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Sunday, May 8, 2011

Cinder and Ella Review by Melissa Lemon (ARC)

Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon
Expected Publication November 8, 2011

Synopsis
After their father’s disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn’t long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself—the most dangerous place in all the kingdom for both her and Cinder. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other and one you'll never forget.

As refreshing as it is beautiful - our beloved fairytale gets a supernatural twist.

Forget what you know about Cinderella. There's no glass slipper, no fairy godmother and the Prince isn't coming to sweep you off your feet and carry you off into the sunset - in fact, he may just drop you off a cliff. And there is no Cinderella - well, not really.

Cinder and Ella are the middle sisters in what was once a happy family of six. When the Prince came to visit late one night, he bewitched their father with an invisible spell and ruined their family dynamic forever. They watched in horror as their father deteriorated with time, eventually disappearing on them altogether. Cinder and Ella's siblings no longer understood respectable behavior and their mother went mad. In fact, their mother was so out of it the two daughters became one - Cinderella. Cinder became Cinderella and poor Ella became nonexistent to her mother.

When Cinder leaves to work at the castle, Ella can no longer stand the homestead without her and leaves to find herself a new life. When it comes to the attention of the Prince that Ella has gone missing, he sends out the knights to find and collect her, for the Prince has always feared Ella would be the one to hunt him down and kill him one day. In doing so, the Prince sets Ella into motion. Ripping her from her newfound happiness and flaunting the condition of her damaged family pushes Ella over the edge and sends her on a quest to the rid the kingdom of the evil the Prince has spread.

Cinder and Ella had a little bit of everything - romance, adventure and danger. Melissa Lemon has twisted the popular fairytale and weaved us an enjoyable new world that was both fresh and enchanting. We can only hope she'll put her creative spin on a few more popular fairytales.

Favorite Quote:
Tanner: "I think that I might kiss you to keep your lips busy from something other than insulting me."
Ella: "If you think you can do it without getting lost."


ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

28 comments:

Kellie said...

I just reviewed this one too and loved it. I've got a soft spot for anything fairytale though.

I'd also love! to see Melissa Lemon try her hand at a few other childhood favorites =)

Aleetha said...

I am going to read this book. I have just request through NG and they have approved it.

I'd love to know more about those siblings

Devon Ashley said...

This is a great book when you're ready to take a break from your normal genres. I don't know about you, but the ones I read are starting to blur together. This novel was unique and unexpecting...probably why I enjoyed it so much.

Melissa Lemon said...

Thank you for your beautiful review. I am thrilled that you loved Cinder and Ella.

Jenny @ Book Sojourner said...

I love a good revamped fairy tale. This sounds so good with the sisters and the unexpected twists. The quotes you left were great. I thought this was just another Cinderella book from the tital but your review has made me way interested in reading it. Thanks!

Doodle said...

I love reading books that twist Fairytales. Great review! I will be picking this up soon!!

wyndwhisper said...

i seldom read a book based just on the review, but this one has grabbed my curiosity. i will definetly be reading this book, thank you for the great review.

tammy ramey
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com

Natalie @ Book Lovers Life said...

Thanks so much for the chance. Its an intriguing concept and I love the sound of it.

Rica said...

this sound so good..i want to read this so bad.. good job ms melissa:)

Unknown said...

Sounds like anamazing book!! Great review Devon!!

Brenda Demko said...

Great review! I've had this on my wishlist for along time and I can't wait to read it!

Pam said...

I had heard about this book awhile back and have wanted to read it ever since. I do like when fairy tales are told in a new and different way, and this story certainly is different from the original.
Thank you for the review and the quote which was great. :)

Kelly said...

It definitely is a different take on it. I wasn't sure about reading it until I read your review. It sounds almost sad at times. Cinderella was always my favorite fairytale and this take on it sounds like a good book to read!

Disincentive said...

Quote just showed me I would love to read this book. And I completly love books that are "based" on fairytales and so on. :) Thanks for amazing review!

Disincentive @ (read, watch, listen) - reviews

The Teen Book Guru said...

Wow... great review!! And I heard that your review is gonna be IN THE BOOK??! WOW!! Congrats!! I'm a new follower and just wanted to drop by and say hi :)

p.s. thanks for the awesome giveaway!

-Riya (The Teen Book Guru)

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

I just love new twists on old tales.

Mary Preston said...

Thank you for your review. I love the twist of creating something fresh from an old favorite.

ArtemisG said...

I love fairytales. When I read books based on them, I want to be a part of their world. Cinder and Ella sounds really good. I love the quote so much!

Dovile said...

I was a bit surprised to learn that Cinder is actually a girl:) Somehow to me it seemed like a guy's name.

monkeycstars said...

This is s great review. You're good with words. Now I wanna read Cinder and Ella. Poor Ella, being forgotten by her own mother... This sounds really interesting and full of drama.
cassandra

bookangel09 said...

great review!!! this book sounds amazing and i cant wait to read it, its on my wishlist :)

Helen said...

I love reading twist on fairy tales and this one sounds really interesting. I like how the prince is evil and not charming.

Bridget Howard said...

Great review!!! This sounds like a very interesting retailing of Cinderella, I can't wait to read it!!!

Unknown said...

This sounds like an awesome retelling of Cinderella! I always love reading retellings just to see the twists and turns the authors take to let their own style shine through! Great review Devon!

Sarah Elizabeth said...

I love fairy tales, and I love it when authors twist a well-known story and make it into something new x

Anonymous said...

I'm so happy fairy tales are making a comeback. It started with "A Curse Dark As Gold" then TV gave us "Grimm" and now "Cinder and Ella." Can wait to read this new fairy "re-telling."

Noely Jeleen said...

I'm not really one for fairy tales, to be honest. And although I've read Cinderella, I wasn't really a big fan. But your review makes me want to read Cinder and Ella. I mean, that's some intriguing and interesting plot in itself.

And whoa! I definitely can see why that is your favorite quote. :D

Kimmie said...

This book sounds awesome! I'm a huge fan of fairy tales, so I will definitely be adding this one to my TBR pile! :)