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A review by everthereader
How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake
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