Nephthys Publications

08/27/2022

Sorry to post this so late, Guys, but I got another 4 Star review tonight from the Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Here it is --

CATCHY QUOTE
‘A charming, sweetly written Cinderella story, colourfully illustrated. Young children will love it.’ A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review

REVIEW
I must say, I had a very enjoyable evening tucked up by the fire enjoying this superbly illustrated Cinderella story. Firstly, I must say, the drawings were excellent. The illustrator is talented at showing the reader everything they need to see to help them to not only understand the text but also to add to it. I find many picture books too ‘Disney’, but this book has a wonderfully ‘classic’ feel to it which I very much enjoyed.

Now, on to the story. For the most part, this book very much follows the Cinderella story we all know and love - the author adding a little twist here and there just to keep the reader guessing! For the most part, it´s well-written with a good balance of descriptive prose and speech. The words, so important in a retelling such as this, fit the nature of the story perfectly: simple, classic, and mostly working hand-in-hand with the illustrations to tell the story.

In terms of the feel of the book, it´s a light, happy read. The tone is cheery and is considerably less dark than the original in terms of what happens to the father and how the sisters change towards the end. As such, this would be a perfect book for 6 – 8-year-olds.

All in all, this is a well-thought-out retelling of the classic story backed up by a very artistic pen. Although I felt the layout of the text was a little odd – overly large paragraph indents / too few words per line - I would imagine young children – and parents – enjoying this book for many bedtime reads.

08/04/2022

Hi, Guys, I got a new review yesterday for Cinderella. I know it's not as big of an announcement as winning that billion + lottery but here it is --

This is a delightfully engaging and enhanced version of the classic tale of Cinderella. It seamlessly intertwines reality and fantasy while developing the characters’ personalities and quirks in gripping ways. I highly recommend it!

The review was by Lisa Perskie and she rated the book 5 Stars. Yay! I'm a happy camper! 😁

07/11/2022

Hi, Guys, here are the pics from my B.R.A.G. Medallion win (Award #7). Pic #4 is me with both my Medallion wins i.e. Pegasus -- A Dragon's Tale (my first book) and Cinderella. The last pic is all 24 of my book awards for my 3 books Pegasus (11), Button Nose the Sad Little Bear (6) and Cinderella (7). Enjoy! 😊

06/14/2022

Hi, Guys, great news! I got another awesome review for Cinderella on Amazon tonight! Enjoy!

This is the story of Ella, who was born to loving parents. Sadly, her mother became ill and died. Her mother’s parting words were:
“Always remember, my love, that if you need me, I’ll be there. I’ll always help you.”

Later, her father decided to re-marry, giving little Ella a stepmother and two stepsisters. Ella was so excited to have sisters…until the sisters started being mean to her.

“Not a week after the wedding, Ella’s room was taken from her and she was forced to sleep on a wretched straw mattress high in a garret tower…Ella’s position in her own house was soon reduced to a slavey-maid.”

Ella was constantly covered in dirt that she was eventually named Cinderella.

Years later, the royal prince was to have a ball to select his future wife. The night of the ball, Cinderella made a wish and her mother appeared before her. The gods had sent her to set things straight, starting with giving her a dress and glass slippers to wear to the ball. True to the story we all know, the prince falls madly in love with her that night, but she flees, leaving behind a glass slipper. Only the one whose foot fits that slipper is his Ella.

“Just be patient, my love. Your dearest dreams will all come true. I promise.”

The illustrations were vivid and colorful with a crayon-like quality that was truly endearing and innocent. I enjoyed this lavish and Shakespearean retelling of the classic fairy tale.

A sweet and simple tale about making your dreams come true. A truly nice read.

The rating was 4 out of 5 Stars! Yay! 😊😁

05/26/2022

Guys, I created a flier for Cinderella, in case anyone wants to buy a copy for themselves or family. 😊

05/16/2022

Guys, I got my award and medal for Cinderella. Enjoy! 😁

04/27/2022

04/27/2022

Hi, Guys, I have some fantastic news today! I was informed that my Cinderella book has just won a Book Excellence Award! She is a Finalist in the Fantasy category of the latest awards!!!!! That makes Cinderella's 6th award and my 23rd total award for all my book! 😁😁😁😁😁👏👍

04/15/2022

Okay, Peeps, here's my news -- I got my second awesome review of my Cinderella book from Book Excellence. Here it is --

Cinderella: A Love Story is Gina LoBiondo’s retelling of the classic fairytale with a personal twist in which the traditional fairy godmother is traded out for someone closer to Cinderella’s heart. Ella’s life was a happy one when she lived with her father, Charles, and her mother, Marie, but fate has an unpleasant surprise in store for Marie and her death leaves Charles untethered and Ella adrift. Years later, Charles marries Vera, who has two daughters of her own. Charles works long hours and Vera is left to run the household. One by one, she dismisses the servants, giving their chores to Ella to complete and forcing her to sleep by the fireplace, which causes her to wake each morning with cinders on her clothes and earns her the name of Cinder-Ella. When Prince Andrew throws a two-day long royal ball, Vera forbids Ella from attending, but her fairy godmother comes along in the form of her mother, Marie, who Ella misses dearly. With the touch of a mother’s love, Ella is able to make it to the ball and meet the prince. This retelling is original and beautifully told while keeping the core of the story intact for a unique, yet reminiscent story that is fresh and new, though still rooted in the traditions of the beloved tale known and loved by generations of the past.

02/21/2022

Hi, Peeps, great news! I got 2 more 5 Star reviews for Cinderella -- found them on Amazon today! Enjoy! 😊 The 1st one was by Carolyn Bowen --

This modern-day twist on the Cinderella fairy tale will keep you turning the pages wondering the outcome of the rewrite of this classic story. The main character Ella Marie Elizabeth had a loving mother and father as a child. But her life changed drastically after her mother Marie’s death and her father’s remarriage.

Her father allowed Vera her new stepmother to rule the home and Ella was reduced to being a servant to the family. Vera and her two daughters called her Cinder-Ella, and she was reduced to servant status in their home.

A royal ball was planned and the whole family was invited to attend. The young Prince Andrew was to announce his bride after the two-day ceremony. Ella was forbidden to attend by her stepmother and her father didn’t intervene. When it appears hopeless, a magical solution appears showing that love between mother and child transcends time.

Would this eclipse of time and space be a reminder to her father of the man he once was before marrying Vera? And was it too late to do right by his daughter after years of neglect?

A magical fairy tale ending was already in place, waiting to be recognized and accepted by the young prince and Lady Ella. Could he see her beauty and character when staring at her servant appearance and make her his bride? A must-read fairy tale.

The next one is by Elle Alouette --

This fairy tale closely follows the classic story with magical twists young readers will enjoy. Ella was a happy child living in the countryside with her mother and father. Then, her mother Marie dies, and her father remarries to a tyrant with two self-absorbed squabbling daughters. Ella’s life turned dismal with no help from her father to put things right again.

The kingdom where they lived had a young prince of marriageable age and the whole family was invited to the ball where he was expected to announce his new bride. Her stepmother forbade her to attend the ball and scoffed at her servant appearance from years of toiling for the family.

After crying about the situation since her mother’s death, and making a wish, the unexpected happened. Would it be enough to change Ella’s life where she could be happy and free of the dominion of her stepmother and her daughters? Enjoy this magical read today!

The only sad part was that Amazon removed Lily's review. 🙁

01/08/2022

Guys, my book is up on Kids Lit's website now, complete with review and link. Check it out! 😊

https://kidslitbookcafe.com/2021/11/30/cinderella-a-love-story-by-gina-lobiondo/

Cinderella – A Love Story by Gina LoBiondo, Fairy-Tales, Children's Folk Tales & Fables Kids Lit Book Cafe Reviews, Promotions, Author Spotlights

12/09/2021

Guys, I got another great review for Cinderella today from Book Excellence. I received the review as a bonus for signing up for the latest awards. Here it is --

Cinderella -- A Love Story by Gina LoBiondo is a beautifully written re-telling of the classic fairytale, Cinderella. Set in the mid-16th century, the story follows, Ella, as she learns to grapple with the loss of her mother, integrate into the reality of a cruel, unfeeling family, and finally, meet the love of her life. The overall story is well-paced and compelling. LoBiondo’s writing style has been carefully crafted to offer commendable world-building and descriptive imagery that makes each scene leap off the page. The characters have also been re-invented in a unique way. At the core of the story is the endearing relationship between Ella and her mother, who becomes her fairy godmother after her death. The illustrations are a welcome addition and correspond with the scenes perfectly. Themes of family, love and loss pull the story together in a powerful way. For those looking for a fresh, imaginative take on a well-known classic, this book is for you.

11/20/2021

I have some good news, Peeps! I got another great review for my Cinderella book last night. This one is from the Kids Lit Book Café/Chick Lit Café, who will be promoting my book on their site soon. https://kidslitbookcafe.com/

Cinderella – A Love Story is written by Gina LoBiondo and illustrated by Donna Sterpe. It’s a re-telling of the classic fairy tale but with some twists. There’s still a handsome Prince and a young girl forced to be a servant, with a blossoming romance and a little touch of magic.

This book was a delight to read. The writer, Gina LoBiondo, has perfectly captured the soft and gentle charm of the main character, Ella. The backstory to Ella’s father and mother, Marie, is heart-warming, and the introduction of the new and mean-spirited wife, Vera, is spot on. Ella has two stepsisters who aren’t quite as nasty as the originals but are egged on by their mother to be cruel and unfeeling towards Ella. If the truth be known, though, they quite like her and are perhaps reluctant bullies. There is a nice twist with the introduction of a character who is the equivalent of the Fairy Godmother, which enhances the story in a perfectly delightful way.

Gina LoBiondo has a real gift in her storytelling which brings this version of the classic Cinderella tale to life in its own unique way. The characters are so well developed they create empathy and annoyance in equal measure, and the ‘voice’ of the story is perfect for the era and really transports the reader to another time and place. It’s like the magic pulls the reader into the pages of the book. The illustrations by Donna Sterpe are an enhancement to the overall reading experience as they capture the mood and dreamily reflect the period.

Cinderella – A Love Story is a joy to read and leaves a satisfied reader with the feeling that magic really does exist, and anything can happen if you truly believe. Chick Lit Café highly recommends Cinderella – A Love Story as written by Gina LoBiondo.

09/21/2021

All right, Peeps, here is my final review from Readers' Favourite. I was supposed to have another, but the reviewer gave the book 3 Stars. She was also rude and condescending and was on a mighty high horse. I sent her a response and rated her 1 Star. If y'all want to read it, message me and I will send it privately. Meantime, here is the last review I received yesterday by Susan Sewell.

A young woman's life changes when she wishes on a star and the gods hear her plea in the fairy-tale retelling Cinderella -- A Love Story by Gina LoBiondo. Little Ella's life of love and devotion changes suddenly and drastically when her widowed father remarries. Years later, Ella is estranged from her father and is nothing more than a glorified maid to her stepsisters and stepmother. Always hopeful, Ella is determined to see the best in any situation, though, as the years pass, her hope is dimming.
When a royal announcement sets the kingdom aflutter, Ella can't help but feel excited. The Prince Royal is looking for a wife. Only, Ella's stepmother points out that Ella is far from eligible - she's just a servant after all. After the family leaves for the Royal Ball, Ella is left alone. Shattered, she wishes on a star as her beloved mother taught her to do long ago. Help comes to Ella from an unexpected source; her deepest desires are about to be realized. Can Ella stay true to herself and, in doing so, win the love of the man of her dreams?

Cinderella -- A Love Story by Gina LoBiondo is a beautiful young adult love story of faith, hope, and believing in the impossible despite how things appear at the moment. I appreciated how the author, Ms. LoBiondo, portrays Ella as a loving, thoughtful person. She does not try to change herself, even for the man she loves. The story is empowering and touching, proving that love can come in many forms and true love never dies. This book will delight readers ages 12-16 and everyone else who loves the original story of Cinderella.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

09/12/2021

Okay, Peeps, here's review 3 of 5 for Cinderella -- A Love Story, reviewed by Sarah Scheele.

Cinderella: A Love Story is a cute fairytale retelling by Gina LoBiondo. Set in the kingdom of Orynx, the story starts with Ella’s parents; her mother Marie, who married very young, and her father, Charles. After Marie dies and her father remarries, Ella’s life goes from paradise as a much-loved daughter with a huge doll collection to a slave in rags. Her stepmother, Vera, deeply resents how happy Ella used to be and deliberately sets out to be hard on her, using her two spoiled daughters as puppets. But will a king’s unwelcome command, which forces his handsome young son to choose a bride, help turn things around for Ella? And she sorely misses her mother—is it possible her mother misses her too?

This humorous little book has a narrative voice that is exactly reminiscent of how old fairy tales were written, which lends it a great deal of authenticity. It makes a nice quick read for anyone who loves to collect and read fairy tales. Cinderella: A Love Story adds some intriguing touches to a familiar classic, including Cinderella’s father as a central character present throughout the story, which I liked. Gina LoBiondo achieves great success in making it always feel light-hearted as you know everything will turn out right through magic and revelations that surprise the characters. The witty conversations and interesting additions such as a scheming valet, a ghost, and a pair of stepsisters who reform quite nicely make it a worthwhile reading experience. It has just enough familiarity that it never disappoints and just enough originality that it pleasantly impresses at the right times.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

09/11/2021

Here is Lily Yu's review of Cinderella -- A Love Story. It's the 1st of 2 new ones.

Cinderella - A Love Story is a simple and sweet retelling of the original timeless fairy tale with a special twist (hint: it has something to do with the fairy godmother in this version!).
I thought it was very cool how the author had the book illustrated and I really appreciated the larger font (there’s not enough books out there with an actual readable font size!) and this retelling of Cinderella is very suitable to middle grade readers as well as more advanced elementary school readers (and would make an okay read aloud / bedtime story to younger children as well). The little pictures (e.g., pocket watches, necklaces, glass slippers, music notes, etc.) at the beginning of the chapter were my favorite part of the illustrations. Each one of them kind of hinted at what was to come in that particular chapter. The full-color drawings themselves were also appreciated, sometimes they helped to bring the story to life but other times I felt like they took away from the story. For example, the drawing of Ella’s dress on page 47 was absolutely gorgeous but then Ella’s foot on page 91 was a bit horrifying. In general, I think the artist is talented at depicting scenery and animals (the horses on page 49 were magnificent!) and she’s talented at designing clothes for each scene as well but she’s not as good at drawing the characters’ faces, which was a huge disappointment.

Here’s a bit of what I thought of each character:

Ella (yay, the main character!) - I actually don’t have much to say about Ella, she’s what you’d expect her to be as “Cinderella” and I actually liked some of the other characters more than I did her.

Charles (Ella’s papa) - Ugh I literally couldn’t stand Ella’s dad for nearly all the book. I just can’t believe he’d just stand by and watch his daughter be worked night and day for years and years and never take action and do something! Like yes, I get that divorce was very frowned upon in that era and sure, maybe you could just pass Charles off as weak and afraid of Vera but those aren’t excuses! Who told him to marry the woman in the first place? And how in the world could he go to bed each night in silk and wake up every morning to eat a delicious breakfast while his own daughter slaved herself away?! And he acts all sad and mournful about their situation, but this is his sweet daughter we’re talking about! If he’s truly sad about the situation, he would’ve done something a long time ago to fix the problem (e.g., kicking Vera out!)

Marie (Ella’s mama) - Marie was so much better than her husband, she actually did something and took matters into her own hands to help Ella. Her righteous indignation at the way Vera treated Ella was amazing, I just wish she’d yelled a bit at her husband for sitting around for like a decade watching his daughter be treated like scum.

Vera (Ella’s stepmother) - I thought Vera wasn't too bad at first, believe it or not, maybe just because we were introduced to her from her POV and in fact, her daughters seemed worse than she was but apparently not. It’s funny how she set herself up for the ending she got lol. It’s like she fell into her own webs.

Marguerita / Meg and Ophelia / Phely (Ella’s two stepsisters) - I was very, very surprised that they became good and civil at the end of the story! I don’t know if that’s how the original story went but I’m glad they decided to go a different way than their mother did!

Prince Andrew (aka Prince Charming) - Andrew was kind of eh in my opinion, he wasn't awful, but he didn’t really stand out to me much. I felt like he was a bit of a prat at times like when he was dramatically complaining about not wanting to go to his own birthday party when Ella was literally scrubbing kitchen floors somewhere or when he sent Julian to go find Ella even though Andrew himself was apparently very distressed at Ella running off (since it was midnight). Like you were too lazy to go and run after her yourself or something?!

Julian (Andrew’s long time best friend) - Julian was my favorite character! I liked him better than Andrew! If I were Ella, I’d want to marry Julian instead 😂😂😂 He was humble and kind and never ever full of himself like Andrew could be at times. I also so loved how Julian knew who Ella truly was all along, but Andrew didn’t! (I can’t believe he didn’t even recognize Ella when he came to their home! Like sure, she’s in different clothes but if you actually love her so much, shouldn’t you know what her face looks like? Or maybe you just never ever bother to pay any attention to the servants?) Sorry, I don’t even know why I’m so bent on ridiculing Mr. Prince Charming! He’s not as bad as I make him seem! 😊

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Note: Lily's comments on the characters really cracked me up! While I didn't necessarily agree with all her opinions on the review, it's just that -- the opinion of a girl in her late teens or early 20s.

The next review is the 2nd out of 5 new ones on Readers' Favorite by Edith Wairimu.

Cinderella: A Love Story by Gina LoBiondo is a creative reimagining of the classic fairy-tale. In the beginning, Cinderella lives in a beautiful home with loving parents. After she turns five, the family experiences a heartbreaking tragedy. Despite the loss of her mother, Cinderella does not lose her optimism and together with her father, they try to move forward. The bond between father and daughter grows stronger each day until the father makes a terrible decision. He marries a tyrannical, devious woman who is hiding shocking secrets. Together with her cruel daughters, they move in and turn the glowing Cinderella into a lowly maid. But Cinderella’s hopes of getting married to a handsome prince resurface when she remembers her mother’s promise to always be with her.

In Cinderella: A Love Story, Gina LoBiondo includes original descriptions of the characters and their backgrounds. As a child, Cinderella is hopeful and surrounded by love. Her mother’s presence is also a focal point in her life. The story explores her father’s experiences and the reasons for his inability to intervene and save her from her callous stepmother. I loved that the story also includes the prince’s background and incorporates humor in its dialogue. In addition, it contains colorful illustrations that show the book’s scenes. Cinderella’s mother's role and her influence on the outcome, in the end, are other imaginative additions to the story. Cinderella: A Love Story by Gina LoBiondo is a delightful coming-of-age story with an inventive storyline.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

09/11/2021

My newest review of Button Nose the Sad Little Bear by Lily Yu.

Awwww I think this has got to be the sweetest book I read this year! Gina did a wonderful job making this remarkable story accessible and relatable to little kids and I can totally imagine Button Nose the Sad Little Bear being read aloud in a classroom or in a library.

Basically, the story is about a little bear who starts out having a sad life with no one wanting him and everyone neglecting him. Then he is picked up by a little girl who loves him very much and brings him around everywhere. The girl ends up losing Button Nose, though, and he is passed along to a whole bunch of other people, missing his first owner (the little girl) all the while. Then, in a miraculous turn of events, he is finally reunited with the little girl again, but now she is grown up. The art was super cute and what a pleasant surprise that this turned out to be based on a true story! I loved the real-life photos at the end of the book and how the art of the book was based on them.

Button Nose is a really adorable character and I think kids who get to read this book will want to have their own "Button Nose" afterwards! His journey gave me nostalgic vibes, mostly because it reminded me of Rachel Field's Hitty, Her First Hundred Years! Will be sharing my copy with my sisters and my neighbor's grandkids.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars