Wish

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Wish
by Alexandra Bullen
pub: Jan 2010
322 pages

Synopsis:
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.
Wish asks the question: If you could have anything, what would you wish for?

Wish does ask some interesting questions. It's that old "be careful what you wish for" scenario. Not that Olivia's wish goes bad it just doesn't turn out like she expected. Do they ever?

This is a sweet story that uses magic to jump start the plot, but it isn't used throughout. The magic is in the dresses that grant the wishes but then Olivia has to deal with the consequences without the use of magic.

Wish is really more of a coming of age story. Olivia was the quiet twin while Violet was the one with the powerful, outgoing personality. Consequently, when she dies, Olivia is rather lost. Not only did she lose a twin but she had been in Violet's shadow. Now she has to find out who she is and determine her place in the world.

Bullen does a nice job with description and she develops her characters well. The relationships worked. While I haven't dealt with this type of tragedy, the feelings and reactions rang true. The family as a whole is affected and while Bullen shows Olivia dealing with her friends, she also shows how Olivia and her parents must muddle through the trauma to find peace and acceptance on the other side.

The story did drag somewhat for me but again, Wish is more emotional than action and I think it's done well. I wasn't quite sure why the need for all of the excessive alcohol and partying at the end but it didn't ruin the story - just took me out of it since it seemed unnecessary.

The ending wraps up nicely and some things I thought were iffy were given a plausible explanation in the final pages. There was also a nice twist. And the ending does give you a sense of hope. Yes, Wish is about death and dying but it the tale is an uplifting one. Bullen handles a difficult subject well.

Wish didn't grab me as much as I had "wished" (sorry, couldn't help myself) but I liked it. It's good. Those of you who like emotional, thought-provoking, coming of age stories will enjoy it.

The Cover: It's lovely! The magical and etheral quality really appeals to me, as well as the colors.

First Lines: "You must be Olivia." His shoes came into focus first: squishy loafers with soft raised edges and thick sensible soles.

Don't like it. The dialogue holds no interest for me and who cares about some boring shoes.

Wish is available in the MegaBook Giveaway. Hope you enter and Good Luck!