Cover Image: Cinder & Glass

Cinder & Glass

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Member Reviews

This was a cute retelling of Cinderella by Melissa de la Cruz. The world building here was not as strong as it usually is for a Melissa de la Cruz novel, but it did remind me a bit of Ever After, one of my favorite movies.

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I enjoyed this historical fiction twist on Cinderella and think it will be a fantastic addition to our campus collection.

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Okay, I’m mad I waited so long to pick this one up off my to be read pile lol. I absolutely adore Disney’s version of Cinderella and fairytale stories in general so I don’t know why I’m so surprised that I enjoyed this one as much as I did!

This is definitely a reimagined version of the Cinderella that know and love but I think Cruz did such an excellent job! There was little to no magic, no talking mice (Gus was my favorite in the OG), no helpful birds and no magical fairy godmother. However, Cendrillon did have a very loving father and loving godmother.. the same godmother that would obviously play a key part. I really enjoyed the fact that we had more of a background story for Cinder’s father then we did in Disney’s version, it helped to really make us feel for her when things inevitably turn south for her. Also the character I viewed as “Anastasia” in this version reminded me a lot of the version of Anastasia in Cinderella III: A Twist in Time, where she has a sort of villain redemption ARC. In Cinder & Glass, Cinder is lucky enough to have one not completely evil stepsister lol.

The romance and competition in this book was also just so charming and fun. I wish the competition was slightly longer but I appreciate that the story wasn’t dragged out. I also loved that cinder has two besties (i wish we saw more of the guy one) since there were no talking mice or birds in this story lol.

Overall, I thought this book was charming and a perfect escape from reality 🥹.

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I finally got around to reading this and I thought it was a fun read! I think the plot could have been fleshed out a little bit more but I loved following Cendrillion on her journey and thought it was a very true-to-the-retelling story of Cinderella. I love retellings and I love Melissa so this was a good pick!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

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I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book at the time prior to release. Unfortunately my taste in books have changed a good bit in the last couple of years, and I am not reading as many YA books. Also as a mood reader, it can be quite difficult at times to read book around the time of release. If I read and review the book in the future, I will add my review here. Thanks again for the opportunity.

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France, 1682: Cendrillon de Louvois was the daughter of the King’s trusted advisor. However, once her father died suddenly leaving her to live with her stepmother and stepsisters, Cendrillon disappeared from the Royal court. Now, her goal is to get a better life for herself and her family’s seamstress, Elodie. When their family receives an invitation to a ball held in honour of Prince Louis, Cendrillon’s stepmother ensures that Cendrillon doesn’t attend with them. Cendrillon’s godmother helps her get to the ball and she is reunited with her childhood friend, Auguste, at the ball. Cendrillon is chosen to compete for Prince Louis’s hand in marriage. Marrying the prince seems like the perfect way to escape her evil stepmother, but Cendrillon must decide if she’s willing to marry him and give up the possibility of true love with Auguste.

This story was a beautiful retelling of Cinderella. There was some basis in real history, being set in Versailles in 1682. Cendrillon is Cinderella in French. I enjoyed the mini competition that the Prince had to find a wife. Instead of just choosing Cendrillon to be his wife after the ball, he chose 25 girls to spend more time with and choose one for a wife. It was like a “Bachelor” competition. That was a fun twist on the usual Cinderella story.

Cinder and Glass is a fun retelling of Cinderella!

Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Son Books for Young Readers for providing a digital copy of this book.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

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Melissa de la Cruz is the queen of retellings and I am here for it! I love her books and this one was no exception. Her writing and characters were fun to read, as always, and I really enjoyed this twist on the tale of Cinderella. I thought it was interesting how there wasn't really any magic in the book- a usual staple in fairytales and something I love in a book, but I loved the take so I didn't mind the lack of magic. If I had one complaint about the book, it would be that the characters felt a little two-dimensional. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I will definitely read the next book!
This book felt like Cinderlla meets the Selection and I highly recommend it for fans of fairytale retellings and the Selection

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ThisbCinderella retelling set in 17th Century Versailles was a quick and charming read. There was enough language and imagery to set the scene for it taking place in the 17th century without it feeling like a historical fiction or ending up feeling tedious. As an adult reader, I found myself wanting a bit more in terms of the plot. I found some parts felt rushed, but I think younger readers (as in the teens the title is intended for) will appreciate the quick pace, the sweet romantic moments, and the friendships. I appreciated that the romantic descriptions were appropriate for a teen audiences. I would suggest this title for teens who enjoyed The Selection or are seeking a fairytale retelling.

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Cinderella retelling with queer relationships and a feel of “the selection”. Although De La Cruz writing might not be for me, I can see the appeal for other readers.

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A delightful retelling of Cinderella with the backdrop of Louis XIV's versailles. Adding in the queer relationships of characters that make the story more poignant and realistic.

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I absolutely loved this cinderella retelling. Which while some bits are the same. The Prince, the ball, getting there, this Cinder seems to be headstrong and knows what she wants to do in life and I love it.

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After giving many de la Cruz’s books a try, I’ve decided that her writing style just doesn’t fit my tastes.

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Cinderella meets The Selection, but set it in the late 1600’s in the Palace of Versailles. I mean, need I really say more?

I thought this was such a fun retelling of the classic fairytale. There was a lot of backstory for Cendrillon (Cinder) which I absolutely loved. I adored her character and even came to love one of her step-sisters.

If you are in the mood for a fun YA fairytale retelling, I would highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you to Penguin Books for a digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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A cinderella retelling! I usually love fairy tale retellings, but this one fell a little flat for me at times. While it had interesting changes, I didn't enjoy the pace all the time or the characters. I might have enjoyed it more if I was a younger teen.

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A very cute, well thought out YA book. Melissa is incredibly talented and definitely knows how to build a story!! Beautiful cover too!

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Cinder and Glass is a wonderful Cinderella retelling with historical figures and events mixed in. I think Melissa de la Cruz is a fantastic author and I love her writing style. This was a fun and fast read. Perfect for fans of retellings and “will they, won’t they” romances.

This book had me glued to it from the first page. I could not read it fast enough. I love that this Cinderella retelling is grounded in reality. However, even with it not being a fantasy book the writing and story were magical enough.

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I"m really on the fence on how I felt about this book. One one hand I enjoyed the tale and the retelling, but I also felt a bit underwhelmed. The writing style just wasn't for me. I think that if I was the target audience, I would have given it a higher star rating. I do recommend it because I think that there will be others who very much enjoy Cinder & Glass. If you liked the Selection then you'll probably enjoy this book. It's definitely very cute and fluffy.

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I am such a sucker for a fairy tale retelling. Cinder & Glass by Melissa De La Cruz takes the story of Cinderella and sets it in 17th century France at the court of Versailles. Cendrillon de Louvois grew up living a charmed, somewhat rural life. As she got older, she would go to court with her father who was the king's most beloved advisor. Unfortunately her father marries this awful woman who then becomes her stepmother. In tow are two stepsisters -- one decent and the other, an awful person.

As you know, Cendrillon's father dies and Cendrillon is forced into working as a servant for her stepmother. All hope is not lost, you see, the prince, Louis, is having a ball. Cendrillon catches the attention of both Louis and his illegitimate brother Auguste. She's attracted to Auguste but needs to be with Louis so as to get out of her stepmother's clutches. Cendrillon has some big choices to make -- hence the storyline of Cinder & Glass.

I am glad I listened to Cinder & Glass. Melissa De La Cruz's fairy tale retelling was a good palate cleanser of a read. I loved that I knew the basic bones of the story but how it all filled out kept my attention. Cendrillon was someone I absolutely rooted for. Oh and also, I loved that there was some sapphic representation in this book too. The setting was interesting. When it comes to the audiobook, it was a solid listen. Lauren Ezzo narrates and does a spectacular job. Her voice is perfect for fantasy and fairy tales. The audiobook is 9 hours and 30 minutes and well worth listening to.

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My pretend daughter and I read this together. We adore de la Cruz!

This was such a fun take on the traditional Cinderella story. This author has such a great way of turning a story.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the advanced copy!

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