Out of the Ashes ~ Review

Out of the Ashes
By Alicia Buck

Lady Ashelandra Camery's life is about to take an unexpected turn - her father's death leaves her under the guardianship of her uncle.  A man who despises Ash just for being her mother's daughter. But Ash has a secret - she's inherited her mother's skills with magic.  Unfortunately she must keep this hidden from her uncle, but she is determined to learn and use what she has mastered in an attempt to better her life and position until she can call her life and her home her own.

Ashlandra's love of life and independent spirit are at odds with her new position as household servant. And 4 years under the tyranny of Lord Richard may very well break her spirit and cost her her life.

This is Cinderella with a twist - instead of a evil step-mother we have an evil uncle.  There aren't any ugly step-sisters, but rather two cousins James and Jane.  But there is no fairy godmother in this story to make all of Ash's dreams come true.  All Ash has are the servants whom she now toils along side and her skills in magic.

There is a ball and a dance with a prince and Ash manages to catch both his eye and his heart, if only he knew who she truly was.  But Ash refuses to reveal herself to the prince though she is presented with several opportunities to do so.

When Ash's unique talents are needed she will be called upon to enter a world she never knew existed.  A world that could answer all her questions and possibly give her what she has been looking for since her father's death.

Magic, kidnappings, and last minute rescues. What more could a person hope for other than a happily ever after?  Prepare to be enchanted with this new twist on a timeless tale!

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher through the Cedar Fort book tour program in exchange for my honest review.

About the book:
    When Ashelandra’s father dies, she ends up a servant in her own house, instead of the Baroness she was supposed to become. But Ash’s secret sorcery could be the key to winning back her home and following her heart to a future she never imagined. This fantasy-infused Cinderella story puts a magical twist on a classic tale. Riveting and original, it’s a spellbinding read.

About the author:
     Alicia Buck was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on a cold November day and has hated the cold ever since. Luckily, she lives in the desert now with her husband, Jason, and three children. Alicia loves to read, and goes through book craze phases where she reads a book a day until guilt kicks in and she tries to do something productive like get back to work writing and fix the disaster her home has become. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s in English, and had to constantly defend her major when she had absolutely no desire to teach. Out of the Ashes is Alicia’s second novel.