Don't Expect Magic IS Magical

I enjoy magical reads, so when I saw this at B&N I knew I had to have it. It was on my "I have to read this during the winter break" list. I enjoyed this book so much that I read the entire thing on Christmas day.

Summary (from the book jacket):

Delaney Collins doesn't believe in fairy tales. And why should she? Her mom is dead, her best friend is across the country, and she's stuck in California with "Dr. Hank," her famous life-coach father - a man she barely knows. Happily ever after? Yeah, right.

Then Dr. Hank tells her an outrageous secret: he's a fairy godmother - an f.g. - and he can prove it. And by the way? The f.g. gene is hereditary. Meaning there's a good chance that New Jersey tough girl Delaney is someone's fairy godmother.

Even though she's not the pink and sparkly type, Delaney soon finds herself with a client: Flynn Becker, a boy at her new school who's hopelessly in love with a girl who doesn't know he exists. Flynn's wish is Delaney's command. 

With her customized black boots and chopstick wand, Delaney does everything in her power to make Flynn's wish come true. But what happens when a fairy godmother needs a wish of her own?

My Thoughts:

Delaney Collins has just lost her mom, and now she is headed to California to live with her absentee dad, Dr. Hank. He has a unique job as a famous life-coach author - but that's not all. He is also a fairy godmother. Yes, you read that correctly, and his job takes him where his client is - and where his daughter is not. But Delaney does not let that get her down. Staying with her dad is only temporary as she plots to find a way back to her “true” home in New Jersey. Will Delaney settle in her new life and find comfort as the daughter of a fairy godmother, or will she throw it all away with her bad girl ways?

McCullough delivers a solid novel with her debut, but this is a character-driven novel. For this reason I am going to address my favorite three characters first.

Delaney is a tough character to love at first because it is the one thing she seems to not want. This is a character full of pain – not just for the loss of her mom but for the loss of her way of life. Readers will experience her ups and downs, her moments of triumphs and moments of, well…not triumphs. But in the end, readers will root for her as she travels her road to self-discovery.

Dr. Hank brings a nice contrast to his daughter. His job as a life-coach writer adds another element of hilarity as he tries to help his daughter grieve the person she loved the most. Mix in the fact that he is a fairy godmother – not godfather – and the irony is just too much not to enjoy. He wants to be a good father to Delaney; he just does not know how to balance his client and his daughter. Being a godmother is the only thing he knows, but readers will be pleased with him as a character.

And then there is Flynn, an adorable, lovable yearbook geek who Delaney is convinced needs her help. He just wants to be allowed to be himself, but Delaney has other plans for him, plans that involve the most popular, the most beautiful cheerleader in the whole school. What Flynn wants is not what Delaney thinks, but readers will know – readers always know – and readers will be delighted with his character.

The plot of this novel is an intriguing one, and while it did not keep me turning the pages (the characters did) I did enjoy its concept. This is one of those feel-good reads that leaves readers feeling good about the world. But the plot summary above says all I want to say about the plot. I don't want to spoil a single thing for readers.

I love magical books (not metaphorically but literally) and I loved this book. I am wishing for a sequel, and I hope my fairy godmother is paying attention.