Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge

 Title: Guilded Ashes 
Series: Cruel Beauty Universe #2 
Author Rosamund Hodge 
Pages: 111 
Date Published: April 1st 2014 
Publisher Baltzer + Bray

A romantic and fantastical reimagining of the classic Cinderella tale,Gilded Ashes is a novella by Rosamund Hodge set in the same world as the author's debut novel, Cruel Beauty.

Orphan Maia doesn't see the point of love when it only brings pain: Her dying mother made a bargain with the evil, all-powerful ruler of their world that anyone who hurt her beloved daughter would be punished; her new stepmother went mad with grief when Maia's father died; and her stepsisters are desperate for their mother's approval, yet she always spurns them. And though her family has turned her into a despised servant, Maia must always pretend to be happy, or else they'll all be struck dead by the curse.

Anax, heir to the Duke of Sardis, doesn't believe in love either—not since he discovered that his childhood sweetheart was only using him for his noble title. What's the point of pretending to fall in love with a girl just so she'll pretend to fall in love with him back? But when his father invites all the suitable girls in the kingdom to a masked ball, Anax must finally give in and select a wife.

As fate would have it, the preparations for the masquerade bring him Maia, who was asked by her eldest stepsister to deliver letters to Anax. Despite a prickly first encounter, he is charmed and intrigued by this mysterious girl who doesn't believe in love. Anax can't help wishing to see her again—and when he does, he can't help falling in love with her. Against her will, Maia starts to fall in love with him too. But how can she be with him when every moment his life is in danger from her mother's deadly bargain?

HarperTeen Impulse is a digital imprint focused on young adult short stories and novellas, with new releases the first Tuesday of each month.  

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This is one of the best Cinderella retellings I’ve read so far, it was so beautifully written it made me feel so many things despite being so short. I absolutely adore how this author is not afraid to showcase to negative aspect of her characters, she actually makes them a focal point in the story. The best thing is that the characters acknowledge they made mistakes and they try and make amends instead of justifying themselves. Another thing I liked about this novella is that it showed how people can hurt people they love even when hurting their loved ones is the furthest thing in their mind. I also enjoyed the length something tells me that if this had been a full length book I would have had the some of the same issues I had with Cruel Beauty.

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