Wishing for You

I Wish #2

by Elizabeth Langston

She’s a girl who can’t remember. He’s the guy she can’t forget…

It's her final semester of high school, and Kimberley
Rey is curious about what will come next. She needs to
pick a college, but her memory disability complicates
the choice. Will her struggles to remember make it impossible
to leave home?

Help arrives through an unexpected and supernatural
gift. Grant is a "genie" with rules. He can give her
thirty wishes (one per day for a month) as long as the
tasks are humanly possible. Kimberley knows just what
to ask for--lessons in how to live on her own.

But her wishes change when a friend receives a devastating
diagnosis. As she joins forces with Grant to help
her friend, Kimberley learns that the ability to live in
the moment--to forget--may be more valuable than
she knew.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy

268 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2015

About the author

Elizabeth Langston lives in North Carolina, midway between the beach and the mountains. When she's not writing stories, she likes to stream mysteries, travel to faraway places, or curl up with a good book and a cup of coffee.

Elizabeth writes historical/ women's fiction and YA magical realism. As Julia Day, she has also written contemporary romance.

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this is the sequel to "I Wish". This is well written and a great book. I had some issues with putting it down and really struggled with myself to pick it back up. There were some things going on in this book that hit close to home.

To me some parts seemed repetitive to the first one and it wasn't turning out like I hoped it would. Not that it wasn't turning out as it should, but not what I wanted to happen. (We all know it is all about what I want, right?)

So in this book the kick ass genie Grant is now with Kimberly to help her with her issues. As usual he does a great job helping her become independent and self sufficient. She has so many different traumatic things happening in her life and she is a force that rises above each time. I like her more than I did Lacey. I am extremely happy with the ending. I wish Lacey would have had a different outcome, but I understand why it is how it is.

Check it out! You won't be disappointed!

[JenacideByBibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher, FictionETC Press, via NetGalley for an honest review.

Opinion: It is not very often that I prefer the second book over the first in a series, but in this case, I most certainly do. The story-line is better, the reader is given a much more personal look into the characters, and the overall message is fantastic. I loved that the first book centered around Lacey and her wishes to help her family, and that the book centered on her friend Kimberly who used the wishes to help herself become more independent and to be able to work with her disability better.

After Kimberly receives an old pocket watch from her friend Lacey, with instructions to polish it, a genie suddenly appears promising her a wish for every day for the entire month. Immediately Kimberly realizes that the genie is Grant, Lacey’s now ex-boyfriend, and requests that her wishes be made to help her overcome the hardships that her memory disability has brought her. Soon Kimberly starts to learn how to do things that a regular teen might see as normal, but to her seem difficult and almost impossible. But soon Kimberly learns that her friend Sean is in terrible health, and works to not only make herself more independent, but to also stay strong for her friend.
Firstly, the opening line in the description for this book is a bit misleading. Sorry if this is a spoiler (it really isn’t) but the opening sentence insinuates that there might be something brewing between Kimberly and Grant in this book. There isn’t at all, so don’t get confused when you finish the book and nothing has happened between them.

The best part about this story was that it didn’t completely center on Kimberly and her wishes, which I will admit, got a little blasé after a while in book 1 with Lacey. The reader got better insight into how much Kimberly’s memory has affected her everyday life and her daily routines. She is constantly surrounded by lists and reminders for everything she must do in her day. But not only is she unlike normal teens, she also lacks the ability to do basic things such as cook meals, go on walks by herself, or drive a vehicle. As Grant and Kimberly start to work through her wishes, she starts to learn skills that can help her in both her everyday life as well as in her future. But soon Kimberly gets news from her friend Sean that he has cancer, and that he wishes to spend the rest of his time with Kimberly pretending that he isn’t dying. I completely commend the character of Kimberly for being able to put her sadness and worry over Sean aside, and to do as he asks. It gives both of these characters a really unique dynamic and puts the reader at a personal level with them. I feel like the author really dug in and gave me a fantastic insight into the main characters of this story, which was a much bigger improvement in comparison to book 1. The little time that Sean and Kimberly spent together was both sad and bittersweet, especially the relationship that Kimberly makes at the end of this book.

I am still trying to wrap my head around what happened between Grant and Lacey in book 1. It all seemed very rushed and random, and I was actually expecting a reconciliation between them in this book. I have grown to dislike the character of Lacey because of her wishy-washiness, so I am glad that this book went into the life of another character instead of continuing with her.

Overall, a great follow-up to book 1 in this series, I Wish. This is a very sweet and charming YA series about growing up and believing in yourself, as well as the fun that comes with a magical being that grants you wishes.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We meet Kimberley in the first book (she's friends with Lacey) and learn more about her in this one. She had cancer when she was young and now has short term memory loss. When a friend confides in her, she finds ways to help him live life on his terms. Their relationship took a different turn than I originally thought it would and I thought it was perfect. I found it interesting to see how she coped with memory loss on a daily basis and how it affected her mother and their relationship.

Kimberley is completely different than Lacey and I thought the author did a fantastic job of conveying that. This book had a totally different feel to me. It was more emotional and brought tears to my eyes a few times. New characters were introduced and we got to find out what was going on with other characters from the first book.

I didn't find myself racing through this book like I did I Wish, but it was still enjoyable. I have to admit that I got distracted with the romance from the first book and where it was or wasn't heading and those scenes were some of my favorites due to the drama factor. It's not hard to guess the next person that Grant will be helping and if that book was out, I would have been just as anxious to start it as I was this one. I'm excited to read more because I definitely want to see how this ends!

I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.

Mel's Shelves

[♡ Jeri's Book Attic ♡ Jeri the Romance Bibiliophile ♡]

[Cátia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review HERE

*I was provided an eARC by FictionEtc Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

When I finished the first book of this series last month I knew that I wanted to pick this one up (review here). I really liked the first book and the themes that were talked about and one of my favorite characters from the first book was Kimberley. I wanted to know more about her and her problems so I was really happy when I found out that this book was about her. If you don’t know, basically this series centers about this genie, Grant, who grants 30 humanly possible wishes (one a day) instead of the normal 3 wishes to someone who needs it and In this book he is going to be helping Kimberley.
I loved how Kimberley’s story was totally different from Lacey’s. Lacey had a lot of family problems mostly due to her mother depression and the lack of money. While Kimberley also had a few problems this book was mostly about Grant helping her with her short-term memory problems. Because of Kim’s problems she needs her mom to help her in everything so it was great to see Grant helping her becoming more independent and finding something that she loved to do. I also loved her moments with Sean. It’s amazing to see how much they care about each other and help each other during difficult times. While I loved the characters development through the novel it was amazing to see Grant’s development also and that was something that I was expecting mainly because I thought that he had such an amazing development in the first book but in this one he was able to go through some more emotions that he wasn’t used to.
Overall, this was a cute fast pacing book and if you want to read a cute contemporary book with a little bit of magic you should give this one a try. I’m really hoping for another book in this series because there’s one character in particular that I think that needs a genie to help.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Elizabeth Langston managed to completely enthrall me with this book- I could not stop reading! I continuously told myself 'one more chapter' and found myself reading 5 more. Elizabeth Langston has a way with words- every sentence flows flawlessly.

I am usually not a fan of series that involve featuring different lead characters but I really enjoyed this one. While the books do have similar 'features' they also felt vastly different at the same time- they involved similar things (i.e. Grant granting wishes) but Kimberley and Lacey with their different personalities truly made the stories their own.

I don't think I've ever read a series in which I think I truly liked just about every single character; of course I wasn't a big fan of one of the teachers but for understandable reasons. I loved that this story didn't need to have a 'bad guy' to make it great.

I honestly hope that there are more stories in this series because I really love these characters and want some insight into the things that happen to them after this book.

Wonderfully written, I am so honored to have gotten the chance to read this!

[Audrey Shull · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Grant! I really love this series and exploring the possibilities when we wish for things that are do-able. I was really curious about Kimberly from the first book and we learned so much more about her disability. The relationship with Sean was heartbreaking and sweet. I cried near the end. Can't wait to see what the third installment brings!

[Kristina Applegate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberley fought and beat cancer when she was a child, but as a teenager she struggles with the side effect of the chemo and the cancer; she has short term memory loss. Every day she is constantly recording conversations, marking notes in her iPad, and relies heavily on her mother. She is 18 and in her senior year in high school and the thought of going to any college scares her; she isn’t ready to face the world of the unknown. Kimberley is content to just take one day at a time and hang out with her best friends Lacey and Sean. Lacey had other plans for her, Lacey gives Kimberley the gift of having a genie, and it’s no ordinary genie, its Lacey’s ex-genie and ex-boyfriend, Grant.

With Grant helping her Kimberley is finding that she can find freedom and be independent. Kimberley is a very special young woman and finds that she is most happy when she’s able to help others, even to the point of giving her wishes away. When Kimberley learns horrible news about one of her best friends, she finds that she may have more strength and abilities than she ever gave herself credit for.

Wishing for you is a beautiful story about a young woman learning to have faith in herself and learning to rise above her disabilities. With the help of a caring genie and patient friends, Kimberley matures into a woman ready to take on the world. Grant’s story also begins to take its own direction and makes the reader hope that there may be something in store for him and Camarin, Sean’s special friend. The writing is smooth and just flows. It’s so easy to read and follow the story line. Sometimes as a mother of four it is hard for me to stay focused, especially if the book is not written as well, I never once had a problem putting the book down and starting right back up without a hitch. I loved the characters and liked how the book transitioned smoothly from I Wish to Wishing for You. It is the second book in the series and you could read it alone; however it gives a better insight into the characters if you were to read the first book first.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sara Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent follow up to the first book! I love Grant’s reports to his boss. They show a fascinating side that we wouldn’t getting to see otherwise. The first book focused more on Grant learning to love, but now he learns how to love in a different way and I think he becomes a bit more human himself. The relationship between Sean and Kim was beautiful and I’m so glad she could be there as he needed her. I cried like a baby and was quick to download the next book, but I will read that tomorrow because I know I won’t sleep tonight if I start it!

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This builds beautifully upon the first book. Lacey steps back as she finds a way for Grant to serve Kimberley for a month. Kim certainly needs a 'guardian angel' type in her life as she's dealing with entering adulthood, watching a friend die, her parents divorce and her chemotherapy-induced memory issues seem like ever increasing roadblocks on her way to independence. That kind of drama could easily stray into cliche or overly dramatic, but never does. Instead readers find a very well written and emotional story that will segue into a final book that I'm jumping into tomorrow.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a sweet story, but I won't be continuing

[Stacey Kym · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC kindly provided by FictionEtc Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review

‘Wishing for You’ was an excellent sequel to the first novel ‘I Wish’; it was even better written than the last! If you haven’t read ‘I Wish’, please do! This time round, the story follows Kimberley and let me tell you she is one interesting character to read about. What I loved just as much in the previous novel as I did in this one is the novel confronts real life problems/issues: in this case it centres on disabilities and one more serious one: cancer. ‘Wishing for You’ was also a lot more intense due to the complexity and seriousness of these problems, which was also what made this novel so much better than the previous. P.S. be prepared to cry hard and blow your nose often in this novel.
To begin with, let us continue with my warning above. This was a real tear-jerker. As this novel had cancer in its context, be prepared those who:
a) were/are a cancer survivor
b) had/have somebody who died of cancer
c) or you have/had lost a loved one in your life.
Elizabeth Langston really manipulated the reader’s emotions in this novel. There were many times I just wanted to put the book down because it made me so teary and reading whilst crying is not a pretty picture and often invokes the concern of loved ones – we bookworms know this first hand.
Furthermore, as in the last book, the two characters I wanted to get together DID NOT. This made me upset as the two would have made a great couple and frequently I felt as if they would get together or a spark would set off or they would kiss or come to the realisation that they’re in love or SOMETHING! There was mostly friendly love and little romantic love but the book did not suffer from it, I felt. Somehow, these two characters friend-loving relationship made the novel work.
A let down in the book was my lack of understanding of the relationship between Kimberley and her mum. They seemed so close in the first novel, ‘I Wish’, yet very distant in this novel. There were many times they would speak to each other like extremely polite and friendly people who cared deeply about each other but did not love, confusing right? That was not all that was confusing, their reactions were, too. At times Kimberley would say something that was completely normal and her mum would take offence when in fact Kimberley said nothing bad.
Yet on top of that, there were lots of dynamic characters who made the book flow and evolve. Kimberley, for example, learns to do something about her illness and does not let hard or sad times pull her down. She learns to cope with changes and new things in her life and becomes more adaptive to circumstances that would normally put her under stress. She is funny, smart, wise and very intelligent. Grant also changes in this novel. Like he said so himself, her learned new things about life through Kimberley and now he is a much better person than he was in the first novel, in my opinion. Many characters from the previous return in this novel, which was nice to see as well.
There were no spelling, grammar or typing mistakes that I could see. The novel also followed the previous novel’s structure but this time it did include only Kimberley’s and Grant’s perspectives, it also had one other surprising character’s view.
This was a great sequel that did not suffer from second-book syndrome and was a really gentle yet evocative novel. Congratulations to Elizabeth Langston on a great sequel to the ‘I Wish’ series! Can’t wait for more.

Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wishing for You by Elizabeth Langston is the second book in the I Wish Series. This book is an emotionally powerful journey that will pierce readers hearts and souls. I loved how Elizabeth Langston took a disability and planted it into an unforgettable character. A young girl is fighting her lack of memory. She's always forgetting something and because of that she feels traumatized. But then an unexpected guy arrives into her life and gives her something to remember. She may not remember a lot of things but she remembers the stuff that has emotional attachments...like a first kiss or first date. She thinks that remembering everything would be great until she realizes that not always remembering everything is a gift and not just a curse. I loved following Kimberley's growth throughout the novel. I felt like I could connect with her on so many levels. I too have something that keeps me from going exactly where I want to be...dyslexia and a speech impediment. There are times, I wanted to cry, laugh and feel just as frustrated as the main character, Kimberley did. The scenes went by fast. Absolutely, a great novel for readers everywhere. Elizabeth Langston's book does leave me wondering what she will write next. There are so many possibilities. The suspense will surely kill me multiple times until then...overall, I highly recommend Wishing for You to all.

[Chels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Quick Thoughts:
1. I feel like the summary for this book isn't quite right. It makes it seem as though this is just about deciding which college to go to and that was hardly important.
2. This is a fairly sad story so be warned.
3. I found the whole Grant/Lacey relationship to be really weird.
4. There were some parts the author could have written better but it was mostly pretty good.
5. I really liked Kim's disability and how it was portrayed but I found that we didn't experience her memory loss at all.

REVIEW:

COVER

I’m actually liking these covers. They’re very wispy like and remind me of the story.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

I was a little worried about starting this one because we switch main characters but all the other characters are still there. I wasn’t sure how that was going to turn out because usually I hate it when the author switches the point of view.

MY NEW BFF

I adored Kim in this book! I’m glad we got to see more of her because she’s a very interesting character. I’m sure most of us don’t know anyone struggling with brain damage but still able to function normally which I think is why this book could appeal to a lot of people. I was curious about her in the first book and now I feel like we could be best friends. I loved how determined she was to be independent even though she struggles with brain damage. I think she’s a great character to look up to.

MY CRUSH

The romance in these books are really weird. There was kind of a love triangle in this book but not really. Another thing I won’t spoil for you! You’ll have to read it. I think that Sean would be my crush in this book. He was another determined character only with a really sad ending. He struggled the most in this book but he never wasted his time complaining about it. He stayed happy until the very end! I admire that.

WRITING STYLE

I found this book a lot better than the first. The characters were written a lot better and the plot had more to it. Not only were with with Kim during her struggles but we were with Sean as well. I did find Grant and Lacey’s relationship to be extremely weird in this book. I found it shouldn’t have gotten as much attention as it did.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I feel like from the ending of this book that there will most likely be a third. It was really nice seeing another Being in this book. There are more out there I guess! They both did different things so which I’m glad for or else this book would have gotten boring quick. I did enjoy this book a lot more than the first which hardly ever happens! I’d still recommend this book to everyone but especially those who won’t cry their eyes out in a public place while reading this. Just a heads up.

4 out of 5 stars

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tip for reading this book – do not begin immediately after reading book one, I Wish. Both books are told in first person, but two different characters. Book one is Lacey’s story. Book two is Kimberley’s. I had to keep reminding myself this was not Lacey narrating, this was Kimberley.

We first met Kimberley in I Wish, as Lacey’s new-to-town friend. A cancer survivor, one major lingering side effect from her ordeal is brain damage. Short-term memory loss to be precise. Kimberley has to carry around an iPad to record everything she does, otherwise she may not remember.

When Grant appears in a puff of smoke she is only mildy surprised to learn he’s a genie and there to grant her wishes. I honestly wasn’t sure how Grant could help Kimberley. Her challenges were so different from Lacey’s I couldn’t imagine where this would go. As it turned out, Grant was entirely beneficial for her.

Due to her disability, Kimberley relies very heavily on her parents, her mother in particular. Instead of helping her to be self-sufficient, they have kept her in a protective bubble. They drive her everywhere, she has no chores aside from keeping her bedroom clean, she doesn’t know how to cook or do laundry, the list goes on. With Grant’s help, she’s able to identify the reasons she should not do a particular task, and then find a way around that obstacle safely. Most importantly, Grant helps her become her own person and not just the person her family thinks she is.

Even though Grant was there to help her, that really wasn’t the main plot point of this book. Someone close to Kimberley has been diagnosed with cancer. She’s been there, she knows what he’s going through. Her friend is keeping mum, he asks her to not tell a soul (aside from her mom) and she agrees, because how could you let down your friend when he’s terminal?

The romance in this book was far superior to I Wish, in my opinion. It built slowly and realistically. There was no love triangle for Kimberley (thank goodness!)

What really makes this book memorable though is the friendship between Kimberley and her friend with cancer. Watching their friendship grow, only to end in heartbreak had me tearing up.

I have an idea of what will likely happen to Grant next, now that he’s completed his month with Kimberley, but I won’t say anything for fear of spoiling anything from this book.

Ultimately, I’d say this book was a little better than its predecessor and I do look forward to what book three will bring.

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

YABC.

I'm so upset that Lacey and Grant went their separate ways. Please excuse me while I shove ice cream into my mouth for the next two hours. *goes away*

Okay, I'm back now. Let's begin dissecting.

After reading a book in Lacey's POV, Kimberly's POV feels weird. She has a much different perspective and is an unique person with her own voice. She doesn't remember things (short-term, at least), and she needs the help of technology for her go through her life. Day to day things. If she doesn't write something down, she forgets it immediately. (Imagine what it's like for her to learn hard Calculus and forget how to do those problems the next day. What a nightmare.) But I'm amazed by how strong she is and how her self-esteem and self-confidence sometimes cripples her But she does climb back up with Grant's help.

Grant and Lacey. Ahhh... That hot mess. I don't know what is going on with them, but I do know that Lacey doesn't want to interfere with Grant's career. Grant still wants her, but... Oh, crap. Spoilers. Can't do that. But this is my thought: Why so much torture? It isn't fair! And this subplot doesn't make sense. At least, not from this perspective. After so much trouble, they still don't end up together. Ms. Langston, please refrain yourself from tugging my heartstrings.

The story itself has an intriguing conflict. One of Kimberly's friends is dying from cancer, and Kimberly wants to help. The timer counts down, and Kimberly wishes that she can forget. But she can't. (Despite this interesting story, I find myself lacking the emotional connections that tie me to this story. I felt it in I Wish, but not here.)

The ending is a bittersweet part, but it seals major loose ends while giving an opportunity for other storylines. (I'm crossing fingers for more Grant/Lacey.)

Unfortunately, there's no villain. Wishing For You is a story of internal conflict (wink, wink) and what can't be controlled. The overall message is... Oh, I can't say it.

Overall, Wishing For You isn't the sequel I'm looking for. It does however have wonderful parts which will satisfy those who dislike musical numbers. (Do you really want to sing "Prince Ali"?) With a disabled narrator (yay!), a not-quite-human genie who's learning friendship, and a stubborn girl that is Lacey, Wishing For You mixes what's familiar with what's unique.

Rating: Three out of Five

-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com

[Sharrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is terrible and I hate it. Why you gotta be so real and moving?? Stupid tears!!!
Elizabeth Langston does it again with Wishing for You the amazing sequel to I Wish.

Wishing for You definitely doesn’t suffer from the curse of the second book. I honestly cried for hours while reading this book. The whole story was just so moving and devastating and beautiful I couldn’t help the emotions coming out of me.

Okay so if you’ve read the first book then you know Kimmie already. She is Lacey’s best friend who we were introduced to in book one. This book should not be read as a stand-alone. Anyway, Kimmie had cancer and it’s messed with her long-term memory. Lacy gives Kimmie her genie Grant a yummilicious hunk of a Genie who grants thirty wishes (one for every day of the month). Anyway Grant’s job is to help Kimmie in any way humanly possibly. While this seems like an easy job since all Kimmie wants it to be normal she has Grant teach her how to be more independent. Then Kimmie’s friend gets sick and the whole story goes around the two friends and Kimmie trying to make their way through his final days and through Kimmies disability.

I honestly enjoyed Wishing for You, not as much as I Wish, but still really enjoyed. I liked Kimmie, I thought she gained a lot from her experience with Grant and she learned more about making her own decisions. She definitely had a harder time with things because of her disability, but she got there. I had a little trouble liking her at times, just because she came across as so spoiled, which she was, but also really oblivious to certain things that became pretty obvious to anyone but her.

Grant learned a lot and while I am super-duper sad he and Lacey aren’t getting back together, which is so totally what I was hoping for…I liked reading about his life once again.

I also love how Ms. Langston writes in bits of romance, but the whole story is never about that. It’s always more about self-discovery and that’s really refreshing. There is a certain realism to her books that will pull at the heart strings.

Seriously peeps you need this book in your life. It’s completely fabulous and heartbreaking and will leave you wanting more. I definitely am looking forward to their being a book three.

[Kathryn Svendsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wishing for You was a touching book that had me tearful a time or two. After a brain injury leaves her with a short term memory loss, Kimberley learns to rely on her iPad to help her remember a lot of things. She has always relied on her parents instead of learning the important life skills necessary for independent living.

Gifted to Kimberley by Lacey, Grant (a Benevolent Supernatural Being, otherwise known as a genie) arrives to provide 30 wishes, she learns both the skills to live independently and how blessed she is that she is to be able to forget.

Wishing for You must have been a difficult book to write due to the tough subject matter. I thought the author dealt with it in a thoughtful, sensitive manner. I loved the friendship that developed between Kimberley and Sean and how Kimberley’s short term memory disability worked in her favour with Sean because he needed to spend time with someone who could just forget what he was going through and treat him normally. Sean was a gift to Kimberley because he believed in her and what she could accomplish in spite of her short term memory loss.

I also liked the interaction between Grant and Camarin, both Benevolent Supernatural Beings, who didn’t seem to quite get along too well. Grant’s growth in understanding of Camarin’s role in Sean’s life and its effect on her teaches him a lot.

The twists and turns in the story are a bit of a roller coaster ride as they bring victory, sorrow, friendship and love. But that’s just like life isn’t it? The characters feel realistic, 3-dimensional. Kimberley and Sean, the main characters will stick with you long after you turn the final page of the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Wishing for You, the second book in this series. The book may be written for young adults but I think it will be enjoyed by readers of any age. I gave it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

To see my complete review, visist Shelf Full of Books: http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogs...

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberley fought and beat cancer when she was a child, but as a teenager she struggles with the side effect of the chemo and the cancer; she has short term memory loss. Every day she is constantly recording conversations, marking notes in her iPad, and relies heavily on her mother. She is 18 and in her senior year in high school and the thought of going to any college scares her; she isn’t ready to face the world of the unknown. Kimberley is content to just take one day at a time and hang out with her best friends Lacey and Sean. Lacey had other plans for her, Lacey gives Kimberley the gift of having a genie, and it’s no ordinary genie, its Lacey’s ex-genie and ex-boyfriend, Grant.

With Grant helping her Kimberley is finding that she can find freedom and be independent. Kimberley is a very special young woman and finds that she is most happy when she’s able to help others, even to the point of giving her wishes away. When Kimberley learns horrible news about one of her best friends, she finds that she may have more strength and abilities than she ever gave herself credit for.

Wishing for you is a beautiful story about a young woman learning to have faith in herself and learning to rise above her disabilities. With the help of a caring genie and patient friends, Kimberley matures into a woman ready to take on the world. Grant’s story also begins to take its own direction and makes the reader hope that there may be something in store for him and Camarin, Sean’s special friend. The writing is smooth and just flows. It’s so easy to read and follow the story line. Sometimes as a mother of four it is hard for me to stay focused, especially if the book is not written as well, I never once had a problem putting the book down and starting right back up without a hitch. I loved the characters and liked how the book transitioned smoothly from I Wish to Wishing for You. It is the second book in the series and you could read it alone; however it gives a better insight into the characters if you were to read the first book first.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really am enjoying this series as each novel is unique in its own way. I thought that the first novel in this series was more emotional and more romantically involved and this second novel focuses more on self-reliance. This second novel does carry some of the drama and storyline from the first novel along with it so I would suggest you read the first novel before reading this second one as I feel it would help with the stories flow. I didn’t feel as energized or emotionally charged as I did with the first novel but it was the characters that set this mood for me. Kimberley was the main character and she was used to having individuals control her life. I believe she used her disability as a handicap as she allowed others to do jobs that she could possibly attempt and succeed at and she didn’t state her opinions or make comments when she should have. It wasn’t until Grant showed up that she realized that she could take control of some aspects of her life. For 30 days, she had the privilege of having Grant, a genie, who she hoped could teach her how to be normal and I hoped she would finally find her voice in her life. There is confrontation as Kimberley tries to become independent and there are times where she is reluctant to embrace the freedom that is within her grasp. Her relationship with Sean was beyond words; his secret is safe with Kimberley as his confidential information is something she cannot forget. The relationship with Grant and Lacey is back and although they cross-paths, their past is not behind them. I liked the new twists with the beings and with Carmen on the scene she adds mystery and then other emotions as I started to understand her presence. I can’t wait to see what book #3 has to offer.
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Imani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 in the I Wish series has the same characters as Book 1 plus a few new ones. Kimberley is the main character in this book. Kimberley was diagnosed with leukemia as a child. As a survivor, she is grateful for her life, but she struggles with her short term memory, leaving her dependent on tools that aid her and her family and friends.

Lacey gives Kimberley a pocket watch, containing the genie Grant, for Christmas. Lacey hopes that Grant will help Kimberley to become more self-sufficient. While Grant loves and misses Lacey, he is dedicated to helping Kimberley and he is committed to trying to obtain a promotion. And, he still gets to see Lacey as a result of working with her best friend.

Kimberley's friend Sean shares a life-altering secret with her. With Grant's help, she learns that she can not only help herself, but that she is capable of being of aid to others.

I Wish just gave us a peek into the personalities and backgrounds of the characters. Wishing for You provides us with more insight into their lives. While I Wish focused on Lacey's and her family's struggles and her romance with Grant, Wishing for You examines friendship, self-reliance, and the pain of loss.

The books in the I Wish series just keep getting better. You won't be able to put this one down. It is a tearjerker. I look forward to Book 3.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/14/16
After reading the first book in this series, I saw there was a sequel and purchased it (2.99/Kindle). The characters from the first book returned. Kimberly-Lacey's APUSH assignment partner from the first book is back as our main character. This time, she's Grant's mistress-though she detests the term and requests that he call her "Reina"-her grandfather's old nickname for her.
The book follows a similar pattern to the first-Kimberly plots out her wishes, though hers are self-improvement items instead of house maintenance. She has memory loss due to chemo treatments and she is concerned about being able to live on her own. (As a teacher of special needs students, the lack of adult intervention in school on her part in both novels astounds me.) She progresses, Grant learns, and life goes on with various individuals questioning Grant's role in her life.
In addition to Kimberly and Grant, the other major player in this book is Sean Tucker, Kimberly's dance partner from PE. In the first book, it seemed that they would be romantically involved, but their relationship remains only friendly. He also has a being-one we were introduced to in the first book-that is at his side for an entirely different reason. Throughout the book, his influence on Kimberly grows as she fights to become more independent. In ways, it is he and not Grant that truly helps her evolve.
It became obvious who the next "mistress" of Grant will be by about halfway through the book. I look forward to seeing what she wishes for in the next installment.

3 stars-a quick easy read, though nothing outstanding.

[Mary Jung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wishing for You
By Elizabeth Langston


After reading the first book in this series, I was looking forward to reading the second book, “Wishing for you”.

The first 50-60 pages, to me, seemed to be almost a repeat of the first book. Back were many of the same characters, Grant, Lacey, Eric, Kimberley and others. It was after a very slow beginning that the story picked up and centered more on Kimberley and Grant.

After getting beyond my disappointment, I found that I relaxed into a very enjoyable story. Kimberley’s story. In this book, Grant was no longer in love with Lacey and was concentrating on granting Kimberley’s wishes and dealing with the problems she was facing.

Lacey is mentioned at various parts in the book but by no means is a main character. Grant is still seeking his own personal goal of moving up professionally and this again will be his final test before that next big step.

The story ends with everyone having to face some sadness but isn’t sadness a part of all of our lives. We shouldn’t dwell on sadness but we do need to learn to face the inevitable and to move forward from that point. Not always an easy thing to accomplish.

I found myself anxiously reading the last 60% of this book with great anticipation. The author introduces us to a complete different set of twists and turns than in the first book and, like the first book, this second in the series is again well written and for the most part, held my interest.

Mary K Jung
mkjfrj@aol.com

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberly had cancer when she was young and had short term memory loss. Kimberly needed her mom’s help in almost everything she did. Now she is close to graduating HS. Grant comes to Kimberly and tells her he is a genie and he can grant her thirty wishes - one a day. Sean is a good friend of Kimberly’s and her ballroom dancing partner and he is also battling cancer but he is losing the battle. Grant helps Kimberly learn to cook , walk to town, and teaches her photography among other things she needs to know. Grant also helps Kimberly help Sean through his final month. Then her parents divorce and Grant is there for Kimberly. Lacey is Kimberly’s best friend and Grant’s ex girlfriend but it is so worth watching him help Kimberly as grant helps her. Grant was in a pocket watch Lexi gave Kimberly for Christmas.
This was a really such a great story.It showed a lot about the love you can have for a friend, about personal strength and kindness,and it showed the disability Kimberly had to work around to find some independence in her life. It made me cry at times but that is a tribute to the author as far as I am concerned to be able to reach through a story with their words and make you feel strong emotion. I loved Kimberly’s character and how she was a caring kind young woman. I loved the other characters also and all the ins and outs they all went through including Kimberly. I highly recommend.
I received an ARC of this story for an honest review.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the I Wish series and as much as I loved the first book I wasn't sure if this one would grab me as much. Boy was I wrong. I could related to Kimberley because I also went through chemo and had a chemo brain for awhile, not anywhere as bad as what she suffered, but it was still annoying! Kimberley is very kind hearted but has been sheltered by her parents for a long time and while it is understandable it was not doing anything to prepare her for life after high school.

Enter Grant. He was passed along to Kimberley from Lacey who knew that her friend needed he help and Grant was the perfect person to help. It was hard on Lacey and Grant to see each other because of the love they felt for each other, but they would have to get over that and they did somewhat.

Then there is Sean, Kimberley's dance partner in PE class (why didn't we have that kind of PE?!) and good friend who has a secret of his own that he doesn't share with many people but it affects them to their core.

This book had me in tears near the end, maybe because it hit a little close to home. Kimberley's story and hew growth with Grant was impressive. He helped find ways around her disability for her to achieve milestones in independence.

The story leaves you hanging a bit for book 3, which I hope there is one!

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wishing for You by Elizabeth Langston is the second book in the I Wish Series. This book is an emotionally powerful journey that will pierce readers hearts and souls. I loved how Elizabeth Langston took a disability and planted it into an unforgettable character. A young girl is fighting her lack of memory. She's always forgetting something and because of that she feels traumatized. But then an unexpected guy arrives into her life and gives her something to remember. She may not remember a lot of things but she remembers the stuff that has emotional attachments...like a first kiss or first date. She thinks that remembering everything would be great until she realizes that not always remembering everything is a gift and not just a curse. I loved following Kimberley's growth throughout the novel. I felt like I could connect with her on so many levels. I too have something that keeps me from going exactly where I want to be...dyslexia and a speech impediment. There are times, I wanted to cry, laugh and feel just as frustrated as the main character, Kimberley did. The scenes went by fast. Absolutely, a great novel for readers everywhere. Elizabeth Langston's book does leave me wondering what she will write next. There are so many possibilities. The suspense will surely kill me multiple times until then...overall, I highly recommend Wishing for You to all.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wishing For You made me cry. I'm not typically a person who cries during books so I'm impressed that this book did that to me.


Why I recommend this book?
1) Kimberly. She's such a unique main character and I absolutely love her.


2) Grant. I love him and how he's been such a huge help to Kimberly.


3) Sean. He's such a sweet guy and that makes me cry.


4) Lacey. She's back in this book and that makes me happy.


The only critique I have to say is that there were a few sections that didn't capture my full attention. However, other than that I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Book 2 in the "I Wish" series; If you haven't read Book 1, then I highly recommend reading it before starting this book (and having this book ready to read as soon as you're done with Book 1).

Most of the characters in this series are in their senior year of high school and they are facing some tough, tough challenges. (I can't say much about the challenges without giving away spoilers) Luckily Grant the Genie is back in this book to help Kimberly as she faces some tough things (that I'm grateful I didn't have to deal with in high school). We get more insights into her disability; I've never known anyone with this disability and so I found it really interesting. But she also has issues going on with her family and with her "friend" Sean.

Not many books make me cry, but I cried in this one. Even though I was pretty sure where it was going I still really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed watching how these friends all interacted even when things were difficult, and how they helped each other through difficult times.

I hope we don't have to wait very long for Book 3...

Content: Clean, some mild swearing
Source: Review copy (opinion is 100% my own)

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Another cute story that continues on with from the previous book! In the last book we met Kimberley as one of Lacey’s friends who came back into her life. We found out that Kim had cancer and that she has short term memory loss everyday and so relies on her parents and her ipad to keep her notes straight. Lacey though that giving Grant to Kim would help her out with her memory loss. So we get the chance to see Grant again as well as learn more about Kim.

Kim is a strong character regardless of her memory loss though she relies heavily on her mom to get her through the day. Only until she meets Grant that she comes to realize that she has no independence of her own and only with Grant does she find out what she really wants/needs. A side plot to that main story is the health scare of one of her best guy friends. She helps him through the diagnosis but you know it doesn’t end well. That was super tough to read through and I know I was reading through watery eyes.

Overall this was another cute quick read and I look forward to the next installment!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

We met Grant, the genie, in I Wish. Lacey gives Grant to her friend Kimberly. Kimberly had cancer and it has affected her short term memory. She needs lots of help just to make it through a typical day. Grant has 30 days to help her learn to be more self sufficient.
The story lets the reader see what has been happening with Lacey and her family while we get invested in Kim and her family. Kim's parents are separated, but she still holds out hope that they will get back together. Sean is Kim's dance partner in PE. She wants to spend more time with him, but gets the impression he doesn't care about her that way. Then there is the barista that works in her favorite coffee shop....but she can't remember if they have ever had a conversation!
I loved Kim's character. She is sweet and kind to everyone--yet knows that she will remember little of what she actually got to do that day. Grant is a great character, so it was fun to read more about him. This story has a lot of sadness in it, yet I enjoyed reading it.