We Kept Her in the Cellar by W.R. Gorman -> Starting October 20th, 2024

[Alaina]

There are always two sides to a story. This dark and twisted reimagining of Cinderella, told from her stepsister's POV, is perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher and Naomi Novik.

Eunice lives her life by three simple rules: One, always refer to Cinderella as family. Two, never let Cinderella gain access to rats or mice. Three, never look upon Cinderella between the hours of twelve and three a.m.

Cinderella has dark and terrifying powers. As her stepsister, Eunice is expected to care for her and keep the family’s secret. For years, Eunice has faithfully done so. Her childhood flew by in a blur of nightmares, tears, and near-misses with the monster living in the cellar. But when she befriends the handsome Prince Credence and secures an invitation to the ball, Eunice is determined to break free.

When her younger sister, Hortense, steps up to care for Cinderella, Eunice grabs her chance to dance the night away—until Cinderella escapes. With her eldritch powers, Cinderella attends the ball and sweeps Prince Credence off his feet, leaving behind a trail of carnage and destruction as well as a single green glass slipper.

With Cinderella unleashed, Eunice must determine how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice in order to stop Cinderella. Unsettling and macabre at every turn, this page-turning horror will bewitch horror fans and leave its readers anxiously checking the locks on their cellar doors.

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Can’t believe I’m starting this on time lol

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

20% (view spoiler)[Holy crap this is insane, Cinderella is way more dangerous than I’m used to lol. Honestly I’m worried the dad is going to die and leave them stuck with her. At least he’s being mostly honest about dealing with her. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

59% (view spoiler)[Oh no I’m so worried what’s going to happen now that Cinderella escaped, went to the ball and wowed the prince. And ewwww she made everything out of rats 🤮🤮🤮 (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

61% (view spoiler)[holy shit wtf, I didn’t expect two pages later for her to cleave off her foot 🫢🫢 (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

72% (view spoiler)[ok this was the most disgusting scene! Where the hell is cinderellas dad dammit. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Finished (view spoiler)[This really got gross and graphic in the end. I think knowing the story of Cinderella, the optimist and romantic in me tried to overlook the horror aspect of the book until it became too much. I thought maybe they’d be a way to a HEA but alas that’s not the case, though I could argue most characters still being alive is a sort of HEA. But what happens if and when she returns? I’m so mad at how the stepdad manipulated all that, there had to have been some other way cause hot damn the whole kingdom was at risk and they still are. This was ok. Could have done without all the pus scenes 🤢 (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To 4%, or Ch 2:(view spoiler)[She bit her!? WTF!? I did not expect that 😄😂 (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To 15%: I guess I had forgotten what this one was about. This is so interesting. (view spoiler)[Like Eunice's soon-to-be step-dad mentioned something about maybe Cinderella being part-Fae or something. Is that true? She seems incredibly powerful, but the rules of her having to do what a family members asks is very interesting. I can't wait to get into it a bit further. (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To 21%, or Ch 6:(view spoiler)[I like how seriously Mr. Fitzwilliam takes Cinderella's condition. I mean obviously it's serious. She kills things. Interesting about the rat reanimation, I hated the rat was killed, but how Cinderella uses the rats/mice in the original story. That felt like a nod to the original. OMG, the story about what happened to Cinderella's Grandpa after he looked at her at night!!! 😱 horrifying 😢 (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "20%"

Oh, good shout. I didn't even think of that, but yeah, (view spoiler)[if something happens to Mr. Fitzwilliam, they're screwed! (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

megs_bookrack wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "20%"

Oh, good shout. I didn't even think of that, but yeah, [spoilers removed]"

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

megs_bookrack wrote: "To 15%: I guess I had forgotten what this one was about. This is so interesting. [spoilers removed]"

Going in fairly blind made this a much better read for me, hopefully it's the same for you!

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

megs_bookrack wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "20%"

Oh, good shout. I didn't even think of that, but yeah, [spoilers removed]"

I can't believe no one stops to realize this. Plus it's pretty insensitive of him to know how dangerous she is but yet he has no backup plan should something happen to him!

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "To 15%: I guess I had forgotten what this one was about. This is so interesting. [spoilers removed]"

Going in fairly blind made this a much better read for me, hopefully it's..."Yesss! I've definitely been surprised so far!

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To 34%: I don't understand why (view spoiler)[the parents are sort of putting so much of the responsibility for Cinderella on Eunice. Like, she's 11! She should be kept completely away from her! (hide spoiler)] But also, I guess it would be a much shorter book if they didn't. LOL

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To 62%: Holy (view spoiler)[shit! Pardon my language, but she literally cut off her heel and all 5 toes to fit in that damn slipper!!!! (hide spoiler)]

😳😳😳

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "61% [spoilers removed]"
RIGHT!?!? WTAF 😳😳😳

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

P.S. I love it. 😝🤣

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To 78%: I am loving how creative this is as far as a reimagining goes. It even gives perfect credence to the story we have all heard of Cinderella. (view spoiler)[Abused by her wretched sisters and step-mother, had to flee to go to the ball on her own, imprisoned by them, etc. You can tell now though that the Prince is catching on that something isn't right with her. Biting the head off of the live frog by the fountain couldn't have been his first clue -- hahaha-- I mean, he's wearing gloves to avoid her touch. I'm not sure how this is going to end, but I know it is going to be wild. (hide spoiler)]

The body horror is fantastic as well!

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

Finished! This was so good. I was really impressed with the creativity of this story. How it took the tale we all know and love and made me rethink everything that I thought I knew. Wow, impressive Horror elements and great characters to boot. My only slight issue was that I felt like (view spoiler)[ultimately it was too easy for Eunice to banish/defeat Cinderella. It almost seemed a bit anticlimactic. Although I did love the little bit at the end where you could tell that Cinderella had left a bit of our powers, etc., behind in Eunice. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

megs_bookrack wrote: "Finished! This was so good. I was really impressed with the creativity of this story. How it took the tale we all know and love and made me rethink everything that I thought I knew. Wow, impressive..."

I totally agree. (view spoiler)[Not to mention for me, sending her away is kind of like making her someone else's problem for the time being. (hide spoiler)] Glad you enjoyed it :)

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "Finished! This was so good. I was reall..."
Yeah, and I agree with you on that, for sure, or like you mentioned in one of your comments before, (view spoiler)[she could also come back at any time, right? and why didn't she do it years ago...LOL (hide spoiler)]