Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: October 6th, 2020
320 Pages
Synopsis: 1865 Hanau Germany
Sixteen-year-old Elva has a secret. She has visions and strange powers that she will do anything to hide. She knows the warnings about what happens to witches in their small village of Hanau. She’s heard the terrible things people say about the Witch of the North Woods, and the malicious hunts that follow. But when Elva accidentally witnesses a devastating vision of the future, she decides she has to do everything she can to prevent it. Tapping into her powers for the first time, Elva discovers a magical mirror and its owner—none other than the Witch of the North Woods herself. As Elva learns more about her burgeoning magic, and the lines between hero and villain start to blur, she must find a way to right past wrongs before it’s too late.
Broken Wish is the first book in the upcoming The Mirror series which in itself is an exciting premise. Four books following a multigenerational family by some of the most popular YA authors today: Julie C. Dao, Dhonielle Clayton, J.C. Cervantes, and L.L. McKinney. I started this last night around 8:00 p.m. and finished it three hours later. It’s a highly entertaining fairytale retelling of Snow White with a little of The Red Shoes thrown in, and it perfectly captures Germany in the latter half of the 19th century. Dao is a wonderful storyteller who is known for her richly detailed world building and complex characters, and that’s very much on display here. But included in this beautifully written fantasy is the thoughtful exploration of the difficulty of being unique in a world where differences are often met with ignorance and cruelty. It’s a tale of friendship, loyalty, and the ramifications of broken promises, that all lead up to a shocking ending. I cannot recommend Broken Wishes highly enough. It’s an exciting and original YA fantasy whose storyline will enthrall you and characters will capture your heart. The series continues with Dhonielle Clayton’s Shattered Midnight (July 2021), which jumps to 1920s New Orleans, and sounds from the title to perhaps be a retelling of Cinderella. I’m going to be impatiently counting down the months.
This book and the premise of a series by different authors sound interesting. I’ll have to check it all out.
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This should definitely be on your tbr Jeanne!
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For some weird reason this post didn’t show up in my reader….wordpress is at it again😢
Anyways…sounds very interesting, especially the exciting premise you described😊😊 But wow you read this book in three hours???😳😳 That is impressive indeed! 😀😀
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Hmm. That’s odd. I’m glad you found it though Michel. I hope you’re doing okay.🤗
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I’m doing okay Kim, thank you for asking😊 How are you? All is well I hope? 😊
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Things are going well here Michel, thanks. Since you didn’t get a post notification for my book review, did you see my comment on your review of The Faculty?
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Good to hear that things are going well…and well as I just replied to your comment on The Faculty…nope…didn’t get notified by that one either. Guess it’s another one of those weird WordPress moments that’s going on…ugh….😢😢😢
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Grr.🤬
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You found another good one! 3 hours? Were you speed reading or skimming? 🤣
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I just got so sucked into this Fraggle! Sorry for the TMI, but I only took one bathroom bread!😁
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hahahah 😀
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That seems a pretty impressive start for that new series Kim!
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You’ve got to read this Sophie!
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Whoa! Three hundred-twenty pages in three hours? You are a dynamo, Kim. Even if I’m fully engaged, my eyes can’t hang in that long. One of the things I like about your reviews is that you aren’t one to throw out five stars lightly. When you give a book that type of rating, I pay closer attention.
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Thank you so much Pete! I usually hate giving bad reviews because a book is something an author like yourself has spent countless hours on, but I feel the need to be honest. It’s an absolute pleasure when I discover a book that is so perfect I can give it 5 stars, and Broken Wish is definitely one of those. The YA market is saturated with fairytale retellings, but this is so unique and beautifully told, with characters I truly connected to, that for me it’s a definite standout.😊
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I started reviewing books this year for the first time. I think the way I need to look at it is more like I did when I was holding a parent-teacher conference. You’re reporting what you see. The challenge for me is what to do with books I think are written poorly. It’s not in my nature to write some scathing remark. At the same time, a reviewer has the responsibility to give an honest opinion. I suppose the challenge is to do that while also showing tactfulness. I have to admit that if I think a book is lousy, I don’t leave a review. I wonder what it will be like for me if a friend asks me to review his/her book.
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Because I review mainly eARCS from NetGalley and Edelweiss, I’m obligated to review what they approve me for. Even with one I dislike, I try to find at least one positive thing though.
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That sounds like a series right up your street, Kim. Glad you enjoyed it so much.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks Pete!
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Great review Kim!! As always 🤩
I hope you’ve been well ❤
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Thanks Didi. We’re safe and well. I hope you and your family are the same.🤗
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Great news! 🤩
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