Soot and Slipper – Kate Stradling

This is a twist on Cinderella. It starts with the step mother asking Eugenie to stay away from the coming masquerade ball – everyone knows that Eugenie is prettier than her two step sisters, and because she will inherit her father’s estate once she comes of age, it’s vitally important that they find themselves good husbands. So as much as Eugenie would like to go, she lets them go without her, because she’s always been kind like that.

I was already sold with this set up, but the author actually manages to take it further – how this ends was amazing! This is probably my favorite Cinderella adaptation (and I don’t give Mercedes Lackey’s The Fairy Godmother a run for its money lightly).