Extraordinary*: *The True Story of My Fairygodparent, Who Almost Killed Me, and Certainly Never Made Me a Princess

by Adam Selzer

Jennifer Van Der Berg would like you to know that the book ostensibly written about her— Born to Be Extraordinary by Eileen Codlin—is a bunch of bunk. Yes, she had a fairy godparent mess with her life, but no, she was not made into a princess or given the gift of self-confidence, and she sure as hell didn't get a hot boyfriend out of it.
Here's the REAL scoop . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairy Tales, Vampires, Supernatural, Paranormal, Humor

324 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Adam Selzer blocked Goodreads on his computer for years but now he's on here, so let him have it. His first book was HOW TO GET SUSPENDED AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE (now available in a "Now With More Swearing") edition, his next one is PLAY ME BACKWARDS (for satanic young adults), and his best known is probably I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT, a Twilight satire that was not marketed as a satire.

He also writes the SMART ALECK'S GUIDE series and has published a bunch of Chicago history/ghostlore books.

You can also find him under the name SJ Adams, the name he used for SPARKS: THE EPIC, COMPLETELY TRUE BLUE (ALMOST) HOLY QUEST OF DEBBIE, which won a Stonewall honor and made the YALSA popular paperback list.

Reviews

[Amy Lignor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love. You mean, did I like this book? Am I being too mysterious? From the author who brought America the extremely hysterical, I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked it (as well as other unforgettable tales), comes a book with a plotline that is out of this world funny, and characters you will fall head over heels for.

As the cover states: This is the true story of my fairy godparent, who almost killed me, and certainly never made me a princess; and when the first line reads, “Eileen Codlin sucks cheese,” readers will know right away that they are in for a great ride. Eileen Codlin is an author who decided to tell Jennifer’s amazing story to the world (a story that she bought for five hundred dollars and then ended up making a million in sales), and tell it completely and utterly wrong. So Jennifer Van Den Berg has decided to tell readers what really happened to her.

Jennifer is a normal, slightly chubby teen with purple hair, clothes, bedroom - let’s just say that Jennifer is a big fan of the color purple. She has a job, teaching one child how to play the piano, in order to bring in enough money to keep her broken-down powder-blue ‘Jenmobile’ on the road. One day, as she’s walking into McDonald’s to get what she needs before racing to school, she runs across an odd little man who looks like something out of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. He’s more than a bit strange, and completely unflattering when speaking with Jennifer saying that “she’s just not good enough,” and she does her best to escape him as fast as possible. Of course, when he appears at her school as the new director of their production of “The Music Man” and gives Jennifer a part that was promised to one of the “snootier” girls in school, he begins to cause trouble for her. His name is Gregory Grue, and this is just the beginning.

A book set in modern-day, this is a bit ahead of 2012 seeing as that vampires have already come out of the closet and live among everyone else. Jennifer is all for that. In fact, she is a member of the Iowa Human/Post-Human Alliance, a small group that just wants everyone to get along. One night she goes to a meeting to ask Corey, the boy she has a major crush on, to be her date for the homecoming dance. Turns out, he has a girlfriend already, a hideous one that truly hates Jennifer‘s very existence.

Jennifer really misses her best friend, Mutual, a boy that she grew up with who left town a while back and moved to Alaska. Jennifer hasn’t seen or heard from him since.

Jennifer wants her life to be better. In fact, she wants nothing more that to be “extraordinary” and it seems that this little odd man, Gregory Grue, is the one who can make that happen. Why? Because it turns out that he is her ‘Godmofo (you’ll understand when you read the book). Grue will give Jennifer three wishes, and all she has to do in return is kiss the guy of his choice at the homecoming dance.

Agreeing, Jennifer’s life soon begins to change. Even Mutual returns. All grown up, he is different somehow but still likes Jennifer and sees her for what she really is. He lets her know what’s been happening in Alaska, including the fact that his parents are actually vampires and they are trying to get him to convert, which he so doesn’t want to do.

Add in a storyline of a clan of vampires who may be on the hunt for revenge, and the other wishes that are granted by Grue, and Jennifer soon finds out that the promise she made to her ‘Godmofo’ may just have been the worst mistake of her life.

It is not surprising that this book is downright perfect and absolutely hysterical, considering this man seems to be able to churn them out one right after the other, getting even more funny as he goes. Do Not Miss This One!

Until Next Time, Everybody!
Amy

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book. Was weird.
I had no idea what was going to happen and that's a good thing.

[E. Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved Adam Selzer's EXTRAORDINARY*: *THE TRUE STORY OF MY FAIRY GODPARENT, WHO ALMOST KILLED ME, AND CERTAINLY NEVER MADE ME A PRINCESS. I mean, check that out. The title enough should already have you sucked in. But in case you need a little something to sweeten the pot, I'll have you know this: EXTRAORDINARY* is the best book I've ever read that uses unicorn poop as a major plot point. (Okay, maybe the only book. But, you know.)

Set in the familiar Selzerverse town of Cornersville Trace, Iowa, EXTRAORDINARY* is the story of one Jennifer Van Der Berg, a girl who is living a pretty average life, doing the whole high school thing in the wake of zombies and vampires "coming out of the coffin." She goes to class, has a few friends, and goes to regular Post-human/Human Alliance meetings. And she really loves purple. But when one day at McDonald's some greasy jerk deigns it appropriate to call her Grimace -- yes, the giant purple dude occasionally seen in McD's advertising -- she has half a mind to rip his face off. (Jennifer Van Der Berg has some anger issues to work out.) Soon, this guy -- Gregory Grue -- is everywhere, including her Alliance meetings, where he claims to be a new type of post human. In fact, he's Jennifer's fairy god mofo.

Of course, readers should already know this, as Jennifer explains. Her story has already been told in a bestselling book, and, ever since the movie adaptation came out, people have been camping out on her lawn and harassing her boyfriend. But the book -- written by post-human "expert" Eileen Codlin -- got it all wrong. In the book, "Jenny V." got to go to the dance, avoid a geek, and kiss a vampire to become a princess. Real life is way harder than that.

In real life, Jennifer kind of likes the geek, whom she hasn't seen since a spelling bee scandal in elementary school. And the only reason she mightkiss that vampire is the fact that her fairy god mofo -- who also has managed to become her theatre teacher, of all things -- is one tricky, er, mofo.

While there are definitely some treats in EXTRAORDINARY* for folks who read Adam Selzer's last book, I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT, you certainly don't have to read one to enjoy the other. EXTRAORDINARY* is clever, snarky, and packed with laughs. And, well, unicorn poop. But, you know, I think readers should focus on the laughs. (Poop is funny, after all, isn't it?

[Coreena McBurnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, lighthearted, entertaining book to read, perfect for summer. I love twists on established stories and fairy tales and this one is great - it takes so many of the expectations that we have for princess stories and living happily ever after and turns them on their head in clever ways.

The book is held together with Jennifer, an ordinary teen with a passion for purple, setting the record straight after a book was written about her, a book that was far from the truth of what really happened. This is a nice way to frame the story and set up the contradictions between fairy tales and what reality - and also to explore the theme of how a normal person can make choices and take actions to become extraordinary, and not to have a fairy godmother solve all of their problems for them and magically make them extraordinary.

The tone of the book was easy to read, with Jennifer facing many of the same kinds of issues that many teens face - bullies, boys she likes, how to fit in... The book is conversational and a bit brash.

There are also some great plot twists and funny turns of events, especially around unicorns. There is lots of action and even zombies and vampires. I think this will appeal to teens, especially younger and middle teens who like quirky, fast paced books and fantasy not too far removed from real life.

[Deb]

A fuller review coming later, this book does not come out until Nov/2011. But I will say (as The Plot Whisperer does), beginnings hook the reader (and Adam Selzer did a great job of hooking me in)...endings make fans. I am a fan. He took vampires (including prudish victorian ones), fairy godmothers (okay, fairy godmofo), zombies, highschool, true love, an ordinary girl (who deals with anger by smashing crap from the dollar store), Shakespeare, The Music Man and some unicorn poop, mixed it all together into a great, clever read for teens. Kind of a wow for me.

[Ian_E1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel "Extraordinary" by Adam Selzer is about Jenny (the main character) facing Mr. Gregory (The maniac vampire who tries to turn other people into vampires as well) who "tries" to kill her. Jenny and her friends outsmarts Mr. Gregory by spilling unicorn feces all over the dance floor. ; )

This book reminds me of a great friend of mine that lived on the other side of earth, Ryan, who I really want to visit. Mutual, in the story, comes to visit Jenny from Alaska. The book also reminds me of a guy in 8th grade with purple hair... After reading this book, I feel like I could overcome anything, anything that is in my way. This book is a great book for people who like fantasy and realistic fiction. I thought maybe the book wasn't so original, based off of "Born to be Extraordinary"

[Tisha "Manic Reads" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I picked up the book because the cover was very literally a rip off of the cover art of the movie "Enchanted" let's be real.



The characters are very interesting in this book and well described so you can picture your own thoughts on the people, like Jenny, the main, or her crush, Mutual. For awhile I thought that was just a nickname she was calling him but no that was really his name... kinda odd but there you have it go figure.

There is this ever present other story being talked about and you have the feeling of "did I miss a prequel?" but nope, it is just a self inserted book that they are talking about to make things a little more complicated.

All sorts of creatures exist in this world, from vampires



to zombies



to a fairy godmofo who resembles Bob Hoskins in my mind more than he does the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo kind honestly.



Jenny goes through all kinds of trials and tribulations and tries to duck out of it a few times because this girl is not putting up with any of it. Having a fairy godperson isn't all it is cracked up to be, and it certainly isn't like it is in the books. She may be as open minded as the next person, but a girl has her limits.



With a twist that you realize just as the character does and will have you gasping, this book is definitely a fun one that is a quick read, I had it done in less than a day. A little young adult, and I am definitely probably not in the normal age range for it, but I think adults can find some interest in it if they are young at heart or still enjoy the occasional DCOM. Definitely held my interest while I was reading it.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I finished a few days ago so it's not so fresh in my mind anymore but here goes.

It was alright. I liked the concept more than the other Adam Selzer book I read, I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It. The characters, I felt I was more invested in them since they were consistently built upon. The only thing I thought was annoying (and was actually a big part of the storyline, which is a problem then) is that he kept referring to the "book" that THIS ACTUAL BOOK was made in order to "clear things up."

I found that there should have been more of an explanation of that in the beginning because it was confusing.

Hmm, what else?
Well another thing I liked was the portrayal of Jennifer's "arch enemy."
Anyway there were also some funny moments, my personal favourite being a trait that Jennifer had of smashing porcelains oh and the unicorn.
The whole Mutual thing was a bit random but eventually made sense... so yeah even though all the loose ends tied up together eventually, it was quite rushed writing (and I know this is the style that Mr. Selzer was aiming for, showing an intention as Jennifer, who did not write but only read, being the author) which was confusing, frustrating at times (because I wanted to understand why situation (A) happened and why not situation (B) or any other further details which would've aided my understanding and created a deeper link between me (the reader) and the character of the story.

Anyway so that's my review. In summary, I thought I'd really like this book but no, it's just okay.

[Tammy Walquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, clever and original take on the whole "my fairy godparent showed up to make my life better." Selzer did a great job of creating a world similar to ours where normal humans exist in a world with vampires who've "come out of the coffin" and zombies who are out of the grave. Jennifer, the main character, is an overachieving high school student whose life has finally calmed down since all of her extracurriculars and perfect grades got her into her dream university.

Then Gregory Grue, who claims to be her "fairy godmofo" shows up, saying he'll grant her three wishes, as long as she does him a favor of his choice. The plot thickens as her childhood sweetheart, Mutual, comes back into town and she discovers what favor it is Gregory wants her to do, with dire consequences if she doesn't.

This story was very clever, and it had a fantastic voice. I felt like I could really get into Jennifer's head, and I loved how it kept referring to a fictitious account that this story was suppesedly clearing up. It was a fun read that I honestly had a hard time putting down. I look forward to trying more of Selzer's stories. This is technically a companion to his first book "I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It" with a few references throughout the book, but you don't need to read that one to understand and/or like this one.

[Erin P · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to Eileen Colin everyting that happened to Jennifer is different to how it really happened. The week the events in the book happened started with a bad day. Jennifer couldn't catch a break. Her guidance counselor caught her with a "deadly weapon" or also known as a pair of ice skates, her car stalls every block or so, and a creepy short guy is stalking her. Jennifer has had enough, until her fairy godmofo comes to save the day, right? Well his magic comes with a price. She has to get Fred, Cathy Marconi's boyfriend, to kiss her or she will be dead by the end of the dance. With the help of her friends, Jason and Amber, see how Jennifer could survive to see another week, with a few twists along the way.

I couldn't put this book down. Some people say Jennifer was bratty and self obsorbed, but I though she had the perfect characteristics. This book has everything any fantasy lover would want, though at some parts I felt bored and unimpressed. The author makes up for this though by putting in jokes about how they are a terrible writer and are doing this because they need money. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a different kind of feel and wants something new to a fantasy book. Adam Selzer did a great job of writing this book and I can't wait to read another one of his books.

[Diane Ferbrache · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subtitle – “the true story of my fairy godparent, who almost killed me, and certainly never made me a princess”. Jennifer Van der Berg is the hero of a best selling fairy tale that purports to be her true story. Since the publication, her life has been filled with stalkers and fan mail. So she has decided to set the story straight. She lives in post-human Des Moines, IA where vampires, werewolves, and fairies are common place. Her fairy godmother is really her “fairy godmofo” and is male and not a very nice pre-human. The wishes he has granted have put Jenny in a precarious position. She has to be kissed by a vampire before the Homecoming dance ends or she will die. Meanwhile, the boy she really likes is about to be turned into a vampire by his parents, and there’s no way she will ever become a princess.
From the cover I expected light-hearted silliness, but found instead an interesting premise and a delightful story to go along with it. Jenny is funny & clever. Her story alternates with brief passages from the best seller, so the reader really has two stories to enjoy. Not likely to win any awards, but lots of fun. Some references to “making out” and some fairly mild profanity (she uses the word "dick" a lot!), so recommended for 8th grade and up.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a real treat for fans of I Put a Spell on You: From the Files of Chrissie Woodward, Spelling Bee Detective, especially if you liked Jennifer, Mutual, Jason, and/or Amber, but even if you've never read that book, this is still a fun, funny book. This is also a sort of sequel/companion book to I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It, and there are some references to the events of that book, but it's not necessary to have read that book either.

All the characters are believable and interesting. There's a little bit of romance. There were even a couple of moments that made me laugh out loud. I honestly don't know why this book hasn't gotten more attention. I really enjoyed it and heartily recommend it to people who enjoy books that turn fairy tales upside down and/or those who think unicorn poop is funny.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of funny moments in this book as well as an interesting universe of humans and "post-humans," plus I'm all for stories that turn traditional romance tropes on their heads, but there were some things missing from this one for me. The main thing was that the very fun premise, that an author has written a book about what happens to the main character that makes everything more like typical paranormal romances, could have played even more on the differences between those types of books and real life. It wasn't entirely clear why the book within the book would become so popular that people would camp out on the main character's lawn or why they would think she could help them become a princess. Very funny, yes, but not believable enough, even in a world with other unbelievable stuff going on. The device that sets everything in action wasn't believable enough either. I wish I wasn't so set on plot devices making sense--it spoils a lot of otherwise perfectly enjoyable reads.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I *did* really like it... except for the parts where my head was swimming. Turns out EXTRAORDINARY is a companion book to at least two other Selzer novels that I haven't yet read: I PUT A SPELL ON YOU and I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT. Selzer makes a good attempt to introduce new readers to the various important characters and situations from those other books, but at times the result is a bit overwhelming. There oughta be a warning label saying, "Read these other books first!" ;-)

That being said! I loved the quirky characters, zany humor, and bizarre world of Cornersville Trace, Iowa, that Selzer creates in EXTRAORDINARY. I loved seeing Jennifer grow from an easily picked-on wallflower into a strong young woman who owns her love of the color purple. I loved the sly references to THE MUSIC MAN. And who knew unicorns would smell so ghastly?

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another interesting frame (correcting a bestseller) for a visit to Cornersville Trace and characters familiar from Selzer's other books. Jen, no longer forced into overachievement due to early college acceptance, runs into a creepy little man who declares himself her fairygodmo..fo..and grants her three ill-advised wishes. Style is improved but plots could still use a bit of tightening up, and although he does a better job than with I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It of having a female narrator, things don't always ring true. Also, Jen's parents have split since I Put a Spell on You and that feels out of place. Readable.

[Rosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5.

In a world identical to ours other than the zombies and vampires and other post-humans who've "come out", a human girl attempts to set the story straight after a best-selling novel is written detailing false events of her life.

Not sure this book exactly happened the way the author intended it to happen. I found it more bizarre than quirky, which could've been perfectly fine if had been well-written and actually funny and the characters had had more depth.

[Andrea Dillon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok the layout of the book confused me some. I am glad I had read "I kissed a Zombie" and "I put a spell on you" before I read this one. I think that helped me enjoy the characters a little more however I kinda think it dropped the ball a little. I kinda liked it...2.5 stars almost a 3 ...I'm wavering.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jennifer wants you to know that the book Eileen Codlin wrote about her was mostly wrong. She wants to set the record straight for those 11 million buyers of that other book. Selzer's use of second person, quirky humor, and a unique "post-human" world (by six years) as the setting make this an entertaining read. I give it 3.5 stars.

[Jaq · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. It was a great way to have a vampire type book for teens without getting....well...stupid. It was a good entertaining read, enough humor and a bit of drama to make it entertaining and keep you engaged.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more of a 3.5 for me, but I'm rounding up because I really enjoyed the humor in the book.
I don't even know how to describe the story. I think the title sums up the kind of book it is.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading the book. It made me laugh all the way.

[Kim Kanofsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was actually a lot of fun to read. Vamps, fairies, an author with a long leash, unicorns...quite a feat all in one book!

[Ⓛeah ✿εїз✾]

Hilarious!

[Serina · Rating 3 out of 5]

one of those uniquely funny book that you can genuinely sit back and enjoy. i really liked it and although its not super funny, but did make me laugh out loud.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good adolescent read.

[Milena Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing! Weird twist though.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hilarious! I laughed out loud mostly at every chapter. Its a fun unusual story different take on the supernatural genre.

[Cathy]

This anti-fairy tale includes vampires, zombies, fake fairy godmothers and lots of unicorn poop.

[Lee Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe really 2 1/2 stars.