Golden Girl by Sarah Zettel

Golden Girl (American Fairy Trilogy, #2)

by Sarah Zettel

Fans of Libba Bray's The Diviners will love the blend of fantasy and twentieth-century history in this stylish series.

Callie LeRoux has put her grimy, harrowing trip from the depths of the Dust Bowl behind her. Her life is a different kind of exciting now: she works at a major motion picture studio among powerful studio executives and stylish stars. Still nothing can distract her from her true goal. With help from her friend Jack and guidance from the great singer Paul Robeson, she will find her missing mother. But as a child of prophecy and daughter of the legitimate heir to the Unseelie throne, Callie poses a huge threat to the warring fae factions who've attached themselves to the most powerful people in Hollywood . . . and they are all too aware that she's within their reach.

A strong example of diversity in YA, the American Fairy Trilogy introduces Callie LeRoux, a half-black teen who stars in this evocative story full of American history and fairy tales.

Reviewed by Angie on

3 of 5 stars

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I was really curious to see where this series was going, even though I wasn't overly impressed with Dust Girl. Golden Girl picks up a little bit later, after Callie and Jack have settled into their new lives in Hollywood. Jack is working as a script runner at the MGM studio, and he's trying to sneak Callie in so she can investigate the fairy gate located there. Well, things have to go wrong. Jack and Callie stumble upon some kind of exchange, where it appears that one of Hollywood's brightest stars is being kidnapped and handed over to the Seelie. Callie rescues her and is rewarded with a job at her home, putting Callie exactly where she needs to be in order to find her parents.

I loved the Old Hollywood setting of Golden Girl. It's the perfect place for fairies to gather, with all of that glitz and glamor! It's easy to get caught up in, especially when Ivy Bright is on your side. Callie is determined to rescue her parents and avoid the rest of her royal family, and all of the clues lead to Hollywood. However, there's even more trouble than she anticipated when Callie senses magic in her boss's household. She just can't pinpoint who it's radiating from. Unfortunately, it's super obvious (at least to me) who the fairy is. All of the hints are staring Callie straight in the face, but she doesn't figure it out until it's too late. That was way too convenient for plot excitement purposes, but I didn't believe it at all. It definitely dampened my enjoyment, since I was really liking everything else that was happening.

Golden Girl is a really good sequel. The plot moves forward, the characters learn and grow, and the final battle is all set up. No middle book syndrome here! I just didn't like it quite as much as I could have if Callie hadn't been so blind and naive. Everyone she comes across is able to trick her! She knows fairies can't be trusted, and she knows enough about them to be able to pick out who is probably one, and yet she fails on both accounts multiple times. A lot of interesting stuff is revealed though, so that kept me interested, and I'm excited to see what comes of the war that's brewing.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 29 September, 2014: Finished reading
  • 29 September, 2014: Reviewed