3.75 stars!

This was a fun take at a “what happened next” retelling. I agree with other reviewers that the beginning feels like a lot of information we could’ve done without and wish this started at the marriage proposal.

Despite that this is cozy fun fantasy and I really loved the familiars and the setting. The writing is beautiful and the audiobook was a really fun listen - the narration is great and fits the story well.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for a copy to review!

I really enjoyed this one! I'm always a fan of a fairytale retelling and I liked how Laura J.Mayo took a twist of the typical Cinderella story. The wicked step-sister character got a full personality which was both sassy, emotional and loving. And the narrator was so smooth, the audio book was a delight!

4.5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5 stars)

How to Summon a Fairy Godmother by Laura J. Mayo is an enchanting, whimsical twist on the classic fairy tale, brought to life even more vividly in the audiobook format thanks to the delightful narration by Josie Charles. With a charming balance of magic, humor, and self-discovery, this book is a joy to listen to and offers a refreshing take on the "evil stepsister" trope.

Lady Theodosia Balfour, unfairly labeled as the villain by her stepsister, Princess Beatrice, finds herself trapped in a miserable reality—facing an unwanted marriage to the foul-tempered Duke of Snowbell and a family estate teetering on the edge of ruin. In her desperation, she seeks the help of a fairy godmother, hoping for the same magical intervention that landed her stepsister a prince. But the fairy godmother Theo summons, Cecily of the Ash Fairies, is no fairy tale savior. Cunning and mischievous, Cecily is more interested in deals and favors than waving a wand. Theo is given three tasks to prove her worth, and what follows is a journey of self-discovery, adventure, and unexpected companionship.

Josie Charles brings this magical world to life with her narration, perfectly capturing Theo’s mix of vulnerability, humor, and determination. Her voice lends warmth to the audiobook, making Theo’s struggles and triumphs feel even more real and emotionally resonant. Charles also excels in differentiating characters—whether it’s the devious and cunning tone of Cecily or the sharp banter between Theo and Kasra, the aloof fox shapeshifter who’s far too handsome for his own good. Each character has a distinct voice, and Charles’ narration draws you further into the whimsical and fantastical world that Laura J. Mayo has created.

The relationships in this story, especially Theo’s growing kinship with Cecily’s familiars—Phineas, the flirty human-turned-mockingbird, and Kasra, the sarcastic shapeshifter—are enhanced by Charles' ability to deliver the witty dialogue with perfect timing. Their humorous and heartfelt exchanges add layers to the narrative, making their adventures as engaging as Theo’s internal struggles.

Mayo’s clever twist on fairy tale conventions, combined with the narration, makes the audiobook experience particularly enjoyable. The "fairy godmother" here isn’t a benevolent figure, but a sharp, wily Ash Fairy who has her own agenda. Theo’s tasks are not just about earning magical help—they’re about finding her own strength and deciding what future she wants. The added depth of these themes, along with the well-crafted humor, makes this audiobook a fun and meaningful listen.

The pacing of the story is smooth, and Charles’ narration keeps you hooked from start to finish. If there’s any critique, it’s that the ending wraps up a bit quickly compared to the depth of character development throughout the book. However, Charles delivers the resolution with such emotional clarity that it still leaves you satisfied.

Overall, How to Summon a Fairy Godmother is a delightful audiobook experience. Josie Charles' narration adds an extra layer of magic to the witty, heartfelt story, making this version perfect for fans of lighthearted fantasy with strong themes of self-discovery and empowerment. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to listen to in one sitting, drawn in by both the enchanting world and Charles’ engaging performance.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

HOW IS THIS A DEBUT? i actually had to double check that this was lauren j. mayo’s first novel because everything from the world building, dialogue and character development/interactions were fantastic.

this was an absolutely fantastic retelling of one of cinderella’s stepsisters, named theodosia, or as none of her friends call her, “theo”. lauren j. mayo develops theo’s character magnificently in under 400 pages, and those PLOT TWISTS!! wow, now i need the next book in this series.

the narrator for the audiobook was fantastic

overall this was just an amazing ride and i’m very excited to see what mayo cooks up next

I absolutely loved the audiobook of *How to Summon a Fairy Godmother*! The audio production was top-notch, and a lot of that credit goes to the fantastic work of the producer. The editing was seamless, with every transition smooth and natural. The production was clean, with no distractions, allowing the story and emotions to shine through.

The narrator did an incredible job differentiating each character’s dialogue, making it easy to follow who was speaking, even in the more fast-paced scenes. The use of silence added just the right amount of suspense, and the clear pronunciation ensured every word came across perfectly. On top of that, the emotion behind each sentence was palpable, pulling me even further into the story.

As for the story itself, it’s a wonderful retelling of *Cinderella* with a unique twist. It was cute, fun, and filled with surprising moments of emotion. I laughed, got excited, and was even moved to tears at unexpected points. This audiobook is a charming and magical journey, and both the story and production deserve high praise!

I loved this book. It's been a while since I just ate up a story, but this had everything I love in it. Magic, fairytales, and I can't stay away from a Cinderella retelling.

I will be honest, I didn't know what to expect going into this book so my expectations weren't very high. But wow did How to Summon a Fairy Godmother take me by surprise!
A funny Cinderella retelling that looks at one of the evil step sisters life after the happily ever after.
Theo makes a bargain with the same faerie, Cecilly, that granted her stepsister Beatrice her wish to go to the ball. In order for her wish of ending her marriage to an old and awful duke, Theo must complete three tasks to orove she is a good and kind person.
There are twists and turns throughout the story that keeps you hooked and trying to guess what will happen next.
The journey Theo goes on throughout this book is so enjoyable. It makes you see the world from her perspective, and I found myself.routing fo her from the very beginning.
The characters are all well written and believable, and really bring the story to life.
Josie Charles does an amazing job at narrating, I will definitely be looking out for more of her work. The emotion and energy she puts into the characters is top tier. Chefs kiss to you, Josie.

If you like fairytale retellings, fmcs taking control of their own life choices and witty characters.. then this is the book for you!

This was fabulous!
What a lovely take on Cinderella.
This starts off with the ball and then takes a whole new angle from one of the stepsister's perspectives.
I loved the way this used bits and pieces from the original story and also introduced a whole new ploy as well.
The personalities of the characters were vibrant and fun and there is a lot of adventure that is not in the original fable.
I absolutely adored this one!!!
Much love to NetGalley & Hachette Audio for my ALC.

First off, this book is a Cinderella retelling with the main female lead, Theodosia, being reminiscent of one of the evil stepsisters. I loved that most if not all of the characters in this book were morally grey as I feel that sometimes there is pressure on authors to have a huge distinction between “good” and “evil” characters.

In the story, Theo’s family is in financial ruin. In order to remedy the situation, Theo is unwillingly set to marry the Duke of Snowbell. She then begins her mission to do whatever necessary to stop the wedding - even if it means using the spell she found in her step-sister’s bedroom to summon a fairy godmother. But she may have gotten more than she expected…

This book was awesome, and I’m excited to see that there will be a series as I wanted to know what happens next. Favorite character is Kasra the fox shifter. Favorite moment in the book is when Theo gets stabbed because it was kind of funny (leaving this vague to avoid spoilers). The audio narrator also did a great job!

🧚🏻 Thanks so much to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and author Laura J. Mayo for providing me with a free audiobook version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for sending me an audio-ARC of How to Summon A Fairy Godmother in exchange for review.

3.75 stars

I love a fairy tale and I love a retelling/origin story/etc. I love giving a new spin or chance to a character that may have been written off or made to have been disliked when really we all know villains have their origin story.

I’d definitely say that Theo is definitely not so wicked~ this story was so fun and fast paced. I love our witchy Cecily of the Ash Fairies godmother the narrator did an amazing job and I could totally picture her. Like I really want to be her friend. I love her familiars as well because fox boy (I don’t need to say more).

I flew through this in 2 days and thoroughly enjoyed this it definitely is on the same level as most fantasy stories I read and it’s definitely not giving “debut novel” so that excites me for Laura’s future releases.

The narrators voice reminded me of Kate from “You” season 4 in the best way. Loved it!

Thank you again for the delightful time this provided.

How To Summon a Fairy Godmother
Laura J. Mayo
We are all familiar with the story of Cinderella, the glass slipper, the pumpkin coach, the midnight curfew and the fairy Godmother, but what if that was only part of the story and much of it not true.
Lady Theodosia Balfour is the youngest of the two stepsisters. Beatrice (the Cinderella of this story) has married her prince. She has told everyone how dreadful her life was living with Flo, Theo and her stepmother. The Balfour’s are broke, the creditors have come calling and the cupboard is bare. Theo’s mother has found her a Duke to marry, an old Duke, a really old Duke. The Duke of Snowbell is rude, obnoxious and ill-mannered. Theo has no desire to marry the man, raise his children nor bare his children.
Out of desperation Theo summons a fairy, after all a fairy provided a prince for Beatrice surely, she can prevent a marriage as easily as she can create one. No one ever warned Theo not to make a deal with a fairy! The fairy, Cecily of the Ash Faries, agrees to help Theo but only for a price; you see fairies do not do anything for free. The prize is three tasks that will prove that Theo is unselfish and generous. Cecily has two familiars, they are humans that provide guidance, support and magic: Kasra, an extremely handsome fox shapeshifter and Phineas, a mockingbird shapeshifter.
This is a great book; I was shocked at the lower ratings. It is definitely a 5-star read in my opinion. I love fairytales and this one is a unique turn on the original Cinderella story. In this tale the youngest stepsister is the main character. The original story makes her a villain and at first, I kept seeing her from that perspective. But soon I saw her as more of a victim. She was mistreated by her mother, her sister and yes even her stepsister. She seemed to have a big L printed on her forehead; everyone treats her terribly except Margot.
The plot of this tale has some great twists and turns. The ending had an unexpected twist. There was also a lot of humor in this tale. The secondary characters were delightful, especially Lockland and Kasra. I don’t know if this is a new series, but I sure hope it is.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

This is Cinderella’s stepsisters story and I ended up really liking it! It’s funny and doesn’t take itself too seriously whilst still dealing with some hard hitting stuff. Theo was such a morally iffy main character and I thought her character arc was well done. Hopefully we have a sequel 🤞🏼

This is a delightful twist on a Cinderella story, told from the point of view of one of the "wicked" stepsisters. Theodosia, desperate to get out of an arranged marriage to a much older, wealthy but disgusting Duke, discovers a way to summon the fairy godmother who made all her stepsister's dreams come true. Throughout the book, Theo is rude and insulting to nearly everyone and expresses an extreme hatred and resentment for her sister, but as the story unfolds. you understand that there are good reasons why. Is she truly as bad as everyone thinks? This book is full of twists and turns, magic, redemption, romance, and has a very satisfying and unpredictable ending.

How to Summon a Fairy Godmother by Laura J Mayo is a fun listen (or read) that takes a classic tale and spins it on its head. A bit of romance and a smidge of fantasy kept this engaging, although I would have appreciated more of both. The difference between four and five stars for me was pacing-I felt that so much of the beginning was spent with a deeply unlikeable protagonist that casual readers might give up before the ultimate pay off. It took until about 30-40% to feel attachment to Theo, the main character and while I think the ending was worth it, I wish there had been a bit more nuance at the beginning to invest me in her character. To those readers I say-keep going! It really is a charming and ultimately emotionally satisfying read and you will be glad you did. The audiobook narrator is so so good and I hope to listen to more with her. Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for this listen!

I absolutely LOVED this! This was a spin on the classic Cinderella fairytale where we see the story from the POV from one of her step sisters. After “Cinderella” (Beatrice in this story) married the prince, the stepmother is frantically trying to marry off her two daughters since she’s broke. Theo is delighted to hear she’s marrying a duke - until she finds out he is old enough to be her grandfather. When she finds Beatrice’s book on summoning a fairy godmother, she decides to take the chance to get out of her engagement. In exchange for help, Theo has to complete 3 tasks for the fairy, Cecily, and ends up gaining so much character development.

I enjoyed every second of this audiobook and thought the narrator was absolutely perfect for this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Lady Theodosia Balfour has really gotten the short end of the stick in life - according to her anyway. Most recently, she’s been forced to become engaged to the Duke of Snowbell, a grumpy old man who only wants her to make spare heirs. Desperate to find an escape from the marriage, Theo summons a fairy godmother. Except, it’s not as easy as it is in fairytales. Instead of being granted her wish, Theo must earn it by completing difficult tasks designed to prove that Theo is kindhearted. As Theo ventures into the magical world of fairies, she finds herself becoming friends with magical creatures.

This book was absolutely adorable, so much fun, and filled with adventure all at the same time. I was engaged the entire time, and didn’t want to put it down. I loved the complexity of Theo’s character and the way she grew and developed throughout the book. The world building and setting were fantastic and I enjoyed all of the magical creatures. If you’re looking for a magical fairytale retelling with humor, look no further! I’m so excited to see what happens next in this series!

I listened to the audio and Josie Charles did a fantastic job with the narration and really brought Theo’s character to life.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copy!

This book had a slow start but was a fun read. I do wish the beginning would have been different; perhaps something about the real story of Cinderella or something. It took a bit to get into the book. However, it did pick up and I really enjoyed it. I loved the end! I would be interested to read a second book about Theo’s adventures working for the fairy godmother (with Lock making an appearance of course!).
Thank you for the opportunity to read this!

A wonderful story made all the better by a top notch narrator. She brought each character to life and made the story feel so real I was truly immersed. The story itself was so well done that I think it glides past the original Cinderella story into first place for best fairy tale for me. It’s clear the author took her time with each scene and fleshed them out in ways that made you feel like you were there experiencing exactly what Theo was. I also think Theo’s character arc was exceptionally done and the anguish she feels inside was captured in a way that makes the listener understand exactly why she acts the way she does. A truly magical and satisfying tale.

This book wasn't what I expected it to be, and my heart broke and bleed the entire way through... I lived deeply and was very much in awe of the characters at any given point. The story wove and spread out masterfully and I just wanted theo to be fucking happy .... and fucking kaz... brb sobbing

How To Summon A Fairy Godmother by Laura J Mayo in narrated by Josie Charles. When Lady Theodosia summons the same fairy godmother her step-sister Beatrice did. She believes her wish will be granted just like Beas, but like most situations in Theo‘s life when it comes to Beas it will be the total opposite. All Theo new was that her sister wanted to marry the prince and after one magical night, she did but now that Theo wants out of a marriage to a geriatric ogre it seems before her wish will be granted she’ll have to perform three tasks given to her by Selena, the Godmother. Theo was raised by her cold mother with her sister Flo and stepsister Bea. She’s never known love nor Had friends but is quite familiar with hatred jealousy and revenge. Once she starts the three task, however her life definitely changes for the better. They say never make a deal with a Fairy in lady Theodosia is going to find out why but in the end will gain much more than she thought she ever wanted to unfortunately she’ll have to give up the best thing she’ gained first. I cannot wait for the next book in this new series! I really loved the characters in this book the great but sad twist at the end I was a little angry at Theo for sacrificing so much for her selfish sister but because I don’t want to give too much away I am going to stop my review here just now if you love fairytales this is an awesome awesome book. It’s funny well written with awesome characters I cannot wait for the next book. #NetGalley, #HashettAudio, #LauraJMayo, #JoseyCharles, #HowToSummonAFairyGodmother,