BOOK REVIEW: How to Ditch Your Fairy
Title: How to Ditch Your Fairy
Author: Justine Larbalestier
In Charlie's world, almost everyone has a fairy. Charlie's best friend has a shopping fairy, meaning that she can always find the best clothing when she shops. Charlie on the other hand has a parking fairy, meaning that she can always find the best parking spot. Unfortunately, Charlie doesn't drive, or like cars, so her fairy is pretty much useless to her. Not only that, but people are constantly taking advantage of her so they can find great parking spots. Charlie has a plan to get rid of her fairy, but who's to say that her new fairy will be any better?
I've been meaning to read Justine Larbalestier for a while now, so when I saw that the ebook version of How to Ditch Your Fairy was on sale for super-cheap, I knew it was time to give her a chance. If I could think of one word to describe this book, it would be lighthearted. How to Ditch Your Fairy is a breezy read that I flew through in just a couple of days. It's true that the the storyline is pretty predictable, and you'll be able to see pretty much everything coming. That doesn't change the fact that Larbalestier has created a really interesting world here. Given how YA books can have a tendency to feel a little cookie cutter, it's nice to see a book that doesn't quite fit into one genre. How to Ditch Your Fairy may flirt with sci-fi and fantasy, but it doesn't quite fit into either one. The city of New Avalon, with it's fairies and super-strict school system, is quite fascinating and feels very well developed for such a short, fast moving book.
Admittedly, the character of Charlie did get on my nerves at times. I could understand her frustration over her fairy, but ultimately felt that she was over reacting about the whole thing, at least until the Danders Anders situation became intense. On top of her quests to rid herself of her fairy there is a romantic subplot involving a new boy at school. I found this storyline didn't really grab me all that much. There wasn't really anything wrong with it. It just wasn't as interesting as everything else going on in the book.
Final Thoughts: How to Ditch Your Fairy is a lighthearted, fast read filled with interesting concepts and worldbuilding. Although it may have been a little predictable, and Charlie did occasionally get on my nerves, I found I enjoyed the book pretty consistently and would recommend it to people looking for a fast, fun young adult book. Four Stars
Next I will be reviewing Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
Author: Justine Larbalestier
In Charlie's world, almost everyone has a fairy. Charlie's best friend has a shopping fairy, meaning that she can always find the best clothing when she shops. Charlie on the other hand has a parking fairy, meaning that she can always find the best parking spot. Unfortunately, Charlie doesn't drive, or like cars, so her fairy is pretty much useless to her. Not only that, but people are constantly taking advantage of her so they can find great parking spots. Charlie has a plan to get rid of her fairy, but who's to say that her new fairy will be any better?
I've been meaning to read Justine Larbalestier for a while now, so when I saw that the ebook version of How to Ditch Your Fairy was on sale for super-cheap, I knew it was time to give her a chance. If I could think of one word to describe this book, it would be lighthearted. How to Ditch Your Fairy is a breezy read that I flew through in just a couple of days. It's true that the the storyline is pretty predictable, and you'll be able to see pretty much everything coming. That doesn't change the fact that Larbalestier has created a really interesting world here. Given how YA books can have a tendency to feel a little cookie cutter, it's nice to see a book that doesn't quite fit into one genre. How to Ditch Your Fairy may flirt with sci-fi and fantasy, but it doesn't quite fit into either one. The city of New Avalon, with it's fairies and super-strict school system, is quite fascinating and feels very well developed for such a short, fast moving book.
Admittedly, the character of Charlie did get on my nerves at times. I could understand her frustration over her fairy, but ultimately felt that she was over reacting about the whole thing, at least until the Danders Anders situation became intense. On top of her quests to rid herself of her fairy there is a romantic subplot involving a new boy at school. I found this storyline didn't really grab me all that much. There wasn't really anything wrong with it. It just wasn't as interesting as everything else going on in the book.
Final Thoughts: How to Ditch Your Fairy is a lighthearted, fast read filled with interesting concepts and worldbuilding. Although it may have been a little predictable, and Charlie did occasionally get on my nerves, I found I enjoyed the book pretty consistently and would recommend it to people looking for a fast, fun young adult book. Four Stars
Next I will be reviewing Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George