Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram

Cinder & Ella (Cinder & Ella, #1)

by Kelly Oram

It's been almost a year since 18-year-old Ella Rodriguez was in a car accident that left her crippled, scarred, and without a mother. After a very difficult recovery, she's been uprooted across the country and forced into the custody of a father that abandoned her when she was a young child. If Ella wants to escape her father's home, and her awful new stepfamily, she must convince her doctors that she's capable, both physically and emotionally, of living on her own. The problem is, she's not ready yet. The only way she can think of to start healing is by reconnecting with the one person left in the world who's ever meant anything to her-her anonymous Internet best friend, Cinder.

Hollywood sensation Brian Oliver has a reputation for being trouble. There's major buzz around his performance in his upcoming film The Druid Prince, but his management team says he won't make the transition from teen heartthrob to serious A-list actor unless he can prove he's left his wild days behind and become a mature adult.

In order to douse the flames on Brian's bad-boy reputation, his management stages a fake engagement for him to his co-star Kaylee. Brian isn't thrilled with the arrangement - or his fake fiancée - but decides he'll suffer through it if it means he'll get an Oscar nomination. Then a surprise email from an old Internet friend changes everything.

Reviewed by Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading on

4 of 5 stars

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When I saw the title, I figured that this would be a re-telling of the story of Cinderella. Now I am a big fan of all things fairytale, (one of my favorite shows on television is Once Upon a Time) especially modern day fairy tales with a twist. I don’t generally rely on reviews to determine if I should read a book, but seeing that this author is fairly new to me I changed my modus operandi. The reviews I read indicated that this was a good read so I took the plunge and I was glad I did.
This is a beautiful story of love, acceptance and healing. Be prepared to be taken on an emotional roller coaster ride that will likely stay with you for few a days. It’s funny and entertaining. It had me LOL, smiling, crying and angry. I was especially angered when Ella’s stepsister treated her like a pariah. The tears were as a result of the degradation she suffered at the hands of her peers.
What I loved most about this book is the interaction between Cinder aka Brian Oliver and Ella. Their banter was fun. The fact that they never met added to the mystery of their relationship. Here are two persons who have been communicating by internet and IM for three years and were able to develop a friendship that would prove to be as enduring as time. This friendship grew into love that would be life changing for both Cinder and Ella.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful read. The characters, the plot and the writing were delightful. Cinder and Ella provides die-hearted readers like me with the perfect tools to escape reality, even if it’s just a temporary fix. If you love the concept of happily ever after and that of being swept off your feet by prince charming, then Cinder and Ella would the perfect read for you.
NB: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 23 December, 2014: Finished reading
  • 23 December, 2014: Reviewed