The Sweetest Spell

Aug 12, 2012 Misty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-ya, folklore-myth-fable-fairy-tall-tale, retelling, cover-appeal, own, review-copy-solicited, arc-or-galley, read-in-2012

When I covered this for Fairy Tale Fortnight, I only did a silly little review-teaserthat consisted of my weird, random notes on the book, since publication was still quite a ways off. But now publication is right around the corner, so it's time for me to actually give you an idea of whether you'll like this quirky little book.First off, I have to mention it's a retelling of The Ugly Ducking, so points for that. And it's certainly...non-traditional, and requires quite a bit of WSOD. But if you'r...more When I covered this for Fairy Tale Fortnight, I only did a silly little review-teaser that consisted of my weird, random notes on the book, since publication was still quite a ways off. But now publication is right around the corner, so it's time for me to actually give you an idea of whether you'll like this quirky little book. First off, I have to mention it's a retelling of The Ugly Ducking, so points for that. And it's certainly...non-traditional, and requires quite a bit of WSOD. But if you're willing to go with the weirdness, the story is actually quite charming.

I think the characters are what make it so easy to connect to this story. You like them, so you go with it. Emmeline is a fantastic ugly duckling heroine; she's plucky and stalwart and even though she continually finds herself at a disadvantage, she fights to make things right and to keep her spirits up. She's very loyal and smart, and I couldn't help but like her. And as silly as the whole "she has a connection to cows" thing sounds, I actually loved that. It was so unexpected and quirky, but actually perfectly suited to fairy tales (I mean, how many tales have MCs who can talk to some kind of animal? Lots and lots, they've just never been cows, which makes it seem silly at first, but actually ends up being warm and sweet.) Owen Oak, the man from the "good" side of the kingdom, who is set up as Emmeline's love (very quickly, but not wholly unrealistically), made me a bit leery in the beginning, but it wasn't long before I was rooting for him just as I did for Emmeline.

And - unexpectedly - I liked the treatment of the villains. I like villains who are either somewhat rootforable (you can understand their motivations, or they show doubts, or they grow - anything that makes them dynamic), but with fairy tales you don't often get dynamic villains. Instead, you tend to get the mustache-twirling blackguards that you know will be defeated, because that is their purpose. And the way a couple of people were set up in this book, I figured that's what would be the case here. But eventually new sides of these characters are revealed that makes them a bit more understandable, and at least lest detestable, if not rootforable. (Able. I just wanted to say it again.) Though I guess it turns out they were actually only pre-villains, because the main Big Bad - she's not so dimensional...

I think the world is what requires the biggest suspension of disbelief. The magic of churning milk (plain milk) into chocolate, well...that requires you to ignore logic and real-world facts, pretend there's not a cocoa tree in this world (or even necessary), etc. Though the idea that chocolate is the most prized thing in the kingdom isn't hard to believe. I have a feeling that most people who read fairy tales aren't going to be too put off by this, but I'll admit that, as much of a fairy tale lover as I am, I did struggle with this - it kept threatening to break me out of my suspension, and that's not a good thing. It never did, but it threatened, so those less disposed to be forgiving of fairy tales will probably be put off by some of the shaky logic of the world. That said, I think the other aspects of the world-building make up for it. I love the political aspects, and the forced segregation of society to the point that Emmeline didn't even realize there was more to the world, or people unlike her. The world of the "dirt-scratchers" was a really good contrast to the rest of the country (which is loosely England-like), and I really liked that there were bigger issues at play than just Emmeline's story.

All said, I think those who are willing to go with it will find a really enjoyable story in The Sweetest Spell. Unfortunately, I worry that the really bizarre cover synopsis will keep a lot of people who would enjoy it, from even picking it up to begin with.(less)

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Sep 09, 2012 Ellen Ekstrom rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wish all faery tales were like this. I thought it was one part Rumpelstiltskin, one part Cinderella, one part The Kitchen Knight and one part The Princess Bride. Emmeline Thistle and Owen Oak are two of the most likeable, interesting characters to come from the imagination in a long time. The third main character, Griffin Boar, reminded me of the obnoxious jocks in high school, the ones who thought they were God's greatest gift to everyone. Perhap that's what the author had in mind, but he was...more I wish all faery tales were like this. I thought it was one part Rumpelstiltskin, one part Cinderella, one part The Kitchen Knight and one part The Princess Bride. Emmeline Thistle and Owen Oak are two of the most likeable, interesting characters to come from the imagination in a long time. The third main character, Griffin Boar, reminded me of the obnoxious jocks in high school, the ones who thought they were God's greatest gift to everyone. Perhap that's what the author had in mind, but he was a little too predictable for me and I figured out the deal with Prince Beau as soon as he appeared in the story - I wish that could have been more of a mystery.

I did like the banter between Oak and Boar in the dungeon, though; it was one-upmanship and bluster, and honest.

Ms. Selfors weaves a tale that shows us the great and continuing divide between those who are privileged and wont for nothing and the rest of us, especially the very poor. The king and queen are despicable and hold dark secrets - one that threw me - and the people put up with their missrule to a point.

The central figure is Emmeline Thistle, one of the Kell - a red-haired tribe of people who become 'dirt scratchers.' farmers, who are shunned and dispised because of something that happened in the past. I won't share that, for you get several versions of the historic account until the truth is revealed and it was a delight to figure it out. Emmeline has a rare gift because of that past. Emmeline is used to be being shunned and treated with hatred for her disability. People cannot see her true beauty because they see the deformity that is an accident of birth, and that's all they want to see, even though under the dirt and deprivation she is a physically and intellectually beautiful girl, a true heroine and fighter.

Cows and chocolate figure prominently in the story. The cows are faery godparents of a sort and Emmeline has the gift to make chocolate. As one of a million and more people who love chocolate, that was draw for me! I won't say how she makes it - I was expecting a King Midas-sort of situation and was pleasantly surprised to discover something else. Boy, was it different!

Like Ms. Selfors' wonderful story, "Saving Juliet," "The Sweetest Spell" had me laughing out loud and staying up way past my bedtime to read, this time around, the continuing adventure of Emmeline. It is a darker, more serious story in places than "Saving Juliet;" it brings to the fore the very real problems of class division and discrimination still with us.

Excellent dialogue, description, sense of place and characters. I hope there's going to be a sequel for not only do I want chocolate, LOTS of chocolate, after reading "The Sweetest Spell," I want more adventures of Emmeline Thistle and Owen Oak. Pick up this book and read it!(less)

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Oct 02, 2012 Elevetha Houre rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Lovers of fairytales retold, reimagined, or twisted on it's side .

Shelves: adventure, characterize-please, fairytales, gorgeous-covers, magic-and-other-magical-substances, meh-worthy, once-is-enough, insta-love, images-involved-in-review, 2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It was okay. I didn't love it nor did I hate it. It was long and could have used some editing.

Story: I love chocolate as much as the next person but the fact that the people in this book acted like it was Magic chocolate rather than chocolate made from magic was odd. I wanted more explanation as to why no one had actually figured out the recipe for chocolate and, instead, were reduced to having their "cow goddess"? grant them the magical power of making chocolate. Explanation, please.

description

Also, husb...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

More at Skyway Avenue Reads

I wish I could come up with some kind of really cheesy pun. You know, something like "The Sweetest Spell was one of the sweetest YA books I've read yet" or "The Sweetest Spell has a sweet cover, title, and a sweet story to match." Okay, so I'm horrible with puns. Point is, The Sweetest Spell isn't as sweet (see? There I go again!) a story that it appears to be.

The Sweetest Spell is a rather strange story in the sense that it isn't quite like anything I've ever read bef...more

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May 19, 2013 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites

Emmeline Thistle has a shameful heritage - she is descended from the Kells, invaders of the land of Anglund, who killed a beloved Queen in a bid to take over the land (or so all the Flatlander descendants have been led to believe) and as such were banished to the most uninhabitable tracts of land found, that flooded easily and were a harsh place to grow crops. Due to the fight for survival, Emmeline's people are known as dirt-scratchers and have a harsh, physically demanding life. Which is why w...more Emmeline Thistle has a shameful heritage - she is descended from the Kells, invaders of the land of Anglund, who killed a beloved Queen in a bid to take over the land (or so all the Flatlander descendants have been led to believe) and as such were banished to the most uninhabitable tracts of land found, that flooded easily and were a harsh place to grow crops. Due to the fight for survival, Emmeline's people are known as dirt-scratchers and have a harsh, physically demanding life. Which is why when she was born with a twisted foot, she was put next to the woods to be taken by predators. But the cows of the village saved her and ever since she's had a special bond with them. Emmeline is ostracized because of her deformity and called a witch because of the cows, so she thinks marriage is just a dream. But at the yearly marriage market her Father and all the unmarried men are taken by the King to supposedly fight in a war (they are not allowed to leave the Flatlands unless summoned). That night a rain starts and within a few days the village of Root is washed away in a flood, taking Emmeline down the river with it and into adventure. When Emmeline discovers that she has a magical talent, it puts her very life in jeopardy. Will she be able to find love and freedom when almost everyone only values her for her gifts? And can she find freedom for the rest of the Dirt-Scratchers from the nefarious purposes they are being forced to serve? I was wary about this, because I didn't see how churning butter into chocolate could be all that interesting - boy was I wrong! I love that the book starts out with Emmeline explaining how she was cast out and the cows saved her. I love that she is such a strong willed girl, even though the other villagers treat her horribly and speaking out just gets her more ridicule. Never once does she just sit down in defeat. Emmeline is always fighting to survive and more than that, to be free. When she's saved by Owen Oak, son of a dairyman, from dying on the riverbank where she washes up it really shows the distinctions between the Flatlanders (a.k.a. dirtscratchers) and the rest of Anglund's people. They're viewed to be barbarians and no better than animals. Emmeline blooms when the oaks treat her as an equal, even after they discover her gift of making chocolate after it's been a myth for such a long time. I liked the side characters of Prince Beau, Duke of Lime, Peddler, Griffin, Emmeline's Father and Owen's parents. The King and Queen were deliciously evil and the shocking reality about Anglund's history was a truly fun plot twist. The romance was very sweet and I was pleased with how it developed over the book, which shifted between Emmeline's POV and Owen's. It was definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Plus, for once in a YA novel the cover is actually highly representative of the story within and doesn't make me want to vomit from looking at it's insipidity. It was enchanting, magical and beautifully descriptive. I highly recommend it to fans of fantasy that showcases alternate histories, originality and a whimsical quality that is a breath of fresh air.

VERDICT: 5/5 Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores, online, or maybe even at your local library.*(less)

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Sep 24, 2012 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

I got this book months ago and read it almost right away because the summary just grabbed me. Once you read said summary for this book, y’all are going to think I’m crazy for recommending it. BUT I hope you give it a chance because it really is a cute, sweet story, though kind of silly, but isn’t that what most fairy tales are anyway?

In case you can’t tell from the summary, this is a retelling of the Ugly Duckling with Emmeline as the Duckling. This poor girl didn’t have the best life growing up...more

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Jun 05, 2013 Snorkle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, young-adult, ala-2012, read-2012, own, review-on-blog

Initial thoughts: Interesting premise, the blurb reminded me of a Shannon Hale book and I really intrigued by the retelling of The Ugly Duckling. The author definitely created her own story and world. There were elements I liked: the story, the twisting plot, but there were also a few things that I felt could have been done better: character relationships, parts of the plot that didn't make sense.

This novel had such an interesting premise – a world that had forgotten how to make chocolate! It wa...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Ash rated it 5 of 5 stars

So I get that this sounds like a strange book, but it's actually a really sweet and original read. It's more of 4.5, but I can't give myself enough reasons not to just give it 5 stars.

Quick Overview: Emmeline Thistle is the outcast of the Flatlands. Everyone is convinced that she is unnatural since she survived the night of her birth after being cast out into the woods because of her “defect” (a curled foot). Not to mention that cows follow her everywhere and she even seems to talk to them. Th...more So I get that this sounds like a strange book, but it's actually a really sweet and original read. It's more of 4.5, but I can't give myself enough reasons not to just give it 5 stars.

Quick Overview: Emmeline Thistle is the outcast of the Flatlands. Everyone is convinced that she is unnatural since she survived the night of her birth after being cast out into the woods because of her “defect” (a curled foot). Not to mention that cows follow her everywhere and she even seems to talk to them. The people of her village don’t talk to her if they can help it and avoid her if at all possible, and Emmeline has come to accept that this is her life. But after her village floods Emmeline is saved by a kind dairy farmer’s son and his family, where she finds that she has a gift even more valuable than gold. Unwanted, unnatural Emmeline can churn chocolate out of cream. And in a world where chocolate no longer exists, Emmeline is the most valuable girl in her entire kingdom.

Trust me, I thought the whole chocolate-cow-talking-thing sounded weird, but it really isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, this is a unique quirky book, but in the context of the story it really doesn’t sound as strange. Not to mention that the cow talking thing hardly shows up at all.

What I really loved about this book was that Emmeline was so strong and tough without being mean or having any exceptional physical abilities (in fact, because of her curled foot she has a limp). She's a warm-hearted and kind person. It was good to see a change from all these tough girls who also happen to have really abrasive personalities. All the characters were well rounded, even the villains, who can sometimes get really cartoon-y in their evilness. You get to see why they do these bad things, which thankfully does not involve world domination (I don’t know why people still use this). It was also nice to see Emmeline and Owen build a believable friendship. A lot of times (especially in fantasy) characters will fall in love with each other after a total face time of about 5 minutes, which can feel very unbelievable to us living in the real world.

The blurb is a little misleading because it makes you think that the book is all about falling for the hot dairy farmer guy and Emmeline churning some chocolate while she laughs it up with the cows, but there is a lot more involved. Emmeline actually goes on an adventure (more like stumbles on it) and has to deal with the views that her people are seen as barbarians and an inferior race. The book is also told from the perspective of Owen, so you get to see other things that Emmeline doesn’t. I liked the history behind the chocolate and the reason for its sudden disappearance. The way it was weaved into the story made it that much more unique and interesting. Some of the things were unbelievable, but it’s a fairytale, this is no place for scientific facts! It would’ve been nice to see a little bit more of how things turned out, but I get that it could’ve looked a little too cheesy so I think it’s probably for the best.

In the end, the book just made me happy while I was a little down. So, if you’re thinking about reading this I’d say don’t let the weirdness keep you from picking it up. It’s not your typical fairytale, but in this case it’s a good thing.
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May 23, 2012 Nessa marked it as to-read

That premise... just... that premise!

Hate to break it to you guys, but cows are dumb. Really, really dumb. They can work out how to break a weak fence or get extra feed, but nothing else otherwise. And yet somehow they can raise a child in this universe?

A girl who can turn milk into chocolate? And chocolate is a rarity in this kingdom? Huh.

What the hell, I need something silly to read on holiday. :P

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Mar 31, 2013 Natalie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, young-adult, fantasy-magic, romance, adventure

Emmeline Thistle has always been on the outside looking in. Her people are outcasts in society, but she is an outcast in her own village. She is considered "unnatural". She has a curved foot, from birth, that makes the villagers mistrust her.

Then disaster strikes. The men are taken away by the king and made slaves then a flood decimates the village, killing most. Emmeline is carried away on the current and rescued by stranger, Owen.

Owen's family are dairy farmers. He rescues Emmeline, and even...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Bayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

*3.5 stars*

I have to admit, I was put off by the description at first - I mean, she can turn cream into chocolate, so everyone wants to control her? That seemed a bit ridiculous to me. However, I saw a bunch of good reviews, some specifically warning to ignore how silly-sounding the premise was, so I decided to give it a try, and within the world of the story, the premise seems a lot less silly - so I'll pass on the same warning: If you enjoy fairy tales, don't let the cows and cream and chocola...more

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Jan 27, 2013 YA Novelties rated it 4 of 5 stars

Check this review out at our blog!

3.5 Stars!

In a terribly deprived world without chocolate, lies a fairy tale waiting to be discovered. The name of this fairy tale is The Sweetest Spell, and with it comes the yumminess and unsurprising taste of chocolate within the plot. Translation: Nothing really special, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Now, I'm going back to the normal talk. Chocolate language is exhausting, as well as describing The Sweetest Spell. As a retelling of the Ugly Duckling, it doesn't r...more Check this review out at our blog!

3.5 Stars!

In a terribly deprived world without chocolate, lies a fairy tale waiting to be discovered. The name of this fairy tale is The Sweetest Spell, and with it comes the yumminess and unsurprising taste of chocolate within the plot. Translation: Nothing really special, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Now, I'm going back to the normal talk. Chocolate language is exhausting, as well as describing The Sweetest Spell. As a retelling of the Ugly Duckling, it doesn't really deviate far from the ugly duckling besides the fact that Emmeline is not ugly but has a foot problem. That's where it kind of ends. Instead of focusing on physical beauty, this book focuses on the physical product that is produced by physical means. Confusing, I know. Basically, poor Emmeline is a useless thing until her chocolate comes out. Then she's now the idol of the world. Although it's distasteful to read this, it is realistic, so points for that!

However, it isn't exactly clear what the point of this story is. Is it to say that everyone's special in their own way? Is it to explore the greediness of humanity? There are a ton of people who were totally trying to mooch off the chocolate (which I don't blame them for). Of course there were characters who are exceptions to this generalization that outshone the protagonists by a long shot. They are the people who kept me hooked to The Sweetest Spell, not the whiny little star-crossed couple who had some weird moon-eyed relationship that couldn't see beyond day 1. It's unsurprising now to see insta-love, but that doesn't give any author an excuse for it. Not even you, Shakespeare (You have to admit, it's all his fault with R+J).

My main problem with this book was its lack of originality. Yes, the whole chocolate blah was unique. Then the plot twists come to try to force the reader to go "OMG." Unfortunately, it doesn't really work out that way. Sorry, but there are always people who will be able to figure out something from day one. Maybe people should stop stressing the points in the stories that are going to turn out to be the surprises. It makes it so obvious it's worth crying for! Sheesh people! We're spending time reading stuff that we could've just skipped to the end for!

As usual, it's important to note that The Sweetest Spell is not a "bad" book. There's just a lack of creativity that allows it to outshine the other retellings already out there. Otherwise, the writing is splendid and magical. Entrancing, Suzanne Selfors excels in spinning her tales out with the vigor that many authors lack. With The Sweetest Spell, Selfors churns a chocolate treat that will brighten the day up with its smooth and caramel consistency (if you can figure out what that means).

Angie @ YA Novelties (less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: christine, fantasy, young-adult

I got this book months ago and read it almost right away because the summary just grabbed me. Once you read said summary for this book, y’all are going to think I’m crazy for recommending it. BUT I hope you give it a chance because it really is a cute, sweet story, though kind of silly, but isn’t that what most fairy tales are anyway?

In case you can’t tell from the summary, this is a retelling of the Ugly Duckling with Emmeline as the Duckling. This poor girl didn’t have the best life growing up...more I got this book months ago and read it almost right away because the summary just grabbed me. Once you read said summary for this book, y’all are going to think I’m crazy for recommending it. BUT I hope you give it a chance because it really is a cute, sweet story, though kind of silly, but isn’t that what most fairy tales are anyway?

In case you can’t tell from the summary, this is a retelling of the Ugly Duckling with Emmeline as the Duckling. This poor girl didn’t have the best life growing up, but she perseveres through with her father and her favorite cows, who are pretty much her only friends. I felt so bad for Emmeline at the beginning of the story. As the book progresses, her circumstances change, especially when her special gift is discovered.

Btw, magically making chocolate from milk has to be the best superpower EVER. It may not be good enough to save the world, but it would save me from rampaging villages when I start having intense chocolate cravings.

Owen was adorable. The book does switch point of views once we reach the point in the story where Owen shows up, so we get a back story on him as well. The things he goes through for Emmeline, once he starts to like her, is just… *sigh*. I guess it’s romantic, although I’d rather he didn’t have to go through all that just to get the girl, but it’s a fairytale, so there’s always hardships for the otherwise happy couple.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but there is a lot more to this story than Emmeline magically making chocolate. There’s adventure and romance and devious schemes and near misses and heartfelt moments. It’s deeper than the summary lets on, which was great to discover since I went into it apprehensive of what kind of story could be taken from the Ugly Duckling. Suzanne Selfors did a great job here and I look forward to reading more from her. (Btw, her book Mad Love sounds really cute, too. I’ve already made a note to read it.)

This book was reviewed at WhatchYAreading.net on August 7, 2012.(less)

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Dec 30, 2012 Danny rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Sweetest Spell was a lovely, charming, nice, witty, and sweet story of love and chocolate. This book was a nice change from the mainstream love stories and I savored every bite.
I had read the summary to this book and I did not expect to read all the hardships that were hurled at Emmeline. Mid-way through the final chapters of this book I was doubting if Emmeline would ever find happiness. I was furious and though this book would have a rushed ending even though the rest of the book was wel...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya, fairy-tale

I've been reading a lot of gritty, darkish stuff lately, and wanted to read something a bit on the lighter side. The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors fit the bill almost perfectly. This book is well written, with believable characters and an element of whimsy that was exactly what I needed. I mean, the story takes place in a world without chocolate, and explores what happens when one of society's most marginalized persons (the heroine, Emmaline) becomes the only person who can create more, thr...more

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Nov 22, 2012 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Emmeline, born with a clubbed foot, is an outcast in a poor community. Though she has always had a difficult life, she has been blessed with a unique relationship with cows. They saved her when she was young and come to her house to visit her. In a world that resembles medieval England, hierarchies are prevalent. Emmeline is a member of the lowest rank, flatlanders also known as “dirt-scratchers.” They grow all the food for the kingdom but are not allowed to leave the flatlands as punishment for...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

This story is, in a word, sweet. It's a retelling of the Ugly Duckling, emphasis on retelling, but instead of ducks and swans, you get cows. Now I grew up on a farm with cows, and when anyone in the book calls them stupid or slow, I absolutely agree with them. Still, they do save Emmeline's life in the beginning and give her a gift that changes her world, so I put aside the silliness, and really enjoyed the story.

The story sounds sort of simple, and like most fairy tales, it kind of is, but not...more This story is, in a word, sweet. It's a retelling of the Ugly Duckling, emphasis on retelling, but instead of ducks and swans, you get cows. Now I grew up on a farm with cows, and when anyone in the book calls them stupid or slow, I absolutely agree with them. Still, they do save Emmeline's life in the beginning and give her a gift that changes her world, so I put aside the silliness, and really enjoyed the story.

The story sounds sort of simple, and like most fairy tales, it kind of is, but not as much as you might think. The author does a great job of world building. It starts in the flatlands, which is, as the name suggests, flat, poor, and on the fringes of society. Then she goes to Wonder, meets, Owen, and realizes how prosperous the rest of the world really is. From there we get to see the sea-side, the mines, and eventually the palace, but it's not just the places. There are all sorts of inequality, corruption, kindness, and greed. I especially like all the different versions of history Emmaline has to sort through to find the truth.

The characters are, with one of two exceptions, multi-dimensional. Not, just Emmaline and Owen, though, I loved them both, but Emmaline's father, Griffin, the Peddler, and even Henry (the one eyed man). I liked Emmaline as a main character. She is spunky and willing to push through all the hardships she is confronted by. Owen is adorable. I especially liked that he wasn't the drop dead gorgeous guy that Emmaline started the story liking. Instead, he's sort of the boy next door. Lots of girls like him, but he is realistic.

The book moves pretty quickly. Just as I got settled in one place, something would happen to switch things up. I was thrown for a minute when Owen's point of view suddenly appeared, but I liked it (so now you are warned, there are two points of view in this book. Be prepared). It helped increase the tension, because now you have two main characters to worry about. Plus it's fun to meet the same people from two different points of view. Don't get me wrong, Griffin will always remind me of a redheaded Gaston (though he becomes much more sympathetic then that character ever did), but I liked seeing him from a girl's point of view vs. a guy's.

Now to address the chocolate issue. It sounds silly to say chocolate is worth more than gold, especially today. In fact, this is kind of what kept me from reading this weeks ago. But. This is the part of the story where you have to suspend your disbelief and remember this is a different world, a world with magic, and, apparently, no cocoa beans. The thing about the chocolate is, it doesn't really come across as regular chocolate. I'll happily admit that eating chocolate makes me happy, but it seems to do a bit more than that in this story. Not only is the chocolate magic, but it seems to make people happy more than chocolate here. And, really, in a world that only has access to chocolate through one girl, you can see how greed could make or destroy Emmaline.

This book is a delightful 3.5 stars. It's a fun, light read, built upon the bones of the ugly duckling story, but it's so much more. There were elements of Rumplestiltskin, but mostly it came off as it's own, fresh new fairy tale, and I really liked that.

First reviewed on my blog at Rachel's Reads (less)

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Oct 05, 2012 AmyFlo rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I absolutely loved this book. It was light, breezy, fun, and charming. It was exactly what I needed to remedy the dreadful merfolk books I'd subjected myself to in the past few weeks.

Emmeline is a delightful heroine. Of course she has the typical heroine origins: an outcast even in her own oppressed society. That she doesn't sulk or is consumed with self-pity is admirable. She accepts who she is and has secret wishes for her future. She tries to be helpful, knows she's a burden, but again, she d...more I absolutely loved this book. It was light, breezy, fun, and charming. It was exactly what I needed to remedy the dreadful merfolk books I'd subjected myself to in the past few weeks.

Emmeline is a delightful heroine. Of course she has the typical heroine origins: an outcast even in her own oppressed society. That she doesn't sulk or is consumed with self-pity is admirable. She accepts who she is and has secret wishes for her future. She tries to be helpful, knows she's a burden, but again, she doesn't cry about it. What I really like about her is that she doesn't become a typical 21st century depiction of tough by becoming a fighter. Not that I have anything against women who can fight for themselves (in a physical sense), but I like it when any character is shown to be strong on the inside and solve problems but not wielding a sword. That the baddies are taken away instead of slaughtered was a refreshing twist.

But I'm going to stop giving a summary. This is a fill-in-the-blank hero story. But I'm not going to hold that against it, because that formula is timeless for a reason: it works.

What strikes me about this story is how compassion can affect others. Even non-deliberate compassion. Owen's mother is grieving, so she dotes on the washed-up Emmeline. Owen isn't the polished diamond in the rough. He's got his own flaws. Emmeline is naturally distrustful of everyone. Her people are treated like animals, but she has a source of pride in her heritage. Despite being chained to a log in isolation, Emmeline sees humanity in her captor through his sick daughter. It's her compassion about Lara that causes Peddler's change of heart. No one is purely evil (except the queen, but there does need to be a baddie). Even One-Eyed Henry is more than just a brute.

I love that Emmeline accepts everything about herself. The gift she was given is meant to be shared, her foot is part of who she is (without it, her live would not have turned out as it did... I loved that she made all those connections). I loved that Owen loved her all along. That Griffen's eyes were opened to true beauty, and the Prince was kind and good hearted without being too good to be true. But she's no Mary Sue. At least I don't think so. If she was a Mary Sue, she would have been in love with Griffen, would have picked up a sword and mowed Peddler down. She would have saved herself at every instance without any assistance. But she needed others to help the kingdom, and she was happy to go back to her quiet life with Owen.

Highly recommend this charming fairy tale.
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Oct 03, 2012 Yen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Okaaay... so what if I stayed up 'till 2 something a.m. reading?
-Yes, ground me-
But I have to admit that i had serious -and I mean serious- doubts about this book. First the cover looks a bit...well...too cheesy-ish (is that a word?) and hey! its about chocolate AND falling in love! BUT don't let the description and cover fool you! k. now you heard me rant about nonsense lets get to what I wanted to say. I really loved this book since its fast paced, a not so perfect heroin who gets everything...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Marlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally published at Book Lovers Inc

I dare you not to think about The Princess Bride when you read this. I mean it. Except that the roles are reversed. Griffin Boar is Buttercup and Emmeline is Westley, and theirs is NOT a love for the ages. The love story comes later.

It's just that The Sweetest Spell invokes that same "fairy tale told for adults" quality, which is not a bad thing.

On the surface, the story seems simple. Emmeline was born with a "curled" foot. In a village where everyone has t...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Dorine White rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have a fabulous YA fairy tale to review today. It is, The Sweetest Spell, by Suzanne Selfors. Published by Walker, a division of Bloomsbury Teens, it just hit shelves.

The Story- Emmeline Thistle was thrown away at birth, literally. Because of a misshapen foot, her midwife left her in the woods to die. Luckily, a herd of cows found her and kept her warm and feed.

But, dark tales surround Emmeline’s survival, and many in her home village of Root blame every wrong on her presence. Emmeline’s secon...more I have a fabulous YA fairy tale to review today. It is, The Sweetest Spell, by Suzanne Selfors. Published by Walker, a division of Bloomsbury Teens, it just hit shelves.

The Story- Emmeline Thistle was thrown away at birth, literally. Because of a misshapen foot, her midwife left her in the woods to die. Luckily, a herd of cows found her and kept her warm and feed.

But, dark tales surround Emmeline’s survival, and many in her home village of Root blame every wrong on her presence. Emmeline’s second miracle occurred when she survived the flood that destroyed the rest of her village. Washed ashore in another village, Emmeline is nursed back to health by the Oak family, a dairy farm family.

One day Owen Oak, the only son, teaches Emmeline to churn butter. But, what comes out of her churn isn’t butter, it is chocolate. And chocolate has not been seen in their country for over a century. Soon Emmeline is a target to every greedy, power-hungry person in the kingdom, and only Owen’s love and her own sharp wits, can save her.

My Thoughts- Two thumbs up! I really loved this book. The story is original and full of scenes that I never would have thought up myself. Emmeline is an amazing character, who despite all odds, rises to the top and survives in a land that not only despises her because of her heritage, but finds her weak because of her handicap.

Emmeline’s remarkable journey takes you from scene to scene, where she meets the most interesting and deplorable characters. The publisher calls this book a re-telling of The Ugly Duckling, and it does follow many of its characteristics, especially because of the characters main journey. But, there is no magical transformation from misshapen to perfect. The change is actually that of the country people’s feelings towards ‘dirt scratchers’, Emmeline’s people.

The book is told from the point of views of both Emmeline and later Owen. In this way the author develops a love story that is two sided and rich. The author also is able to take the reader on a bit of a ride, because though you know Emmeline and Owen will somehow reconnect, they keep missing each other and this leads to several mishaps.

A really good story, perfect for ages 10 and up.
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Sep 11, 2012 Angelc rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-stars, already-own-read

This is such a wonderful book! It had all the elements of a great YA fantasy story. The action was so incredibly fast-paced, I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough. Aside from a few similarities to favorites such as "The Princess Academy" and the dystopian 'districts' of "The Hunger Games", I really felt like this story was an original.

I loved the rich characters, and all of their facets. Emmeline was born with a curled foot, but that was never the core of her character. Yes, she had a limp, a...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I was in the perfect mood for Suzanne Selfor's The Sweetest Spell. I loved the heroine, Emmeline Thistle. I enjoyed reading about her community, especially the husband market where the young women bid on the single men of the community. Since she was born with a deformed foot, and since the whole community distrusts her, she's not one of the young women joining in, at least not yet--she's just sixteen or seventeen. But the novel opens with a big disruption: soldiers arriving on that day to take...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Adrienne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Born with a deformed foot, Emmeline was left at the edge of the forest to die--except, protected by a group of cows, she lived. Her survival and her deformity have made her an outcast among her people, the impoverished dirt-scratchers, who fear she has some sort of black magic. When a flood wipes out her entire village and carries her beyond the Flatland boundaries--the only place the dirt-scratchers are allowed to live--Owen Oak, the son of a dairy farmer, finds her, and after his family nurses...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Mrs. S rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books, read-in-2012

This was a really fun, original story. Emmeline, a Flatlander, has always been something of an outcast among her own people. But when she is washed away by a flood and winds up in a new town, she discovers a power she didn't know she had. Suddenly, she is sought after by the most powerful men and women in the kingdom and has to balance her own needs (freedom and love) with the needs of her people (food, shelter, and safety).

Oh yeah--and her power? Churning cream into chocolate. In a kingdom whe...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Jaclyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, magic, net-galley, teen-fiction, arc

I had somewhat low expectations for this book because I thought the idea of magical chocolate was more than a little far fetched even in a teen fantasy novel; however, I was pleasantly surprised with Selfors’ novel. Rather than magical chocolate being a ridiculous plot development the whole novel came across as a fairy tale due to the quality and tone of writing. This novel would be great for younger teens and fairy tale fans alike.

Emmeline Thistle was born with a curled foot because of which s...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Melodie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read the blurb of The Sweetest Spell and immediately thought of Princess Bride or Stardust. I think the connection in my mind between fairy tale and tongue-in-cheek helped me see past the funny saved-by-cows initial premise. (Esp. considering I'm a huge Far Side fan.)

And Selfors writing got me totally past it by the end of the first chapter. She's written a sweet fairy tale set in a place that's a cross between Alice in Wonderland and a Dr. Seuss kingdom. Emmeline Thistle's coming-of-age stor...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

Like every other book I’ve read by Suzanne Selfors, The Sweetest Spell and I could go either way. The summary sounds weird, sure, but in reality, the story doesn’t get much weirder than say Saving Juliet, another Selfors book with a … er … unique premise. Pretty much the same light, silly yet enjoyable fun, I liked the story - my problem here isn’t that none of these people in a chocolate making story has ever heard of cocoa beans, it’s actually of the more mundane writing related variety.

The su...more Like every other book I’ve read by Suzanne Selfors, The Sweetest Spell and I could go either way. The summary sounds weird, sure, but in reality, the story doesn’t get much weirder than say Saving Juliet, another Selfors book with a … er … unique premise. Pretty much the same light, silly yet enjoyable fun, I liked the story - my problem here isn’t that none of these people in a chocolate making story has ever heard of cocoa beans, it’s actually of the more mundane writing related variety.

The summary gives away a pretty decent chunk of the plot - Owen Oak doesn’t actually show up until the second part of this five part book - but yet at the same time the actual story deftly fills in the details with a lot of imagination and humor. Emmeline’s a dirt scratcher’s daughter with a deformity, an outcast even among outcasts, but through a massive series of coincidences eventually learns that she’s also the only living chocolatier, potentially worth all the gold in the kingdom, who everyone wants to get their hands on. That massive series of coincidences, though quite amusing to read about at first, eventually started to get on my nerves unfortunately - I can accept one or two, like the cows rescuing her from near death not once but twice, but as they started to pile on like a series of unfortunate events, Emmeline ending up on the Oak dairy as a result of floods, various things that happen to her after she learns she alone can make chocolate, even how she got the ability to make chocolate, I just felt like I had to accept too many things in order for the story to work.

Which is a shame because I really liked the characters. Emmeline shows a lot of growth going from unwanted disabled girl to famous chocolatier and the way she solves her problems really fit with the overall story. When she makes chocolate for the first time, even though I know it’s not real at all, it’s magical and fun and dare I say it - sweet. Besides the first part, the chapters of the four remaining parts are told from Emmeline’s and Owen’s alternating points of view, slightly confusing because the point of view will change several times in each part with no warning whatsoever, but adding Owen’s point of view did make the story more interesting as there are things going on behind the scenes that Emmeline’s not aware of. Plus, Owen’s a pretty cool character himself who also does a lot of growing between his first scene at the beginning of part two and the ending. And although I use words like light, sweet, fun a lot, that doesn’t mean the story’s total fluff, there’s some seriousness, particularly with Emmeline’s antagonist Peddler, who surprised me despite his obsession with owning Emmeline’s talents.

But the really cool thing I noticed is that the fictional kingdom of Anglund is based, sort of, on England. Emmeline’s people, the Kells, are like the Celts, which makes everyone else like the Angles and the Saxons. It’s all pretty obvious once Londwin City is mentioned, but the way the English inspired mythos is interwoven into the story, some pretty funny moments with Kell tradition, like the husband market, other stuff with the history of chocolate, more serious parts like the cruel way Kells are treated in the kingdom, it all adds an extra, rich layer to the world building that I really appreciated. I imagine Emmeline and Owen’s ending is the highlight of the book for most readers, but how all the England based backstory’s eventually resolved, although more than a bit silly, is definitely an extra bonus for me.

Overall, The Sweetest Spell is definitely a happy book. I may have a problem with all the coincidences required for the plot to work but nonetheless I have to admit it’s otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable read. I mean, there’s chocolate. 3.5/5.(less)

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Aug 03, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction, kindle, teen, egalley

Emmeline Thistle is an outsider, both to the world and to her village. While her village believes that she is unnatural, the rest of the world sees her and her people as nothing more than barbarians, descendants of those who tried to invade the country and therefore banished to the Flatlands. When tragedy strikes, Emmeline unexpectedly survives and discovers that she has the ability to make chocolate, a power that has been lost for ages and that is even more precious than gold. Soon, Emmeline is...more

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Jun 05, 2013 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-book-club, age-ya, 2013, fantasy

Emmeline has always been unwanted: Her parents tried to abandon her due to her curled foot, her fellow Flatlanders thought her strange and witchy due to her limp and the way the cows came to her. When disaster strikes the Flatlands, Emmeline is saved by the cow of a Wanderland milk farm. The dairyman's son, Owen, takes a shine to Emmeline even before she discovers her magical and rare ability to make chocolate. Now everyone wants Emmeline, but circumstances seek to pull Emmeline and Owen apart.....more

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