Wish by Alexandra Bullen
Release Date: January 12, 2010
Publisher: Point
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336/hardcover
Source: Publisher
Interest: '10 Debut Author
Challenge: None
Buy the Book: Amazon
For broken-hearted Olivia Larsen, nothing can change the fact that her twin sister, Violet, is gone... until a mysterious, beautiful gown arrives on her doorstep. The dress doesn't just look magical; it is magical. It has the power to grant her one wish, and the only thing Olivia wants is her sister back.
With Violet again by her side, both girls get a second chance at life. And as the sisters soon discover, they have two more dresses-and two more wishes left. But magic can't solve everything, and Olivia is forced to confront her ghosts to learn how to laugh, love, and live again.
In a breathtaking debut from Alexandra Bullen, WISH asks the question: If you could have anything, what would you wish for?
I liked this story and the characters... but there was nothing that really grabbed me, or made me 'have' to continue reading. The novel started out slow, and usually that's a big enough deterrent for me to set the book down, but there was something about Olivia that kept me reading. Although I did find her naivety annoying at times, she did have her share of personal growth by the end of the novel.
I think perhaps that this novel would appeal more to younger teens. As an "experienced" reader I found myself wanting more from the story and it's characters.
I also expected the story to have a much more fairy tale-esqu feel, but the overall tone of the novel was very serious. I would have loved to have seen more emphasis in the actual wishes themselves and more explanation about the dressmaker. This could have easily been a contemporary novel about a teen girl and the aftermath of losing her sister.
If you're looking for a quick read to pass the time, Wish may just be the novel for you.
I also recommend checking out it's successor Wishful Thinking!