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annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
4.0
If your scroll through my list with books read, you’ll discover that I already read quite a few Cinderella retellings. For some reason this story is very special to me and no matter how often I read the same thing, I never get enough of it. So, when a friend told me about this book, I just had to read it and after the first free part I just wanted more and more and more.
And the story never disappointed! Of course, the story is in a way a little predictable at times. It’s a retelling and a lot of the well known elements of the original fairytale are present. But, not all of them in the same way. There are some really nice twists and turns and I was even surprised by some of them, which I hadn’t really expected.
The most original part of the story however was the world. I loved this setting, the politics, the fights between vampires, shifters, faes and humans and all the side plots that came with it. Making Ella literally a slave, trying to earn her freedom, also solved a big issue of the original story: Why doesn’t Ella just get away and find work somewhere else? Well, in this tale she literally can’t.
Although the story is actually split into 6 different parts, it reads as one big story. The parts end on little cliffhangers and the next part continues right there. Each part however does have its own climax and I loved this build up, with little finales along the way and then eventually the big one at the very end. It made sure the book never got boring and all elements really lead somewhere.
But, this story wouldn’t have worked without the characters. Ella is amazing, both kind and selfless and yet fierce and strong. But also Dex has a really nice personality, where it’s easy to see his princely qualities while I never forgot he was also just a boy, with his own issues and battles and with an impossible crush on a human slave girl.
I’ve already downloaded the first part of Morgan’s other series and I can’t wait to read that one!
And the story never disappointed! Of course, the story is in a way a little predictable at times. It’s a retelling and a lot of the well known elements of the original fairytale are present. But, not all of them in the same way. There are some really nice twists and turns and I was even surprised by some of them, which I hadn’t really expected.
The most original part of the story however was the world. I loved this setting, the politics, the fights between vampires, shifters, faes and humans and all the side plots that came with it. Making Ella literally a slave, trying to earn her freedom, also solved a big issue of the original story: Why doesn’t Ella just get away and find work somewhere else? Well, in this tale she literally can’t.
Although the story is actually split into 6 different parts, it reads as one big story. The parts end on little cliffhangers and the next part continues right there. Each part however does have its own climax and I loved this build up, with little finales along the way and then eventually the big one at the very end. It made sure the book never got boring and all elements really lead somewhere.
But, this story wouldn’t have worked without the characters. Ella is amazing, both kind and selfless and yet fierce and strong. But also Dex has a really nice personality, where it’s easy to see his princely qualities while I never forgot he was also just a boy, with his own issues and battles and with an impossible crush on a human slave girl.
I’ve already downloaded the first part of Morgan’s other series and I can’t wait to read that one!
nickimonkey's review against another edition
4.75
I’m glad I read the bind up. It just made more sense as one book, then six little novellas
katereadsgreat's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
lovelybird's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
westre01's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fun take on a Cinderella story. I like the adventure and building of the characters. It does not need to be 6 different books. It should be 1 single book.
thehamsterreads's review against another edition
5.0
This is a great Cinderella retelling! It’s different, but still has some of the main elements of the original tale which I liked. It’s well written and the story sucked me in right away! I really liked having the whole be set because waiting for each episode to come out would have been agonizing! I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fairytale retellings!
I received an ARC from the author and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received an ARC from the author and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
_mkarys's review against another edition
5.0
Actual rating when summing up the ratings to the individuals stories: 4.5 stars
City of Wishes is a fun and original take on the Cinderella tale. I really enjoyed reading every episode, especially because of Elle's perservering personality and kind heart. Like other works by Rachel Morgan, this series has an awesome leading lady and an equally amazing boy at her side, the combination of which led to moments of intense fangirling.
My favorite aspect of the series were the Wishes and how they were constructed. This also leads to my favorite character, an anti-hero worthy of the title: the Godmother. Up until the very end, you never know what angle she's playing or if you can trust her, which made her a very entertaining character to read about.
I really loved that the story was immediately recognizable as a retelling, unlike some other books that have been publicized as such when they indeed had almost no resemblance to the story it was supposedly retelling. City of Wishes was true to the Cinderella tale in some key elements—the step mother, the evil stepsister, the kinder one, and the protagonist’s name, Elle, which kind of echoes Cinderella—and set them in a completely new world, where the stakes are always high for a human living in a world in which Faeries, Vampires and Shifters are in a constant battle to be at the top of the hierarchy.
This is a fun and fast read that I highly recommend to all lovers of fairy tales and their retellings!
City of Wishes is a fun and original take on the Cinderella tale. I really enjoyed reading every episode, especially because of Elle's perservering personality and kind heart. Like other works by Rachel Morgan, this series has an awesome leading lady and an equally amazing boy at her side, the combination of which led to moments of intense fangirling.
My favorite aspect of the series were the Wishes and how they were constructed. This also leads to my favorite character, an anti-hero worthy of the title: the Godmother. Up until the very end, you never know what angle she's playing or if you can trust her, which made her a very entertaining character to read about.
I really loved that the story was immediately recognizable as a retelling, unlike some other books that have been publicized as such when they indeed had almost no resemblance to the story it was supposedly retelling. City of Wishes was true to the Cinderella tale in some key elements—the step mother, the evil stepsister, the kinder one, and the protagonist’s name, Elle, which kind of echoes Cinderella—and set them in a completely new world, where the stakes are always high for a human living in a world in which Faeries, Vampires and Shifters are in a constant battle to be at the top of the hierarchy.
This is a fun and fast read that I highly recommend to all lovers of fairy tales and their retellings!
authorchrishelsmith's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so freaking good. Like I really can’t begin to tell you how much I loved it. I would have to say it’s by far my favorite Cinderella retelling, it was that enjoyable. I really felt for Elle. She was such a strong and independent person despite all she was forced to endure. And Dex, well you can’t not fall in love with Dex. All the twists and turns in this story had my sitting on the edge of my seat wanting to read more. I never had a clear idea who was the bad guy and by the end, I really felt this was a story about the nature of a persons character. Who they essentially were. The author did a really great job with character development and made me love the characters, even the bad guys, from the very beginning. Five stars from me.