Dorthea is a teenage princess who happens to be the great-great-oh so great descendant of Dorthy. Ya know, Dorthy from the original Wizard of Oz that we know, however it's a bit different in this story. This world revolves around the belief that the world is a storybook and the "Creators" are the authors of their fate. Everything has rules and procedures, princesses get their happy endings. Nothing bad is suppose to happen to said Princesses because that's not how the story works.

Things happen, wishes are made and POOF! All the rules go right out the window. What once was beautiful and good becomes warped. Dorthea's world is slowly corroding away right before her eyes and she's to blame. It's up to her, her furball companion and crazy haired friend to save the day but when you're being chased by crazy evil women and giants, things get difficult.

Obviously, I really got into this book since I gave it five stars. For me, this one is a total rereader because it's hilarious, adorable and uber creative. I love the spin on this story and the bits and pieces pulled from the Oz stories. I felt like there were a good bit of different influences from those original stories I could grab onto here without feeling like I'm reading a duplication of the original. Schow takes aspects and then turns them topsy turvy adding her own unique creations and language.

I honestly really liked all of the characters because they all had a sense of depth. I couldnt really pinpoint any particular character and say "oh, what a cookie cutter character". Dorthea at first acted like your spoiled teenager but eventually developed into someone that understood the sun didnt rise for her. She was funny and sympathetic, sometimes a bit of a tart but mostly she picked up on things quickly. I realllllly like Kato as well because he went from ice king to sweetheart in my opinion. He really made a good example out of "dont judge a book by it's cover".

I'd definitely say this is a great read for anyone wanting something fairy-talish and whimsical. I'm not really an Oz fan but this book really worked for me, if you're a hardcore Oz fan you'll either love this or not. I'm not sure there will be an inbetween for you because Dorthea has more oomph than Dorthy ever did. I'd say this would be good for probably 13+ and up, there's not really any sexual stuff going on or anything questionable.

Review

Spelled is a fun story.  I love how Schow weaved in all the fairytales, and made them come to life.

Dorthea is a girl who is forbidden to step outside the castle, and it's the one thing she wants more than anything.  When we first meet her she is kind of a brat.  She thinks she is better than everyone and needs a kick in the pants.  I think my favorite thing is that Dorthea grows.  She learns that maybe she isn't all that, and maybe she should be a little more kind.

Another favorite thing is that she is constantly having to fight this hunger that is trying to take over.  I can't imagine how hard it would be to try to figure out if I'm the hero or villain of the story.  Each choice leads to something a consequence, can Dorthea live with some of hers.

Then there is the friendship and romance.  Dorthea ends up with a wide range of friends.  She didn't think she'd find herself amidst these people, or want to be friends with them.  But they prove that friends come in the unlikeliest of forms, and have a fierce loyalty.

I'm hoping there are more books to this.  I could get lost in this world over and over again.  The characters are smart, witty, and a lot of fun in even the most dire situations.

 

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This review was originally posted on Bookish Things & More

 

   Wow. Just wow. I LOVED this book. Spelled was truly enchanting. This story was just so much fun, from the hilarious play on words, to the completely fresh and brilliant take on beloved fairytales. I really can't think of one thing that I didn't enjoy about this story. The characters were flawed but compelling, you couldn't help but root for them and thoroughly enjoy their journey. I really like seeing character growth throughout a story, and there was plenty of that in this one.

    Dorothea was a typical spoiled princess at the beginning of the story, but there is nothing like a wish gone awry leading to a dangerous quest to fix everything to humble a girl.

 

 

  I enjoyed watching Dorothea grow, and getting to see a side of her that wasn't just obsessed with the latest designer gowns and shoes. Underneath the surface Dorothea was actually pretty awesome. She had a kind heart and was willing to do whatever it took to help her friends and family.

 

     And what's a quest without some heroic sidekicks? Well maybe heroic is a tad of an overstatement here, more like two disgruntled sidekicks with loads of gusto. Prince Kato was great! I'm not even sure whether I preferred him in his pre-wish human form or his post-wish Chimera form. I'm really leaning towards the Chimera, if I'm being completely honest.

 

 

    "He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes before plopping down in a big heap. On my lap. "Ahh!" I tried to use his horns to pick his head up, but even that part of him weighed a ton. "What are you doing? Did you just die?" "No." he growled and turned his face up, pursing his lips in total seriousness. "I've recently been advised that you might find the cute and fuzzy approach much less threatening. Supposedly it's also more endearing." "I hate to tell you, but that Jolly Roger has sailed, sunk, and been eaten by ticking crocodiles." I tried to stifle a laugh, but it was too large to contain. Kato really had zero skill at manipulation, but at least he was honest." 

 

   Also along for the ride was Rexi, a not so happy to be there servant of Dorotheas that was a constant ray of sarcastic sunshine throughout the entire story. She never skirted around her disdain of Dorothea and pretty much everyone in general, but instead embraced it fully with quick witted, snarky quips. So of course I enjoyed her immensely!

 

 

   I really liked the compilation of so many different fairytale creatures and characters. It was neat to see them all living in one magical place with their higher power being the storymakers. It ended up raising a some great obstacles and questions for our heroine, most importantly being rather to blindly leave everything up to fate, or destiny, or can you be the master of your own happily ever after?

 

   The last thing I have to bring up is I thought the little blurbs at the beginning of each chapter were absolutely brilliant!!! They ranged from tips from Orbes Magical Business Magazine, rules from the Definitive Fairytale Survival Guide, to quotes from well known princesses, princes and villians alike. And they all brought a smile to my face or made my laugh out loud each time I read one!

 

 

   Fans of shows like Once Upon a Time, or people who enjoy fairytale retellings with exciting new twists and takes on the original stories are bound to love Spelled. But really anyone who enjoys adventure and humor in their stories will surely find themselves smitten with this one as well. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from this author in the future!

  

I received an ARC of this book from SOURCEBOOKS Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review