The Amaranth Enchantment

Another Cinderella Story

You will immediately recognize the theme in this story. While all the characters seem slightly more cynical, it still makes for a very good read. There is a slight supernatural twist to it, and a little more danger. If you like Cinderella stories, you will like this book. I would also recommend "Just Ella" by Margaret Peterson Haddix. It is an interesting deviation from the Happily Ever After version from the fairy tales, and rather realistic. "Summers at Castle Auburn" is somewhat of a Cinderella story, with a little of the magic that is typical of all Sharon Shinn's books (very good author, by the way).

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Original retelling of Cinderella

Although it's not an exact Cinderella retelling, there are a lot of plot turns that make you realize it's supposed to be a Cinderella story. I didn't think her "otherworldly" fairy godmother isn't as unbelievable as one of the reviewers claimed -- I thought it fit right in with the story. It's a wonderful story and is sure to delight young teenage girls!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Kaitlin

I read this book for a school project, and I usually hate fantasies. This book was different. It had a mystery twisted inside. The one night I started reading on pg. 60 and that night I read fir 5 hours until i finished it. This book was amazing. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy or mysteries. :)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great

Awesome!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Enchanted by Book

I enjoyed reading this book. The intrigue in it was very interesting. There are lots of twists and turns to move the story along. Younger teens will enjoy this book. It is on the 2012 Oklahoma Intermediate Sequoyah reading list. I also see that Berry has another book out. I will probably also get that one for my library.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

great

a great book!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Could have been amazing...

This book reminded me of the book Ella Enchanted. It is a twist on a cinderella fairytale. The characters are enjoyable to read about, the overall story is good, and the setting is magical. There is only one problem... Near the middle of the book we are introduced to a (suppossed) witch. That is not the problem. The problem is this women is from another world. Yes, another world. Not only is she from another world but she is also a higher being (whatever that means) and there are other creatures from the other world who are after her (the bad guys) and have a big role in the ending of this story. This book was good but it could have been amazing.It was wierd in some parts, mainly the end. - One thing parents might need to be cationed on is that the main character of this story allows a boy to sleep in her room. He is found in her bed and tells her that she can either sleep with him or not sleep with him, he doesn't care either way. He ends up on the floor in the end, and she ends up in the bed. I thought it would be good to mention anyway.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Review from The Neverending Shelf

I am a HUGE fairy tale fan so when I randomly found this book, I had to give it a chance. Plus the cover is gorgeous!! I just could not tell this book no. It was like it was calling to me. While the basic story line is Cinderella, there are loads of new elements that will keep the reader's interest.

What I liked: I really enjoyed the twist Berry did on the "fairy godmother." It was a welcome, and needed change to set this book apart from other fairy tale retelling books. The witch/godmother, Beryl, made this book for me. I loved her back story-- I personally think she was the glue that held this book together. I also liked the interactions between Lucinda and the prince. They were really cute.

What I did not like: While I like Peter's character (he was funny), I did not care for what happened to him. He gets his happily ever after, allowing for everything else work out in the plot; however, I felt like the author just took the easy way out... I really cannot say more because it might give too much away. I also would have liked to learn more about Beryl and her world. It bothered me that the reader keeps getting hints about said world, and when we finally have the chance to delve into it, the author does not take the opportunity to properly explore it.

Flaws aside, this is a beautifully written, fun, imaginative tale. There are many twists to this book that make it less Cinderella-ish and more original. I highly recommend for any Cinderella fan wanting a change of pace, or anyone who enjoys a good fairy tale.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

An enjoyable debut

There are some really good elements in this book---strong characters, an interesting cityscape, a touch of magic and romance---and the fact that it's a quick and easy read will appeal to much of its teen audience. But The Amaranth Enchantment is also very definitely a first novel. The story's pacing is at times jerky and uneven, and Berry introduces several characters and plot elements that seem more convenient than purposeful. Overall, I found a few too many coincidences when I was hoping for a bit of mystery or complexity, and yet when I desperately wanted an answer or a resolution, not a coincidence was in sight. An enjoyable effort, but not really one of my favorites. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing how Berry's talent progresses.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Well...

I enjoyed, and very much understood the plot and characters of this book, but I still feel something was missing. Still, Julie Berry's characters and development of the storyline was very nice, and well done, don't get me wrong. I just feel that this book was hardly fantasy, but more like a feelings (people dealing with feelings) sort of book.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Reviewed by Ashley B for TeensReadToo.com

Lucinda Chapdelaine has been an orphan ever since her parents left for a ball and never returned. She was taken in by her uncle at his jewelry shop, and must endure her wicked step-aunt.

And then a woman named Beryl came into the shop. Since then, Lucinda's life has changed forever.

All in the same day that she saw Beryl, the Prince comes to the shop, and a thief boy sneaks into Lucinda's room and stays the night. Peter, the thief, steals something from Lucinda, and she must find him to get it back to Beryl, the rightful owner.

But she isn't the only one looking for it.

When she finally finds the thief, he has sold it - to the Prince for his betrothed.

What will Lucinda do to get it back to Beryl? What other twists and turns will she get herself into along the way?

This story, overall, was very interesting. It kept me guessing and that made it hard to put down. My favorite character was Peter, the young thief, because he was fun and sarcastic. The only thing I wasn't happy with was the ending. It was very abrupt, and it gives you hardly a hint as to what happens to all of the characters.

Other than that, the story was well-written, and I really enjoyed it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great

Loved the book! Cant wait to see more by the author.

Great book

This book was great but i wish she had married peter

Ehhh....

It was too short for me. And the ending was horrible

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A Little Cinderella,A Little Not

What's better than a traditional Cinderella story? One that steals elements from the tale, but forges its own path. The Amaranth Enchantment is about a girl named Lucinda whose parents died in a horrible accident the night of a ball. She goes to live with her uncle and step-aunt, a woman who treats her like a servant. A magical woman-the book's version of a fairy godmother-is the catalyst for Lucinda leaving to make it on her own. Following the elements of a fairy tale, she falls in love with a prince and winds up at his ball, but that's where the similarities end. In a way, the novel reminds me of a Disney movie because memorable characters include a lovable thief named Peter and a pet goat named Dog (why Dog, idk, but it's cute!).

The Amaranth Enchantment might read like a fairy tale, but it also has some sci-fi tendencies. The "godmother," Beryl, is from another planet and has a special stone that gives her magical abilities. This stone is so valuable that an evil man wants it and will stop at nothing to get it back. Beryl begs Lucinda for help, offering to restore everything she lost if she can retrieve the stone, which was stolen by a thief named Peter and sold to the Crown Prince. This is one place where The Amaranth Enchantment succeeds: Lucinda doesn't wait around for a man to save the day. She pulls it together and takes charge herself despite the consequences. She was the opposite of Beryl, who wasn't able to solve her own problems.

My favorite character was Peter, the thief. He was the most animated, and stole every scene. He had surprises up his sleeve that I never saw coming, too. I felt he was the most well-developed of all the characters. While I admired Lucinda's spunk, I felt she was a little too naïve at times and often found herself in bad situations due to this. I also wish Prince Gregor was a little more fleshed-out. There weren't as many romance scenes as I would have liked, but I'm hoping to see more in Berry's future novels. For a debut novel, The Amaranth Enchantment had many good ideas, and the story was still fun to read. There were twists and turns I never saw coming, and I loved the fact that despite the Cinderella influence, Lucinda was her own heroine, and not a reincarnation of anyone else.

I highly recommend this book. ..

... and have actually done so to all my friends.

good

this is a great book i enjoyed reading it

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good overall

This was an entertaining and quick read. i was a little disappointed with the ending though, because you are kind of unsure of what happens between two of the characters. Nice fairytale twist though!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Engaging and Enjoyable

I picked up this book hoping to convince my daughter that reading IS fun. It worked! We have been reading together for 4 days now and the girls are absolutely antsy to finish it. Can't wait for Secondhand Charm to come out on October 12!!

review taken from One Book At A Time http://onebooktime.blogspot.com

I've had this book on my radar for awhile now. My library got it in as an e-audio book (I check it out online and downloaded to my ipod). I was a little hesitant to this, but really wanted to read it. While, I'm not sure about the person who read the story (I thought she was ok, my husband thought she was awful), I loved the story itself. It had a wonderful fairytale feel. Lucinda was a wonderful narrative. I loved watching her grapple with who she really was and making her place in a world that was rightfully hers. Once she set her eyes on what she wanted, she never stopped until she achieved it. Her companion, Peter, was the most interesting side-kick. I found myself actually laughing out loud at some of the exchanges between and Lucinda and Peter. He's a thief by nature, but has a heartfelt goal. I'm not sure he deserved his fairytale ending, it seemed way to convenient. But, it wrapped up the story in a nice little bow. The prince, Gregor, I wasn't quite sure of. I was so afraid he was going to walk away from what he truly wanted, all because of his title. The only thing I wish was that we got to know Beryl and her world a little more. I didn't get enough. Overall, an enchanting story that I would recommend to anyone who likes fairy tales and maybe even historical fiction mixed with fantasy (it had a historical fiction feel even if it's not based on any fact).