Jen Calonita's Fairy Godmother: An Enchanters Tale is a delightful retelling of the classic Cinderella story, but looking at it from a different viewpoint - the godmother's. The novel follows Renée, a young woman who wants to bring more joy to her cousins that she is a governess for.

As a young woman who still believes in the joy of all that's magical and faeries, through a selfless act, Renée has the opportunity to become the same as the very person she believes has watched over her. Renée has such a joyful and refreshing outlook on this new path that's been given her. She share the positive outlook on all of those around her, the supporters and distracters.

As time progresses differently for the fae than in the real world, the reader sees Renée struggle with her new path but wanting to go back to her old life. The fairy godmother's point-of-view shows how there are many threads to fate and how they weave between seemingly unrelated people.

Overall, Fairy Godmother: An Enchanters Tale is a delightful and heartwarming read. It's perfect for fans of fairy tales and anyone who believes in the power of magic. Make sure you have tissues for the ending.

If Disney doesn't develop this book into a movie for Disney +, they are missing out on a great opportunity.

"Fairy Godmother: An Enchanter's Tale" by Jen Calonita is a whimsical retelling that brings fresh life to classic fairy tales. The story is filled with enchanting characters and clever twists that keep the reader engaged from start to finish. Calonita's writing is both playful and imaginative, making it a delightful read for both young adults and older readers alike. The themes of friendship and self-discovery resonate beautifully throughout the narrative. Overall, this book is a magical journey that reminds us of the power of believing in our own fairy tales.

Light and fluffy and fun! Very much a magical Jen Calonita story. I liked how the world worked and the peek into Cinderella’s family..

This book really was magical. I am a huge ‘fractured fairytale’ – ‘Disney’ – ‘Life after/before the story’ fan. I was extremely excited to learn about Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother’s past. The concept of a half human, half fairy was really interesting. Renee was near death when a fairy saved her life by turning her into a half fairy. The fairies are more afraid of Renee than anything else because of their history with half fairies. I loved all the moments that make certain things click from the Cinderella story like why Cinderella’s fairy godmother made a carriage out of a pumpkin, and why she gave Cinderella glass slippers (and why the glass slippers didn’t disappear like the rest of her magic after midnight).

Something that I found strange was the random few chapters in Lune’s point of view. I didn’t really see the importance of those. I don’t know if they were setting up Lune’s story in the future? I also wonder if the forgetfulness was needed for half fairies? I also wish Renee and Tressor’s relationship would have been developed more. It felt rushed a bit and almost forgotten about – but I guess when you are taking a ton of classes and training, you don’t have time for personal relationships as much. In that point, it would make sense that Tressor’s relationship wasn’t priority.

I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide/Disney Hyperion for the advanced readers copy.

This was a pretty decent origin story. Often these stories are about villains, so it was nice to read an origin story of a good character. I have to admit I never really wondered how the fairy godmother became the fairy godmother; but, I’m glad I decided to read about it anyway. I can see this one appealing to both teens and adults. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good fairy tale or back story of a well-known character.

What a unique spin on Cinderella--with the fairy godmother and her history being the star of the show. There was SO MUCH depth that I did not expect. I fell in love with Renee, both in the real world and when she finds herself in the fairy realm. Is there a way for both to coexist together? And what happens to those we love and leave behind?

I don't love stories that center on fae and fee. Like I'm not the biggest fantasy girl in that way. However, when reading a story about fairy godmothers for crying out loud, you know that is going to occur.

This book is clean and barely focuses on a romance. Which you know what, is okay. Fairy Godmother was about finding one's power and voice and how it can be used to make a difference. I think that's a great lesson to showcase to teenagers.

Fairy Godmother: An Enchanters Tale looks at the origin story of an underappreciated and underexplored Disney character, the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella. I absolutely adored this story! It gave a rich background with a new world full of fun callbacks and brand new characters and locations. Fairy Godmother also gave me such nostalgic feelings and felt like I was reading some of my favorite fairytales when I was a kid like Gail Carson Levine and Jessica George Day. This is an easy add to my middle school library and I look forward to recommending it to students and having an Enchanters Book Club!

I loved this book. Retellings of characters that don’t always have a back story always fill me with such joy when they are done this well. The fairy godmother is a beloved character. There is a reason so many people love seeing her in the parks and seeing her fills fans of Cinderella’s story with such joy. This book beyond does justice to such an amazing character. Renee is just lovely and her arching story from being a human turned fairy to helping Cinderella find her happily ever after is just perfect. Anyone who loves Disney’s original tale is going to fall in love with this story as well.
Thank you so much to Disney Publishing Worldwide, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

This is the second Fairy Godmother origin story that I have read this month and I definitely prefer this version. So much of the Disney version is explained well -- the robes, why she appears so old (instead of eternally youthful as most fairies), why the pumpkin and the glass slippers. Plus there is a heart wrenching look at love and loss and other human feelings. If you are a fan of Cinderella, you are going to need to read this! Recommended for grades 4 & up.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC. I enjoyed this story of how The Fairy Godmother from Cinderella became a Godmother.
Jen Calonita is a wonderful author, her Disney books are so good.

4.5 stars! I really loved this book. Since I've got a soft spot for the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, I absolutely couldn't wait to read it. Little did I know that I'd be falling into a completely new fairy world that made me realize there was so much more to, Renee, the Fairy Godmother, than Cinderella.

Jen Calonita has a remarkable way of writing incredibly accessible books that are chock full of details, characters, and deeper meanings. I enjoyed discovering more about Renee's life before she became a Fairy Godmother as well as the inner workings of the fae lands.

I'm trying not to give away any spoilers, but Renee has a way of shaking things up, bringing worlds together, having a heart full of love, and even may have a love interest of her own. I wholeheartedly recommend this to fantasy readers as well as those who love fairies, Cinderella, and the entire concept of Fairy Godmothers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the e-ARC!

This was such a fun read! I love Cinderella so much, and this origin story of the fairy godmother was so great! So many great characters fleshed out the story, and the ending ties everything all up very nicely. Reading about how she became a fairy godmother and her connection to Cinderella that goes beyond what we know was amazing. I am so excited to see what other Disney characters Jen Calonita might write origin stories for, the possibilities are so exciting to consider.

Did you ever wonder how Cinderella got her Fairy godmother? Well wonder no longer. This tale is all about how Cinderella's fairy godmother came to be. It was a sweet tale, with a hint of romance, unexpected twists, but I really enjoyed it.

This book was exactly I hoped it be, answering questions I didn't realize I had from the original story. A good story with the setting being in the Disney universe as a bonus. A great YA/Teen story and perfect for fans of the Twisted Tales series like myself

I LOVED Calonita's Go the Distance Go the Distance, and this had the feel of Donna Jo Napoli's fabulous Zel or Spinners, told from the point of view of a secondary character in famous tales. Seeing the fairy godmother from Cinderella was quite fun, and this would make a great companion to Moon's Delphine and the Silver Needle. Will the Prince get his own tale? (Other than Healy's Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom?) I feel like the wicked stepsisters have as well!

We follow Cinderella's fairy godmother through her human years up through the time that she comes to meet Ella. It's always interesting to me to see the new dynamics of retellings that extend the story like this. It's fun to speculate.

That and the pure nostalgia of classic tales, is really what I enjoyed about this story. I didn't really enjoy the overall plot and felt that it was little slow. I thought it was neat that she started as human and that ended up giving her some unique differences to the other fairies and also added a unique aspect to the way we see her in Cinderella. There were some unique tidbits that were fun but overall it was ok.

Jen Calonita writes an amazing back story for one of my favorite Disney characters, the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella. The story was a joy to read. It made the Godmother come alive. I can’t wait to include the book in my classroom library.

I really enjoy alternative perspectives of fairy tales, especially the minor characters int he big major tales. Seeing Renee grow to reach her dream of becoming a fairy godmother was so sweet!

What a wonderful origin story of Cinderella's godmother.
I have read a lot of "fractured fairytales" and enjoyed most of them. This book is delightful as it imagines the life of a girl as she grows and eventually becomes the fairy godmother of Cinderella's dream. This is definitely a great read.

Jen Calonita can do no wrong! Somehow she weaves a magical prequel for Cinderella even more enchanting and , dare I say, romantic, than that of the princess herself for her Fairy Godmother, who has her own series of wild and dangerous adventures. Renee is a young woman who has know immense lose and suffering but always found a brightness in the darkness of life, often in the joy of children like her young cousins, but when she is set to be married off, fate pulls her in a new direction where she must prove herself to the royal fairy court to achieve her greatest desire of becoming a fabled and legendary Fairy Godmother, a vocation rarely awarded after the fairy court suffers a vicious betrayal at the hands of Humans. To make matters more dramatic, Renee is only a half fairy and struggles not only to control her magic but with limitations on her ability to return to the world of mortals and risks losing her life in the process. Throw in the dashing if playfully snarky attention of the fairy queen’s nephew and some rather mysterious and possibly dire prophecies and you’ve got an epic Disney adventure with everything you could wish for, and plenty more.

One of the best books I’ve read this year by far. Beautiful, enchanting, faithful to the source material while expanding on the mythology of Cinderella in new and wonderful ways, sure to delight all fans and create some new ones. If you have been missing the old Disney magic, here it is! The story had me from page one all the way to the end and I was not disappointed. I love this author, I love her ability to weave concepts into a truly creative and engaging tales that reignite my childhood memories. First class all the way.