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sturmykins's review
4.0
Nice collection of re-tellings. I liked some better than others, but they were all good.
rgyger's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Over all I found this collection pleasant to read. It was not my favorite collection of stories, but it was definitely the most unique, connected by a plot rather than genre or writing style. I found it a nice change of pace to read a collection with various genres (rather than all historical, ect.) My opinion ranged with the stories, however.
In What Eyes Can See, I was pleased to find that it did not end the way one would expect a Cinderella story to end. It was a nice change from the original story. However, I felt bad for Drusilla, and actually thought she deserved better than what she got out of the situation. I know I would have been livid if I were her... though maybe she is just more forgiving than I am.
Broken Glass had another interesting twist on the characters and who ends up with whom. But I found I was not completely pleased with how it ended as I didn't like Marius and felt a bit bad for Darcy, even if he was the villain.
The Windy Side of Care had to be my favorite of the stories. Though I would never describe Alis as an overly kind person, I found her remarks amusing, as well as thoughs of the other character. Her "godfather" was particularly humorous, though I found his reasoning strange.
A Cinder's Tale contained a vary well built world, especially for such a short story. I imagine that I will enjoy reading the book that goes along with it. However, the whole element of the "Prince" seemed a little forced and out of place in this world. I believe I would have liked it better if the story had skewed a little further from the Cinderella origin in that regard.
The Moon Master's Ball was by far the most unique of the stories. I actually enjoyed the circus setting a lot more than I had thought I would. And the slippers were really cool. I won't lie. Yet by the end, I found it hard to believe that Tilly was the only person who could save the Moon Master and that no one else in the town seemed to notice that there was something seriously off about that ball.
I applaud the creativity and originality that went into making each of these stories unique and hope to see work by these authors again.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Over all I found this collection pleasant to read. It was not my favorite collection of stories, but it was definitely the most unique, connected by a plot rather than genre or writing style. I found it a nice change of pace to read a collection with various genres (rather than all historical, ect.) My opinion ranged with the stories, however.
In What Eyes Can See, I was pleased to find that it did not end the way one would expect a Cinderella story to end. It was a nice change from the original story. However, I felt bad for Drusilla, and actually thought she deserved better than what she got out of the situation. I know I would have been livid if I were her... though maybe she is just more forgiving than I am.
Broken Glass had another interesting twist on the characters and who ends up with whom. But I found I was not completely pleased with how it ended as I didn't like Marius and felt a bit bad for Darcy, even if he was the villain.
The Windy Side of Care had to be my favorite of the stories. Though I would never describe Alis as an overly kind person, I found her remarks amusing, as well as thoughs of the other character. Her "godfather" was particularly humorous, though I found his reasoning strange.
A Cinder's Tale contained a vary well built world, especially for such a short story. I imagine that I will enjoy reading the book that goes along with it. However, the whole element of the "Prince" seemed a little forced and out of place in this world. I believe I would have liked it better if the story had skewed a little further from the Cinderella origin in that regard.
The Moon Master's Ball was by far the most unique of the stories. I actually enjoyed the circus setting a lot more than I had thought I would. And the slippers were really cool. I won't lie. Yet by the end, I found it hard to believe that Tilly was the only person who could save the Moon Master and that no one else in the town seemed to notice that there was something seriously off about that ball.
I applaud the creativity and originality that went into making each of these stories unique and hope to see work by these authors again.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
flowersofquiethappiness's review against another edition
4.0
What fun! I so enjoy re-tellings and these ladies have done a fabulous job re-imagining Cinderella. I was quite impressed with their writing! They obviously had lots of fun sending Cinderella on so many different adventures. All the way into outer space even! :) Each short story has it's own feel and atmosphere, making it easy to get swept away. They were all delightful in their own way, but I confess to enjoying What Eyes Can See the most. By shining the spotlight on someone atypical of the Cinderella storyline, I really enjoyed watching it all unfold. But that's not to say the other's weren't entertaining! I'd never thought to imagine Cinderella in all the places these ladies took her, yet still staying true to the original story. You might not recognize her name, you may not recognize her situation, but the triumph of love and the importance of staying true to oneself are clearly visible. And how can you help but enjoy the bickering in The Windy Side of Care, the eerie yet irresistible Moon Master in The Moon Master's Ball, the friendships and fun of Broken Glass, and the camaraderie and heroism of A Cinder's Tale? All five stories are charming and I closed the book well satisfied that these "Cinderella's" had found their happy ending. I look forward to seeing what these ladies will write in the future! :)
tracey_stewart's review
3.0
The short version: three terrible stories, one very good one, one pretty good one - averaging about 2.5 stars. Rounded up.
This is a collection of – in case it's not obvious – five stories inspired by or riffing on Cinderella. Usually a collection of stories, whether by one author or several, is hit or miss… unfortunately, this one is pretty much "miss". Well, no – four-fifths miss. I did really enjoy #4.
What Eyes Can See – Elisabeth Brown – "the romance of this collection". "delicate writing style". "She writes characters you cannot help but like…" – A painfully shy Cinderella, with absolutely lovely stepsisters and stepmother… Or is she painfully shy? The story's ending casts some doubt on that, for me. I've been painfully shy all my life, and I wanted to shake Arella. All the elements of the fairy tale were referenced, kind of, but … far from having to go to great efforts to get to the ball, this Cinderella has to practically be dragged, and once there has to practically be nailed to the ballroom floor. It wasn't awful. I just didn't like it. Two stars.
Broken Glass – Emma Clifton – "a side–splitting comedy" – I guess I don't have the genes for most fiction which is intended to be funny. Because if this was a side–splitting comedy, I … this was a side–splitting comedy? Someone borrowed Rosalind's glass slippers and lost one at the ball, and now because of that she is apparently being forced to marry the heir apparent – although she is actually being courted by his younger brother. She is strident and obnoxious; younger prince Henry is a milquetoast (to the extent that I don't understand why they even tolerate each other, much less want to marry; I give it three months), and I hated it so much I couldn't finish. And for some reason it's steampunk. Sort of. I'm not sure what that was all about. I did skip to the end and read the epilogue, and approved, but – too late. One star, DNF.
The Windy Side of Care – Rachel Heffington – What is it that makes people think "strident" is funny? Cinderella is a litigious serving maid trying to prove she's a noble. The writing was rather worse than that of the other two, and I hated everyone in the story, and again refused to finish. One star, DNF
A Cinder's Tale – Stephanie Ricker – Here, now. This is something else. This is a scifi retelling, in which our heroine is Elsa, a "cinder" – miner of cendrillon on a planet of boiling lava, an occupation which tends to leave its workers smudged with soot. Score. "Pumpkin patches, so named because the superheated lava puffed out in large bubbles" – score. Fairy, or fay, godmother – score. Wicked stepmother, or supervisor – score. It didn't take long to realize this was something else entirely.
The way that everything in the fairy tale – from pumpkin patches to Jaq and Gus to Perrault himself to the need to fit an article of clothing to the corresponding body part to identify the girl – was lovely. I'm glad I started this review while I was reading the book (although I then promptly forgot about it); I am glad to be reminded of this author. I'd like more from her. Five stars.
She gave him a shy smile. "I suppose I must seem like an odd bird out of air."
Jaq attempted to translate the mashed idioms. "Er, a fish out of water."
She cocked her head at him. "I don't think that's an accurate metaphor. A fish out of water would be dead."
We should be celebrating, not sitting around looking like someone kicked our frog."
"Dog," Jaq said absently.
"Close enough," Marraine said dismissively.
The Moon Master's Ball – Clara Diane Thompson – And then back to the not-so-great. It was confused, and confusing, and once again filled with unlikeable characters and muddled writing. By this point I think I can just say that all the positivity in my rating goes to "A Cinder's Tale", and leave it at that.
This is a collection of – in case it's not obvious – five stories inspired by or riffing on Cinderella. Usually a collection of stories, whether by one author or several, is hit or miss… unfortunately, this one is pretty much "miss". Well, no – four-fifths miss. I did really enjoy #4.
What Eyes Can See – Elisabeth Brown – "the romance of this collection". "delicate writing style". "She writes characters you cannot help but like…" – A painfully shy Cinderella, with absolutely lovely stepsisters and stepmother… Or is she painfully shy? The story's ending casts some doubt on that, for me. I've been painfully shy all my life, and I wanted to shake Arella. All the elements of the fairy tale were referenced, kind of, but … far from having to go to great efforts to get to the ball, this Cinderella has to practically be dragged, and once there has to practically be nailed to the ballroom floor. It wasn't awful. I just didn't like it. Two stars.
Broken Glass – Emma Clifton – "a side–splitting comedy" – I guess I don't have the genes for most fiction which is intended to be funny. Because if this was a side–splitting comedy, I … this was a side–splitting comedy? Someone borrowed Rosalind's glass slippers and lost one at the ball, and now because of that she is apparently being forced to marry the heir apparent – although she is actually being courted by his younger brother. She is strident and obnoxious; younger prince Henry is a milquetoast (to the extent that I don't understand why they even tolerate each other, much less want to marry; I give it three months), and I hated it so much I couldn't finish. And for some reason it's steampunk. Sort of. I'm not sure what that was all about. I did skip to the end and read the epilogue, and approved, but – too late. One star, DNF.
The Windy Side of Care – Rachel Heffington – What is it that makes people think "strident" is funny? Cinderella is a litigious serving maid trying to prove she's a noble. The writing was rather worse than that of the other two, and I hated everyone in the story, and again refused to finish. One star, DNF
A Cinder's Tale – Stephanie Ricker – Here, now. This is something else. This is a scifi retelling, in which our heroine is Elsa, a "cinder" – miner of cendrillon on a planet of boiling lava, an occupation which tends to leave its workers smudged with soot. Score. "Pumpkin patches, so named because the superheated lava puffed out in large bubbles" – score. Fairy, or fay, godmother – score. Wicked stepmother, or supervisor – score. It didn't take long to realize this was something else entirely.
The way that everything in the fairy tale – from pumpkin patches to Jaq and Gus to Perrault himself to the need to fit an article of clothing to the corresponding body part to identify the girl – was lovely. I'm glad I started this review while I was reading the book (although I then promptly forgot about it); I am glad to be reminded of this author. I'd like more from her. Five stars.
She gave him a shy smile. "I suppose I must seem like an odd bird out of air."
Jaq attempted to translate the mashed idioms. "Er, a fish out of water."
She cocked her head at him. "I don't think that's an accurate metaphor. A fish out of water would be dead."
We should be celebrating, not sitting around looking like someone kicked our frog."
"Dog," Jaq said absently.
"Close enough," Marraine said dismissively.
The Moon Master's Ball – Clara Diane Thompson – And then back to the not-so-great. It was confused, and confusing, and once again filled with unlikeable characters and muddled writing. By this point I think I can just say that all the positivity in my rating goes to "A Cinder's Tale", and leave it at that.
libraryofretellingsandstars's review against another edition
1.0
"Five Glass Slippers" by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Elisabeth Brown, Emma Clifton, Rachel Heffington, Stephanie Ricker, and Clara Diane Thompson is a collection of Cinderella retellings.
I would give "Five Glass Slippers" by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Elisabeth Brown, Emma Clifton, Rachel Heffington, Stephanie Ricker, and Clara Diane Thompson a 1-star review because, while I love fairytale retellings, I couldn't get into this one.
I would give "Five Glass Slippers" by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Elisabeth Brown, Emma Clifton, Rachel Heffington, Stephanie Ricker, and Clara Diane Thompson a 1-star review because, while I love fairytale retellings, I couldn't get into this one.
allison_r's review against another edition
3.0
This is where I make a fairytale pun about how this collection is 'magical' or 'enchanting'. I can't think of anything clever right now, so do me a favor and pretend like I did.
What Eyes Can See:
Pros- Easily the most classical story in the collection, What Eyes Can See enchanted me with its perspectives on love at first sight. But equally lovely was what was not said. Am I alone in thinking that the unnamed fourth woman on Frederick's list of possible brides was the other stepsister, Anastasia?
Cons- I had an issue with the main character of this story. You see, it's not Cinderella. It's not even her stepsister. It's the ball. Everything in this story focuses in on that one event and its aftermath, so I never had an opportunity to see the characters when they weren't being subjected to emotional upheaval.
Broken Glass:
Pros- This story had the best descriptions of the collection. It also juggled more storylines than the others and did so with grace. I adored Rosalind and Evelyn as foils to each other, and the stepsisters cast as the two princes had me in giggles.
Cons- Like WECS, the characters were under pressure throughout the whole story. Because of that, although Henry and Rosalind had serious relationship issues, I had no way of knowing their relationship wasn't this rocky until the issues were resolved. I also could not suspend my disbelief on the cart-to-steam-carriage sequences of inventions, although that barely affected the story.
The Windy Side of Care:
Pros- This had the strongest beginning of the stories and was the only one to use first person, which it handled nicely. The author also did British-speak beautifully, in addition to multiple other languages! It had my favorite version of the fairy godmother.
Cons- The main conflict here is that Alisandra wants the throne and Auguste doesn't. The ideal solution would be for them to marry and her to rule, but both usually clever characters overlook this.This might've been resolved if, instead of pretending to drop it, Auguste deliberately broke the glass slipper, thus proving to the court, himself, his parents, and Alisandra that he is forceful enough to rule. I can't help but feel that either the main issue is not resolved by the end of the story or that there never was an issue to begin with, and the two main characters must complicated things for themselves.
A Cinder's Tale:
Pros- Are you sure this author isn't a science major? Elsa and her friends speak flawless scientific jargon, sounding completely knowledgeable and unapproachable while simultaneously inviting me to follow their explanations. I believe this is the best-written short story, so my cons might be exceedingly minute.
Cons- At the beginning of the story, Elsa, with no real prompting, remembers seeing her overseer with a mysterious case, looking furtive. I logically came to the conclusion that the overseer was planting a bomb somewhere on the station, although I assume that, in the future, such devices will likely be smaller than a cello. It was not until later, when the 'stepsisters' complained of the overseer excessively listening to cello music that it occurred to me that the mysterious instrument case-shaped object might be... an instrument case. (This also would've been a natural occasion for Elsa to remember seeing the case.) In other news, I thought some events needed a bit more dwelling on; namely, when Elsa believes she can't attend the ball, and then later when she must take command.
The Moon Master's Ball:
Pros- This book brought me the cool crispness of autumn on a disgusting summer day in North Carolina. I tend to dislike using this word in the context of literature, but this story was delicious. The tone reminded me greatly of the spooky opening music of the Cinderella ballet.
Cons- I have read in other reviews that people find the climax of this short story rushed. I am inclined to only partially agree with that; instead of rushed, I found it disconnected from the rest of the story. It is unclear why Mrs. Carlisle targets Tilly at the end (or even the initial time, resulting in Tilly's scar) when her goal has always been to snatch up the Moon Master. In this regard MMB did remind me of Diana Wynne Jones; some things, like the title Moon Master, are never explained and seem more fairytale because of that. On a smaller note, I felt that Tilly tried too hard to be a realistically-flawed character; instead of proceeding nature, she fretted about times when she felt jealousy or other small, common emotions.
OVERALL:
Cons first, so as not to leave an unpleasant taste in your mouth- The only thing I truly disliked in this collection was the order of the stories, which went by authors' last names. Because of this, BG and TWSOC, the two most similar stories in the collection, came one after the other. Ideally, I would've liked the order to be Broken Glass (the strongest beginning), What Eyes Can See (the most classical), The Windy Side of Care (the most amusing), The Moon Master's Ball (the most unique tone), and A Cinder's Tale (the strongest end). (Of course, BG does open up next year's contest, so the collection could easily finish as well.)
I only spotted one editing error: an ellipsis in MMB trailed over two lines. Not a big deal.
I found the repetitious names another small issue. Two separate Anastasias are referenced in different stories. Similarly, Lady Alisandra Carlisle from TWSOC felt greatly at odds with the despicable Mrs. Carlisle from MMB.
Pros- This is a gorgeous collection, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to read it. As someone who participated in the Five Glass Slippers contest but was not chosen, reading it soothed any lingering discontent I had over the matter. I cannot picture any versions of Cinderella that I would rather see in this collection, and I am so very proud of the marvelous authors and editor who collaborated to make this happen.
Now I have to get back to studying ancient slavery and the making of scrolls if my entry is ever going to be ready for next year's contest. Best of luck to other aspiring competitors! : )
What Eyes Can See:
Pros- Easily the most classical story in the collection, What Eyes Can See enchanted me with its perspectives on love at first sight. But equally lovely was what was not said. Am I alone in thinking that the unnamed fourth woman on Frederick's list of possible brides was the other stepsister, Anastasia?
Cons- I had an issue with the main character of this story. You see, it's not Cinderella. It's not even her stepsister. It's the ball. Everything in this story focuses in on that one event and its aftermath, so I never had an opportunity to see the characters when they weren't being subjected to emotional upheaval.
Broken Glass:
Pros- This story had the best descriptions of the collection. It also juggled more storylines than the others and did so with grace. I adored Rosalind and Evelyn as foils to each other, and the stepsisters cast as the two princes had me in giggles.
Cons- Like WECS, the characters were under pressure throughout the whole story. Because of that, although Henry and Rosalind had serious relationship issues, I had no way of knowing their relationship wasn't this rocky until the issues were resolved. I also could not suspend my disbelief on the cart-to-steam-carriage sequences of inventions, although that barely affected the story.
The Windy Side of Care:
Pros- This had the strongest beginning of the stories and was the only one to use first person, which it handled nicely. The author also did British-speak beautifully, in addition to multiple other languages! It had my favorite version of the fairy godmother.
Cons- The main conflict here is that Alisandra wants the throne and Auguste doesn't. The ideal solution would be for them to marry and her to rule, but both usually clever characters overlook this.
A Cinder's Tale:
Pros- Are you sure this author isn't a science major? Elsa and her friends speak flawless scientific jargon, sounding completely knowledgeable and unapproachable while simultaneously inviting me to follow their explanations. I believe this is the best-written short story, so my cons might be exceedingly minute.
Cons- At the beginning of the story, Elsa, with no real prompting, remembers seeing her overseer with a mysterious case, looking furtive. I logically came to the conclusion that the overseer was planting a bomb somewhere on the station, although I assume that, in the future, such devices will likely be smaller than a cello. It was not until later, when the 'stepsisters' complained of the overseer excessively listening to cello music that it occurred to me that the mysterious instrument case-shaped object might be... an instrument case. (This also would've been a natural occasion for Elsa to remember seeing the case.) In other news, I thought some events needed a bit more dwelling on; namely, when Elsa believes she can't attend the ball, and then later when she must take command.
The Moon Master's Ball:
Pros- This book brought me the cool crispness of autumn on a disgusting summer day in North Carolina. I tend to dislike using this word in the context of literature, but this story was delicious. The tone reminded me greatly of the spooky opening music of the Cinderella ballet.
Cons- I have read in other reviews that people find the climax of this short story rushed. I am inclined to only partially agree with that; instead of rushed, I found it disconnected from the rest of the story. It is unclear why Mrs. Carlisle targets Tilly at the end (or even the initial time, resulting in Tilly's scar) when her goal has always been to snatch up the Moon Master. In this regard MMB did remind me of Diana Wynne Jones; some things, like the title Moon Master, are never explained and seem more fairytale because of that. On a smaller note, I felt that Tilly tried too hard to be a realistically-flawed character; instead of proceeding nature, she fretted about times when she felt jealousy or other small, common emotions.
OVERALL:
Cons first, so as not to leave an unpleasant taste in your mouth- The only thing I truly disliked in this collection was the order of the stories, which went by authors' last names. Because of this, BG and TWSOC, the two most similar stories in the collection, came one after the other. Ideally, I would've liked the order to be Broken Glass (the strongest beginning), What Eyes Can See (the most classical), The Windy Side of Care (the most amusing), The Moon Master's Ball (the most unique tone), and A Cinder's Tale (the strongest end). (Of course, BG does open up next year's contest, so the collection could easily finish as well.)
I only spotted one editing error: an ellipsis in MMB trailed over two lines. Not a big deal.
I found the repetitious names another small issue. Two separate Anastasias are referenced in different stories. Similarly, Lady Alisandra Carlisle from TWSOC felt greatly at odds with the despicable Mrs. Carlisle from MMB.
Pros- This is a gorgeous collection, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to read it. As someone who participated in the Five Glass Slippers contest but was not chosen, reading it soothed any lingering discontent I had over the matter. I cannot picture any versions of Cinderella that I would rather see in this collection, and I am so very proud of the marvelous authors and editor who collaborated to make this happen.
Now I have to get back to studying ancient slavery and the making of scrolls if my entry is ever going to be ready for next year's contest. Best of luck to other aspiring competitors! : )
lasamviela's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first retelling of a fairy tale. In general I liked the book. All the five versions were different and I was not bored by reading the same story line all over again.
Maybe I expected more intrigue, maybe some funny situations and depth. In my experience the most stories were flat. The last one kept my attention till the end. The writing was good. I enjoyed the story. I hesitated between 3 an 4 stars.
Maybe I expected more intrigue, maybe some funny situations and depth. In my experience the most stories were flat. The last one kept my attention till the end. The writing was good. I enjoyed the story. I hesitated between 3 an 4 stars.
chelseaj91's review against another edition
4.0
~3.5 Stars!What Eyes Can See by Elisabeth Brown3 Stars!
This was an interesting take on Cinderella. I did like the way that Duchess Germaine and Drusilla tried to help Arella. Neither of them flat out said "there's nothing wrong", instead they took an "I know that this is difficult but please try" approach. Granted, the duchess was a little pushy about it, but she wasn't necessarily doing anything on purpose. I did like the fact that Drusilla told Fredrick off and how that of course led to her HEA.
Broken Glass by Emma Clifton 4 Stars!
I liked this take! Really liked the steampunk aspects that were thrown in. Loved Rosalind's desire to not marry just because she supposedly fit the slipper (even though it was hers in the first place, but that's besides the point). I did like the fact that she and Marius were trying to get around the promise that Marius had made and that they did agree to an even temporary truce. Even though Rosalind claimed love from the beginning, it felt like she and Henry were better off as friends. I liked that Henry actually stood up to Darcy; it felt like he'd been a lot more passive about things previously that he maybe shouldn't have been (even if he wasn't 100% about feelings, it still felt like he just shrugged and went "oh well" when the slipper was discovered). I also really liked the hint of Beauty and the Beast that was slipped in there at the end! It would be interesting to see Darcy's story play out!
The Windy Side of Care by Rachel Heffington 3 Stars!
I liked the idea of Cinderella trying to take back her throne. I did kind of roll my eyes at Alis; yes, she knew that things weren't all that they were supposed to be, but it felt like she was doing a lot of charging in unarmed. Laureldina and her daughters were just...ugh! I liked the way Alis and Auguste met and I will admit to liking how their relationship grew. Mostly, I liked the fact that Alis realized she wanted Auguste, even if it meant that maybe the throne wouldn't be hers. I did feel like the William thing was just randomly dropped; like when he was first introduced, it felt like he was trying to be the smarmy git who was hitting on Alis just because but then it suddenly developed that they had a weird/semi friendship and he was asking her to help him find a wife. I can't quite determine if I was just reading it weird or what...
A Cinder's Tale by Stephanie Ricker 4 Stars!
Oh, wow! Really liked this take on Cinderella too! The aspect of the cendrillion mining and how the miners got the cinder nickname was intriguing. I liked the way Elsa had her own little family and the way they cared for each other. Marianne quickly fit in there as well, and I loved how she rescued Jaq and stuck around. I did like how Karl got the idea to offer the miners space on the voyage. Granted, it was in a slightly selfish attempt to get to spend more time with Elsa, but still
The Moon Master's Ball by Clara Diane Thompson 4 Stars!
Oooh! One more interesting take! I did find myself wishing for just a little more background on stuff, but at the same time, it is a novella. I thought the aspect of Bromley's Circus was intriguing and definitely wanted more on that, particularly how Mrs. Carlisle was able to make that work. I was glad that Tilly got to explain to Rodger on feelings and it seems like he's not going to sulk about it at all. You do kind of have to feel for Drosselyn, but only for the fact that she was so spoiled that she never learned you can't always get everything you want.
elevetha's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars.
What Eyes Can See by Elisabeth Brown: I really liked how Arella (Cinderella) has no interest in the prince and the main character is actually Drusilla, whom I very much liked. However, what brought it way down in my opinion was that thrice-cursed prince. He was pathetic; a selfish weak fop who didn't deserve Drusilla and I couldn't see why on earth she liked him. The writing wasn't especially note-worthy, for better or worse. (2.5 stars)
Broken Glass by Emma Clifton: While I really did enjoy this one, it was extraordinarily silly and utterly predictable. Color coding the villains and heroes is such a trope, and I would have much preferred that the guy who wore black and had bad hair was the hero, rather than the golden haired, blue-eyed hunk. The writing was rather childish and dialogue could be a bit painful, though an occasional snarky phrase popped up and amused me. One particular incident that was warrants comment is the plot to fake Roz's death, which was a bit ridiculous. Faking one's death is never a sure-fire way to fix things and it sure as wasn't here. For all its many flaws though, it was a fun story all the same. And the end is a lead-in to a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, [b:Corroded Thorns|25154097|Corroded Thorns|Emma Clifton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1426515456s/25154097.jpg|44856289], which now I really want to read! (3 stars)
The Windy Side of Care by Rachel Heffington: While I loved the atmosphere of the story and had a lot of fun reading it, it was not without its share of issues. For one thing, the whole idea behind the story is laughable. Alis believes with all her heart she is the princess because, and get this, she looks like the king. She also suspects that she's been lied to about her parentage, but this is somehow even less important than her appearance. I don't know about you, but being royalty is not the first conclusion I would jump to. Maybe as a passing fancy, but not as a deep-seated belief. Also, as concerns the plot, if the whole point of switching Alis and Auguste was to save Laureldina from shame and also give the King an heir, it totally wouldn't work. On the one hand, yep, the King now has an heir. On the other, Laureldina STILL has a baby out-of-wedlock and a small mewling child to prove it. That didn't help her in the slightest. Additionally, the romance was dealt really badly with in this one. Insta-love to the extreme with stupid pet names that came out of nowhere, like Pigeon. Ouch. By far the best part of this story was the incredible (fairy) Godfather, Lord Humphry. (2.5 stars)
A Cinder's Tale by Stephanie Ricker: *heart eyes* It was nearly perfect. There is absolutely not one thing that I can think of that I disliked about it. The characters, the homages to the original fairytale, the sci-fi setting, the prose, the romance, everything was spectacular and so much fun. I will definitely be checking out the companion novellas. Another thing that I loved was that I feared that it would be a rip-off of Cinder, but it wasn't! It was very much its own story. (5 stars.)
The Moon Master's Ball by Clara Diane Thompson: Probably my least favorite of the bunch. I found it to be odd and somewhat befuddling. (What was with all the rats??) It was also the least like a Cinderella retelling, in my opinion. There were a few aspects of the original fairytale that were excellently retold here and I gleefully rejoiced in how they were written, but they were few and far between. (2.5 stars)
What Eyes Can See by Elisabeth Brown: I really liked how Arella (Cinderella) has no interest in the prince and the main character is actually Drusilla, whom I very much liked. However, what brought it way down in my opinion was that thrice-cursed prince. He was pathetic; a selfish weak fop who didn't deserve Drusilla and I couldn't see why on earth she liked him. The writing wasn't especially note-worthy, for better or worse. (2.5 stars)
Broken Glass by Emma Clifton: While I really did enjoy this one, it was extraordinarily silly and utterly predictable. Color coding the villains and heroes is such a trope, and I would have much preferred that the guy who wore black and had bad hair was the hero, rather than the golden haired, blue-eyed hunk. The writing was rather childish and dialogue could be a bit painful, though an occasional snarky phrase popped up and amused me. One particular incident that was warrants comment is the plot to fake Roz's death, which was a bit ridiculous. Faking one's death is never a sure-fire way to fix things and it sure as wasn't here. For all its many flaws though, it was a fun story all the same. And the end is a lead-in to a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, [b:Corroded Thorns|25154097|Corroded Thorns|Emma Clifton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1426515456s/25154097.jpg|44856289], which now I really want to read! (3 stars)
The Windy Side of Care by Rachel Heffington: While I loved the atmosphere of the story and had a lot of fun reading it, it was not without its share of issues. For one thing, the whole idea behind the story is laughable. Alis believes with all her heart she is the princess because, and get this, she looks like the king. She also suspects that she's been lied to about her parentage, but this is somehow even less important than her appearance. I don't know about you, but being royalty is not the first conclusion I would jump to. Maybe as a passing fancy, but not as a deep-seated belief. Also, as concerns the plot, if the whole point of switching Alis and Auguste was to save Laureldina from shame and also give the King an heir, it totally wouldn't work. On the one hand, yep, the King now has an heir. On the other, Laureldina STILL has a baby out-of-wedlock and a small mewling child to prove it. That didn't help her in the slightest. Additionally, the romance was dealt really badly with in this one. Insta-love to the extreme with stupid pet names that came out of nowhere, like Pigeon. Ouch. By far the best part of this story was the incredible (fairy) Godfather, Lord Humphry. (2.5 stars)
A Cinder's Tale by Stephanie Ricker: *heart eyes* It was nearly perfect. There is absolutely not one thing that I can think of that I disliked about it. The characters, the homages to the original fairytale, the sci-fi setting, the prose, the romance, everything was spectacular and so much fun. I will definitely be checking out the companion novellas. Another thing that I loved was that I feared that it would be a rip-off of Cinder, but it wasn't! It was very much its own story. (5 stars.)
The Moon Master's Ball by Clara Diane Thompson: Probably my least favorite of the bunch. I found it to be odd and somewhat befuddling. (What was with all the rats??) It was also the least like a Cinderella retelling, in my opinion. There were a few aspects of the original fairytale that were excellently retold here and I gleefully rejoiced in how they were written, but they were few and far between. (2.5 stars)