Review: The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

The Cinderella Society

by Kay Cassidy

http://www.kaycassidy.com

Egmont

ISBN: 9781606840177 (hardcover)

Release Date: April 2010

from the author's site: 

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider.  So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it’s like something out of a fairy tale.  Swept up by the Cindys’ magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she’s finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds–led by Jess’s arch-enemy–begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there’s more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside.  She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her.  Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn’t want to be seen with her in public?  And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters? 

my thoughts: 

This is a girl power handbook that every girl should read. We've all been in situations we're unsure and all we want to do is fit in with everyone else. The Cinderella Society is all about Jessica and her journey towards empowerment. As Jessica comes into her own she learns not only to stand up for herself but for others as well. Jessica becomes a role model for others to stand up for themselves against the Wickeds also. 

The Cinderella Society is pure empowerment and a must-read.  

how I acquired this book: 
I won the ARC in a contest held by the author.  

Trailer Tuesday: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 Shadow and Bone
by Leigh Bardugo
http://www.leighbardugo.com
Henry Holt/Macmillan 
Release date: Today! June 5, 2012

Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Darker Still

by Leanna Renee Hieber

http://www.leannareneehieber.com

Sourcebooks Fire

ISBN: 9781402260520

Release Date: November 1, 2011

from the author's site: 

I was obsessed.

 It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I'd ever seen - everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable... utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike. 

There is a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury didn't commit suicide. He's alive. Trapped within his golden frame. 

I've crossed over into his world within the painting. I've seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked- bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit, cobblestone streets of Manhattan. And unless I can free him soon, things will only get darker still...

my thoughts: 

Absolutely positively love it! I was engrossed in Natalie's story immediately. The structure of the book instantly engages a reader's curiosity. The story opens with a letter from a police sergeant indicating that the contents are a diary and are part of an investigation. While I'm sure similar literary devices have been employed before, I still feel this is a unique way of grabbing and keeping your readers attention. And it worked. :) I breezed through Darker Still because I could not wait to see how the story would unfold. I anxiously await the release of book 2 in November. 

If you haven't read this one already, I strongly recommend it. Not only is Leanna a fabulous writer, but she's an all-around awesome person. You want to support an awesome person, so she keeps writing don't you? You know you do. :) If you have read it, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. 

how I acquired this book: 
I bought it.