Mystery at the Midnight Ball: A Cinderella Fairy Tale by Kristen Niedfeldt

Mystery at the Midnight Ball: A Cinderella Fairy Tale Reviews

• 
  Ella J.

  My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  
  I recently won this book in a giveaway here on Goodreads. I'm so happy I did! This was such a delightful Cinderella retelling!
  As I have seen another reviewer say, "Mystery at the Midnight Ball," is so much more than just a fairytale retelling. The author really took the original premise and completely made it her own. One of the ways she did that is by adding a mystery subplot to the story.
  
  My favorite thing about this book has to be the two main characters, Ellie and Alexander. Ellie is such a strong and empathetic character. She faces hardships with such determination and doesn't let them make her bitter. She is also very smart and makes a good sleuth. She did a good job of thinking on her feet as she tried to solve the mystery that takes place in this story.
  Alexander is also great. He is a generous and loyal character. He is also one of the most respectful and thoughtful love interests I have seen in a long time. I loved that while he was protective of Ellie, he was also very supportive of her, even when she chose to do things he didn't necessary agree with.
  
  I also absolutely loved the romance in this book; It is the most perfect slowburn friends-to-lovers. I may have let out a little squeal when Ellie and Alexander finally confessed their feelings for one another lol. I loved that the author kept the romance very clean, yet still very swoon-worthy. For that reason "Mystery at the Midnight Ball," could appeal to many ages.
  
  I will definitely be checking out other books by Kristen Niedfeldt very soon!
  
  
• 
  Jessie

  So Much More Than a Cinderella Story
  
  I’ve always thought that a good fairytale retelling takes the basic story, and the author makes it their own. Kristen Niedfledt nailed it! It has the bare bones of Cinderella: balls, missing shoes, mistreated step-daughter, but there was so much more to this story!
  There was political intrigue, treaties, spies, and a childhood friendship turned romance. I loved Ellie and Alexander: their communication, their chemistry, their enduring friendship and sacrifices.
  Well done! I can’t wait to discover more or Kristen Niedfeldt’s books!
  
  Content: clean (no language, mild violence, a few kisses)
• 
  Amy

  I received a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I do not read many fairy tales or romantic mysteries. I agreed to review this book because I have always wanted to review a book before it was published. I had zero expectations of loving the book but I love it! This is not your average retelling of the Cinderella story with a twist. This book includes a fun mystery that keeps you guessing all the way through. The 'Cinderella' character, Ellie, is strong, clever, resourceful, and kind. This book is one for all ages. I plan to share it with my eleven year old daughter. It is not often you find a book that captures the interest and hearts of the old and the young. This book does just that. I give it two very enthusiastic thumbs up. I like this version far better than the original.
• 
  Jamie (The Kansan Reader)

  DNF @25%
  
  I'm bored. I'm not being drawn in. Also, I'm not a fan of this Cinderella. Just meh.
• 
  Ashley

  Super cute teen/YA fairy tale retelling! I really enjoyed this story and the cute twists and similarities it has to Cinderella. I was intrigued and had to keep reading to find out who the bad guy(s) were!
• 
  Racheal

  While there wasn't a fairy godmother, talking mice or pumpkin carriages in this book, it was still filled with its own kind of beautiful magic. From the first few pages, your pulled into Ellie's world which feels as realistic as it does unfair. I found comfort in Cinder, Prince Alexander and Ellie's half sister as they were all her biggest supporters. I loved that while Ellis was obedient with her step mother, she was still fierce, brave and true to herself through the whole book.The book itself had a historical romance feel to it, which paired with the tale of Cinderella, felt both magical and believable. There were definitely some plot twists towards the end that I didn't see coming, but that made sense. Overall, this was the perfect light and fluffy read I was looking for.
• 
  Leslie

  This is very well written story. It starts off as what you expect from a Cinderella story, but then takes a few turns that make it an intriguing read. I loved how clean the love story was...a book I'd let my daughters read. The story flows perfectly and had a few moments that truly melted my heart. A great quick read.
• 
  Emily

  I don't think I'll ever get tired of reading Cinderella retellings--especially when they're as sweet and enjoyable as this one is! It definitely will be added to my list of favorite versions of Cinderella.
  
  A 'Cinderella' you root for their HEA ✅
  Kind, caring 'Prince Charming' ✅
  Some mild twists and turns ✅
  Sweet and super clean romance ✅
  Happily Ever After ✅✅✅
• 
  Hope Vollm

  An interesting take on Cinderella. I enjoyed having a mystery plot and I honestly was surprised at who the bad guy was.
  
  This is a very clean romance though. I was more into the mystery than the romance really. Ellie just really had a helpful spirit and such so she was a bit hard to relate to because I couldn’t imagine.
• 
  Beth

  Better than Cinderella
  
  I won this book on Goodreads.
  I loved this book.
  It was so different from Cinderella, but still a Cinderella story.
  I love Ellie. And enjoyed that the step sisters weren’t ugly or rude to Ellie.
  Obviously the step mom had to be mean.
  The plot twists kept me guessing and even though we all know how Cinderella ends, I still loved it.
• 
  Kerrie

  I love reading fairy tale retellings. I thought this one was good and not too predictable, which is hard to do with retellings. The use of the various Cinderella elements was innovative. Enjoyable read, clean, can be read by a younger pre-teen audience as well as enjoyed by teens and adults who like the genre.
• 
  Stephanie

  Great Read
  
  I like that the characters referenced the history story of Cinderella. It's a nice nod to the story it is based off of.
  
  I also really liked the characters and how they develop throughout the book.
  
  Highly recommend!
• 
  Carmen

  A truly unique and enjoyable retelling of "Cinderella". I loved how Kristen Nidelfeldt had different settings instead of focusing just on the main character's perspective which can become redundant in other retellings. I hope her next book is a retelling of "Snow White" or "Beauty and The Beast".
• 
  Melissa Seeley

  I absolutely loved this variation of Cinderella. Wonderful characters. Loved the added intrigue of a plot between two kingdoms. The little bits of humor only made the story better. Clean story. Appropriate for all ages. Highly recommend.
• 
  MariahBookie

  I finally found my kindle after moving so I could finish this book! I love a good Cinderella retelling even if it is cheesy and predictable. The main character is brave, strong, and independent. Fun and clean read! I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Karen

  I really enjoyed this story. It was the first that I read by this author, but I look forward to reading more of her books.
  
  Content: clean
• 
  Emily

  A different twist to an old tale. I enjoyed this rendition of Cinderella
• 
  Heather

  I liked the mystery thrown into the regular Cinderella rehash, but it was quite slow. Cinders the horse is the real star of this novel.
• 
  Kerstin

  I enjoyed this story. It was an interesting, clean romance mixed with some political mysteries/issues of the kingdom. I recommend it! I enjoyed the characters and the plot had some fun new twists on the classic tale. My favorite was that one of the "step-sisters" was actually a younger half-sister, age eight. She is adorable and has a cute relationship with "Cinderella". I haven't seen that twist before and I loved it. I also loved the way the "fairy godmother" and the "slippers" were written, but I won't spoil those details :)
  
  Clean!
  Language/profanity: none
  Sex/innuendo: sweet kisses
  Gore/Violence: some peril situations, mild in description
  Dark/Creepy: none