By Kathy McCullough
Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 256 pages
Fifteen-year-old Delaney Collins has a hard time believing in the idea of happily ever after. Her mother has just passed away, and she must move in with a father whom she hasn’t seen in four years. He happens to be a famous life-coach and notable author, but knows little about his own daughter. Delaney can only take so many pep talks about believing in her potential and striving to be self-reliant. What she needs is something wild to happen… something magical.
When Delaney’s father tells her that he is a Fairy Godmother, life changes outrageously. To top it all off, it runs in the family! Delaney’s first client is Flynn Becker, a boy at her new school who is in love with a girl who doesn’t even know he exists. Can she help him find true love? Author Kathy McCullough’s debut book Don’t Expect Magic gives fairy tale powers to a girl who hates sparkly things and the color pink and uses a chopstick as a wand. Delaney suffers from a good dose of teen angst, which is offset by a snarky sense of humor. Teen readers will root for Delaney as she discovers her true potential by seeing the world with new eyes.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Franklin
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