The Amaranth Enchantment is Julie Berry's refreshing take on Cinderella--although the heroine, Lucinda, never quite makes it to the ball. She does manage to dance with the prince a few times along the way, though.Lucinda's parents died when she was only five years old, leaving her penniless and in the care of her aunt and uncle. Her aunt is a miserable woman who makes both their lives terrible, and when Lucinda's uncle dies, her aunt casts her out onto the street. Lucinda casts her fate with that of a strange woman, Beryl, a beneficent creature from another world; the two of them, lonely, find friendship with each other.
With the help of Beryl and a street thief named Peter, Lucinda has a chance to win true love... and save the kingdom, while she's at it.
The story was pretty good. I loved seeing the elements of Cinderella crop up without actually reading the same old story of Cinderella again. Overall, there were elements that didn't hang together, and too much crying and random coincidence for my personal taste. But this is a quick, fun read with a creative premise. It's worth checking out if you want something light to read.
October 1st Edit: It's currently $2.99 for the kindle, which is pretty reasonable if you want a chance to check it out.
