked! Cinderella is a classic, and it's a fairly simple tale to mold into whatever subgenre you're focused on, whether it's contemporary, paranormal, Christian, etc. I loved how Sarah Price took the story and made it so original in an Amish setting, really drawing me in and keeping things surprising, which is hard to do with a retelling. Usually things are super predictable, but not in this book!
Ella Troyer's father passed a year ago, and now that she's alone with her stepmother and stepsisters, things have become unbearable. Forced to do all of the household chores and miss community activities, she feels trapped and is beginning to think she may never know anything else. When a handsome man comes to town, all the young women in her community see him as a catch, but he only has eyes for Ella. But his reason for being there is closely connected to Ella's family, and that connection inevitably leads to conflict. When her stepsisters decide they want him for themselves, it will take a large helping of faith to carry Ella through to a happily ever after.
Hannes and Ella were just about perfect for each other, and I loved how their relationship grew over time! It wasn't your typical love-at-first-sight fairytale, but instead it built over time with sweet meetings by the river and quiet conversations out of sight of Ella's family. Ella was basically a saint, which fits with the Cinderella story but became somewhat irritating as time went on. She let her family walk all over her for so long, and while she stood up for herself later in the story, I wanted her to get some gumption a little sooner. Hannes was a great contrast to her, as he had no problem standing up to her family and helping Ella see how strong she could be.
There were several plot twists that helped keep this retelling unique and exciting, and I am eager to read the next story in the series! That one will be a retelling of Snow White, I imagine, as seven male Amish brothers living in solitude were mentioned.
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
Ella Troyer's father passed a year ago, and now that she's alone with her stepmother and stepsisters, things have become unbearable. Forced to do all of the household chores and miss community activities, she feels trapped and is beginning to think she may never know anything else. When a handsome man comes to town, all the young women in her community see him as a catch, but he only has eyes for Ella. But his reason for being there is closely connected to Ella's family, and that connection inevitably leads to conflict. When her stepsisters decide they want him for themselves, it will take a large helping of faith to carry Ella through to a happily ever after.
Hannes and Ella were just about perfect for each other, and I loved how their relationship grew over time! It wasn't your typical love-at-first-sight fairytale, but instead it built over time with sweet meetings by the river and quiet conversations out of sight of Ella's family. Ella was basically a saint, which fits with the Cinderella story but became somewhat irritating as time went on. She let her family walk all over her for so long, and while she stood up for herself later in the story, I wanted her to get some gumption a little sooner. Hannes was a great contrast to her, as he had no problem standing up to her family and helping Ella see how strong she could be.
There were several plot twists that helped keep this retelling unique and exciting, and I am eager to read the next story in the series! That one will be a retelling of Snow White, I imagine, as seven male Amish brothers living in solitude were mentioned.
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
pandareads41's review
5.0
This was a good book and I stayed up late two nights in a row to find out how it ends. I really enjoyed the first book in the series Belle and was glad to see those characters in this book. I'm hoping to copy the recipes at the end of the book and try them out. Already have the next book in the series so going to start it in a few days
llamareads's review
4.0
I don’t usually read Amish romances, but I love fairy tale retellings and I loved the Ellie’s People books when I was a kid, so I decided to try this one out. I’m glad I did! While it’s somewhat simplistic, it’s also very sweet and fairy tale-like. Like most Amish romances, it’s also very Christian, so if that’s a deal-breaker for you, you probably won’t like it. While this is the second in a series, I read it as a standalone.
After her father died suddenly, Ella’s stepmother inherited the general store he founded and ran for years. Unfortunately, she’s proved to be not very good at it, and Ella’s stepsisters will basically do anything to get out of doing chores, preferring to go gossip with their friends.
Like I said previously, it’s a bit simplistic, especially characterization-wise. The bad people – like the stepmother and stepsisters – are very, very bad. The stepsisters, especially, abuse Ella’s tendency to put others’ needs ahead of her own to get out of doing pretty much anything so they can go gossip with friends. I didn’t like that immediately the step-sisters were described as overweight and “large boned” as a shorthand way of showing they’re the bad guys. That kind of fat shaming, in my opinion, has no place in such an unabashedly Christian book. Hannes, on the other hand, is the epitome of perfect Amish husband material – “prudent with his words and even-tempered with his speech.” The story’s version of the fairy godmother is, also, a vision of perfect Amish womanhood. I was delighted to see what the Amish equivalent to a prince was, and there were other little references to the fairy tale that were cute.
My main issue with the book was that I disliked that Ella was such a doormat. Like I mentioned previously, she had a habit of volunteering to do the stepsisters’ chores so they’d stop arguing over who would do them. Her step-family is ridiculously cruel to her, basically using her a servant and running the store into the ground, but she never attempts to bring the issues up with a church authority. While Ella is, eventually, gently reproached by a church elder for being so good and kind at her own expense, it felt a bit like too much too late. I think being good and kind in the face of trying circumstances (and people!) is a certainly a good thing, but Ella took it to an extreme. In some ways, being so self-sacrificial just worsened her step-sisters’ and stepmother’s tendency towards relying on her, meaning that they never felt the effects of their wrongdoing until Ella’s “fairy godmother” stepped in. Basically, rather than allowing them the chance to correct their “sin,” she aided them in continuing it. I’m pretty sure that this is a place where general mainstream Protestantism differs with the Amish, though, so I won’t mark the book down for it.
Overall, though, I think it was a very enjoyable read, and I’m giving it four stars. If you love both Amish romances and fairy tale retellings, I’m sure you’d love this book!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
“[S]he kept repeating the words her mother had told her just before she died: Be kind and good, no matter what happens, for God has a plan for you.”
After her father died suddenly, Ella’s stepmother inherited the general store he founded and ran for years. Unfortunately, she’s proved to be not very good at it, and Ella’s stepsisters will basically do anything to get out of doing chores, preferring to go gossip with their friends.
Like I said previously, it’s a bit simplistic, especially characterization-wise. The bad people – like the stepmother and stepsisters – are very, very bad. The stepsisters, especially, abuse Ella’s tendency to put others’ needs ahead of her own to get out of doing pretty much anything so they can go gossip with friends. I didn’t like that immediately the step-sisters were described as overweight and “large boned” as a shorthand way of showing they’re the bad guys. That kind of fat shaming, in my opinion, has no place in such an unabashedly Christian book. Hannes, on the other hand, is the epitome of perfect Amish husband material – “prudent with his words and even-tempered with his speech.” The story’s version of the fairy godmother is, also, a vision of perfect Amish womanhood. I was delighted to see what the Amish equivalent to a prince was, and there were other little references to the fairy tale that were cute.
“I try to make good choices, to follow God’s Word, and to be fair to others.” With a quick glance over his shoulder, he took a deep breath and sighed. “It’s hard to watch other people who do not walk the same path.”
[…] She replied slowly, echoing his serious tone, “The choices we make, Hannes, are the one thing we truly own. If some people choose poorly, we can only pray for them, ja? We cannot be responsible for others’ poor decisions.”
My main issue with the book was that I disliked that Ella was such a doormat. Like I mentioned previously, she had a habit of volunteering to do the stepsisters’ chores so they’d stop arguing over who would do them. Her step-family is ridiculously cruel to her, basically using her a servant and running the store into the ground, but she never attempts to bring the issues up with a church authority. While Ella is, eventually, gently reproached by a church elder for being so good and kind at her own expense, it felt a bit like too much too late. I think being good and kind in the face of trying circumstances (and people!) is a certainly a good thing, but Ella took it to an extreme. In some ways, being so self-sacrificial just worsened her step-sisters’ and stepmother’s tendency towards relying on her, meaning that they never felt the effects of their wrongdoing until Ella’s “fairy godmother” stepped in. Basically, rather than allowing them the chance to correct their “sin,” she aided them in continuing it. I’m pretty sure that this is a place where general mainstream Protestantism differs with the Amish, though, so I won’t mark the book down for it.
Overall, though, I think it was a very enjoyable read, and I’m giving it four stars. If you love both Amish romances and fairy tale retellings, I’m sure you’d love this book!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
ravenmoon's review
5.0
This is the second book of the Amish Fairytale series by Sarah price and I have to say that enjoyed just as much as Belle, the first book in the series if not more. We got see Ella's life and the sweet romance she got to have with a young Amish businessman while dealing with her awful step-mother and step-sisters. They are truly horrible people and they deserved what they got at the end of the book. We also got to hear a little bit more about Sadie Whitaker from the first book and I can't wait to read her story.
I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys a good Amish romance. It is truly a great and fast read.
*I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I recommend this book to anybody who enjoys a good Amish romance. It is truly a great and fast read.
*I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
reynoldsreads's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Another sweet, lovely little Amish romance, this one with a Cinderella twist! Navigating life with her awful, unappreciative stepmother and stepsisters, Ella feels the first glimmer of happiness she has felt in a long time when a strange young man comes to town on business – and stays for her.
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