Cinderella's Escape

by Gita V. Reddy

This is an alternate cover edition of ASIN B00I805O7I

Cinderella's Escape is a modern day retelling of the fairy tale. Unfortunately, it has no fairy godmother to help Anna Maria, our heroine. That doesn't bother Anna Maria. She believes Cinderella would have escaped even without her fairy godmother. She would have had to. It's called survival.

Readers will love the story and the most unexpected twist. Recommended for kids and adults alike.

ebook

First published February 2, 2014

About the author

Gita V. Reddy writes fiction for both adults and children. Her books for children are written when she takes a break from writing for adults, and vice versa.

She enjoys thinking up tales of different genres and has written historical fiction, women's fiction, and recently has made a foray into regency romance.

For a genre-wise list of her works, please go to https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

For children, Gita V. Reddy has written mysteries, adventure tales, fantasy, science fiction, and also a fable. Her published works include novels, short chapter books, short stories, and picture books for different age groups. Two of her short chapter books, Daksha the Medicine Girl and The Missing Girl are used as supplementary readers in some schools in India. Several of her short stories have been published in Children’s World, India.

In addition to writing, she is interested in art and has illustrated three picture books.

Gita Reddy also writes under the pen names of Heera Datta and Jessica Spencer (for regency romance.)

Ms Reddy is a post graduate in Mathematics. In an earlier life that she voluntarily quit in 2011, she was senior manager in a bank. She lives in Hyderabad, India, with her husband and son.

To know more about her and her writing journey, please visit her website, https://www.gitavreddy.com.

Reviews

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinderella's Escape by Gita V. Reddy
This book I listened to and it's about a up to date Cinderella who's lost her mother in a car crash and her father hires a woman to take care of Anne Marie along with her two daughters.
Every year he travels overseas and hardly ever comes home to visit, he pays the step mother over a million dollars. Evil exists in the form of the step mother and the daughters as they try to get their way.
Love how even with evil and the poisons Anne's picture is broadcast on the TV screen and magic happens. Love how the evil is dealt with.
Scary at times, very sinister also but all good things happen to those who wait.
Also a bonus story about a fairy godmother for boys-love this one as I have a grandson. Evil things happen and I like how the bullies are dealt with in this story.
Other works by the author are not only highlighted at the end but summarized.
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest review.

[Lisa's Kids' Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts by introducing the characters of Cinderella, really Anna Maria, a then five-year-old child, who is in the hospital. She soon learns her mother passes away.

A wicked woman named Priscilla is whom Anna Maria learns all details from this point on. Of course this story has two stepsisters, Marcella and Stella.

Anna Maria's father's name is Peter. She knows him to be a hard worker and travels a lot. Her mother's name is Janey.

The story progresses through Anna Marie's life spanning over four years time. In those years you learn a few things, such as Priscilla is a very wicked person and the stepsisters run very close behind her in their own trickery and lies. Anna Maria's father is likely fooled because the stepmother is thoroughly cunning and deceitful.

An air of mystery encircles every word of this book; it keeps you reading, because you know unless you do you'll miss out.

As Anna Maria is able to leave the hospital, she silently has so many questions. She is sad her mother is no longer living and her father is quickly sent away by Priscilla. "Where was Priscilla taking me? And why was Daddy silent, looking sad and lost and letting me go?" Anna Maria's only question she utters is, "Daddy?"

The more information you garner from the details of this book leads you to all sorts of additional suspicion.

What's going to happen to Anna Maria? Keep reading as lies begin to collect. How does Priscilla get Anna Maria's father to marry him and leave her in this stepmother's care?

Jealousy rears its ugly head immediately as Anna Maria is put between the stepsisters in the cab ride home.

As you read on you'll discover a deal had been struck, "You said you would get him to adopt us legally so that we would have lots of money. You made us write a lot of sweet notes to him with rows of kisses."

So is that the plan? No. You haven't read far enough yet. Keep reading to find out what happens to Anna Maria after living in the stepmother's brand new home.

She indicates, "When I woke up the next morning, I knew there was something the matter with me. My tongue felt thick and my mouth was dry. My eyelids were swollen. I felt my face puffy too and I could not open my eyes."

Just how wicked is this stepmother, you'll soon find out.

After Anna Maria recovers, there are many rules to follow and chores to be done. It is no shock Anna Maria must do things on the sly as you'll get to know, "So now I was a lock picker, a fibber and a thief. But taking the book was not stealing."

Time goes by, though to Anna Maria it seems to stand still, she turns nine and still her father is away.

How will Anna Maria ever be freed? She tries picking locks and learning combinations to get doors open and to get herself out. "So much for my plan. My hopes for an escape were shattered."

You'll be in an "agony of suspense" until you finish this book. The twists and turns and then more twists and turns are rewarding and delightful.

If you think this story is a retelling of an old, traditional Cinderella story, that would be wrong, for it is a unique telling of a modern-day girl, an unfortunate accident, and a plethora of lies.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: This ebook was given to me for an honest review.

I wanted to give this book five stars. The idea is superb! Rewriting Cinderella, giving her empowerment is right up my alley. Showing us that the strength we need is within us, that we don't need to look to someone else to be our savior or fairy godmother is a very important lesson for us all.

And it came across; that idea. BUT. This story needs a better editing job. Besides grammatical mistakes and words that were left out or shortened, there were plotholes that stopped the enjoyment of the story. That is saying a lot, for me. I tend to get lost in a story and don't notice those things. It is why I still haven't put my stories out for others to read. AND English is my first language, I have no excuses. I know that English isn't Gita's first language yet the past books I have read of hers were amazingly well written.

And those are the mechanical problems. The overall story is hard for me to enjoy. If you like crime tales, this might be good for you. Knowing that you can be taken, kidnapped after an accident with no way out is hard enough for adults to read. I can't imagine this story being good for children. As a girl, it would have increased my fears, even if the story shows how the main character gain her own smarts and courage to actually get out. The ending didn't quite satisfy me either. You would think that the girl would understand not to run where she did just from all the reading she had done. And once again it was an accident that ended up saving her. I would have loved if she were able to save herself.

The story that followed about a boy that meets an actual fairy godmother was unique, also. I loved the points it made. But once again, a few plotholes and errors made it difficult to stay in the story. Still, knowing the professional person that Gita V. Reddy is, I see these as being special gems for everyone to read soon. I look forward to reading lots more by this author!

[Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Cinderella's Escape" written by Gita is an adaption of the fairy tale into today's life of a 7 year old girl. The adaptation is heart felt and more magical than the fairy tale itself
Anna Marie survives a car accident in which her mother is said to be dead and her father is severely injured. That causes a series of events which result in Anna Marie to be sent in care of Priscilla, the nurse who take care of them, and the nightmare for Anna starts. Priscilla and her two children make Anna's life as miserable as possible. She is not allowed to go to school, she is made to do all the house work and given bare minimum of any facilities provided. She is even kept locked in the house and never allowed to go out. Anna's father is a scientist and has a lot of money. That is the incentive which Priscilla has to get married to Anna's father as soon as possible.
However, some more series of events lead to Anna Marie's escape from the hell hole and what happens next is nothing short of a fairy tale, with God, Himself, acting as the fairy Godmother.
Gita is a beautiful story teller and we do not have any choice than to get lost in the beautiful fairy tale. There is no Prince Charming in it so it is modern in nature and gives out a message that you can save yourself out of any situation just as long you are act smart in the situation. The message given out throughout the story is very nice and to the point.
The characters of the story are, although straight out of the fairy tale, still believable to be based on the current era and circumstances. The narration is first person and beautifully done. The 7 year old girl is a nice character, simple but still cunning enough to plot her escape. The suspense at the end is totally unexpected and really beautiful.
The book is a beautiful one and not only for children but for adults equally alike. An absolute must read

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books written by this author and have found that in almost all of her books there is something to be learned. This one is a little more involved and has tackled a very touchy subject but as usual it comes across with a brilliant lesson. We find Anna Marie living with Priscilla and her daughter's in the same situation as Cinderella. After a terrible accident she is told that she has lost her mother and that Priscilla is her new stepmother. Her father, a scientist, is away working an a project but Anna Marie is sure he still loves her. He just needs time to adjust.

What did I like? This has to be the best story I have ever read dealing with child abuse. I really liked the way it kept a positive attitude even when things looked so bad. Without giving up on her father and knowing that she needed to escape she kept herself focused on her goal to get back to him.

What did I dislike? Well nothing really in the way that the story went, just the thought that this is going on all over the world and not all have that hope and goal that she did.

What are you going to like? A Very well developed story that shows that all is NOT like it seems and that even the darkest of times have a light at the end of the tunnel. The characters are so interesting and with the detailed descriptions are brought to life, even though I'd like to throttle Priscilla. The research that was done shows in the way the story brings you to the conclusion. a twist that you will NEVER see coming.

Even though this was mainly written for children, I really enjoyed it and felt that it should be shared everywhere. An excellent read for all and very deserving of five stars.

[G.J. Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 21st century version of the traditional fairy tale features Anna Maria as Cinderella and Priscilla as the cruel stepmother. The ugly stepsisters are Stella, who “is constantly spiteful”, and Marcella, who “is sneakier and more dangerous”, and they behave just as badly as you would expect. Anna Maria is deprived of the gifts sent her by her absent father and treated like a slave. The many acts of deception and cruelty over several years naturally have you rooting for Anna Maria, hoping for justice to be done and for love to conquer all. When there is a satisfying twist, in a more modern context, towards the end of the book – no spoilers here! – I can imagine the intended juvenile readers will be cheering just as I did!

Cinderella’s Escape is a children’s book for 8 to 11 year-olds and well written with an appropriate reading age emphasis in my opinion. However, I would have liked to have seen a few pictorial illustrations at various points throughout the book. When sharing the reading with your children or grandchildren pictures often help the “Oh!”, “Ugh!”, “Ah!” and “Gross!” moments in my experience. The book includes a bonus story called Not Like Cinderella, shorter and more magical, making it good value as well as adding to the charming experience gained from Ms Reddy’s writing.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so that I could give an honest and objective review.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern take on the Cinderella story, this children’s tale for today’s world follows the fortunes of Anna Maria, a little girl who finds herself taken in by a wicked stepmother following the death of her own mother in an accident. Her father is persuaded that this new stepmother is a kind and loving one and sets off to work abroad leaving poor Anna Maria to the tender mercies of this woman and her two nasty daughters. And life becomes a nightmare for the poor orphaned child. All the ingredients of a traditional fairy tale are here – greed, treachery, jealousy, deception and cruelty – but as this is a story for children there has to be a happy ending and indeed everything works out all right in the end. From an adult perspective the ending is a little contrived and not totally convincing, but most children will ignore this and simply be carried along with the story. And story is what the author excels at, making old tales relevant to the modern world and treating the troubles and injustices of a child’s world with compassion and understanding. A gentle and moving 21st century fairy tale.

[A.E. Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this parallel story of Cinderella. What impressed me is the heroine herself. Unlike the lead characters from most fairy tales, Anna Maria is a fighter and a survivalist. She is cunning when she needs to be, but still retains the innocence needed to believe she could escape. I love how she isn't rescued by a knight in shining armor, but saves herself. This 'Cinderella' is a role model for all young girls; believing in herself and never giving up. The author produced a well written story. Fast paced and engaging until the last page.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

**SPOILER FREE**


Several books in that I have read by this amazing author, and I am yet to be disappointing in the author's skill of story telling. She's very talented and each of her books have shown it.

I think this may have been my favorite book so far. Loved the twist that you surely didn't expect to come when reading! Absolutely a wonderful book for young readers!


*Received for an honest review*

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is yet another great children's book written by Gita Reddy! This adaptation of the Cinderella story was very successful. Everything about it is perfect and I couldn't ask for more!!

[Virginia Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cinderella stories are pretty common but this one was different. When I first started reading this, I wasn't crazy about the opening. I thought it was choppy and didn't flow very well. But I pressed on because:

1) It was a short read and I enjoy short books
2)The plot kept me interested just enough to keep going, and I'm glad I did.

As the story progressed, it really developed into something captivating. I won't spoil anything, but it had an enjoyable ending that made me smile. As I said earlier, I like short books, but I really think that there could have been a lot more meat to this story. There were several holes, if you will, that could have been expanded upon further. All in all, I'm glad I downloaded this free eBook and I enjoyed it.

[Dr. Hrubik · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars- I liked the storyline and the parallels with Cinderella (though I didn't need them pointed out so often) but the writing was rushed and vague. This 80 page book would be much better published in a short story collection than as a stand-alone novel.

[Naticia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this modern-day fairy tale where our princess rescues herself! Very cute and appropriate for middle grade readers, but with a developed story line that all ages will enjoy. I flew through this, needing to know what was going to happen next.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was well written from Anna's view! It was a good quick read. I gave it 4 stars because not much in building the climax in the storyline, but ending was a surprise.

[Deirdre Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Great take to Cinderella and making it a modern-day story made it quite entertaining and creative. I loved the way it ended with a happy ending but a realistic one.

[Bonnie Ferrante · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is based on Cinderella, obviously. The difference between this one and the original is that Cinderella is modern and needs to escape from being abused and held against her will. Cinderella is an interesting character because she is so isolated from the modern world that she she doesn't know what is true and what is deception.

There is no ball, Prince or glass slipper. However, the plot is predictable and has been seen with slight variation on several television dramas and B movies. As well, some contortions of plot were not believable.

Still, the story had potential. Plot doesn't have to be original to be told in an original manner. The character was interesting and complex. At times, the protagonist had a compelling voice but the other characters were flat. Dialogue was stilted and, at times, awkward.

Reddy tells a story instead of showing it. Much of the book felt like a summary and kept the reader at a distance. The book should have been three times longer. There were so many potentially powerful scenes that were wasted, for example, when her stepmother poster with the book and dress her father had sent, I wanted to be inside Cinderella's skin. Rather than explain what this means, if you would like an excellent article on the subject, go to the blog, This Itch of Writing - http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitc...

In future, I would recommend that this writer submit her book to someone for feedback on the plot. Once more originality has been achieved with plot, she should then elicit feedback on pacing and style of a couple of chapters to be sure she is writing in enough detail to engage the reader.

I was given a PDF file of this book in return for a nonreciprocal book review. Otherwise, I probably would not review it. I really hate giving a negative review. Unfortunately, I don't believe this reached its potential.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 2013, and this story is a modern day "Cinderella" tale. While her daddy is a scientist, and often gone, Anna Maria is stuck at home with her stepmother, Priscilla, and her stepsisters,Stella and Marcella.

A series of tragic events leaves Anna Maria in the care of Priscilla. Can she overcome the emotional abuse at the hands of her new family? Can she expose her new greedy relatives to her father when he visits them? Everything is not as it first appears.

Oh the lies the evil stepmother told, and the horrible things she did to young Anna Maria. Certainly made me want justice for her as I was reading this story.

Lucky that Anna Maria was smart and crafty. With a will, there was a way to expose her miserable life to her absent father. Will there be a happily ever after?

I enjoyed this unique take on an old fairy tale. Love this author's stories.

Thank you Gita Reddy.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ecopy of this book from the author for an honest review.

Cinderella’s Escape starts out as a modern day Cinderella story. Anna Maria finds herself in a situation similar to Cinderella’s. She has an evil stepmother, Priscilla, and two spoiled, mean stepsisters. Priscilla is much worse than the original stepmother in the fairy tale. It’s hard to believe but it’s true.

Anna Maria knows that she can’t wait to see if Prince Charming saves her so she has to find a way to escape before it’s too late. She’s a strong, resourceful, and independent girl.

I have read several books by Gita Reddy and this is my favorite one so far. It’s a short story that all ages will enjoy.

[Angela Lambkin]

What a wonderful and unusual and modern Cinderella Story!

Wow! Because of this being such a unique and wonderful set of stories here I would like to recommend this for five stars and for girls and boys ages 8-14. I received this ebook for free and in return, here is my honest review. Great job Gita! By Angela