Title: The Wish Thief
Author: C.D. Verhoff
Published by: Misty Moon Media
Book Publication date: December 7, 2015
Pages: 306
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Grade: 89%
Rating: ★★★★★
Buy the Book: Here
Summary:
A young rock collector from a troubled family sets out to find a priceless gem. Just as the prize appears within reach, otherworldly beings arrive to foil her plans. A battle of wits versus magic ensues, unraveling the order of the universe, and only the girl who started it all can return things to normal. Considering her miserable life back home, surely there's a better option than 'normal', but can she find it before time runs out?
Thoughts:
This book was actually pretty adorable. This book is about a thirteen-year-old girl who basically loses her mind. Just kidding, it is about a thirteen-year-old girl finding something she shouldn't have while in the process, trying to find herself. It is very sweet and holds a certain innocence that you don't get a lot of in books. The beginning, I would have to say was very slow. However, because the author took a step back I could really see the character development, and I greatly appreciate that.
I would in fact recommend this book to someone who is of the younger audience, someone about 12-15 years of age because I feel that through the main character's innocence the younger reader will relate a lot more than I did. This did not hinder my experience what so ever, I found it very endearing.
Grading
(you can find my rubric here)
Character Development:
Grade: 5/5 = 25 pts
This author completely developed the main character, Glory. She is utterly innocent, while thinking she knows everything which is such a teenager behavior. I saw character flaws and sass, which I enjoyed. She was borderline a Mary Sue, but in this novel, it did not hinder the story in one bit, great job C.D. Verhoff!
While Clash was on his way to development, I would have love to see a little more of him since he just screamed unique with his "clashing" outfits. Plus he reminded me very much of my best friend on how if his show is on, nothing else exists (unless he really is worried about something). I had a lot of fun this character.
Tone / Writing style:
Grade: 4/5 = 10 pts
This story was indeed unique, and you can hear the character's tell their story through the author which I LOVE. However, I do need to mark this 4/5 because there were quite a few typos which took away from the story, and that including some sentences that had words were entirely missing.
Plot:
Grade: 5/5 = 15 pts
I'm giving full points because it did have a complete plot littered with complete subplots.
Click here to see spoilers
Now, there were a few things I liked about this story. I did like the fact that when she was in Bamboozle the fears she had to face were in fact real. It made me think about if the Bamboozle forced those outcomes to happen or they were truly meant to happen already. I also loved the part where she stops opening the doors, this is right before being tossed into the black door, and just plays her video game refusing to continue with the test.
One thing I didn't like: What happened to Clash! I was expecting them to reconnect in the end (I was totally shipping Glory and Clash so when he just disappeared, I was a little upset).
Now I am neutral with one thing in this book, I honestly can't decide if I hated this or loved this. The author hinted on a love triangle Clash/Glory/Michael. Now what I hate about it: Instant love, or rather in this story's case: sudden love. What I mean by this: Michael out of nowhere starts to like Glory, now while he does "pull her pigtails" in a sense where that could very well mean he likes her, it came out in the open suddenly when they read his poem about her. What I liked about the love triangle: The author barely mentions it. Since it was such in the back burner of the story, the author barely mentions it, only brings it up to make the story multilayered which was a fantastic touch.
Theme(s):
Grade: 5/5 = 10 pts
The most predominant theme in this book is the journey to self-discovery. Glory wants to figure out who she is, the same as any teen and find her place in the world around her. She uses the events in her story to accomplish finding a bit of herself. I feel that the road is far from over just yet.
Unpredictability:
Grade: 3/5 = 6 pts
Click here to see spoilers
I really hate to say this, but I wasn't overly shocked about a lot of the events that was going on. It felt like one constant string of events that made sense, nothing really to predict or be shocked about. I have to say that the crush Michael has on Glory was cute and shocking but not plot altering which is something I look for.
Food For Thought:
Grade: 4/5 = 8 pts
I loved this story, and it did make me think about the book, but it didn't change my life. To get full points in this section, the book needs me to greatly consider changing my own life. I feel if I was in the age bracket 12-15 I might feel different about this section.
Ending:
Grade: 5/5 = 10 pts
I am rating the ending a 5/5. The story is completed and there is no unanswered questions.
Click here to see spoilers
I do have to say that I do have a theory about this book that came to me in the ending which is why I put this here.
I feel as if she really did get sick when she visited the cave and that her mind made up those adventures to cope with the fact that she was dying. It doesn't help Glory has a whipping by her father in that barn. It opened up her body to both infections. This would make sense that while dying, her mind's final form of comfort was her mother and the thought of having her mother embrace her. I feel this is the case in this story because every character had an innocence that reflected Glory's. I'm unsure if the innocence is the result of the story seen through Glory's POV or because they are in Glory's head.
Also, I'm not saying that she couldn't ever in a million years win the affection of the popular boy, but it does prove my point that could be a personal desire of Glory's since she was a little (not overly so) self-conscious of her weight even though she claims otherwise. Of course, if there is another book after this (I didn't exactly check this fact), I would be completely wrong.
Setting:
Grade: 5/5 = 5pts
The setting was beautiful, I never once questioned where I was. I aware of the surroundings all throughout the book with the help of the characters. I never wanted for more description nor wishing for less dialogue, it was a perfect union between the two.
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