On one hand, this was a quick read with an interesting premise and characters, but on the other hand, there just wasn't enough depth. Everything felt a bit sparse, as if only the bare bones and most important moments were presented, to the point where I was disappointed because I could literally feel how much potential was here for a powerful story... and yet, I just wasn't fully engaged because of the lack of depth with characterization and story. This is one of those cases where, simply put, I think all stages of the editing process were rushed. More time and depth would have done wonders for the book, and a good copy editor was desperately needed to fix smaller issues (like accidental indentations, a mix of smart quotations and straight quotation marks, comma issues, etc.) -- and yes, the smaller issues were for me a distraction from the story.

All in all, if it hadn't been for the copy editing issues, I might be thinking about getting the sequel... but then again, I might not. As is, I don't see myself reading the next book in the series. ( )

This is one I've had on the shelf for quite some time and it hardly ever gets checked out (paperbacks always sit on the shelf more than hardbacks). I'm so glad I read it and I need to really talk it up with my students, because I liked it alot. It is a fun and entertaining book with a different premise - a guy as a fairy godmother - and yet it also has a lot of heart and some good action/suspense. As soon as I finished it I ordered the next one in the series (I sure wish I could get hardbacks of these!). This is an author to watch. I also loved her most recent book, Love, Lucas . She has a way of dealing with serious teen issues realistically, while still having the main characters keep a moral compass alive. I can't even begin to say how much I appreciate that in YA authors! I'm a firm believer in expecting greatness out of teenagers and not assuming they will all delve into bad behaviors, so I love all authors who expect greatness out of their main characters.

The main characters in this book are very well drawn. We feel Kendall's heartache at the loss of her father and the grief that has weighed her down and changed who she is. We laugh at Ash's exploits and conceit, while loving his charm and wit. We are happy that Ellie is a loving and supportive sister, and are entertained by the bond between Sam and Ash. The romance between Kendall and Ash is sweet and believable.

I felt like the build-up to the conflict in the story was a little slow. It was apparent that Dax hated Ash, but someone who hates you because you are popular and get the best grades doesn't seem too threatening (even if he does have magical powers). However, when the conflict reached it's zenith I did get a little nervous for the main characters. It looks like the next book in the series is going to have some much more serious conflicts, so it will be interesting to see how that pans out.

All in all, Not Your Average Fairy Tale ticks all the boxes for a contemporary/fantasy/romance YA novel. I definitely recommend it.

Areas of concern:
*A smarmy, arrogant high school boy who is trying to hook up with Kendall.
Actually a very clean read (without being cheesy).

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