Rating: 
Summary: Happily Never After
Review: Just Ella is a retelling of the classic story Cinderella . . . with a twist. There's no fairy godmother, despite what you might of heard, Prince Charming isn't charming, just dumb and try's to play the hero, and her bedroom is a dungeon for part of the book, not a luxorious tower in the castle.Just Ella is a good read but sometimes seems to wander out of the time period and is sometimes a bit predictable. It's a very interesting story and makes you think about how cheezy some fairy tales really are. A good thing is that you never find yourself bored when reading it and that it has a happy ending. Just Ella is a book worth reading, but it isn't the best retelling of a fairy tale out there. I gave it four stars because some of the characters seem in different time periods and because it can be a bit predictable at times. 10+
85/100
Recomendtations: Ella Enchanted
Rating: 
Summary: Is This Supposed to Be a Fairy Tale?
Review: First of all, I want to say that I enjoyed this book. It was a fast, entertaining read. But it wasn't Cinderella and it wasn't a fairy tale. Where did the magic and romance go? I will say that the way Cinderella (excuse me, CINDERS-ELLA) got her dress and glass slippers was original and resourceful, but I like the whole Cinderella-fairy godmother thing better. However, magic would have made this book a little limp. But what annoys me the most is Cinders-Ella's whole cocky, feminist attitude. Why is it that most modern books about princesses have a feminist character who wishes she wasn't a princess? Why can't she be happy about what she is? But besides the unrealistic qualities of Cinders-Ella, this book cuts short. It needs a sequel. Or an epilogue. I mean, the ending seems obvious, but I still like to discover the exact fate of the characters in the books I read. All in all, "Just Ella" is interesting enough, but compared to the real Cinderella story, it's hardly worth reading. If you love the story of Cinderella, read "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine.
Rating: 
Summary: Delightful
Review: This is a very cute young adult novel that makes an excellent bedtime story for the college student. Told in the first person, Ella (formerly known as Cinderella) describes her new found life at the palace with mister not quite that charming. Just Ella is funny and a worthy read for those who enjoy fairy tales with strong female leads.
Rating:
Summary: Just Ella
Review: Have you ever read the novel Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix? This is a classic Cinderella story with a bit of a twist. Ella Brown is a fifteen-year-old girl who is about to marry Prince Charming, or should we say Prince Boring. Ella must learn castle etiquette because she is from a village with peasant manners. She meets a few friends along the way including her good friend Jed, who cares about his people. Ella realizes that Prince Charming is moronic and foolish, so she decides to break off the engagement. The Prince does not allow such things and she gets locked up in the dungeon. Will She escape?
This story has two themes. You don't always end up where you think you are going and that happiness is like beauty- in the eye of the beholder. These two themes mean a lot because that this is what the story is based on. Ella has an immense journey to travel and there are many twists and turns.
Just Ella is a story full of complications. We found this book full of surprises. You can always ask, what will happen next. This story is one we will never forget. Why? It is a spunky book that is more enjoyable than poor old Cinderella and her ways of cleaning the floor.
Many books are similar to this story. The book Catherine Called Birdie by Karen Cushman has a similar theme to this novel because Catherine is forced to do many things that she doesn't want to do. Will things go her way? What will happen to Ella?
Sherin Witz
Rating:
Summary: Best Book
Review: This book is very suspensful and very good written.This book isnt like anything I read before.And it is not the same as Cinderella but better. You will not want to stop reading after you started. The best part of this book is in the end, with an ending very surprising.
Rating:
Summary: What happened to the fairy tale?
Review: I truly did love "Just Ella," but it doesn't come close to the fairy tale versions. If you're the kind of person who prefers reality over romanticism, you'll like this book. However, if you go for the fairy tales over realism, you should probably try a different version. The author has AMAZING creativity and originality, though. "Cinders-Ella's" goal to get to the appropriately named "Prince Charming's" ball was fulfilled in a way I had never even considered. I enjoyed the novel for that. But the characters were poorly developed. The protagonist, Cinders-Ella, lives in Medieval times, yet her attitude and language compares to that of today. She dispises the whole princess role, which many peasants of that day and time would have given anything for. Ella's character does not match with the time period. Prince Charming, on the other hand, is cardboard. He has no personality whatsoever, and creates a bland feeling about the palace - which might be what the author was aiming for. I did love the book, but it can't compare to the fairy tale. If you'd rather live in reality than magic, I think you'll love it. If you're the other way around, you might really like this view as well, like me, the hopeless romantic. It's a nice change.
Rating:
Summary: Just Ella
Review: Just Ella is a terrific book! It's a perfect book for a romantic lover! And everyone that knows me knows that that's my kind of book. It's a great story about what happened after Cinderella and her prince get in their carriage.
Ella gets to live in the castle with everything you can imagine, but she only sees the prince once a week. During their engagement Ella learns that she is not in love with the prince. She does not want to live in the castle, nor have the prince's kids. She thinks about what she should do. She decides to tell him that she does nit want to marry him anymore. She does it... but they wont let her leave or do what she wants to do. They stick her in a jail cell. She is in there for days. A servant gives Ella a shovel. Ella digs herself out a day before the wedding. She walks to Jed, her love of her life. He is miles and mile away.
Does Ella make it to Jed? Does the prince go after her? Does Ella ever get married? This Cinderella story is a GREAT book! It has love, humor, and adventure in it. It will make you think. I promise... you'll LOVE it!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Retelling and Continuation of 'Cinderella'
Review: Ella knows that she is beautiful, even though she is merely skin and bones thanks to her wicked stepmother and evil stepsister's mistreatment of her, but she still plans on going to the ball, and sweeping Prince Charming off of his feet. The plan goes perfectly, and soon Ella is living in the beautiful palace, planning her wedding to Prince Charming. But the palace isn't what she expected. She is unable to do anything for herself, and when she does, she is harshly reprimanded; she is unable to go outside, for fear that her pale skin will tan, and she is unable to have any friends, except for the ladies-in-waiting, whom Ella finds dreadfully boring. So she plans to break her engagement to the Prince, and go back to living outside of the palace walls. But when that plan goes awry, Ella decides that she must do something far more drastic. Escape. I've read quite a few retelling's of the story of CINDERELLA, as well as many other fairytales, and I found this one to be quite exciting. Margaret Peterson Haddix has placed the most original spin on the tale so far, and, by doing that, has created a story that will please readers young and old. Ella is a spirited and bright young character, who is quite a role-model for girls, as she shows that females don't have to wait for their Prince Charming to come along, but rather they can take things into their own hands, and do whatever they please. Fans of fairytales will enjoy this one greatly. Erika Sorocco
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: I liked Just Ella. Something always happens. Ella is unpredictable, you can't tell what she is going to do next. Ella decides she has no feeling for the prince. Just Ella has a twist at the end, and it makes the book even better than it already is.
Just Ella is about a girl named Ella. She is the Cinderella after the ball. Ella made a dress out of her mother's wedding gown. She goes to the ball and dances with the prince until midnight. Ella needs to get home before her stepmother and stepsisters find out that she went to the ball. Ella is chosen to be Prince Charming's bride. The prince only likes for her looks. Ella is finding out that she doesn't like the prince like she thought she would. Being a princess is harder than it looks. Ella finds out that she has more to talk about with Jed, her tutor, than with the prince. She soon realizes that she doesn't love the prince.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the movie Cinderella, it is Cinderella after the ball. If you liked Running Out of Time, you will like this book. I would recommend it to anyone in the sixth and seventh grade.
Rating:
Summary: Happily Ever After........and so you'd think!
Review: Ella, a princess, had the perfect life. She was engaged to the Prince, lived in a castle and was going to live happily ever after...and so she thought. She soon decides how much of a bore the prince is and she must face many obsticals of trying to escape from the prince and her evil Stepmother.
Then, she meets Jed, a tutor at school, who's dream in life is to set up a Miliary Refugee Camp. Jed soon falls in love with Ella. She must fight for a life she doesn't want and a life she never thought she would ever have.
Just Ella, by Margaret Peterson Haddix is a book full of adventures and trials. Once you start reading Just Ella, you won't be able to put it down. If you are into romance and adventure stories, I would recommend Just Ella. --Jeni Pluck
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