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It's Friday lovlies and what a week of reviews I've had! I hope you liked them :) This is my last tour post this week and this one was organised by Rockstar Blog Tours! I hope you enjoy the review and as always, leave me a comment. I love to here what you lot think of the book!
CINDERELLA'S DRESS
by Shonna Slayton
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: June 3rd 2014
Pages: 340
ISBN: 1622663403
Being seventeen during World War II is tough. Finding out you’re the next keeper of the real Cinderella’s dress is even tougher.Kate simply wants to create window displays at the department store where she's working, trying to help out with the war effort. But when long-lost relatives from Poland arrive with a steamer trunk they claim holds the Cinderella’s dress, life gets complicated.Now, with a father missing in action, her new sweetheart shipped off to boot camp, and her great aunt losing her wits, Kate has to unravel the mystery before it’s too late.After all, the descendants of the wicked stepsisters will stop at nothing to get what they think they deserve.
I think the first thing that needs to be said about this book that it's NOT a fairytale retelling. It takes the magic of one of our favourite stories, picking out aspects and used it to tell an entirely different tale that is, all in all, charming and captivating. It's a slow paced book that lets you saunter through it's pages as you take in the intelligent and, quite frankly, adorable characters and plot lines.
The story itself follows Kate as she tries to follow her dream of creating window displays in the department store she works at, but it's the 1940's and this isn't something a woman does. With her family being shipped off for the war effort and her mother pushing her in a direction she finds uncomfortable, Kate has to try and figure out a way to reach her dreams. However, a couple of unexpected visitors arrive at Kate's front door introducing a whole new complication into her life. For you see, Kate's family has a long and tangled history with a certain fairytale princess and with the arrival of her Aunt Elsie and Uncle Adalbert comes Cinderella's Dresses.
I really loved Kate as a character. She was strong willed and knew what she wanted. Of course she made a couple of silly mistakes a long the way but - after a little push - she always made the right decision in the end. It was refreshing to have a leading lady who wasn't all puppy dog eyes and lacking in brain cells. Yes, there is a sweet little love story (with the rather yummy Johnny) but at the same time I felt this book was more about Kate's ambitions. It was about her finding a way to embrace a destiny, uncovering her families past and coping with an uncertain present.
The twist on the original Cinderella story was a really interesting aspect. If I'm being completely honest I would have actually liked more of it in the book. I felt that the story covered a lot of Kate's present with her family and Johnny, leaving chunks of the story that could have delved further into the magical elements of the book. It took a long time to really tell you the whole purpose of the dresses. I'll also admit the ending was a little anti climatic, but not at all disappointing. I just would have maybe liked it to have been a little more punchy.
Now, I'm not usually one for accents in books - they're impossible to read and after a while just get on my nerves. However, the way in which Shonna writes the Polish accent is endearing. The dialogues between Elsie and Adalbert are freaking adorable and out of everything I actually thing their story was my favourite part of this book. It added a raw and emotional layer to the story that will warm your heart. I honestly think Adalbert might have a magic all of his own.
Overall this was a interesting read that left me constantly wanting more. It's a sweet story that had me from the get go. Its rich with a 1940's flare that is well written and unputdownable. The setting was perfect and the character's were enchanting. Cinderella's Dress was like a stroll through the 1940's with a magical twist and a sprinkling of fashion. Highly recommend for all in need of a happily ever after.
BUY HERE
About Shonna
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Shonna Slayton
finds inspiration in reading vintage diaries written by teens, who despite
using different slang, sound a lot like teenagers today. While writing
Cinderella’s Dress she reflected on her days as a high-school senior in British
Columbia when she convinced her supervisors at a sportswear store to let her
design a few windows—it was glorious fun while it lasted. When not writing,
Shonna enjoys amaretto lattes and spending time with her husband and children
in Arizona. You can visit her website at shonnaslayton.comRockstar Book Tours has put together a great giveaway for the Cinderella's Dress tour so don't forget to enter it! Good Luck (US only)
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Lastly, don't forget to check out some of the other stops on the tour!
6/9/2014- Racing To Read- Review
6/9/2014- Paranormal Book Club- Interview
6/10/2014- The Phantom Paragrapher- Review
6/10/2014- Addicted Readers- Guest Post
6/11/2014- Creating Serenity- Review
6/11/2014- Every Free Chance Book Reviews- Interview
6/12/2014- Si, Se Puede **link with YA Books Central review- Review
6/12/2014- A Backwards Story- Guest Post
6/13/2014- The YA's Nightstand- Review
6/13/2014- Curling Up With A Good Book- Excerpt
I love your description! "It takes the magic of one of our favourite stories, picking out aspects and used to tell an entirely different tale that is, all in all, charming and captivating." The more I wrote and edited the story, the more it became an entity of its own, apart from the original fairy tale. Thanks for hosting my blog stop today!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'm glad you liked the review!
DeleteMily