Prince Robert of Camden doesn’t want to go to the ball, but from the moment Cinderella turns up, he’s caught in her web. Cinderella only has to keep him there forty days, the length of a royal engagement, until she can get to her heart’s desire buried deep within the ruins of the Keep. Of course, princely blood will need to be spilled. Cinderella’s spell is almost perfect, except for…

Marissa DeGanne, his stepsister. The spell is not working on her, and she distracts Prince Robert. Cinderella needs to get Marissa away from Monmoore Palace. Out of sight, out of mind, and then the young woman can be properly killed. But Marissa won’t give up without a fight, and she has a Guardian to help her.

Can Robert and Marissa break Cinderella’s spell, and have their own happily ever after?

This tale has all the right elements: the prince, a stepsister, glass slippers, Cinderella, the Ball, and a fairy godmother in the form of a Guardian. It’s the twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat, turning the pages, long after the final toll for midnight rings.

What if true love can’t break a witch’s spell after all? Prince Robert is the guardian of a key that Cinderella needs. To get the key, she must convince him to marry her. The problem? Prince Robert is already in love with someone else. In Laurie Lee’s dark fairy tale retelling Cinderella Spell, Cinderella is more than she seems, and true love doesn’t lie where you think. Prince Robert must discover the truth about Cinderella so he can overcome a powerful curse that threatens everyone in the kingdom. Despite the novel’s distracting lack of proofreading polish, this story nevertheless serves a compelling twist on a familiar tale. Lee explores themes of trust and loyalty, faith in a higher power, and good triumphing over evil. Intriguing characters and plot twists will keep readers engaged to the end.

Best for: Fans of twisted fairy tale retellings and dark fantasy.

Discern: Dark magic and manipulation.