The Cinderella Society Review

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy

Publisher: Egmont USA

Release date: April 13, 2010

Source: Author

Other books in the series: Cindy on a Mission (Book #2, Spring 2011)

When the Prom Queen becomes your fairy godmother…

Sixteen year old outsider, Jess Parker, gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join a secret society of popular girls dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. The Cinderella Society guides all new recruits through its top secret ultimate life makeover. It’s all part of preparing them to face down the Wickeds and win. Determined not to let the Cindys down, Jess dives in with a passion. Finally, a chance to belong and show the world what she’s made of.

… be careful what you wish for.

Jess’s transformation wins her the heart of her dream crush and a shot at uber-popularity. Until the Wickeds–led by Jess’s arch enemy–begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers the real force behind her exclusive society. It’s a high stakes battle of good vs. evil, and the Cindys in power need Jess on special assignment. When the mission threatens to destroy her dream life come true, Jess is forced to choose between living a fairy tale and honoring the Sisterhood… and herself.

What’s a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn’t want to wear it anymore?

Review:

I've had The Cinderella Society sitting on my shelf for months now- and I have no idea why I haven't picked it up before! It was an empowering, well written, and engaging debut. Jess was a fantastic main character, she didn't let anyone put her down and she had a lot of pride in herself and others. The whole premise of The Cinderella Society was so original and engaging that I was pulled into the Cindy world right away. Kay Cassidy is a great writer and really knows how to give a shout out to girl power! :)

As the new girl in school, Jess was faced with the usual struggle of making friends and getting the routine down. Unfortunately, she was also targeted by mean girl Lexy and her clan of "Wickeds". Lexy was the perfect combination of sleezy, sneaky, and mean. She knew just what to say to get under a girl's skin. I loved how Jess stood up for not only herself, but Heather, another girl targeted by Lexy and the Wickeds. The idea of the "mean girls" being more than just rude, but an actually group of girls dedicated to doing mean things and bad deeds across the country was amazing, but the best part was that there was another group out to stop them- the Cindys. Every one of the Cindys was a likable and well developed character that added a lot to the book. They proved that being nice was the best way to be. Sarah Jane, Kyra, Gaby, Gwen, Audrey- all of them popular, beautiful girls that immediately brought Jess into their arms and introduced her to The Cinderella Society.

The Cinderella Society was a world wide secret society dedicated to helping the Reggies (regular people), spreading kindness, and stopping the Wickeds. I loved reading about all their high tech gear and secret meeting places and their plans for the future.

The plot was fast paced and exciting and there was never a slow moment. Whether Jess was helping Heather face down Lexy or working with the Cindys, she always had something on her plate. There were other sub plots, too, that added a lot to the novel. The romance for one thing. Popular and charming Ryan Steele (aka Lexy's brother) was a sweet guy dealing with a lot back home. I loved watching their relationship develop and even when things got rough, it made it seem that much more realistic. There were a lot of twists in the plot that kept things moving and a few surprises that I wasn't expecting.

In the end, The Cinderella Society is a great debut and while it has its flaws I, overall, enjoyed it very much. I can't wait for the sequel to be released!

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars