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raeanne's review against another edition
5.0
Trigger Warning: Attempted Rape, Neglectful Alcoholic Parent, Drunk Driving,
I absolutely loved How to Make A Wish. It's adorable and painful, awkward and real. I was in as soon as I read the f/f couple part, but really I love "issue" books like this. I love books where the families aren't all dead or perfect. Where bills and jobs weight as much as they do in real life.
I grew up without a mother and an alcoholic father. I was working as a dishwasher real young to help out. Plus it gave me something to do while chilling at the bar all the time. Why are books that reflect my life, the lives of my friends, boiled down to "issue" books and disregarded as a ploy? My life is more than one event, and even if it is only the one thing, that one thing matters, okay? Statistics are real people. I just...fuck anyone who disdains for those of us.
If it's a bad book, diss that part, not the reality.
↣Hooked right away
↣Living with her asshole ex is an issue but it quickly becomes more of a back-burner one. Grace also realizes stuff about herself, Ex is still a douche but not a comic book villain.
↣Being bisexual and being a lesbian for Grace and Eva have consequences and considerations, but it's not a "coming out" book. The main "problem" isn't that they're attracted to each other or in a relationship. The biggest gay hardship is making Maggie crawl out of a bottle long enough to remember Grace coming out.
↣Realistic, authentic issues with an alcoholic parent. My father is/was an alcoholic and that push and pull of child-caretaker riding the edge is painful.
↣Lesbian sex! And I don't mean that in a creepy way, but in the bout damn time way. It's the best kind: fumbling, awkward, and adorable.
↣Love how Grace is bisexual, and describes her realizing it, how experience isn't necessary for your identity
↣Female masturbation is included, but again not creepy or voyeuristic.
↣Eva is awesome. She colors adult coloring books for anxiety, rails against being called "exotic" and is trying to cope with losing her mom.
↣Luca is a great best friend. And yes, they're actually only friends. He's funny and not a macho guy with toxic masculinity.
↣There is some friction between Luca's girlfriend and Grace, as Grace has to face some unpleasant facts.However, it's not a full on war and they come to terms.
↣Grace is awesome. She loves Cherry coke and is scared of water beasts like me :D
and her pathology is on point. She's unwittingly in this cycle, continues playing her role, and is in denial in a real way. It takes hitting rock bottom, effort, and pain to halt the fucked up trajectory they're on. Her realization is so fucking familiar. Even when you're aware and fighting to be normal, things like this fuck you up in ways you don't see until it smacks you in the face.
↣Grace's mom Maggie is very familiar with the bar fly women I've known. It's depressing.
↣The lifeguard crush reminds me of Sandlot, which is a good thing.
↣Ending is perfect.
↣The denial and trauma of dealing with the rape threats and the bars and the fear of unknown men that is all anxiety-inducingly real. I do wish there was more support and acknowledgement but given Grace's issues, it's understandable why she doesn't have the vocab for it.
Top Quotes:
I absolutely loved How to Make A Wish. It's adorable and painful, awkward and real. I was in as soon as I read the f/f couple part, but really I love "issue" books like this. I love books where the families aren't all dead or perfect. Where bills and jobs weight as much as they do in real life.
I grew up without a mother and an alcoholic father. I was working as a dishwasher real young to help out. Plus it gave me something to do while chilling at the bar all the time. Why are books that reflect my life, the lives of my friends, boiled down to "issue" books and disregarded as a ploy? My life is more than one event, and even if it is only the one thing, that one thing matters, okay? Statistics are real people. I just...fuck anyone who disdains for those of us.
If it's a bad book, diss that part, not the reality.
↣Hooked right away
↣Living with her asshole ex is an issue but it quickly becomes more of a back-burner one. Grace also realizes stuff about herself, Ex is still a douche but not a comic book villain.
↣Being bisexual and being a lesbian for Grace and Eva have consequences and considerations, but it's not a "coming out" book. The main "problem" isn't that they're attracted to each other or in a relationship. The biggest gay hardship is making Maggie crawl out of a bottle long enough to remember Grace coming out.
↣Realistic, authentic issues with an alcoholic parent. My father is/was an alcoholic and that push and pull of child-caretaker riding the edge is painful.
↣Lesbian sex! And I don't mean that in a creepy way, but in the bout damn time way. It's the best kind: fumbling, awkward, and adorable.
↣Love how Grace is bisexual, and describes her realizing it, how experience isn't necessary for your identity
↣Female masturbation is included, but again not creepy or voyeuristic.
↣Eva is awesome. She colors adult coloring books for anxiety, rails against being called "exotic" and is trying to cope with losing her mom.
↣Luca is a great best friend. And yes, they're actually only friends. He's funny and not a macho guy with toxic masculinity.
↣There is some friction between Luca's girlfriend and Grace, as Grace has to face some unpleasant facts.However, it's not a full on war and they come to terms.
↣Grace is awesome. She loves Cherry coke and is scared of water beasts like me :D
and her pathology is on point. She's unwittingly in this cycle, continues playing her role, and is in denial in a real way. It takes hitting rock bottom, effort, and pain to halt the fucked up trajectory they're on. Her realization is so fucking familiar. Even when you're aware and fighting to be normal, things like this fuck you up in ways you don't see until it smacks you in the face.
↣Grace's mom Maggie is very familiar with the bar fly women I've known. It's depressing.
↣The lifeguard crush reminds me of Sandlot, which is a good thing.
↣Ending is perfect.
↣The denial and trauma of dealing with the rape threats and the bars and the fear of unknown men that is all anxiety-inducingly real. I do wish there was more support and acknowledgement but given Grace's issues, it's understandable why she doesn't have the vocab for it.
Top Quotes:
My entire life is one gigantic just.
I just never know when a good day is going to turn to total crap.
ellaunrau's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
melissa81's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
everthereader's review against another edition
4.0
Review Posted On: Ever the Reader
TRIGGER WARNINGS for alcohol abuse, emotional abuse, addiction and toxic parent/child relationships. If you are sensitive to either one of these, please be aware going into this novel.
Spoiler Free Review:
How to Make a Wish was pitched to me as a summery contemporary, something I would probably never read if it didn’t include a f/f relationship and a bisexual main character. But this book went beyond and brought up issues of addiction and alcohol abuse, toxic parent/child relationships. It sunk into the deeper corners of reality and was so much more raw than I was expecting.
The story takes place around one summer in Grace’s life where her mother obtains a new boyfriend and another home. She meets Eva who is grief stricken from the recent loss of her mother. How to Make a Wish still includes the quintessential aspects to a YA contemporary, the petty drama and jealousy and awkwardness. But I also really appreciated her inclusions of realistic friendships.
The relationship with her mother was definitely the most intriguing. A few reviewers have mentioned that How to Make a Wish does have a realistic portrayal of addiction and the relationship with a parent who is struggling with addiction. Grace simultaneously played the role of the elder, cleaning up her mother’s messes but also the role of obedient child which is where the emotional abuse comes into play. It started as very subtle and innocent but gradually grew into something uncontrollable. Despite how much I enjoyed the realness of their toxic relationship, I didn’t like how it ended. I would have preferred more closure with their relationship.
Obviously, there is a f/f relationship in this book and Grace herself is bisexual. F/f relationships tend to be rare in the YA literature which is really saddening. As important books with m/m relationships are, I feel like they are so much more popular than the ones with f/f/ relationships. If you look at popular bookish fandoms, the LGBTQ+ relationships always end up being m/m relationships. I think it would be important to boost the popularity of healthy f/f relationships. Eva and Grace were adorable and it was refreshing to see that it wasn’t a doomed relationship. (I mean, I would love to have deep conversations with my best friend on top of a lighthouse). Their relationship promotes girls supporting each other and communicating which is something that is so important. There was also own voices bisexual representation which I thought was done very well and so did many bisexual readers who reviewed this book.
Overall, How to Make a Wish did surprise me in a number of ways. It wasn’t a perfect novel, the ending wasn’t particularly my favorite. But it’s definitely important for children of abuse survivors to be able to have a story to relate to as well as have a positive f/f relationship and bisexual representation.
Rating: 3.75/5
TRIGGER WARNINGS for alcohol abuse, emotional abuse, addiction and toxic parent/child relationships. If you are sensitive to either one of these, please be aware going into this novel.
Spoiler Free Review:
How to Make a Wish was pitched to me as a summery contemporary, something I would probably never read if it didn’t include a f/f relationship and a bisexual main character. But this book went beyond and brought up issues of addiction and alcohol abuse, toxic parent/child relationships. It sunk into the deeper corners of reality and was so much more raw than I was expecting.
The story takes place around one summer in Grace’s life where her mother obtains a new boyfriend and another home. She meets Eva who is grief stricken from the recent loss of her mother. How to Make a Wish still includes the quintessential aspects to a YA contemporary, the petty drama and jealousy and awkwardness. But I also really appreciated her inclusions of realistic friendships.
The relationship with her mother was definitely the most intriguing. A few reviewers have mentioned that How to Make a Wish does have a realistic portrayal of addiction and the relationship with a parent who is struggling with addiction. Grace simultaneously played the role of the elder, cleaning up her mother’s messes but also the role of obedient child which is where the emotional abuse comes into play. It started as very subtle and innocent but gradually grew into something uncontrollable. Despite how much I enjoyed the realness of their toxic relationship, I didn’t like how it ended. I would have preferred more closure with their relationship.
Spoiler
Grace just left her mother in a hotel room, helpless with no money in a terrible state. I completely understand that her mother is not healthy for her well-being, but, I still would thought she should have called someone to help her mom. Additionally, at the end of the novel, Maggie has enrolled in a behavioral health center and I wish there was more on it. How did she get herself to reach out for help when she was so completely against it.Obviously, there is a f/f relationship in this book and Grace herself is bisexual. F/f relationships tend to be rare in the YA literature which is really saddening. As important books with m/m relationships are, I feel like they are so much more popular than the ones with f/f/ relationships. If you look at popular bookish fandoms, the LGBTQ+ relationships always end up being m/m relationships. I think it would be important to boost the popularity of healthy f/f relationships. Eva and Grace were adorable and it was refreshing to see that it wasn’t a doomed relationship. (I mean, I would love to have deep conversations with my best friend on top of a lighthouse). Their relationship promotes girls supporting each other and communicating which is something that is so important. There was also own voices bisexual representation which I thought was done very well and so did many bisexual readers who reviewed this book.
Overall, How to Make a Wish did surprise me in a number of ways. It wasn’t a perfect novel, the ending wasn’t particularly my favorite. But it’s definitely important for children of abuse survivors to be able to have a story to relate to as well as have a positive f/f relationship and bisexual representation.
Rating: 3.75/5
ellieellie16's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
scrollsofdragons's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Thumb up for having a ya contemporary that features healthy sex between two teenagers in love. In general the book is sex positive which I'm so glad to see. Do you know how rare that is?
How to Make a Wish follows Grace, a pianist who dreams of so much more then she has got, which is a mom who acts the furthest from a mom as you can get who doesn't even know when her daughters goddamn birthday is and thinks it alright to up and move her into strange mans homes and steal her hard earned money. When she falls for new girl Evie, heartbroken and hurt from her mothers death, it's like something is finally going right in her life.
This book was a really adorable book, from Grace and Luca's friendship to the summery vibes, to the late night conversations on top of a lighthouse with peanut butter and girls tumbling through windows to a beautiful romance between two girls. It had it's gritty moments, with recovering from death of a parent, growing up with a mom you have to take care of more then they do you to the point where they are putting you in danger, dealing with sleazy exs, cracks in armors, struggles and anger and pain. And definitely it's sexy ones.
About the mother
I thought Gracie was never going to stand up to her mom and really panicked because that women is toxic but at the end, when Gracie left and the mom booked herself into a rehab of sorts, I was like finally, she sees the light because I never thought that would happen either.
I really enjoyed this book. And would so recommend it. The only reason I didn't rate it five stars is nothing negative, there's not a thing I didn't not like about it, but it's not a book that im like, that was amazing.
Thumb up for having a ya contemporary that features healthy sex between two teenagers in love. In general the book is sex positive which I'm so glad to see. Do you know how rare that is?
How to Make a Wish follows Grace, a pianist who dreams of so much more then she has got, which is a mom who acts the furthest from a mom as you can get who doesn't even know when her daughters goddamn birthday is and thinks it alright to up and move her into strange mans homes and steal her hard earned money. When she falls for new girl Evie, heartbroken and hurt from her mothers death, it's like something is finally going right in her life.
This book was a really adorable book, from Grace and Luca's friendship to the summery vibes, to the late night conversations on top of a lighthouse with peanut butter and girls tumbling through windows to a beautiful romance between two girls. It had it's gritty moments, with recovering from death of a parent, growing up with a mom you have to take care of more then they do you to the point where they are putting you in danger, dealing with sleazy exs, cracks in armors, struggles and anger and pain. And definitely it's sexy ones.
About the mother
Spoiler
I have zero clue how Pete put up with her for so long, she kept bloody stealing from him and acting surprised that he would be angry she grew a grand on a birthday party like, he's not the richest guy and he's a single parent like he needs that money you selfish cow but his insistence when he finally came to his senses about how they could stay there till they found a place so she wasn't dragging Gracie around, I grew to really like him, like that was such a nice, decent thing to do.I thought Gracie was never going to stand up to her mom and really panicked because that women is toxic but at the end, when Gracie left and the mom booked herself into a rehab of sorts, I was like finally, she sees the light because I never thought that would happen either.
I really enjoyed this book. And would so recommend it. The only reason I didn't rate it five stars is nothing negative, there's not a thing I didn't not like about it, but it's not a book that im like, that was amazing.
dustoneverypage's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.0
elm's review against another edition
5.0
Oh wow! This book hurt my heart, but also treated it so gently and sweetly that I'm not even mad about it. In fact, the sweetness was 100% worth the pain. This is a book about mothers and daughters, friends and found family, queer girls and dealing with loss. It's beautiful, hard, and so very worth a read.
steffi_jo's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
xdarkthunderx's review
4.0
Realistic, although a tad depressing, look at a rough mother-daughter relationship. Includes lesbian romance. I thought this was pretty good overall. Didn’t love the writing because I felt like it used too much swearing (usually this doesn’t bother me but here it was excessive).