I love queer fairy tale retellings, I did enjoy this for the most part overall - however there was some depth that only just seemed to begin, as it was to end - so it was a bit too fleeting.

I adored the trans rep here, but I don't want to give too much away!

Our MC Alla, is our Cinderella. The story tale is reasonably the same as old, with an evil step-mother and her equally wicked step-sisters, abusing and using Alla up as a slave. The backstory for Alla and her mother is different, with them being Elven, and this land is at odds politically since elves and half-breeds are often treated as slaves, but some are trying to change that. Magic is highly regulated. There's a large serfdom in the kingdom. Etc.

I did so love Alla and Vik meeting, and the subsequent story at the castle, and learning about more magics and issues in their Kingdom - but that is where it ended - just as it was getting truly interesting. Just with that taste for something more, never fully established.

I see the author has several short stories and books in this world. I'm noticing a few authors doing this lately, and I have to admit my utter frustration at it. Where it seems authors aren't fully realizing their series and mapping them out appropriately to make a cohesive arc and jumping about in the worlds created with various pairings to try and engage interest in a series that otherwise may not be in the genre you read. In this case the main stories are MM. A genre I will simply never read. So it does makes it feel a tiny bit of a bait and switch. I dunno, maybe I'm just overly disappointed.

I would very much to know more about this world, But I'm now suspicious after seeing a fair few authors doing this, and seeing the stories seemingly not having a clear end or arc. Getting more and more convoluted extra side-stories and prequels tacked on, in a hopes to garner interest in a main story or series outside of our preferred genres.

I don't mean to dump on this author in particular, it's just something I'm seeing far too often now, and have been bitten by. AL Lester and their books, also comes to mind doing this similar thing. Just to mention another, so it doesn't appear I am dogpiling on one individual. trans-mc9 s mel. ?286 19

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of Someone Else's Shoes in exchange for an honest review.

Someone Else's Shoes follows twenty-one-year-old Alla who lives in the fantasy world of the Niholian Empire, which, in the words of the Princess, is a 'broken' system where serfdom and slavery are present and there is discrimination against the elven. After the loss of her mother, her father believes he has no choice but to marry again to a woman who treats Alla no better than a slave herself, harbouring no form of respect foe her. So, yes, it has every element of the traditional Cinderella but in a masterful world that Alien has made her own, incorporating other powerful issues along the way.

The novella is a part of a series and I do feel as if some of the worldbuilding does require a little further explanation if you are unfamiliar with it. The world is full of these spellsters that, of course, the whole series is based around. You don't really get too much of an explanation of them in the novella, and I'm sure those who have read other books in the series will be aware of what they are, but as someone who has just read the novella, they're completely new. You can make assumptions, though, so I would say that you can read the novella without any serious confusion about the world (which, as I have said, is an extraordinary one, Alien's creativity is fantastic) but there will be some places you may need additional context in.

However, I did really enjoy this read; it has diverse characters, a transgender love interest, and you can see references to different cultures from reality pieced together in this original world. I am always up for a sapphic read, tempt me with anything sapphic and I will go for it, but Alla and Vik were great. I feel it was just a fantastic twist on Cindrella that we need in the twenty first century. If you've read Cinderella is Dead and think you've had your fill on sapphic Cinderella retellings, you haven't. Someone Else's Shoes takes a completely different spin on it and both deserve merit in the ways that they have taken a concept and made it special for a modern audience.

The novella, of course, being a novella, has short, simple writing which makes it an easy read. It is definitely a book that you can go back to as a comfort read if you're wanting something soft to perk your mood up on a rainy day and it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, although I would love to see a continuation of Alla and Vik's story.

You should definitely give this a go!3 s Becky JamesAuthor 13 books201

A sweet romance

A fairy tale retelling so we all know how it goes, with a deliciously evil stepmother. I d how the author put the tale into her world, and the setting was gorgeously described. Some "summarised" plot moments, which makes it a quick read, but enjoyable nonetheless. Ideal for sweet readers.2 s Maisie Ball6 2

New to the author, and therefore new to their Spellster series, this standalone may well convince me to read more! (Thanks for the ARC opportunity!)

A spin on a classic, well known fairytale (Cinderella), the characters are believable, and relatable and the story was easy to get into and read. This book tackles issues in their society that reflects our own, that are worth discussion, and highlights them. Handling sensitive to some topics is not easy, but there's no big song and dance, and the big reveal in this book in relation to one of the characters is done in a way that doesn't put too much pressure on it, and makes no massive deal out of it. Other themes are handled too, and again, with the same care, and none of it is glorified. The Evil Stepmother and Stepsisters are easily disd, and have very little redeeming about them. It's nice to read a retelling where you know what's going to happen, but then are pleasantly surprised when it doesn't happen as expected. There's no need to have read any of the other books in this world, and gladly there was not a lot of complicated exposition to be revealed, you could jump straight in and pick up everything after a chapter or so in.

It wraps up well, although the final chapter is a bit of a jump of theme, and took me out of the story briefly, but the epilogue brings everything together nicely and I was sad to not know more about Alla's happy ending and her future!1 Juniper2,988 21

This is a highly readable twist on the Cinderella story that folds together a complex society with nuanced power dynamics, a protagonist who has to navigate them (Alla’s awesome, and the world she inhabits is deeply interesting, if rife with inequity), and a compelling love interest. There are plenty of interesting moments in this story, but for me the ball where Viktoriya and Alla dance and Alla realizes how much they have in common— the shared experience of having had to hide their real selves— as well as how different their lives really are, was one of the most memorable. Alla and Vik worked so well together that I really enjoyed every minute of the story, as well as, of course, the happily ever after.

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. 1 Steph126 5

Cinderella rewritten well. I throughly enjoyed this retelling of the story so many grew up hearing/seeing/reading. Unexpected bits delighted and changed the story up while still seeming a bit familiar. My favorite line, not a spoiler exactly so I think it will be okay to post here, ""Wickedness", said Princes Viktoriya, "come not only from those who wield the whip, but also in those who hold the power to stop injustice and choose not to. Either one of you had the chance. Your lack of compassion stains your souls to the core.""

A short story that will lead me to read more by this author and more in this world that is built up in this novella.1 Molly5,146 33

If you are looking for a an empowering Cinderella retelling, this story has the morality of the Grimm stories, romantic elements of mouseworld, and the packaging that is otherworldly elfin, and the most redeeming characters are drawn more to persons than packages.

I would have loved a story this as a teen - the elements are more telling and powerful, and than gratuitously pc.

Dramatic action and adventures in an out of this world setting.

I would very much to read more from this author!

1 Ida Umphers4,394 35

I've read several m/m retellings of Cinderella, but his is my first FF version and it is wonderful. The author has delved deeply into issues of power/powerlessness in both family relationships and within the wider world that has been created and when Alla and Vik get together and start to both discuss and embody some of these inequalities things get really interesting. World building and character development are first rate.1 Carla166

This was a wonderful twisted Cinderella story. I really enjoyed all the details of the backstory which really made the book much more enjoyable. It was very easy to read and I read it in about 2 days. There were quite a few plot twists that I didn’t expect and I was very impressed with them as well. All in all, it’s a great book to relax and read on the weekend and feel great too.1 Trigger Warning Database12.8k 1,082 Read

Trigger & Content Warnings:

Parental abuse
Domestic violenceadded child-abuse-and-neglect domestic-abuse-and-violence ...more T.J. DallasAuthor 11 books285

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