Thanks to Highbridge Audio, NetGalley, W.R. Gorman, and narrator E.J. Livery. Eunice is used to living by three simple rules: 1) Always refer to Cinderella as family. 2) Never let Cinderella gain access to rats or mice. And 3) Never upon Cinderella between the hours of twelve and three a.m. This is not your average retelling of Cinderella but it is quite enjoyable if you like a bit more gruesome story. This Cinderella story will definitely not be the happy ending Disney version but the author has reached back to Grimm Brothers fairy tales original story and ran with all the horror and drama that made their stories life lessons that parents once told their children. I loved the idea that Cinderella was in fact the evil sister and her stepsisters were victims of her cruelty. The fact that her father made them lock her in a cell in the basement plays up the idea that her family has made her be their little servant girl. The twists that brings about the end are done wonderfully and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I really, really, really liked this book. I feel like the ending could have been a bit better, which is why I can't I say I "loved" this book. But I did like it very much. And if the ending had been slightly better, I would have loved it.

So, first and foremost, this is not a Cinderella re-telling for children. I mean, I would have loved this book as a child, but it's not a happy-go-lucky tra-la-la kind of fairy tale. Haha. Instead, it's.... dark and kind of unhinged. Even disgustingly nasty at times. Haha. But that's why I liked it so much.

It's a fairy tale retelling in the vein of Neil Gaiman's "Snow, Glass, Apples," but with a darker, more Lovecraftian vibe. SPOILER ALERT: Cinderella isn't the poor innocent victim we all believed her to be. :-p

I don't even really know what genre this fits into. It's a little bit of fairy tale retelling, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy all rolled into one. There are elements of all of those things -- sometimes all within the same chapter. Haha.

But, yeah, it's dark. And it's unbelievably gross at times (nothing super gory or anything -- just surprisingly gross for a version of Cinderella.) And yeah, I loved that about it. It sometimes felt a little childishly written, but that could have something to do with the narration style, which is told from one of the stepsisters' POVs. (A child is telling the story, so the childlike tone isn't that off-putting.)

The author also did a masterful job of pulling all the key elements of Cinderella into this book and giving logical explanations for them in this darker context. ANOTHER SPOILER ALERT: Gus isn't the cute t-shirted mouse we know and love, but Cinderella DOES have an .... let's call it 'affinity' ... for mice. Haha.

If you're looking for the typical "fairy tale happy ending," you aren't going to get that with this book. But if you like dark, twisted retellings, you should definitely give it a try.

I love a good twisted fairytale. This book did not disappoint!
Think, Cinderella meets Venom! I wasn't sure I was going to love this book as it started a little gory, but I was so wrong! I started this on a flight and finished the next day!
I hope this becomes a series, because I will be reading book #2!!

An interesting take on the story of Cinderella. It sets up for a book 2.
Though my library doesn't buy audio books I will buy the physical book for sure.

!! Free copy in exchange for review !!

getting into this i thought it would be your average retelling of a classic fairytale with a bit of a horror spin on it but this was far better than i could have imagined! it was told so well and there i liked how the author came up with a completely new creature instead of reusing some overused thing like a demon or ghost, i felt like it really added to the story and i loved how much we got to learn about cinderella throughout the story.

it WAS really creepy thought so I might have some trouble sleeping for the next few days but i feel like this is one of those stories that make it worth it.

def creepy.

The most perfect horror retelling I’ve ever read! I didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into when starting this but it was great!

I listened to the audiobook which brought the creepy factor to a whole other level! I loved the whole mind shift of turning Cinderella into the villain of the story - it definitely shifted it from a fairy tale to a horror story, for sure! The audiobook was engaging and really brought the story to life - it was very well done!

This was every bit as horrific as it promised to be. Cinderella as an eldritch horror was an insane read that I truly enjoyed
The audiobook performance made the story come alive

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I love fairy tale re-tellings and especially enjoy a good dark retelling. I'm not sure I'v read one where the retelling went this dark. We Kept Her in the Celler is a story that reimagines Cinderella especially around her relationship with her two new stepsisters. This is hard to write without giving away anything but Cinderella is kept in a bedroom in the Cellar and infrequently allowed to spend time with her family. There is a reason for this as things are much safer when Cinderella is locked away. This story was very fast paced and plotted well. I enjoyed how messy this one did get and its a great pick for an October read. This is as much horror as it is fairy tale so be forewarned of what you are getting into. The book does have a well done ending but we are left with a hint that there could possibly be more to come from this story.

Wҽ Kҽρƚ Hҽɾ Iɳ Tԋҽ Cҽʅʅαɾ
by: W.R. Gorman

Sɱαʅʅ ႦʅυɾႦ: Eunice lives her life by three simple rules: One, always refer to Cinderella as family. Two, never let Cinderella gain access to rats or mice. Three, never look upon Cinderella between the hours of twelve and three a.m. 

Fαʋσɾιƚҽ ƈԋαɾαƈƚҽɾ: Definitely Eunice! She’s so brave and smart! She would do anything for her family and keeps a cool head. I admire her for her dedication and strength!

Wԋαƚ I Lιƙҽԃ: I could not stop listening to this book! Who knew I needed a horror retelling of Cinderella. The pace was perfect, and I absolutely loved the ending! I never knew what was coming next and I love that about a book.

I’m itching for more retellings like this! I would 10/10 recommend for those who enjoy this genre. As always, check triggers before reading/listening. I enjoyed this so much, and I hope you do too!

Thank you NetGalley, RBmedia and W.R. Gorman for this audio copy.

Like if Lovecraft and Disney had a baby. Entertaining read playing with the story of Cinderella. I wasn't a fan of some of the dark fantasy elements, but that's more of a me thing rather than it not being done well. But it was an interesting quick read.

Cinderella meets Lovecraft is the perfect way to describe this book. Told from the step sister's perspective allows the read to view Cinderella as a monster while also showcasing the importance of family bonding when not blood related. I consumed this book in one day it was so good!

Thank you to NetGalley, W.R. Gorman, and HighBridge Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this spin on the fairytale. Cinderella is not only the antagonist, she's also an Eldritch horror. This was a great listen for spooky season. It would've been four stars for me, but I subtracted one because of some of the repetitive descriptions. Every time Cinderella's eyes were described, I was pulled out of the story.

I had to go back and check after the first few chapters to make sure I was really reading a debut. I instantly thought that it had a distinct voice and perspective, but was also impressed with how quickly and seamlessly the book was able to set up the rules of the world and start seeding details for later plotbeats.

This story answers the question of 'wtf could be the explanation for the series of events in the original Cinderella story' if the stepsister was the hero and was actually behaving rationally. And I think it overall accomplishes its goal.

I did feel a little foolish that it took me so long to recognize the specific Disney Cinderella influences vs the original Grimm ones. But I think that just speaks to how well integrated and natural they felt within this story.

While the story is fairly tame for the first 20-25% or so, the body horror and other horror elements goes straight to 11/10 pretty rapidly. There wasn't a trigger warning page in my arc but I sincerely hope there will be by the time this releases. Cause dear lord.

Audiobook Notes:
I wasn't expecting an American accent for some reason, but I think that the narrator does a good job with the material. They have a pleasant cadence/delivery and each character is clear and easy to distinguish.

This was an interesting book. This is not my typical genre so this didn't appeal to me the way I wanted. It was a little too dark for me.

We Kept Her In the Cellar by W.R. Gorman officially holds the #1 spot for books I’ve read this year! I love me a fairytale retelling, especially when that retelling is gnarly, dark, and beautiful. This book gives a whole new perspective to the “Evil” stepsisters, Cinderella, and everyone’s roles in the story. This take on the old classic is definitely not for the weak hearted, squeamish, or sensitive. If you are into extreme horror and the retellings of old fairytales, I would highly suggest you go and grab a copy of this book! 5/5🌟🖤

Thank you to HighBridge Audio for the ALC, all opinions are my own.

This is a gruesome retelling based on Cinderella. Except there is no evil step mother or step sisters, only a creepy horror masquerading as a girl. This book is disturbing. If you like gory horror and just the weird stuff you will like this. I enjoyed the progression as Eunice got older and "grew up" with Cinderella.

The perfect book for the spooky season!

This retelling of Cinderella is absolutely captivating! The darker tone and creative twist make it an incredible story. I'm eagerly anticipating more works by this author! This is a must-read for anyone who loves Grimm's Fairy Tales or darker retellings.

***Thank you to NetGalley, W.R. Gorman, and HighBridge Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

I've been in quite the reading slump, and this book may have been just what I needed.

I'm sure everyone's heard that there's no such thing as a new idea, and in some way, I agree with that. After all, Cinderella's story has been told so many times before. Even so, I fully believe that it's never been told in this way before, even with the references to the original story, which could possibly date back as far as 7 BCE.

The characters were really interesting, as well. Though the narration style was a little limiting, it was interesting at the same time to have such a complex villain told from the protagonist's perspective, hearing their confusion and speculation.

I do wish that the ending felt a little more final. It's left very open, and it almost doesn't feel like an ending. Now, if that's the case, I more than welcome a sequel, but at the same time, I don't hold out hope. Even so, I'll be keeping an eye out.

There are always two sides to every story...
We Kept Her in the Cellar" by W.R. Gorman flips the classic Cinderella story on its head. Do you side with the humble, quaint Cinderella or the stepsister claiming Cinderella was the evil one?

This book is not for the faint of heart. The gore is relentless, with every grisly detail described so vividly that it leaves little to the imagination. Did I cringe a few times? Absolutely. But I couldn't stop turning the pages either. A gripping, intense read that I devoured despite the discomfort. Solid 3.5 stars!

Also rant enjoyed the narrator she did a great job of embodying Eunice and Cinderella. It felt like two actual people vs just someone doing two voices.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. Definitely enjoyed this with spooky season coming up