The Golden Age of Magic

Golden Age of Magic #1

by Luanne G. Smith

Against the backdrop of 1920s Hollywood, a young fairy godmother on a mission is embroiled in malicious magic, mystery, and murder in a thrilling historical fantasy by the bestselling author of The Vine Witch.

Celeste is about to become one of the thirteen Fées Gardiennes, a centuries-old sisterhood of fairy godmothers. To be granted full status, she must usher her first protégé onto their path of destiny. Where better to find a starry-eyed ward than in the land of magic and illusion called Hollywood?

It’s 1927. The moviemaking business is booming when Celeste befriends a young studio seamstress whose dreams outshine everyone else’s. Rose is talented and underappreciated and could use some enchanted intervention in her life. Plans proceed swimmingly, and Celeste even catches the eye of a handsome producer. But after a series of unexplained accidents on the studio lot stir up rumors of a curse, Celeste fears the trouble is more personal―the spiteful meddling of a fellow Gardienne out to thwart Celeste’s success.

But the sabotage turns sinister when a starlet is murdered and it’s Rose who stands accused. As vengeance, dark magic, and betrayal wreak havoc, Celeste must come into her full power to save her innocent protégé and secure her own future in a cherished, ancient, and now threatened sisterhood.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Magic, Historical Fantasy

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2025

About the author

Luanne G. Smith is the Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Vine Witch series, The Raven Spell books, The Witch's Lens, The Wolf's Eye, and The Golden Age of Magic coming July 1, 2025.

(*Scam Alert* SHE IS NOT ON FACEBOOK and she does not sell marketing or writing advice online. It is a scam.)

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Reviews

[Mary Mac · Rating 1 out of 5]

The plotline has a lot of promising potential but the execution was so, so poor. I read the entire thing out of sheer curiosity to see if it could get worse and indeed, it did. It's been awhile since I've read something this poorly written.

Predictable, full of cliches, several loose ends and unresolved plotlines, decisions and events presented with little to no explanation, and written like a teenage author's first novel. I spent many chapters truly stunned that the characters were taking so long to figure out who the mystery antagonist was. I understand wanting to create suspense, sure, we don't want the mystery solved in chapter two. But if the readers can figure out the mystery, but have to trudge through another eight or ten chapters of the characters blindly ignoring the obvious... Well, frankly, the reader gets bored and the characters just come across as dunces. Kind of counter to the whole "strong independent woman" vibe the author seemed to be shooting for (and missing).

One star is generous and it's due solely to the plotline. French fairy godmothers in 1920s Hollywood? A really creative idea that could potentially become a riveting book. If only it were authored by someone with better vision.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall Vibes: 1920s Fairytale
Hot Sauce Scale: 0 (no romance / dropped romance plotline)

The Golden Age of Magic is a short, quick, inoffensive read. I picked it up off Amazon First Reads this month and breezed through it. The story follows Celine, a Fées Gardiennes (Fairy Godmother), who leaves 1920s Europe and travels to the Fée-less country of America because she has upset another Gardienne. This is meant to be a fresh start for Celine and a chance for her to usher her first protégé into a Happily Ever After. With no other Gardiennes currently in America, she has her pick of fresh talent and wishes. She decides to find a dreamer in Hollywood after getting a postcard in the mail mistakenly. She finds a young seamstress with tons of potential working at a movie studio that is experiencing terrible, unnaturally bad luck and decides that she will be her first protégé.

There are some twists and turns and some unexpected developments. I have one major end-of-story nitpick and will begin light spoilers here.
We do not get resolution for the movie studio or owner Nick West. The meddling of the skulk caused major accidents and misfortune at the studio. With the skulk removed by the Gardiennes, does the studio recover financially? It really seems like a romance plot was dropped between Nick and Celine. I understand not wanting to have a romance plotline in your novel, as it can be cliché when shoehorned in, but if it's introduced, at least resolve it.

I personally thought that Anaïs's views on society were a bit too modernly described for the time period. I do not believe that the term "patriarchy" was used in that specific context until at least second-wave feminism. Based on other historical mentions (the first talkie coming soon, the Great War, liquor being illegal), this book has to take place after 1920 but before 1927. Women would have just recently gotten the right to vote in America. I could easily see Anaïs having strong views on women's suffrage and her feminism reflected through that lens. But instead, her depiction is modern and lacking any historical context. I thought this was a miss, especially in the development of Anaïs’s character.

Finally, the biggest nitpick of all nitpicks. I think the author used the word "infamous" when she just meant "famous":

Everyone knew about Dorée’s first protégé. He was infamous. Several of the artist’s paintings hung in the Musée d’Orsay for all to admire. He was gone now, outlived by his benefactor, but esteem for the man had been engraved in time.

I sat there seriously trying to figure out who an infamous painter could even be. I had a moment where I thought to myself, "Did Dorée train Hitler?!?" No, it can't be. This is too early in the timeline for that. I tried my best to use other context clues, and I think the painter being referred to is Renoir. I can't even comprehend how Renoir would be considered infamous, especially in the context of someone commenting on him in the 1920s. I know this is a really stupid tangent, but I spent way too much time trying to figure out if Dorée had mentored some sort of pre-Hitler Hitler because of the word "infamous" being used here. My brain could not stop focusing on this. I am so sorry.

Overall, this is a quick read with an interesting concept and likable characters. I think some more time could have been spent wrapping up some loose ends, especially because the book is so short. It would not have hurt to have an extra chapter to bring some more resolution or to complete introduced storylines.

[Hades ( Disney's version ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

oouuuuu.. this was goooooooooooood!

Like really REALLY good

Old Hollywood meets a fairy godmother finally being the FMC??!! SIGN ME THE FU$K UP!!!!!!!! Oh , OH, ANDD she gets the cutest fuzzy side kick?! Yes PLEASEEEE

This was such a a fun and creative read all around

[Vegannic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I didn't think this was great at all. Basic story and written in the style that bugs me, where they explain the story in their dialogue, which is just irratating as people don't talk like that in real life haha. It's a bug bear of mine when reading books. Had the concept to be a great book but I just found it boring.
Read as a Kindle First Reads free book of the month

[Crystal Palmisano-Dillard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dnf'ed at 60%.

At first the sweetness of this story was a draw. I like the original concept of modern (okay slightly more modern) fairy godmothers, but Celeste's naiveté became grating. It got to the point of stupidity. To the point that I didn't want her to succeed. Maybe I'm a grump. But here we are.

I think a bit more depth of character, feelings other than confusion, might have helped.

[The Man from DelMonte · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t get on board with this at all. Some of the ideas underpinning the story are good but the set up was unconvincing. It might be lovely and romantic to start off in Paree but it makes no sense because straight away the FMC is dispatched to Hollywood.
There are epochal events happening in Russia, China, India and elsewhere but instead a quarter of their order decamp to the American west coast in order to counter a threat to the nascent film industry?
The Fee Gardiennes are very parochial given both how powerful they are and how limited in numbers.
The author’s work is variable. When she’s up, she’s up (The Vine Witch, The Raven Spell) and when she’s down, she’s down.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book needs a lot of reworking. The animals were the only characters I liked. Extremely predictable. Loose ends. Boring. I just didn’t care about finding out what happened and would have DNFd this if I hadn’t been reading it for a book club. The stakes were never high enough.

[Laura Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1927 Hollywood, where illusion and ambition collide, Celeste, a fairy godmother-in-training, must prove herself by guiding a young woman toward her destiny. She finds her protégé in Rose, a talented but overlooked studio seamstress. As dark magic and betrayal swirl around her, Celeste must unlock her full powers to save Rose and secure her place in a centuries-old order of fairy godmothers.

Narrator was great! Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for the ARC!

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

a perfectly fine book just not my favorite

[Joanne Lebrun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute read. Fun to experience 1920s Hollywoodland (was the at the original name for Hollywood for real?) from Fee Gardinere (fairy godmother meets guardian angel) perspective. Loved the story and I was drawn to read it each time I had a minute. Recommended! I’ve read a few Vine Witch books (first one is always the best) but as this is also a series I’ll atleast give book 2 a try!!

[Charlene Mattson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Nice Riff on Fairy Godmothers

This story is a very good riff on the fairy godmother stories. Interesting characters, a twist, and lots of magic; this is well worth a read!

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a June ARC from Prime First Reads. Overall, I feel the story has potential and I wonder if this is going to become a series (or at least a trilogy). There's very little backstory about the Fees Gardiennes or any of the individual sisters. The character development is minimal. I think it could be fleshed out with follow-up books. The plot was interesting, but left a lot of unanswered questions due to the short length of the story. It would have benefited from a slightly longer, more detailed length. The writing style was decent, but dragged a bit at the beginning and then felt rushed at the end. I'd like to see the story continue with a few more books that address these issues.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sounds like an interesting plot

[Cari · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Golden Age of Magic was my Kindle First Reads selection for June 2025..

The Golden Age of Magic by Luanne G. Smith is a historical fantasy taking place in Hollywood during the Roaring Twenties. The main character is a young fairy godmother in search of a talented young protege to help guide to fame and fortune with her magical influence. Celeste has arrived in America on the run from a vengeful fellow fairy godmother, one of the Fées Gardiennes, a sisterhood of fairy godmothers she aspires to join after successfully completing her first mission and finds her protege in Rose-- a talented young seamstress who works at a studio helping to sew costumes, but dreams of being a fashion designer; however, the studio where Rose works seems to be cursed. Celeste soon comes to fear that the troubles she tried to leave behind in Europe have followed her across the ocean to continue their quest for vengeance, but things may be even more complicated than they first appear and darker magic may be afoot...

This book was creative and entertaining enough, but I just didn't love it either.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided an ALC via Brilliance Audio and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

Set in 1920s Hollywood, this follows Celeste, who is essentially a junior fairy godmother out on her first solo mission. She left France when another of her order felt slighted and her mentor felt it was best for her to leave the country until tempers settled. She is in search of her first protégé to nudge them to greatness with their inherent talents. In Hollywood she is drawn to a talented yet unknown seamstress working hard on the set of a movie. She also finds darkness and chaos on the set, which makes her mission more complicated than anticipated.

I thought the author did a good job explaining the magic. The sisterhood of the Fées Gardiennes and their counterparts the Skulks were also well explained, though it does take until the end of the book to get the information. This has a slight romance subplot, but it doesn't really go anywhere. Perhaps that develops more as the series progresses. I anticipate we will get to know Celeste more as well as the series progresses and she grows into her role as a full fledged Fées Gardiennes. I'm anxious to see how the series progresses and learn more about the other members of the order.

Overall I really enjoyed the plot and the concept of the book. The narrator did a good job with the story and the characters.

[Timothy Burbage · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed some parts of this story, and really didn't enjoy others.

I enjoyed the world building of there being fair godmothers who looked after artists and members of the European royal families in marriages and love stories, just like the fairytales. I liked the detail of since WW1 Europe had changed so drastically that there weren't many royal families left.

I enjoyed the setting of 1920s Hollywood and I got the glitz and the glamour. I liked Rose as a protege, though I wanted to spend a lot more time with her.

I enjoyed the way that the fairy magic worked, and how powerful the glamour could be. Disappearing at will, being able to talk your way in and out of any situation, giving good luck as a reward.

What I really didn't like was the mystery. We didn't even know there was a mystery at the start, and then when it came about the red herrings were removed quickly and easily. Because the villain was a surprise, we got no time with them and didn't really understand their motivations.

This meant that there was no plot for the first 3rd of the book. Literally none. I had to put this book down and read another one in between because I was getting so frustrated with this. This was almost a dnf because the first third is so boring.

[Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's relatively short and easy to get into, although I still struggle a bit with getting attached to books written in 3rd person POV. I didn't read it fast but I really wanted to know what's next. There's magic, mystery, sabotage, and a murder. It's a generally good time!

If you like the writing of Once Upon A Broken Heart, I think you'll like this too.

[Flora · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2.5 stars

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this concept. It was different than anything I’ve read before!

[Julia Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid beach read - love me some magic! But hard to follow and I auto-piloted. Justice for the romance arc.

[Rhys Battles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celeste is an initiate Fèe Guardienne, which is basically a Fairy Godmother. And she has to find her protégé and help them on their path to success. But when she is sent half way around the world to a place she has never been she is a little uneasy. Everything starts to go wrong and she does everything in her power to right the wrongs. But what happens when she runs out of power and has to save herself.

It took me about 6 chapters to really get the feels for this book but I am so glad I didnt put it down. I truly enjoyed the story and the characters. Though I felt the plot twist was predictable it didn't take away from the story in any fashion. If you're a fantasy reader that has been skeptical about picking up a historical fiction book I truly think this could be your vibe.

There is just enough of a historical element to be intriguing with a big dose of magic and mischief.

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was well written and easy to follow. Each chapter was just the right length to get in one or two each day in my busy schedule. I enjoyed the slightly different take on magic that exists in the world and the balance of good and evil as the central theme.

[Lydia H · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the entire book I was thinking about giving it four stars, (though I would probably say 7/10), but the entire concept absolutely enchanted me. So I gave it 5 stars (about 9/10).

The writing and pacing are smooth. The characters are interesting. The descriptions of the clothing and the scenery is mystical and bright. The concept is amazing. I’ve never read a fantasy book quite like this. Halfway through the book I was sad that the second book wouldn’t be available immediately to me!

I truly enjoyed this book. It didn’t feel cheap. It didn’t feel like Smith was trying too hard. It was a genuinely nice story with good morals about perseverance and the balance of life, and the acceptance that comes with the balance of life. Can’t wait until the next book comes out—I’ve preordered it!

[Kat Colangelo · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

I really liked the plot but it was a little slow in parts and kept repeating aspects of the magical rules. I loved the characters and they had their own personalities and character development.

I just do not understand why Nick was dropped?! And never heard of again? I absolutely adored their relationship build up and thought how good their ending will be either together or not. But just nothing written about him was just odd.

Also I guessed the janitor, about half way in. Nick was too obvious and she hadn't had enough interactions with anyone else. Maybe if the guard had a name and more pleasant interactions even if he still did his job.

I loved the end scenes with the ship! They're powerful women! I also loved their sidekicks.

My favourite quote, "You dance in the air and light, we loom in the muck and shadow".

[Faith Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

A balancing act.

I love the idea of fairy godmothers knocking around. It kind of makes perfect sense when you think of some people who appear to have charmed lives & do indeed have meteoric rises. Equally, the idea of Skulks, whose sole purpose is to bring about the decline of said "charmed " ones, also seems plausible. It's a pretty common occurrence that high-flyers self combust spectacularly. That appears to hold true whether it's a famous beauty, a business tycoon or artist etc. Some part of their lives implodes. So maybe there's truth to this tale!

[Beatrice · Rating 2 out of 5]

What if the Fairy godmothers that attended Sleeping Beauty's birth, were real and living still in the 1920's, long past the era of royals but still able to bestow 'gifts' in the way of help in succeeding at a person's dream - a prince to love happily ever after, a brilliant career, etc.

We begin with Celest who is sort of a junior Fee Gardienne who while not yet receiving her full powers, is exiled to America to find her first protege to put on the path of success, thus ensuring her own successful transition to full fledged member of the sisterhood of the Fee Gardienne.

She heads to Hollywood which makes sense as this has always been a place of magic and dreamers. There she finds Rose, a young seamstress with dreams of designing her own costumes and fashions, toiling away at West Coast Studios. Everyone swears the studio is cursed and yet a being whose whole raison d'etre is magic, dismisses the curse talk out of hand, even when she feels an eerie chill (which is the Fee kryptonite). She is casual with her powers despite not being full fledged and is far to careless about her magical self care. But of course she is, otherwise how could she find herself completely depleted and magic free at exactly the very moment everyone needs her to step up.

Everything is overly telegraphed, the bad guy red herring is too obvious and the others are too overtly dismissed. For powerful magical beings, they behave too often as 'silly women' who are easily taken advantage of. Anais getting drunk and spilling all her secrets to the unworthy Edward is both stupid and told to us after the fact. So much of this story is just told to us as an afterthought, we aren't really invited in.

And then the dropping of the protegee storyline and the murder of the star of the movie was disappointing. Why spend all that time in the wardrobe department with Celest aging costumes and Rose working on beautiful gowns if her story was just completely dropped only to be tied up with an off hand comment that she wins an Oscar. The story of the murder and the state of the studio and Nick's career is just forgotten.

Goodreads has the title with a parenthetical indicating that this is #1 which helps explain why this book felt so thin and dashed off. This was about setting up a world in which fairy godmothers exist; they rely on sunlight and gems for power; they have evil counterparts that like to inflict misery and use cold to trap and harm the Fee. This was not about telling a good complex and well developed story. Really disappointing.

[Jean-Francois Simard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Golden Age of Magic by Luanne G. Smith is a historical fantasy novel set in 1920s Hollywood, blending fairy tale elements with themes of magic, mystery, and betrayal. Here are five main takeaways from the novel:

1. Fairy Tale Reimagining in a Historical Setting: The story reinterprets the fairy godmother trope, drawing inspiration from classic tales like those of the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, and Disney. It follows Celeste, a young fairy godmother-in-training, as she navigates her role within the Fées Gardiennes, a centuries-old sisterhood, against the vibrant backdrop of 1927 Hollywood, a time of booming moviemaking and glamour. This fusion of fairy tale magic with a real-world historical setting creates a unique, immersive narrative.

2. Themes of Destiny and Mentorship: Celeste’s mission is to guide her first protégé, Rose, a talented but underappreciated studio seamstress, toward her destined path. This mentor-protégé relationship highlights themes of empowerment and destiny, as Celeste uses her magical abilities to help Rose shine in a competitive industry, reflecting the fairy godmother’s role in enabling transformation and success.

3. Mystery and Malicious Magic: The plot escalates with a murder mystery when a starlet is killed, and Rose is wrongfully accused. The story weaves in elements of dark magic, vengeance, and betrayal, creating a thrilling narrative where Celeste must harness her full powers to protect Rose and uncover the truth, adding suspense and stakes to the fairy tale framework.

4. Exploration of Sisterhood and Power: The novel emphasizes the strength and challenges of the Fées Gardiennes sisterhood, which faces threats from internal and external forces. Celeste’s journey to secure her place within this ancient group underscores themes of female solidarity, power dynamics, and the struggle to preserve a magical legacy in a modernizing world.

5. Rich World-Building with a Hollywood Flair: Smith’s storytelling incorporates the allure of 1920s Hollywood, with detailed research into the era’s film industry, costumes, and cultural atmosphere. The setting, combined with magical elements like enchanted interventions and a mischievous rook, creates a vivid, enchanting world that appeals to fans of historical fantasy and fairy tale retellings.

These takeaways reflect the novel’s blend of magic, historical context, and suspense, making it a compelling read for those who enjoy fantasy with a fairy tale twist.

[Suki · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining, magical story that gives old Hollywood mystery vibes. This story revolves around a hopeful, naive fairy godmother on a mission to find her first lucky protégé. She travels to America with only her small magical companion, wits and determination but realizes that finding her protege was only the beginning. Celeste attempts to navigate the treacherous waters and enchanting glamour of old Hollywood all while struggling to help her new protege Rose. Mysterious things begin to happen all around Rose threatening Celeste’s good intentions. The danger grows each day leaving Celeste only a short time to find out what is causing all the disruptions. She must figure out a way to protect Rose before its too late all while protecting herself from the unseen dangers.

The old Hollywood setting added a sense of enchantment and wonder that really added to the story. Start struck fans, ever changing studios and big dreams all find their way to the reader’s imagination. The idea that there is a group of fairy godmothers behind the scenes helping make dreams come true is a perfect narrative for this story. The supporting characters and lore add richness to the world created by the author. Companion stories about other proteges or previous fairy god mothers could easily become additional works and expand on this story in the future. The story unfolds neatly and is well-paced overall. The curiosity of finding out what was disturbing Celeste’s good intentions keep the reader invested.

This is a fun and cozy read you’ll remember in the future. Although you’ll likely be left with questions about what happens after the events of the book Celeste’s first journey is wrapped up neatly in the end. This story is for those that love imagining there is more at play behind the scenes influencing humanity’s actions. The secrecy of the Fées Gardiennes reminded me of the secrecy behind keeping the magical community from the muggles in the Harry Potter universe. Overall, it was an entertaining story that I didn’t want to say good bye to.

Final notes: This book is for readers who enjoy reading about magical beings influencing humanity for better or worse. For fans of old Hollywood who enjoy the glamour of that time and like a bit of mystery.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is an advance reader copy (ARC) and may contain errors or changes before final publication.

[The Starry Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Golden Age of Magic by Luanne G. Smith is a magical story about fairy godmothers, 1920s Hollywood, and the complicated realm of fate and fortune.

The Fees Gardiennes are a group of 13 fairy godmothers who must guide their proteges onto their journey of destiny. Using their magic, they can help their proteges to be in the right place at the right time, be introduced to the right person, or experience the right success.
Celeste is a fairy godmother in training, sent to 1920s Hollywood from Paris to find her protege. The glamour of the film industry rivals Celeste's own glamour magic, complicating matters for her, as everything seems to go wrong for her protege Rose, a costume maker for a Hollywood studio. Rose's destiny turns bad when Celeste suspects something dark is sabotaging her efforts.

I am a big fan of Luanne G, Smith's historical fantasy novels, and this one did not disappoint. I loved the entire concept, reimagining fairy godmothers which I have never come across before in fiction. The glamour, magic, spellbinding setting and plot captivated me from the first page. As usual, the author created a world within a world with the right amount of explanation and magic so that I completely understood the fantasy and backstory. I was charmed by the characters, whose goodness and care were a nice reprieve from darker fantasy characters that I am used to reading about. I loved getting a peek behind the curtain of costume design in Hollywood and it was the perfect backdrop for a story about fairy godmothers and fortune.

The whimsical magic system and Fee Gardiennes were very well executed and original ideas that made this story a page turner for me.

I look forward to reading the next book in the duology and once again, Luanne G. Smith delivered an enchanting story full of adventure, lovable characters, and charming magic.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Stacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting premise for a story but something about it just didn’t work for me and I’m not sure I’m going to be able to put into words what it was but I’ll try.

First of all, Celeste is throwing her magic willy nilly all over the place and barely even trying to hide the fact that she can use magic. I’m also confused about the amount of magic she’s able to use at a time because that seems uneven. At one point she conjures a whale and barely has enough magic to sustain it for 5 minutes but the next chapter she’s creating a whole cottage and existence for herself. Some of that I guess is the fact that she can recharge her magic with gems but I still feel like it isn’t explained very well.

Second of all, the main character of this story is basically a Fairy Godmother in training. There’s a fancy French name they use for it but I don’t remember the spelling so we’re going with Fairy Godmother. Then we learn pretty early on that there’s a counterpart to the Fairy Godmother’s that basically undoes everything they’ve done? So they pick a protégée and nudge their lives along in a positive direction and then these other guys come along a few years later and push them back down again? Why help someone’s life along if their success is just going to get taken away later on? How is that fair and what is the point exactly? That really tripped me up.

Lastly the plot sort of takes a left turn around halfway through and I didn’t really like the turn we took. Besides that something about the writing and the way the characters interacted just didn’t work for me. Particularly with any kind of romance. It felt cringy. To be honest I probably would have DNFd this if it hadn’t been my new release for July for HRCYED. I just didn’t feel like finding another July release so I pushed through. I just didn’t really care what was happening by the end.