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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
3.5 stars. This was a very unique take on Cinderella, and I really enjoyed reading the novel. It reminded me a lot of the Rigel Black series — especially the main character Blue and her love for all things alchemy.
C.J. Redwine’s writing was beautifully whimsical, and each perspective and character added something new to the story (even the “step-mother’s” POV - (though she’s not really a step mother)). I also liked CJR’s take on the relationship between the prince and Cinderella. Instead of portraying the two as complete strangers like the more traditional story does, Kellan and Blue share a deeper history. Because their parents were friends, the two grew up together despite their mutual dislike for one another. I liked seeing their relationship grow and change throughout the novel as they faced grief and their evolving responsibilities, and the scene with the glass shoe was adorable.
C.J. Redwine’s writing was beautifully whimsical, and each perspective and character added something new to the story (even the “step-mother’s” POV - (though she’s not really a step mother)). I also liked CJR’s take on the relationship between the prince and Cinderella. Instead of portraying the two as complete strangers like the more traditional story does, Kellan and Blue share a deeper history. Because their parents were friends, the two grew up together despite their mutual dislike for one another. I liked seeing their relationship grow and change throughout the novel as they faced grief and their evolving responsibilities, and the scene with the glass shoe was adorable.
I loved this book. It had everything that makes a Cinderella retelling amazing but had a lot of unique and changes to the classic story so it wasn’t repetitive of what has been done before.
I adore the Ravenspire series by C.J. Redwine, and I have been waiting for *the longest* to get my hands on The Blood Spell, the fourth book in this awesome series. This series of retellings has had me hooked from the very first book, and I am always eagerly anticipating when a new book is due to release. The Blood Spell was an excellent addition to this awesome series, and I’m so thrilled to have it in my collection!!
If you haven’t yet read this series, let me quickly fill you in… Every book in this series is a retelling of a popular fairytale. The first book, The Shadow Queen, is a retelling of Snow White. The second and third books, The Wish Granter and The Traitor Prince, are retellings of Rumpelstiltskin and The Prince and the Pauper/The False Prince. And, of course, the fourth book in the series, The Blood Spell, (probably my most anticipated of the series), is a Cinderella retelling! (Up until now The Shadow Queen has been my favorite book in the series, but now The Blood Spell is among my fave as well!)
As I mentioned above, I have been long awaiting this Cinderella retelling, as I can’t seem to get enough of these stories, and I was super curious to see how C.J. would put her spin on this popular tale. I’m thrilled to say that I really loved everything about this book. It has amazing characters, including the main character, Blue de la Cour, (who is awesome, and who I love), A crown prince who was super adorable, and even an evil-stepmother type who you will love to hate, (even when you feel a bit sorry for her). These are just a few of the awesome characters; there are SO many more to love! (And a few to hate as well!)
I also really loved the storyline for the book. Being a retelling, it felt both familiar, yet uniquely new as well. I love the story of Cinderella, and I have only read a handful of retellings of the book so far, and this book is by far one of my favorites. I especially love that the story had a magical feel to it. That gave it such an interesting twist!
Overall; If you haven’t noticed, I really, really enjoyed The Blood Spell! While I love all the books in this series, The Blood Spell and The Shadow Queen are definitely my favorites so far, and I will most definitely be re-reading all of these books soon. I don’t know if The Blood Spell is the last book in the series, but I am really hoping that it’s not, because I would love to see C.J. write even more retellings to add to this collection! If you’ve not yet checked out the books, and are fans of a good retelling, or just fans of awesome stories in general, you should definitely check out The Ravenspire series!!
Happy Reading!
If you haven’t yet read this series, let me quickly fill you in… Every book in this series is a retelling of a popular fairytale. The first book, The Shadow Queen, is a retelling of Snow White. The second and third books, The Wish Granter and The Traitor Prince, are retellings of Rumpelstiltskin and The Prince and the Pauper/The False Prince. And, of course, the fourth book in the series, The Blood Spell, (probably my most anticipated of the series), is a Cinderella retelling! (Up until now The Shadow Queen has been my favorite book in the series, but now The Blood Spell is among my fave as well!)
As I mentioned above, I have been long awaiting this Cinderella retelling, as I can’t seem to get enough of these stories, and I was super curious to see how C.J. would put her spin on this popular tale. I’m thrilled to say that I really loved everything about this book. It has amazing characters, including the main character, Blue de la Cour, (who is awesome, and who I love), A crown prince who was super adorable, and even an evil-stepmother type who you will love to hate, (even when you feel a bit sorry for her). These are just a few of the awesome characters; there are SO many more to love! (And a few to hate as well!)
I also really loved the storyline for the book. Being a retelling, it felt both familiar, yet uniquely new as well. I love the story of Cinderella, and I have only read a handful of retellings of the book so far, and this book is by far one of my favorites. I especially love that the story had a magical feel to it. That gave it such an interesting twist!
Overall; If you haven’t noticed, I really, really enjoyed The Blood Spell! While I love all the books in this series, The Blood Spell and The Shadow Queen are definitely my favorites so far, and I will most definitely be re-reading all of these books soon. I don’t know if The Blood Spell is the last book in the series, but I am really hoping that it’s not, because I would love to see C.J. write even more retellings to add to this collection! If you’ve not yet checked out the books, and are fans of a good retelling, or just fans of awesome stories in general, you should definitely check out The Ravenspire series!!
Happy Reading!
Overall: 4.5/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4.5/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Blood Spell is a fun, adorable Cinderella retelling with lots of heart, although it isn’t my favorite C. J. Redwine book.
”Grief was easier to bear when it was shared with those left behind.”
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// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Panic Attacks, Anxiety, Depression, Child Abuse, Animal Death, Murder, PTSD //
- Premise -
The Blood Spell is told from multiple, third person point of views, including our two protagonists: Blue and Prince Kellan. Blue is an alchemist, with fae magic in her blood that she is forced to hide. All she wants to do is help her kingdom’s homeless children who keep disappearing, but when her father is killed and she’s forced to live with an abusive noble, she must look for help in the person she hates most-- Prince Kellan. Meanwhile, Prince Kellan is forced into a game of deadly politics in order to find a bride before his nineteenth birthday, but the more time he spends with Blue, the harder it is to pick a girl to marry from the high ranking ladies he is forced to select his wife from.
”It would be another test. Another game where the lies were pretty, the questions were pointed, and the calculations were shrewd.”
- Writing -
C. J. Redwine’s writing is dark, gritty, and realistic. While this book is definitely one of the lighter feeling ones in the series, it still has those dark elements that make it so fun. One thing I love about her writing is how accessible it is. Her books never feel heavy or too gritty, and they’re always easy to jump into and enjoy. Being the fourth book set in this world, I loved seeing the familiar aspects of the setting while also seeing a new kingdom that was only briefly mentioned in previous books. Balvata is an interesting new setting, that's very well developed and feels unique from all the other Ravenspire-Universe kingdoms.
- Plot -
Speaking of easy to jump into-- this book’s pacing was great! It rarely lulled, with always something interesting happening or about to break through. My only complaint is that there were a couple of plot elements (one in particular) that felt a little too convenient or forced. The one that bothered me most was something that happened at the end to resolve a major conflict, that was never mentioned as an option beforehand, but really should have been. It felt like it was just thrown in there last second to make sure the book is as Cinderella-y as it could get, and to make sure the ending was as happy as possible.
”She wanted to be limitless, and she was about to get her wish.”
- Characters -
I loved Blue and Kellan so much. They were both amazing characters. Blue is such a strong character and I loved how this book didn’t gloss over her father’s death and actually showed her grieving and trying to cope. Kellan was equally strong and interesting. If you read The Traitor Prince, then you may remember him as Javan’s roommate at boarding school, and while his character didn’t really interest me then, he was so much more fleshed out and compelling in this book. I also loved the relationship between Blue and Kellan, growing from hate, to friendship, to love. It was absolutely adorable and felt realistic.
The one downside was the villain-- the “evil stepmother”. It took about halfway through the book for me to understand her motivations and a lot of what she does just feels unnecessary and only there to make this an accurate Cinderella retelling. After the amazing villain in The Traitor Prince, I was just a little disappointed.
- Conclusion -
Pros- Realistic protagonist, great setting, adorable romance
Cons- One aspect of the ending was a little forced, and the villain was weak
Overall- 4.5/5 stars.
The Blood Spell is a cute, fun Cinderella retelling with dark and gritty edges that will have you hooked!
”The kingdom needed a girl full of poison and reckless courage.”
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4.5/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Blood Spell is a fun, adorable Cinderella retelling with lots of heart, although it isn’t my favorite C. J. Redwine book.
”Grief was easier to bear when it was shared with those left behind.”
Blog ||Tumblr || Bookstagram || Twitter|| Reviews
// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Panic Attacks, Anxiety, Depression, Child Abuse, Animal Death, Murder, PTSD //
- Premise -
The Blood Spell is told from multiple, third person point of views, including our two protagonists: Blue and Prince Kellan. Blue is an alchemist, with fae magic in her blood that she is forced to hide. All she wants to do is help her kingdom’s homeless children who keep disappearing, but when her father is killed and she’s forced to live with an abusive noble, she must look for help in the person she hates most-- Prince Kellan. Meanwhile, Prince Kellan is forced into a game of deadly politics in order to find a bride before his nineteenth birthday, but the more time he spends with Blue, the harder it is to pick a girl to marry from the high ranking ladies he is forced to select his wife from.
”It would be another test. Another game where the lies were pretty, the questions were pointed, and the calculations were shrewd.”
- Writing -
C. J. Redwine’s writing is dark, gritty, and realistic. While this book is definitely one of the lighter feeling ones in the series, it still has those dark elements that make it so fun. One thing I love about her writing is how accessible it is. Her books never feel heavy or too gritty, and they’re always easy to jump into and enjoy. Being the fourth book set in this world, I loved seeing the familiar aspects of the setting while also seeing a new kingdom that was only briefly mentioned in previous books. Balvata is an interesting new setting, that's very well developed and feels unique from all the other Ravenspire-Universe kingdoms.
- Plot -
Speaking of easy to jump into-- this book’s pacing was great! It rarely lulled, with always something interesting happening or about to break through. My only complaint is that there were a couple of plot elements (one in particular) that felt a little too convenient or forced. The one that bothered me most was something that happened at the end to resolve a major conflict, that was never mentioned as an option beforehand, but really should have been. It felt like it was just thrown in there last second to make sure the book is as Cinderella-y as it could get, and to make sure the ending was as happy as possible.
”She wanted to be limitless, and she was about to get her wish.”
- Characters -
I loved Blue and Kellan so much. They were both amazing characters. Blue is such a strong character and I loved how this book didn’t gloss over her father’s death and actually showed her grieving and trying to cope. Kellan was equally strong and interesting. If you read The Traitor Prince, then you may remember him as Javan’s roommate at boarding school, and while his character didn’t really interest me then, he was so much more fleshed out and compelling in this book. I also loved the relationship between Blue and Kellan, growing from hate, to friendship, to love. It was absolutely adorable and felt realistic.
The one downside was the villain-- the “evil stepmother”. It took about halfway through the book for me to understand her motivations and a lot of what she does just feels unnecessary and only there to make this an accurate Cinderella retelling. After the amazing villain in The Traitor Prince, I was just a little disappointed.
- Conclusion -
Pros- Realistic protagonist, great setting, adorable romance
Cons- One aspect of the ending was a little forced, and the villain was weak
Overall- 4.5/5 stars.
The Blood Spell is a cute, fun Cinderella retelling with dark and gritty edges that will have you hooked!
”The kingdom needed a girl full of poison and reckless courage.”
Oh snap! I think this is my favorite book in this series. Talk about Cinderella retelling, this has to be one of the most unique ways to tell the tail of a nobody who marries a prince. There are witches and vampires and magic and the whole shebang. I loved every aspect of it.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Exquisite. Divine. Satisfying.
And now to find something else to read while I wait for the next book from C.J. Redwine!
And now to find something else to read while I wait for the next book from C.J. Redwine!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Blood Spell is a Cinderella retelling about a girl named Blue, who works at her father’s apothecary shop. In her world, magic is considered to be illegal after an event happened involving an evil witch, which is a problem because Blue has magic. When poor children begin to disappear in her town, Blue investigates what’s happening with the Prince, Kellan, who she grew up with and has hated for her entire life.
I was surprised by how different this story was from Cinderella for the first ⅔ of the book. I loved Blue and how her character was both kind and strong-spirited. The relationship between Blue and Kellan is also well-done. I loved how both characters had obstacles to overcome which made the relationship more genuine.
Redwine renews the tale of Cinderella with this story, and adds twists and complexities which ultimately made this story unique and different from the fairytale we all know. Overall, I recommend this title for those looking for a well-done fairytale.
The Blood Spell is a Cinderella retelling about a girl named Blue, who works at her father’s apothecary shop. In her world, magic is considered to be illegal after an event happened involving an evil witch, which is a problem because Blue has magic. When poor children begin to disappear in her town, Blue investigates what’s happening with the Prince, Kellan, who she grew up with and has hated for her entire life.
I was surprised by how different this story was from Cinderella for the first ⅔ of the book. I loved Blue and how her character was both kind and strong-spirited. The relationship between Blue and Kellan is also well-done. I loved how both characters had obstacles to overcome which made the relationship more genuine.
Redwine renews the tale of Cinderella with this story, and adds twists and complexities which ultimately made this story unique and different from the fairytale we all know. Overall, I recommend this title for those looking for a well-done fairytale.
Cute little story. I had not realised that this was part of a series, nor that it was a Cinderella retelling. However, the book was still enjoyable and nice to read.
Retelling of Cinderella. It was fun to listen to, but nothing earth shattering or really all that memorable. Part of the Ravenspire series, but you don't need to read any of the other books before picking this one up.