Cinder

Hello everyone,

“We have the ability to love each other, no matter our differences. To help each other, no matter our weaknesses. We chose peace over war. Life over death.”

Next in my challenge 2020 is a book set in Beijing, China. Now many of you probably know the fairytale Cinderella. Well this is Cinder…in a way you’ve never seen her before.

“While her sisters were given beautiful dresses and fine slippers, Cinderella has only a filthy smock and wooden shoes.”

In New Beijing’s marketplace, is a small stall, where the best mechanic in New Beijing works – a sixteen year old known as Cinder.

“She could be anyone. Become anyone.”

When Prince Kai arrives at her stand asking for her expertise, they strike up an unlikely relationship and…

“Do your kind even know what love is? Can you feel anything at all, or is it just…programmed?”

…soon he is asking her to the annual royal ball as his personal guest.

“You want to go to the festival, all covered in dust and dirt? But we would only be ashamed of you!”

Cinder can fix anything but she hides a secret – her brain interface gives her the ability to fix anything – hovers, robots, her own malfunctioning parts.

“She was 36.28% not human.”

Wait…I didn’t mention the most important part…Cinder is a cyborg, a technological mistake to most of society and a burden to her stepmother.

“She was cyborg, and she would never go to the ball.”

A deadly plague is sweeping through New Beijing and when her stepsister who is her only human friend contracts the disease, she is blamed and sent by her stepmother to the palace as a ‘volunteer’ for research.

“Letumosis. The blue fever. Worldwide pandemic. Hundreds of thousands dead. Unknown cause, unknown cure.”

A ‘honour’ you’re not supposed to return from…

“There was no bed for her, and at night, when she had worked herself weary, she has to sleep by the hearth in the ashes.”

But not everything is as it seems and as Cinder forms a friendship with the scientist, they discover something rather unique about their new test subject…something others would kill for.

“For once in her life, she felt…weightless.”

Oh, and just to top it all off, there’s an evil queen of the Lunar race who holds the cure but is manipulative and can make others see something that she is not…beautiful.

“Proper is such a subjective word. This solution is effective, and that can hardly be argued with.”

Can Cinder save Earth? Will Kai still love her when he finds out the truth?

“A made-up history. A made-up girl.”

I absolutely loved this! I haven’t read fantasy in ages and now I’m not sure why I haven’t read it before! I was completely sucked in and yes whilst parts are predictable there are other parts that surprise you and sucker punch you! When this challenge is over I can’t wait to read the sequels!

“The Prince had the stairway smeared with pitch, and when Cinderella tried to run away, her left slipper got stuck.”

You can get it on Amazon now and I would highly recommend you do.

Until next time,

Keep reading,

D x