Fairy Tale Reform School #3: Tricked by Jen Calonita

My name is Gilly, and I've gotten myself thrown back into the FTRS to correct my "bad behavior". This time, I did it on purpose to save my little sister Anna. Rumpelstiltskin has become headmaster, and he's made some major changes that are very suspicious. His rules encourage delinquent behavior, and students are rewarded for fawning over him. My friends and I have found evidence that he's collecting gold and forbidden magic beans, but we don't know why. The Royal Family is clearly concerned, but Rumpelstiltskin was given complete control over the school. Since the adults can't do anything about it, it looks like it's up to me to stop him. However, no one, including myself, was prepared for what happened next. Nobody with half a brain would make a deal with the trickster Rumpelstiltskin, but I've accepted his challenge to find a magical, mythical creature. I didn't read the fine print in the contract, so who knows what will happen if we survive the quest?

I didn't read the previous two books in the series before reading this one, but I still enjoyed it. It tells an entertaining story of fairy tale characters living together in Enchantasia. Gilly is a mischievous, impulsive girl with a need to protect others and to fight injustice. Jax, a prince, is her best friend and shares the same values. The idea of students teaming up to fight an evil character isn't terribly unique (see Harry Potter), but Gilly is an enchanting protagonist. She doesn't have any superpowers, and others admire her leadership and tricky thinking. Who better to defeat the ultimate trickster, Rumpelstiltskin? Gilly is burdened with a couple of extra conflicts. Her younger sister resents following in Gilly's footsteps and doesn't want to be rescued from Rumpelstiltskin. Also, Gilly's father expects her to take over his cobbler business, but she doesn't want to. During her adventures, she learns that she has the power to create her own future despite the expectations of others. In the end, she's not sure what she'll do with her life, but she's excited for the possibilities.