Cinderella but make it vampires. Reign of Cinders and Glass was a decent standalone and sometimes it’s nice not to have a story dragging through multiple books. I was really excited to listen to the audiobook as I enjoyed the female narrator, Jesse Vilinsky from the Shadows and Crowns series but the male narrator just did not fit for this book and I had to resist the urge to DNF from his first chapter. I pushed through because the book is mostly from the Ella’s POV but I cringed every time it switched to Cassius. I would recommend eyeball reading this.

Thanks for NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen and review.

4.25 ☆

Reign of Cinders and Glass
by Linsey Hall & Veronica Douglas

This was SO much fun! It grabbed me from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down!
Think Cinderella + vampires + romantasy deliciousness.

There’s a fierce heroine on a mission, a brooding vampire prince, hidden magic, and some iconic talking animal friends!

If you’re in the mood for a standalone fairy tale retelling with danger and steam, this one is a must-read.

The tension & slow burn romance? Chef’s kiss.
The masquerade ball? Obsessed.
And yes—our girl is determined to prove herself.


Thank you to the authors and netgalley for this magical ARC! I'm excited for the next installment

This was such a fun retelling of Cinderella, although I'm always a sucker for vampires and enemies to lovers. I really enjoyed having the dual perspective from both the Ella and Cassius.
I will say that with the narration, Jesse Vilinsky was amazing she really brought everything to life. However, Daniel Henning fell a little flat for me. It didn't take away from the story at all in my opinion, just something to note.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape for letting me listen to this for free!

Reign of Cinders and Glass is a dark Cinderella retelling with vampires, magic, and forbidden romance. Ella is a strong heroine on a mission to save her sister, which leads her into the world of powerful vampire prince Cassius.

The book blends classic fairy tale elements with original fantasy worldbuilding and a slow-burn romance. While the “Cinderella” nickname feels a bit forced at times, the story is fast-paced, emotional, and perfect for fans of romantasy and fairy tale twists.

Book Rating: ⭐ 5/5

Wow!!! I did not know what to expect from this Cinderella retelling, but it completely blew me away in the best way possible! It was fun, dark, fantastical, and everything I love wrapped into one.

You get all the classic fairy tale elements you’d expect from Cinderella, but with a deliciously dark twist, think vampires, witches, and magic you can’t even begin to imagine. It was absolutely captivating.

The characters were incredibly well written...I loved all of them. Ella felt so fresh and unexpected. She was powerful yet vulnerable, never a damsel, and I loved every minute of her journey. And Cassius… swoony vampire prince? Yes, please. He was perfection.

Their quest to save Ella’s sister, Belle, was such a thrilling ride. I was living for the action, the romance, the magic, everything!

Now I need the next book ASAP, because I have to know what happens with Belle…

This dark, vampiric twist on Cinderella hooked me with its eerie charm and fresh spins on a classic tale. Yes, the Cinderella parallels are strong—wicked sisters, a mysterious prince, a hidden identity—but the authors inject enough grit and originality to keep it from feeling stale. The immortal-ruled world, cursed woods, and bloodthirsty politics add deliciously Gothic flair, while the mortal resistance subplot lends stakes beyond the ballroom.

Ella is no passive damsel. Her quest to save her sister gives her grit and agency, even as she navigates the opulent, dangerous court of Prince Cassius. Their chemistry simmers with that classic enemies-to-lovers tension, though Cassius’ “cruel beauty” walks a fine line between intriguing and cliché. The magic system—especially the protagonist’s hidden power—adds intrigue, though I would have wished for a deeper exploration.

Predictable? At times. Entertaining? Absolutely. The blend of fairy-tale familiarity and vampire lore (plus a *literal* castle of secrets) makes for a brisk, addictive read. While some twists land softly and side characters feel undercooked, the dark romance and high stakes won me over. **4 stars**—a solid retelling for fans of brooding princes and heroines who trade glass slippers for daggers. Not groundbreaking, but perfect for a moody, magical escape. 🖤👑 *[Bonus points for making me root for a vampire prince. Who am I?!]*

This is not my first Linsey and Veronica book and it certainly won’t be my last. This book was a great interpretation on the Cinderella story with a fun set of powers based on the original tale and feistier version of heroine. This book has magic, vampires, evil bosses, and lots of tension between the prince and his serving girl.

The audio was good and felt very themed to the prince and princess aspect with the voices sounding almost like they are from an old timey cartoon. At times it did come off a little campy but I felt it was to theme. While i enjoyed the two narrators for the different POVs of the prince and Ella i kind of wish it had more of a graphic audio vibe since they had to do the voice of the character when speaking and it didnt really match.

I think I was at a slight disadvantage having listened to the audiobook. The male narrator was really horrible for me and I found his chapters to be grating.

The story was fine and I liked the fairytale nods but it is surface level world building/romance/character development. All and all it would be a fine book if you just want something quick to read. I wasn't really into the spice scenes but it had it's moments.

Thank you to Dreamscape for the ALC. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

Linsey Hall delivers a thrilling vampire romantasy that breathes fresh life into the classic fairy tale. The story follows our heroine as she infiltrates Prince Cassius's dark castle to rescue her missing sister, only to discover she possesses magical powers that could change everything.

What worked: The pacing is absolutely addictive - I couldn't put this down! Hall expertly weaves together all the beloved Cinderella elements (masquerade ball, wicked sisters, fairy godmother) while adding her own vampire twist. The enemies-to-lovers romance between the heroine and brooding Prince Cassius sizzles with tension, and the "touch her and die" trope adds delicious angst.

Audio notes: The female narrator was fantastic and really brought the characters to life. The male narrator was decent but not quite as compelling.

This standalone delivers everything you want in a romantasy: action, danger, steam, and a well-earned HEA. Perfect for fans of vampire romance and fairy tale retellings who want familiar comfort with exciting new twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love me a good fairytale retelling!! Cinderella meets vampires! Yes please! But definitely should have been make & female narrators! Overall loved the book!

So good. Like, ridiculously good. I am a fan of very few remade fairytales these days. They seem unoriginal and boring. But this. This was perfection. The authors somehow managed to keep the base of the story but reinvent it in a way I haven’t seen before. And the fairy godmother was amazing. Do yourself a favor and read this right away.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I felt so many emotions reading this but the strongest one was cheering and shocked. I have always loved Cinderella and was nervous for this but so happy I read this.

Prince Cassius and Ella are really intriguing and have amazing banter. The vampiric aspect really added to the darker and mysterious side while not taking anything away from the romance.

So I absolutely loved this story. Cinderella meets vampires. The slow burn was perfection. But I did not love the narration. It honestly took away from the audiobook for me.

This is one that I think I would have preferred the story if I had read it rather than listened to it.
Usually I prefer to have both a male & female narrator rather than have one attempt to do the others voice, but the male narrator in this made me cringe and want to turn it off. It seemed he was more invested in creating a gravelly sultry voice (unsuccessfully), over telling the story - often emphasizing weird spots and over acting. I much preferred when he was voicing the side characters, as he used a normal voice for them.
The female narrator was fine.
As fa as Cinderella retellings go, I thought it was quite good. I really wanted to punch those sisters and the step-mom in their dumb entitled faces - which I think is exactly what they were going for.

Male Narrator brought this down to a 2* for me, but I'd have given the story a 4*, and so we compromise with a 3*
Thanks for the ALC NetGalley & Dreamscape Media

Reign of Cinders was the mashup I didn’t know I needed.,a perfect blend of vampires, Cinderella, and Snow White, all wrapped up in a spicy romance! I absolutely could not put this book down. The MMC and FMC were so well written, their chemistry and depth kept me hooked from start to finish.
Thank you Netgally for this advance copy

A Cinderella retelling with vampires!?! YESSS!!! I absolutely loved the world in Bloodvale and the surrounding area. I really liked both of the MCs, Ella and Cassius. Several of the secondary characters are also likeable, and the story was interesting. It gets intense, and I loved the final showdown.
The narrators Jesse Vilinsky, and Daniel Henning were fun to listen to. I enjoyed Daniel’s voice for Prince Cassius. I especially love Jesse’s voice. I felt like her voice brought a lot of depth to her character. This is perfect for lovers of touch her and d!e, tension, sweet banter, and hidden power.

3.5⭐️ Rounded Up

This was a fun retelling! I like that it’s set to be a series of interconnected standalone retellings, and the next book has already been setup. I liked Ella overall. She’s a little sheltered and naive but also stubborn as heck and incredibly loyal. I think she was really clever I really liked how she managed to spin any situation to her favor (or at least stay alive).
The push and pull situationship with Cassius was pretty entertaining. It was borderline instalove and I wish there had been a little more relationship building in there, but it wasn’t bad. Maybe a little cheesy towards the end but overall I liked it and will continue the series.
I really liked Jesse Vilinsky’s narration style. She did such a great job with the tone and emotions. Her little gasps and inflection really brought scenes to life. I unfortunately did not love Daniel Henning as much. The gravelly “tough guy” voice felt a little forced when I think he would have done just fine without it. I would be interested in hearing other books he has narrated to compare.

ALC review
This is adult Cinderella retelling. A strong heroine with a secret power. A brooding vampire prince who is obsessed with the heroine. Touch her and die. Enemies to lovers. A one-horse moment. Found family. Discovery of unique magic. A masquerade ball. Wicked vampire sisters. Devoted animal friends. A (tipsy) fairy godmother. And of course, a HEA!
I devoured the book! Cinderella + Vampires!!! The pacing was so good! Magic system was unique! Can' wait for Bella's story (Belle + Dragon)!!!!
Thanks for Netgalley and for the publishers for this opportunity!

This book was so enjoyable magic mages animal companions so much adventure spice romance slow burn and more there was nothing about this book that I did not enjoy it was also voiced so well oh and it's a modern twist on Cinderella

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, Linsey Hall and Veronica Douglas for the audiobook edition of Reign of Cinders and Glass!

I was so excited when I was accepted to listen to the audiobook of this book! I had been wanting to read it for some time and this was the perfect reason to get it started!

I love fairytale retellings and had yet to read a really good Cinderella retelling. This is one to definitely add to your list of great reimagined fairytales!

Daniel Henning and Jesse Vilinsky did such a good job narrating this story. They really added a layer to the tale that made the story come to life.

Although this plays off of the classic Cinderella, it has so many unique features! For instance the prince, Cassius, is a centuries old vampire ruling over a kingdom where the humans are considered cattle and the vampire nobles are petty and entitled. And Ella, is a strong willed woman thrown into the human resistance spying on the prince!

I loved the dynamic between Cassius and Ella. You could feel the immediate chemistry and attraction between them. I think there was a good mix of yearning but also trepidation for their feelings that kept their budding relationship interesting.

I absolutely LOVED the connection Ella has with the animals. I’m not saying any more on that because although it doesn’t give the story away, it’s fun watching that part unfurl.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a Cinderella fantasy romance retelling!