Book Review: Charmed (FTRS #2) by Jen Calonita
Media Type: Ebook (ARC)
Title: Charmed
*Series: Fairy Tale Reform School #2
Author: Jen Calonita
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Pages: Hardcover; 288
Release Date: March 1, 2016
Source: NetGalley / Publisher
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Content Screening: Magic and Mischief
HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Readers who love fairy tales, strong characters and even stronger friendships.
Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | BookLikes
Charmed is the exciting sequel to the wildly popular Flunked — second in the brand new Fairy Tale Reform School series where the teachers are (former) villains. “Charming fairy-tale fun.” -Sarah Mlynowski, author of the New York Times bestselling Whatever After series.
It takes a (mostly) reformed thief to catch a spy. Which is why Gilly Cobbler, Enchantasia’s most notorious pickpocket, volunteers to stay locked up at Fairy Tale Reform School…indefinitely. Gilly and her friends may have defeated the Evil Queen and become reluctant heroes, but the battle for Enchantasia has just begun.Alva, aka The Wicked One who cursed Sleeping Beauty, has declared war on the Princesses, and she wants the students of Fairy Tale Reform School to join her. As her criminal classmates give in to temptation, Gilly goes undercover as a Royal Lady in Waiting (don’t laugh) to unmask a spy…before the mole can hand Alva the keys to the kingdom.
Her parents think Gilly the Hero is completely reformed, but sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. Sometimes it’s good to be bad…
Another wonderful entry in the Fairy Tale Reform School series! Look, it’s no secret that I have a soft spot for these kinds of stories. I’m a Middle Grade reader, trapped in an adult’s body. I love magic, mischief, and stories about great friendships. It’s no wonder, then, that I also love Jen Calonita’s writing. I enjoyed the first book, Flunked, immensely. So I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Charmed and see what Gilly was up to now.
The first thing I noticed about this sequel was that Gilly has grown up. Oh, sure, she’s still a rascal. She and her friends get up to all sorts of silliness. At the heart of it though, Gilly knows what true evil looks like now. She understands that people can get hurt, and that the choices we make affect others. I loved how Calonita didn’t just let Gilly sit at this new point in her life though. Instead, she grows even more throughout the course of this book. Middle Grade readers need good role models and, as feisty as Gilly is, she definitely fits that bill.
Plus, there were so many more fairy tale references to fall in love with! I can’t deny that I’m a sucker for a fairy tale pun. Those abound here, and if I’m finding myself giggling I have no doubt that young readers will too. I also appreciated the addition of new, and interesting characters. Most notably, Blackbeard makes his debut here. The idea that a new reader might want to discover the history of that dreaded pirate? Well, it makes me all giddy. He also adds a nice lightness to everything, what with his pirate manners and all. Pirates aren’t exactly known for their manners.
I’m being completely honest when I say that I hope there’s more of these stories to come. The ending had me a bit teary eyed, and truly hoping that this isn’t the last I’ll see of Gilly and her friends. If you have a young reader at home, especially one who enjoys a good fairy tale, this is a series you should get them started on. Jen Calonita’s writing is wonderful.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
