Book Review #46: Ashes by S.G. Bacon

Hello Dear Reader!

Welcome to another indie book review! This one is by none other than S.G. Bacon. This book just came out on pre-order, and I had the honor of being an ARC reader for it! If you’d like to check out this sweet human being of an indie author, you can follow her on Instagram @sgbaconwriter.

Ashes is a re-telling of the classic Cinderella story, but with a ton of big twists. One of my favorites without spoiling much is there is no glass slipper! This sweet re-telling is also based in a unique fantasy world of its own, and before I get into it, here is the synopsis: (from S.G. Bacon)

All her life, Ember has only ever been the plain, untalented, quiet servant to her stepmother and stepsisters. Overlooked and unloved, she barely dares to dream of a better life. So when she goes to Lord Ksa’s Turning Ball, all she’s hoping for is one night of magic and freedom. Little does she know, the splendor of the ball is not the only magic at work.

When both of her stepsisters mysteriously disappear, Ember is the only one with the information that can save them. Together with Lord Ksa, she journeys into the heart of the Denwoed to make things right, encountering magical creatures she’s only ever heard of in stories. Meanwhile, her stepmother seeks her own revenge, causing chaos behind them. Out of her depth and far from any semblance of her comfort zone, Ember’s only choice is to rise to the challenge. Even among the dangers of the North Forest, kindness is what pushes her forward. But will it be enough to bring victory in battles she never imagined, enough to prove that she is far more than just “Ashes?”

Time for the review!

The main character of this book is this re-telling’s Cinderella. Though her evil stepmother and stepsisters all her Ashes, she loves calling herself Ember. Shy and quiet, she’s got a heart of gold, and she gains strength and confidence in herself throughout the entire book. Supporting this lovely character is a group of best friends that consist of this re-telling’s prince and three of his best friends in the royal guard, a truly evil and savage stepmother, her daughters, one of which is worse than the other by a slim margin, and a supportive friend that we all need in our lives. Also, did I mention the pixies, griffins, centaurs, and fae creatures? There are plenty of those as well!

The world of this Cinderella re-telling is one of the most unique aspects of this book. In other Cinderella stories, the most magical being readers ever run into is the fairy godmother, and there isn’t really anyone else who is in possession of magic. Ashes takes place in a world with fae creatures, pixies, griffins, and centaurs, where its people praise and believe in the creator of their world, Adonia. There are many aspects of the world that have subtle Christian influences, and they tie everything together beautifully.

There are also many good messages in Ashes, and the one that stood out to me the most is kindness above all else. Though she’s been mistreated her entire life, Ember never fails to show kindness to those who have done her wrong, especially her stepfamily. Kindness is portrayed as a strength in this book, not a weakness, and it introduces it as a strength through the poem at the very beginning. Along with the good message of kindness as a strength, believing in oneself and always standing up for what you believe in are other messages this book holds.

A Cinderella story isn’t a Cinderella story without romance between our main protagonist and her prince charming. In this case, Prince Charming is named Lord Ksa, and he is one of the most respectful male love interests I have ever encountered. Truly charming, he has a kind heart and good morals. Though he has a high standing in society, he isn’t boastful about it. He’s rather humble, and there are many times where he listens to other people’s opinions, especially Ember’s. He was definitely a refreshing love interest. Not to mention he’s got some smooth lines in the book. Never have I ever felt myself blushing at a character’s compliment to another character.

There really wasn’t anything I disliked about this book other than the fact I finished it wanting more from it. The book was short, which I really liked, especially since I tend to read longer books. It just felt a tad too short this time around, like it had everything that was necessary but not much that could be considered a break from the main plotline. All the characters with the exception of the villains were charming, and having an extra scene or two with them just interacting with each other would’ve been amazing. Other than that, I absolutely enjoyed reading Ashes. The author put a really unique twist to both the world and the plot of the original Cinderella story, and she did it so well! I’m pretty sure I prefer this version to the original.

So, Ashes rating:

4.75/5 and highly recommend! If you’re someone who loves short reads or looking for a break after reading a lot of long ones, I definitely recommend this book. The twists on this re-telling were done so well, and the messages told through the story are some to live by. Also, there are multiple mentions of a chocolate fountain. You can never go wrong with a chocolate fountain.  

And don’t forget to check out S.G. Bacon on Instagram @sgbaconwriter!

Thanks for reading!