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ex_libris_ad_astra's review against another edition
3.0
Cute, but full of waaaayyyy too much useless fluff, and not easy enough to understand the made-up words.
missprint_'s review against another edition
4.0
Welcome to New Avalon, the best city in the world--just ask any of its residents. New Avalon has the most important celebrities, the tallest buildings, and the best slang. It also has the best sports school in the country, but you probably already knew that since it has a reputation for training future famous athletes by the truckload.
As far as fourteen-year-old Charlie is concerned life in New Avalon is just about perfect, especially now that she's getting to know here totally pulchy and crush-worthy new neighbor Stefan. The only real problem is Charlie's parking fairy.
It's not that fairies are uncommon, far from it. Many New Avaloners have fairies that help with everything from finding loose change to finding the perfect clothes. Some fairies make people charming and famous, some keep them from ever getting cold or losing their grip. Charlie's fairy helps her find a perfect parking space anywhere, any time.
Charlie can't drive. Charlie hates cars. Charlie is tired of always smelling vaguely of gasoline. And Charlie is sick of being passed around to her all of her neighbors going to the doctor or some other important appointment where they need to find good parking.
Charlie is desperate to get rid of her fairy through any means necessary. And sometimes desperate people do stupid things like refusing to help one of the most important people in school and teaming up with their archenemy (and even a few other, more dangerous, things). Only time will tell if it will all be enough to solve Charlie's parking problem in How to Ditch Your Fairy (2008) by Justine Larbalestier.
Larbalestier splits her time between Australia and the United States (specifically New York City) and has written books set in both countries. How to Ditch Your Fairy is set in neither. Instead, Larbalestier has created an imaginary country; an amalgam of the two. The effect is rather like being thrown into the deep end of the pool to learn to swim. The setting, the slang, and the culture are utterly alien and initially quite confusing. (The book includes a character as clueless as some readers will feel about the ways of New Avalon as well as several helpful glossaries at the end of the book.)
While the total immersion is a little daunting at first, it helps get right to the action of the story. Larbalestier introduces a fascinating and foreign city readers will love learning about throughout the story. Even though New Avalon doesn't exist outside of this story, it feels like it does thanks to Larbalestier's expert depiction.
Charlie is also a refreshing addition to the already rich cadre of young adult heroines. She eats, drinks and breathes sports (like most of her fellow students). Charlie's passion for sports is embedded in every part of How to Ditch Your Fairy but there is more to the story, and the heroine, than sports. Some readers will fully identify with Charlie and her enthusiasm for all things sports. Others will appreciate her eagerness because it so clearly reflects the fierce commitment needed to follow a dream.
How to Ditch Your Fairy starts with a familiar girl, a character you could have met anywhere, but by the end of the story it will be clear that this book is completely original and completely entertaining.
Possible Pairings: Alice, I Think by Susan Juby, Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough, Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell, Jungle Crossing by Sydney Salter
As far as fourteen-year-old Charlie is concerned life in New Avalon is just about perfect, especially now that she's getting to know here totally pulchy and crush-worthy new neighbor Stefan. The only real problem is Charlie's parking fairy.
It's not that fairies are uncommon, far from it. Many New Avaloners have fairies that help with everything from finding loose change to finding the perfect clothes. Some fairies make people charming and famous, some keep them from ever getting cold or losing their grip. Charlie's fairy helps her find a perfect parking space anywhere, any time.
Charlie can't drive. Charlie hates cars. Charlie is tired of always smelling vaguely of gasoline. And Charlie is sick of being passed around to her all of her neighbors going to the doctor or some other important appointment where they need to find good parking.
Charlie is desperate to get rid of her fairy through any means necessary. And sometimes desperate people do stupid things like refusing to help one of the most important people in school and teaming up with their archenemy (and even a few other, more dangerous, things). Only time will tell if it will all be enough to solve Charlie's parking problem in How to Ditch Your Fairy (2008) by Justine Larbalestier.
Larbalestier splits her time between Australia and the United States (specifically New York City) and has written books set in both countries. How to Ditch Your Fairy is set in neither. Instead, Larbalestier has created an imaginary country; an amalgam of the two. The effect is rather like being thrown into the deep end of the pool to learn to swim. The setting, the slang, and the culture are utterly alien and initially quite confusing. (The book includes a character as clueless as some readers will feel about the ways of New Avalon as well as several helpful glossaries at the end of the book.)
While the total immersion is a little daunting at first, it helps get right to the action of the story. Larbalestier introduces a fascinating and foreign city readers will love learning about throughout the story. Even though New Avalon doesn't exist outside of this story, it feels like it does thanks to Larbalestier's expert depiction.
Charlie is also a refreshing addition to the already rich cadre of young adult heroines. She eats, drinks and breathes sports (like most of her fellow students). Charlie's passion for sports is embedded in every part of How to Ditch Your Fairy but there is more to the story, and the heroine, than sports. Some readers will fully identify with Charlie and her enthusiasm for all things sports. Others will appreciate her eagerness because it so clearly reflects the fierce commitment needed to follow a dream.
How to Ditch Your Fairy starts with a familiar girl, a character you could have met anywhere, but by the end of the story it will be clear that this book is completely original and completely entertaining.
Possible Pairings: Alice, I Think by Susan Juby, Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough, Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell, Jungle Crossing by Sydney Salter
guerrillabooks's review against another edition
4.0
I am about to finish up 
How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalastier... When I first started reading, I have to say I wasn't immediately impressed by it BECAUSE I wasn't latching on to the storyline... but then something triggered in me, I became intrigued by Fiorenze and Charlie and the whole concept of "believing" in fairies and other fairy-like implications... luck, being really good at one thing in particular (catching a ball, not dropping a ball, finding parking spots, attracting boys, etc...); the concept of getting rid of your fairy also became intriguing to me - if only we really could change our luck in real life! And finally, all the cool words she comes up with (unless they are just Australian-isms that I'm not familiar with): doos, pulchy, etc...
Unless the ending is not at all doos, I'd say I would recommend this book to other gals.
Update: I just found this other more noteworthy reviewer (The Compulsive Reader) of YA books.
Check out their review of the same book.
How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalastier... When I first started reading, I have to say I wasn't immediately impressed by it BECAUSE I wasn't latching on to the storyline... but then something triggered in me, I became intrigued by Fiorenze and Charlie and the whole concept of "believing" in fairies and other fairy-like implications... luck, being really good at one thing in particular (catching a ball, not dropping a ball, finding parking spots, attracting boys, etc...); the concept of getting rid of your fairy also became intriguing to me - if only we really could change our luck in real life! And finally, all the cool words she comes up with (unless they are just Australian-isms that I'm not familiar with): doos, pulchy, etc...Unless the ending is not at all doos, I'd say I would recommend this book to other gals.
Update: I just found this other more noteworthy reviewer (The Compulsive Reader) of YA books.
Check out their review of the same book.
zeldahime's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kellyjcm's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun read. The world building was well done, although it took a bit of time. I almost wish there a little more to it, such as a visit to Ravenna to gain some perspective on its differences from New Avalon. I didn't realize until I finished the book that a glossary existed at the back explaining some of the slang. Although most of it I could figure out from context, I wish I discovered that sooner.
Charlie, the main character, was easily relatable as a teenage girl whose life is further complicated by an unwanted fairy. The most entertaining part of the book for me was definitely the climax of the story. Laughed out loud at Fiorenze's and Charlie's antics.
The only change I would have made to the ending would be Charlie living without a fairy and making the basketball team based on her previous skill. I think it would have been a testament to her growth as a character, as well as to her hard-earned skills in basketball.
I will be adding this to my school library. I can think of many readers who will get a kick out of it.
Charlie, the main character, was easily relatable as a teenage girl whose life is further complicated by an unwanted fairy. The most entertaining part of the book for me was definitely the climax of the story. Laughed out loud at Fiorenze's and Charlie's antics.
The only change I would have made to the ending would be Charlie living without a fairy and making the basketball team based on her previous skill. I think it would have been a testament to her growth as a character, as well as to her hard-earned skills in basketball.
I will be adding this to my school library. I can think of many readers who will get a kick out of it.
cleverruhs's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book was cute, girly, and entertaining. A fun, light read about a place in which people have personal fairies--fairies for finding loose change, fairies for never getting into trouble, and fairies for making you irresistable to boys. Unfortunately for 14-year-old Charlie, she has a parking fairy...and she hates cars. Charlie would do anything to get a new fairy, but it may be more complicated than she thinks.
aomernik's review against another edition
2.0
an odd little piece of fiction. also definitely more middle grade than YA. kinda just wonky all around.