Cinders & Sapphires
Author: Leila Rasheed
Series: At Somerton #1
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
My Rating:
Summary:
Rose Cliffe has never met a young lady like her new mistress. Clever, rich, and beautiful, Ada Averley treats Rose as an equal. And Rose could use a friend. Especially now that she, at barely sixteen, has risen to the position of ladies’ maid. Rose knows she should be grateful to have a place at a house like Somerton. Still, she can’t help but wonder what her life might have been had she been born a lady, like Ada. For the first time in a decade, the Averleys have returned to Somerton, their majestic ancestral estate. But terrible scandal has followed Ada’s beloved father all the way from India. Now Ada finds herself torn between her own happiness and her family’s honor. Only she has the power to restore the Averley name – but it would mean giving up her one true love…someone she could never persuade her father to accept. Sumptuous and enticing, the first novel in the At Somerton series introduces two worlds, utterly different yet entangled, where ruthless ambition, forbidden attraction, and unspoken dreams are hidden behind dutiful smiles and glittering jewels. All those secrets are waiting…at Somerton.
First Sentence: Lady Ada Averley leaned on the rail of the steamboat Moldavia, feeling the hum of the ship’s huge engines through the steel, a rhythmic shudder like a giant’s breathing.
My Review:
I am obsessed with historical romances because of two main reasons: the sweet romance and the time period the book is set in. That’s why, when I heard that a new book that was coming out, Cinders & Sapphires, that was a historical fiction young adult book with romance in it, I knew I had to get my hands on it right away. However, to my disappointment, Cinders & Sapphires simply wasn’t that good.
The first thing that bought Cinders & Sapphires down was the insta-love or love at first sight. Seriously. Lady Ada risks her reputation, money, and family for a guy she talked to for less than two minutes – then proceeded to kiss. (It still counts if he kissed her first and she kissed him back just as passionately.) From then on, Lady Ada was in love. All she knew was the guy’s name and what college he attended – nothing else. Oh goodness, the insta-love in all these books nowadays.
And what’s up with the kissing scenes? Every time Ada and her lover kiss, the word “passionately” is always used to describe the kiss. I’m sure there are lots of other ways to describe more than three separate kissing scenes other than using the word “passionately,” don’t you? Maybe write it with a little more explicit detail; anything is better than being repetitive.
You know the feeling when you read a book and you really connected with it? The feeling when you feel the characters pain, cry when the characters cry, worry when the characters made some enemies, and smile when the characters finally get their happy ending because of all the emotions? Yes, well, I didn’t get any of those feelings and emotions while I was reading Cinders & Sapphires. I just felt that I was at the outside, looking in. Nothing really grabbed at me and won me over.
There were also too many characters to read about and remember. Unlike Gossip Girl where all the characters played a major role to the plot, Cinders & Sapphires are full with characters that serves no real purpose to the book. There are at least three servants, one high society family, and some other people who are not needed in the book, but are just there to make me wonder, um, who is this again? and flip back several pages until I remember.
Ada also annoyed me to no end. She is mentally slow. Ada decides to eavesdrop on a conversation where the two people were so obviously talking about her. (Please note that Ada also saw who those two people were.) Eight pages later, Ada sees one of those two people shooting furious glares at her and Ada wonders why. Why would someone glare so furiously at innocent her? Hello, Ada, the person revealed that she liked someone eight pages ago while you were eavesdropping on her and now you’re flirting with the person she likes in front of her. That’s why she’s glaring at you.
So dear reader, if you were like me and was fooled into thinking that Cinders & Sapphires would be an awesome read because of the gorgeous cover and the fact that it’s a historical fiction book, think again. However, the “Downtown Abbey meets Gossip Girl” pitch is kind of true in this scenario though (only the Gossip Girl part because I don’t watch Downtown Abbey). Either way, if I was you, I would skip this book. Even that sort of cliffhanger at the end doesn’t convince me to read the next book in the series. (Well, if the cover was gorgeous, I may be willing to try it out…)
Aww man. I too, have been excited for this book, but this isn’t the only place that I’ve read a less-than-stellar review. I was kinda hoping it had just been a mistake, because it sounds sooo promising! But… there does seem to be quite a few problems, insta-love, too many characters… I dunno. Maybe I’ll rent it from the library if my TBR list magically shrinks by about 200 books…
Yeah, I was upset about this one too. The cover is gorgeous and the premise sounded very promising, but alas, the book itself wasn’t. ):
I suggest you read this one later Rin. Read the books you really want to read first.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [53]
This is disappointing. I thought it looked fantastic too, but it looks like it has quite a few things going on that make it not so great. I’d still like to try it, but it’s definitely going down as a ‘borrow from the library’ book.
Yeah, I’ll highly recommend you borrowing Cinders & Sapphires first, seeing if you like it, then buying it if you do.
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Favorite Book Covers Of Books I’ve Read
Good review! Too bad this story was a miss I love historical romances. <3
Thank you! :D
I love historical romances too, but sadly, Cinders & Sapphires was just not the book for me. ):
Kelly recently posted…ARC Book Review: This Song Will Save Your Life – Leila Sales
I love historical romances too! They are so much fun to just read and get lost in the past time. Too bad this was a disappointment. I also can’t stand insta-love. It just drags the story down. I mean where’s the fun in the “sexual tension” then right?? It seems there were more negatives than positives for this book, especially with the main character and writing. I don’t think I’ll pick this up any time soon. Thanks for the honest review! :D
~ Maida
Literary Love Affair
Maida @ Literary Love Affair recently posted…Review: Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons
Yes! Sexual tension is the BEST, especially the ones which makes you fan yourself like crazy. ;D
Too bad Cinder & Sapphires weren’t one of them. :l
Kelly recently posted…Book Review: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea – April Genevieve Tucholke
It could’ve been a really good book but I guess it wasn’t meant to be. (: thanks for the great review!
I know! I loved the cover and the book flaps with the family line map! Too bad the inside didn’t live up to its cover though. ):
No problem! (:
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [52]
Insta-love and a dumb heroine means a definite no buy for me! I can’t read a book if I have no connection to the characters!
Yeah, sadly that is the case. :l
It’s especially so sad when the cover of the book is SO gorgeous.
Who knows though, maybe you’ll actually like this one. o:
Kelly recently posted…Book Review: Defiance – C.J. Redwine
great review!! i was iffy about this book..it just doesnt spark any attention to me to read it… And dropping everything in 2 min of meeting someone- i would be like– no way could that happen…
Thanks Sarah! (:
Yeah, this book is so unrealistic this way, ESPECIALLY when the setting was in the old times where society was so strict.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [53]
Aaawe boo. When I read that this was a historical fiction romance, I was immediately drawn into the book. However, I read your review and I was immediately disappointed. Just like you, I love reading historical fiction. I don’t like the concept of the ‘insta-love,’ so that turned me down quite a bit. I also don’t like it when authors use certain words repeatedly. Thanks for the review!
Ellen Le recently posted…COVER REAL FOR THE FINAL INSTALLMENT IN THE SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY TRILOGY!
I love historical fiction too, but this one was definitely a disappointment. Add insta-love into the mix and it automatically turns me off the book.
Kelly recently posted…Stacking the Shelves [54]
Everything about your review lets me know that this book is NOT for me. But the biggest reason of all? NO FEELS. The biggest, most important thing for me to make me love a book is my ability to get feels with the characters. When that isn’t present, my interest plummets. I think that I will pass this one by. I do love the title, though!
Oh I’m so glad I read this review. I would have been one of those that were suckered. This is utterly frustrating! Historicals are some of my favorite reads. Shame.