This book was really good, and definitely exceeded my expectations, I loved the twist on the traditional fairy godmother stories! I hope there is another one coming because I'd love to see what happens next!

Light fantasy with a touch of classic Disney vibes. Everything is therefore solved with the element of good, which is not necessarily a bad thing. This however, I rounded it up to a 4 star from a 3.5 as I always love a bit of a dark fantasy element. However, I did enjoy this read and I would recommend for any readers who enjoy a light fantasy.

DNF @ 8%


I don’t enjoy dnfing books, but I had a hard time understanding what was going on most of the time. I took breaks from these books and would read a couple pages at a time because I thought it would help. Every time I came back to the book it was the same and continued to be confused. I love fantasy books, but I wish there was more world building in the first few chapters.


Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Tabitha for reaching out to me about reviewing this book!

It's been a while since I've read something truly YA, but this was an incredibly cute concept and well executed. I completely agree with this being marketed closer to a middle grade fantasy as I didn't feel that the MC really acted like a 19 year old. That being said, Lexi was still a well written character, and the play on the fairy godmother tale was still enjoyable.

Overall, I would recommend this if you are looking for a lighthearted fantasy read and are okay with no true romance.

I ended up having to DNF this book due to it just not being within my interests.

It was way too slow of a burn and I wasn’t a fan.

So the author reached out to me on Instagram and asked me to check out her novel on NetGalley, which I agreed to do because I'll honestly read anything fantasy and I'm down to support an indie author.

I'll start off by saying that this really wasn't for me, but others might like it. I'm just not a fan of light fantasy with Disney elements, where everything is solved with the power of goodness. The Fairy Godmother-in-training storyline was pretty unique though. The writing is also well done.

This novel is very light-hearted and perfect for younger YA readers. The FMC is an adult who's just a little over high school age, but her POV and the writing reads much younger. This is one of those cases where I wonder if the protagonist should be aged down.

My major issues with this novel is that it's very heteronormative, amatonormative, and is basically all about following the status quo. I'm not sure if this is the author's beliefs leaking onto the page, but as someone who's none of the above, it feels very heavy-handed.

"True love" and being with "the one" was emphasized by one of the Fairy Godmothers while Lexi and Harriet are learning about giving blessings to young women. And cis hetero relationships are the only ones we see here (Lexi/Oliver, Lexi's mom/Kyle, literally every blessing that involves a young woman and the man she loves).

Before the third act, we see Lexi being rebellious and being her sarcastic loudmouth self. By the end of the book, she essentially learns her lesson by realizing that following the status quo and toning herself down to fit in with the group is the best way to go about it.

I feel icky about this revelation tbh and I'm not a huge fan of it. It sends a message that the correct way to do things is to mold yourself to the norm. None of the things that Lexi says are truly offensive, just sarcastic observations that might sting a little. But then again, that technically bucks the status quo, I guess. It feels very corporate or Christian America.

Thank you to Green Elk Publishing and NetGalley for this arc.

Thank you for the ARC opportunity. This is an honest review.

In this delightfully original tale, readers are transported into a world where childhood trauma and fairytales collide. This is a whimsical and enchanting story that follows the journey of Lexi, a young woman chosen to become a fairy godmother in training to combat the darkness seeping into the world.

One of the standout aspects of this book is its unique blend of humor and charm. Lexi's funny and sarcastic personality adds a refreshing touch to the narrative, keeping readers engaged and entertained throughout. The witty banter and comedic moments bring a lightness to the story, balancing the deeper themes that lie beneath the surface. It offers a thought-provoking examination of trauma and resilience, reminding us that even in the most whimsical of tales, there can be hidden depths.

A central aspect of the story is the heartwarming romance between Lexi and Oliver. Oliver's genuine nature and his willingness to embrace his vulnerability make him a truly endearing character, perfectly complementing Lexi's difficulty with the idea of relying on others and her caution about love.

This contemporary fantasy was pitched to me as being clean, and for fans of Narnia. It is clean, and is a portal fantasy. However, I wasn't a fan.

The story was fine. It read like a sweet contemporary romance set in a fantasy world. Fairy godmothers, found family, and a cute love interest, and a neurodivergent MC. If this is your cup of tea, you would be a much better audience than I was.

I have a lot of criticism, but I feel that it is based on reading a style of novel I am not interested in. The inner monologuing was driving me crazy for the most part, and the story was a bit silly in my opinion. However, I do think this is merely a matter of preference, and I know that there's a large audience for this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book for review.

📚💙 I loved this book! It was so different to anything that I’ve read lately and it was a breath of fresh air.

You always hear about the girls who wish for true love, and happy endings. We have SO many stories about them. However, what about the godmother? Where do they come from? How are the chosen? In this story, we get that information. We get to learn all about the godmothers!

This story was so original and I loved every second of it.

Big thanks to Netgalley for sending me an arc, I loved it!


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Such a fun magical and easy read. To be 19 again and have the choice to be a fairy godmother mother!
I didn’t expect this book to have me laughing. Once I got into it I couldn’t put it down. Corrie Hathaway did a fantastic job writing this fairytale!
So many amazing characters that I loved so much. I really hope there are sequel to this!!! Please please please tell me there will be.
I’d recommend this to all my YA fantasy loving friends!

🥀Through Smoke and Sand: The Folly of Wishes Review 📖✨

4/5 ⭐️

Prologue immediately grasped my attention and I was super excited to see what unfolds. I really enjoyed the Fairy Godmother storyline. But I kept wondering what was going on and resulted in me going back and forth on how I felt about the senior Fairy Godmothers. It was interesting to see two very different candidates in training and I really enjoyed that in this story. I thought it was crazy how long it took Lexi to learn someone’s identity, but enjoyed how it played out. The FMC did not follow orders well and caused a big issue, but I feel like I would have done the same at the time. I did think the pace was a little slow at first, but it started to pick up about half way through. Excited for book 2!

🥀Single POV
🥀YA Fantasy
🥀Fairy Godmothers
🥀Sandman
🥀1st book in a new trilogy

On her 19th birthday, Lexi is given a choice to join the Fairy Godmothers and grant happily ever afters. Will she take the step to join?

Thank you Green Elk Publishing and Corrie Hathaway for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Through Sand and Smoke is a YA fantasy about a not so ordinary teenaged girl with a strong desire to help others and her journey to discovering herself, mastering her craft and growing up along the way. While I wouldn’t call this a slow burn by any means i found that while interested in the story and subject matter, it did take me a bit to get truly hooked. But once I got there is was fast and furious. The character development was very well done. The world building very descriptive, yet sometimes I felt almost slightly overdone that I got a little lost in the weeds. Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy it.

Though YA fantasy is not my most common genre, I did really like this one and can’t wait to hopefully read the sequel soon! I need some more of Lexi and Oliver’s love story.

Through Smoke and Sand is a children's/YA fantasy book which takes you into the world of fairy godmothers. I loved the idea of helping others through magic, and getting to watch the characters develope into their roles of granting wishes. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a magical getaway especially readers around the ages of 10-18.

I really related to a neurodivergent character struggling with fitting into a setting with strict traditions and rules. I loved the setting, and I really like that magic didn't solve all of Lexi's problems. I would definitely recommend this to kids who love fairytales, and struggle conforming to social norms.

This book is a modern day fairytale with realistic characters. I loved that I wasn’t able to predict what was going to happen and the story flowed nicely. Told from the perspective of the heroine, we get to see her have self realizations without having her character shift drastically. The book does end on a cliffhanger but based on the story so far I’m curious to see how the author will stretch the plot.

I had a lot of fun with this YA fantasy. I don’t think I’ve ever read something set in the world of Fairy Godmothers. I loved Lexi and Oliver’s friendship. I was delighted that I guessed what kind of magical Oliver was before he revealed it to Lexi (no spoilers from me here). I also loved all the older fairy godmothers. I liked the contrast between neurodivergent, no-filter Lexi and the other initiate, bubbly, pure-hearted Harriet. My complaints are that Lexi seemed a bit younger than 19 to me, I wanted more background and worldbuilding on all things fairy godmother, and the romance was a subplot and extremely slow burn (no kisses in this one). But all of that basically means I’m ready for book two in this trilogy!

Thanks to NetGalley and @tabithareynoldswrites for reaching out to me with this eARC.

I have read a lot of fantasy books and series that have so many magical and mythical creatures at the forefront but this was the first book I have read that gives the Fairy Godmothers their chance to shine.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and it started strong but the slowed down until about 60% of the way through. I would have liked a quicker pace or more details on the history of the fairy godmothers. Where this book did really well was the demonstration of friendships between Lexie, Harriet and Oliver. This book is written for a young YA audience and I think it hit thaw mark although Lexie felt much younger than 19 and would have worked better if she was aged younger in the book.

Thanks you NetGalley, Corrie Hathaway and Green Elk Publishing for a copy of this book.

I went into this book not knowing what to except and let me tell you it was the best adventure! I loved the fairy god mother aspect and all the fun characters. Fantasy is quickly becoming one of my favorite genres and this book put it over the edge!

Disclaimer: This honest review is based off of my experience reading a free review copy thanks to the generosity of NetGalley, Corrie Hathaway, and Tabitha Reynolds with Green Elk Publishing. My review was not altered by this in any way.

In Through Smoke and Sand: The Folly of Wishes by Corrie Hathaway, we meet Lexi, a 19 year old who has a knack for solving other’s problems and speaking before thinking. Her problem solving skills soon are explained when she is approached by a member of an aging group of fairy godmothers, offering Lexi training and a place among them. When Lexi accepts, she is thrust into a world of magic that has hints of something evil approaching. Lexi must navigate her life of training mishaps and a budding relationship with a guy with strange magic.

Alright, I am going to start this review off with what my first opinion was on the plot when I read the blurb: “Fairy godmothers? This is probably a super cheesy and boring book.”

I am happy to report, however, that I was definitely wrong! Hathaway manages to make the world of Fairy Godmothers in this book magical and loving, while also showing the folly and potential outdatedness of it through Lexi’s eyes. Lexi was a wonderful character. She had so much to learn at the beginning of the book, and I enjoyed watching her growth throughout it. I also enjoyed all of the side characters and the MMC. While this book is not spicy at all (I’d say it’s probably safe to consider it YA?), I absolutely loved the slow burn and how natural the relationship developed.

I am hoping for a sequel, as with how the book ended there is definitely room for more story. I think that I would love to go back and see how Lexi and the Fairy Godmothers continue to grow and learn in the face of their challenges.

This book definitely surprised me with how much I liked it! I would recommend it to anyone who loves YA fantasy, especially those who like fantasy books with uncommon magic.

I requested this book but then reread the synopsis and thought it may be too childish and silly for my taste. Not so, I absolutely loved it. I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with fantasy books but this was all love. I will be passing on the book to my grandaughter to read (we usually read together in a mini book club) because she will love this too.