Cinder and Ella - Melissa Lemon - Blog Tour Review

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.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Cinder and Ella

Author: Melissa Lemon

Genre: Young Adult, Fairytale Retelling

Publisher: Bonneville Books

Publication Date: November 8, 2011

Format: E-galley

Source: Received from netgalley, and Cedar Fort Publishing. Many thanks goes to Netgalley and Cedar Fort Publishing for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: Cedar Fort Publishing tour for Cinder and Ella. 

My rating: 3.5/5

Cinder and Ella are left to take care of their family when their father disappears. Their mother focuses solely on work, and their other two sisters rely on them for everything. When Cinder heads to the castle to obtain a job, she doesn't realize that she is heading into dangerous territory. Ella soon is brought to the castle as well, however she has been brought under false pretenses and she will have to beware the evil prince. Will she be able to save herself and those she loves from the dangers that lurk around them? 

Cinder and Ella is a captivating fairytale retelling of the classic story, Cinderella. The only resemblance to the original tale are the characters names, Cinder and Ella. Cinder and Ella are both similar in personality, however they retain their individuality. Cinder is a sweet girl who will do anything for anyone without complaint. Ella is more spunky, and she stands up for herself and Cinder. Their home life is challenging to say the least, and it seems like Cinder is more of a doormat, until she leaves to find work at the castle. Ella on the other hand doesn't stand for all of the abuse that she and Cinder are put through by their siblings. 

It was interesting to see how the element of trees and their lives were intertwined. I just wish we could have had more background on that part of the story, or had that aspect fleshed out a bit more. I'm interested in how the story will evolve as Melissa Lemon has mentioned that the story isn't finished, and that she is working on a follow-up novel to Cinder and Ella. I'm intrigued to find out where she'll take the story next.

All in all, this is definitely a cute read, and I'd recommend it for tweens and teens alike. This isn't your everyday Cinderella story, and though there is a prince, he's not Prince Charming. Cinder and Ella have their work cut out for them if they want to work or live in the castle. Honorable knights with bumbling personalities will entice a laugh or two out of the reader as well. Although this was a bit predictable, it was still a cute read. 

Blog Tour: Cinder and Ella - Melissa Lemon - Cover Post

I was so excited when Corrine suggested doing a post about the cover of Cinder and Ella. Why didn’t I think of that? The cover of Cinder and Ella is AMAZING!

One of the things I was asked to send to my publishing company after signing the contract was a character description page that included some cover ideas. Well, it seems to me that a lot of covers lately have characters on them, so that was my first suggestion. I only asked for them to make sure Ella was in the background since she is always overlooked. I can understand why they didn’t go with this option. I tried drawing a picture of Cinder once myself, and it wasn’t pretty. Finding a model would have been difficult, and let’s face it, photoshopped hair isn’t flattering on anyone.

The next suggestion was to do something with the trees or the castle. For those of you who haven’t read Cinder and Ella, and who haven’t noticed the cover, I will tell you that trees are important in this book. Every person is connected to a tree. And sometimes that connection can mean life or death. In the book, you learn a little bit about the king’s tree, Weston’s tree, Ella’s tree and the prince’s tree, while the trees of some characters will not be introduced until the sequel. (Wait, did I say sequel?) And these trees, well, sometimes they glow, especially when they are about to do something really cool.

My acquisitions editor sent me the first draft of the cover and said I could make comments and suggestions. I loved the initial design and that they had decided to do something with the trees. I did make a few suggestions and the final cover turned out stunning. I have pulled the two up to compare them and while the design stayed true, the changes they did make brought a brightness and clarity that really make the cover shine. Give a shout out to the designers who worked on the cover!

To me, the cover shows us a few things. First, the glowing tree represents the legend of the trees. The grove of trees behind the glowing tree represents Ella, since she wanders through forests for most of the book. And third, the castle represents Cinder, since that’s where she is dwelling throughout. Put the three of those things together, and you have not only an awesome cover, but a truly incredible story.

Thank you for being here today, Melissa! The cover IS absolutely gorgeous!! Love the insight you have given us about it! 

Melissa can be found on her blog, on facebook, on goodreads, or on twitter.

You can follow along with the "Cinder and Ella" tour here.

Maureen McGowan Talks Covers -- Specifically, Cinderella: Ninja Warrior, and a Giveaway.

Hi Corrine and thank you so much for inviting me to guest post on your blog about my cover for Cinderella: Ninja Warrior!

I was absolutely thrilled when I first saw the cover for Cinderella: Ninja Warrior. I knew they were going for a traditional historical feel, which isn’t exactly how I imagined the setting as I was writing, but I was very impressed by the beauty and lush look of the cover. Not to mention her beautiful dress!

I didn’t get any input on how the cover would look, but I was shown some examples of other covers that matched the look and feel they were going for, and loving those, I was excited to see what they came up with. I wasn’t disappointed.

An interesting aside... I actually had two covers for this book. The Twisted Tales books were originally planned to be released in the fall of 2010 with an entirely different publisher, with entirely different covers. That publisher shut down about six months before the books were due to come out, but anyone who’s curious can still see the covers, the first publisher was planning to use, on most online booksellers’ websites. I love the new covers, but I’d be curious to hear which versions your blog readers like better. 

My Cinderella never actually wields a sword in the book—she wishes she had access to a sword!—and my Cinderella looks somewhat different from the beautiful model playing her on the cover, but I love the cover. The image is very striking. It makes you look twice—what is she holding?—and really captures the idea conveyed in the title and story.

One of the first people to whom I showed the cover said it reminded her of an old Nancy Drew novel, one where Nancy is peering around a corner with a candle or flashlight. That classic book series was one of my favorites when I was a young reader and I figure if the cover designer captured a little bit of the intelligence and determination of Nancy Drew, it had to be a good thing. Those books have been popular with young readers for decades.

I also love the internal design of the books—how the designer separated the sections with a patterned pages that look like brocade fabric. I love how, as a result, if you bend the book slightly you can see all the sections marked off with thin gray lines. 

Authors rarely get any input into their covers and I was no exception. It’s very scary to see your cover for the first time, knowing it’s one of the main things readers use to determine whether they’ll pick up and buy the book, but I couldn’t be happier.

Maureen can be found at her website, on her blog, or on twitter.

Thank you so much for being here today, Maureen! I think the covers for both "Cinderella: Ninja Warrior" and "Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer" are absolutely gorgeous, and I LOVE the "Choose Your Own Story" element! I've added the old cover (above) and the new cover (below) if anyone wants to compare the two and voice which one they like the most. =)

Giveaway

Many thanks goes to Teddy and Maureen for this giveaway. 

I have one copy of Cinderella: Ninja Warrior up for grabs to one lucky winner.

Giveaway is open to US/Canada residents only.

Winner must be able to provide a mailing address with no P.O. Box. 

Giveaway ends May 26, 2011.

Please fill out this FORM to enter. Comments, while appreciated, will not be counted as entries. 

Thank you!

Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer - Maureen McGowan

In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she's a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire-slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer is an entirely new type of fairy tale–one that will keep today's kids guessing and offer them hours of magical fun.

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Title: Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer

Author: Maureen McGowan

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Fairytale Retelling, Choose Your Own Adventure

Publisher: Silver Dolphin

Publication Date: April 1, 2011

Format: E-book

Source: Netgalley.

Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks goes to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review. 

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository

My rating: 4/5

Lucette has been coddled ever since she was a baby; so much so that she hasn't been allowed to do anything for herself, lest she prick her finger and unleash the curse that has been placed on her by the bitter vampire queen. She has to wear gloves at all times, and is not allowed to do anything that could potentially hurt her. Unfortunately, that means that her hopes of becoming a vampire slayer are pretty bleak. When the unthinkable happens, will Lucette be able to break the spell? 

McGowan has done it again. With another installment in the "Twisted Tales" series, she has created a princess who not only is beautiful, but is strong as well. Lucette isn't your typical princess. She's always revolted against her restraints, and has trained secretly to become a vampire slayer. She has always wanted to be a vampire slayer, and now, with her sixteenth birthday looming, she knows she needs to be able to protect herself, as well as her family. With elements from the original Sleeping Beauty integrated into the story, it is interesting to see the variations and liberties taken. New friends are made, and rather than wait around for a prince to come, she is willing to take up arms and patrol the castle to protect her family.

Though her father is over-protective, his heart is in the right place, and you can't fault him for that. He does go overboard, but Lucette's mother is more even-tempered and is willing to help Lucette out. 

Tweens and teens will love this fairytale retelling as they get to see Lucette turn into the strong woman that she is. Though she hasn't counted out finding true love, she isn't going to sit around waiting for it either.

All in all a fresh take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. With new friends, and a princess who can stand up for herself, Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer is sure to charm any reader. With two fairy tales now recreated, I'm itching to see what McGowan has in store for the rest of them. 

Cinderella: Ninja Warrior - Maureen McGowan - Blog Tour Review

In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Cinderella: Ninja Warrior

Author: Maureen McGowan

Genre: Young Adult, Fairytale Retellings, Fantasy, Adventure, Create Your Own Adventure

Publisher: Silver Dolphin

Publication Date: April 1, 2011

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Teddy for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Tour: Premier Author Virtual Book Tours

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository

My rating: 4/5

Cinderella's had a tough life. She's had to slave away, toiling hour after hour as her stepsisters think up cruel and unusual jobs for her to do. What's worse though, is that her stepmother not only encourages them, she also makes life miserable for Cinderella. All is not lost for Cinderella though, as she has been training and teaching herself how to be a ninja. Her stepmother would be livid if she found out, so Cinderella practices only when she knows there is no one around. One day soon she hopes that she will break the spell cast on her, and will be able to live a life free from her step-mother's constant reign. 

Cinderella: Ninja Warrior is an extremely cute and fast-paced read. Reminiscent of the tale we all know, Cinderella: Ninja Warrior carries on with the basic premise from the original fairytale. There is a prince, there is a ball, and Cinderella is at the mercy of her two step-sisters and their evil mother. There is something different in this retelling though. Cinderella is depicted as a strong character balking at her stepmother's tyrannical rule. She isn't going to wait for anyone to come sweep her off her feet, let alone a prince. She reads in secret, and trains to be a ninja warrior. Someday she will be able to free herself. Magic abounds, and Cinderella herself has talents that have gone unnoticed.

I think my favourite part of this novel is that the reader chose what Cinderella did next, making it seem like the reader was right there with Cinderella, acting out her part. She's a determined, strong young woman who wants to find a way out of the situation that she is currently in. You have to hand it to her, prince or no prince, she's bound and determined to get what she wants. 

All in all, I think this is a cute read, and I believe many tweens and teens will enjoy this read. With a message that combines strength and girl power, I think many will enjoy this retelling of the classic Cinderella. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series, and am curious to see just what McGowan has in store for the rest of the fairytale princesses.