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The Cinderella Society #1
The Cinderella Society
After winning a coveted spot on the high school cheerleading squad, sixteen-year-old newcomer, Jess Parker, is still treated as an "outsider" by the majority of the student body thanks to the harassment campaign led by the popular cheerleader she displaced.
322 pages, Hardcover
First published April 13, 2010
About the author
Kay Cassidy
7 books208 followersKay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. The Cinderella Society takes readers behind the veil of a secret society of good populars dedicated to defeating the mean girls of the world. Read more about the book on Kay's web site (www.kaycassidy.com/books/TCS). Kay is also the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt ContestTM reading program for kids and teens (www.kaycassidy.com/hunt) and can usually be found at the nearest cupcake bakery.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
September 10, 2012
I found this at the library and the cover was cute, so I decided to give it a try. I liked it at first, but once you get into the meat of the story it really falls apart. The world building is so beyond silly and I just became lost and confused as to what the message of this story was. I think Cassidy just tried to put way too many things into this book and it spins out of control.
Jess is the "new girl" who happens to be an awesome cheerleader. She is so good that she displaces resident mean girl, Lexy, from the cheer team. Because of this, she becomes the outsider freak despite being on the cheer squad.
Then she gets chosen as one of seven to be inducted into The Cinderella Society that year. I thought this was cute at first - a group of girls focused on doing good things for the world. But it eventually became so convoluted and weird.
Apparently the "Cindys" have a rival group called "The Wickeds" (yes, really). That's the name of their group. They induct seven girls a year into their group also, and they apparently have a goal of doing bad things. Or something. I don't really know.
So the Cindys and the Wickeds do "battle" often. Jess must get a Cindy makeover and read through a training manual in order to win her battles against the Wickeds. The makeover takes many chapters and is a huge part of this book. Apparently we don't want to send the message that it's okay to be yourself - we must all get makeovers and we can't be awesome until we develop our "signature style!"
The "battles" that are fought are basically just mean girl confrontations. A Wicked will come be snarky and the Cindys have to "win" the battle by being super nice and awesome.
It's so fucking stupid.
What's even MORE stupid is that this Cinderella Society is apparently a NATIONAL organization. Full of top supermodels, athletes, actresses, and other assorted famous people. They all do good deeds and fight Wickeds!
And even MORE stupid... even though Jess shows no special skills she is chosen to LEAD this organization. I'm not sure what she needs to lead them to, but she is the leader now! She can fight the major battles like ... snubbing Lexy!
Seriously. I have no idea what evil things the Wickeds actually do, other than be mean girls. Is this really something that's so important we need a national organization (complete with a spy pad underneath the mountain and secret rooms behind coffee shops!) to deal with it?
Oh, and there is also a love story going on between Jess and Lexy's brother, Ryan. Ryan is a "Charming" but he hangs out with the "Villains." Yes, these are actual groups of people and that's the actual name for these groups. That everyone knows! Except the "Reggies" (who are us normal folks).
I thought at first that this was going to have some paranormal aspect to it. The induction into The Cinderella Society was very wicca-ish and witchy. There were also some other hints that they might have magical powers. But nothing ever happens there.
This book is one convoluted mess and I don't think I even managed to sort it out in my head yet, let alone in this review. Terribad!
Jess is the "new girl" who happens to be an awesome cheerleader. She is so good that she displaces resident mean girl, Lexy, from the cheer team. Because of this, she becomes the outsider freak despite being on the cheer squad.
Then she gets chosen as one of seven to be inducted into The Cinderella Society that year. I thought this was cute at first - a group of girls focused on doing good things for the world. But it eventually became so convoluted and weird.
Apparently the "Cindys" have a rival group called "The Wickeds" (yes, really). That's the name of their group. They induct seven girls a year into their group also, and they apparently have a goal of doing bad things. Or something. I don't really know.
So the Cindys and the Wickeds do "battle" often. Jess must get a Cindy makeover and read through a training manual in order to win her battles against the Wickeds. The makeover takes many chapters and is a huge part of this book. Apparently we don't want to send the message that it's okay to be yourself - we must all get makeovers and we can't be awesome until we develop our "signature style!"
The "battles" that are fought are basically just mean girl confrontations. A Wicked will come be snarky and the Cindys have to "win" the battle by being super nice and awesome.
It's so fucking stupid.
What's even MORE stupid is that this Cinderella Society is apparently a NATIONAL organization. Full of top supermodels, athletes, actresses, and other assorted famous people. They all do good deeds and fight Wickeds!
And even MORE stupid... even though Jess shows no special skills she is chosen to LEAD this organization. I'm not sure what she needs to lead them to, but she is the leader now! She can fight the major battles like ... snubbing Lexy!
Seriously. I have no idea what evil things the Wickeds actually do, other than be mean girls. Is this really something that's so important we need a national organization (complete with a spy pad underneath the mountain and secret rooms behind coffee shops!) to deal with it?
Oh, and there is also a love story going on between Jess and Lexy's brother, Ryan. Ryan is a "Charming" but he hangs out with the "Villains." Yes, these are actual groups of people and that's the actual name for these groups. That everyone knows! Except the "Reggies" (who are us normal folks).
I thought at first that this was going to have some paranormal aspect to it. The induction into The Cinderella Society was very wicca-ish and witchy. There were also some other hints that they might have magical powers. But nothing ever happens there.
This book is one convoluted mess and I don't think I even managed to sort it out in my head yet, let alone in this review. Terribad!
June 11, 2010
I have to say, this was the perfect book for me to read during Valentine's day week. I've been putting off the review because I really enjoyed this book and don't think I can suitably tell you why - but I'll attempt it. Jess is a sixteen year old girl who isn't sure of herself and wants to just meld in, but she has the potential to be a great person and even a leader. I love watching her transform and really starting to see what is inside of her and how to let that out. I loved the aspect of the secret society and the battles of the wits between her and her arch nemesis. And can I even talk about the romance? I'm so glad it wasn't perfect, that there was a bit of a trial to matching up Jess with her Prince Charming and trying to figure out if he really was the guy for her.
So, between the conflict, the fantastic characters, and the overall fun this book was to read - I'd say you have a fantastic book. Yes, it's chick-lit - not my usual type of thing, but it takes it farther and deeper. It still overall has a feeling of light-heartedness, but there's so much more. And can I say Secret Society any more.. I just love secrets, don't you?
Read more: http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentur...
So, between the conflict, the fantastic characters, and the overall fun this book was to read - I'd say you have a fantastic book. Yes, it's chick-lit - not my usual type of thing, but it takes it farther and deeper. It still overall has a feeling of light-heartedness, but there's so much more. And can I say Secret Society any more.. I just love secrets, don't you?
Read more: http://www.bookworminginthe21stcentur...
April 11, 2019
I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It such an uplifting and positive book for girls. I love that the MC learned to be herself and still stand up against what was wrong. I think every young girl can learn a lot from this little gem. I will probably read more of this series as it made me smile.
August 25, 2009
Girl power, baby! This is the book you want when you want to believe you can do anything!
April 18, 2011
I'm sort of embarrassed by how much I liked this book. I picked it up on a whim off of the library shelf and felt silly even starting it. But, well, it turned out to be so much better than I thought it would be. Don't think 'earth shattering amazing', but yes, I think it was much better than most teen high school girl novels, and I've read quite a few.
Most of my opinion is due to 2 things, first, the messages are pretty darn good. The cool girls are the ones out trying to make something great of their lives, be themselves, build people up and make the world a better place. And second, there's some good romance stuff in it, and it's clean. I mean, yes, there was some descriptive tongue going on in the kissing, but it was just kissing and that was all it ever was going to be. And the hotty guy was great enough to keep you super interested, but not perfect. Still had his flaws. Still made mistakes.
The concepts and romance were good enough to keep the story line interesting, it wasn't super compelling, but interesting enough that I would like to read the next one. Yep, you heard me, it's a series. But, I think it's enough as a stand alone that it would be worth just reading this first one.
Most of my opinion is due to 2 things, first, the messages are pretty darn good. The cool girls are the ones out trying to make something great of their lives, be themselves, build people up and make the world a better place. And second, there's some good romance stuff in it, and it's clean. I mean, yes, there was some descriptive tongue going on in the kissing, but it was just kissing and that was all it ever was going to be. And the hotty guy was great enough to keep you super interested, but not perfect. Still had his flaws. Still made mistakes.
The concepts and romance were good enough to keep the story line interesting, it wasn't super compelling, but interesting enough that I would like to read the next one. Yep, you heard me, it's a series. But, I think it's enough as a stand alone that it would be worth just reading this first one.
March 23, 2016
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Such an inspirational book! I would have loved this as a teen or even a pre-teen! Talk about bullying, friendship and basically remembering who you are to take down "evil" in all its forms. I thought it was such a great way to empower girls and young women by making a secret society into something even bigger. To be kind and inspiring to others, I love the message this book sends out. Though I found it to be an easy read, the plot only develops very little. I thought it was a stand-a-lone and it's not so nothing ends..there's also no info abut book two so I'm left feeling like it didn't end. I'm also still confused as to what their mission really is? To battle the Wickeds? And what is in the vault? Why was there so many secrets being hidden from her?
November 7, 2012
eviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com
Jess hates her school and desperately needs to find friends to keep her off of the mean girls' radar.
On the final day of the school year (after two humiliating events), she finds an envelope in her bag inviting her to a secret society. At first, she thinks it's just another prank, but then she realizes that it's for real. Jess has no idea why they want her, but she's willing to find out why.
The Cindys recruit girls with special powers of kindness, leadership, and generosity, and the group includes some of the most popular girls in school. There's a long-standing tradition of The Cindys nationwide - battling the Wickeds, their evil counterpart. This year, the Wickeds have doubled in size, proving that something's afoot.
It's a lot of information for Jess to take in, but she's super-excited about the makeover given to all of The Cindys upon their initiation. Soon, she's picking out her own signature style and having her hair and makeup professionally done. So far, everything about the group has been great, but there's a lot of work ahead of her.
In the midst of the battle for good and evil, Jess snagged the boy she's been crushing on since she moved to town. The Cindys have given Jess a mission to uncover information, but once Jess has it, she can't let go. Will she go against The Cindys and their ways to battle her nemesis?
THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY is the first book in a new series. I LOVED this book for several reasons, including the title (love stories about Princesses), the cover (which is awesome), and the story just rocks. There are makeovers, secret societies, romance, and snarky showdowns.
Add this to your list of books to read!
Jess hates her school and desperately needs to find friends to keep her off of the mean girls' radar.
On the final day of the school year (after two humiliating events), she finds an envelope in her bag inviting her to a secret society. At first, she thinks it's just another prank, but then she realizes that it's for real. Jess has no idea why they want her, but she's willing to find out why.
The Cindys recruit girls with special powers of kindness, leadership, and generosity, and the group includes some of the most popular girls in school. There's a long-standing tradition of The Cindys nationwide - battling the Wickeds, their evil counterpart. This year, the Wickeds have doubled in size, proving that something's afoot.
It's a lot of information for Jess to take in, but she's super-excited about the makeover given to all of The Cindys upon their initiation. Soon, she's picking out her own signature style and having her hair and makeup professionally done. So far, everything about the group has been great, but there's a lot of work ahead of her.
In the midst of the battle for good and evil, Jess snagged the boy she's been crushing on since she moved to town. The Cindys have given Jess a mission to uncover information, but once Jess has it, she can't let go. Will she go against The Cindys and their ways to battle her nemesis?
THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY is the first book in a new series. I LOVED this book for several reasons, including the title (love stories about Princesses), the cover (which is awesome), and the story just rocks. There are makeovers, secret societies, romance, and snarky showdowns.
Add this to your list of books to read!
July 24, 2010
Empowering... inspirational... girl power!
This book wasn't what I was expecting at all. I was expecting girly, I mean look at the cover, it's pink with a glass slipper, you can't get much more girly than that, and it was girly, the thing that I wasn't expecting however was how this book made me feel. More specifically how this book made me feel about myself. It might sound crazy, but it made me feel better about myself, more confidant and it made me want to be a better person. I did not expect that at all.
It was easy to relate to Jess, because I was that girl at one time in my life. Although I wish I would have had a group like the Cinderella Society to guide me through those difficult times! I was glad to see Jess's character become more confident by the end of the novel, it was invigorating seeing her personal transformation.
The plot was a little slow for me at times, but once the society was introduced things got a lot more interesting. The Wickeds and Villians, Cinerellas and Charmings.... it did have me scoffing at first, but by the end of the novel, I was really digging Cassidy's word choices.
My only complaint was the relationship between Ryan and Jess. The perfect popular boy falling for the MC.... I just didn't understand why Jess liked him, besides the fact that he was popular and gorgeous. He might have had some substance under that shiny exterior, but he kept it hidden under a scowling persona... hopefully he will grow on me in the next novel.
Overall, The Cinderella Society was a great read, I'd definitely recommend it! The Cindys Rock!
This book wasn't what I was expecting at all. I was expecting girly, I mean look at the cover, it's pink with a glass slipper, you can't get much more girly than that, and it was girly, the thing that I wasn't expecting however was how this book made me feel. More specifically how this book made me feel about myself. It might sound crazy, but it made me feel better about myself, more confidant and it made me want to be a better person. I did not expect that at all.
It was easy to relate to Jess, because I was that girl at one time in my life. Although I wish I would have had a group like the Cinderella Society to guide me through those difficult times! I was glad to see Jess's character become more confident by the end of the novel, it was invigorating seeing her personal transformation.
The plot was a little slow for me at times, but once the society was introduced things got a lot more interesting. The Wickeds and Villians, Cinerellas and Charmings.... it did have me scoffing at first, but by the end of the novel, I was really digging Cassidy's word choices.
My only complaint was the relationship between Ryan and Jess. The perfect popular boy falling for the MC.... I just didn't understand why Jess liked him, besides the fact that he was popular and gorgeous. He might have had some substance under that shiny exterior, but he kept it hidden under a scowling persona... hopefully he will grow on me in the next novel.
Overall, The Cinderella Society was a great read, I'd definitely recommend it! The Cindys Rock!
June 17, 2012
To See Full Review Click Here: http://yalbookbriefs.blogspot.com/201...
Note, I did not finish reading this book. I tried reading it twice but I could never quite finish it. I skimmed through the rest of it and I think I have read enough to develop a solid opinion of it.
If there was any book I wanted to like this was it. It had a powerful message about girl empowerment and anti-bullying. However, this book just didn't work for me.
There were many problems with this book. I guess to get down with the nitty gritty of it I'll start talking about the plot in general and pacing. Essentially Jess is invited into this ultra secret society of powerful women, a.k.a. the Cindys. And we learn that there is an ongoing battle between them and another ultra secret society of powerful women who favor the color black too much, the Wickeds. Interesting set up, it has a lot of potential. However, there were far too many plot holes for the story.
Right now a lot of fan girls are probably telling me that the book is fiction and I should just let go of my sense of logic. Alright, let me just say that I understand that it's fiction but in order for a fictional world to work there has to be some sort of logic to that world. Why else do you think that world building is a big issue in fantasies? In this book though there is no logic to the Cindys or anything really.
Like Jess? Though the Cindys state their reasons for choosing her of all people to join their little club. I just don't see what they see. Jess is a weak character-I'll go more into that in a later part of my review-and I really didn't see anything that special about her. Plus, from what I saw at the beginning of the novel the Cindys really didn't do anything except giving their characters makeovers and getting Tyra Banks (okay, a Tyra wannabe who now runs a coffee shop) to spy for them.
Did I mention how many supposedly famous people are in this book?
It's ridiculous. We have a supermodel turned barista, as well as a couple of celebrity spawns, and the book takes place in small town Georgia.
Okay, it's one thing to have maybe one famous person turning up in this small town, but more than one? It just doesn't make sense. Neither does having an exclusive salon either. If you want all these things in your setting, then place your book in a bigger city. While I would still have qualms about all these celebrities living outside of LA or New York City, it would actually make a lot more sense if this book took place in Georgia if it took place in Atlanta or Savannah not the freaking suburbs.
Besides this plot hole, I was also sort of confused by the Cindys themselves. They are suppose to be the protectors of the normal kids, but they don't do jack shit to help Jess when she's normal. She is tortured endlessly and is isolated because of a Wicked at the beginning of the book. Ignored by the Cindys until she's magically invited to their slumber party and inducted into their secret society. Okay, being a victim of bullies for most of my life, I know that one of the biggest weapons they have against a person is isolation. When you isolate someone they feel helpless. They have no one to turn to and that's when bullies often win. So essentially ignoring a girl for the first several months she lives in town while she gets tortured is not protecting said character. It's actually enhancing the bullying. So Cindys, my first impression of you was not very good at all.
It probably didn't help matters that their was about sixty pages or so of the book just focused on Jess's makeover. Look, I get that looking good helps you feel good. But I really wish that there wouldn't have been as much as an emphasis on this aspect as there was. It bogged down the book. In fact, I often felt like I was reading a self help book about appearances rather than a YA novel. The book seemed to go nowhere and I lost interest not only once but twice.
As for the characters. Generic names were used so I often forgot who was who. Jess goes from having no friends to being essentially a member of an exclusive high school sorority full of several girls who I instantly forget about because no time is spent developing their characters so I didn't know Gaby from Gwen or whoever. Even the love interest is sort of forgettable. All I know is he's your typical YA love interest who doesn't appear to notice the main character and is always attached to some blonde, but halfway through the book after she becomes "hot" he'll notice her and he'll say he's always liked her. Yeah....I was not impressed. Plus, it didn't help matters that Jess only liked Ryan because he had a jaw like Jake Gyllenhaal.
As for Jess herself. She was just sort of meh....She wasn't offensive. I've read books with characters who are far more obnoxious than her. I just didn't like her. I thought she was weak and a bit shallow. And yeah, most teenage girls are weak and somewhat shallow to an extent, but I didn't really see any substance with Jess. I also found it hard to believe that a girl who moves around so much would always be in cheerleading. It's not that I don't doubt Jess's skill as a cheerleader, I was just always under the assumption that a good portion of being a good cheerleader was knowing your community and being able to interact on a social level with your teammates. Jess who has moved around constantly and who admits to not having much social interaction with anyone does not fit my definition of cheerleading. But hey what do I know I was only a band nerd....
Best Feature: Good Message. I think this book has a great message, but honestly I often felt like this was being constantly slapped in my face. Look, this might be a pet peeve of mine but I hate it when books with messages become message books. What is a message book? A book that clearly thinks I need to learn something from it. Which is what this book does. While I do appreciate what it's trying to preach, I just don't like the idea of being preached to in the first place. I leaving preaching for, well, preachers.
Worst Feature: Lack of Plot. Okay, so the book does have a plot but if takes forever to get to. The first hundred pages or so are just an introduction to the Cindys and plans for the big makeover. And while I do love makeover scenes as much as the next girl, I just don't think that there needs to be that much buildup to said scenes.
Appropriateness: It's pretty clean. Alright, so there is some bullying in the book. Pretty moronic bullying if I'm going to be honest about it, but when is bullying smart?
Note, I did not finish reading this book. I tried reading it twice but I could never quite finish it. I skimmed through the rest of it and I think I have read enough to develop a solid opinion of it.
If there was any book I wanted to like this was it. It had a powerful message about girl empowerment and anti-bullying. However, this book just didn't work for me.
There were many problems with this book. I guess to get down with the nitty gritty of it I'll start talking about the plot in general and pacing. Essentially Jess is invited into this ultra secret society of powerful women, a.k.a. the Cindys. And we learn that there is an ongoing battle between them and another ultra secret society of powerful women who favor the color black too much, the Wickeds. Interesting set up, it has a lot of potential. However, there were far too many plot holes for the story.
Right now a lot of fan girls are probably telling me that the book is fiction and I should just let go of my sense of logic. Alright, let me just say that I understand that it's fiction but in order for a fictional world to work there has to be some sort of logic to that world. Why else do you think that world building is a big issue in fantasies? In this book though there is no logic to the Cindys or anything really.
Like Jess? Though the Cindys state their reasons for choosing her of all people to join their little club. I just don't see what they see. Jess is a weak character-I'll go more into that in a later part of my review-and I really didn't see anything that special about her. Plus, from what I saw at the beginning of the novel the Cindys really didn't do anything except giving their characters makeovers and getting Tyra Banks (okay, a Tyra wannabe who now runs a coffee shop) to spy for them.
Did I mention how many supposedly famous people are in this book?
It's ridiculous. We have a supermodel turned barista, as well as a couple of celebrity spawns, and the book takes place in small town Georgia.
Okay, it's one thing to have maybe one famous person turning up in this small town, but more than one? It just doesn't make sense. Neither does having an exclusive salon either. If you want all these things in your setting, then place your book in a bigger city. While I would still have qualms about all these celebrities living outside of LA or New York City, it would actually make a lot more sense if this book took place in Georgia if it took place in Atlanta or Savannah not the freaking suburbs.
Besides this plot hole, I was also sort of confused by the Cindys themselves. They are suppose to be the protectors of the normal kids, but they don't do jack shit to help Jess when she's normal. She is tortured endlessly and is isolated because of a Wicked at the beginning of the book. Ignored by the Cindys until she's magically invited to their slumber party and inducted into their secret society. Okay, being a victim of bullies for most of my life, I know that one of the biggest weapons they have against a person is isolation. When you isolate someone they feel helpless. They have no one to turn to and that's when bullies often win. So essentially ignoring a girl for the first several months she lives in town while she gets tortured is not protecting said character. It's actually enhancing the bullying. So Cindys, my first impression of you was not very good at all.
It probably didn't help matters that their was about sixty pages or so of the book just focused on Jess's makeover. Look, I get that looking good helps you feel good. But I really wish that there wouldn't have been as much as an emphasis on this aspect as there was. It bogged down the book. In fact, I often felt like I was reading a self help book about appearances rather than a YA novel. The book seemed to go nowhere and I lost interest not only once but twice.
As for the characters. Generic names were used so I often forgot who was who. Jess goes from having no friends to being essentially a member of an exclusive high school sorority full of several girls who I instantly forget about because no time is spent developing their characters so I didn't know Gaby from Gwen or whoever. Even the love interest is sort of forgettable. All I know is he's your typical YA love interest who doesn't appear to notice the main character and is always attached to some blonde, but halfway through the book after she becomes "hot" he'll notice her and he'll say he's always liked her. Yeah....I was not impressed. Plus, it didn't help matters that Jess only liked Ryan because he had a jaw like Jake Gyllenhaal.
As for Jess herself. She was just sort of meh....She wasn't offensive. I've read books with characters who are far more obnoxious than her. I just didn't like her. I thought she was weak and a bit shallow. And yeah, most teenage girls are weak and somewhat shallow to an extent, but I didn't really see any substance with Jess. I also found it hard to believe that a girl who moves around so much would always be in cheerleading. It's not that I don't doubt Jess's skill as a cheerleader, I was just always under the assumption that a good portion of being a good cheerleader was knowing your community and being able to interact on a social level with your teammates. Jess who has moved around constantly and who admits to not having much social interaction with anyone does not fit my definition of cheerleading. But hey what do I know I was only a band nerd....
Best Feature: Good Message. I think this book has a great message, but honestly I often felt like this was being constantly slapped in my face. Look, this might be a pet peeve of mine but I hate it when books with messages become message books. What is a message book? A book that clearly thinks I need to learn something from it. Which is what this book does. While I do appreciate what it's trying to preach, I just don't like the idea of being preached to in the first place. I leaving preaching for, well, preachers.
Worst Feature: Lack of Plot. Okay, so the book does have a plot but if takes forever to get to. The first hundred pages or so are just an introduction to the Cindys and plans for the big makeover. And while I do love makeover scenes as much as the next girl, I just don't think that there needs to be that much buildup to said scenes.
Appropriateness: It's pretty clean. Alright, so there is some bullying in the book. Pretty moronic bullying if I'm going to be honest about it, but when is bullying smart?
June 23, 2014
Re-read. Interesting how books affect you depending on the time in your life and how much you've been reviewing. The first time I read this, it became one of my favourites. This time, I felt it was a little disjointed. There are definitely moments that I really love (the boardwalk scene!), but there were also definitely moments where the writing fell apart.
3.5 stars this time around. I'm a little disappointed this didn't hold up again.
3.5 stars this time around. I'm a little disappointed this didn't hold up again.
April 25, 2010
I "met" Kay Cassidy the other day on Twitter. She was talking about her book, and talking about what it means to be a "Cindy" and stand up to those who like to bring others down. She talked with everyone that night for at least four hours. By the end of the night, I knew that I not only wanted to rush out and get this book, but also that I really liked her a lot, and love what she stands for (not to mention that we loved all the same books and movies.) Thanks, Kay, for taking a stand!
The Cinderella Society:
Jess Parker is a sixteen-year-old girl who has moved from town to town, never staying long enough to get close to anyone. But the soon-to-be-birth of twin siblings has brought Jess and her parents back to their home town to settle down. Jess soon makes the cheerleading squad, which she hopes will help her make friends. The problem is, the popular girl, Lexy, who's spot she has taken, isn't going let that happen.
Lexy tries over and over to bully Jess into submission, but when she not only stands up for herself, but also another girl who's being bullied, Jess finds herself being invited to join a secret club against bullies....or Wickeds, as they like to call them. The Cinderella Society is a group of girls who stand up for all that is good, and stands against all that is Wicked. The Wickeds are superficial people who are into bullying, casual sex, drinking, drugs, and Wicked chatter (swearing, gossiping, putting people down).
As Jess learns to re-invent herself, on the inside as well as outside, she also learns that The Cindys are much more than just a popular high school club. And with the help of some amazing friends, and a super-cute Prince Charming, Jess finds out just where she fits into this Society.
What if you had an entire network of people devoted to helping you stand up to the "Wicked" bullies in your life? What if every school had their own Cinderella Society, where people who were being bullied, or people that wanted to stand up for others, could go for help and support. Then again, why stop at high school? What difference could we all make if we embraced our inner Cindy and stood up for those who needed it?
I hope that's what this book inspires. I will be giving away this book on April 30th during Blogmania. Be sure to check back then for a chance to win!
~Andye
P.S.
I love the strength of Jess Parker. Even though she has some self-esteem issues (don't we all) she fights her way through them, and always stands up for what she knows is right. Even when that means she has to stand up to the guy that she's falling for. The relationship between Jess and Ryan is so sweet, but its not without its problems. It's so nice to read a book where the guy knows how to treat the girl, and when he doesn't treat her right, she doesn't take it.
Parents should know: Although the message is overwhelmingly good in this book, there are some (negatively looked upon by the Cindys) sexual comments, and some mild mature language. There is also some fairly detailed kissing. For more detailes go to The Cinderella Society on ParentalBookReviews.com
The Cinderella Society:
Jess Parker is a sixteen-year-old girl who has moved from town to town, never staying long enough to get close to anyone. But the soon-to-be-birth of twin siblings has brought Jess and her parents back to their home town to settle down. Jess soon makes the cheerleading squad, which she hopes will help her make friends. The problem is, the popular girl, Lexy, who's spot she has taken, isn't going let that happen.
Lexy tries over and over to bully Jess into submission, but when she not only stands up for herself, but also another girl who's being bullied, Jess finds herself being invited to join a secret club against bullies....or Wickeds, as they like to call them. The Cinderella Society is a group of girls who stand up for all that is good, and stands against all that is Wicked. The Wickeds are superficial people who are into bullying, casual sex, drinking, drugs, and Wicked chatter (swearing, gossiping, putting people down).
As Jess learns to re-invent herself, on the inside as well as outside, she also learns that The Cindys are much more than just a popular high school club. And with the help of some amazing friends, and a super-cute Prince Charming, Jess finds out just where she fits into this Society.
What if you had an entire network of people devoted to helping you stand up to the "Wicked" bullies in your life? What if every school had their own Cinderella Society, where people who were being bullied, or people that wanted to stand up for others, could go for help and support. Then again, why stop at high school? What difference could we all make if we embraced our inner Cindy and stood up for those who needed it?
I hope that's what this book inspires. I will be giving away this book on April 30th during Blogmania. Be sure to check back then for a chance to win!
~Andye
P.S.
I love the strength of Jess Parker. Even though she has some self-esteem issues (don't we all) she fights her way through them, and always stands up for what she knows is right. Even when that means she has to stand up to the guy that she's falling for. The relationship between Jess and Ryan is so sweet, but its not without its problems. It's so nice to read a book where the guy knows how to treat the girl, and when he doesn't treat her right, she doesn't take it.
Parents should know: Although the message is overwhelmingly good in this book, there are some (negatively looked upon by the Cindys) sexual comments, and some mild mature language. There is also some fairly detailed kissing. For more detailes go to The Cinderella Society on ParentalBookReviews.com
November 8, 2009
Wow. Move over, Barbie, Bratz, and other unrealistic portrayals of females. THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY is an unself-conscious call for girl power, shamelessly girlie and endlessly original.
The message of female empowerment prevails throughout the entire novel, and you don’t need to simply read this as a fun story. As Jess and her Big Sis work their way through the Cindy training, readers will be happy to pick up the empowering tips as well—for example, it’s finding the best style for you that’s important, or that self-confidence and attitude can make or break even the best-looking girl. By pitching this important but often overlooked concept in a secret society novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY will bring together all types of female readers, from the seemingly perfect Queens of high school to the lonely misfit. Feminism ties all the excessively girlie components of this story together to make it enjoyable for everyone.
The protagonist, Jess, can be infuriatingly and unjustifiably lacking in self-confidence (because in the grand scheme of things, she is SO much better off than most high school girls), but in the end still becomes a character whose story we’re interested in, and who we can cheer for. Her worries about being the new kid at the beginning of the story are relatable even to those who have not moved nine times in 16 years. However, her reactions of unworthiness once she enters the Society and her sickening preoccupation with her physical makeover were a little disturbing and left a bad taste in my mouth.
Similarly, I found the romance between Jess and her object of interest, the—you guessed it!—star quarterback and Your Royal Sexiness, Ryan Steele, to be saccharinely clichéd. I’ve never fully understood why characters must more often than not be obsessed with their school’s physically perfect quarterback. Ryan’s character does delve into a bit of depth and family tragedy as the story goes along, but not enough to justify the predictability of their interactions, and Jess’ feelings for him.
The plot started out great, but digressed into lessons and chapters of explanation towards the second half of the novel, which was disconcerting for me. The uneven distribution of exciting scenes tempted me to put down the novel in various places, and it was only my intrigue with the way rival, fairy tale-like factions of good vs. evil were portrayed as Cindys vs. Wickeds that kept me going.
Despite rather serious flaws in character and story construction, I still give a thumbs-up to THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY for addressing female empowerment in a way that is easily accessible to those who need it most: teen girls. This story just might become your best friend, regardless of what kind of girl you are, and for teen girls who usually flock to Gossip Girl and Twilight, this series will be a different but great addition your shelves. Look out as Kay Cassidy takes the female readership world by storm!
The message of female empowerment prevails throughout the entire novel, and you don’t need to simply read this as a fun story. As Jess and her Big Sis work their way through the Cindy training, readers will be happy to pick up the empowering tips as well—for example, it’s finding the best style for you that’s important, or that self-confidence and attitude can make or break even the best-looking girl. By pitching this important but often overlooked concept in a secret society novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY will bring together all types of female readers, from the seemingly perfect Queens of high school to the lonely misfit. Feminism ties all the excessively girlie components of this story together to make it enjoyable for everyone.
The protagonist, Jess, can be infuriatingly and unjustifiably lacking in self-confidence (because in the grand scheme of things, she is SO much better off than most high school girls), but in the end still becomes a character whose story we’re interested in, and who we can cheer for. Her worries about being the new kid at the beginning of the story are relatable even to those who have not moved nine times in 16 years. However, her reactions of unworthiness once she enters the Society and her sickening preoccupation with her physical makeover were a little disturbing and left a bad taste in my mouth.
Similarly, I found the romance between Jess and her object of interest, the—you guessed it!—star quarterback and Your Royal Sexiness, Ryan Steele, to be saccharinely clichéd. I’ve never fully understood why characters must more often than not be obsessed with their school’s physically perfect quarterback. Ryan’s character does delve into a bit of depth and family tragedy as the story goes along, but not enough to justify the predictability of their interactions, and Jess’ feelings for him.
The plot started out great, but digressed into lessons and chapters of explanation towards the second half of the novel, which was disconcerting for me. The uneven distribution of exciting scenes tempted me to put down the novel in various places, and it was only my intrigue with the way rival, fairy tale-like factions of good vs. evil were portrayed as Cindys vs. Wickeds that kept me going.
Despite rather serious flaws in character and story construction, I still give a thumbs-up to THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY for addressing female empowerment in a way that is easily accessible to those who need it most: teen girls. This story just might become your best friend, regardless of what kind of girl you are, and for teen girls who usually flock to Gossip Girl and Twilight, this series will be a different but great addition your shelves. Look out as Kay Cassidy takes the female readership world by storm!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2010
When I first heard about this book, I thought it was a great read and I was very excited when I won this book. Then I began reading it.
This book was not what I had been expecting. The beginning was, in one word, boring. There were too much unnecessary detail and things I just didn't care about. I read on and on and it continued to get more boring as I went along. I even had a few yawns, which I thought was just sad.
In another sense, this book was just a self help manual in the form of a book. There was a lot of advice for girls on self-image, self esteem, and things alike. With the occasional dialogue, I thought it would get better. But no, even the dialogue talked about standing up for what you believe and finding the look for you.
The plot was an interesting one but I think it could have been handled better. The Cindys and the Wickeds? The Villains and the Charmings? I mean come on, can you come up with any lamer names? Then why don't you go and add in some Greek and you have the plot line for this book. There were a lot of other characters and I sometimes had to go back and see who she was talking about.
The one thing that was actually good was the fact that the "most-popular-girls-in-school" or the Queens were the kind of girls who helped people. They were nice and sweet and good girls. They went out of their way to help the non-populars aka Reggies (again, what's with the names?). But that was that.
Jess was not one of my favorite characters. I can summarize her in one word: annoying. She begins off as the target for Lexy, the leader of the Wicked (I couldn't have guessed that!), and then she is brought into the Cinderella Society. All this by the way happened without me realizing. I was way to confused to understand at first. She didn't grow out of her self. In a lot of books, the character develops but I think she go worse. She began to wine more and more now that she was a Cindy and she had the power to help the Reggies. She wanted to help others and make it better for them seemed all fake to me. I couldn't really make her stick.
Her relationship with Ryan was one I was looking forward to but I was so dissapointed! I couldn't ever figure out why she liked Ryan and her fantasy with him in the beginning was just stupid. Then when he begins to notice her, she freaks out! OMG RYAN NOTICED ME! Um, no I don't think so. We learn some things about Ryan but it never was clear why he acted so stupid and insecure. I have to admit, there were times when I loved Ryan and Jess together and some of the dialogue was great. But that is the hopeless romantic speaking! It was too cliche for even me!
This was a somewhat disappointing read and I can't really recommend it to a lot of people. But I think we all should give it a try though. An interesting way for Kay to kick off her writing career. I am actually looking forward to her future books! And I hear there is going to be a sequel, so I'm hoping it gets better!
This book was not what I had been expecting. The beginning was, in one word, boring. There were too much unnecessary detail and things I just didn't care about. I read on and on and it continued to get more boring as I went along. I even had a few yawns, which I thought was just sad.
In another sense, this book was just a self help manual in the form of a book. There was a lot of advice for girls on self-image, self esteem, and things alike. With the occasional dialogue, I thought it would get better. But no, even the dialogue talked about standing up for what you believe and finding the look for you.
The plot was an interesting one but I think it could have been handled better. The Cindys and the Wickeds? The Villains and the Charmings? I mean come on, can you come up with any lamer names? Then why don't you go and add in some Greek and you have the plot line for this book. There were a lot of other characters and I sometimes had to go back and see who she was talking about.
The one thing that was actually good was the fact that the "most-popular-girls-in-school" or the Queens were the kind of girls who helped people. They were nice and sweet and good girls. They went out of their way to help the non-populars aka Reggies (again, what's with the names?). But that was that.
Jess was not one of my favorite characters. I can summarize her in one word: annoying. She begins off as the target for Lexy, the leader of the Wicked (I couldn't have guessed that!), and then she is brought into the Cinderella Society. All this by the way happened without me realizing. I was way to confused to understand at first. She didn't grow out of her self. In a lot of books, the character develops but I think she go worse. She began to wine more and more now that she was a Cindy and she had the power to help the Reggies. She wanted to help others and make it better for them seemed all fake to me. I couldn't really make her stick.
Her relationship with Ryan was one I was looking forward to but I was so dissapointed! I couldn't ever figure out why she liked Ryan and her fantasy with him in the beginning was just stupid. Then when he begins to notice her, she freaks out! OMG RYAN NOTICED ME! Um, no I don't think so. We learn some things about Ryan but it never was clear why he acted so stupid and insecure. I have to admit, there were times when I loved Ryan and Jess together and some of the dialogue was great. But that is the hopeless romantic speaking! It was too cliche for even me!
This was a somewhat disappointing read and I can't really recommend it to a lot of people. But I think we all should give it a try though. An interesting way for Kay to kick off her writing career. I am actually looking forward to her future books! And I hear there is going to be a sequel, so I'm hoping it gets better!
August 18, 2011
When I first read the description for The Cinderella Society I thought it sounded like a really cute read, but it was so much more! Page one drew me in and after that, I had trouble putting it down. The Cinderella Society sent out such a positive message for girls and was a book showing girls CAN do anything. Being yourself, and being comfortable with yourself was such a large part of the Cindys' training, and that's something a lot of people have issues with.
The society aspect was one of my favorite of the book. There were so many mysteries with the society that leave readers begging for answers! The Cinderella Society may at first seem like a typical good vs. evil story, but Kay Cassidy put an awesome twist taking it to the next level!
The characters were all great. You had the Wickeds, The Cindys, and the Reggies. All the girls within each group were all so unique, but shared similarities with others, both in their group and with girls in the other groups. I would've liked to know about the insecurities and flaws of the other girls. Everyone has them, but in The Cinderella Society you only learn about Jess's flaws. Jess's flaws made her that much stronger of a character. Her mindset is that of she's just ordinary and not meant for anything, but the true power in her character shines through that illusion she casts. My favorite character of the book was Alec, he only makes only a short appearance, but he was so likeable and fun. Another thing about The Cinderella Society that I loved was that the secondary characters didn't blend into the walls like wall paper, they were all memorable and unique in their own ways.
Kay Cassidy's writing was such a fun style to read. It was light, and had a great balance between dialogue, description, and thoughts. She drew me in, and I felt like I was training to be a Cindy along side Jess. Kay’s writing shows the passion she has for the message so much it practically leaps off the page at you. The ending is a total shocker. I couldn’t believe it, it is not what readers will expect to happen!
Ryan and Jess's romance was a perfect example of high school relationships. It had its ups and downs. Ryan as a character was one of my favorites, but at times I felt like just screaming at him to open up already! He had such a hard time opening up with anything to Jess. Both Jess and Ryan had their insecurities and problems, and closed up in different ways to each other having an effect I think neither meant entirely. It will be interesting to see where their relationship leads in book 2!
This is a must read! It's a lighter read with a secret society, drama, romance, and a great message! Kay Cassidy leaves readers begging for certain questions to be answered and wanting to hear more of all the characters and their stories with book 2!
The society aspect was one of my favorite of the book. There were so many mysteries with the society that leave readers begging for answers! The Cinderella Society may at first seem like a typical good vs. evil story, but Kay Cassidy put an awesome twist taking it to the next level!
The characters were all great. You had the Wickeds, The Cindys, and the Reggies. All the girls within each group were all so unique, but shared similarities with others, both in their group and with girls in the other groups. I would've liked to know about the insecurities and flaws of the other girls. Everyone has them, but in The Cinderella Society you only learn about Jess's flaws. Jess's flaws made her that much stronger of a character. Her mindset is that of she's just ordinary and not meant for anything, but the true power in her character shines through that illusion she casts. My favorite character of the book was Alec, he only makes only a short appearance, but he was so likeable and fun. Another thing about The Cinderella Society that I loved was that the secondary characters didn't blend into the walls like wall paper, they were all memorable and unique in their own ways.
Kay Cassidy's writing was such a fun style to read. It was light, and had a great balance between dialogue, description, and thoughts. She drew me in, and I felt like I was training to be a Cindy along side Jess. Kay’s writing shows the passion she has for the message so much it practically leaps off the page at you. The ending is a total shocker. I couldn’t believe it, it is not what readers will expect to happen!
Ryan and Jess's romance was a perfect example of high school relationships. It had its ups and downs. Ryan as a character was one of my favorites, but at times I felt like just screaming at him to open up already! He had such a hard time opening up with anything to Jess. Both Jess and Ryan had their insecurities and problems, and closed up in different ways to each other having an effect I think neither meant entirely. It will be interesting to see where their relationship leads in book 2!
This is a must read! It's a lighter read with a secret society, drama, romance, and a great message! Kay Cassidy leaves readers begging for certain questions to be answered and wanting to hear more of all the characters and their stories with book 2!
December 1, 2010
Talk about girl power!This is a must read for teen girls. It's full of empowering messages to be proud of who they are. You don't need designer clothes, money, or "the" looks to be proud to be you. It's about being happy in the skin you have. You can decide your own style and be proud of that.
When it comes to chick-lit, I'm extremely picky on what I read, but WOW, Kay blew me away. I adore her writing and this book. If I could give this out to every teen girl I would. I really love the way Kay writes about the differences in the popular girls and the every day girls. I think she captured the daily issues girls go through very well and she wove this perfectly into a modern retelling of Cinderella.
The Cindys are the modern day Cinderella's, who are out to do good for those around them. Most importantly, they are there to protect each other and the Reggies, the normal kids at school, from the cruel Wickeds. The Wickeds will do whatever they can to torment anyone not in their social group, and our main character Jess has been the blunt of their attacks.
Jessica is someone who I think most girls will be able to relate to her in some way. She's moved to a new high school, a great cheer leader, not in with the popular crowd, very smart, doesn't like to be the center of attention, and is a very nice person to those around her. Jess quickly becomes the target of The Wickeds when she de-throwns the popular Lexy, one of the leaders of the Wickeds, when she wins her coveted varsity cheerleading spot. Jess holds her own for the most part, but the things that Lexy says to her and does starts to really get to her. In one day Jess goes from being a social out cast at her new school, to being apart of a much more elite group of popular, true to heart good doers.
Jess learns a lot about herself when she's invited to become part of the elite Cindy's group. During her journey of learning her self worth, she realizes she is a key person in stopping the Wickeds ruthless bullying to the Reggies. The Wickeds can only get to you if you let them. With a little help from her friends, Jess realizes she can be one person who can bring both the Cindys and Reggies together, and defeat the Wickeds. Jess also learns that looks aren't everything and she soon learns that it's who are that is most important and being true to yourself. While Jess is surrounded by some of the most gorgeous, popular girls at her high school, she learns that their beauty also comes from inner strength.
Full of inspiring messages, a journey of learning self worth, mixed in with some romance from Jess's own Prince Charming, and some good ole fashion good vs evil, makes this book a must read!
When it comes to chick-lit, I'm extremely picky on what I read, but WOW, Kay blew me away. I adore her writing and this book. If I could give this out to every teen girl I would. I really love the way Kay writes about the differences in the popular girls and the every day girls. I think she captured the daily issues girls go through very well and she wove this perfectly into a modern retelling of Cinderella.
The Cindys are the modern day Cinderella's, who are out to do good for those around them. Most importantly, they are there to protect each other and the Reggies, the normal kids at school, from the cruel Wickeds. The Wickeds will do whatever they can to torment anyone not in their social group, and our main character Jess has been the blunt of their attacks.
Jessica is someone who I think most girls will be able to relate to her in some way. She's moved to a new high school, a great cheer leader, not in with the popular crowd, very smart, doesn't like to be the center of attention, and is a very nice person to those around her. Jess quickly becomes the target of The Wickeds when she de-throwns the popular Lexy, one of the leaders of the Wickeds, when she wins her coveted varsity cheerleading spot. Jess holds her own for the most part, but the things that Lexy says to her and does starts to really get to her. In one day Jess goes from being a social out cast at her new school, to being apart of a much more elite group of popular, true to heart good doers.
Jess learns a lot about herself when she's invited to become part of the elite Cindy's group. During her journey of learning her self worth, she realizes she is a key person in stopping the Wickeds ruthless bullying to the Reggies. The Wickeds can only get to you if you let them. With a little help from her friends, Jess realizes she can be one person who can bring both the Cindys and Reggies together, and defeat the Wickeds. Jess also learns that looks aren't everything and she soon learns that it's who are that is most important and being true to yourself. While Jess is surrounded by some of the most gorgeous, popular girls at her high school, she learns that their beauty also comes from inner strength.
Full of inspiring messages, a journey of learning self worth, mixed in with some romance from Jess's own Prince Charming, and some good ole fashion good vs evil, makes this book a must read!
July 13, 2010
If you’re looking for a fun and girly read, you may want to check out The Cinderella Society, but if inspirational and empowering are also traits you’re looking for, you should definitely check out this book. I read the vast majority of this novel on a day spent on long flights, sitting in airports and waiting on tarmacs, and this book was the perfect thing to distract me from the anxiety and impatience I felt about traveling. It exuded girly fun and kept a smile on my face!
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the plot of this novel, but I was really impressed. I loved that the story had its secret society, intelligence and spy elements. Cassidy wove in a considerable amount of intricate detail. While it had me up past my bed time in search of satisfaction, which it provided, it piqued my interest enough to make me wish I could read the second book right away.
I found Jess as a narrator to be feminine, fun and cute, but also very thoughtful. Her descriptions definitely made me want to get fabulous highlights and an indulgent frozen coffee beverage. I also have to say that I thought Cassidy wrote the romance particularly well and I definitely swooned over Ryan. I’ll admit that I was a bit more dubious of him by the end of the novel, but will be eager to see how his character evolves later in the book.
This is a book about good versus evil, and I definitely agreed with Cassidy’s broader definitions of good and evil. It wasn’t just a simple who’s nice and who’s mean, but it’s about empowering young girls to feel confident and succeed in life, despite discrimination and bullying. I will admit that I got skeptical at the Cindys desire to have tame relationship choices and relationships, but I understand that Cassidy likely meant this as message not to say that women shouldn’t dress as they wish or be sexual beings, but that they should stay true to themselves in the process. I think the girl power message sets a great example and can encourage a reader of any age to empower his or self. It’s also especially why I think The Cinderella Society would be a great book for younger readers of YA.
Overall, The Cinderella Society was fun and a swift read, but much deeper than the cover or the premise lets on. I can definitely see myself picking this up again when I need some girlinesss and positive energy in my life. I enjoy the messages that Cassidy has woven into her story, and can’t wait to read the other books in the series and much more by her.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the plot of this novel, but I was really impressed. I loved that the story had its secret society, intelligence and spy elements. Cassidy wove in a considerable amount of intricate detail. While it had me up past my bed time in search of satisfaction, which it provided, it piqued my interest enough to make me wish I could read the second book right away.
I found Jess as a narrator to be feminine, fun and cute, but also very thoughtful. Her descriptions definitely made me want to get fabulous highlights and an indulgent frozen coffee beverage. I also have to say that I thought Cassidy wrote the romance particularly well and I definitely swooned over Ryan. I’ll admit that I was a bit more dubious of him by the end of the novel, but will be eager to see how his character evolves later in the book.
This is a book about good versus evil, and I definitely agreed with Cassidy’s broader definitions of good and evil. It wasn’t just a simple who’s nice and who’s mean, but it’s about empowering young girls to feel confident and succeed in life, despite discrimination and bullying. I will admit that I got skeptical at the Cindys desire to have tame relationship choices and relationships, but I understand that Cassidy likely meant this as message not to say that women shouldn’t dress as they wish or be sexual beings, but that they should stay true to themselves in the process. I think the girl power message sets a great example and can encourage a reader of any age to empower his or self. It’s also especially why I think The Cinderella Society would be a great book for younger readers of YA.
Overall, The Cinderella Society was fun and a swift read, but much deeper than the cover or the premise lets on. I can definitely see myself picking this up again when I need some girlinesss and positive energy in my life. I enjoy the messages that Cassidy has woven into her story, and can’t wait to read the other books in the series and much more by her.
April 29, 2010
I'll begin with Jess, the protagonist, and my favorite character. She was a great character for a few reasons. She was smart, and she had flaws. At the start of the book, Jess is fairly self-conscious, and is skeptical when the popular girls include her in their yearly sleepover. As the book progresses, Jess becomes more confident, and sure of herself. Cassidy did a great job of making Jess easy to relate to. Even as a senior in college, I was able to understand and sympathize with some of her insecurities.
Lexy, Jess's archenemy, is one of the Wickeds. Unlike the Cindys (the society in which Jess belongs), the Wickeds don't think about the consequences of their actions, and thrive on manipulation. In short, they're bullies. I'll admit that Lexy does her fair share of cruel things over the course of the story, but I had a hard time hating her. In fact, some information is revealed toward the end of The Cinderella Society that actually made me pity her. Lexy was the younger sister of Ryan, the prince charming of the story. He was an interesting character, too. He seemed to be the perfect, popular, chivalrous guy, but he had some secrets and insecurities of his own.
The plot was definitely unique, and Cassidy was able to promote kindness, community service, friendship, and self-love. She managed to do all this without preaching to the reader. Personally, I finished the book with a few ideas about how I could be more like a Cindy. I'll be trying to cut back on my Wicked Chatter (gossip, putting others/myself down), and using The Rule of Fives when something embarrassing or stressful happens. The one thing I would have liked to see more of is the wickeds. Readers get to see how they manipulate others through Lexy, but I wish I knew more. I'd really have liked to see into Athena, the headquarters of the Wickeds. I'm confident that we'll get to see more about them in the sequel, so it didn't detract from my reading.
Overall, I loved this book. The characters were realistic, and relatable. No character was perfect, and Jess wasn't a damsel in distress. I personally think that girls today are socialized to be self-deprecating. Honestly, how many of you say, or hear friends say "I'm so fat". It was refreshing to read a book with some great girl-power messages. This is definitely one I'll be passing on to my teen sister, and my friends.
Lexy, Jess's archenemy, is one of the Wickeds. Unlike the Cindys (the society in which Jess belongs), the Wickeds don't think about the consequences of their actions, and thrive on manipulation. In short, they're bullies. I'll admit that Lexy does her fair share of cruel things over the course of the story, but I had a hard time hating her. In fact, some information is revealed toward the end of The Cinderella Society that actually made me pity her. Lexy was the younger sister of Ryan, the prince charming of the story. He was an interesting character, too. He seemed to be the perfect, popular, chivalrous guy, but he had some secrets and insecurities of his own.
The plot was definitely unique, and Cassidy was able to promote kindness, community service, friendship, and self-love. She managed to do all this without preaching to the reader. Personally, I finished the book with a few ideas about how I could be more like a Cindy. I'll be trying to cut back on my Wicked Chatter (gossip, putting others/myself down), and using The Rule of Fives when something embarrassing or stressful happens. The one thing I would have liked to see more of is the wickeds. Readers get to see how they manipulate others through Lexy, but I wish I knew more. I'd really have liked to see into Athena, the headquarters of the Wickeds. I'm confident that we'll get to see more about them in the sequel, so it didn't detract from my reading.
Overall, I loved this book. The characters were realistic, and relatable. No character was perfect, and Jess wasn't a damsel in distress. I personally think that girls today are socialized to be self-deprecating. Honestly, how many of you say, or hear friends say "I'm so fat". It was refreshing to read a book with some great girl-power messages. This is definitely one I'll be passing on to my teen sister, and my friends.
June 1, 2010
Jess Parker thought her worst problems were avoiding Lexy Steele’s bullying and finding a friend. But when she is inducted as a member of the Cinderella Society, she learns about real problems. Sure, a fabulous makeover is part of the package, but catching the eye of her popular crush also invites stress about the real nature of their relationship. Then there’s the fact that Jess isn’t quite sure how to fit in with her new more popular friends. To top that off, as a Cindy, Jess is now involved in a battle against the Wickeds, girls who target and bully others. How is Jess supposed to prevail against the Wickeds when she can see herself being defeated so easily?
I suppose The Cinderella Society is a cute idea, but the problem with it is that it’s too simplistic. In addition, all the fairytale and various goddess metaphors are misleading or ill-used. The Cinderella Society is supposed to be a hub for girl power, but as I recall, Cinderella wasn’t exactly the most self-empowered woman. The naming of their enemies, the Wickeds, is rather generic, and I thought it unrealistic that a group of girls, no matter how mean, would ever call themselves that. Furthermore, the Wickeds’ parent organization was named for Athena just because she is the goddess of war. Cassidy seemed to forget that Athena is also the goddess for wisdom and weaving, which isn’t quite consistent with the Wickeds’ message. The actual story is not very engaging; it involves a lot of shopping, wanting to go shopping, and freaking out about boys. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if The Cinderella Society was a novel or a self-help book with all the empowering advice it was pushing. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with loving the skin you’re in, but its placement in this story made the entire thing rather unrealistic.
The Cinderella Society may be enjoyed by fans of the It’s All About Us series by Shelley Adina.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
I suppose The Cinderella Society is a cute idea, but the problem with it is that it’s too simplistic. In addition, all the fairytale and various goddess metaphors are misleading or ill-used. The Cinderella Society is supposed to be a hub for girl power, but as I recall, Cinderella wasn’t exactly the most self-empowered woman. The naming of their enemies, the Wickeds, is rather generic, and I thought it unrealistic that a group of girls, no matter how mean, would ever call themselves that. Furthermore, the Wickeds’ parent organization was named for Athena just because she is the goddess of war. Cassidy seemed to forget that Athena is also the goddess for wisdom and weaving, which isn’t quite consistent with the Wickeds’ message. The actual story is not very engaging; it involves a lot of shopping, wanting to go shopping, and freaking out about boys. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if The Cinderella Society was a novel or a self-help book with all the empowering advice it was pushing. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with loving the skin you’re in, but its placement in this story made the entire thing rather unrealistic.
The Cinderella Society may be enjoyed by fans of the It’s All About Us series by Shelley Adina.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
December 4, 2013
A theme of The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy is that, no matter your social status and what others think, you should do what you feel is right. This is the story of a high schooler named Jess, who is bullied by the "popular" girls in her class because she "stole" a girl's spot on the cheerleading squad. The leader of the bullies is a girl named Lexi. Suddenly, Jess receives an invitation to join the Cinderella Society - a top secret group that fights the "wickeds", or mean girls who use regular kids to get what they want. The Society meets at a coffee shop in the middle of their normal town that is run by a former supermodel that elided to make high end coffees. Jess soon works up the ranks of the society, but is faced with a problem. A girl she know is in trouble and the other members of the society are warning Jess not to help her. Jess knows she should help the girl, but doesn't know if she should stay true to her self or do what the society thinks is right.
I found this book to be very enjoyable! The characters were well developed - not always completely bad or good. A scene I particularly liked was when Jess was shown the Cinderella Society's "mother" group (ISIS) and met many famous people. Jess realized then that she was part of something greater and that every little bit counts. This book had a lot in it about believing in yourself. The main character was faced with peer pressure. This is very relevant in today's culture, because it seems that peer pressure is becoming more of an issue. Jess, however, knew that she should stay true to herself, no matter what the coset, because, in the long run, she would be glad she did. I would recommend this book to fans of realistic fiction with a twist and anyone who feels alone or pressured into something they don't want to do because this book was exciting, if not a little mindless, and had some good main ideas in it.
I found this book to be very enjoyable! The characters were well developed - not always completely bad or good. A scene I particularly liked was when Jess was shown the Cinderella Society's "mother" group (ISIS) and met many famous people. Jess realized then that she was part of something greater and that every little bit counts. This book had a lot in it about believing in yourself. The main character was faced with peer pressure. This is very relevant in today's culture, because it seems that peer pressure is becoming more of an issue. Jess, however, knew that she should stay true to herself, no matter what the coset, because, in the long run, she would be glad she did. I would recommend this book to fans of realistic fiction with a twist and anyone who feels alone or pressured into something they don't want to do because this book was exciting, if not a little mindless, and had some good main ideas in it.
December 12, 2009
The Original Review - Here!
The Cinderella Society is not Cinderella’s alternate version, it’s more like the idea of what the Cinderella story represents … and I explain; since its first version, the Cinderella story has meant for many girls the possibility that dreams can come true. Having a message against high school cliques and a strong girl power support, Cassidy delivers us her first novel. Jess, the main character and story narrator, is not a common girl; she’s an extraordinary girl that doesn’t realize her potential and capacity for a handful of situations from the beginning of the story. She has never felt part of a group and she’s constantly verbally assaulted by her foe Lexy, her crush’s Ryan sister … until the day she receives a particular invitation. It is there where she’ll find not only friends, but also much more. I really enjoyed how the author worked the structural part of the story and character development. In this last aspect, it’s incredible how Cassidy presents these wonderful characters to us: the “cindys” and the “charmings”, but it takes us far away from this perfection version and it’s molded in a realistic way that can be measured in real terms, a very admirable aspect from the author in my humble opinion. The reader could have a general idea on what this society consists of and the end is although there will be much more to discover in the already scheduled sequel. With an entertaining, original and inspirational story, The Cinderella Society will make girls, youngsters and adults wish for a fairy godmother who recites the next magic phrase: Welcome to The Sisterhood!
The Cinderella Society is not Cinderella’s alternate version, it’s more like the idea of what the Cinderella story represents … and I explain; since its first version, the Cinderella story has meant for many girls the possibility that dreams can come true. Having a message against high school cliques and a strong girl power support, Cassidy delivers us her first novel. Jess, the main character and story narrator, is not a common girl; she’s an extraordinary girl that doesn’t realize her potential and capacity for a handful of situations from the beginning of the story. She has never felt part of a group and she’s constantly verbally assaulted by her foe Lexy, her crush’s Ryan sister … until the day she receives a particular invitation. It is there where she’ll find not only friends, but also much more. I really enjoyed how the author worked the structural part of the story and character development. In this last aspect, it’s incredible how Cassidy presents these wonderful characters to us: the “cindys” and the “charmings”, but it takes us far away from this perfection version and it’s molded in a realistic way that can be measured in real terms, a very admirable aspect from the author in my humble opinion. The reader could have a general idea on what this society consists of and the end is although there will be much more to discover in the already scheduled sequel. With an entertaining, original and inspirational story, The Cinderella Society will make girls, youngsters and adults wish for a fairy godmother who recites the next magic phrase: Welcome to The Sisterhood!
September 23, 2009
Kay Cassidy’s debut novel, The Cinderella Society, is a brand new take on high school cliques and is pure girl power.
Throughout the book, Kay emphasises, through Jess, how awesome us girls are. The focus on strength, confidence and friendships gives every girl a chance to come out on top without using anyone else to do it, like the Wickeds do. She’s all about girl power by encouraging girls to embrace all of their good points. However, I didn’t like the focus on Jess’s makeover so much - the guy didn’t take a serious interest until she had a fab new haircut, new wardrobe etc. That annoyed me a little.
Up until Jess became a Cindy, I really identified with Jess, well apart from the whole new kid thing. All of the things that she felt and wanted were things that I do or have felt or wanted at some point. She changed a lot when she became a Cindy and I didn’t like it at first, but as I read on, I realised why, it no longer bothered me and she went back to being a great heroine.
The high school battle of good and evil that seems to be present in most teen movies and lots of books was taken to a whole new level in The Cinderella Society. It’s not really like that at my college and wasn’t really at my high school either so I have no first hand experience, but Kay seemed to capture the hierarchy perfectly. Although, nice cheerleaders are a little different to the norm! I loved how deeply the Society ran and I had a little shock every now and then at just how big it really was.
I enjoyed The Cinderella Society and hopefully some of the secrets will be revealed in the sequel.
Throughout the book, Kay emphasises, through Jess, how awesome us girls are. The focus on strength, confidence and friendships gives every girl a chance to come out on top without using anyone else to do it, like the Wickeds do. She’s all about girl power by encouraging girls to embrace all of their good points. However, I didn’t like the focus on Jess’s makeover so much - the guy didn’t take a serious interest until she had a fab new haircut, new wardrobe etc. That annoyed me a little.
Up until Jess became a Cindy, I really identified with Jess, well apart from the whole new kid thing. All of the things that she felt and wanted were things that I do or have felt or wanted at some point. She changed a lot when she became a Cindy and I didn’t like it at first, but as I read on, I realised why, it no longer bothered me and she went back to being a great heroine.
The high school battle of good and evil that seems to be present in most teen movies and lots of books was taken to a whole new level in The Cinderella Society. It’s not really like that at my college and wasn’t really at my high school either so I have no first hand experience, but Kay seemed to capture the hierarchy perfectly. Although, nice cheerleaders are a little different to the norm! I loved how deeply the Society ran and I had a little shock every now and then at just how big it really was.
I enjoyed The Cinderella Society and hopefully some of the secrets will be revealed in the sequel.
April 15, 2010
My Thoughts: When I first saw this book, I knew I must read it! I mean, come on, my name is Cindy so therefore I have to be a Cindy, right? Not to mention the cover is pink and has a high heel on it. Love the color pink! We are introduced to Jess who is just your average teenage girl who just blends into the scene. She's not popular but she's not unpopular either. She gets picked on and most of the time she just wants the day to end so she can get away from the bullies. She has a crush on Ryan, the popular guy she doesn't think she has a chance in the world with. He barely notices her and when he does she is making a fool out of herself.
Out of nowhere Jess gets an invitation to join a secret society; The Cinderella Society. Jess discovers herself more everyday being a part of this society. It actually means something to her. She learns to believe in herself and stick up for herself.
The first few pages, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. It seemed a little bit too girly for me and I wanted more romance. I wanted to get to know Ryan better. But once things got going I became engrossed in it and couldn't put it down. I really liked Jess and Ryan's relationship. They got to know each other slowly and I started to really like the attraction they shared. You also have to get used to the terms used such as Wickeds, Reggies, and Cindys.
Overall: Loved it by about page 50. The first few pages, you just have to get the lay of the land. It starts to flow nicely and you realize your already on page 200, hehe.
Cover: Love the cover most of all. Its gorgeous. Love the pinkness and the glass high heal!
Out of nowhere Jess gets an invitation to join a secret society; The Cinderella Society. Jess discovers herself more everyday being a part of this society. It actually means something to her. She learns to believe in herself and stick up for herself.
The first few pages, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. It seemed a little bit too girly for me and I wanted more romance. I wanted to get to know Ryan better. But once things got going I became engrossed in it and couldn't put it down. I really liked Jess and Ryan's relationship. They got to know each other slowly and I started to really like the attraction they shared. You also have to get used to the terms used such as Wickeds, Reggies, and Cindys.
Overall: Loved it by about page 50. The first few pages, you just have to get the lay of the land. It starts to flow nicely and you realize your already on page 200, hehe.
Cover: Love the cover most of all. Its gorgeous. Love the pinkness and the glass high heal!
March 10, 2015
I thought this book's premise sounded pretty awesome and was excited to read it. However, the plot/blurb thing was more literal than I expected (or more unrealistic, depending how you interpret it...) In my mind, I pictured two cliques with a rivalry, some cute dates, etc. etc. However, it turned out to be a lot more serious than I expected with an actual war of good vs. evil over the minds of everyone else. This still might have been pulled off, but as much as I wanted it to, it just didn't work for me. Teens can still accomplish unrealistic things in present-day realistic book worlds and have it be totally believable or at least make sense (the Heist Society, or CHERUB) or even incorporate magic into the modern world (Yay CON! also the Princess for Hire series) but in this book it just didn't work for me. I just couldn't swallow the execution of this story, it seemed unrealistic and shallow as a result of that. (I'm sorry book and author!!!!)
However, the book had a cute idea and still could be a fun, fluffy read for anyone interested (I recommend the Princess for Hire series for something with a similar feel (which I liked better))
(P.S. also, Athena rocks and should not represent the bad guys ; D)
(P.P.S. I've been reading a lot of fluffier books lately... I NEED HELP!!! I normally steer clear of realistic fiction (with some exceptions). Where are my epic fantasy novels?!?!?)
However, the book had a cute idea and still could be a fun, fluffy read for anyone interested (I recommend the Princess for Hire series for something with a similar feel (which I liked better))
(P.S. also, Athena rocks and should not represent the bad guys ; D)
(P.P.S. I've been reading a lot of fluffier books lately... I NEED HELP!!! I normally steer clear of realistic fiction (with some exceptions). Where are my epic fantasy novels?!?!?)
July 16, 2012
Jess Parker is an outcast in her new school. She's always moved around so much the she's never been able to be in the popular crowd. Then on the last day of school she receives a note and a shoe pin telling her to meet at the Grind at 7. She doesn't know is this is some kind of prank from Lexy the girl who has made the last few months a living hell or for real. She decides to go and find out.
On that night Jess Parker is given the choice to join the Cindy's and help battle the Wicked's. Jess thinks that it's a mistake after all she's no one special just outsider Jess Parker. While learning what the Cinderella Society does Jess learns a little about herself as well. Add in a handsome Charming Ryan and it's more than Jess thinks she deserves. I enjoyed this book very much. I could relate with Jess being an outsider and then finally finding where she fits in but thinking that she doesn't deserve it. I laughed, cried, and felt for Jess. This book has the message in it that beauty is not only on the outside but also on the inside. Self esteem is a big problem most girls/women go through. This makes you realize that your not alone and that everyone goes through it and that really power and beauty are more about the inside than looks.
On that night Jess Parker is given the choice to join the Cindy's and help battle the Wicked's. Jess thinks that it's a mistake after all she's no one special just outsider Jess Parker. While learning what the Cinderella Society does Jess learns a little about herself as well. Add in a handsome Charming Ryan and it's more than Jess thinks she deserves. I enjoyed this book very much. I could relate with Jess being an outsider and then finally finding where she fits in but thinking that she doesn't deserve it. I laughed, cried, and felt for Jess. This book has the message in it that beauty is not only on the outside but also on the inside. Self esteem is a big problem most girls/women go through. This makes you realize that your not alone and that everyone goes through it and that really power and beauty are more about the inside than looks.
January 28, 2011
The book seemed more like an initiation sort of book, preparing for the sequel (which I am sort of anxious for). I really liked how the Cindy's taught their girls how to be comfortable in their skin and seek self-empowerment for the benefit of others (I think that ended up contradictory. I hope you all know what I mean). Reading this book made me want to empower myself.
But something about this book and the good vs. evil motif rubbed me the wrong way. It sounded too general for life. I mean, WOW, there's this secret society named after an Egyptian goddess who's goal is to protect the Reggies (Is it pronounced like Reggae or like the nickname for Reginald; Reggie?) and defeat another secret society named after a Greek War goddess (improperly named as Athena was not for evil) who's goal is to control power. It seemed ... lackluster after a while.
There's more I wish I could write about this book, good and bad things, which slip my mind, but overall, I give the book a 4/5. I will be eagerly waiting for the next book.
But something about this book and the good vs. evil motif rubbed me the wrong way. It sounded too general for life. I mean, WOW, there's this secret society named after an Egyptian goddess who's goal is to protect the Reggies (Is it pronounced like Reggae or like the nickname for Reginald; Reggie?) and defeat another secret society named after a Greek War goddess (improperly named as Athena was not for evil) who's goal is to control power. It seemed ... lackluster after a while.
There's more I wish I could write about this book, good and bad things, which slip my mind, but overall, I give the book a 4/5. I will be eagerly waiting for the next book.
November 15, 2010
The Cinderella Society was much different than I had anticipated. Jess is the new girl in town and is picked on by the queen bee, who happens to be a Wicked. A secret world of Wickeds,, Reggies, and Cindys exists, which is basically a battle between good and evil, with a ton of "normal" people caught in the crossfire. I think my favorite part of the book is the 5 rules--will it matter in 5 minutes? 5 days? 5 weeks? 5 years? A good rule for anyone to live by. I also liked that the Cindys tried hard to stick up for and defend the Reggies, as well as worked hard to embrace themselves (no "wicked" chatter allowed--only positive thoughts) and be the best girl they can be. A good girl power book, although some of it got a bit tedious at times.
**side note--it did swear several times, which I personally don't appreciate in a youth novel and there were a couple of pretty intense kissing scenes.
**side note--it did swear several times, which I personally don't appreciate in a youth novel and there were a couple of pretty intense kissing scenes.
July 23, 2010
It's been a couple of weeks since I finished this, so I'm sparse on specific details like character names since I found the whole book to be mostly forgettable...here's what I remember thinking while I was reading though...
This book got a good enough review that I actually put it on hold when I ordered it for my library, which I don't do too often. Sadly, it didn't live up to its potential for me. It felt like it should have wanted to be campy, but was taking itself too seriously. The whole high school secret society extending into college, adulthood, politics, etc., just felt like a bad remake of "The Skulls." And then in the end, you find out the entire book was just a big set up for a sequel. Nothing really happens. And yes, the book focuses a lot on being yourself, being comfortable in your skin, finding your own beauty, but in the end, it all felt pretty superficial anyway. Silly, silly, silly.
This book got a good enough review that I actually put it on hold when I ordered it for my library, which I don't do too often. Sadly, it didn't live up to its potential for me. It felt like it should have wanted to be campy, but was taking itself too seriously. The whole high school secret society extending into college, adulthood, politics, etc., just felt like a bad remake of "The Skulls." And then in the end, you find out the entire book was just a big set up for a sequel. Nothing really happens. And yes, the book focuses a lot on being yourself, being comfortable in your skin, finding your own beauty, but in the end, it all felt pretty superficial anyway. Silly, silly, silly.
April 4, 2017
When I told someone I was reading this book, they said "Don't bother, its insipid". And I really really should have listened. This book is terrible. The plot is nonsensical (a group of pretty popular girls are really warriors for good in some epic war of good vs evil) and oftentimes insulting. I kept waiting for The Cindys to turn out to be evil, because between their creepy cultishness, hyper focus on fashion and being pretty (before you can fight evil you need to figure out your signature style!), and magical thinking (choosing someone who has been in the organization less then a week to lead it) it was pretty clear that this all must be a load of crap and the Cindys secretly sacrificed children or something. But no. This is all supposed to be taken at face value. Pretty girls are good, goth girls are evil, and the lines between them are absolute. This book is inspid. It makes for a wretched reading experience and I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.
October 14, 2013
Title / Author / Publication Date:
The Cinderella society. / Kay Cassidy. / 2011.
Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction.
Format: Book - print. 336 pages.
Plot summary:
"After winning a coveted spot on the high school cheerleading squad, sixteen-year-old newcomer Jess Parker is still treated as an "outsider" by the majority of the student body thanks to the harassment campaign led by the popular cheerleader she displaced" (NoveList).
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
secret societies, girl power, cliques, teenage girls
Review citation:
"the characters are multidimensional and the plot is well paced. This story will appeal to girls who dream of becoming accepted within their own schools" (Laura Amos in School Library Journal).
Section source used to find the material:
YALSA: 2012 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
Recommended age: 12 - 18.
The Cinderella society. / Kay Cassidy. / 2011.
Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction.
Format: Book - print. 336 pages.
Plot summary:
"After winning a coveted spot on the high school cheerleading squad, sixteen-year-old newcomer Jess Parker is still treated as an "outsider" by the majority of the student body thanks to the harassment campaign led by the popular cheerleader she displaced" (NoveList).
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
secret societies, girl power, cliques, teenage girls
Review citation:
"the characters are multidimensional and the plot is well paced. This story will appeal to girls who dream of becoming accepted within their own schools" (Laura Amos in School Library Journal).
Section source used to find the material:
YALSA: 2012 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults
Recommended age: 12 - 18.
July 9, 2010
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC copy of this book. I was especially excited since every blog site I searched, this title constantly came up. So when I got my greedy hands on this read, I was absolutely delighted! Reading the synopsis, you must already have a basic picture of what happens. Unless you are, like, severely depressed or overly dramatic, your guess will be dead on. A cliche' read, but a cute one. One aspect of this I especially enjoyed was the whole 'think positive' idea. I've read lots and lots of titles where the protagonist complains about being ugly or single or something just as negative! I don't appreciate a cocky narrator, but one who actually feels good about themselves is a nice plus, right? :)
Anyway, if you're one who enjoys a light, well written book, this title will work for you.
Love, Hannah
Anyway, if you're one who enjoys a light, well written book, this title will work for you.
Love, Hannah
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