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heididt19's review
4.0
This book is about a girl named Charlie living in a town called New Avalon. In this town most people go to either the arts or sports school. The normal schools are only for people who are extremely untalented. Charlie goes to the sports school and ,like the other students, is monitored on calorie intake and and other factors on a daily basis. In town a lot of people have "fairies" that give them special talents. For example Rochelle has a shopping fairy, Fiorenze has an every-boy-will-like-you fairy, and Charlie has a parking fairy. CHarlie does not like her fairy because people are constantly using her, and she always smells like gasoline. She protests her fairy by walking everywhere,which often causes her to be late and receive demerits. THis is causing her fairy's power to wane slowly but surely. Unfortunately Danders Anders kidnaps her to find good parking spaces which causes her to not lose her fairy and to receive more demerits for being late. Charlie discovers that Fiorenze does no like her fairy either, so they decide to use Fiorenze's Mother's research to find a way to get rid of them. Instead they swap. They both still don't like their fairies and so try near death o get rid of them, But will they succeed without actually dying, and what will happen if they do?
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to someone. I learned some interesting words in this book such as pulchritudinous and quokka. There are also several made up words in this book also so be sure to check the glossary in the back and a normal dictionary. Overall a pretty good book for people who like watching characters develop.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to someone. I learned some interesting words in this book such as pulchritudinous and quokka. There are also several made up words in this book also so be sure to check the glossary in the back and a normal dictionary. Overall a pretty good book for people who like watching characters develop.
stephxsu's review
4.0
In the city of New Avalon, located in an alternate world, where people have personal specified fairies, fourteen-year-old Charlie (Charlotte) Steele is having a hard time. She’s a first-year at the highly prestigious and strict New Avalon Sports High, and she has a parking fairy. She guarantees that whatever car Charlie is in, that car will find the perfect parking space, right when you need it.
A parking fairy is so NOT what a girl like Charlie wants. Not only is it not fun, it also attracts attention from Danders Anders, a slow-minded star athlete who loves to “borrow” Charlie for his car rides. Charlie would much rather have something like an all-the-boys-like-you fairy, the one Fiorenze Stupid-Name has. Stupid-Name is so nicknamed because she is annoying when she attracts attention from all the guys. It gets even worse when the new boy, Steffi, whom Charlie befriends, falls for Fiorenze as well because of her fairy.
How far is Charlie willing to go in order to ditch her fairy? And what’ll happen if she succeeds?
HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY was so much fun to read! Justine Larbalestier does a great job of creating engaging characters who act their age. Charlie is a genuinely relatable fourteen-year-old who worry about making the team and whether or not people like her. The world in which this story is set is fabulous, a success brought forth by the combination of language (lots of slang here, maybe Aussie? Not exactly sure but they add to the book’s atmosphere), description, and quirks (have you ever encountered such a regimented and sports-oriented high school? I didn’t think so). Overall, a story well done and highly recommended.
A parking fairy is so NOT what a girl like Charlie wants. Not only is it not fun, it also attracts attention from Danders Anders, a slow-minded star athlete who loves to “borrow” Charlie for his car rides. Charlie would much rather have something like an all-the-boys-like-you fairy, the one Fiorenze Stupid-Name has. Stupid-Name is so nicknamed because she is annoying when she attracts attention from all the guys. It gets even worse when the new boy, Steffi, whom Charlie befriends, falls for Fiorenze as well because of her fairy.
How far is Charlie willing to go in order to ditch her fairy? And what’ll happen if she succeeds?
HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY was so much fun to read! Justine Larbalestier does a great job of creating engaging characters who act their age. Charlie is a genuinely relatable fourteen-year-old who worry about making the team and whether or not people like her. The world in which this story is set is fabulous, a success brought forth by the combination of language (lots of slang here, maybe Aussie? Not exactly sure but they add to the book’s atmosphere), description, and quirks (have you ever encountered such a regimented and sports-oriented high school? I didn’t think so). Overall, a story well done and highly recommended.
embereye's review against another edition
4.0
This was cute although I think it might've been written at the same time as Scott Westerfeld's Pretties series. There was a lot of unnecessarily complicated slang. I was reasonably entertained and one of the last scenes had me crying with laughter... So I call that a win. Will have to try to figure out what caught me about that scene.
kraley's review
3.0
I listened to this audiobook and really enjoyed the Australian reader. The concepts of personalized fairies appealed to me. It was an entertaining read, but nothing super special. It was a little slow in parts, but passed the time.
thewallflower00's review
1.0
It was a light and short book, but the title is misleading. I was looking forward to seeing the characters interact with little, clingy fairies like pet Tinkerbells. It turns out a "fairy" is more like an RPG ability. Like, you have an empty slot, and it gets filled with some perk, like being able to get out of trouble or find loose change. But you don't get to choose. Some of these abilities are useful, some are not. Some don't have fairies, and some try to get a new one, which is where the story comes from.
Apparently, this book was extended from a short story, and it feels like it. Not to mention, as far as being a YA for women, I did not like the message it sent -- trying to change something you are. I'm not sure what this says to teen girls, but I don't like it. A tiger can't change its stripes. You have to play the hand you're dealt. Attempting to change who you are results in the acceptability of plastic surgery and marrying for money.
Plus there's some disturbing stuff in here. Well, it doesn't seem disturbing until you look closer. The main character has a fairy that lets her get good parking spaces. She doesn't use cars or buses for two month's time to make her fairy get bored and go away. Until she's literally kidnapped by the big, dumb, senior jock character, nullifying all her work.
This is basically rape. Being assaulted and taken against your will because of who you are? It's not literally rape, but the subtext is there. But the main character does nothing about it, doesn't tell anyone. She doesn't even react. I would be crying in my pillow if that was me. And I'm a guy.
But she doesn't even go through feelings of guilt. She does nothing because the jock is supposedly 'untouchable', but shouldn't the story be about that? She tells no one. She does nothing about it. She doesn't even appear to care, she just goes on trying to get rid of her fairy in ridiculous ways. In the end, the jock guy is implied to get come-uppance, but that's hardly important by that point.
And this comes from an author who writes all the time about equality on her blog. I can hardly believe she didn't take this into consideration when she was writing it. This is a pretty scary message to be sending out. I wouldn't want my daughter to read this. Justine Larbaleister, what were you thinking?
Apparently, this book was extended from a short story, and it feels like it. Not to mention, as far as being a YA for women, I did not like the message it sent -- trying to change something you are. I'm not sure what this says to teen girls, but I don't like it. A tiger can't change its stripes. You have to play the hand you're dealt. Attempting to change who you are results in the acceptability of plastic surgery and marrying for money.
Plus there's some disturbing stuff in here. Well, it doesn't seem disturbing until you look closer. The main character has a fairy that lets her get good parking spaces. She doesn't use cars or buses for two month's time to make her fairy get bored and go away. Until she's literally kidnapped by the big, dumb, senior jock character, nullifying all her work.
This is basically rape. Being assaulted and taken against your will because of who you are? It's not literally rape, but the subtext is there. But the main character does nothing about it, doesn't tell anyone. She doesn't even react. I would be crying in my pillow if that was me. And I'm a guy.
But she doesn't even go through feelings of guilt. She does nothing because the jock is supposedly 'untouchable', but shouldn't the story be about that? She tells no one. She does nothing about it. She doesn't even appear to care, she just goes on trying to get rid of her fairy in ridiculous ways. In the end, the jock guy is implied to get come-uppance, but that's hardly important by that point.
And this comes from an author who writes all the time about equality on her blog. I can hardly believe she didn't take this into consideration when she was writing it. This is a pretty scary message to be sending out. I wouldn't want my daughter to read this. Justine Larbaleister, what were you thinking?
bubblybing's review
5.0
It’s been a decade since I read this, so I don’t even remember if it was a good book, but I do reference it all the time since I believe I also have a parking fairy. So the fact it’s stuck with me for that long has to say something
mbrandmaier's review
3.0
In Charlie's world, everybody has a fairy. Some are awesome, most are mediocre, and some (like Charlie's parking fairy) are just plain awful. If I was charlie, I would have crippled Danders Anders and his car too.