The Wish List (Time of Transition, #1)

Jun 21, 2012 Chelleyreads (Michelle&Leslie's Book Picks) marked it as to-read

Shelves: arc

This review is written by Leslie:

Kristin Montgomery is completely shocked when her three aunts tell her that they and Kristin herself are fairy godmothers. Worse, they hand her a wand and leave on a world cruise! And when her unwilling yet hot magical trainer and judge, Tennyson Ritter, steps into her life, he wasn't much help. Despite that and before Kristin can control her powers and pass the tests to become a full-fledged fairy godmother, she and Tennyson must help each other fight a villain...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Reena Jacobs rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-reads, reviewed

Review also posted on Ramblings of an Amateur Writer: http://reenajacobs.com/blog/2010/09/n...

Bit of a surprise for me, but the chapter 1 title hooked me. Yeah, that’s right. Didn’t even get into the book and I was already digging it. “HOW TO BE A FAIRY GODMOTHER: Never Reveal Yourself to Your Charges.” So, I continued.

Though the storyline had an interesting premise, much of the world seemed very similar to the concept of Harry Potter books. I kind of liked that. Main difference was the main ch...more Review also posted on Ramblings of an Amateur Writer: http://reenajacobs.com/blog/2010/09/n...

Bit of a surprise for me, but the chapter 1 title hooked me. Yeah, that’s right. Didn’t even get into the book and I was already digging it. “HOW TO BE A FAIRY GODMOTHER: Never Reveal Yourself to Your Charges.” So, I continued.

Though the storyline had an interesting premise, much of the world seemed very similar to the concept of Harry Potter books. I kind of liked that. Main difference was the main character (MC) wasn’t a boy discovering the world; it’s a full grown woman. Despite being a contemporary fantasy romance (can I add romance? That’d make three genres. Is that okay?), it had a women’s fiction (whoops! there’s another genre) type feel to it. If it were made into a movie, my husband would call it a chickflick. Is that what chicklit is? This MC had some not so bright moments like this, particularly in the beginning.

I have to admit, I wasn’t fond of writing styles. The MC thought things were strange but went around acting as if everything was fine. “Hmmm. That’s strange. I wonder who left the door wide open. Oh well, I guess I just need to be more observant next time.” No…I don’t think so. It gave a hollow, forced feel. This MC definitely had some not so bright moments, particularly in the beginning.

Anyway, let’s take a look at the cover art. A bit sparkly. Fanciful. Just a lot of fun. Right? Well, I’ll tell you something! The cover had me fooled. I was completely taken off guard by what the inside held. EROTICA!!! At least the first scene. Seriously, the cover looked so unassuming. I’m used to sexy manmeat displayed in all their masculinity in my racy romance books. Not this innocent stuff.

I feel like I should say something more about The Wish List, but really I’ve got nothing else for ya. The plot was so-so. Nothing spectacular. The bad guy was whom I suspected. Everyone I thought who’d fall in love fell in love. Everyone got their happy ending. Bottom line: the novel had enough going for it to keep me coming back from time to time, but nothing significant enough to keep me from feeling like I had ADD when I got distracted.(less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Aimeekay rated it 5 of 5 stars

OMG, so have I said before I LOVE Happily Ever Afters? oooo and this one eeep!! It is left open ended for the next book, but I still think it qualifies as a Happily Ever After for the two main characters. So definitely have to say...LOVED IT!

To be honest I didn't know I would end up liking this one as much as I did. Reading the back of the book I knew what was coming obviously. Even before the main character did. For example, I knew that the "aunties" weren't off their rockers when they told Kr...more OMG, so have I said before I LOVE Happily Ever Afters? oooo and this one eeep!! It is left open ended for the next book, but I still think it qualifies as a Happily Ever After for the two main characters. So definitely have to say...LOVED IT!

To be honest I didn't know I would end up liking this one as much as I did. Reading the back of the book I knew what was coming obviously. Even before the main character did. For example, I knew that the "aunties" weren't off their rockers when they told Kristin that she was chosen to be one of the next fairy godmothers. Since I enjoy fantasy WAY more than reality I kinda tapped my foot in impatience for the first few pages of the book, waiting for the moment when the magic would begin. But once it did...WHEW!...it just took off!

I loved Kristen from the beginning. Her firm grounding in reality was a nice contrast to the magic that she was tossed into. The fairy godmothers were wonderful too though. They were just the right combination of absentmindedness and grandmotherly good will. I adored them. I even enjoyed some of the side characters.

While some parts of the story I figured out right away, what can I say I've read a lot of stories and I always enjoying guessing who the mole is, there were enough twists that even I wasn't completely sure until it was revealed. Plus I love a good romance. The sparks that flew between Kristin and Tennyson were HOT! I count a good romance novel as one that reminds me of romance in my own life. If reading it can bring to mind moments of passion in my own life, even when I'm agitated that the cause of my romance is interrupting a good book, well that right there is bonus points for it. Especially when I'm torn between turning the page and putting the book down to go get my own good smooch. That being said I'm a bookaholic so any interruption is viewed as more of an annoyance when I'm immersed in a good read so of course I had to finish the book first!

Yes they do fall in love before the end of the book. And the romance progressed a bit more rapidly than it would outside the literary world, the relationship between Kristen and Tennyson had some good bite to it. It isn't always moonbeams and rosebuds, and it was fun watching them fight their growing attraction.

If I found any flaw with the story it was that I wish there had been some more fill in for the story of some of the side characters. My main focus is Zach and Callie. I would have loved to have seen more of their part of the story. However the story is told alternating between Kristen's point of view and Tennyson's, so I understand that when Zach or Callie isn't in their part of the story, or anyone else for that matter, that I'm not going to see what they are doing. *SIGH* But overall I really enjoyed this book. It has a semi-cliff hanger ending. More of a lead into the next book, not a sheer drop. Which is always appreciated. There were some things left open, for obvious reasons, and some strings left untied, but they were more of a draw to the next book, not a disappointment. Fortunately for me I have the second and third book in this series in my possession, so I don't have to wait to read them. (In fact I plan on starting as soon as I am done this review!)

That being said a good summery of this book would be that it's a Harry Potter for grown-ups. (and I mean grown-ups, there are some explicate scenes in this one, so no kiddies reading it , k?) There are even a few good direct nods to Ms. Rowling herself. I also kind of enjoyed reading a book with more adult characters, and I don't just mean the Fairy Godmothers. Nothing against YA, it's just a nice break to read an adult book every once in a while.
I highly recommend this one. (less)

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Jan 10, 2012 Maggie Montgomery rated it 3 of 5 stars

Once again, I'm annoyed that I can't halve a star :-/ 3.5 would definitely be closer to the mark.

I actually bought this book because I attended one of the author's sessions at a writer's conference and adored her intelligent-yet-approachable take on theme and on the ability of romance fiction to be literature.

That said, I'm not really a huge romance fan (odd, I realize, in light of the fact that I write in one of its many sub-genres). My main objections reflect the things people have said in oth...more Once again, I'm annoyed that I can't halve a star :-/ 3.5 would definitely be closer to the mark.

I actually bought this book because I attended one of the author's sessions at a writer's conference and adored her intelligent-yet-approachable take on theme and on the ability of romance fiction to be literature.

That said, I'm not really a huge romance fan (odd, I realize, in light of the fact that I write in one of its many sub-genres). My main objections reflect the things people have said in other reviews: the characters tend to be a bit predictable, the storyline can be a trifle obvious (hint - the guy the heroine screws probably isn't the bad guy) and traditional romance heroines analyze their internal conflicts ad nauseum. That's just the genre. Don't get me wrong. You can absolutely find smart, surprising, outside-the-box romance novels. But it's not a particularly easy quest.

Point being, I went into the read knowing I'd probably find the standard conventions. And, yeah, I did. But I liked it anyway.

I thought Stevens did a stellar job of establishing her magical world. It was unique and quirky and I love that it's about fairy godmothers instead of yet more good witches. I appreciate the fact that she left holes in the world -- meaning that she didn't describe it fully -- so that we feel a bit of Kristin's disorientation. It also allows us room to grow into the world as the series continues.

Technically, it's rock solid. There were a few stumbly lines for me. I personally don't like starting a sentence with "however" in fiction (unless it's dialog for an attorney or something) and a few of the sentence constructions and word choices felt jarring given the story. There were also some downright laugh-out-loud lines, though, and they more than make up for the phrases I didn't love so much.

The secondary characters are memorable, right down to the thug-cum-manservant Dimitri and I didn't have the kind of visceral reaction to Kristin that a lot of people had. She's young, after all. She's bound to be a little silly, CPA or not. I also loved that Tennyson was a hot academic with a penchant for a good research session. But I'm a nerd, so...

Anyway, yes, this is definitely a fun, light read. But the point is that it's FUN. If that's what you're looking for, and you dig a little non-traditional magic, it's absolutely worth a read. For myself, I'll pick up the next book in the series because I'd like to see how it plays out and I've recommended this book to friends who write or read light para/rom. And I hope Stevens keeps writing. I'd like to see what else she comes up with.
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May 17, 2010 May rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi-paranormal-fantasy-etc

A time of transition, a young fairy godmother learning her craft, romance, a bad guy... it sounded like a magical good time when I picked up this book that I'd previously not heard mention of. Armed with a deep coupon I decided it was worth a read.
The long and short of it, I was wrong. The 'whodunit' was obvious from page #1. I found the characters contradicting themselves at times, and I just really couldn't buy into her story fully. There were a few moments in the book (including where the her...more

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Aug 09, 2010 Cris rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fantasy, elves-faerie, fairy-tales, fantasy, fantasy-romance, magic

I've read better. I've read worse. It's not really a good example of a romance because there wasn't enough focus on the main romantic relationship between Kristin and Tennyson. But neither was there enough development of the magical world. (And I spotted the 'secret enemy' coming from a mile away.) There was some promise in the basic plot and world idea, but I don't think it was realized. I think Stevens would have been better served to spend more time allowing the readers to see just Tennyson a...more

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Feb 19, 2011 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jen by: Chasity

Shelves: x-read-in-2011, 4-lll-reviews

WOW! What a great book!!!
It is so different then anything I have ever read! It was hard picturing Kristin and Tennyson as an adult though - being the whole fariy godmother and wizzard thing - I kept trying to picture them as adults and the best I could get was 20ish :)
The sexual tention was too intense to be a teen book - but 27 is too close to my age and I couldn't picture myself going through these kinds of changes - Maybe that's why it was so cool :)

This book was way cool! There was so muc...more WOW! What a great book!!!
It is so different then anything I have ever read! It was hard picturing Kristin and Tennyson as an adult though - being the whole fariy godmother and wizzard thing - I kept trying to picture them as adults and the best I could get was 20ish :)
The sexual tention was too intense to be a teen book - but 27 is too close to my age and I couldn't picture myself going through these kinds of changes - Maybe that's why it was so cool :)

This book was way cool! There was so much going on with Kristin - she had a really hard time adjusting so quickly to her new lifestyle.
In the beigning when the Aunts were hurring off for their cruise and trying to explain in a rushed explaination without giving anything away - I was totally with her when she didn't understand anything :)

But once Tennyson showed up - wow! I could see it all placing together. But then he turned out to be a "troll" and their personalities seemed to really clash - Then comes Lucus - wow! I so wanted her to get together with him :)

but the more that happened - the more I saw her with Tennyson instead.
I think the camping trip was a little short - I wish we could have gotten a "tent scene" like in Eclipse - have them talking - but and joking around - not too stressed about everything - but nothint too serious - I really liked how that took place. They seemed to have gotten to know eachother on a whole new level while camping :)

I really liked the way the book was written - Gabi Stevens did a good job showing the different POV's. We were able to get inside both their heads - and even the Aunt's heads a little while still going through all the motions of what was going on. Nothing was disrupted by the different POV's and nothing was missed.

The magic was Awesome! I can just picture all the little crowns over the heads of children for their wishes - I wish kristin had gotten to spend a little more time on granting wishes - she did an awesome job though. The time in the resturant with the little baby being too warm ( her first wish to grant) was just too cute! And what better way to live a life but to grant the wishes of those unable to talk about it. Makes me really wish there were Fairy Godmother's out there in the world - I know my kids could really use one :)

Enter Zach and Jake - Oh wow! I can TOTALLY hear him talking - Whenever I think of a surfer guy - I'm always thinking the turtle from Finding Nemo :) And his "DUDDDEEEE" was right on there :) Then his little boy Jake (Spud) I am in love with that 5 year old :)They are on their way to a H.E.A. with his new Sprite :) I hope everything works out for them in the next book :)

Speaking of the next book - I can see a LOT of different directions it can go - there was a LOT left unresolved in this first book - a really BIG Cliffhanger at the end :( I have good hopes for this next book though - and I'm anxious to find out how it goes :)

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Mar 01, 2010 Larissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, to-review

I have to say that The Wish List was a very pleasant surprise to me. I read the whole book in just a few hours because I could not put it down for a second and I even missed a class because I lost track of time.

Kristin's world turns upside down when her three "aunts" tell her that magic is real and not only that, she is meant to be one of the the next generation of fairy godmothers that are rising to substitute them. Our heroine needs to come to terms with the fact that only the world the Brothe...more

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Jul 08, 2010 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

All right. I read this book because I love a good paranormal romance/chick lit/whatever it's called this week. For a quick escape fare, I really liked this book. Yes, the characters weren't the most developed but it wasn't necessary. This wasn't a HP opus here. It's a trilogy that's meant to keep you occupied and enjoy your time spent. And honestly? It does. It has the same feel as Annette Blair, Linda Wisdom, and MaryJanice Davidson. It's very good summer reading.

There are some problematic area...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Kelli (I'd So Rather Be Reading) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 also a CPA and I took t...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Melissa J. Katano rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance

Although on paper, this books sounds like what I call "chick-lit magic" ("normal" girl discovers she's somehow magical--powers bestowed upon her, magic grimoire discovered--hunky guy is assigned to guide her ability to use said magic, crisis in magic world that only newly magical girl can solve), Ms. Stevens has written a book (okay, a trilogy) that transcends the sub-genre. So many of these books feel extremely formulaic--you know, "Oh, on page 5 she gets her powers. On page 25 she meets the hu...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-chick-city-reviews-2012

Reviewed for Book Chick City
http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/06/...

THE WISH LIST by Gabi Stevens is a book filled with magic, love and the emotional turmoil at discovering new powers. It subverts the magical boundaries of witches and wizards by introducing fairy godmothers, which aren’t commonly used in paranormal fiction.

Kristin Montgomery is thrown into the magical world from the very first chapter, when her three aunts suddenly spring the news upon her that she is a fairy godmother, and wil...more Reviewed for Book Chick City
http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/06/...

THE WISH LIST by Gabi Stevens is a book filled with magic, love and the emotional turmoil at discovering new powers. It subverts the magical boundaries of witches and wizards by introducing fairy godmothers, which aren’t commonly used in paranormal fiction.

Kristin Montgomery is thrown into the magical world from the very first chapter, when her three aunts suddenly spring the news upon her that she is a fairy godmother, and will soon be entering the time of transition. The time of transition is a dangerous time in the world of the Arcani (magic users), where the new generation of godmothers gains their powers and the old generation begins to lose theirs.

After dropping this bombshell on her, Kristin’s aunts leave for a world cruise and leave Kristin to the care of her arbiter, Tennyson Ritter. There is an instant of spark of animosity between them, with Tennyson seeming arrogant and impatient with Kristin’s lack of knowledge. She is a ‘rare one’, a godmother born to human parents instead of to Arcani, which means her magic is strong and we are primed to expect great things from her.

However, despite her friction with Tennyson another Arcani, Lucas Reynard, appears on the scene vying for her affections. He is rich and has all the luxuries money can buy, but is he all he appears to be? And why is he so interested in Kristin?

I really liked the character of Kristin at the beginning of the book, as she is strong and independent, and really stands her ground against Tennyson. She refuses to back down and is very stubborn, only experimenting with her magic in her own time and not being forced into anything. However, I felt that this changed by the end of the book as she developed her powers, as she became a bit too perfect. By this I mean that she was suddenly able to perform supposed advanced magic with no training, and was conveniently able to wrap up the plot.

As for Tennyson, he was a really great love interest for Kristin, as there was immediate chemistry between them. He was protective without being overbearing, and the story seamlessly switches between both of their perspectives, so we can see his thoughts of Kristin and how his feelings develop. There were some very *ahem* steamy scenes between the two, which were a little bit over the top at times and sometimes took place at inopportune moments during the plot.

“Sensible? What the hell is sensible about this situation? I have been through more than can be expected from one person in the past few days, but instead of helping me learn, you want me to obey your commands. Well, I don’t work that way.”

In relation to the plot, the threat comes from a very obvious source, which I was really disappointed about. I was thinking that it would be far too obvious for something to happen, and this left me anticipating a complete surprise. However, this surprise never came and the obvious happened, leaving me really disappointed. The ending of the novel is highly convenient and not satisfying, as the ends are tied up too neatly with not enough plot development.

Overall, despite really liking the characters of Kristin and Tennyson (not to mention their friends, Zack and Callie, too!), I felt that the plot of this book really let it down. The story is left open for the sequels, which I also felt was a little too convenient as far as the plot was concerned, but I am open to reading the sequels as I did enjoy the style of Gabi Steven’s writing.
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Jun 20, 2011 Ann Lorz rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranomal

When I started this book I was so into it. Then around pages 100 I started getting tired of the heroine, Kristin Montgomery. I understand that her life had just been turned upside down but you can only take a person crying so much. Plus if I was Tennyson Ritter I would have sent her somewhere far, far, away. I will say that there is parts of the book that are very good and makes you want to keep reading, even with Kristin in it. I also loved the aunts and Callie. Maybe because this is her first...more

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May 01, 2010 Rainy Slater rated it 1 of 5 stars

I typically love these types of stories, but I found the writing in this book klunky. The romance felt rushed together and, sorry, but unbelievable. Kristin and Tennyson are very slow in putting their finger on the bad guy. I am happy to suspend my disbelief if the author can pull the tale off. In The Wish List, I was not able to suspend my disbelief and barely managed to finish. I like what Gabi Stevens (any one else notice the author & heroine's last names --- Bewitched?) wanted to accompl...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-read, kindlepurchase2010

Publisher: Tor Books
Purchased: Purchased from Amazon for my Kindle

What I Loved: Kristin, Tennyson, Callie, Zach, Rose, Lily, Hyacinth, and Jake. The characters really made this book completely enjoyable. The storyline was unique (fairy godmothers, sorcerers, councils, and sprites not in a children's book) and fun. There was never a dull moment and the ending was fantastically done.

What I Liked: I really enjoyed the world of "groundlings" and "arcani" that Gabi created. She made the world based l...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Krystle rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: did-not-finish

I stopped reading this at page 302. Why?

He wanted to yell at her. He wanted to shake her, drag her to the couch, and put his mark on her. Own her. So that one else could ever touch her again.

"You're mine. I know that isn't right, or proper, or politically correct, but you're mine. I can't let anyone else have you."

This comes right after where she tells him (about the guy they were spying on because they thought he was the bad guy and she volunteered to do a dinner with him) how he kissed her an...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed by Rebecca for www.BookChickCity.com

THE WISH LIST by Gabi Stevens is a book filled with magic, love and the emotional turmoil at discovering new powers. It subverts the magical boundaries of witches and wizards by introducing fairy godmothers, which aren’t commonly used in paranormal fiction.

Kristin Montgomery is thrown into the magical world from the very first chapter, when her three aunts suddenly spring the news upon her that she is a fairy godmother, and will soon be entering the t...more Reviewed by Rebecca for www.BookChickCity.com

THE WISH LIST by Gabi Stevens is a book filled with magic, love and the emotional turmoil at discovering new powers. It subverts the magical boundaries of witches and wizards by introducing fairy godmothers, which aren’t commonly used in paranormal fiction.

Kristin Montgomery is thrown into the magical world from the very first chapter, when her three aunts suddenly spring the news upon her that she is a fairy godmother, and will soon be entering the time of transition. The time of transition is a dangerous time in the world of the Arcani (magic users), where the new generation of godmothers gains their powers and the old generation begins to lose theirs.

After dropping this bombshell on her, Kristin’s aunts leave for a world cruise and leave Kristin to the care of her arbiter, Tennyson Ritter. There is an instant of spark of animosity between them, with Tennyson seeming arrogant and impatient with Kristin’s lack of knowledge. She is a ‘rare one’, a godmother born to human parents instead of to Arcani, which means her magic is strong and we are primed to expect great things from her.

However, despite her friction with Tennyson another Arcani, Lucas Reynard, appears on the scene vying for her affections. He is rich and has all the luxuries money can buy, but is he all he appears to be? And why is he so interested in Kristin?

I really liked the character of Kristin at the beginning of the book, as she is strong and independent, and really stands her ground against Tennyson. She refuses to back down and is very stubborn, only experimenting with her magic in her own time and not being forced into anything. However, I felt that this changed by the end of the book as she developed her powers, as she became a bit too perfect. By this I mean that she was suddenly able to perform supposed advanced magic with no training, and was conveniently able to wrap up the plot.

“Sensible? What the hell is sensible about this situation? I have been through more than can be expected from one person in the past few days, but instead of helping me learn, you want me to obey your commands. Well, I don’t work that way.”

As for Tennyson, he was a really great love interest for Kristin, as there was immediate chemistry between them. He was protective without being overbearing, and the story seamlessly switches between both of their perspectives, so we can see his thoughts of Kristin and how his feelings develop. There were some very *ahem* steamy scenes between the two, which were a little bit over the top at times and sometimes took place at inopportune moments during the plot.

In relation to the plot, the threat comes from a very obvious source, which I was really disappointed about. I was thinking that it would be far too obvious for something to happen, and this left me anticipating a complete surprise. However, this surprise never came and the obvious happened, leaving me really disappointed. The ending of the novel is highly convenient and not satisfying, as the ends are tied up too neatly with not enough plot development.

Overall, despite really liking the characters of Kristin and Tennyson (not to mention their friends, Zack and Callie, too!), I felt that the plot of this book really let it down. The story is left open for the sequels, which I also felt was a little too convenient as far as the plot was concerned, but I am open to reading the sequels as I did enjoy the style of Gabi Steven’s writing.

VERDICT:

I loved the fairy godmother concept of this novel, and I really liked the character development and relationship between Kristin and Tennyson. However, the plot was just too predictable and I felt like I was waiting for a ‘wow’ moment that never arrived. On the plus side, the Arcani world created by the author has a lot of scope for future novels.(less)

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May 27, 2011 TheBookVixen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, c-b

3 and 1/2 stars.

Why I Read this Book: Let me start off by saying this: Never judge a book by its cover. Or by its blurb for that matter. When I first saw the cover for The Wish List, I thought it was a YA novel. There’s lots of pink and sparkles going on, a super cute swirly font and it has a whimsical feel to it. Now, there’s nothing wrong with YA. I love YA! But I’m not a big fan of fairies so what I do read, that involves fairies, is very minimal. I need a strong romantic element to carry me...more 3 and 1/2 stars.

Why I Read this Book: Let me start off by saying this: Never judge a book by its cover. Or by its blurb for that matter. When I first saw the cover for The Wish List, I thought it was a YA novel. There’s lots of pink and sparkles going on, a super cute swirly font and it has a whimsical feel to it. Now, there’s nothing wrong with YA. I love YA! But I’m not a big fan of fairies so what I do read, that involves fairies, is very minimal. I need a strong romantic element to carry me through it. And there wasn’t any hint of romance in the blurb. So if The Wish List was a YA novel, I probably would not have picked it up. But alas, I finally discovered that it is indeed an adult novel and decided to give it a go. And I’m glad I did.

What I Liked: The Wish List was a fun, cute and light read. And there was a bit of suspense that kept me interested. Kristin and Tennyson are both likeable characters. Kristin didn’t just jump into the role of being a Fairy Godmother without hesitation. She discounted it and she questioned it and that made it conceivable.

There’s romance in the book! Like I mentioned earlier, I need a strong romantic element is most books I read. What can I say? I love reading romance. Kristin’s relationship with her leading man progressed at a good pace. I’m glad they didn’t fall in love right off the bat. She was a bit reluctant to follow his guidance so there was a bit of bickering at first. She was more concerned about this new-to-her world she now belongs to, and rightfully so.

What I Didn’t Like: It was a bit weird that there were no set rules for performing magic. Magical commands varied from person to person. So while one person would say “Veni” to make an object come to them, someone else might say something completely different.

There wasn’t much said of the Council; the Council remains to be a bit of a mystery. I am hoping that there will be some light shed on the Council world in the next book. I’m interested to know more and to find out what’s going to happen with Kristin.

Overall Impression: The Wish List was a light and fun read with a cute romance. Nothing dark or heavy. There were a few loose ends which made me eager to read the next book, As You Wish.

You can find this review, and many more, on my blog The Book Vixen.(less)

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Apr 06, 2011 Colette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Every now and then I discover a series that I just fall in love with. The Wish List is book one in the Time of Transition paranormal series. It's hard to say why I loved this book so much, except that everything worked. Even when I discovered who the bad guy was way before the characters did, it didn't take away from the story and I couldn't wait to see when they would finally wise up and find out that they were being duped, but I'm getting ahead of myself...

Kristen Montgomery is a CPA who one d...more Every now and then I discover a series that I just fall in love with. The Wish List is book one in the Time of Transition paranormal series. It's hard to say why I loved this book so much, except that everything worked. Even when I discovered who the bad guy was way before the characters did, it didn't take away from the story and I couldn't wait to see when they would finally wise up and find out that they were being duped, but I'm getting ahead of myself...

Kristen Montgomery is a CPA who one day finds out that she's a Fairy Godmother, and that the women who she considers to be her aunts, are fairy godmothers as well. As soon as her aunts drop the bombshell on her that she's a fairy godmother, they give her only the vaguest info-like she'll have an arbiter to help her adjust through this time of transition, and will decide on if Kristen can handle her new duties. then they leave on vacation. Kristen thinks her aunts have lost it, until she meets her arbiter Tennyson Ritter.

It's hate at first site. Kristen thinks he's a troll, and I laughed every time she called him one. Tennyson doesn't really want to be Kristen's arbiter. He's a historian and would much rather be studying Merlin's book that he just found. Kristen finds out she's what is called a Rare One. Someone with no ties to the magical community who becomes magical. Even though Tennyson tries to convince Kristen that her powers are pretty strong, she doesn't believe him. In fact she fights him at every turn. She likes things orderly and to add up, but the magic thing has really turned her world upside down.

While her constant denial did get a tad old, I liked how she eventually accepted what was happening to her and then decided to go at it full gutso. As I was reading the story, it felt like I was going through the time of transition with Kristen. Sometimes it annoys me how the heroines of a book just so nonchalantly accept their powers or that those around them have powers and never question anything. It was just a nice change of pace to see Kristens powers appear gradually instead of all at once.

Tennyson was a bit slow at times I thought to see what was really going on around them, but I enjoyed his banter with Kristen his frustration with trying to convince her that magic is real and that she just can't take off on her own during her time of transition. He tries his best to protect her from the villain who is trying to convince her to go over to the bad side and take over the magical worlds governing body with them. (If I say who it is, it gives too much away) As I stated before I spotted the villain right away, and at times didn't see how someone as smart as Kristen could miss the obvious, but it was still fun seeing her and Tennyson gradually come to their senses to see who it was.

There were a few eye rolling moments in the book, but it was a sweet book and one you just want to curl up in a blanket and not come out until you've finished it. There are just times when light and cute is all you need. I also loved that the paranormal creatures weren't your typical vampires, ghosts, werewolves or fae. I can't wait to read the second book in the series, As You Wish.

Curran Crush Meter: Medium
Barrons Hero Hotness Meter: Medium
Gighul Sidekick Meter: High (Loved the aunts!)
Rhiannon Sidekick Meter: Medium

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Sep 02, 2011 Carla *Jen7waters* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, jealous-possessive-hero, steamy, enemies-to-lovers

This one was a fun read and not exactly what I was expecting - in a good way. I also thought this was young adult, with the pink&shinny cover and all, and it is not. The lead female is in her late twenties and the lead (gorgeous) male is in his thirties, but fear not, for they will quarrel with each other with the passion of a pair of wild teenagers.
In short, this is the story of a young woman, Kristin, after she learns that she’s one of the next three Godmothers, since the previous ones ar...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Christi Snow rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full review to come... A super-cute story!

Full review reposted from my Smitten with Reading blog:

My Review:
What an absolutely fabulous and fun premise for a book. This book was just entirely an entertaining read- so much fun with more than a touch of whimsy. This book is for those of us that like to believe that there can still be magic (and fairy godmothers) in this world.

Kristen has been totally knocked off-kilter. She had no idea that there was something more magical to this world until she i...more

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Mar 23, 2011 Laurie (Bitten by Paranormal Romance) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, requests

The "Wish List" is a fun, magical read. If you like a magic story with a little sexy added to it, this is it. You have Lady Kristin, who knows nothing about magic, thrown into the magic world with a hot trainer. The two have an adventure that gets them into all kinds of trouble because Kristin is known as a “rare one” and it seems she is on someone’s hit list. Oh ya! They break quite a few rules along the way, LOL.
I enjoyed the characters and the plot. I simply loved the four aunts. They were a...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Bird rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-in-a-series, paranormal, read-in-2011, saucy

This is one of those books that falls under the category: "great idea, poor execution."

For some reason, the notion of fairy godmothers appeals to me, which is the reason I picked up this book in the first place. However, I felt the writing was mediocre, and I didn't care for most of the characters.

The villain was obvious to me from the beginning, but of course it takes everyone else most of the book to put the clues together so they can figure it out.

The storyline seemed completely implausible....more This is one of those books that falls under the category: "great idea, poor execution."

For some reason, the notion of fairy godmothers appeals to me, which is the reason I picked up this book in the first place. However, I felt the writing was mediocre, and I didn't care for most of the characters.

The villain was obvious to me from the beginning, but of course it takes everyone else most of the book to put the clues together so they can figure it out.

The storyline seemed completely implausible. Kristin knows nothing about the magical world (didn't even know it existed), but somehow she's supposed to deal with everything on her own and if she can't, she fails the "test"? I was so sick of everyone saying, "We can't help you," then basically putting their hands over their ears and going, "lalalalalala" when she asks for more help. If that's how idiotic the magical world is, why does she want to be a part of it, anyway?

Kristin herself was annoying. I felt like her reactions to things were either too subdued, or too over-the-top. She'll handle some situations with aplomb, then freak out over the simplest thing. And she contradicted herself at every turn. How often does she say she's not the kind of girl who falls into bed with a guy easily, then proceeds to do just that?

The sex scenes were lackluster. Partially because I didn't like either character, and partially because the scenes weren't very well written.

Perhaps I'm more bloodthirsty than most readers, but Kristin held back at certain points when I wanted her to use her magic to kick some ass. (view spoiler) Generally, I see hesitations like that as weakness, and weaknesses annoy me in heroines.

To top that all off, the book is the first in a series, but the other books won't be following the same couple. Why does that annoy me? Because there were huge, glaring plot holes / cliffhangers left at the end of the book, and I don't want to watch through another character's eyes as they're resolved.

I did like the fairy godmother parts of the story. And the Zach and Callie storylines were cute (and I wish they'd been given more attention in the book!).

I didn't like this story enough to continue on with the series.(less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story sizzled from the moment I opened the book.

Not only was I thrown into a fantastic plot full of action but also one of magic. And love.

What a great mix between the hero, Tennyson and the heroine, Kristen. The story involved me and I gasped as the evil was revealed that they had to fight. It was a challenge for Kristen's new role as a Fairy Godmother to learn everything she could about magic in a short time. I saw her struggle and win plus realize her own heart.

Loved this book!

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Jul 12, 2011 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-ve-won

this book is most definitely a fairy tale but not in the sense of a disney movie. i thoroughly enjoyed this book! its amazing. i wouldnt have said this was a romance tho. i would have expected it to be a young adult book. but it gets kinda intense in the sensuality at about page 100 so i can see why its not a ya book. i feel like the ending could have been better because it seems to end so abruptly like u expected another chapter at least. but i can say i will definitely read As You Wish!!

&&&...more

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May 06, 2011 Scarlett Barnhill rated it 3 of 5 stars

A lighthearted, fun read. It's no work of art, but I enjoyed myself and had a hard time putting it down. While the characters are not written very deeply, they are genuine and likable. It was a nice book. I'd recommend it if you're looking for something to read while trying to de-stress, or maybe an airplane book.

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Feb 17, 2011 Darcy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I gave up this one after 70 pages, it was just a little to bubble-gum happy for me. I am starting to not have very much patience for people that suddenly find out they are magical or there is a world out there they never considered and just accept it. I also could tell right where this story was heading. Kristin, the newbie, fights an odd attraction to Tennyson, while Lucas, really the bad guy, romances her while using her. I just didn't care enough to find out the specifics. This one just isn't...more

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May 24, 2010 Jackie (Literary Escapism) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: para-romance, magic, new-author-challenge-2010, read-2010

For being the first novel in the Time of Transition series, The Wish List was good, but I wouldn't call it a strong start. Yes, we're introduced to the world and some of its inhabitants, but while it's easy to read, the plot runs a little slow. I do plan on getting the second novel when it comes out as I loved a lot of the supporting characters, but I do hope that the second novel will have a different couple at the forefront (there are three fairy godmothers and Kristin is only one). Plus, I to...more

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Sep 06, 2010 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, romantic-comedy, fantasy

Cute story. It felt a little underdeveloped, the "twist" was rather obvious, the plot was rather predictable, and the main duo fell into a relationship rather quickly, with no real... substance, I guess?

Still, overall it was a quick, fun read. I'll probably get the next ones.

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Jun 29, 2010 Ana Kenley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wasn't sure about this book, but I'm so glad I read it. I found it to be a refreshing paranormal that didn't involve witches, werewolves or vampires. The characters were fun, the plot entertaining and it was a very easy read.

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The Wish List (Time of Transition #1)

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