This is an adult Cinderella retelling. It takes place in a world where immortals (vampires) rule over humans that are treated as expendable servants. Ella, our main character, runs her family farm. Ella’s sister, Belle, has gone missing after a trip to the castle. In Ella’s search for her sister, she applies to work at the castle and becomes a spy for the human resistance.

I loved this book. I haven’t had a good 5 star read in a while so I’m glad I read this when I did. While likely not the most unique story, it had a little bit of everything I liked: spies, politics, hidden magic, vampires, an outspoken FMC, and my personal favorite, enemies to lovers.

While this is a standalone story, I can’t wait for their next fairytale retelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, Veronica Douglas & Linsey Hall for an eARC of this book.

This review has been posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6964947306

Thank you so much for letting me read the ARC for this book 🥹

I absolutely LOVED it!!!! i was hooked from the first page !!

I loved the balance between the fantasy and the romance!! And the little hints towards the original Cinderella story, it was honestly just an amazing read!!!

Now I need my own little rat friend like Pip ❤️

This was such a fun retelling of Cinderella, with the added delight of vampires and witches! It was an easy, enjoyable read that kept me curious about what would happen next. The world-building was simple to follow, and I loved how little mysteries were sprinkled throughout.

The main characters were a stand out- where Ella was someone you were rooting for and Cassius He was morally grey in the best possible way, which made added an extra layer of tension and excitement to the story.

That said, I would have loved a bit more chemistry building between the main characters—there were some missed opportunities for those “excitedly kicking feet” moments that really make a for a good romantasy book. The ending felt a little rushed, but overall, this was a fun and satisfying read that I enjoyed every time I picked it up.

A Cinderella story retelling but with vampires!

This was such a fun read, fantasy with a fairytale spin.

I loved the take on the “step mother” character, she wasn’t always a bad person, the death of her husband has made her angry against the world that was once kind. So much more empathy and depth to that character and she truly seemed to care for Ella and her sister.

It followed similar storyline to Cinderella without it being cliche or cheesy, with the premise being Ella is badass and doesn’t need a prince to save her from anything. But she’s still able to get her HEA.


The tea ☕️

👡- Cinderella retelling
🧛 - vampires
💞 - enemies to lovers
✨ - magical powers
🐴 - one horse
🌶️ - 1.5/5 spice

***warning - highlight quotes may give clues to spoilers***


—- Highlights ——

“There are things I cannot change is the favorite excuse of all men who enjoy power. It’s the oath of cowards.”

“That’s princes for you, always in need of saving. You’d think they’d show a little initiative every once in a while and save themselves.”

“The prince of the Bloodvale is waiting on me? What has happened to the world?” I cupped her face with my palm and looked down into her eyes. “You turned it on its head, my darling.”

Wow! I was drawn in from beginning until the very end. I will definitely look for more by these authors! Well done.

Book has a slow start for me but is a Cinderella retelling with vampires. It’s world building makes you dive right in and makes the book hard to put down.
It follows MFC. Who’s sister has disappeared and she’s determined to find out what happened to her and bring her home, but she has hide who she it and work and the castle that is filled with vampires in order to find out what happened

Wow. I don't generally just hand out five-star ratings on Goodreads for books. But this was absolutely captivating! From the very first page I was drawn in and couldn't put this book down. I know I'm reading something brilliant when I catch myself smiling and excitement and gasping out loud. This was one of those books. A reign of cinders and glass is a Romantasy Cinderella retelling story. If you like the following this book may be for you:

🐀Talking animals
🩸Vampires
🧙Humans with magic abilities
☠️Touch her and die
🏋️‍♀️A strong Female main character


One of my favorite things about this book is the world building, I can really imagine everything and it is so beautiful in my mind's eye. I love the strength of the female lead she is willing to sacrifice a lot for the good of her people which I really admire.

I have nothing bad to say about this book honestly. If you want an nostalgic story with a grown up twist, I highly recommend this book! So underrated! So excited for the next book which will be her sister's story!

Thank you netgalley for a copy of this ARC!

This was FANTASTIC! Reign of Cinders and Glass totally pulled me in from the very first page. Ella’s mission to rescue her sister in a vampire-ruled kingdom was so engaging, and I couldn’t stop reading. Prince Cassius is the definition of brooding, and the enemies-to-lovers romance between him and Ella was everything! The slow burn was intense, and the chemistry between them made every moment count.

What I loved most was how this Cinderella retelling took the familiar and made it feel fresh. The stepmother isn’t evil, and the stepsisters aren’t what you’d expect, they’re these powerful women in the vampire court who make Ella’s life a nightmare. Even though I'm not usually a fan of dual POVs, this one worked so well for me. Getting to see both Ella and Cassius’s perspectives really deepened the story and added a lot to the tension. I loved seeing their evolving feelings for each other from both sides.

That being said, I did wish some of the side plots were a little more resolved, but overall, this was such a fun read. If you're into fairytale retellings with a darker twist, this is definitely one to check out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Oh. My. Gods.
This was SUCH a great retelling of Cinderella, but w/ Vampires, Witches, Monsters, & Magic!! A retelling, yet so uniquely it’s own w/ familiar elements!!
This amazing story will have you twisting & turning w/ the plot & swooning over your next morally grey Vampire book boyfriend!! Their connection was oh so ever captivating 🤌🏽 And I can’t wait to OBSESS w/ the next retelling in Book 2!! 🥹🤍

4.5/5 stars

I enjoyed this book a lot, but my favorite part was easily how she got to learn more and control her powers, while also gaining some confidence.

This book was really complex, with a unique, but not overly complicated magic system. The budding love story is really cute and paced just right. I like how it was still realistic and filled with doubts, especially since the MMC suspects Ella of being a spy.

It is a wonderful retelling with enough elements to make the original story recognizable, but unique enough as it won't feel just like reading the original all over again.

I would totally recommend this book to people that want to read books with vampires, forbidden magic and secretes everywhere, with the real history being rewritten.

I think this may have been the best Cinderella Retelling I ever read. And that's saying something because I adored Heart of the Raven King by Tessonja Odette. But this book, ugh! There are not enough words to describe how much I adored this book. I will definitely be looking to read more from this author duo.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

There are definitely aspects of this I enjoyed, but I think, overall, it wasn't for me. It made me realize that maybe I'm not a fan of some retellings. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

◀ This ARC is provided by NetGalley and Magic Side Press in exchange for an honest review ▶

Rating: 4.75/5

I really loved this book. Enjoyed the cinderella retelling.

Reign of Cinders and Glass - a goth inspired Cinderella retelling with Scandinavaian feels and a commanding plot

For Cinderella fans far and near, if you are on the lookout of a strong heroine, a thirst for a coming to power tale, and a some spiciness to an enemies to lovers trope, look no further!
Veronica and Linsey have a drafted a truly exceptional plot where Ella Marquette goes in search of her sister Belle to the Vampire prince's castle - little does she know her magic will bloom there. And the reign of evil the commoners perceive royalty to be may not be all that meets the eyes. Add in some terrifying vampiric sisterhood, a wave of nature's magic and a shadowy triad - you've got yourself a true blue thriller!!

This book was a beautiful read, the plot is nuanced well and the ending was the cherry on top! A definite must read for fans of ACOTAR and Twilight! The authoress due have woven the elements of Cinderella seamlessly into their tale - you will not be disappointed, trust me!

Thank you Linsey and Veronica for the haunting read and special thanks to Netgalley and Magic Side Press, LLC for the ARC!

That was a hell of a retelling ahahha I wasn't expecting to be honest but I really had a lot of fun reading it.. This was a wonderful romantasy to be honest and when I think about the term this is exactly what I imagine.. Also has vampires which is really a fun vision of the story.
Thanks so much for allowing me to read this book

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

WOW!!! What a great book!! This one had me hooked from page 1! This was a first for me from this author and I will not be my last? I am a huge fan of romantasys!! This one was a win for me!

Lately, a lot of the retellings l've read haven't really hit home for me. In some way they just weren't that great.
This book made up for it though! I'm so glad I took a chance. Oh my gosh, the mystery.. the magic! Ahhh all of it was just so good. I really like longer books to get as much as I can out of a story. But this book was perfect! I hate posting reviews that give too much away or spoil anything. But these main characters are adorable. The slow burn makes you want to chew your own fingers off. Do you like banter? Why not throw in magical animal banter, it's too funny. Seriously I wish I knew what to say other then no matter what kind of reader you are or what genre you normally read this book is amazing and I encourage everyone to give it a chance <3|

OMG for my first fantasy book, I have to say I loved every single second of reading it 🏰❤️‍🔥

A fairy tale written so beautifully, with a badass FMC.

The worlds and the characters where built so beautifully and the plot twists had me in a chokehold 🤭 I was hooked from the very minute I picked up the book, the only thing I disliked about the book was the long chapters but apart from that everything else was amazing

A fairy tale spin off of Cinderella but with vampires, witches and magic 🪄 of this is your vibe your going to love this book 📖

❤️‍🔥 touch her and your 💀
🥀 romantasy
❤️‍🔥 adult retelling of Cinderella
🥀 vampire price
❤️‍🔥 immortal and mortal relationship
🥀 strong FMC with hidden power
❤️‍🔥 Fairy tale ending

Reign of Cinders and Glass is an enchanting blend of Cinderella magic and gothic romance, set in a dark world ruled by ruthless vampires. When Belle goes missing, her determined sister ventures into the cursed woods and soon finds herself embroiled in a deadly game with the enigmatic vampire prince, Cassius, Lord of the Bloodvale.

The novel weaves together beloved Cinderella elements—a masquerade ball, wicked sisters, and a brooding prince—with a fresh, thrilling twist. The heroine’s resilience and hidden powers add depth to her character, and her chemistry with Prince Cassius crackles with tension. With a strong dose of action, magic, and steamy romance, this story will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

For fans of dark fantasy and romantasy, Reign of Cinders and Glass delivers the perfect mix of danger, passion, and a well-earned happily ever after.

I have always been a fan on Linsey Hall every since I read the Charming Cove books, so I knew this book was going to be good. And it was.

I’ve not read from Douglas before but I’ll be looking into some of her work going forward. I adore the Cinderella retelling this book offers, but throw in some fantasy and romance and it’s sure to be a win.

The characters are beyond perfect, I feel like so much time went into them to get them to such a level of perfection. The descriptions were really the selling point for me, there were no looming questions or lack of personality.

But the world building, my oh my, now that was just beautiful. It was descriptive, and thoroughly set. The narrative truly set the scene in this book, and it does not fail in its imagery. I was in love with it.

It’s fair to say this book was an absolute win for me, so much so I’d read it again… Which by the way rarely happens!