The Cinderella Society

THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY, by Kay Cassidy, created a modern twist on the classic story of a diamond in the rough rising above negativity to land her Prince Charming. But in high school,it is a bit more complicated than that. I absolutely fell in love with this book. Kay Cassidy completely reinvented Cinderella to contemporary times. The drama was intensified and the fight against evil was not as easy as a wicked stepmother and stepsisters. Jess Parker just wanted to get through high school doing what she loved, cheerleading. But in her case, cheerleading did not make her popular. She was constantly being bullied, which lowered her self-esteem. And her lack of confidence prevented her from taking initiative against her tormentors. With the help of some 'fairy-godmothers', Jess received the guidance she was looking for, just in time. The major themes in this book certainly concern everyone in high school at some point. At that age, teens are insecure and vulnerable to the situations that surround them each day, and survival of the fittest definitely holds true. Bullies do not make this transition to adulthood any easier, but serve as a towering obstacle that could make or break you. The Wicked's were a jump back in time to my high-school days, where girls could be ruthless for no reason. But these heartless acts feed into their own insecurities. They were definitely a force to be reckoned with. I loved the Cinderella-like transition that Jess went through in this book. This 'fantasy' journey through her physical and psychological makeover make this story enchanting. And the support system that these girls created was incredible and inspiring. The Cindy's worked hard within their organization to create the best version of themselves. This book is a great pathway for young teen girls to follow to achieve anything they dream. The relationship between Jess and Ryan was a great example of real-life relationships, which are not always perfect. Ryan was extremely sweet and kind-hearted but only when they were alone. And since Jess was on sensory overload with her metamorphosis, her fear of rejection from Ryan clouded her goals within the Cinderella Society. I appreciated the fact that Cassidy veered off the typical young-adult-book path and did not make it easy between these two. Great relationships take work and effort to be successful, but in the end it is well worth it. I was happy for the change in pace and the realistic nature of this couple, it kept my heart-pounding in anticipation of whether or not they would make it. Overall, the ideas that this book encompassed were utterly fantastic. The drive to succeed after learning to accept yourself is an excellent framework for young adults. The ability to get passed physical insecurities to shape your mind is a great asset. I give two major thumbs up to this book and I cannot wait for the sequel!

Jess Parker is a go-get-em type of person. She's always around to volunteer her time to worthy causes and charities, but when it comes to her social life, she flies under the radar. Her family is constantly moving, so she never really makes any friends. And when her family moves to her mom's hometown, Mt. Sterling, her social status plunges even farther due to Jess taking the meanest and one of the most popular girl's spots on the cheerleading team. Bullied and miserable, Jess never expects an invite from one of the most exclusive secret societies, The Cinderella Society. But before she knows it, her fairy godmother of a cheerleading captain has transformed her from shabby to chic, and she's learning how to lead a more positive life. But it won't be easy--the Wickeds (including her archenemy) aren't about to let the Cindys win, nor are they above using regular, innocent people to do it. Kay Cassidy's The Cinderella Society is a divine, delightful read that's just as much about empowering yourself and sticking up for what's right as it is about the romance and fun stuff. What makes this book so fun is the Cinderella Society, a secret group that is surprisingly extensive and super secretive, which is an element that will certainly attract readers who are also fans of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girl's series. Cassidy also populates her book with realistic, down to earth characters, many who are popular and nice, and genuinely care about doing the right thing, not the latest designer item or the juiciest bit of gossip. These positive role models are a breath of fresh air, a relief from the numerous catty and snarky popular girls that tend to be popular in YA. The message in this book is also genuine. Cassidy doesn't have any skewed perceptions of perfection, or tell readers you have to change yourself in order to be a better person; instead she focuses on showing readers that by being yourself and discovering who you want to be, you can become the best that you can be. Full of fun secrets and some surprising twists, The Cinderella Society is a novel about choices and their affects and about being positive and true. Cover Comments: The cover is fun and pink and flirty, and it fits the title well, but not so much the book. Still, it is one that will stand out, and it works!