The Sweetest Spell

The Sweetest Spell
By: Suzanne Selfors
Pages: 290
Publisher: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended to: Girls 11-14





     The Sweetest Spell, by Suzanne Selfors, is set in an ancient kingdom where Emmeline lives in the Flatlands, and is shunned because of her curled foot. Born this way, she was cast out to the woods with other unwanted newborns. Like magic, the milkman's cows protected her through the night, and after being found in the morning by the milkman, was forever discarded by the citizens, wary of her "black magic." Then one day, during the annual husband market, royal soldiers show up to ship off all unmarried man, claiming to need men for the war in the mineral fields. Only a day later, it starts to rain. And rain. And rain some more, for seven straight days. The Flatlands are flooding! Families evacuate their small village, and Emmeline is washed down river to Wander, where a kind, good-looking boy finds her and helps her, Owen. This starts her incredible journey of churning cream into chocolate, the unknown sweet, and what this talent brings her.
      I loved The Sweetest Spell, from start to finish. Emmeline was sweet, good, spunky, and a perfect heroine. Owen seemed like the perfect guy, and was so cute when he would stop at nothing to get Emmeline back, although he thought he didn't have a chance. The fantasy was a little predictable, poor girl discovers magic, is then loved by all, etc., and the ending was a bit too quick and neat, but I still enjoyed it and the subplot involving the Kells and their rights was fantastic. I loved the writing style Suzanne Selfors used. Overall, The Sweetest Spell was just that; a sweet, lovely fairy tale/fantasy.