Stilettos & Stardust - D. L. Pitchford (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 23/06/2019

Author: D. L. Pitchford

Subtitle: A Gender-Swapped Cinderella Story

Publisher: Straight on till Morningside Prints

Publication Date: May 19, 2019

My Rating: 4.5/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book: 

A modern day Cinderella with a twist...

High school seniors Noah Barton and Eden Prince have competed for the top of their class since age seven. When their academic rivalry ruins a thermodynamics demo, their physics teacher decides to help them get along. By forcing them to be lab partners.

As graduation approaches, Noah and Eden are too busy figuring out college to deal with each other. Noah's football-loving dad sabotages his chance to win a big scholarship. Eden's traditional mother cares more about finding her a husband than encouraging her dreams.

Winning big at the regional science fair is their last hope.

Will Noah follow in his mother's footsteps? Can Eden show her parents the environment is more important than a boyfriend? Will Noah and Eden finally learn to work together?

Follow Noah and Eden's budding romance in this emotionally charged, sex-positive, gender-swapped retelling of Cinderella.

My Review:

     I was a goner the moment I saw that charmingly beautiful (ok, I am getting short of synonyms here) . . . well, to be short, one of the most amazing covers. And what lies inside is equally captivating. But before going into that, it is better to clear some things out. For one, 'Stilletos & Stardust' is the first in a series of YA romances titled 'True Love's Wish'. Nope, as far as I know, this story won't be continued in the next book. And for the other thing, if you are looking for a retelling of Cinderella within the background of a scientific community, you are in for a heartbreak. Anyway, I didn't find anything remotely related to the fairytale here.

        But that doesn't really affect your reading pleasure. Narrated through the dual point of view, the book follows the thoughts of Noah and Eden, who are struggling to get their tuition fee in order to attend the prestigious Archer Collins University. Each of them having a meddling parent, the regional science fair seems to be the last hope. For Noah, this is a way to follow his astrologist mother's footsteps who died recently. As for Eden, this is the chance to prove her mettle.

       Noah, I thought in the beginning, was slightly autistic. But as the story progressed that striking realisation came; there is someone far worse than him in failing to pick up social cues, his archnemesis Eden. Without a doubt, they make a great pair (frankly speaking, I don't think anyone else can stand Eden). They are rough diamonds, like many other eager young minds of tomorrow and one cannot blame if they are struggling in the social relations department.

     You must have got the drift of the story by now. More than a love story, this book revolves around questions of family relationships (especially the different ways the people react to grief), problems of identity and of course, gender equality. Trust me, you are going to have a new reverence to the scientific community once you finish off that final page.

Meet the author:

YA and NA author D. L. Pitchford is best known for her brutally honest stories and realistic characters.

Throughout her childhood, art and literature were encouraged in every form. Pitchford fell in love with The Lord of the Rings, The Dark Is Rising, and Harry Potter. By age ten, she wrote her first fantasy book. Her love of writing grew exponentially.

In 2013, Pitchford received her BA in English, Writing, and Fine Arts from Drury University. During her studies, she focused on the human condition and penned the first scenes of her debut novel. IF WE HAD NO WINTER released in April 2017 and has been commended for its gritty tone and character growth.

Pitchford lives with her husband and two sons in Springfield, Missouri, where she continues writing young and new adult novels.