YOU WISH is light and fun--if your idea of chick lit is something that's frenetic to the point of being irritating. It was a quick read, but definitely had more potential than how it ended up.
The good things: the synopsis is one of the most fun I've read. The wishes come true made for great comedy, though if you're like me you might have trouble stomaching the excessively ridiculous. I was also pleasantly surprised at the character development throughout this novel. While Kayla never completely loses her annoying characteristics (to be discussed in a minute), Mandy Hubbard does a great job of moving her through the ridiculousness and into the (relatively more) mature. The lesson she learns was an important and relatable one, and we can see how she comes about that revelation. Kayla's friend Nicole also undergoes an equally gradual yet realistic transformation.
The not-so-good: it IS overly ridiculous at many points. There are only so many times that the reappearance of the hot pink pony can be considered amusing. Furthermore, I found Kayla difficult to sympathize with at the beginning (perhaps because she DOES have a lot of growing up to do in the novel, but still. Not my cup of tea). Actually, I never ever fully ended up understanding or liking her, but Im chalking that up to her character being intended for readers with different tastes than mine. And Ben was flat throughout: I never saw what the two girls saw in him.
YOU WISH is a relatively pleasant diversion if this sort of magical realism comedic chick lit appeals to you. It's a quick read, and you'll be amused while you're reading it, but unfortunately it was in the end all too forgettable for me.
The good things: the synopsis is one of the most fun I've read. The wishes come true made for great comedy, though if you're like me you might have trouble stomaching the excessively ridiculous. I was also pleasantly surprised at the character development throughout this novel. While Kayla never completely loses her annoying characteristics (to be discussed in a minute), Mandy Hubbard does a great job of moving her through the ridiculousness and into the (relatively more) mature. The lesson she learns was an important and relatable one, and we can see how she comes about that revelation. Kayla's friend Nicole also undergoes an equally gradual yet realistic transformation.
The not-so-good: it IS overly ridiculous at many points. There are only so many times that the reappearance of the hot pink pony can be considered amusing. Furthermore, I found Kayla difficult to sympathize with at the beginning (perhaps because she DOES have a lot of growing up to do in the novel, but still. Not my cup of tea). Actually, I never ever fully ended up understanding or liking her, but Im chalking that up to her character being intended for readers with different tastes than mine. And Ben was flat throughout: I never saw what the two girls saw in him.
YOU WISH is a relatively pleasant diversion if this sort of magical realism comedic chick lit appeals to you. It's a quick read, and you'll be amused while you're reading it, but unfortunately it was in the end all too forgettable for me.
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