Josie Charles and Laura Mayo are a writing and narrative powerhouse. Josie brought Theo to life in a way and skill that I haven’t heard in awhile and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to listen to this book. I need book #2!

Book Title: How to Summon a Fairy Godmother

Author: Laura J. Mayo

Series: Fairies and Familiars #1

Narrator: Josie Charles

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: 8 October 2024

Rating: ★★★☆☆

I received a free copy from Hachette Audio | Orbit and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Introduction

🧚‍♀️ Ever wondered what happened to the “wicked” stepsister after Cinderella rode off into the sunset with her prince? Well, let me tell you, it's not all sunshine and happily-ever-afters for them! Laura J. Mayo’s book gives us the scoop on Theodosia, one of Cinderella's stepsisters, and it's a laugh-out-loud, charming, and magical romp. It’s the perfect twist on a classic tale, and I was completely hooked from the start.



Source: NetGalley

Plot Summary (Spoiler-Free)

✨ The story picks up where Cinderella’s story ends and switches to Theodosia’s point of view. Her stepsister, now Princess Beatrice, is spreading some rather unflattering rumours about her family, and to make matters worse, Theodosia’s mom is looking to marry her off to an ancient, grumpy duke. Desperate, Theodosia decides to do what any reasonable person would do: summon a fairy godmother to get her out of the mess! But the fairy she gets is nothing like she expected! This isn't your sweet, wand-waving, bibbidi-bobbidi-boo kind of fairy. Instead, Theodosia meets the deviously gorgeous Cecily, who sets her on a series of tasks to prove she’s worthy of help. And with two charming (and very distracting) familiars by her side, Theodosia’s journey to freedom is a hilarious and heartwarming adventure of self-discovery.

Narration and Performance

🎧 Josie Charles absolutely nailed this performance! Her voice brought Theodosia’s snarky, witty, and surprisingly soft side to life. The narration made the humorous moments even funnier and the touching moments genuinely sweet. With her British accent it was a delightful touch that made the whole experience feel even more like a classic fairy tale, but with a modern, rebellious spirit.

Conclusion & Final Rating

✨ I had an absolute blast with this audibook! It takes the familiar Cinderella story and flips it in a mirror, giving the story a fresh and funny perspective on the "bad guys." I loved following Theodosia’s journey as she went from being a prickly, self-centered stepsister to a woman who genuinely wants to be a better person. The supporting characters, especially the charming familiars and the hilariously devious fairy, were fantastic additions that kept me entertained from beginning to end. It's a wonderful blend of humor, magic, and heart, proving that maybe, just maybe, everyone deserves a second chance.

Final Rating: ★★★☆☆

Book Tropes:

Fairy Tale Retelling

Forced Proximity

Enemies to Friends

Found Family

Witty Banter

Reluctant Heroine

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DNF @14%. This was an interesting reimagining of Cinderella’s sister, but I just couldn’t get into it. The audio narrator was a great fit for this story though.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my audio copy!

DNF I really wanted to like this one I like the premise but it just wasn’t working for me, narrator was fine but story itself just wasn’t grabbing me.

This was just the magical escape read I needed! Featuring tricky fae and evil stepsisters, this was such a fun story that whisked me away from the very beginning. I loved the audio performance by Josie Charles, that added so much to the story.

*many thanks to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Instantly hooked from the start! A fun retelling of Cinderella from the pov of the stepsister. Very much enjoyed this from start to finish. Read it so fast. Fun and instant classic for me.

How to Summon a Fairy Godmother by Laura J. Mayo is whimsical, charming, and a little bit magical. It has an uplifting and playful tone while also diving into themes of self-discovery and personal growth.

I had a lot of fun with this book! The story follows an ordinary woman named Lily, who finds herself in an unexpected situation: summoning a fairy godmother. But it’s not all fairy-tale magic—Lily has to face some real-life challenges and decisions. The humor, quirky characters, and magical elements kept me entertained, and I loved how it touched on the importance of taking control of your own destiny, even in the face of the most outlandish circumstances. It’s a perfect read for anyone looking for something light-hearted but with a touch of magic and heart!

While overall I enjoyed this retelling of Cinderella from the point of view of one of her stepsisters, it wasn’t a standout book for me. Fun while reading (or listening in my case), but this book was one that quickly faded from my memory soon after I finished it. It was still a creative twist on the traditional story, weaving in more fae/faerie elements and giving you some new characters to root for. At times it felt a little slow, or maybe I was just expecting a bit more excitement from the summary. Good start to a series/world building - I’d probably check out a sequel to see what else is in store. If you like fairytales and fae, might be worth giving this a try. The narrator was enjoyable too. Thanks for NetGalley for the audiobook.

Hi. Yes. I will take 10 more books like this one please! The plot, the characters, the human character learning to be less idiotic? The dream

Cinderella meets Princess Bride !
This is a task/quest type novel and there was a lot of humour in it that I enjoyed. Ive been getting into cozy fantasy lately and this one really fit the bill. The only thing I didnt love was that the characters felt a little flat and under developed to me. One caveat with cozy fantasy is the lack of depth sometimes, especially with world building. I would have liked to know more, but we only get glimpses of the world and are more focused on the tasks being completed. With some more fleshing out of the details I feel like this would have been the perfect book

What an absolute drag of a story. The set up is so boring and takes a ridiculous amount of time for something which is known to every Disney-watching person under 60 years of age. Way, WAY too much time was spent on the set up, and making it clear that the main character is not just some poor abused side character, but is actually as spoiled and obnoxious as the Disney version of this story made her out to be. The only entertaining moment I had with this book was where they sarcastically rip into Prince Charming spending hours dancing with his future bride and never once asking her what her name is. I laughed out loud at that, and then went back to being bored. If one is going to do a retelling of a famous story, they should realize that not all the parts need to be told since their audience already know it. Get to the new bits more quickly.

First read of the year... This book hooked me from the very beginning. I could not put this book down.

Fairytale retellings are some of my favorite stories to read. This one is told from the perspective of one of the evil step sisters. I thought I would dislike the main character, Theo, but I found myself rooting for her.

If you're looking for a fun Cinderella re-telling, this is it.

3.75 Stars
Stunning cover!

This retelling of Cinderella is captivating and offers a fresh perspective on the classic tale. I especially enjoyed how the story explores not only the life of the stepsister but also the fairy godmother's world, revealing complex motivations and interactions that add depth to the narrative. While I initially found Theo's character a bit challenging to connect with, I appreciated her growth throughout the story, which made her ultimately more relatable and endearing. Overall, this retelling is a delightful and imaginative take on a beloved story, and I eagerly anticipate the next installment to see where the journey goes from here!

***Thank you to NetGalley, Laura J. Mayo, and Hachette Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, and I was hesitant in the beginning. It was strange to have a Cinderella retelling from the wicked stepsister's point of view in which the stepsisters were still wicked. Even so, I think it was wonderfully done. Theo was hard to love but impossible to hate. The style and the climax were wonderfully enjoyable.

So much fun! Narrator voices were distinct and the pacing was excellent. The story kept me interested through the end.

This was an interesting read and take on a classic. I was wanting a little more character development, I wasn't rooting for the main character as much as a i wanted too.

This was so goood. I'm so upset I put it off. I need more desperately. Theo is everything to me. PLEASE say there's gonna be a sequel.
Narrator was a perfect choice. Obsessed.

This book is clever, witty, smart, and a great “retelling” of Cinderella, but from the step sisters POV. The character development, plot, and writing were all great, and it was just a lot of fun.

This was a bit slow to hook me, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit! Will be eagerly awaiting the sequel!

I'm going to be honest, I did not like the first 30% of this book, but then it really picked up for me. I actually enjoyed it enough that I think I'd consider a reread!

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC!