Cinderella: Ninja Warrior

Choose your own happily-ever-after adventure!

Somehow I missed the memo that this is a choose-your-own-adventure book, so I'll warn you now, dear Readers, that you are in charge of Cinderella's fate! She can be as bold and daring as you like her to be, or she can play fiddle to her wicked stepmother who keeps her on a tight, enchanted leash. Whilte there were no crazy ninja sequences (which, I admit, was why I wanted to read this book), I still enjoyed the characters and wished there had been more time to explore their personalities!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Fantastic and charming new version of classic fairy tale!

Cinderella Ninja Warrior by Maureen McGowan is the first book in the Twisted Tales series brought to us by Silver Dolphin. This fast-paced and action packed story is so much more than the classic fairy tale we all know! Loaded with magic, kick-ass ninja actions, adventures and romance, this fairytale is nothing like you've ever read before.

First and foremost, this is not a book that you'll read once and then put on your bookshelf to collect dust. You can read this book over and over again, as this is a choose-your-own-adventure novel. There are 3 key points during the story when you get to choose what Cinderella will do next. Each time you reach these points you get two choices, and once you decide which path you'd like Cinderella to follow, you're directed to the next section in the book. You know what this means? In one book you get 8 different stories, 8 unique ways the plot develops. And even though the ending stays the same, you still get the fun of deciding how the story evolves.

I haven't had the time to re-read the book yet and try out the alternative scenarios, but I will most definitely do that, as I'm very curious of the differences! I never actually had a chance to read a choose-your-own-destiny novel before. This was my first one ever, but certainly not the last one. I know for sure that I'm in for the whole series. There's just something absolutely intriguing about the re-told fairy tales. After all, these were the stories I grew up with. As a kid I read all the fairytale books I could find and watched all the Disney movies. They were fueling my imagination and brightening even the cloudiest days. I loved them! And now Maureen McGowan makes these stories even more enjoyable to read. How could I possibly pass this up?

Our heroine has just turned eighteen. Her mother, one of the most powerful wizards in the kingdom, had died at her birth. Her father died few years later, only days after he remarried. Just like in the original story, Cinderella is now forced to live with her stepmother and her two stepsisters, who treat her more like a servant than a family member. Unlike in the original tale, though, our made-over Cinderella is not a weak-willed heroine. She still has to follow her stepmother's orders, do all the house chores and endure cruelty and abuse, but it's no longer attributed to her weak character. She's imprisoned in the house. Her stepmother, an evil wizard, has used black magic to keep Cinderella confined to the cellar, except to do chores during the day and to tend the garden at night. Why is the wicked stepmother determined to make Cinderella's life a living hell? Because she's after a magic wand that belonged to Cinderella's real mother. Convinced that Cinderella knows the location of the wand, she'll do anything to extract the knowledge from her.
Cinderella, although still pure in heart and romantic, is not shy and blindly obedient anymore. She's fully capable of making her own decisions, she doesn't sit around dreaming about the prince charming to come and rescue her. She's strong, brave and tough, and she's determined to find her way to freedom. Through ninja training, she improves her concentration, balance and strength. She also trains to improve the magical abilities inherited from her wizard mother. She's a true kick-ass character and that makes following her adventures more fun than ever.
For Full review go to evie-bookish @ blogspot

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very cute story

Cinderella is a beloved classic story. It has captured the hearts of many. However this Cinderella is different from the other stories. You see this Cinderella possesses certain skills. I'm not talking about cooking or cleaning, I'm talking about Kung-Fu Panda, kick-butt ninja skills. No, that wasn't a typo. That's right. Cinderella has some serious skills. Not only is she a ninja warrior but she also possesses the skill of magic. She needs both skills to help her deal with her misguided stepsisters and her truly evil stepmother. Cinderella Ninja warrior is a fun book to read. It's a choose your own adventure sort of book. You get to choose Cinderella's path at pivotal points in the book. There are eight different paths you can take with this novel. This is a twisted tale so it's not the same Cinderella story that you're used to. Maureen McGowan did a great job twisting this story into something new. The characters in this book resemble the original characters plus a few new ones. McGowan amped up the evil for the stepmother quite a bit. Overall this is a good book to read. I truly enjoyed choosing Cinderella's path.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Better than Fairy Tales! Choose your own path to your prince!

In this fast-paced story full of adventure and romance, Cinderella is more than just a servant girl waiting for her prince-she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Cinderella and decide where she goes next-but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read!
I am greatly impressed with this story. I love that finally, Cinderella is not just a - too peppy little girl prancing around in rags, happily at the beck and call of her stepmother and stepsisters. Finally, Cinderella is more down to earth; and her feelings, and fears are very realistic. I love the little twists and turns the story takes. The choices the reader gets to make in the story is reminiscent of my favorite "choose your own adventure" books I read as a pre-teen. The author takes Cinderella on and adventure, but the reader gets to choose the way she gets from rags to riches! Definitely a must read for ages 8 and up (including adult!)

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