Out of the Ashes

Out of the Ashes by Alicia Buck

Seventeen year old Ashelandra had an idyllic childhood, despite the loss of her mother when she was born. She has a father who adores her and she is surrounded by servants/friends in her father's household that love her. But all that comes crashing down when her father becomes ill and dies soon afterward. Unfortunately, she becomes the charge of her uncle and he gains control over her household and all of her land until she reaches the age of 21.  Her cousins are scared of their own father and he is unusually cruel to Ashelandra just because her mother was a sorceress.

Unbeknownst to her uncle, Ashelandra has inherited her mother's magic. Her magic is the only thing that keeps her sane, but she knows she must keep it hidden even while she is practicing and learning more about her abilities.

After her cousin is abducted, Ashelandra is recruited by the Prince to help search for her. She must use her magic to follow the trail and soon finds herself immersed in a world of magic that she had only ever dreamed about.

This is a fun twist on "Cinderella".  I enjoyed reading this book even though it was your typical young adult romance where the prince falls in love with the unknown servant when they are thrown together and must solve a mystery, while trying to hide their growing feelings for each other.