Review AS YOU WISH by Jackson Pearce

As You Wish
by Jackson Pearce

Details:
September 1st 2009 by HarperTeen (first published August 25th 2009)

Hardcover, 304 pages

Placement In Pile:
Top of the Stack

Summary:
Ever since Viola's boyfriend broke up with her, she has spent her days silently wishing—to have someone love her again and, more importantly, to belong again—until one day she inadvertently summons a young genie out of his world and into her own. He will remain until she makes three wishes.


Jinn is anxious to return home, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid she will not wish for the right thing, the thing that will make her truly happy. As the two spend time together, the lines between master and servant begin to blur, and soon Jinn can't deny that he's falling for Viola. But it's only after Viola makes her first wish that she realizes she's in love with Jinn as well . . . and that if she wishes twice more, he will disappear from her life—and her world—forever.

Jackson Pearce spins a magical tale about star-crossed lovers, what it means to belong . . . and how important it is to be careful what you wish for.

Review:
After I read this I kept asking myself why I loved it so much. Was it because I didn't expect much from a chick-lit-teenage-fluff book, that I was truly surprised to find some depth to the characters? Maybe. But either way, I was hooked. Line and Sinker!


The main character Viola has the one thing the infamous Bella had and took it all the way to the bank. She's a normal girl. She could be you or me or any other angsty teen that really just wants to be noticed. Viola's not even asking for the whole enchilada of elite-popularity status, she just wants other kids at school to see who she is and appreciate what's there. Didn't we all wish for that at some time?

Then when she meets Jinn, the genie sent to her because her heart wished for a 'true' wish, I was delighted to see how smart and sympathetic of a character she was. Instead of making brash thoughtless choices, (which I've found quite a few YA writers let their characters do to move the plot along … lame right?) Viola's different. So different that she doesn't make any choices because she wants so desperately to make the right one and to be accepted for who she is.

Pearce's novel is full of great, believable teen voice that will speak to any reader, since really, we've all been there and done that, right? It may be the nerdy high school girl in me who's wishing for a mega-hot genie to come by way, but whatever, I LOVED IT!!!