Okay, let me start by saying this took me incredibly so long to read because I have been in such a bad reading slump, and picking up any book has been a struggle.

This was cute, it was fun and it was different than anything I have or usually read. I think I really would have enjoyed it so much if I wasn’t in a slump. It’s a little more YA than my normal read, but I think Corrie Hathaway did a great job from making it too young of a read! Like I would for sure recommend it to my adult fantasy readers.

I did struggle with the first half (because reading slump), but once I got 50% in, I found myself not wanting to put it down. I just had to know what was going to happen next! I was super thankful to be pulled in, and the ending definitely made me wish it wasn’t over. I need to know what happens next!

I loved Oliver! He was definitely one of my favorite characters, and the baby romance that we get glimpses of between him and Lexi was so sweet. I want her to accept love so bad.

This book was for sure a ride, and I’m glad I pushed through because I did like it! I can’t give half ratings, but solely because this was a tad young for me I would rate it closer to a 3.75!

Thank you Corrie Hathaway, NetGalley and Green Elk Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

OKAY WOW. I received this ARC on NetGalley, and I went into this not knowing what to expect, and I learned this is the type of fantasy I love!

I felt like I was inside this world while reading, and I loved everything about this story. Lexi, our main character is neurodivergent and she doesn’t always think before acting. She is trying to learn how to be a fairy godmother, but he brain just can’t stop from acting out sometimes and saying everything she thinks.

I think the thing I liked most about this book was how there was no unnecessary fluff. Every word in this book lead to the end of the story, and there wasn’t a second wasted! This plot was intriguing, thrilling, heartwarming, gut wrenching, and adorable all at once.

If you like contemporary fantasy and want to follow a cozy story about fairy godmothers, first loves, found family, and saving the world, this book is for you!

Wasn’t expecting this to be a 5⭐️ read & I can’t wait to continue this series!

I read an eARC of this so thank you to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing this.

Through Smoke and Sand is a refreshing new entry to YA fiction. I think this might be the first book I’ve read where Fairy Godmothers are the central focus rather than supporting cast. This was a fun topic and I enjoyed reading about the history and goals of the Fairy Godmothers.

Our main character Lexi is working in a job that’s not going so well. She’s good at helping people with their problems and it gets in the way of her work. On her 19th birthday, suddenly everyone around her starts obsessively demanding her help, to the point that they’re breaking windows to get to her. Whilst hiding, Gussy appears to ask Lexi to join the Fairy Godmothers. In her desperation to escape Lexi travels to a mountain to find them.

I found Lexi’s feelings of being overwhelmed by so many people needing her help really relatable and it made me surprised that I haven’t seen this in more books. This really resonated with me. Lexi really wants to help others but it makes her vulnerable and people do take advantage. When she joins the Fairy Godmothers, she takes some toxic habits with her and has to learn to listen and trust others. At times Lexi was frustrating in how she acts without thinking, but this was part of her growth as she learns to work with others and consider their opinions.

The writing did feel like it was aimed for younger readers, however that didn’t detract from an enjoyable and interesting tale on fantasy.

Certain supporting characters really made this book. Harriet who is so sweet and kind and really shows the value of working hard and trying your best, Oliver who is so supportive, and lovely Gussy who bridges the past and the future in the Fairy Godmothers.

I'm going to begin this review by listing the positives of what I liked about the book: I really enjoyed the concept/plot about Fairy Godmothers, I have never read a YA fantasy about them so this was a refreshing change of pace from other common tropes such as fae, vampires, etc. The Godmothers themselves all had different personalities and I enjoyed reading about every one of them! I enjoyed how they all provided different support that our main character, Lexi, needed. I also liked the romance between Oliver and Lexi, while a slow YA burn, was cute at the very end. Oliver was really mature throughout the book - not what you typically get from a YA- so I hope that there is more of him in the next book. And the romance between Lexi and him ( A KISS PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD)I was also a fan of the idea that not all happily ever afters are a result of love, and can be from things such as friendships, reaching of goals/dreams, etc. I thought that was a good, modern take on the idea of Fairy Godmothers blessing every one with a romantic partner instead of anything else that could make a person happy. I hope that it makes another appearance in the next book!

Unfortunately, this book was mid for me. I struggled to finish this - while I was going through a tough mental time, this book just couldn't be the escape I wanted it to be. Like another reviewer said, this book definitely reads YA and I think it was just a little too much for me - and that is okay! It wasn't a bad book, it was good, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this book to anyone sadly. It felt like a book that I have already read before, plot wise. It just felt like the plot points and characters are already ones that I have seen/read about already. It already existed (the tropes in the book) soooooo I was kind of bored.

I wish I would have had books like this when I was younger. I enjoyed it so much. I have always loved YA fantasy. Lexi is adorable and I loved reading how she discovered and develop her magic. I found myself laughing out loud a lot. I loved her banter and humor. Her story of learning to trust others and herself was sweet and her beautiful heart really shined through.
It was such a great twist to YA fantasy, a contemporary setting with magical fairy godmothers. I have never read anything like it before. It is definitely one to give my daughters one day. I will be looking forward to the second book.

I knew nothing about this book going into it. Looking at the cover, I figured it would be something more of a serious YA fantasy….

It’s about Fairy Godmothers.

Yes, it’s true. And it was TOTALLY cool!

First of all, I really enjoyed the writing itself. The author wrote artfully. I found myself pausing time and time again just to appreciate a neat phrase or to let it soak in. I feel like that is rare in YA fantasy.

I also loved the unique way that she spun this story about Fairy Godmothers. It wasn’t all lightness and rainbows as I imagined. There are many other atypical twists that I won’t delve into so you can be pleasantly surprised like I was 😏

The pace of the book was excellent, I loved the side characters as much as the main character, the romance is simple and sweet, and I think the title is SO awesome after reading the book and knowing why it is called this.

Loved it from the beginning i was entranced and kept reading. A twist to fairy godmothers that I've never read before and it was quite amazing. It was a great journey following Lexi's life from the beginning that was crazy and things change when she gets an offer from a fairy godmother. Lexi's character was so well written, I love her and how she shakes things up for the fairy godmothers.

Thank you to the amazing publisher, Corrie Hathaway and NetGalley for this ARC.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book but I loved it!!!!

The author writes a dark fairytale type story about a young girl who goes to training to be a fairy godmother. She struggles as she doesn’t feel she fits into the fairy godmother stereotype. As she stumbles through training she discovers a dark presence is among them and with the help of her new friends mr. “sand” and her classmate they try to help save the world of godmothers and human kind alike.

This book was so cute. It is dark but soooo good! I love the banter and that the main character keeps fighting to stay true to herself. The MC’s love interest also is always pointing out that he loves what she considers negatives about herself and is always trying to remind her to be herself. The author does an amazing job developing all the characters. It was shorter book and I still felt like in such a short span the author developed each of the characters individually and you really felt like you understood each of them. The book while dark at some times still has some great humor and sparkle type magic. And I think all readers are going to want a magical Lily pad. Most of all the author just really reminds readers that we all add value to this world and we should remain true to ourselves. Furthermore we are all on our own journey and we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others but instead celebrate the wins of others and uplift them. Highly recommend this book!



**Possible spoilers below**

There is a pretty big trigger in this book of death of parents through murder by a child. So readers should be warned. The author moves pretty quickly over this part but I didn’t expect it in a young adult book.

There is a focus by the current fairy godmothers of only helping others find love and that’s the only help they give. Which I’m hoping the author is going to continue this narrative with the MC changing this directive given by the fairy godmothers. I’m hoping her theme is to move that fairytales don’t have to just be about Prince saving princess type narrative.

I’m very excited for the next book and can’t wait to read it especially with it ending on a cliffhanger.

[DNF]

I always feel bad when DNF-ing a book but I couldn’t continue with this particular one.
The premise was surely something new that I had never read before but just to get to 30% of the book I struggled a lot. I didn’t like the introduction to this Fairy Godmothers world, I would have preferred it to be a little more in-depth, instead it seemed to me that the author was throwing a series of facts at us without a minimum of context.
I think that one of the reasons I didn’t like this book is that it would probably be more suitable for a younger audience. Maybe if I had read this story earlier, like in middle grade or high school, I would have appreciated it more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did not have many expectations when requesting this book however the cover caught my eye and I am so happy I gave this a read! Young Adult is not always my favorite however every once and a while I enjoy a great fantasy! 

I have never read a book by  Corrie Hathaway but she has quickly proved herself as a wonderful writer!  Hathaway takes a classic fairy tale and puts her own twist on things. I really enjoyed Lexi’s character and this was very reminiscent of a coming to age story with some fantasy and romance subplot. I would recommend this book to young readers who want to read a classic fantasy with some modern twists and turns.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Synopsis/Summary🧙‍♀️
A secret group overseeing humanity’s goodness needs new recruits to avoid the resurgence of an ancient threat. Lexi McArthur, a neurodivergent nineteen-year-old, has a knack for solving other people’s problems. When her own problems manifest in an unexpected, relentless form, she suspends her cynicism to join a should-be mythical group of wish granters. But their magic doesn’t come easily to Lexi, who wonders if the Fairy Godmothers picked the wrong girl, especially when compared to her fellow trainee. With increasingly creepy mishaps in her new home, a mysterious guy who keeps his own magic a secret, and a less-than-benevolent mentor expecting her to fail, her new reality may not be an improvement over the life she left behind. The secrets hidden in her new home are more serious than the Fairy Godmothers will admit, and Lexi's own mistakes add to the growing danger. She must harness her abilities and learn to trust the right people, including herself, before a long-imprisoned horror breaks free.

Review🧙‍♀️
I definitely say this is a YA aimed towards a younger age group. However, it read just like any other YA I've read to the point you could not really tell it was meant for a younger age. I really enjoyed TSAS and it's FMC Lexi. She's totally a hoot and a quick-witted girl. The plot is a fairly decent pace with a few small areas that are slow but necessary to the character growth of Lexi.

I really liked how descriptive the author is. It gives the book an ability to bring you into it. I of course can't write this review with out discussing Lexi's friend and romance. Oliver is such a darling❤️ He's a supportive guy with his own bater that's special between him and Lexi. It's a very clean romance and I'm here for it!

The ending leads to show that it's not a standalone and quite frankly, I plan to read the next book as well.

Thank you to the author and editor for being so kind and allowing me to read TSAS. I adore it so much!

Thank you NetGalley and Green Elk Publishing for a copy of Through Smoke and Sand.

I'd like to start this review off with the positives. This book is a great starter to fantasy and would be great for anyone getting acquainted with the genre. The idea of learning how Fairy Godmothers come about through Lexi's experience is rather clever and interesting. Throughout the story Lexi is very witty and not afraid to state or ask the obvious which often gets her in trouble but makes for an interesting protagonist. Despite her forward and blunt manners, she's very caring and we see that throughout the story as she tries to help people.

The cons for me was that the first 1/3 of this book is very slow. I think the opening would've packed a better punch if the book opened with people chasing Lexi home asking for help and immediately Gussy came to her rescue and whisked her off to Godmother school and then dived into training, the possible threat, etc. There wasn't nearly enough world building around the school. There was one instance, off the top of my head, where upperclassmen are referred to but we don't really meet them. I think this story would've landed better if the majority of it took place at the school with a focus on Lexi navigating her new peer group and the difficulties of settling in at an unfamiliar place. I think if some of the chapters were combined and thinned out it would've kept the story moving along at a quicker pace. Around the time of the dance is when the story picked up for me, but even then there still seemed to be a lot of chapters that could've been condensed.

With that said, I did really enjoy the characters. Lexi, Oliver, Harriet and the Godmothers became endearing as the story went on. As mentioned above, this book would be a great fantasy starter - it just didn't resonate with me.

Before reading, I was drawn to the book as a light-romance book in a fantasy setting from a fairy godmothers perspective & was excited to start reading.

Although an interesting perspective, this book did not resonate with me-- which was a big bummer. I adored Lexi for her awkward quirkiness, thinking before she leapt, and the relatability of helping others (sometimes to a fault). That being said, I found the MC to act much younger than her age (closer to age 14-15), acting out, not thinking critically, and not self aware. I believe this would have been more enjoyable if she was either older, or the readers saw her go through more growth and transformation.

Another aspect where the MC acted young was in her love life. The "romance" aspect was more companionship instead of flirty, and I found the story overall to be slow, uninteresting, and uneventful. I didn't feel a spark or connection when it came to Oliver and Lexi.

The entire book sets up for a big conclusion, but the ending felt flat to me. It did not feel impactful, integral to the story, or interesting. I was hoping by the end the reader would get more information about the fairy grandmothers origins (the diary, the essence, how they came to be, etc), and i don't feel as if there was a resolution or explanation to the rising evil that was mentioned in the beginning (knocking on her windows, infiltrating her dreams).

Lastly, I thought this narrative & main plot device to be tired and over done. How many young and naive women find out they have powers at a certain age, and then save the world with minimal knowledge or practice?

That being said, I appreciated the relatability of the MC Lexi, the pov & lore from fairy godmothers & sandmen, and liked that it was an easy read as the material was not heavy or dark.

Unfortunately this book did not live up to its potential in my opinion, but I would still recommend this book to someone who wants a story on par with City of Bones, and loves a coming-of-age, contemporary style book, with lightly magical elements.

This book will drive you mad! In a really exquisite way. It's all go from the first page as Lexi becomes the most sought after problem solver, much in demand. As this grows to obsession Lexi is offered a future by her Fairy Godmother. All great fun, excitement and magic as we follow Lexi as she finds herself and her purpose in life. Great characters, full of lighthearted joy and fun, with enough edgy darkness to keep the story in focus.

Lexi is a teenager who has the best intentions but doesn’t always think through her actions or the consequences. She guards herself against help from other people fearful they will leave her. When a fairy godmother shows up and offers Lexi a chance to join their ranks to help make people’s wishes come true, she is challenged to rethink how she has been living her life and her reliance on others.

I truly enjoyed this book. I liked Lexi as a flawed character who seems to make real mistakes and the magical elements add a lighthearted element to the story.

Lexi is freshly 19 and trying to figure out what’s going wrong with her life. People always come to her with their problems, whether it be strangers, friends or family. However, moments after turning 19, the quaint shop she works at becomes a disaster – people swarm left and right, chasing after her for her advice. She eventually returns home, where they swarm her, but she is greeted by Gussy, a Fairy Godmother and receives an invitation to join the order. And so her newfound life as a Fairy Godmother begins – with Harriet, a newcomer to the order as well, Oliver – a mysterious, but sweet man, and the crew of Godmothers. However, evil lurks within – and the frantic scurry of the Godmothers hiding strange happenings does no justice for Lexi or Harriet’s concerns.

This book was an absolute doozy. While the first three chapters were wildly impractical and set the rest of the book’s pace well, it lost much of its luster after the first 100 or so pages. It seemed odd that people were just drawn to her, to the point they hurt themselves trying to get her advice. Unfortunately, much of the book fell into the routine of Fairy Godmother training, some light romance, and the struggle with the “big bads”. Who.. weren’t described very well, in my opinion. What’s the point of having villains, someone to fight against if you don’t even explain their origin, their goals until you’re 80% finished? But it’s a retelling of a common fairytale, so I let it slide.

Lexi is an amazing, spunky narrator who truly breathes life into the story. However, it becomes repetitive and redundant. I didn’t need a constant stream of snark and impulsive thinking. I wanted her to grow as a character, to use one of her brain cells to slow down and actually think before she acted. To a degree, albeit very slightly, she did. But it was smack at the end.

“I recently found out that people plan things out ahead of time. They actually consider what could go wrong before going for it and come up with backup plans. I don’t really do that.”

One thing I absolutely adored, Lexi, Harriet and Oliver aside, was the actual Godmothers themselves. They each fell into a stereotypical archetype, but they did it so well. Much of what they did made me want to pinch their cheeks, they were so adorable and heartwarming in their kind actions.

"There’s no point in having a rear end this size if it doesn’t let you fall without breaking a hip. I always knew those muffins were a good idea.”

For me, the Godmothers were the absolute highlight of the story. Lexi was ok, but annoying after a while. Harriet was a typical goody-two-shoes, and Oliver was the mysterious love interest.

Godmothers aside, the pacing was brisk for the first few chapters, was lulled into a predictable routine, and then tore the predictability out near the end of the story. The ending too, felt abrupt, unfinished – and the “to be continued,” didn’t leave too much for the imagination. While I’ll read the next book when it comes out, I have high hopes that the pacing and some of the predictability lessens.

Overall, a good book that’s perfect for a YA lover who enjoys a twist on the classical tales, fraught with magic, adventure and a slow-burn romance.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tabitha, for reaching out and providing this arc for me.

Initially, at the beginning of the book, I was hooked. I was curious to read a fantasy novel where the main character's issue arises because of her need to help. The people around her enter a haze where they all suffocate her with problems, and she tries to figure out a solution to drown it all away. So we follow her character choosing between the unknown escape or suffocating in the present. The introduction to her new life was exciting because this premise is a unique one that I have yet to read about. Fairy godmothers with an academic twist. It was a fresh start for me. But the more I continued the book, the more frustrating she became. Lexi though 19, had the thought process of a 13-year-old. Her behaviour and recklessness were all very juvenile acts. It was hard trying to sympathise with her. Character, wise I liked Oliver's character. I enjoyed Harriet and Oliver's personalities and how close their friendship had grown as individuals. I would like to have seen more of Oliver's background. Lexis' inner thoughts, I won't lie, resonated with me at times, and she was pretty funny throughout the novel.

I hoped for a more substantial background to her abilities, the villain's origin, the history behind the godmothers and their individual powers. This is more of a YA fantasy than an adult fantasy. I recommend it if you're looking for a YA light-hearted fantasy novel with friendship, funny characters and an easy read. This is a good choice for a younger audience wanting to dip their toes into fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for sending me e-copy of this book in exchange for honest review.

First of all, I was screaming when I got contacted to receive this e-copy. It said YA fantasy with magical spices, it falls to my liking as soon as I read the description. It follows Lexi, a good girl with all these skill to help people. By people it means, random people, strangers.

At first I was... what??? it must be hard to be Lexi. For first 3 chapters, all she did was running here and there, avoid bunch of stranger who seek for her help. Her presence was magically a magnet for those people. I had hard times to adjust myself with the story and sudden change of plot. Lexi was surprisingly calm and self-collected when she heard about her origin. She was just 18-19 but I thought she was 25 something at the beginning.

I'm not buying it. It was weirdest book opening I've ever read. Still, I glued to the book to prove either way. This book was slow, the plot was slightly off, the characters were bland. The best part was the world building. To write a fantasy book from the fairygodmother POV was exceptionally a good idea. It would be best if it was written in more fun and easy way to made the reader understand.

The book has so many potential to be more explored, it was not just my cup of tea for now. Still I would recommend this book to everyone who seek for YA fantasy, coming-of-age story with a slow burn romance.

2.75/5 stars! I wasn't sure what to expect from this book based on its cover. I liked the components of this fairy godmother-in-training story. But I also struggled with a lack of depth in the development of the writing. The main character felt exceedingly immature. I think overall, it was a decent YA fantasy, but I wouldn't characterize it as an adult fantasy story.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Through Smoke and Sand was not only relatable but nice change of pace of fantasy that I have been reading. I am just now getting back into reading fantasy and this reminded me of my childhood, the kind of fantasy books I would read. Spunky Lexi was such a relatable character as well as sweet Harriet! I love helping others and definitely would put that over me. It definitely was a mix of genuinely wanting to help and feeling like I had to help because of coping strategies I learned growing up. As I got older it got hard wanting to help others because I was so exhausted. I didn't know much about the proverbial cup of filling your cup up first before you fill others.

I especially loved when Lexi challenged that old ways about what happily ever afters meant were not always just that way. There were other ways to seek your happily ever after and it looked different for everyone.

My favorite quote in the book is "It was hard to avoid action because of fear, if I never gave myself enough time to imagine how things could go wrong." I love this because I am a worrywart and do tend to avoid action due to the fear I have imagined. But instead of thinking about what could go wrong, I could also flip the script and think of all the things that could go right!

Overall a fun, slow-burn, friendship focused novel!