I’m not who you think I am.
My transformation from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince did not happen—as the rumors insisted—in a magical metamorphosis of pumpkins and glass slippers. On the first evening of the ball, I didn’t meekly help my “evil” stepmother and stepsisters primp and preen or watch forlornly out the window as their carriage rolled off toward the palace. I had other preparations to make.
My stepsisters and I had been trained for this—to be the cleverest in the room, to be quick with our hands and quicker with our lies. We were taught how to get everything we wanted in this world, everything men always kept for themselves: power, wealth, and prestige. And with a touchingly tragic past and the help of some highly illegal spells, I would become a princess, secure our fortunes, and we would all live happily ever after.
But there’s always more to the story. With my magic running out, war looming, and a handsome hostage prince—the wrong prince—distracting me from my true purpose with his magnetic charm and forbidden flirtations, I’m in danger of losing control of the delicate balance I’ve created . . . and that could prove fatal.
There’s so much more riding on this than a crown.
My Thoughts:
i gave this book 4/5 stars.It's an interesting take on the Cinderella story. Happily Ever After isn't guaranteed. It's up to Ash aka Lady Aislinn to use her wits, charm, and magic to work towards that goal.
I thought it was interesting that magic is dependent on lustre - a substance that can be mined. How the lustre is used plus the willpower behind the spell affects the results. Ash has been using lustre to establish herself in the palace. As the book goes on, there is a shortage of lustre due to unrest among the miners. Ash must then rely on her wits and charm to continue to hold her place in the palace. Good thing her stepmother taught her how to do that as well as how to perform spells.
Overall, the book is well-written. It is slow a bit in the beginning as the stage is set. Later on, the pace picks up and maintains a good clip until the end. I found myself struggling a little in the beginning. Once I reached the point where the pace picks up I found myself reading late into the night to find out what would happen next.
I liked Ash more than her alternate persona Lady Aislinn. I think even Ash prefers to be herself than to perform as Lady Aislinn. Prince Everett who plays the role of Prince Charming falls for her as Lady Aislinn. He is next in line for the throne. Everett is okay, but the hostage prince shines. I especially liked that he has a dog that he treats quite well.
Happily Ever After is not guaranteed. Ash, along with her stepsisters, must make it happen if they can. I had a little trouble accepting the ending. But, it is still a good ending.
Setting wise, it's a little unclear. The time period strikes me as a little medieval, but they have running water in the bathrooms. I was happy for Ash and them that it's like that, but it occasionally brought me out of the book when it was mentioned.
Overall, it's a good book. It's well written though it is a little slow in the beginning, the rest of the book makes up for it. I liked the characters I was supposed to like and didn't like the ones we are supposed to find unlikeable. There are some characters that start out in one column and end up in the other as the story progresses. This makes it more interesting. If you enjoy retellings, this is an interesting one.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review,
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