Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy

by Melissa de la Cruz

Book Overview

*A New York Times Bestseller*
*A B&N Young Reader Monthly Pick*
*A Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist*

Discover a new middle-grade fantasy saga perfect for fans of The Land of Stories series from the #1 New York Times bestselling creator of The Descendants, Melissa de la Cruz, where real life and fairy tales collide

Nothing ever happens in Filomena Jefferson-Cho's sleepy little suburban town of North Pasadena. The sun shines every day, the grass is always a perfect green, and while her school seems to swear there's no such thing as bullying, she still feels bummed out. But one day, when Filomena is walking home on her own, something strange happens.

Filomena is being followed by Jack Stalker, one of the heroes in the Thirteenth Fairy, a series of books she loves about a brave girl and her ragtag group of friends who save their world from an evil enchantress. She must be dreaming, or still reading a book. But Jack is insistent--he's real, the stories are real, and Filomena must come with him at once

Soon Filomena is thrust into the world of evil fairies and beautiful princesses, sorcerers and slayers, where an evil queen drives her ruthless armies to destroy what is left of the Fairies. To save herself and the kingdom of Westphalia, Filomena must find the truth behind the fairytales and set the world back to rights before the cycle of destruction begins once more.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1250311217
• ISBN13: 9781250311214
• Release Date: December 2020
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.7" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 10 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 8

Customer Reviews

Fun, imaginative middle-grade fantasy

Never After is the first book in a new fantasy series. It's perfect for middle grade or upper elementary school readers, or as a light YA or adult read. Filomena, the main character is beloved by her parents but bullied at her California middle school. She visits the bookstore after school to purchase the thirteenth and final installment in her favorite book series, Never After, and finds out, not only is the book not available, it's never going to be released. Walking home disappointed, she finds she is being followed by Jack Stalker, the main character in the Never After series. Filomena is thrown into a world of fairytales, magic and an epic battle between good and evil. Filomena is a brave, clever, witty protagonist who grows in wisdom and strength throughout the story. Never After is imaginative, fast moving and fun, and often laugh-out-loud funny. I liked the interesting characters, non-stop action, and how it moves between the modern and fairy-tale worlds. It is a great addition to the middle grade fantasy genre. #BookishFirst

Mixed up fairy tale fun

t is a fun, light read meant for a fairly young audience but I still enjoyed it. I could kinda relate to Filomena and being obsessed with a series of books, waiting excitedly for the next one to come out. I still am that way sometimes. The world of Never After was really interesting, especially when it began to bleed out into the real world. I think this world could use a bit of magic like Never After, but no ogres though! All the fairy tales are mixed up together in this book, from Jack the giant killer (the hero of course with cool vines!), to Aladdin's lamp (and flying carpets), ‎Scheherazade, and even Gretel and the wolves of the wood (cool bikers and not at all the villains!). Filomena of course learns that there is more to her than expected and grows into her role (as expected from a middle grade novel). As this is just the start of a series, it does have a fairly open ending that leads right into the next book.