🤍Enemies To Lovers
🤍Arranged Marriage
🤍Cinderella Retelling
🤍One Horse
🤍SPICE 🔥

“I am your light, but you are my dream realized. “

I LOVED this book. A Cinderella retelling? Yes please! It was so unique with how the elements of Cinderella were tied into this book. Nasty step mother and step sisters, deceased father and mother, Cinder Fae, glass bridge, magical pumpkins that the horrid king is obsessed with. It was just so neat.
I love Elora and Finnian with their witty banter and love for each other. Finnian’s sister is also a favorite. Irina. She’s so strong and you can’t help but fall in love with her. King Jasper? You just want to go through the book and kill him yourself.
The ending was so unexpected and I can’t wait to read more of this fantasy world.

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I do when I started reading it. It has all the amazing tropes (enemies to lovers, found family, one horse and more). I'm kind of obsessed with the whole storyline and spice that went into it and the characters really are amazing! You felt so close to them and there wasn't a dull moment reading this book.

A new fave 😍 ✨️ 5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book is compelling, the magic, storyline and chemistry of the characters were all 🔥🤩 and I especially loved the faeries! They just added another mystical layer to the story that truly made it feel like a fairytale...a very adult themed fairytale nonetheless 🤭🤩🌶 can't wait to read more in this world 💖

This Cinderella retelling is done so well! I was just over halfway done and I ordered myself the physical copy!

•One horse
• Morally Gray MMC
• Enemies to lovers
• Undeniable tension
•Found Family
•Spice
•Family Trauma

This story is amazing, it follows Elora, her father passed and she is living with her evil step mother and her 2 step sisters. A great spin on the story is that there is FAE! Like what! This literally has everything you could ever need in a book!

This hit so many emotions, the love story developing from hate, the banter between Elora and Finn was delectable. Whitney knows how to write a villain character because damn I hated the king more than I could ever hate a fictional character! She can also write the main characters in a way to make you love them! And don’t get me started on Irina, can she just be my best friend?

I love how this touched on so many subjects that aren’t normally put into books, and I think that’s why I loved it so much it wasn’t just focusing on a love story it was also focused on family trauma and how these characters overcame them. Found family which I did not see coming, and I was so shocked. It was real, emotional, and quite honestly a fantastic read. I was also surprised by the amount of spice in this book, which was just the right amount 😅😮‍💨

Can we talk about that ending? I am SCREAMING inside.

What a great ending! I didn’t see that coming and now I’m looking forward to the next part of Ellie and Finn’s story.

I was really excited when I received this book, I went through as as soon as I could. Getting to know Ellie in the beginning was hard to read, everything she’s lived and sacrificed. Her backstory was just so different than your usual FMC.
Finn’s character arc was interesting. Behind his reputation there was deep hurt. And it was emotional to see both Finn’s and Irina’s struggles but at the same time the sibling love they share.

My favorite part was seeing this trio (Elora, Finnian and Irina) become their own little family. I really hope it grows and includes the Fae next.

Another favorite part was the very complex plot and scheming happening behind the scenes. Jasper and Regina’s plan left me blind, not at all expected and hearing about Elora’s father schemes was surprising too. I enjoyed being surprised all around and at the same time enjoying the romance between Elora and Finnian.

I had no idea what to expect when I requested this only that I love fae stories but it ended up being so good! it is a fairytale retelling which can sometimes be really great or sometimes not work but this totally worked. I really liked the romance and thought the main characters had great chemistry. Loved Finn and he wasn’t exactly what I expected in the best way. If spice is something you like the book also had really great spice scenes that were well written and not cringe! I would for sure recommend this to people who enjoy fantasy romance and will be adding to our library collection.

🌟 Currently reading 🌟

I am obsessed with Whitney Dean, Kingdom of Flame and Fury is one of my all time favorite reads so I screamed when I received this ARC!

Full review coming soon! But I already know this is a 5 star read for me 😏

(Real rate: 4.5).

I have no words. Like, none. Zero.

This is the best Cinderella retelling I've ever read. Ever.

I must confess I requested this ARC because of an illustration I saw on Instagram, and wasn't thinking too much about it, but if I could go back in time and do it all over again, I would without thinking twice.

Whitney has created a world that is filled with magic and gifted us with characters that only mad it better. While reading, I was constantly under the impression that I wasn't merely a reader, but I was living everything by Ellie, Finn and Irina's side, feeling their pain and struggle, their love, lust... every single thing. Whitney has a way to pushing you into the story that guarantees what resembles a very immersive experience.

And what to say about the characters?

I think this was my first dark fantasy (which had me a bit worried), but it was delightful. And that word doesn't even start to describe how good of an experience it was.

When I first saw Finn, I was afraid he'd be the toxic kind of character (mainly after one of his first scenes with Ellie), but I soon found out that while he's not a good character, he's not the bad guy, either. Finn is as ruthless and goal-oriented as he is loving, caring and (and this is the important part) traumatized. But even with the darkest of the pasts, he is not a character who blame others for what he's been through — he knows who's the one to blame, and instead he tries to protect the people he love from this person.

I feel like I got it wrong by starting with Finn and not Ellie, but while she's the main girl, I feel like Finn was the one to have the best character development throughout the book.

Ellie is an amazing character, and she also has a lot of traumas, but she was already set on her mission when everything started. Yes, she had to learn how to love the people she spent her whole life loathing, but she was encouraged to do so (by the wrong person), and I feel like her heart was way more open to it than Finn was. Ellie's journey was an amazing one, and I loved seeing her relationship with the fairies and Irina develop.

Ah, oh, Irina! What a force of nature she is! You know how every movie has this character able to steal the show without even trying? That's her — from her very first appearance, I knew Irina would be the character I longed to see whenever she wasn't around. A complex, well-built character who just wants to be free and fight a parent who oppressed her and the ones she loved her whole life.

The only thing that made me a bit... uncomfortable was how the characters kept talking about Jasper's weight in a derogatory way. I understand he's a villain and he deserves only bad things, but some moments really made me cringe and say "okay, this shouldn't be here, this is not nice", even more when every character was described as having the perfect body, and they were either thin or muscular.

Overall, I can't wait to read book two! It can't come fast enough.

Thank you Netgalley, Whitney Dean, and Undying Raven Press for the e-arc of this book!

Overall a great, spicy, retelling of a classic fairytale. I was definitely interested in the book. I loved the uniqueness of the retelling and saw some fantastic character building. I absolutely adored Finnian and his sister. (Can we get a backstory on Irina?). The concept of the different kingdoms was really interesting too, and I'd love to see some more world building in future installments! Definitely 4/5 stars for me!!

However, I found that the prologue was largely unnecessary. It felt as if it was written in a different style than the rest of the book, and rather than set the scene for the book, it left me confused and overwhelmed. I think another round of edits could improve that, as well as catch a few minor issues and adjust the pacing of a few transitions.

Again though, absolutely fantastic, spicy fairytale retelling! Definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys unique fantasy worlds, spice, and fairytales!.

It took me a hot minute to get into “Rise of the Cinder Fae,” a Cinderella-based story from new to me author, Whitney Dean. The writing was a bit uneven, the initial world setting descriptions confusing, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about Elora. But once this book hooked me, it didn’t let go.

It doesn’t hurt that the book contained a number of my favorite tropes: arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, dual POV, only one horse (but Major is the best horse), morally grey hero, all within a fantasy/romantasy shell. Elora really started to grow on me once Finnian joined the party and she allowed her true - snarky - self to shine. Their banter is everything. The chemistry between them is fire, and the spice is verrry nice. Dean also did an excellent job with the secondary characters, with Irina stealing every scene. The love between her and Finn is so touching and she and Ellie together are the best kind of trouble.

I will say that the fae were actually present in this story much less than I might have expected, but given the ending, that actually makes sense. I am intrigued to see where Dean takes this tale next, and I wonder if things at the end are all as they appear to be.

4.5 stars, rounding up to 5 despite some flaws because I liked it enough to pre-order a hard copy. Which I rarely do. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a complimentary eARC of this book. These opinions are all mine.

This has a very interesting setting and good arc. Elora was fascinating, and her romance with Finnian was something out of this world. There was good action throughout which was quite gripping and entertaining. I so enjoyed the story.

4.5 stars Rise of the Cinder Fae is a dark Cinderella retelling, featuring a marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, and hidden magic and secrets.

Elora is the "fallen princess' of Ashbury, who lives with her stepmother and two awful stepsisters after the death of her father. Given the precarious financial situation the women are in, her stepmother suggests she try to woo the unwed prince of Pumpkin Hollow, the neighboring kingdom the conquered Ashbury years ago. Elora has always resented the royals, who live in luxury while the residents of Ashbury are left with scraps and live in squalor, If not for the powerful Cinder Fae that help mine coal in the mountains, she is sure the king would wipe them off the map. Prince Finnian is known for his many trysts, and keeping his eye will be difficult, so Elora drinks from a secret magic spring and asks for the courage to go through with the engagement to save her people. But getting to know Finnian turned out to be more than either of them expected - they hate each other, but also can't stay away. When the King agrees to the marriage, both Finnian and Elora need to guard their hearts, because falling for each other means risking their lives at the hand of the vengeful king.

Ok, I really enjoyed this book! It felt like a slow start, but once I made it through the initial world building the story picked up quickly and I couldn't put it down. We get the story from both Elora and Finnian's perspectives, and I really enjoyed both POVs. Elora is young and naive, but she cares deeply for her people and is willing to do whatever it takes to see their survival. Finnian comes across as the arrogant prince, but we see a much deeper side of him, and learn how his past trauma shaped his behavior. The two grow together as partners, and I loved, LOVED how their romance developed in this story. The side characters were also wonderfully written. Princess Irina is my favorite - she is tough yet vulnerable, loyal to Finnian and a good friend and confidant to Elora. And that ending! Yeah, I was not anticipating how this book would end, so that was an interesting and exciting twist!

My only concern is that the storylines of the fae felt somewhat disconnected from the story of Elora and Finnian's romance, They are both important to the plot, but almost felt like different storylines. I had a tough time at the beginning understanding how the fae fit into the overall story, but it all comes together towards the end. I think we will learn more about the fae in the next book (I really hope there's a next one!!). Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and I'm excited for more in this world.

Thank you so, so much to NetGalley and to the author, Whitney Dean, for an electronic advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Got my ARC from NetGalley thank you Witney Dean for give me the pleasure of reading this amazing book!

First off this book is super spicy and I absolutely loved it and it also had an amazing plot to it as well and I will absolutely be buying the full book when it hits shelves I absolutely adored everything in this book and you made an actual bad guy super hateable but my god there are so many good things about this book but I don’t want to give anything away!!! I’ve already started recommending it my friend groups as well!!!!

*thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Oh My God!Brilliant!I devoured this in one sitting!Quite possibly the greatest and my favourite book of all time!
And this is how enemies to lovers is done.Infinite stars. 10/10 recommend!

Oh. My. Life.

Oh my goodness gracious

What an utterly delicious Cinderella reteling! Before continuing, I must warn you to arm yourself with a long cold glass of milk or equivalent as these two get a lil bit lively and a lot spicy! But, that is not what I will focus my review on, suffice to say, it's there. In the book!

Ellie and Finn are from opposite sides of the track. Finn is a Prince with a horrible father and Ellie was orphaned, was no longer a princess and instead raised by her eill stepmother and her two daughters. Ellie inherited the title of "Keeper of the Fae" a magical race who aer enslaved to provide for King Jasper. Ellie's evil stepmother wants more out of life and as such, makes Ellie go to the ball to snag a prince

Whitney Dean has written a fun, feisty and fast paced retelling that with leave you breathless, let alone hot annd bothered! The dual POV works really well to track how the relationship between Ellie and Finn develops and will have you yelling at them both!

A rollicking good caper, loved it

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. The review is given voluntarily and all opinions are my own