What do you think?
Rate this book
The Cinderella Curse
Please note that this is a novella equivalent to 70 pages of a hardback novel.From the acclaimed author of Reunion comes the hilarious tale of a girl who whacks a witch, gets cursed, and becomes a pumpkin at midnight. Sound strange? She thinks so.Cindy had a fairy tale life – well, not literally – but she was pretty and popular. Then one fateful autumn day, while picking apples, she encountered a real-life witch. After accidentally clocking the witch on the head with her basket of apples, the angry witch put a spell on her. As Cindy would soon find out, she was destined to live out her nights turning into a pumpkin at midnight. Talk about a crimp in your social life!There is only one antidote for Cindy’s terrible curse - if only she knew what it was. Hilarity ensues as Cindy attempts to lead a normal life as a part-time pumpkin.
68 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2010
9 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
April 23, 2010
Cindy is cursed by a witch in an apple orchard - she turns into a pumpkin every night at midnight, but by morning, she's human again. This wreaks havoc on her love life, as you might imagine.
I really wanted to like this novella. It's based on a fairy tale (love those) with a fun twist (love those too), but it just never engaged me as a reader. I think part of it was that there was a lot of "telling" and not very much "showing." The author describes Cindy flirting (and then we flirted) and describes the kinds of conversations she had (and then we talked about this or that), but we don't actually get to see the flirting or the full conversations. Because we're just told so much of the story, I don't think we get a true feel for the characters or the chemistry between them.
I think this story has a lot of potential to be a really cute chick lit story, but I think it might have worked better for me if parts of it were expanded. Why was she in an apple orchard to begin with? It seemed kind of random. I really wanted to get more into both Cindy's and her Prince Charming's heads - to really get to know both of them.
I was also very confused for awhile about how her Prince Charming did not know she turned into a pumpkin because I thought he found her in the park as a pumpkin and recognized her from the pumpkin-smashing night! It was totally not clear to me that she was no longer a pumpkin at that point in the story.
Also, what was the purpose of Simon to the story? And that random guy from the weird bar that Cindy and her friend were watching a band at? Cindy flirted with him but he never showed up again. Are these guys supposed to be teaching Cindy something about herself? To me, they didn't seem necessary to the story, and it would have worked just fine if Prince Charming was the only guy to focus on.
All-in-all, a really cute idea with a lot of potential, but it just didn't really work for me.
I really wanted to like this novella. It's based on a fairy tale (love those) with a fun twist (love those too), but it just never engaged me as a reader. I think part of it was that there was a lot of "telling" and not very much "showing." The author describes Cindy flirting (and then we flirted) and describes the kinds of conversations she had (and then we talked about this or that), but we don't actually get to see the flirting or the full conversations. Because we're just told so much of the story, I don't think we get a true feel for the characters or the chemistry between them.
I think this story has a lot of potential to be a really cute chick lit story, but I think it might have worked better for me if parts of it were expanded. Why was she in an apple orchard to begin with? It seemed kind of random. I really wanted to get more into both Cindy's and her Prince Charming's heads - to really get to know both of them.
I was also very confused for awhile about how her Prince Charming did not know she turned into a pumpkin because I thought he found her in the park as a pumpkin and recognized her from the pumpkin-smashing night! It was totally not clear to me that she was no longer a pumpkin at that point in the story.
Also, what was the purpose of Simon to the story? And that random guy from the weird bar that Cindy and her friend were watching a band at? Cindy flirted with him but he never showed up again. Are these guys supposed to be teaching Cindy something about herself? To me, they didn't seem necessary to the story, and it would have worked just fine if Prince Charming was the only guy to focus on.
All-in-all, a really cute idea with a lot of potential, but it just didn't really work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2012
Kindle Freebie
Cindy has a problem. She's been cursed. Every night she turns into a pumpkin. It makes dating a bit difficult.
This isn't usually the type of story that I would read, but I actually truly enjoyed it. Cindy isn't someone who I would normally know. She is a clothes horse, she spends too much time talking about how good looking she is, and she is a bit vain.
And yet.
And yet, she is a good friend. She is aided in this book by her friend Lexi, someone who aids Cindy and whom Cindy would aid. They are truly friends. I really like that. That and the fact that Cindy may be vain, but she is a good person.
Not a deep book, but truly enjoyable.
Cindy has a problem. She's been cursed. Every night she turns into a pumpkin. It makes dating a bit difficult.
This isn't usually the type of story that I would read, but I actually truly enjoyed it. Cindy isn't someone who I would normally know. She is a clothes horse, she spends too much time talking about how good looking she is, and she is a bit vain.
And yet.
And yet, she is a good friend. She is aided in this book by her friend Lexi, someone who aids Cindy and whom Cindy would aid. They are truly friends. I really like that. That and the fact that Cindy may be vain, but she is a good person.
Not a deep book, but truly enjoyable.
December 30, 2010
This story is different, refreshing and fun. It's very well written by an obviously talented author.
I adored Cindy and could identify with her calamitous experiences. I laughed throughout the entire book. Sorry - not just laughed, but laughed out loud. I couldn't help myself because Cindy finds herself in all sorts of funny predicaments as she attempts to deal with her hex, which involves turning into a pumpkin every night. I've recommended this novella over and over again. I thought it was a riot.
I adored Cindy and could identify with her calamitous experiences. I laughed throughout the entire book. Sorry - not just laughed, but laughed out loud. I couldn't help myself because Cindy finds herself in all sorts of funny predicaments as she attempts to deal with her hex, which involves turning into a pumpkin every night. I've recommended this novella over and over again. I thought it was a riot.
August 10, 2011
Do you believe in fairy tales? What would you think if you crashed into a witch and suddenly, at midnight, you found yourself turned into a pumpkin, unable to move. This is how Cindy is living her days. After an unfortunate encounter with a crooked nosed woman who spouts some gibberish at her, Cindy cannot be out after midnight. Yet she finds herself stranded in some very precarious situations throughout the tale.
It was a fun, enjoyable, short story.
It was a fun, enjoyable, short story.
September 29, 2010
Cute read. Very easy and entertaining. The author writes in a style similar to mine, so I enjoyed it. I thought the concept of Cindy being a pumpkin was an interesting way to stretch the bounds of creativity. I'd recommend this as a quick read.
July 20, 2010
This book was short but it was cute and made me laugh. I will definatly will be reading more books by her.
December 3, 2010
Hilarious! Cindy gets a hex put on her by a witch. She turns into a pumpkin every night at midnight. Literally.
So fun!
So fun!
December 28, 2010
Quirky, yet fun novella. Easy read, too.
March 23, 2012
This book was a fun, quick read. It was humorous and light-hearted. But, minus 1 star for the cliche ending-"true love conquers all" is way overdone.
August 7, 2013
In the beginning of this novella, we get introduced to the main character, Cindy, who is described as being popular cheerleader in high school, having legs too long not to notice and having more male suitors than she had time to reject. Cindy says that her life had always been a bit of a fairy tale.
Then, we find Cindy in an apple orchard, trying to pick apples around a woman who resembled a witch. Cindy accidentally drops her basket of apples onto the woman’s head and the angry woman appears to curse Cindy. Throughout the rest of this novella, Cindy turns into a pumpkin at midnight and she has to find ways around her social life so that she can try to be home or in a safe place before the stroke of midnight.
The premise of the book is very cute and I wanted to like it.
However, I was confused shortly after starting this: is The Cinderella Curse a novella for young adults or adults? Is this just a short chick-lit type of story or is this a cute little story for teenagers?
I have finished the book and I still do not have a clear answer. Thus, I am not exactly sure how to write my review.
If this book is categorized as chick-lit for adults, then I found the writing to be exceptionally juvenile. The sentences were short, ordinary and too conversational for adult chick-lit. The main character thought and acted like a teenager and experienced situations that would have been more geared towards young adults. However, there were some scenes that were definitely more geared towards the type that you would find in typical chick-lit and they certainly could have worked in the book, if this book was for adults.
If this book is categorized as young adult for ages 12-18, I thought the writing was well suited for this age group but the content had too many adult situations that a preteen/young teen should not be exposed to (drinking, going to bars, having sex, etc.). Cindy sounded like a shallow, self-centered teenager, who tries to be witty as she tells her story. If this book is for teens, then I think this character would be perfect. The conversational style of character narration and cutesy way of writing fits perfectly into this age grouping.
In comparison to Cindy (main character) and Lexi (the best friend), I thought that the author did a better job creating and working with Lexi. She seemed to be more developed and the author constantly showed what a great friend Lexi was to Cindy. Cindy seemed to have an overreliance on Lexi and only appeared to need her when Cindy was in the wrong place around midnight.
One thing that really bothered me was that I wanted Cindy to be able to share her pumpkin experience with Jim. That would have been a great turning point in the story and they could have shared this problem and possible solution together. I think the author missed out on great character development, fun relationship building and added hilarity by not exploring this path.
I also thought that this was way too short. I know that it’s a novella but I think that type of story could have been expanded into a longer book. There definitely could have been more character development, an investigation to find the witch who cursed her, etc. and it would have made for more of an interesting read.
I have to give this book 2.5 stars (as the writing is too childish for adults and the adult scenes are inappropriate for preteens to teens).
Then, we find Cindy in an apple orchard, trying to pick apples around a woman who resembled a witch. Cindy accidentally drops her basket of apples onto the woman’s head and the angry woman appears to curse Cindy. Throughout the rest of this novella, Cindy turns into a pumpkin at midnight and she has to find ways around her social life so that she can try to be home or in a safe place before the stroke of midnight.
The premise of the book is very cute and I wanted to like it.
However, I was confused shortly after starting this: is The Cinderella Curse a novella for young adults or adults? Is this just a short chick-lit type of story or is this a cute little story for teenagers?
I have finished the book and I still do not have a clear answer. Thus, I am not exactly sure how to write my review.
If this book is categorized as chick-lit for adults, then I found the writing to be exceptionally juvenile. The sentences were short, ordinary and too conversational for adult chick-lit. The main character thought and acted like a teenager and experienced situations that would have been more geared towards young adults. However, there were some scenes that were definitely more geared towards the type that you would find in typical chick-lit and they certainly could have worked in the book, if this book was for adults.
If this book is categorized as young adult for ages 12-18, I thought the writing was well suited for this age group but the content had too many adult situations that a preteen/young teen should not be exposed to (drinking, going to bars, having sex, etc.). Cindy sounded like a shallow, self-centered teenager, who tries to be witty as she tells her story. If this book is for teens, then I think this character would be perfect. The conversational style of character narration and cutesy way of writing fits perfectly into this age grouping.
In comparison to Cindy (main character) and Lexi (the best friend), I thought that the author did a better job creating and working with Lexi. She seemed to be more developed and the author constantly showed what a great friend Lexi was to Cindy. Cindy seemed to have an overreliance on Lexi and only appeared to need her when Cindy was in the wrong place around midnight.
One thing that really bothered me was that I wanted Cindy to be able to share her pumpkin experience with Jim. That would have been a great turning point in the story and they could have shared this problem and possible solution together. I think the author missed out on great character development, fun relationship building and added hilarity by not exploring this path.
I also thought that this was way too short. I know that it’s a novella but I think that type of story could have been expanded into a longer book. There definitely could have been more character development, an investigation to find the witch who cursed her, etc. and it would have made for more of an interesting read.
I have to give this book 2.5 stars (as the writing is too childish for adults and the adult scenes are inappropriate for preteens to teens).
June 1, 2012
This was better than I thought it was going to be, but still not a fantastic page turner. It is really what it is advertised as: fun chick-lit based on the Cinderella story.
This book had some really great elements. One of my favorite moments was when Cindy met James's family. They grilled her to no end and treated her... well not rudely but not exactly spectacularly. They were polite enough to her but polite in that way that you could tell they were tearing her apart and making sure that she was good enough for THEIR brother. It was really endearing because through it all, James kind of tried to stop them but at the same time couldn't because it was ten against one. Also, you figured out that his family was the reason he never really brought women over, in fact he almost never did, so you realized how much he really cared about her. He may have subjected her to the misery that was his family but only because he was so important to her that he wanted her to be a part of them, even if it meant living out the misery that was his family.
I also liked how hesitant James was. He liked this girl so much that he didn't want to mess it up; including kiss her and subject his own curse upon her. I really like how the author did that. It was natural and the relationship didn't seem forced. I like how they met (however ridiculous, it fit within the premise of the story), I like how they dated, I liked their whole "are we, aren't we" phase.
The bad points? I really didn't like Cindy that much. She was kind of insipid. The writing was very basic and a lot of simple sentences that made it choppy and a little elementary in the writing. You could tell the writer's style and writing was very underdeveloped. Maybe with more experience or training, or both, she could be a lot better.
I also wasn't sure about the plot line. Unknown witch hexes her and she turns into a pumpkin every night. Ok, it was humorous but... I don't know. There were so many questions unanswered. We never found out who the witch was and the only reason we ever really go for why she hexed Cindy was because Cindy accidentally dropped an apple on her head. I just don't think that people go around hexing because of such minor incidents. Even in the fairy tales, the witches always had a very deep seeded REASON for hexing, cursing and generally hating the princess they did. This completely nonchalant reason bothered me. If you're going to redo a fairy tale, you either have to totally redo it or really stick to the original tale. This... didn't really do either.
Overall, it was a fun read. The ending is definitely better than the beginning. Not Shakespeare, but a good, easy, fast read for my vacation. :)
This book had some really great elements. One of my favorite moments was when Cindy met James's family. They grilled her to no end and treated her... well not rudely but not exactly spectacularly. They were polite enough to her but polite in that way that you could tell they were tearing her apart and making sure that she was good enough for THEIR brother. It was really endearing because through it all, James kind of tried to stop them but at the same time couldn't because it was ten against one. Also, you figured out that his family was the reason he never really brought women over, in fact he almost never did, so you realized how much he really cared about her. He may have subjected her to the misery that was his family but only because he was so important to her that he wanted her to be a part of them, even if it meant living out the misery that was his family.
I also liked how hesitant James was. He liked this girl so much that he didn't want to mess it up; including kiss her and subject his own curse upon her. I really like how the author did that. It was natural and the relationship didn't seem forced. I like how they met (however ridiculous, it fit within the premise of the story), I like how they dated, I liked their whole "are we, aren't we" phase.
The bad points? I really didn't like Cindy that much. She was kind of insipid. The writing was very basic and a lot of simple sentences that made it choppy and a little elementary in the writing. You could tell the writer's style and writing was very underdeveloped. Maybe with more experience or training, or both, she could be a lot better.
I also wasn't sure about the plot line. Unknown witch hexes her and she turns into a pumpkin every night. Ok, it was humorous but... I don't know. There were so many questions unanswered. We never found out who the witch was and the only reason we ever really go for why she hexed Cindy was because Cindy accidentally dropped an apple on her head. I just don't think that people go around hexing because of such minor incidents. Even in the fairy tales, the witches always had a very deep seeded REASON for hexing, cursing and generally hating the princess they did. This completely nonchalant reason bothered me. If you're going to redo a fairy tale, you either have to totally redo it or really stick to the original tale. This... didn't really do either.
Overall, it was a fun read. The ending is definitely better than the beginning. Not Shakespeare, but a good, easy, fast read for my vacation. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2012
Cindy, the main character of this story, is described as pretty, popular, and she has a great job. One day, Cindy is getting apples from an orchard and runs into a witch; after dropping her basket on the witch's head, the witch puts a curse on Cindy. Lexi, Cindy's best friend, is the main person who helps her through her "pumpkin nights". This book was short, simple, and really cute. I had been waiting to purchase this book, since I downloaded my Kindle app, and I finally got it…I was pretty excited. Don't get me wrong, I love fairy tales and all, but this didn't strike me as the Cinderella type story; sure Cinderella in the fairy tale we all grew up knowing was described, beautiful, but she wasn't popular. In my opinion, I felt like Cindy pretty much had it made for her, besides morphing into a pumpkin at midnight, every night. The situations that Cindy would get herself into right before she turned into a pumpkin was hilarious to me. If there was one thing I would change about this story, it would definitely be the characters; in my opinion, I felt like the characters weren't developed enough. Overall, though, it was an okay book!!
February 14, 2013
Short novella spun off the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. Only in this case you have a shallow, obnoxious (author's description: popular, happenin') girl who drops a bushel of apples on a witch's head and is cursed. Of course because her name is Cindy, the curse is that every night at the stroke of midnight, she turns into a pumpkin until dawn. How in the world will she ever find true love in modern society's 'gotta sleep around' mentality if she spends her nights literally vegging?
I wanted to like this. The premise is cute and fresh. Had she been a little less one-dimensional and self-absorbed, it might have worked for me. But the whole tone of the story was just cheap. No rich descriptions, no character development, no *flesh*. If you'd like to kill forty-five minutes, this is your book(let).
I wanted to like this. The premise is cute and fresh. Had she been a little less one-dimensional and self-absorbed, it might have worked for me. But the whole tone of the story was just cheap. No rich descriptions, no character development, no *flesh*. If you'd like to kill forty-five minutes, this is your book(let).
June 22, 2012
Cindy had a fairy tale life – well, not literally – but she was pretty and popular. Then one fateful autumn day, while picking apples, she encountered a real-life witch. After accidentally clocking the witch on the head with her basket of apples, the angry witch put a spell on her. As Cindy would soon find out, she was destined to live out her nights turning into a pumpkin at midnight.
There is only one antidote for Cindy’s terrible curse - if only she knew what it was. Hilarity ensues as Cindy attempts to lead a normal life as a part-time pumpkin.
Odd little book - freebie on Kindle. The premise was odd - hilarious it was not - writing was rather bland, more at the level of an aspiring writer in high school - language was young adult contemporary with behaviors to suit. Not a fan.
There is only one antidote for Cindy’s terrible curse - if only she knew what it was. Hilarity ensues as Cindy attempts to lead a normal life as a part-time pumpkin.
Odd little book - freebie on Kindle. The premise was odd - hilarious it was not - writing was rather bland, more at the level of an aspiring writer in high school - language was young adult contemporary with behaviors to suit. Not a fan.
January 17, 2013
I agree with some of the other negative reviews that this isn't the best story ever written and that its premise is completely absurd. BUT... I'm giving it 4 stars because I wanted something light, something that would make me laugh and that's exactly what I got (and they don't have a way to give something 3.5 stars). If you're looking for something realistic or have expectations of this being a modern Cinderella fairy tale with lots of adult romance then don't bother. (If that's what you want then maybe you should try this version of 'The Cinderella Curse'?) But if you're looking for something cute, light and fun then this is a great story for you so long as you're willing to dig deep inside and let the imagination you had as a child be in charge.
July 1, 2014
First of all, this is a twist on your typical Cinderella story. It was interesting and fun. In this story, the main character is named Cindy. Cindy is cursed by a witch whom she crosses in an orchard. What happens to Cindy? Well, she's cursed to become a pumpkin every night. It's quite amusing the different scenarios that she gets into as a pumpkin.
My favorite scene is near the end and involves Cindy in her pumpkin form trying to sneak out of a hospital with the help of her friend. It's a bright, fun, fast paced book and you'll get a laugh out of the reactions of Officer Jamison.
Would I reread? Most likely.
Would I recommend? Sure
Book Hangover? Not really, but it's cute.
My favorite scene is near the end and involves Cindy in her pumpkin form trying to sneak out of a hospital with the help of her friend. It's a bright, fun, fast paced book and you'll get a laugh out of the reactions of Officer Jamison.
Would I reread? Most likely.
Would I recommend? Sure
Book Hangover? Not really, but it's cute.
May 17, 2012
This was a quick read, only a couple hours. The story was fun, but I felt that some parts of the story were underdeveloped. The prose was something I would expect from a high school level English class.
I was also disappointed that the hero was not kept portrayed as a perfect gentleman. What is wrong with saving sex until marriage? Why do women think that a man is gay if he doesn't kiss them by the third date? The story could have ended with a sweet kiss to break the spell, just like the fairy tales, instead it ended with 2 unmarried characters making love.
I was also disappointed that the hero was not kept portrayed as a perfect gentleman. What is wrong with saving sex until marriage? Why do women think that a man is gay if he doesn't kiss them by the third date? The story could have ended with a sweet kiss to break the spell, just like the fairy tales, instead it ended with 2 unmarried characters making love.
February 22, 2012
A short humorous story about a girl having to deal with a Cinderella curse where something happens to her every night at midnight. This book was a little too girly for me and involved a lot of relationships and talk about guys. If your looking for a quick read and a good laugh this is a good book. I wouldn't recommend it to any of my guy friends however.
Sex: References sex a few times
Drugs: None
Alchol: Many references to drinking wine
Sex: References sex a few times
Drugs: None
Alchol: Many references to drinking wine
May 19, 2012
This book was labeled as a children's book. As such I thought it would be a cute story to read to my girls. Turns our it really wasn't a children's story. It's intended audience seemed like late teens to adults. Overall it was a decent read. The story is short, not poorly written, and has a main character which is somewhat relatable. With some editing as I read, my children enjoyed it more then I did. Personally I prefer stories where the girl does more then look for a guy.
September 10, 2012
A hilarious little gem that had me laughing from start to finish. Rarely does a book have such great one-liners, page after page. Love the fresh take on the Cinderella tale, where CINDERELLA turns into a pumpkin! I *do* think it could've been a bit more polished (more "showing," less "telling"), but it didn't mar my reading enjoyment. Recommended for those who need a laugh, or cheering up about romance!
December 26, 2012
You can read the full review here on my blog - Book Review: The Cinderella Curse by J.L. Penn
The Cinderella Curse is a quick read and it made me laugh – a lot. It’s a light non-serious book that’s great for a lazy afternoon.
The Cinderella Curse is a quick read and it made me laugh – a lot. It’s a light non-serious book that’s great for a lazy afternoon.
August 20, 2010
The Cinderella Curse was a cute, short and too the point story. It was a very quick read and had potential to be a lot better than it was. But over all I liked it. It wasn't bad for a 99 cent Kindle book.
July 15, 2011
What can you really expect from a Kindle freebie? It was a short, easy read and, unlike a lot of the free or cheap Kindle books I've read, it was pretty well-written. Cheesy, yes. Predictable, yes. Not a bad read all in all, however.
January 20, 2012
A fun, light story with a happy ending. I would have given it 2 stars because the story was a little bit silly, but I did laugh a lot at certain points and the writer has a very funny way to tell things so I'll give it 3 :)
August 12, 2016
A fun, light, no-thinking-required read. Cinderella turns into a pumpkin at midnight. Really. I got this short fiction free on my kindle. I enjoy fairy-tale related stories and this was just the thing for a quick read.
June 5, 2012
In a word: cute. This is a cute little story that follows the modern fairy tale pattern - in other words, if you're looking dark and twisted, this is going to disappoint you. It's fun, quirky, and fast.
June 16, 2012
This is a cute, funny take on the fairy tale wherein a modern girl gets cursed by a witch, causing her to turn into a pumpkin every night at midnight. The ensuing havoc this wreaks on her life, and particularly her dating life, is told in a breezy, saucy style.
October 24, 2012
A silly, fun read. Just made for the kindle I believe. It is really short which means you can finish it quickly, and sometimes that is nice. Definitely not heavy reading or profound in anyway, just a quirky little find.
November 16, 2010
It was a short and sweet little novella. I enjoyed it but felt like we could've gotten a little more depth to the characters. It did have me laughing out loud a few times!
December 2, 2010
This was a total cheesefest of a novella. Predictable and ridiculous - but free, so no real complaints.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews