I was intrigued when I read the synopsis of this book, such a different take on the classic ‘Cinderella’ fairy tale. A dark take on Cinderella where she is the villain. It reminded me a bit of the stage show ‘wicked’, where everything is flipped and you start putting the pieces together.

Very cleverly done.

This is definitely the most different take on a Cinderella remake I've read. But I like it, even if Cinderella is creepy and pretty disgusting. It really puts a twist on the old tale in an interesting way. Through the story, you can reflect on who is good and who is evil and whether the perspective changes depending on who is telling the story.

I recommend this book if you like remade fairy tales that add something new to the story concept.

We Kept Her in the Cellar by W. R. Gorman was a wonderful dark and twisted reimagining of Cinderella, told from her stepsister's POV.
Woah! What a captivating story. I flew through this book and didn’t want it to end so soon.
The writing is just compelling and the characters wow simply intriguing.

Thank You NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A dark reimagining of Cinderella, this time told from her stepsister’s point of view.

I never would have thought that the fairy tale of Cinderella could be turned into such a dark tale. I really enjoyed this one from the very beginning. The suspense leads as you grow to love the main character, her plight and empathy. The connection to the well known tale is very clear, but it’s flipped upside down. My favorite part was that this truly could be the true story, as who is telling the stories? Those in charge tell what they want you to know.

“Her beauty was like that even as a child - she drew me in, made me want to get closer to her. I would be thoroughly cured of that desire over a grueling process of years.”

I was immediately drawn in by this book and it kept my attention all the way through, full of darkness and adding more danger to a story that was a part of my childhood, I loved this horror version.

One of the best twisted fairytale retellings I've ever read!

The tale of Cinderella and her evil stepmother and stepsisters is one that transcends time -- mistreated young girl who just wants the same opportunities as other young women her age, forced into manual labor by those who were supposed to love her as their own. But in this retelling, Cinderella is the evil one...

I've read quite a few fairytale retellings, and very few of them come close to W.R. Gorman's imaginative page-turner, We Kept Her in the Cellar. From the very first chapters, readers are introduced to story like no other. Gorman incorporates elements from both the traditional, original fairytale and the Disney-fied version, along with large dose of horror and the supernatural, to bring to life a new version of Cinderella. In WKHitC, Cinderella is an absolute monster, in the literal sense. There are "rules" Eunice (the stepsister) and her family must live by in order to keep Cinderella in check, and when those rules aren't followed... Well, let's just say there's blood. Lots of blood. Reimagining Cinderella as a horror story takes some serious finesse, and Gorman nailed it. Not only is the story original yet familiar, Gorman also describes each scene in a way that almost play out like a movie with all of the colorful details she includes, and the characters are all so unique with interesting backstories as compared to what we've become familiar with from the original and Disney versions of the fairytale. Horror fans will love the gore, suspense fans will love the dread of what's to come, and fantasy fans will appreciate the creativity throughout the story. I honestly hope this gets made into a movie, because I'd buy a front seat ticket!

***School Librarian Rating: I'd put this in MS library collection for my 7th and 8th graders. Lots of violence, but no more so than other horror books in the YA genre, and even some middle grade titles. There's a tinge of romance, a very brief scene where Cinderella is sans-clothing for a hot second (not intimate in nature - she's a monster who lost her clothing during a transformation), and the mention of an intimate body part (in passing, almost-clinical reference to a possible sexual encounter that never takes place), but otherwise no sexual scenes and no cursing.***

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

A horror movie retelling of the Cinderella story. Imagine if unlike in the story you know Cinderella was actually the villain all along? At times grotesque, but riveting this tale will give you the creeps throughout.

I love a retelling that goes way out of the way of the original story. This book is a strange juxtaposition of fairy tale and cosmic horror - in the best way. Highly recommend!

We Kept Her in the Cellar by WR Gorman is an eerie plunge into the darkest corners of family secrets and fairy tale horror. It’s not often I get pulled into retellings, but this one wrapped its cold, unsettling fingers around me from the start. This book wasn’t just dark—it was oppressive in the best way, like walking into a room where the air is too thick, the shadows too long, and something is watching you from the corners.

The story centers on a young girl who, after losing her father, watches her family spiral toward poverty. Salvation seems to come in the form of her mother’s new marriage to a wealthy merchant. But, as with all things too good to be true, he comes with a chilling secret: his daughter. From here, the horror unravels, and the girl's life—her once-normal world—becomes twisted in ways she could never have imagined.

What really grabbed me wasn’t just the plot, though it’s incredibly engrossing, but the way Gorman captures that creeping sense of something being terribly wrong. The atmosphere is suffocating, almost like the dread you feel when you're slowly realizing you're trapped in a nightmare. Every word feels heavy with foreboding, and it’s a slow build that pays off in moments of real terror.

As someone who prefers a fast-paced, plot-driven story, this book didn’t drag for me at all. It was very easy to read and I flew through it because I had to know how it ended. What really struck me was how the horror mirrored real-life struggles—especially the suffocating weight of toxic family dynamics. The dark, ominous setting feels like a reflection of the relentless demands and anxieties that come with dealing with a destructive family member. It’s delicious and disgusting and it gets under your skin and sticks with you long after the final page.

A Lovecraftian horror retelling of Cinderella?!? Say no more and sign me up!! 🙌

In this twist on the tale of Cinderella, we see through the eyes of her step-sister, Eunice, just how evil the fairytale princess is!! I did not put this down once, flying through it in one sitting!! Highly recommend!!! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and W.R. Gorman for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review!! ❤️

Well. This is not the Cinderella we've all come to know. Certainly not the Disney one that's for sure. This is told by her Step-sister Eunice, who by the way, is not the step sister we expect either but rather one of those trying to keep everyone safe from the Cinderella who must be locked in the basement because she's a monster. Animal lovers should know that the gore extends to them. What happens when she gets out on the night of the ball-that's not what you might remember either, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is well done horror that I'll bet will appeal to the YA crowd as well.

“We Kept Her in the Cellar,” by W. R. Gorman

I loved this book! I loved that it was in the POV of the wicked stepsister and where Cinderella was the evil sister. I loved how romance was in the book but wasn’t actually the highlight of the book. My favorite themes and different spin on the Cinderella story were the rats, cats, the sisters, the shoes, and the tasks, I loved all the elements together. Will definitely be reading any other book by W. R. Gorman that I can find. 5 out of 5 stars, perfect.

-Magic
-Cinderella Retelling

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

I struggled a lot with this one. The premise is fantastic and it definitely fits the fairy tale retelling but it was very slow and I struggled a lot with the choices the main character made, I just couldn't connect with it though I found the horror elements interesting.

I am a SUCKER for fairytale retellings. And when you add in horror and gore.... Say Less!
Thank you so much @NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Starting off with my rating... Solid 3 Star, maybe even 3.5, but I just can't bring myself to round up.
This was FUN. And so, so very gross. And I loved it! Graphic gore. But in a way that I think will entice my 13 yo son to actually pick up a book.
There is no poor, mistreated stepdaughter. No Fairy Godmother. No moments of spontaneous singing with the woodland creatures. There IS death, blood, pain, gore, rot, and disgust. And a prince. But, there is no "fairytale" ending here.

I did find that sitting too long thinking about how I wanted to write my review I was left with several questions and I was poking at holes when it came to Cinderella's powers and abilities and how she was "bound" to family. It seemed that the "rules" weren't followed throughout the story and that can cause the reader to disengage at times. So, my advice to you is to simply Enjoy The Ride. This one is Out There.

A dark horror reimagining of Cinderella from her stepsister's POV. You've heard of having a monster of a step-sibling... except what if she was a literal horrifying monster that is barely contained and if she were to get out she'd kill people? Cinderella might look like a doll with beautiful looks and charm but beneath that is a horrifying monster complete with blood curling screams, mind control powers, tentacles and claws. When Eunice's mother marries a new man and he brings his daughter Cinderella into the new family, Eunice was excited to have a new step-sibling only she never expected a literal monster to be in her family. Her new stepfather now has made Eunice part of guarding Cinderella and now Eunice has to keep Cinderella locked in the cellar and make sure she is controlled, or else bodies will start dropping. Cinderella's care is demanding and Eunice has to look after her own sister and mother from Cinderella. Yet as the years go on all Eunice yearns for is escape and when she runs into a prince who seems to fall for her, it might be the perfect chance... but fate has other plans for her and with a step-sibling trying to claw her way out, Eunice has her work cut out for her. This was such a dun retelling of the classic and leans in on the horror and toxic family dynamics. I loved the twist and turns and Eunice was such an interesting character to read from. Cinderella was a literal horror monster and she made this book such a fun horror read. I would absolutely recommend this book for spooky season!!

Release Date: September 24,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was definitely darker and weirder than I was expecting. A very unique and disturbing twist on the Cinderella story; I felt physically sick a few times while reading. I really liked Eunice though; her voice was very clear on the page and I appreciated her perseverance.

CInderella meets RL Stine...well maybe more so Stephen King.

Cinderella is a MONSTER, and I'm here for it. She controls mice and rats and she can eat people's minds!

There is a lot of gore in this book. I have to say, it is a little satisfying to see Cinderella go dark and crazy. Made my dark Disney heart so happy.

I love a good retelling of a classic fairy tale, especially one that brings horror into the plot line. Being told by one of the stepsisters, they expose Cinderella’s true identity and why she was really kept in the cellar.

I’m honestly not sure how to review this book. I have given it 3 stars for now because at no point did I want to DNF. I picked it up thinking it was a dark retelling of Cinderella and then was pleasantly surprised to find it was horror-horror. It’s disgusting and it’s dark and I loved that but there was something missing. It didn’t really have a point, just a whole bunch of gross stuff happened and I still don’t really know why. There are nods to the original gruesome tale but mostly this book just left me wanting more. I will be very interested to see what this author brings out next though.

This was a dark and gory retelling of the well known fairytale, written from the point of view of the eldest stepsister. I at first thought it would be the same vibes as 'Stepsister', but this one is way more dark!