The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
(Format used for this read: Audiobook)
Okay, okay….I KNOW I said I was going to stick with grown up books for my next few reads….
BUT…..
I JUST CAN’T HELP IT YALL!
I ❤ YA books.
I just straight up do.
I can not deny this part of who I am.
And when it comes to YA books that involve magic and retold fairy tales…..
WELL…I have absolutely NO chill and can NOT stay away 🤣
This series has been on my TBR list for a hot second….I saw an interview with Chris Colfer months ago about his newest book release and I was like “HOLD UP… he is an AUTHOR?!? And an author of YA FICTION?!?! WHY AM I JUST NOW KNOWING THIS?!?”
YIPPEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
My excitement was THRU THE DANG ROOF!
For those of you who do not know who the wonderful, talented and AMAZING person named Chris Colfer is, he is an actor…best known for playing the role of Kurt on the show ‘Glee’.
I friggin’ loved that show SO SO SO SO MUCH…and he was my FAAAAVE.
(I am a musical theatre lover and high school choir/theatre nerd at heart yall….that show was MADE for peeps like me 🤣)
Yall his vocal range is CRAYCRAY amazeballs and he is just SUCH a fun to watch entertainer.
(If you are a similar soul as mine and have never been sucked into the Glee universe, just go stream it NOW and soak it ALL IN. You’ll thank me later)
I knew this book HAD to be in audio form for me so I could listen to Chris read it….I had zero doubt he would bring his tremendous spirit into every single character’s voice!
So I put all his books on my library holds list (because I swear yall…EVERY TIME I get excited about a new read, the library NEVER HAS IT AVAILABLE and I have to wait for three thousand FOREVERS to check it out)
My 13 year old actually ended up checking out the ENTIRE “Land of Stories” series (in print) from the library RIGHT BEFORE quarantine and zoomed thru them all while we were all under stay at home orders….he said they were SUUUUPER good and I was HELLA jealous he got to enjoy them before me.
I could have just snatched them up from him before we returned them months later …BUT….I knew the joy of hearing Chris himself narrate the stories to me on the audio version would be well worth my wait.
And yall….it was. It really really was 😁
He is just precious and wonderful and talented and so so expressive.
His narrating range is JUST AS REMARKABLE as his vocal range.
Here is the official summary of this book:
“Alex and Conner Bailey’s world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.
The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.
But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.”
I have a thing for fairy tale characters…and magic…and BOOKS COMING TO LIFE.
Basically three of the top things on my list of Unrealistic Things I Really Wish Were Real.
Although that may be not ENTIRELY true…. because those original fairy tale stories we all THINK we know are actually pretty dang dark and twisted.
But I love that the author didn’t just go for exclusive cleaned up Disney versions of each fairy tale that comes into the mix of this book. Some of it stays true to the sweet versions…but some sticks to original foundation.
(For example: did you know in the original Little Mermaid story she DIES in the end??? If that would have been the road the Disney Ariel took I doubt it would have gone over well 🤣)
I always love stories where all kinds of different fictional characters end up together in some way…..that is one of the reason I adored The Lunar Chronicles series so much. (I devoured those last year yall…so so enjoyable)
This book has characters from Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White and the Frog Prince just to name a few.
I think as a kid I always envisioned some type of fantasy world where all the magical lands and characters I knew and loved from books were interwined….probably why as an adult I love Disneyworld as much as I do. 🤣 (Also why I personally felt connected to the character of Alex in this book…I for reals GET HER, yall)
That happens in this book. And it is just FANTASTIC.
This book reminds me of the Magic Treehouse books I used to read aloud with my boys …but reimagined in a way for a late elementary/early middle school years crowd.
Or in my case…middle aged women who have a love for YA fantasy fiction. 🤣 (Look…we all have our things. I ain’t judging you for what you binge on Netflix, okaaaaayyyyyyyy.)
There are no profound thoughts for me to expound on with this read…but I seriously had so much fun listening to it.
There is adventure galore, all KINDS of magical thingys, beautiful yet relatable princesses, evil villians who aren’t really as evil as you think, wishes and curses, giggle sparking humor, a smidge of romance, and fun childhood reminiscing.
I will say that it’s not ALL fun…there ARE sprinkles of sadness and heartache mixed in…but that stays true to the fairy tale format….traditional and Disney forms alike. (because I mean….even with Disney, EVERY movie has at least ONE parent die somewhere in the dang story…🙄…that is a WHOLE NOTHER thing for a WHOLE NOTHER day, friends)
And yall…there are like 5 seconds where Chris SIIINNGGGGSSS…and it gave me Glee flashbacks in the very best way possible.
Am I going to read the other 5 books in this series?
ABSO-FREAKIN-LUTELY.
I think he reads all of them too!
But…it will be a minute before I get to enjoy the next part of the journey…..because like I said before….when I am DYING to read something there is ALWAYS a long wait for it….
I will say this book can be an excellent stand alone novel too. I didn’t feel like I *had* to read the next one in the series for a good closure feeling….but of course…knowing there was more to the story it DID make me excited for the next installment.
Loved this.
Can’t wait for the next bit.