A Curse of Ash and Iron

a great read!

Enjoyed the premise for this novel, and have continued on with the series.

what a great read! i loved the fairy tale aspect and the writing and the steampunk setting! made with great characters and an intriguing plot as well!

Cinderella meets Victorian steampunk!
Eleanor lives with her stepmother Olivia, her not so ugly stepsister Rebecca, and her dying father. Eleanor knows something has happened to her since her step-mother took control of the house when her father fell ill, but how can she prove it when no body seems to see her real face anymore. Confused, heartbroken and powerless to change anything a chance encounter with an old friend Ben, who is the only person who can still see her, offers her a chance of escape. With Bens help Eleanor begins to unravel the mystery of her stepmothers secret hold over her and her father, but time is running out and if she doesn't complete her task by midnight on New Years Eve Eleanor will be in her stepmothers control forever.
Even though this book wasn't aimed at my age range I found it really well written. It moved along at a good pace and held my intrest all the way through. A really good teen mystery/romance.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book with the assumption that it was going to be more of a steampunk kind of story. After having read most of "The Parasol Protectorate", I've really gotten into reading that genre. Sadly, in my opinion, this should not really have been classified or referred to as steampunk. Nonetheless, this was still an entertaining read.

I was not expecting a Cinderella story. I did not realize that would be a main part of the story when I read the description on NetGalley. It was actually pretty well done. I liked that the stepsister, Rebecca, was not a horrible person like the stepmother, Olivia, and that Rebecca was given her own happy ending.

I don't really like the idea of love at first sight that accompanies the story of Cinderella. At least this time the main character built her feelings of affection over time and the " prince " character did not immediately fall head over heels for the girl. With the little bit of interaction Ellie had with Hamilton, I don't see how she could decide Hamilton was the one she was in love with instead of Ben. At least Ben ended up with his happy ending with Rebecca, which was a sweet surprise.

The author provided a nice little page of facts at the end of the book. The historical events in the novel were actual events, which shows to me that the author cared a lot about her work and did extensive research.

All in all this was a pretty good read. I do wish there had been more of a steampunk atmosphere but at least it didn't ruin the novel for me.

5 stars.

I enjoyed this Cinderella-esque fairytale with its deliciously detailed descriptions and have highly recommended it to purchase.

Absolutely wonderful, thank you Curiosity Quills for letting me read such a lovely book! Definitely one of my favourites of 2015 :) There's a bit of a Cinderella storyline going on, with a gorgeous steampunk touch, and it's set in Philadelphia - I've not read much steampunk but it all seems to be Victorian London, so I loved this being set elsewhere. Funnily, I kept forgetting that it wasn't in London until suddenly someone would mention Philly, or New York, or something else American, and I'd be reminded!

I loved how cohesive the story was too. I think I've recently read a few things that had a fantasy and/or dystopian element that didn't quite make sense, so it was really good to read something where it all made sense, it all worked and fit together, I was never left going "wait, what?"

There's magic and a curse, an evil stepmother, a stepsister who is a LOT more than she seems, the first motorcar, danger and excitement, and a lovely romance plot, complete with lost shoe :)

(spoiler)

I loved that Ellie ended up with Hamilton too, that as much as she loved Ben it was more in a sisterly way - and it was obvious from very early on that Rebecca would be a very good match for him.

I think everyone knows how much I like fairytale retellings. However, I haven't really read Steampunk retellings - I think there were some in the Once Upon a Time retelling (I hope I remembered the series name right!), but not much other than that. So when I saw A Curse of Ash and Iron, I jumped at the chance to read it.

A Curse of Ash and Iron follows Ellie, who has been under a curse for the past few years. Though she's still living in the same house she's always been in, no one recognises her. Her stepmother has the whole world convinced that she's a poor relative. That is, until one day, she bumps into her childhood friend Ben, who sees her. Really sees her. And with that, Ellie gets the hope that the curse can be broken, and she and her father saved.

For the most part, I liked this story. Ellie is plucky (though I actually prefer her stepsister), and I liked her friendship with Ben. They were childhood friends, and I liked how close they were. [MILD SPOILERS AHEAD] But, he's not a prince charming. I thought that was a pity - he was very much princely in my eyes. Instead, there's Mr. Scott, who's you know, rich and handsome. I'm not going to say more, because spoilers and what not, but yeah, this was the aspect of the book that disappointed me. I was all ready to root for a romance too.

I mentioned just now that my favouriate character wasn't Ellie, but her stepsister Rebecca. I don't know why, but I found Rebecca a lot more mysterious and interesting than Ellie. Plus, Ellie's love life annoyed me, which led to me being mildly annoyed with her. I would love it if the next book featured Rebecca.

Overall, this was an interesting book. There's a whole cast of interesting characters, and although I was mildly dissatisfied with how the romance progressed, it wasn't like the book was ruined for me. If there was a sequel, I would totally read it. Especially if Rebecca turned out to be the protagonist.

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.

My Rating 4.5.
Ellie and Benjamin were best friends as children of 10, even though she was the daughter of a known and respectable Philadelphia family and he was only the son of their wonderful cook. The pair were abruptly torn apart when Ellie’s new step-mother, Olivia, her former governess, fired Ben’s mother. That was another step of the terrible sorrows that began with the accidental death of Ellie’s mother. Now Ellie has spent the last seven years as a servant in her own home. She cannot escape because she must remain to take care of her father whose illness of the past year has gotten worse.

Rebecca, Ellie’s step-sister, is fascinated by clockworks. But she is trapped by her mother’s ambitious machinations as Olivia seeks a rich husband for Rebecca. Olivia has her eye on a certain sophisticated young man of the ton, Hamilton Scott. Hamilton is bored by the match-making mother and the witless young girls being pushed at him, but finds himself oddly attracted to Rebecca’s mysterious companion.

Ellie knows from what she has observed that she and her father are under a spell and curse caused by her step-mother. She doesn’t fully understand it but she senses an urgency to reverse the spell and escape before it is too late. Ellie is delighted to see Ben after seven years apart but she must act with stealth to meet him. She must dare to share her secrets in the hope that he will believe and help her.

Ben is fascinated by magic but knows that it is based on the arts of science and illusion. He finds it hard to believe in curses and spells until strange experiences and revelations begin to make that possibility more real. He and Ellie always promised to be there for each other and he doesn’t want to let this lovely young woman down. He will do everything he can to help her.

This is a lovely, imaginative and creative spin on the Cinderella story. There is a wicked step-mother, a kind, but equally trapped step-sister and a behind the scenes angel or fairy godmother. However the story is more intricate with a curse as a good twist and a love triangle adding conflict and interest. I loved the steampunk and clockwork elements to the story too. The writing has a very nice lyrical bent, with wonderful descriptions. I recommend this to readers who enjoy creative storytelling with good writing, and also to those who enjoy fairy tales with a twist. And of course those who like steampunk and clockwork will like that aspect too.

So in love with this retelling of Cinderella set in a steampunk! I really liked the switch between female and male narrators. It was fun to get two points of view.

Enjoyable read, would recommend.

A new retelling of Cinderella set in a steampunk version of late 19th century Philadelphia, deftly weaving real historical facts and people into the familiar story, and spicing it with just a touch of magic to create a new love story. There's a curse, a geas, and a quest, but they pale behind the adventure and the ball where all might be won or lost.

Great fun to read, perfectly balanced between the new and old elements. I was very glad to have this to read!

Eleanor Banneker and Ben Grimm were inseparable as children and swore to remain best friends. This becomes difficult when Ellie's wicked stepmother, Olivia, throws out Ben and his mother (the maid) out of the house with no warning. With Ellie's birth mother dead and her father seemingly under the spell of the new woman, Ellie is forced into a life of servitude. After a twist of fate, Ben and Ellie run into each other at the theater where Ben works. He sees that Ellie is in distress and stops to speak with her. It becomes very clear that since their parting Ellie's life has taken a step back. Instead of being the heiress to a large fortune, she is a maid to her stepmother and stepsister. Plus, no one seems to recognize her as Miss Eleanor Banneker so going to the authorities is out. Ben and Ellie find a way to meet up at the Philadelphia World's Fair and are accosted by a mysterious woman who gives Ellie a way to break the spell that she and her father are under. It appears that Olivia has concocted a way to make it so no one recognizes Ellie, save for Ben. Ben agrees to help Ellie, but also feels that they mysterious woman must be a charlatan. As Ellie works to break the spell, Ben works to finish an invention he calls the motorcar. They have until midnight on New Year's Eve to break the curse and set Ellie free.

I'm a sucker for happy endings, and A Curse of Ash and Iron filled me with the warm fuzzies of a young adult novel. Add in the fact there are many a Steampunk element, Philadelphia High Society in the late 1800's and a good old fashioned curse and I was drawn to this book like moths to one of those weird bug zapper lights. Author Christine Norris crafts a story that leaves the reader in suspense, but also ever hopeful for an ending where our Cinderella-like character gets her moment in the sun. This is even more possible with the introduction of randomly given gold slippers and Hamilton Scott, the debonair high society man that all the girls of the season want to keep for themselves. This book contains all of my reading weaknesses, including the victimized girl who takes back her life, early steam powered machinery and High Society dresses and manners.

A Curse of Ash and Iron is available now from Curiosity Quills Press.

Really good! hooked me right from the start!

What a unique spin on the classic Cinderella! This isn't the first tale I've read that has tried to play off of a classic fairy tale, but the author added her own unique spin which kept me reading into the late hours of the night. I was a little distracted at first by the book being written in different points of view, but once I got reading I couldn't put down. I would highly recommend it.

I absolutely loved this Steampunk version of Cinderella, I am drawn to anythong fairy tale inspired and this story captivated me from the start. The setting is in Philadelphia which adds a different take to the story as well . The descriptions of the machines are fascinating. This is an adventure with a touch of romance, magic and a bit of history as well. truly a gem of a book

I have read a lot of fairy-tale retellings this year. However, I have yet to be disappointed or grow tired of them. ‘A Curse of Ash and Iron’ by Christine Norris has definitely helped in keeping my interest alive.

A retelling of Cinderella, ‘A Curse of Ash and Iron’ incorporates magic, steampunk and 1876 Philadelphia to create a beautiful book that really grabs your attention. I really enjoyed the book from start to finish and, while the ending did not end quite as I would have liked, I am really pleased that the author included things that might be a bit risky in a YA book.

In this version of the tale, Ellie has been bewitched by her stepmother so that no-one can recognise her and she is forced into servitude. Meeting her childhood friend again for the first time in many years, Ellie realises that it might be possible to break the spell, which must be done by midnight of New Year’s Eve, or else it will become permanent.

The story itself is delightful. I really enjoyed the combination of magic with machine. Getting the balance between creating an original story and staying true to the fairy-tale is quite difficult in these retellings, but Norris does it very well. There were a couple of instances that felt a bit forced in order to maintain a keeping to the Cinderella story but on the whole it was remarkable done. I loved the twist on the fairy godmother and the stepsister. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of Ben as Ellie’s childhood friend as well as Ellie being independent herself.

I personally believe that the characters in this book were very strong – they had their angles, their motives, their personalities and it made them seem quite real. In fact, I think they were actually stronger than the plot. This was particularly evident in that when the main plot came to its head, I was just reading it as I would any other book, but when the character resolutions started to occur, I was so involved that I’m fairly sure the other people on the train thought I was mad.

I am not sure how well I liked the ending. I did see it coming, although I did not want to believe it to happen as I would have quite liked it to end a different way. However, thinking back, the way Norris writes the characters makes this ending the only real ending that would have worked.

I would highly recommend this book. It is beautiful, both cover and contents, and I will be keeping an eye on Christine Norris’ books in the future.

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I had not heard of A Curse of Ash and Iron before I received the opportunity to review it, but I was extremely intrigued by the premise. This is a young adult novel written by Christine Norris.

As the story begins, we are introduced to Ben and Ellie. Despite the fact that Ben was the son of the cook in a grand home that Ellie lived in, the two were best friends of children. They were separated rather abruptly when Ellie’s stepmother fired Ben’s mother seven years earlier, but a chance meeting brings them together again. Ellie tells Ben a wild story about being enchanted by her stepmother and forced to work as a servant in her own home. Ben is a young man enamored with science and technology, and he finds the idea of magical enchantments to be absurd, but he agrees to help his old friend. As they explore the nature of the enchantment, they learn that if the curse is not broken by midnight on New Year’s Eve, the effects will become permanent, and Ellie will be bound to her stepmother forever.

The story is set in 1876 Philadelphia, and that was one of the aspects that attracted me to this story. I love novels set in the 19th century, and this book did not disappoint me. Ben’s love of technology is relevant because the world is on the brink of great discoveries; the telephone is a brand new invention, and talking to someone so far away seems almost magical. His curiosity proves to be an asset in their quest, as is his knack for tinkering. The 19th century setting also provides us with a glimpse into the world of debutantes and Society events.

A Curse of Ash and Iron is an amazing book. The addition of spells and enchantments provide a nice contrast to technology. It seems inconceivable that real magic can exist in the modern world, but appearances can be deceiving. There were some interesting twists that I did not see coming, but I think it might have been too predictable for the story to end a certain way.

I would absolutely recommend A Curse of Ash and Iron. This is a young adult novel that holds appeal to readers outside its target audience. This is an interesting version of the classic Cinderella story with an infusion of steampunk. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience, and I’m looking forward to reading more from Christine Norris.

Approximate Lexile: 810

The lovely cover illustration led me, like others, to believe this story would be set in a steampunk world. It’s not. Everything mechanical is actually realistic, and there are no airships, etc. However, there is just a bit of magic.

This is a re-telling of Cinderella, and you know how much I love a retold fairytale. This one does not disappoint. While there is no fairy godmother, Ellie does have a secret supporter, whose identity, when it is revealed, may surprise some. Her friendship with Ben is solid, even when they don’t quite understand each other. Somewhat less believable is the “insta-love” between Ellie and Harrison. I do like that Ellie has an honest struggle to decide just who it is that she loves in the end. I think the ending will be satisfying for those of us who are tired of teenage “instant forever love” stories.

Of the two point-of-view characters, I think I might like Ben better than Ellie. I was definitely rooting for him in his various conflicts.

The author’s notes at the end show the depth of research she engaged in to bring this story to life, something I appreciate. She is good at showing, not telling, and her descriptive imagery is nice. There were a few editing errors (why does it seem that I am a better editor than those who are paid for the job?), but not enough to make me wince. Hopefully, those were cleared up before publication. I do wish the mysterious person who gave the step-mother her spells might have been explained more fully, or the why the particular things Ellie had to find to break the spell were significant.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the Advanced Reader Copy!

Possible Objectionable Material: Mild curse words, perilous situations, sneaking out at night. Ellie wears a very low-cut dress to the ball and is a little uncomfortable about it.

Who Would Like This Book: Those who like retold fairytales. People who enjoy a touch of magic. Those who like turn-of-the century machinery. Fans of light romance and adventure.

Awesome adventurist read! Thanks to Curiosity Quills Press and NetGalley! Finally a good read with steam works, 1800th century customs (not set in London for once), steam motor car?!, clockwork and a touch of witchcraft/Fae magic. In ever good story there's love and when there's love theres also love triangles and unrequited love. It all started with two very innocent children raised in a society who cares only who you are, who are you related to, it's that kind of world, but not as unkind. The prologue takes you by the reins and takes you on an adventurous ride. While in the background the trains are tracking a short distance between Philadelphia and New York, one girl's life is at a stand still, trapped behind the bitterness of a stepmother and an ill father who's memory is under a love spell and his beloved daughter hidden from the world. A ticker ticker son of a kitchen house maid grows up practicing stage magic and the heart of a curiously talented boy who will one day go very far. There's mystery, balls and steady rhythm as secrets are reviled and love found in the most likely places. But behind every good story is an awesome writer with you and her brain and the tenacity to weave real history and love and magic all-in-one.

A wonderfully original take on the classic Cinderella story, perfect for YA and adult readers. Compelling characters, a good dose of magical mystery, and enough freshness with the plot, setting and time period to completely captivate the reader.

Book: A Curse of Ash and Iron Author: Christine Norris Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I would also like to thank Tanya for helping with opening the file.

First off, why doesn't this book have more reviews?! This truly is a hidden gem in young adult! The more books I read, the more and more that I am discovering that many times the books not on the bestseller lists are actually better than the so called "bestsellers."

Ben and Ellie are childhood friends, living in completely different realms of society. When Ben is forced to leave Ellie, he never forgets his childhood friend. Then, one night at the threare, they meet again. This just so wonderful and so fairytale like. It was this and the beautiful cover that had me taken with this book, not to mention the elegant writing style.

Growing up, Cinderella was one of my favourite fairy tales and this new spin was really refreshing and really good. There is just something about a girl being a princess for one night and a maid the rest of the time. Christine did a really good job at depicting the harsh realities of Ellie's world by showing readers how her life was and making us fall in love with her character. She is really mature about her situation and does not whine to Ben about it when she tells him; she tells him the truth and nothing but the truth.

I also like the magic. It really surprised me though that Ben was a bit hesitant to believe Ellie though, given that he wants to be an illusionist. I do get that he wants a reason as to why these things happen, but he just wasn't as opened as I thought he would be.

Christine did an amazing job at capturing the Victorian Era clash of societies. She wrote both low and high class with such an amazing sense that it was wow. I just thought that the notions and beliefs of the time period were just so well down. The elegant nature of the writing and the characters just really allowed for the look into this society to really take form.

The writing was very, very rich. Christine did an amazing job with figurative language, using it to create an amazing piece of art. When I was reading, more than once, I said that sentence as beautiful or that was really good. There was just a certain amount of simple and elegant writing that really, really added something to the story. It just gave the book that overall fairy tale feel.

I also liked that Christine had the amazing ability to switch her characters' emotion and disposition so quickly and so beautifully. For example, Olivia could be really sweet, nurturing, and in public, but in private was completely different. This ability just made for some really well rounded characters, who are like real people. Sometimes what you see in public is not that person at all.

Overall, this was an excellent book. I would go as far as to call this a hidden gem. It really does deserve more reviews and ratings than it has.