Cyber Cinderella

by Christina Hopkinson

A woman Googles her own name and finds true love in the bargain in this intelligent, funny, and heartwarming debut novel. Discovering a Web site devoted to her and the lifestyle she's certain she's not living, she searches for the mysterious admirer.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Internet, Fairy Tales, Adult, Romance, British Literature

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sorry to say that this book was a major disappointment. Izobel Brannigan was an extremely irritating character who could never be happy with her life or her choices. In the end she does change that but only after an incredibly boring journey. The book was not at all what I expected from the back’s synopsis where I was looking forward to reading a book about someone discovering a website about them selves and in their journey to discover the creator, ended up falling for them. Not some boring, unhappy woman, freaking out at every turn about someone stalking her and falling for this techie helping her only to find that the site was created by a woman. I would definitely not recommend this book, even as a lazy, don’t really want to think read kind of book. I rarely give bad reviews as I was taught that every book has some redeeming value, but this one has the least of any book I have read in a long time.

[Jenine Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a total fluff novel. I knew it would be when I picked it up, so it served that purpose well.
The characters were very undeveloped with single personality traits and there were several typos that I found very distracting. The story line was fairly obvious from the start.
If you're looking for something to kill some time with on a flight or beach, this might fill the need, but you'd be better off looking for something else instead.

[Janelle Hammonds · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hesitant to read this as I was born in 1999, so by the time I was allowed to use computers it was already onto smart phones and instagram, blogs were looked down on as cheesy and for people who felt they were special enough to warrant their own platform so I went into this expecting it to be outdated in that aspect, but ended up being outdated in more ways than one. That being said, the last few pages were the only part that I was entertained by, but even they had their problems. I don’t agree with making the singular queer character a crazy, obsessive stalker who made a website in the main character’s honor slash to push her to be better, more like the girl she has idolized in high school. The main character isn’t one you especially root for since she doesn’t really have that many redeeming qualities, she’s self absorbed, stays in a bad relationship, no hats off to George though, just because she doesn’t want to be single and then only leaves because she has another one waiting for her, as she has in the past including cheating with a married man. On the good side, in the end it helps that she grows a backbone and pushes for a life that satisfies her. The title also bothers me as Cinderella is a story of a prince tracking down a princess with only a single shoe, so I’m not quite sure what the metaphor is supposed to be. Is Alice the prince or Ivan? Is the lost shoe her motivation or her former self or I don’t know what else? The overall concept just reminded me of a knockoff of gossip girl, but less believable since it’s adults instead of teens.

[Christine Irvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever typed your name into the search bar on Google? That's what Izobel does. She is certainly surprised to find a website devoted to her. She did not create the website and she has no idea who did. But, in her quest to get to the bottom of the mystery, she questions everything about herself, including her past loves, her current boyfriend, her job, her friends and her family. A seemingly innocuous website turns her world completely upside down.

[Stephanie Newhouse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast read and different from what the title suggests. Not my favorite chick-lit novel. The characters were a bit annoying for my taste.

[Barbara Cryer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent british chick lit.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about Izobel and her many ex's and a mysterious web site.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[DeAnna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this novel up in the middle of July, when I was looking for a lighthearted, fun summer read. I was expecting the literary equivalent of cotton candy -- I thought that was what I wanted -- but "Cyber Cinderella" delivered much more. The romance is sprinkled with lots of humor and frustrated career girl angst, so it shares some qualities with traditional chick-lit. But there's also a mystery here, and some intense relationship dilemmas that take the reader on a deeper journey. I thought I had the story figured out by the middle, but the author had quite a few surprises up her sleeves. I enjoyed the wild ride.

[Sana Noor · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you first look at the title and read the blurb, you start to formulate the whole story in your head even before you actually open the book and find out what really happens. I did the very same thing.
The author made it seem that Izobel would fall in love with the person who dedicated a whole site to her as she would adore him for his adiration of her, but that was far from what happened.
The story takes a completely different route. She makes Ivan the likely suspect and for sometime we find him to be one too because all the signs point to him but he's innocent and madly in love with Izobel.
The story was definitely fun to read and did not prove to be a disappointment.

[Alison Vanderwerf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned not to trust alot people and not to put your poersonal information online becuase other people can use it aginst you and tell other people about things that you do not want other to know about you and they can use you to better them slef but other than that i learned that lvoe is not perfect and its not all a fairy tail so take what you can get or dont love at all and when you find that someone dont leave him or her because your friends dont like him or her its you who is in love not them.

[Nydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason I'm giving this book two stars is because the storyline had potential. The main character is self-centered, even when her pregnant friend is having a breakdown, and when at her maternity leave party. I also would have wanted the stalker person to be someone else to add a little more wow factor to the ending. Needless to say, I was disappointed!

[Tammy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only read about 4 chapters of this. It's not a terrible book, it's just a goofy chick lit book and it's not engaging or humorous enough to merit my time. I have a big gigantic que of "to-read" books so I'm moving on. Speak now or forever hold your peace if you want this book. Otherwise it's going to be taken to the second hand book shop.

[Erika · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a cute modern take on Cinderella, with the step-sisters being replaced by a crappy boyfriend and a dead-end job, but it was written while the internet was still taking off and since it's so dependent on the net, dates itself badly. Also, if I want to read a whiny, self-centered British heroine, I'd rather read Sophie Kinsella

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

VERY hard to get into this book - decided to give it 100 pages and at 120 I felt like I should just finish it to see how it ends. It was ok - somewhat hard to follow and the storyline was sometimes repetitive. Glad I had read a previous stating that it was difficult to get into but did get better or I never would have gone back after 50 pages.

[Jess O. (From Jess to You) · Rating 1 out of 5]

"... a HUGE disappointment!!! I could only make it through the first 20 pages or so before I got bored and had to force myself to finish ..... and THEN .."

Read more of my review here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_x7ebBpZxgtN4cmYA7-v0umI6-KKmode/view?usp=drive_link

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book. Unlike some chic-lit it was very believable to me. I thought the characters were really well developed and true to life. Plus, there was just enough steaminess to be enjoyable, but not disgusting.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. Such a funny romance in the midst of the cyber world. Very funny and poignant to my generation of women, the gen x-ers. Also I wrote this author a fan letter and believe it or not, she responded. Her writing is very Bridget Jonesish.

[Alyssa Dobens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book. I thought it was very confusing and put it down and restarted it multiple times before finishing. A lot of parts were confusing and although I liked the storyline, I didn't like how it was written. I wouldn't reccomend this book if people asked for reccomendations.

[Missy Bousum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only could get to the end of chapter1. I hate to not finish a book but I just couldn't go any further. For whatever reason it just didn't appeal to me. Maybe at a later date I will try it again. I am just glad I borrowed it from the library and didn't buy it.

[Jessica Fales]

I learned not to trust any one and a lot more.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was cute but it was written in 2004 so the computer talk was a bit outdated and made the plot unbelievable. But the storyline was good.

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally couldn't put this book down! Christina Hopkins writes a great story!

[Edna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and witty in that British way and got me saying 'Piss off'.

[Terise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chicklit of the Bridgit Jones variety. Quick, fun.

[Elyse]

2015 Reading Challenge #31 - a book with bad reviews.

And I really don't think I'll bother finishing it.

[Erika]

Oops! I feared this book was British and that was the case. I gave up on page 12.

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was very slow to start out with. I'm glad I stayed with it though, because it turned out to be a very humorous happy read!
3/5 because of the slow beginning.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard Brit-Chick-Lit. Nothing surprising and the ``mystery" is easily solvable by around page twenty. It's a mindless read, but that's all it promises.

[Donna Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if you googled yourself and found a website devoted to you? This book would make a cute movie - I kept imagining Amy Adams as the main character. I really liked it.