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Cinder-Szule Reinholz has no intention of marrying his kingdomās rake of a prince.
His place in the world is to keep his incompetent, destitute household afloat. Itās the only respectable thing heās managed since his mother wasted her dying breath tasking him to do good, and the sins heās stacked against that duty grow by the dayāalong with the bastards heās stabbed and left for dead.
But while slinking through the royal matchmaker ball, Cin stumbles onto the prince mid-conquest. Heās whisked into a thrilling affair, as secretive as the magic that conceals his status and the feathers he leaves in his victimās wounds. As Cin learns more of the princeās familial burdens and perceived failures, his yearning delves beyond the prince’s striking physique to his tender and attentive heart.
Cinās nightly escapades are not going unnoticed by his family, thoughānot his time with the prince, nor his vigilante missions. Just as the King and Queen are presenting their own sonās hand in marriage like a trophy for the taking, theyāve offered a prize for whoever identifies the killer roaming their streets.
Caught between duty, desire, and something far darker, Cin fights for a future that doesnāt leave him trapped in someone elseās worldāor their dungeons.
CINDER is a mid/high-heat M/M retelling with a transmasc, vigilante Cinderella. This novel is part of a series of interconnected Grimm fairy tales that can be read as standalones, each with its own Happy Ever After! Content includes familial emotional abuse, references to physical abuse suffered by side characters, one scene with story-relevant gore and mutilation, magical top surgery, and multiple spice scenes.
THE FACTS
šTrans masc character
šGreat world-building
šUnique magical abilities
šgentle exploration of different sexual orientations (aro)
šLovely combination of original fairy tale elements and new twists and turns
THE GOOD BITS
I must admit that when I found out that D.N. Bryn was taking on the tale of Cinderella for their book in the GriMM Tales, I was excited. They have a wonderfully creative writing style, and I really enjoy the way they write their characters.
Cin is living a sad life. Bound to a family who abuse him, destined to be an estate manager at best, a scullery servant at worst – Cin has dreams of living a different life. Tied into Cinās dreams and wishes is a different body. Cin is trans masc. and I canāt speak to trans issues directly as I have no lived experience. I will say that Cinās gender identity was written beautifully. This quote is a beautiful way to express what can be such a complex issue.
āI wish for my body to feel like a home, instead of a house.ā – Cin
When the book opens, we find out quickly that Cin is a vigilante. His special abilities are strengthened, it seems by a flock of pigeons. There are three pigeons that are most bonded to Cin: Lacey, Raymond, and Perdition. I have never been so emotionally invested in pigeons! How can an author write them in a way that makes me adore them! These little feathered creatures become quite a presence in the book, and I was moved to tears on a couple of occasions. NO spoilersā¦but read the content warnings.
The disappearance of Prince Lorenzā older brother means that he has been thrown into the role of heir to the throne. Then his parents decide that they will throw a ball every week to find him the appropriate life partner.
When the evil family; I detested most of Cinās family. When they find out about the balls, they immediately begin to get ready. Of course, they expect that Cin will remain at home to keep the hearths warm and the house open. The powerful pigeon magic of Cinās supportive flock has other plans. Iām not going to spoil the process and the creativity but suffice to say that Cin does get to go to the ball in style!
When Cin and Prince Ren meet, the chemistry is immediate and lovely! From that point forward the story kicks into high gear!Ā
This is a well-paced novel with some wonderful deviations from the original tale. I was caught up in the relationship between Cin and Prince Ren – and very invested in the flock! I have never been emotional about birds before. The magical properties of Cin and his flock are depicted in a lovely way.Ā
The writing is artful and beautiful. I found that I could clearly see the flock magic in my mind, the feathers and some other things Iām not going to reveal. I love the way D.N. Bryn describes things ā itās truly beautiful. The roots of the original tale are there but the author has woven in a fantastic new adventure.
This is another great book in this series. If you love fairy tales, or you just love creative and well-written MM romance then youāre going to love this series. As I read through the books, Iām loving discovering the links between the characters and watching the stories intertwine! Very clever and entertaining!
THE SERIES
Book 01 – Little Red Riding Hood – my review
Book 03 – Hansel and Gerhardt – my review
Book 04 – The Elves and the Shoemaker – my review
Book 06 – The Frog Prince – my review
Book 07 – Rumpelstilzchen – my review
Book 08 – Snow White and the Seven Little Miners – my review
THE LINKS
š Goodreads
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
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