Spell of the Sinister

A Fairy Godmother #2

by Danielle Paige

In New York Times bestselling author Danielle Paige's wickedly fresh take on beloved tales, the fairy godmothers make the rules. Be careful what you wish for . . .

Two magical sisters. One more chance at revenge. . . .

Ever since Cinderella disappeared with Prince Mather the queendoms have been in disarray. Now with her magical power completely unchecked, Galatea intends to exact revenge on humans for using the Entente. Her plan? Send Bari off to find a new prince and take over one queendom at a time. But Bari's mission is complicated when South joins her and sparks begin to fly . . .

Meanwhile, Farrow is on her own journey to reunite with Cinderella and Prince Mather in the first Queendom. Amid brewing conflict, Farrow grapples with her feelings for Mather, her friendship with Cinderella, and her loyalty to the Entente's original purpose--to influence with helpful magic, never take total control.

Once as close as sisters, Bari and Farrow now find themselves on opposing sides. Will malice win out, or will the next generation of Entente chart a new path to "happily ever after" for their magical coven of fairy godmothers?

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Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Audiobook, Young Adult Fantasy, Fairy Tales

Hardcover

First published December 17, 2024

About the author

Danielle lives in NY. Before turning to YA, she worked in television & was nominated for several Daytime Emmy's. Dorothy Must Die is her first novel.

Reviews

[Lisenka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3¼⭐️

[Laurie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm very disappointed with this one. "Wish of the Wicked" was the first book I read last year and it was one of my favourite books from last year. After reading this, I still maintain that it should never have been made into a duology.

The characters have nothing to so in this book. Cinderella and Mather spend the majority of this book Frozen in time, that's how bad it is. Every problem is created by magic and solved by more powerful magic. This entire boom could have been solved by Hecate wishing for it to be over. Bari is the only one with anything to do at all, and it wasn't even interesting.

The worst part were the themes. I ATE UP the themes in the last book like it was chocolate. This theme was.... kissing makes it better!?! What happened to themes of revenge, identity loss, etc??? How did we go to romance saves the day??? If Paige wanted to solution to be love, it could have been the sisterly/familiar love between the Entente. Instead the last 200 or so pages of this book are the characters talking about kissing eachother and thinking about kissing eachother and talking/thinking about which other characters are kissing each other.

The Rooks are even more stupid than I thought they were going to be. Totally unesseary and confusing.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up Wasn’t quite what I expected. Based on how book one developed, I expected this to be much more focused on trying to take over the Queendoms and the other side trying to stop it.
Bari honestly still creeped me out with her ability to turn her body into bugs, with her face being part bugs, etc. I didn’t really like her as a character or as a POV. Still a little suprised at how separated South and Farrow became. Cinderella and Mather are off page for most of this story.
Maybe I just wanted something different or read this too close to another fantasy novel. I feel like there were unanswered questions and mor plot that could be developed in regards to the Queendoms, or if the true point was love, that could have been left out altogether.

[Tristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Colored Pages Book Tours and Bloomsbury for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Review of Spell of the Sinister by Danielle Paige

Rating: 3/5 stars

Danielle Paige’s Spell of the Sinister offers a fresh twist on classic fairy tales with a unique take on fairy godmothers and the power dynamics within magical realms. As the second book in the A Fairy Godmother duology, it picks up where the first left off, bringing readers back into a world of intrigue, magic, and shifting loyalties. While there’s a lot to enjoy in this book, it doesn’t quite stick the landing in terms of pacing and overall plot cohesion.

The dual POVs of Bari and Farrow were one of the strongest elements of the book. I loved getting to see events from both of their perspectives, particularly when their differing views brought depth and nuance to the story. Both characters are compelling and well-written, and their journeys kept me engaged. Their dynamic, once as close as sisters and now divided, added tension and complexity to the narrative.

However, the plot felt uneven, and the pacing was often bogged down by repetitive elements, especially in Farrow’s storyline. Some parts of the book felt unnecessary, slowing the momentum to a crawl. For example, Rook’s storyline felt confusing and disconnected from the main plot. Either their role needed to be more fleshed out and integral to the story or left out entirely.

Additionally, some character dynamics felt underdeveloped or inconsistent. Galatea’s alarming behavior was a significant thread, yet the lack of action from the other characters made it feel less impactful. Bari’s love-hate relationship with South felt overly juvenile at times, undermining the tension and stakes in their interactions.

Final Thoughts:

Spell of the Sinister has a lot of potential and delivers intriguing moments, particularly in its unique take on fairy tale reimaginings and the layered perspectives of its main characters. However, the pacing and plot inconsistencies detract from the overall experience. Fans of the first book in the duology or those who enjoy reimagined fairy tales might still find this a worthwhile read, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

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[Pine Reads Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Happily ever after. Just like in the stories.”

Picking up where Wish of the Wicked, a Cinderella retelling, leaves off, Spell of the Sinister follows the fairy godmothers, also known as Entente, who have been fighting for revenge after being taken advantage of by humans. Implicated in the fairy godmothers' struggle, friends Bari and Farrow experience rising tensions between them when their loyalties and priorities begin to differ. Bari finds herself on a mission to find a new prince to take over the queendom in Prince Mather’s absence, while Farrow seeks to find Prince Mather and Cinderella before Bari can succeed in her endeavor. As Farrow grows closer to Mather, however, the drive for vengeance starts to seem insignificant. Meanwhile, Bari, enacting Galatea’s plan, grows closer to South as she continues her mission.

Spell of the Sinister is a solid sequel to a promising concept that offers a unique perspective on a classic fairytale. In particular, I enjoyed Farrow’s characterization and development as she begins to challenge the views Hecate and the other Entente instilled in her. When it comes to her relationship with Bari, it was refreshing to see the difference between this book and the first. Their relationship changes throughout the story, but when tied back to the themes of sisterhood, platonic and romantic love, and how “happily ever afters" can be achieved even after embracing differences, it certainly fits well. While my main strife with the last book was that it tried to address too many aspects of world-building that only made it more complicated than it needed to be, I felt like that wasn’t as much of an issue in Spell of the Sinister. Though still action-packed and plot-heavy, the sequel seemed to be more internal and character-focused. Some of the dialogue felt out of place and unnatural at times, which could, in part, be due to the fact that I listened to the previous book on audio but read this one. Regardless, the phrasing of some sentences seemed to be trying too hard to not sound modernized, like when Galatea says “this situation is fraught for you” but later says “this will be difficult.” If conveying the same idea, why is the verbiage so different? Despite these minor issues, Spell of the Sinister is a strong conclusion to the series.

Spell of the Sinister releases on December 17th, 2024

Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2.5/5 ⭐️

I was excited to read it right after Wish of the Wicked, especially after the open ending, but unfortunately, Spell of the Sinister turned out to be quite disappointing.

It picks up right after the events of the first book, and there’s a lot happening. The story is packed with events and conversations between the characters. They travel across the Queendoms using magic, so there aren’t many idle moments for them. What I enjoyed, though, is that the whole story felt like a mix between a fairy tale and a soap opera.

The book features both Farrow’s and Bari’s POVs, written in the first person. Bari’s POV was much more engaging, as it allowed us to learn more about her, Amantha, and South, and I appreciated their growth arcs. In contrast, I didn’t particularly enjoy Farrow’s plotline. She and Hecate came across as quite flat compared to how well they were developed in Wish of the Wicked. Hecate’s gift felt too convenient and yet useless.

What I enjoyed most was that, despite being on opposite sides, both parties were respectful of each other, which effectively portrayed the typical political intrigue of royals and the affection of the Entente sisters. However, because of this, there was a lot of telling, and the storyline felt a bit confusing. I read an uncorrected proof copy, so this might be different in the final version.

In the end, this was a quite enjoyable read all the same, but I don’t think I’ll ever reread it.

If the first book was a good recommendation for anyone who enjoys young adult fantasy, I’d say this second installment is more suitable for younger readers than adults who enjoy YA.

I received an advanced reader copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[The Bookish Chimera - Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My magic was completely dormant unless it was in fulfillment of another’s desire.”

I loved the idea behind Spell of the Sinister, or “the Fairy Godmother’s origin story”. It was such a delight! I loved the many characters, all in different shades of greys, as much as their interactions. The large sorority, the conflicts between them linked to their personal goals and not by “jealousy” or only rivalry was a change we don’t often see in fantasy. I also loved the idea behind the book that happiness can be found in many ways and not only in the traditional fairy tales' ending.
I have to say that I usually prefer when there are less POVs but in this case it was completely justified, as we follow a group of women of power and not only some protagonists about romance. It took me a little while to be accustomed to that, but once it was done I really enjoyed the mix of POVs.
The world building here is mostly political, and a lot based on dialogues. It’s a personal preference, but I like when there are more descriptions to immerse me into the world (scenery) created by the author, but I know it’s not the general opinion. That being said, every character truly has their own voice, and it wasn’t a problem to follow, and it also felt a great duology to be adapted on the screen. The choral cast with a lot of personalities, the magic, some “transformation” scenes, would indeed make (IMO) a great movie/TV show.

Thank you Danielle Paige, NetGalley and Bloomsbury publishing for the eARC. My opinions are my own.

[Jonah Nicholson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I spent 75% of this book confused. This series could have easily been made into a trilogy but there were too many missing points in this book. Plot lines were progressing far too fast for me to keep up.

I wanted the Rooks and their purpose especially their magic system to be explained more. Yet the whole reason they are who they are today was summarized to “the patriarchy”. That was it. That was the line. And for all this build up, and mystery about them, it just felt like the Rooks were just male Entente who had one point before ruled the Queendoms. It just feels like a-lot of rising action, no climax, just a really steep collapse of the plot. I wanted to know more of why the Entente did what they did to the rooks especially because men ruling or having any power became outlawed across magical and human worlds alike. The only thing I could understand was that the Rooks wish magic was basically like OUAT. All magic has a price and the rooks could decide what the price was.

South and Bari are a weird couple for each other and I don’t like it at all. She tried spelling him and he…yeah I don’t get it. Then him telling Farrow its not real and then at the end, it being real?

The system of magic in this one was off too. Cause we are waiting for Farrow to build up all this wish power and yet whole time it doesn’t matter.

The reveal at the end would have hit so much harder if I wasn’t confused throughout the book. Ngl, I was kinda hoping Hecate turned out to be working with Galatea the whole time. This ending felt boring. Especially because she spoiled the rest.

[Chaos & Courtships~ Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

Spell of the Sinister is the second book in the Fairy Godmother Series, and is every bit as magical and enthralling as the first installment. It picks up where Wish Of The Wicked leaves off, and begins new journeys and adventures for our FMCs, Farrow & Bari.

This duology takes what we know about the fairy godmothers from Cinderella, and gives it a dark, unexpected twist. In this world, the godmothers, known as the Entente, have been betrayed by the humans they once served. Outlawed and hunted by the queen, the first book sees the Entente enacting their plans for revenge… and it’s not sparky & pretty. 😳 In this installment, Farrow and Bari, once the best of friends, find themselves on opposite side the conflict between the humans and s the Entente- as Farrow hopes to thwart some of the more sinister plans, and Bari is hellbent on revenge. The story pits once beloved sisters against each other, as they both grapple with their new roles in this dark new world.

This was an incredibly fun and engaging YA adventure, with dark themes, angst, action, magic, humor, and romance. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good dark fairytale retelling, where the “good guys” don’t always behave, and the villains are complex and fascinating. Revenge and betrayal take a front seat in this twisted tale, and I absolutely ate it up.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Thank you @coloredpagesbt and @bloomsburybookus and the author for this gifted copy of the book for review.

YA dark fairytale fantasy, sequel to Wish of the Wicked by Danielle Paige. This series is a Cinderella retelling with the fairy godmother as the female MC!

In Spell of the Sinister, we get to follow both Farrow and Bari in first person as they carry out opposing plans of action throughout the Queendoms. I enjoyed this book! I loved the dual POVs because they allowed for greater insight into the minds of more of the characters. I also enjoyed the short chapters that were like snapshots of different events happening at the same time. It kept the story fast paced and more suspenseful. The storyline was a bit predictable, but it was still interesting.

This book also had more romance than the first book in the series, which I liked. There was a fun enemies to lovers dynamic and some other sweet couples throughout the book. There are many happy endings which always makes a book better in my opinion!

If you love fates, fairytale retellings, grim fantasy, witchy vibes, romance, and happily ever afters, you should definitely read this series!

[Jacqueline Firkins]

With Spell of the Sinister, Paige continues her exploration of power and corruption, set in a fairy tale world. A wicked queen has been overthrown, but when tyranny is replaced by more tyranny, who really stands to benefit beyond those at the very top? This time we have two narrative voices, the young fairy godmother from book 1 and another girl teetering on the brink of murderous villainy. Paige packs a lot into this book, with several overlapping seductions and love spells, daring rescues, poisons, fairy tale reworkings (mainly Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty), a look at the problematic polarization of both matriarchies and patriarchies, a celebration of live theatre, trips to the underworld, body transformation, a hunt for lost family members, balls, weddings, kidnapping, entrapment, disguises and impersonation, political negotiations, magic artifacts, and an exploration of the nature of fate, the power of wishes, and cycles of vengeance. Overall, a complex look at a world emerging from a monarchy but not yet ready for democracy, with two unique heroines at its center.

[Alecia Hefner · Rating 3 out of 5]

#SpelloftheSinister is the sequel in the A Fairy Godmother series where we find the the godmothers aren't as sweet as we have always been led to believe. the Entente is a group of magical being known to us at Godmothers, but most have no love for human beings. After Hecate is burned and turned to a being only made of ashes things get even more complicated for Human, Rook and entente alike.

Farrow finds herself only able to weild magic as long as it is in the form of a wish, Galatea has taken over the Queendom and has a plan to dethrone all the human Queens and place those of the Entente on the throne. Vital to her plans are Bari and Amantha her daughters both with different powers but not all plans go as they are supposed to and both Bari and Amantha find themselves faces a magic far great than their mothers.

I want to thank #Netglley for the chance to read #SpelloftheSinister by #DaniellePaige in return for a fair and honest review.

[Ricky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though the fairytale retelling trend in YA has largely died out since its 2010s heyday, leave it to Danielle Paige to keep it alive. And it'll probably have a resurgence in the coming years thanks to the success of Wicked (though let's be real, Dorothy Must Die should've had a movie adaptation first.) But here, Paige brings her latest fairytale retelling to its conclusion with a fast-paced dual-POV-rivals story that, while not specifically Ozian, nevertheless wears its Wicked influences on its sleeve as proudly as one can expect from Paige. She's stuck to her stylistic guns pretty well over the years, and I'd really love to see where she goes next after this, because she's one of the few YA authors I'm still regularly keeping up with these days for many reasons.

[Elora Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not as strong as the first book, this was still true to the darker, unique, fantastical world of the Les Soeurs, the fairy godmothers. This time we really get into Bari’s point of view as well. I didn’t mind the short chapters in the first book, but this time they were so short, the story was choppy and more difficult to follow in general. The reference to Sleeping Beauty from the first book is realized in this story, though Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are combined. Elements of the stories are referenced and utilized in different ways. The way the romantic couples end up is an interesting choice for sure, and it still bothers me a bit how far from canon this diverts, but hey it’s a rewrite. I imagine I will read both books again, and I highly recommend!

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spell of the Sinister is the second book in the Fairy Godmother Series which turns the entire idea that those godmothers are sweet beings just waiting to grant wishes to downtrodden humans right on its head. The Entente, as the group of magical fairy godmothers are known, have been ill used by humans and are out for some revenge. Farrow and her mother Hecate have one plan, while Bari and her group have another. The book is exciting and engaging. There is mild violence and scenes of peril, sweet romance, but nothing to keep this from being a nice middle grade book.

I received an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

[Victoria Vivente · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spell of the Sinister is a thematically ambitious conclusion that succeeds more in character exploration than in thrilling plot payoff. It is a book that values emotional and philosophical resolution, asking what comes after the revenge fantasy and who gets to write the new rules. Fans of Wish of the Wicked invested in Bari and Farrow's relationship will find much to appreciate, though those craving a high-action, heist-like sequel may find the pace and focus different than expected. Recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy and dark retellings that prioritize moral ambiguity and sisterhood (both fractured and found) over clear-cut victories.

[Joy McConnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved "Wish of the Wicked" so much I had high hopes for this sequel. It didn't live up to them. I was torn between giving this novel 2 or 3 stars (I wish there was a 2.5 option). The story was all over the place, I didn't feel any of the romances, and Bari's character arc had so much potential, but it never came close to reaching it. If you are expecting the same quality of storytelling as you experienced in "Wish of the Wicked," be warned. You may be disappointed.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still enjoyed some concepts but I was getting very annoyed halfway because kissing kept getting brought up while fifty billion things were going on. The ending caught me off guard though so there’s that.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything that Danielle Paige comes up with. This is no exception. Always well written. Witty. I teared up a time or two. And I absolutely loved the tie in of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. I wish there was more.

[Linet Meesters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the growth of bari her character and the fact that the world is still more very than black and white. But I kind of missed the same depth with farrow and hecate. out kind of felt like this was about bari and not so much anything else.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book was the Cinderella retelling. This book completed the transformation from a retelling to a fairytale all its own.

I really liked it, especially the redemption arcs. I loved South and Bari's (sp?) story the most.

[Ashley Kosik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give it a 4.5. If you read the first one you have to read this one. It is a good story and it has a good ending. It was just very jarring switching point of view through the first half of the book and I couldn’t get into a good reading flow until about half way through.

[Janna Felix · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Fairy Godmother Series. This is a delightful sequel and an excellent twist on the fairy godmothers, as well as a great Cinderella retelling.

[Chelsea lovell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this was clever. I loved the wisdom of it.

[Kelly Renders · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved getting the see what happens to the entante and the fates, I was shocked cause of the twist near the ending I'm very happy to see the bond between hecate and farrow grow.

[Lottie Collett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great sequel

[Alexsis · Rating 3 out of 5]

SO many people to keep up with and the plot just felt messy.

[Jem · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, but it is truly the worst book I’ve ever read.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

not as good as the first one, more chaotic and maybe more of a reach too

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spell of the Sinister changes everything that we know about fairy godmothers! I had so much fun reading this Cinderella retelling. There is an array of characters and it was interesting to see which sisters were on Farrow or Bari sides. The rivalry and revenge between the sisters was addicting. For me, the highlight of the book was the granting of wishes. Being able to see how wishes could change the outcomes.
This duology is great for fans of young adult, magical adventures, touch of romance, fantasy, and fairytales.

A very special thanks to @coloredpagesbt + @bloomsburybookus + @daniellempaige for the gifted copy.