Book Review: The Wish List by Gabi Stevens

Summary:
When Kristin Montgomery discovers her three aunts are fairy godmothers and she's next in line for the job, her uncomplicated life as a CPA disappears like magic. No, not like magic; it is magic - and she had no idea magic existed until her aunts handed her a wand and took off on a cruise around the world! Left to her own devices, Kristin not only has to deal with burgeoning magical powers, but also a reluctant arbiter, a selfish sprite, and a suave French sorcerer. When one of them turns out to be the bad guy, Kristin must learn to trust her heart and her instincts to keep herself and the ones she loves out of danger.

Review: 
This was a fun, light-hearted read.  I really enjoyed it!  It was a little heavier on the romance than I expected, but I'm not complaining...

One thing I really enjoy in books are references to pop culture.  Gabi Stevens does that with aplomb, referencing Harry Potter, Disneyland, and other magical constructs.  I always wonder if the characters in a story "know" about things in today's world. 


I related to Kristin's character really well because she is very left-brained.  She is a CPA, which I loved---I took three years of accounting in college and almost became a CPA before I decided to be a dietitian.  As Registered Dietitians, Natalie and I are also both very, very, very left-brained.  Everything has to be in its place and we hate having things left undone or out of order.  We both work well off of checklists and live in a world of absolutes: we need concrete proof of things and hard evidence before making decisions.  Kristin was the same way:  she had a hard time believing that magic exists, she didn't believe that she could fall in love at first sight, and she needed proof of things before she believed them.  I love having a character I can relate to like that! 

The love story is very sweet, the bad guys reach the requisite level of evil, and the side characters are very well-fleshed out.  I was racing towards the ending, ready for my happily ever after, and then realized the story wasn't complete!  The Wish List is the first in a trilogy---I'll definitely be back for more!  

Just One Gripe: 
I found the book to be a somewhat slow starter, but after 100 pages I was hooked.

The Best Thing About This Book: 
I liked the world-building of the Groundling and Arcani worlds. Although the "coming home" twist at the end was probably my favorite part.  It was so sweet.

Appropriate for a younger audience: 
No

Score:
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Setting/Imagery: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Ending: 4/5
Total Score: 19/25








4 comments:

  1. I read this one a little while back and really enjoyed it! Great review =)))

    xoxo

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  2. I do like "Left Brainers"... no stone unturned is our motto, of course you better put the stones back in place when you are done!...lol

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  3. How old are the characters meant to be? Those on the cover look late 20s, 30s...or maybe it's just me.

    Thanks for the review!

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  4. Cass---they are 30-ish, I think...yes, the guy is 35 and the girl is early 30's. It was a very fun read!

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