I really liked the sound of this, but I don’t think it had the tone of a gothic, Victorian-set novel as much as I would’ve liked it to have.

Thank you Netgalley for the E-Arc in exchange of a review.
I started reading this one but didn't hold my interest. I thought the concept was good but I wish I could have connected with the characters and plot more.

This is a Gothic retelling of Cinderella. The setting work so well.. the characters are creepy and twisted.
The authors writing style works so well and brings Victorian London to life

This was beautifully written but I just didn’t connect with it. I found the pacing quite slow, and didn’t really engage with the plot. I liked the characters and the world though

"Shadow in the Glass" by Harwood is a haunting and intricately woven novel that delves into themes of identity, obsession, and the blurred lines between good and evil. With a dark and gothic ambiance, Harwood crafts a story that is part psychological thriller and part historical fiction, combining elements that keep the reader constantly on edge.

The story unfolds in Victorian England and follows the life of its complex protagonist, the brilliant but troubled Dr. Henry Jekyll. The narrative takes a unique twist, with the doctor's dark alter ego, Mr. Edward Hyde, exploring his own motivations and struggles. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between the two characters, leading to a deeply psychological and immersive reading experience.

Harwood's writing is richly detailed, capturing the atmosphere of 19th-century London and the psychological torment of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The prose is moody and evocative, setting a perfect backdrop for the eerie and unsettling events that transpire throughout the novel.

The novel's exploration of the duality of human nature and the idea of good versus evil is thought-provoking and aligns well with the themes originally introduced by Robert Louis Stevenson in his classic novella, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Harwood takes these themes further, delving deeper into the psychology and motivations of his characters.

While the concept and atmosphere are captivating, the narrative structure and pacing can be a bit challenging. The story unfolds in a nonlinear manner, which might require readers to pay careful attention to the shifts in time and perspective. Additionally, some parts of the story feel overly intricate and dense, occasionally detracting from the overall reading experience.

In conclusion, "Shadow in the Glass" is a dark and psychologically charged reimagining of a classic tale. It offers a fresh perspective on the well-known story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, diving deep into the complexities of human nature. Readers who enjoy dark, gothic narratives with complex characters and intricate psychological exploration will find this novel both intriguing and unsettling. While it may not be for everyone due to its dense narrative style, it's a thought-provoking and atmospheric journey into the abyss of obsession and duality.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Now, I will admit this was not what I expected when I went into it - I knew it was going to be a retelling of Cinderella, and it was described as a dark fairytale, but this was a bit darker than even I expected. I probably should have knew it would be, considering the description but oh well, the main thing is it kept me interested and I didn't check out.

I however, did get frustrated with the MC sometimes and her wishes! But I guess everyone would wonder what they would wish for in her shoes.... I'm not quite sure what I would have done.

I did choose to give this 4* however, mainly because I wish it had ended a bit differently, and obviously as I've said it was a bit darker than my usual read so I did take a while to get through it.

Despite this, it was beautifully written and you really didn't know what exactly was going to happen to MC throughout, so I would still recommend it for those that do like darker fairy tales!

I really enjoyed the twist this had on the Cinderella story I know and grew up with. This was dark and is definitely one to check triggers before reading as it mentioned some tough topics, and while I can’t speak for everyone, I think it was written well. My only criticism which stopped this being a 5 star for me was that the ending left you twitch unanswered questions

This was…quite possibly one of the worst books I’ve ever read and that is saying something as I’ve read and reviewed lightlark.

The main character is unlikeable, stupid, and whiny and has no care for what happens to other people. She used to be the child of a servant and then her mum died and the lady of the house kind of adopted her, and then the lady of the house died so she’s back to being a maid. It’s hilarious because this was clearly years ago but she can’t face going outside without a chaperone etc. honestly I don’t see why this girl still lives there as the master of the house is known to rape his staff and get them pregnant so then they get kicked out. This has obviously been going on for a while since it’s common knowledge, and when abortion is discussed people are like noooo I can’t. Like please you can and would have if it meant being homeless I’m sorry buddy.

The writing is overly flowery with no purpose and the characters are bland and charicatures. Not only that but as the wishes all go wrong this doesn’t stop her from making more of them!

I really wanted to love this. It's a gothic retelling of Cinderella - an excellent concept.

Really struggled with this and ended up being the DNF. Not for me but know others will have loved it :)

A dark, reimagined Cinderella set during the Victorian times. This is an engaging read about a young girl’s wish for a better life. Despite some minor pacing issues, this is a compelling book featuring some nice ideas.

Ella is a maid in the home of her guardian. Formerly the adopted child of the house, her adopted mother dies and her husband keeps Ella on but as a maid instead of a loved child. She often escapes to the library at night to get lost in a world of books. One fateful night a woman steps out of a book and offers Ella the chance to have 7 wishes, though her soul is at stake. Eager to get out of her life, Ella agrees though she is regretful of the wishes that she makes and their impact on those around her. Sinister and atmospheric, a creepy and intriguing read.

I absolutely loved this gothic retelling order Cinderella, it was very well written and not like anything I have read before

A beautifully gothic retelling of the classic Cinderella, can't believe it's a debut novel. It's very gripping and I found it very effective. Thank you for the chance to review this book.

I loved this gothic feeling Cinderella style historical fiction. Following Ella as she is offered 7 wishes in exchange for her soul we see how she tries to use the wishes in an attempt to improve her life. Trying to avoid the unwanted advances of her employer while also protecting her friends Ella slowly begins to descend into more selfish and dangerous wishes.

I loved the way this story unfolded and the way the author built the tension and gothic atmosphere throughout the story. I rooted for Ella from page 1 and loved her character.

An excellent book I enjoyed every page.

First off disclaimer I received a review copy from Netgallery for my honest thoughts.

I love anything Cinderella related and this is a loose interpretation and dark. Fair warning in some places it can be a little triggering as I was not expecting how it unfolded.

Eleanor “Ella” is a ward of the Pembroke family and was cherished by Mrs Pembroke. Then Mrs Pembroke died and the master moved her from ward to maid. Without spoiling anything the household and Ella’s life is not a happy one. So much then when a mysterious woman from a book grants her seven wishes in exchange for her soul… Ella accepts but as with all things has not thought things through or the consequences and what this will actually cost her.

Ella herself tries to be good and kind but as the story unfolds you see her struggle with her conscience as the toll and affects of each wish becomes apparent.

I wasn’t so keen on the ending as had so many questions left over! But overall a good read as an author’s debut, but Ella was a hard character to be invested in but love the lesson be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.

Thanks very much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. Many thanks, Dave

The Shadow In the Glass is marketed as a dark re-telling of the Cinderella fairy tale. And whilst I can certainly agree that it is dark - trigger warnings include off-page rape, child abuse, abuse of power, physical abuse, miscarriage/abortion, alcoholism and drug use m- I'm not so clear on the link with Cinderella. Faustus yes, but not really Cinderella. There's a tenuous link with a pair of shoes and that's about it.

Ella was once destined for greatness. Adopted by a wealthy couple when her parents died, she is brought up as a bonus daughter, moulded into what society expect of young women. But when her benefactor dies, Ella is left with the lecherous widower and finds her fortunes much changed. Thrown into the life of a servant, Ella spends much of her life trying to avoid Mr Pembroke's attentions, knowing all too well what happens to the girls he sets his eye on and inevitably gets pregnant.

So when a strange and forbidding woman appears out of a book one night - and of course it's Faustus - Ella finds herself offered a deal. She gets seven wishes. But once that seventh wish has been granted, she loses her soul. Talk about a deal with the devil. But Ella soon discovers that every wish comes with consequences, few turn out exactly as she would have wished and a trail of dead bodies soon litters her life. You'd have thought she's have got the message by the second wish. But nope, Ella is clearly not particularly good at using her brain cells.

Whilst I was interested in seeing how the story would pan out, I couldn't help but get frustrated at the characters - particularly Ella. There's a whole lot of 'I can't make a wish because someone might die', followed by 'I have to make the wish and someone might die', the guilt of her being responsible for these deaths is overshadowed by the fact that she just keeps on bleeding doing it! The first time she didn't realise the consequence, the second time it was made abundantly clear to her. After that there's no excuse and yet she is full of every excuse in the book.

I did enjoy how the historical context was woven together with the supernatural fantasy elements. Harwood does an excellent job at describing the stark and abject misery of a young serving girl under an abusive Master. It did help to round out the dilemma's that Ella kept finding herself in, but never quite justified the means.

I suspect my main complaint with the book comes down to the lack of subtlety. We all know that Ella is going to keep on making wishes, we all know - including her - that those wishes come with steep and tragic consequences. There's no grey area here. For Ella to continue behaving in the way she does, for her to keep using the wishes despite witnessing the cost, is frankly unforgivable. And so she's a difficult character to empathise with. If the consequences had been a little more grey scale and less absolutely horrific, maybe there'd be some wiggle room... but there isn't.

Either way, I did quite enjoy this and would be interested in reading the authors future works. But it lets itself down by making everything so starkly black and white. I also wasn't a fan of the ending, which felt like a cop out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my free review copy of this title.

This is a dark Cinderella tale. Ella is left in the care of her Master as his ward and is set to work as a servant. After finding refuge in a library she is visited in the shadows and offered to be granted 7 wishes but does Ella want to pay the price?

Overall I lived the way that a typical Cinderella has been twisted as it left you guessing at each turn. I did find it very slow at the beginning and just willing her to make a wish. I felt as though there were opportunities for more a certain wish to backfire and send her on a spiral as I was willing there to be more action. Whilst this was a good book it was very slow.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, unfortunately I wasn’t able to get to it before it was archived but will review in full when I do.