Bewitching

I suppose I have been under a rock because I was completely unaware that Beastly was a series.  I read Beastly years ago.  How did I miss this?  Bewitching by Alex Flinn is a twist on Cinderella as shaped by the witch Kendra who was responsible for turning Kyle Kingsbury from Beastly into his beastly form.

In Bewitching readers learn background information on Kendra.  She wasn't always the strange high school student who turns the cutest boy in school into a beast.  She's actually a quite sympathetic character...I kind of like her.

In addition to giving insight into the world of Kendra, readers also experience Cinderella in a new way.  Kendra has set out to help a girl named Emma.  Emma's life is about to change because she finds out her stepfather, who has really been the only father she has ever known, has a daughter, Lisette.  This unknown daughter's mother is recently deceased and she will be coming to live with Emma and her family.  Emma is determined to be friends with Lisette, who has evidently not had the cushy life Emma has.  However, Lisette has other ideas.

While the Emma and Lisette story is the main story, Kendra shares other stories from her past that relate.  This was a really cool way to structure the novel. 

All in all, this was a really fun read.  I will certainly be on the look out for another installment in the Kendra Chronicles.