Ah, Cinderella. The age-old classic with the bird-loving girl who has an awful father, an even worse stepfamily, a destitute life of chores, and a desire to go to the prince’s festival. It’s a story that encourages us to be kind, dream, and hope that we’ve got fairy godmothers or birds on our side, too, to pick us up from life’s troubles, dress us in a beautiful ball gown, and spend what little time we have for the night (or three) in brief luxury with an anonymous identity and a handsome prince. Don’t forget to lose the slipper!
But don’t we like to switch things up every once in a while?
If you had told me a year ago that I’d be reading (and enjoying) so many Cinderella retellings, I wouldn’t have believed you. This tale has always stressed me out. Like, I know how it’s going to end well, but the main character has to go through an awful life with awful people to get to that point. I know, I know, there is no story without hardship, but this one was always a little much for my taste. However, I picked up a few at the beginning of the year just for the heck of it and got sucked into what a good Cinderella story can look like.
I am a huge consumer of fairy tale retellings, and this year, I took it upon myself to read 14 Cinderella retellings and rank them from my least favorite to most. Enjoy this list of cozy fantasy, sci-fi settings, genderbent Cinderellas, portal fantasy, modern adaptations, wintery tales, stories from the perspective of someone other than Cinderella, and more!
14. Rook di Goo
By Jenni Saur
Goodreads average rating: 4.31
My rating: 2 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: Somewhere in the galaxy, war deserter Cadet Elisandra Elis, haunted by the atrocities she’s taken part in, joins a new spaceship crew and is given the chance to rescue the kingdom.
While I’ve enjoyed sci-fi Cinderella retellings like Cinder (and another book I have much further up the list), I just could not wrap my head around anything that was happening here. I couldn’t connect with the characters, there was too much political intrigue, and I was too lost to enjoy any of this.
As much as I was growing sick of the characters’ phrase “Rook di goo” (interpreted as “I promise”), this was the only book on the list to use the phrase at all, which I’m glad for. If you don’t know, in the original fairy tale, as the prince carries away the stepsister who has hacked off a piece of her foot to make the slipper fit, Cinderella’s birds cry out, Rook di goo, rook di goo! There’s blood in the shoe! The shoe is too tight, the bride is not right. So while there’s no explanation of the origins of this nonsense phrase the characters use in the book, I was a little excited it made an appearance at all. (And I must admit, it makes for an excellent title.)
This book handles PTSD, mental health, and medication well, so for that alone (or if those are things that affect you), it couldn’t hurt to give Rook di Goo a shot.
In one other praise, if Cinderella retellings stress you out (like they used to do to me) because Cinderella spends most of the story in such a toxic situation, that will not be a problem here, because she has already escaped her awful circumstances and immediately begins to acclimate to a new group of people who actually care about her.
That being said, this is, overall, a VERY loose retelling of Cinderella, so if you’re looking for something a little more along the lines of the fairy tale, I’d recommend something else.
By Barbara Ensor
Goodreads rating: 3.27
My rating: 3 stars
Traditionally published
One-sentence summary: With creative plays on words and a setting that’s not quite modern and not quite medieval, Cinderella’s story is told in quippy prose for a pre-teen audience.
I will say, this is an awfully funny book. The illustrations are insanely weird, which adds to the funny factor (or sometimes just falls flat), and there are times when the writing is exceptional. Here are a couple of my favorite lines:
"But with Cinderella's entrance into the ballroom, everything stopped. The threads of conversation snapped, violin strings stopped vibrating, and even loud colors fell silent. Not a medal or a monocle glistened, not an ostrich feather wavered..."
"Yikes!" Cinderella gasped, her royal syntax falling away. The prince was too busy helping a blob of emerald green Jell-O onto a spoon to notice her dashing out. Neither did anyone else as they moonwalked and lollygagged across the floor."
This book isn’t great, riveting, or awe-inspiring, but it will also only take you an hour or two to read, so if you read it and don’t like it, you haven’t really lost that much time. This takes the cake for the shortest book on the list, so if that’s what you’re looking for, here’s your read.
Something strange about this book is the setting. It’s meant to be quirky, but I’m not sure if it worked for me. There are a lot of modern inventions that are part of their world. But also, they are in a medieval-type setting at the same time, which is weird. It was like it was trying to be the “Ella Enchanted” movie. Now THAT’S a piece of cinema that nailed the halfway-modern-halfway-medieval thing.
Wow, now that I think about it, just go watch that. Cinderella (As if You Didn’t Already Know the Story).
12. The Glass Gate
By Hanna Sandvig
Goodreads average rating: 4.44
My rating: 3 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: When aspiring fashion designer Ella travels between worlds and hears the fae prince’s dilemma of choosing a wife before his upcoming birthday, she agrees to step in as his pretend betrothed.
I have such a love-hate relationship with this author’s series. She’s written a lovely Snow White retelling that I absolutely adore and a Red Riding Hood retelling which I unfortunately do not. (She also has a Beauty and the Beast retelling which I’ve yet to read.)
Each of these books are intertwined. Even having read most of this series’ books, I feel a little lost. These books are intended to work as standalones, even if you don’t have the series context, and yet, they don’t quite work. There are too many characters that the author assumes you know, and that just makes the read confusing. This is also portal fantasy, which isn’t my thing in general (when it’s done in a modern setting).
Ranking this one on its own, though, I didn’t love any of the characters. I wanted to see a little more transition with Ella and the prince falling in love, but it felt less gradual and more like a switch.
This book does have “Cinderella” adopting a cute baby dragon who eats sweet treats, though, so that is a plus.
By Angie Grigaliunas
Goodreads average rating: 4.00
My rating: 3 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: After a disaster split up at the ball seven years before, half-human Alia and the recently-returned-from-war-Prince Kirran reunite, only to find that their memories of the breakup don’t match, and neither of them is lying.
I have never been one for second-chance romances, but this one worked for me because their breakup was a setup by outside parties, leading the couple to have insane misunderstandings about the night they last saw each other. Neither of them did anything to break the other’s heart, but they both think the other person did. It’s a very interesting premise.
I loved how the prince’s PTSD was handled. It added a lot of nuance to the story.
This is a clean read, but the prince’s parents make lewd comments about him and the female main character to degrade him, and they never believe him when he denies such allegations. This isn’t really a critique, just a note if that kind of thing bothers you.
With such a strong beginning, I thought I was going to rate this story higher. But the second half of the book and the climax felt very convoluted to me. I hardly knew what was going on, so despite the good start, I had to give this only three stars.
By Yakira Goldsberry
Goodreads average rating: 4.00
My rating: 3 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: Faye must sacrifice herself to rescue her sisters who are trapped to dance in the Underworld due to a curse she helped create, all while trying to evade/appease the Midnight King, who desires to keep her trapped there, too.
This book is a retelling of both Cinderella and the Twelve Dancing Princesses. While it leans more on the Twelve Dancing Princesses side, the Cinderella references are clear. We have Cinderella with her “stepfamily,” although they aren’t really cruel, three balls for the prince which she runs from at midnight (for a unique reason), glass slippers, and the clever use of ashes and the fireplace.
However, as novel as the retelling was, I found myself frequently confused and not connecting with the main character. There is a lot going on in this one between worldbuilding, too many characters, and the past.
The main character is wracked with guilt and self-loathing throughout the book and a single mission on her mind: save her sisters. This makes a lot of sense for her character, but it also means we don’t get to see a ton of what her personality used to be like, the things she loved, the life she had, or even the romance she shared with the love interest. (This is a second-chance romance, by the way, and I am a fan of the guy, Leo.)
If you think you can handle my qualms, however, this one might be worth a shot. It is not a standalone, so be prepared to read another book next, but even though I didn’t love Curse of the Midnight King, it had redeeming qualities, a very unique spin on both fairy tales, and a fascinating world of fae, humans, and enchanters, from what I could make of it.
By Abigail Manning
Goodreads average rating: 4.28
My rating: 3.5 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: When Kirsi fits the slipper of the girl the prince danced with at the ball (despite the fact that she’s in love with one of the palace servants), her father forces her to go along with it and pretend to be “Cinderella.”
The only book on the list from a POV other than “Cinderella’s!” (I’m not counting dual-POV books in that.) I appreciated the unique situation Kirsi is put into. I also like the fact that there is more than one villain. We don’t just have the evil stepmother against Cinderella (who does appear in the book), we have the evil father on Kirsi’s side of the family.
One complaint of mine is we don’t get to see a lot of Kirsi and Caden’s romance, despite it being a large subplot in the story. I believe this is because a lot of their development happened before the book, but I would’ve liked to see more to really believe how deeply in love with each other they were.
Another aggravation of mine was the kind of character Kirsi was, because I swear, if I read another heroine that refers to corsets as a “modern torture device,” I’m going to scream. I understand wanting to wear clothes other than court fashion in general, but she was so over the top about it. Like, seriously, people, corsets are for support—they don’t crush your ribs or constrict your breathing or movement or anything when worn correctly.
By Anabelle Raven
Goodreads average rating: 4.28
My rating: 3.5 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: Ella wasn’t expecting to save an elf, or especially meet him five years down the line to find out he’s the prince; now he has his chance to save her, all while trying to save her from the clutches of his evil mother, the elf queen.
If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy with elves and humans, political intrigue, and the best meet-cute (by far) on this list, Ella and the Elf is the story for you. I definitely enjoyed it, but it didn’t stick with me. I read this book back in the spring, and a lot of it has faded from my memory.
That’s not to say it wasn’t worth the read. This is the start of a series, and I plan to keep going sometime when I get that cozy fantasy hankering. This was a clean, swoony romance, and I was definitely rooting for the couple. I loved how protective Prince Altair was over Ella, I loved that she was both kind and fiery, and the worldbuilding was very unique.
By Tiani Davids
Goodreads average rating: 4.13
My rating: 4 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: Sold into slavery to pay off her father’s debts, Kaylin is desperate to meet her best friend from childhood again (the fae Prince Jorai), but when she finally gets the opportunity at his festival, rebels kidnap Kaylin to send a message to Jorai.
I came across this book on Instagram when the author was promoting it with the “touch her and die” trope, along with the premise of our Cinderella character being kidnapped and the prince doing anything to get her back. I was instantly on board.
This book didn’t disappoint. Was it the best thing I ever read? No, but I genuinely liked the characters. I was rooting for both Kaylin and Jorai, and I even loved the fairy godmother, who was close with both of them for reasons you’ll find out. I am a sucker for childhood best friends to strangers to lovers. One of the hardest things about Cinderella is getting around the “insta-love” trope, or sometimes, the author uses it anyway. Childhood friends to lovers is a good way to avoid this trope, and for me, it works.
In pretty much all of these stories, of course Cinderella’s stepfamily is awful, but this “family” may take the cake for the worst on this list. Of course, that makes the rescue at the end of the book all the more satisfying.
By Gail Carson Levine
Goodreads average rating: 4.01
My rating: 4 stars
Traditionally published
One-sentence rating: Ella, “gifted” with complete obedience, goes on a quest to break her curse once and for all.
The curse of obedience is what this story really has going for it. It’s such a unique take on Cinderella. Ella is not just in a hard situation where she has to obey the whims and orders of her stepfamily: she is obligated to do anything they ask. It’s really a horrifying concept, especially when other characters begin to catch on.
Her romance with the prince is sickeningly sweet. I love how far out of his way he goes for her. This really is a masterful work of friends to lovers. I especially love their letter-sending near the end of the book when they’re kept from each other.
As for the plot itself and the quest involved, it felt a little convoluted to me and didn’t always keep my interest. But overall, since this book is based on such a good concept, it can’t help but make for a good children’s novel.
By Sarah Beran
Goodreads average rating: 4.62 stars
My rating: 4 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: Baker Callie is struggling to support her step-family until her new regular, Ever, offers her the chance to cater for the prince’s Choosing Ball.
If you’re looking for an adorable, punny fall read that will make you wish you were sitting in a bakery eating a pumpkin treat, this is it! This book is the textbook definition of cozy fantasy.
I loved seeing Callie’s passion for her treats and the pleasure she gets out of making people happy when they eat her food. The love interest, Ever, always has a joke up his sleeve to make her smile. And I was so excited and nervous for when she would eventually discover his true identity at the masked ball.
I loved how this book handled some aspects of the story, like the slipper. On a panicked whim, the prince announces he will marry the girl that fits the slipper, forgetting that many women share the same shoe size. This turns the story in an unexpected Princess and the Pea direction, where the girls flock to the palace for a contest that eventually concludes with a pumpkin seed.
Callie is so clever, which was fun to watch. I enjoyed her a lot as a character.
One thing that irked me about this book was a certain scene that was basically word-for-word a scenario pulled from Les Miserables. It could easily have been rewritten, but it pulled me out of the story and felt very uncreative.
Read this book in October if you can for the full vibes. This is part of a larger co-authored series of fall fairy tale retellings, which I haven’t read yet, but are probably great for the autumn atmosphere, too!
4. Ashen
By H.L. Burke
Goodreads average rating: 4.30
My rating: 4.5 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: Unable to make her own body heat (and sometimes, unintentionally stealing it from others), Lizbete does her best to survive in the tavern kitchen, pining for her friend, the mayor’s son Brynar; and when Lizbete is blamed for the sudden earthquakes in town, Brynar is desperate to help her find what true doom lies in the nearby mountain.
One of the most unique retellings on the list! All the elements of the Cinderella story are subtly there, but not overpowering! I was reading a really good, original story. Lizbete herself is so interesting. A character who can’t produce her own body heat, so she has to steal it from fires, hearths, or even living people? She’s an incredibly crafted character. And I absolutely adored Brynar and his constant desire to help others. (Did I mention that even though his father is training him to be the next mayor, all Brynar wants is to be a healer?)
There are several other characters you will grow to love, too. In this story, Lizbete, although hated by many in her village, has several people who love her, which makes the story all the sweeter. I think that was my issue with Cinderella retellings before. It’s so hard to read a story where so much is going wrong for the main character. But in this one, although that’s true, she has people at her back to help her through.
The latter half of the story is super intriguing as well. I won’t spoil anything, but get excited for the strange people that live in the mountains and the monster that lives among them.
This story kept me on my toes, and I was on the edge of my seat wondering if there would be a happy or bittersweet ending. I love how all of the Cinderella elements were used, and I think you will, too.
By Mary Mecham
Goodreads average rating: 4.62
My rating: 5 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: Noelle only has one chance to reclaim her father’s inheritance, and that’s by infiltrating the palace archives at the prince’s bride competition; the prince’s mage advisor, Jack, becomes her only ally in a place full of treachery.
I read all of the Christmas Chronicles series this December, and The Midnight Blizzard was my favorite. The love interest, Jack, is so cute and fun. He has ice powers as a mage, a sled dog team, and a heart of gold. And his growing romance with Noelle is forbidden, because there are laws in place that prohibit romantic relations between mages and the non-magical.
One of the most exciting parts of this book is the use of the “glass slipper.” Jack creates magical slippers of ice for all the girls in the competition to wear to see if they have true feelings for the kingdom’s prince. If they don’t, their feet will be in freezing agony until they take the slippers off. How that plot piece develops is up for you to find out.
The romance was so soft and snowy and sweet. Picture “dates” with sled dogs, ice skating, and a guy with frosty white hair who has a warm personality despite his icy magic.
Greatest of all is the plot twist that I did NOT see coming. This read always kept me guessing, and I was very happy with how everything turned out. Definitely save this book for the winter season.
2. Geekerella
By Ashley Poston
Goodreads average rating: 3.89
My rating: 5 stars
Traditionally published
One-sentence summary: Elle enters a cosplay contest for her favorite show, Starfield, so she can win a ticket to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the reboot’s main actor, Darien, who she has unknowingly been texting.
I did not expect to love this book. It’s been on and off my TBR forever. But I am so glad I picked it up. Modern retellings generally are not my thing, and I especially expected to dislike this one because I thought it would be horribly cheesy, but it was perfect.
I thought the fandom stuff was cute and relatable instead of corny. The main characters were great. It's a dual POV, and I was never bored with either.
Elle works for a vegan food truck called the Magic Pumpkin, constantly adhering to her stepmother’s demands, and writes viral content online about Starfeld, including her critique of the new reboot and casting of movie star Darien. She grew to love the show with her late father, who introduced her to Starfield and took her to ExcelsiCon as a child (I believe he had something to do with starting the con, too, if I remember correctly).
Darien is trying to meet his father’s demands and handle the pressures of being an overnight star. One of his main struggles is his diet and focus on weight and fitness that he has to maintain for his productions. It’s something I never thought of much before, but it made me really feel for him. He’s endearing and actually a huge fan of the original Starfield show. However, he’s meant to play the dumb, clueless actor, so he pretends he’s actually not the superfan he is.
He and Elle meet online and become fast friends. But neither of them knows who the other is until things come crashing down (or together) at the Excelsicon Cosplay Ball.
This is an endearing read with two characters you’ll be dying to see get together by the end. It really is a near-perfect Cinderella retelling.
By B.R. Meyers
Goodreads average rating: 3.52 stars
My rating: 5 stars
Indie published
One-sentence summary: Aidan tries stealing palace trinkets to get off-planet, but his plans are interrupted by Crown Princess Delia, who is trying to choose a prince to marry to save her failing planet.
I almost didn’t read this book because of the low Goodreads rating. That teaches me to “not judge a book by its cover,” because this was fantastic. And by cover, I mean average rating, because the cover is awesome, and I need it on my shelf immediately.
This is a genderbent Cinderella retelling, which was exactly what I wanted to find for this list, and a sci-fi one at that!
We have Aidan, our resident “Cinderella,” who works for the palace by day and his horrid stepfather and stepbrothers by evening. Desperate to escape, he nabs palace objects and tries to find the perfect time. The only problem is that he’s plagued with debilitating headaches, like his mother died from. They’re getting worse, and any day now, he knows the next headache could kill him.
And Princess Delia, our “Prince Charming,” is tasked with choosing a man from the visiting princes. Her country’s economy is failing. But when she tries to run from her duties, she finds Aidan in the same escape pod and recruits him for his help. Together, they uncover a rebel conspiracy that changes everything.
I was already eating this book up, especially when it came to Aidan’s plotline. I loved the use of birds in this story, too, given that Aidan uses a mechanical bird to send messages between himself and the princess. Very few of the rest of these retellings used birds at all.
But then something happened. A plot twist that left my jaw on the floor. The plot twist that shocked me more than anything in the hundreds of books I read this year. Everything was falling together and apart, leaving me gasping, swearing, and trying to pull back my thoughts as I read this alone in my room.
As things continued to unfold, I was terrified for the ending of this book until the concluding pages. I was never not on my toes. I was rooting for Delia and Aidan the entire time. I was utterly blown away by this Cinderella sci-fi retelling that’s unlike anything you’ve read before.
If you take nothing else away from this round-up article, go read Rogue Princess.
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