All That's Left of Me

by Janis Thomas

From the author of What Remains True comes an emotionally captivating novel about a woman who wishes away her troubles but doesn’t anticipate the cost.

I wish…

It starts with a simple wish, and Emma Davies hardly notices when it comes true. She’s too preoccupied with a life she isn’t happy in—the spark in her marriage has fizzled, her career is headed nowhere and her boss is a misogynist. Her teenage daughter has grown distant, and her heart breaks daily for her teenage son with cerebral palsy. But soon Emma discovers her wishes are coming true, and she realizes that she has been given the power to change her life. Either that, or she’s going insane.

Emma begins testing her newfound gift, making calculated wishes and learning one important rule—once granted, they cannot be undone. Over time, she grows bolder as she builds up to the one wish she both fears and desperately longs to make. But when Emma finally gets everything she’s asked for, will it be worth the price?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Magical Realism, Family, Fantasy

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 12, 2018

Reviews

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 1 out of 5]

All That’s Left By Me by Janis Thomas is my first book by this author. Shortly after the book starts, there’s a very descriptive scene between Emma and her boss who tries to be sexual with her right at the office. Do i want to read that? NO! I skimmed several pages as I just didn’t care for that scene at all. As I was skimming, I decided enough was enough and DNF at 25%. I have too many other great books waiting to be read. I was given this book through the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

[JudiAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The butterfly effect is a phenomenon which has evolved from the Chaos Theory. In metaphorical language, it means that a small change can give rise to a big tidal wave.

This is a thinking book, a chance to examine yourself and appreciate the joys in life. Would you want to have everything you wished for? Be careful, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side!

Emma is so irritated she could scream. The neighbors have a new cute dog but he barks continuously. When she is on her last straw she grits her teeth and said “I wish they never got that dog.” The next morning the dog had never been there. When she realizes her power she starts wishing disturbing things away and it works except almost every one of those wishes backfire and make life more complicated for herself, her husband and their children.

Janis Thomas creates an intriguing plot that will cause you to look at yourself, appreciate the highs and lows and enjoy every day that comes. I do recommend this thought provoking novel!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Butterfly Effect (which was one of the most haunting movies I've ever seen) meets Click in this fast-paced and thought-provoking story that pushes the old adage "Be careful what you wish for."

Who hasn't wanted to wish for something to go better in their lives at one time or another? When Emma Davies makes her first wish and finds out that it came true, she starts to test out her luck by making even more wishes. However, each one changes her life in ways she could have never expected, and some have cruel ramifications.

Janis Thomas weaves a dark and haunting (possibly more than The Butterfly Effect) surreal tale in her latest novel. It was impossible to put down and I still can't stop thinking about it. It made me grateful for the life I have, even when there are some things I'd currently like to wish away (not in my personal life though).

There is a trigger warning for victims of sexual assault, so please be aware of that. I also had some concerns regarding the language used in the story. Emma uses a lot of overly descriptive words and it gets to be too much sometimes. I felt like she was talking over my head. I also worry for anyone who has a disability and reads this novel. (Especially after the outrage sparked by Me Before You.) I felt she handled the subject matter sensitively, but some words like "confined," "suffering," and "burden" were alarming.

I'm always good for a surreal novel that leaves me with the reassurance that something could never actually happen. I wish there were more of an explanation for what Emma was experiencing, but I'm glad that there was an epilogue.

Since this novel would make a great movie, here are my casting suggestions:
Emma: Melanie Lynskey
Katie: Jenna Vogeler
Josh: Micah Fowler
Colin: Josh Hamilton
Val: Beth Behrs
Owen: Cillian Murphy
Dante: Bobby Cannavale
Dolores: Cloris Leachman
Lena: Samara Weaving
Richard: Patrick Muldoon

[Jenea · Rating 3 out of 5]

All That’s Left of Me had such an intriguing concept. Having your wishes come true, sounds great right? Sadly, this was a little bit of a miss for me. But, lets get on with what exactly it’s about.

Emma Davis goes into a antique shop and find a beautiful lioness pendant and falls in love with it. Little did she know that the woman who sold her the pendant knew what it could do. The wishes you say out loud, come true. And with some pretty serious consequences. Her husband is distant, her daughter is just about the same and she has a son who in a wheel chair suffering from cerebral palsy. When the first wish came true, she believes it was just coincidence. Not so much when the second does too, now she thinks she losing her mind. But what does she do, she makes anther wish taking her down a path that is hard to come back from.

Character wise, I just adore Emma’s son and even her daughter. She’s just a typical teenage girl, with the teenage attitude. But as for Emma, I had a hard time with her. Her decision to keep wishing. And an event that happened to her got swept under the rug, and it just really bothered me. Her character wasn’t all that redeemable to me and the sat thing I did want to like her. The ending of this was okay, but I was wanting a little more and it seemed to be rushed.

While this wasn’t a great read for me, the concept was interesting but didn’t work for in the end. I know that some readers will enjoy this, so all I can say it give it a try. You never know.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

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As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. Review also found here.

It took me ages to finish this book and even longer to actually commit to writing the review. Mostly, because All That's Left of Me wasn't exactly my cup of tea. Which isn't to say that it was a bad book--there was simply a bit of a disconnect when it came to my reactions to the novel itself. I found that I neither loved nor hated the book and that while the premise was intriguing, something about the execution of it just didn't fit.

Not my personal preferences, anyways. All That's Left of Me certainly will find an audience that adores it. It has an utterly mysterious air to it that will surely compel others. I do believe that. I am also going to say that it reminded me of a few other stories that I'd read in the past, only more... I want to say, rushed.

The pacing just wasn't right, especially towards the end of the novel. I wanted it to feel a bit more conclusive than it actually did. There was still a lot that I felt could have been done with it. Lacked potential, if you will. Janis Thomas' prose is not bad in the least, I just wished there was something more to the story that she was telling in All That's Left of Me.

Because the groundwork was all there. All there.

And at times, it was quite enjoyable and I didn't hate the characters.

Ultimately, it didn't keep my attention well enough and this just wasn't for me.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very twisty! there is no way I can describe the way the book went. You had to be very clever to pull this off and Janis Thomas does it very well. I wouldn't want to read many books like this as it does havoc with your mind!

Emma Davis is dissatisfied. With her marriage, with her job and generally with everything. She also does not know and hasn't the courage to start anew with a new job or even to admonish Colin her husband who seems so laid back that anyone would give him a kick in the pants.

Into this scenario we have Emma wishing the way we all do. That something could happen differently, or that a person could change, or just disappear and one by one these things happen. Emma has a son with severe cerebral palsy and I did wonder very early in the book why wouldnt she wish for her son to be well rather than just wishing this one away, or that situation to go away. Once granted it cannot be undone and this becomes Emma's downward spiral once she wishes her son whole and healthy again.

The entire book tests your powers of credibility. Time travel was one genre which took some getting used to, this is entirely different. It is like a separate parallel universe running in different mode, so what happens to the mode that existed before. Just not the individual but everyone in that universe changes to fit the new scenario. It was difficult to digest, but very easy for me to read.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was asked to provide a review in exchange for an electronic copy of this book.




All That's Left of Me by Janis Thomas


This book starts and I thought, did I write this book? Is this book my life? This book starts with a BANG! A typical mom getting ready for work, or so we thought. The chaos of the morning routine, the battles we pick as moms. Emma is annoyed by the neighbor's dog who incessantly barks and impedes her sleep and her little to no quiet time. Murphy's Law gets her throughout her morning, only to turn a day that started with a black cloud into a complete and utter disastrous one. We meet Emma's teenage son, Josh who has Cerebral Palsy and her rebellious teenage daughter, Katie as well as her husband, Colin. I quickly read through Chapter 7 in one sitting. I found myself screaming at the book, rooting for Emma, wanting to be a friend to her and just wrap her in a giant bear hug and that was just how I felt up to Chapter 7. Emma quickly realizes that when she makes a wish, it actually comes true. Hmmm, this makes you think, doesn't it? What would you wish for or away? Emma soon realizes that once she makes a wish it actually comes true, but also that she cannot wish it away or change that wish. OOPS. We soon find out that you really do need to be extremely careful what you wish for. Emma keeps a diary so that she can remember certain things from her life, pre-wishes, as her memories of what things were like before the wish soon fades away. As the story unfolds, we see that each wish has it's benefits as well as detriments. Think about how one wish changes so many things. Well, Emma soon finds out what great effects a wish can ultimately have on her life.

Janis Thomas has completely blown my mind with this book. Would I risk changing one thing in my life to risk the negative effects that it could have? This is my first book that I have read of hers and I am hooked. I cried, laughed, screamed, and felt so many emotions with this book. Janis mentions at the end of the book that the idea came to her after the death of her mother. It really changes the way we think. Why should we wish we had more time or spent more time. We should make the time to spend more time with the kids, shut off the electronics and simply be in the now. What a wake up call this book was for me. I fully enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read it again with my reading buddy once it comes out in stores!

You can find this book on June 12, 2018 on Amazon.com or enter the giveaway on Goodreads.com

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars...one star to celebrate that I finished this book at all...one star for the beautiful depiction of Josh, the fifteen-year-old son with cerebral palsy. I almost put this book down when a sexual assault began in chapter four or five. I almost put this book down when there was another BRUTAL scene of a sexual assault a few chapters later. I skipped so much of it, and it still disgustedly affected me. I am not a sensitive reader, but that graphic of a scene seemed unnecessary. So if you do choose to pick the book up, then I encourage you to just skip the scene. Knowing it happened is enough for the advancement of the story.

Our main character, Emma, has been given the gift of her spoken wishes coming to pass. And while I can go with the fantasy of it all, I just think she takes FOREVER to learn her lesson. Months and months of this gift doesn't teach her anything. And maybe that's the point. Maybe it's a Job story. But it was exhausting as a reader to know what eventually was going to happen and for it to be so drug out and her to continuously make the worst decisions over and over.

However, as I said, if anything makes this book worth while, it's her relationship with her son Josh, who has cerebral palsy. He is a light in this book. Her love for him is the light at the end of the dark, page-filled tunnel. And for that I'm glad that I didn't allow that disgusting scene at the beginning to overshadow the rest. I saw a promise made that the author laid down early in the book, and as a reader, that promise drew me to the last page. It was a predictable promise, but a well-laid out promise as it were.

All in all, I can't say that I recommend this book. It has too many trigger warnings and still thinking about that scene makes my stomach roll. Which is sad, because if it been left out, and so much of the repetition summarizing all the scenes of wishes she has changed that we had just read (over and over again throughout the book which I continuously skimmed) were eliminated, this would be a very good book with a beautiful message of not taking your every day gifts for granted.

[Pat Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“All That’s Left of Me: A Novel" is the first book authored by Janis Thomas that I have read. And it only took one—I am now a fan.

Ms. Thomas possesses an amazing ability to weave the possible with the impossible in a way that makes it all believable, conceivable, and relatable to one’s own life. It is easy to imagine making the same decisions Emma did, given her circumstances.

I have a weakness for characters who try their best to make things better and all to no avail because of the unintended consequences of their actions. Emma is just such a character and has won a place in my heart. I highly recommend All That’s Left of Me by Janis Thomas. I also downloaded another of her novels and am eager to read it! —Pat Spencer, author of Story of a Stolen Girl.

[Paula Pugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really made me think about what I would honestly do if I learned that my wishes were coming true. For Emma, all her disappointments begin to crash into each other, starting with a continuously barking dog next door that mysteriously does not exist one day. This is after she wishes the neighbors never got the dog to begin with. Emma’s troubles continue: a sexual predator boss, an uncommunicative teenage daughter, an unsatisfying relationship with her husband, and the biggie-a son with cerebral palsy. Yeah, you can see the road she might travel but to what ramifications? That’s what got me thinking: what would the ramifications be of my wishes-what would change or no longer exist? It is a mind boggling thought when all you really want is for things to be different.

[Liesbeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if all our every day wishes were to come true?
That’s the concept of this novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
We all do it, unconscious or not. “ I wish I’d never met that man!’ , that’s probably what most women will have wishes at one point.
Anyway, for Emma this becomes her new reality of many layers.
It’s thought provoking, and well written, an enjoyable read.

[Mickie Bernier Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put this one down. So many times I asked myself, “ what’s going to happen now???” Ending was a little weak, but still a good one!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very strange book in which the reader must surrender everything he or she knows or believes about consensual reality and enter a parallel universe in which one person’s wishes can have both remarkably good and remarkably bad consequences.


While I was mesmerized by the story and the way it unfolded and Emma’s life unraveled, I found the premise ludicrous, unless the whole story was a dream or psychotic episode. If I allow myself to believe that, then this is a darn good and darn scary story.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishers. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, nor have I been compensated for writing this review.

[Misty · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me very, very angry. I'm giving it 2 stars because I did enjoy both the writing style and the premise (although the author does nothing new with it: Emma is just a modern day Dorothy learning there's no place like home).

But the author uses that premise and style to tell a story that doesn't need retelling because it's been told every day, to every woman, since the beginning of time: Everything is your fault. You are responsible not only for your own happiness, but for the happiness of everyone around you. Accept what life gives you, because to want more is selfish. No matter how objectively terrible your life is, this book says, the alternative is worse, not better - never better. As Emmas's wishes go wrong, she tells herself that her old life "will be just fine, because the alternative is unacceptable." Bear your crosses, women, and don't dare ask for more.

*Minor spoilers*
Emma's life is objectively difficult. She works a terrible job to support her unambitious "author" husband; caring for a severely disabled son is both stressful and expensive; she is desperately trying to save her formerly bright, happy daughter from a terrible relationship. Emma wishes away some horrible things, and not only for herself: rape, the very bad-news boyfriend, her son's debilitating disability. And she is punished for all of it. Then the ultimate betrayal: she is baited into losing everything. This woman loses everything for finally standing up to her abusive ex-husband to protect her daughter. She berates herself for these "selfish" wishes: "But it's my fault. I'm the one who took everything away. . . . I was given powers and I abused them." Yes, Emma is the abuser, not her violent ex-husband!

In the midst of this chaos, there is an absurd scene in which Emma decides that in her original life - on top of everything else she is responsible for - if she had just made pancakes for her family more often, they would have been happier. I had to double-check that this author is a woman!

A half-hearted attempt is made to tie Emma's experience to a minor character who may or may not have some type of supernatural abilities. This character is never fleshed out, and no explanation is ever given. Frankly, more exploration of this would have made a better book.

The worst part, I think, is that I don't believe the author actually intended the story to come across this way at all. In the end, it's a mundane "be grateful" parable. If it were intentional, it could simply be blamed on one bad author. Instead, a perfectly well-meaning - and good! - writer reminds us that this kind of thinking is still so pervasive, and still internalized by so many women, that it can unintentionally infect an entire book.

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Often times, this book was difficult to read but I quite enjoyed that the author didn’t pull any punches. May it be the delicacy of caring for a teenage son who has cerebral palsy, or the number of times her boss made a physical pass at her until she was assaulted, Ms. Thomas showed exactly how much Emma hated her life and every thing about it.

Our first reaction when given such power would probably be overjoyed. But Emma Davies portrayed no signs of such reaction. In fact, she was tepid and cautious about it all. She thought of the implications – the cause and effect. She was hesitant to wield such a power, but when she realizes that her world could use less of the burdens that plagued her, she embraced her fortune.

Slowly though, she knew that every positive occurrence exacts a negative response. And that for every wish of hers that came true, her life invariably changes - for better or worse. But like a Butterfly Effect that causes more harm than good, not everything turned out as she imagined.

This book had me entranced. Morbidly, I was interested in the negative implications of her wishes. It took her awhile to wish for the very thing that belonged in the deepest, darkest place of her heart and mind. And when she did, the result was heartbreaking, life altering, and catastrophic.

[Kenya Benjamin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The synopsis of the book was super intriguing and I honestly thought I would love it, but the more I read, the more aggravated I would get. Even without considering that the first big things to happened in this book were molestation and rape (and you can correct me if I'm wrong but I saw no trigger warnings? Rape seems like something that would need a trigger warning).

Emma was incredibly annoying and I feel like her thought process was shot to hell because who actually thinks like this?! She also casually uses words like 'septuagenarian' when 'someone in their seventies' is perfectly fine.

I found Emma to be a bit pretentious and sure, she had a hell of a lot of problems but a lot of them could have been dealt with if she, I don't know, TRIED? If Emma had a spine lots of her problems could've gone away but maybe that's just me.
.
1.5 🌟

[Kira FlowerChild · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book can be summed up with two cliches: 1) Be careful what you wish for and 2) Appreciate what you have.

If you are a veteran reader of SF&F, you'll want to avoid this book. The author is obviously not familiar with the genre and inexperienced when it comes to writing within the genre. I could write about five more paragraphs complaining about various aspects of this novel but I won't waste my time. Some people loved it. Good for them. I didn't. I especially thought the "solution" to all this was complete and utter nonsense.

[Shir · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to decide how I felt about this book because it was simultaneously endearing and a bit unsettling. Emma, an under-appreciated executive assistant, wife to Colin, and mother to Kate and Josh, wakes up one morning realizing that her wishes come true. Not all wishes, not for big things like world peace or no more famines, but smaller, more personal things like "I wish the neighbor's dog would stop barking 24/7". Kate's home life is a bit stressful, with a tense marriage, a daughter dating an unappealing sleazeball, and a son with cerebral palsy. Her wishes start small - for the neighbor's dog to indeed stop barking so much and for her nasty boss to not exist, but they get bigger and she realizes that once she makes a wish, she cannot undo it. Her life changes the next morning and irrevocably goes in a slightly different direction as if it had always been on that path. This book is a strong reminder that actions have consequences: if you wish that your son's nighttime caregiver didn't give your husband a hard-on, then you might wake up the next morning and find that your son misses a person he doesn't remember knowing because he loved her in the way that many 15-year-old guys do. If you wish that your son didn't have a severe cramp due to his cerebral palsy, you might wake up the next morning with a son that doesn't have the disease, but then he dies after being hit by a car while he's on his bike. The more Emma wishes, the worse she finds her life despite her best intentions and she longs for the simplicity of an earlier life, yearning for past loves and an unattainable innocence. At the end, she realizes that she can no longer hide from difficult decisions, and decides to face them directly instead of wishing them away.

Three things bothered me about the book, and one of them connects to Emma's acknowledgment of her own initial cowardice:
- Emma initially avoided Doris, the shopkeeper who seemed to know much about Emma and her ability to actualize her wishes. Maybe if Emma had talked to Doris earlier, she could have had some answers and made better-informed decisions.
- Where did this ability come from? I know it maybe doesn't matter in the context of the book, but it was still an unexplained phenomenon
- There was this obnoxious tendency for people to chuck Josh under the chin. It comes across as incredibly rude and condescending, especially towards someone who has trouble articulating himself, and infantilizes him when he was growing up and did express to Emma that he didn't want her treating him as a boy.

[Roxie Prince · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review and more on my blog at [Roxie Writes].

‘All That’s Left of Me’ by Janis Thomas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Finished on September 15, 2018
Read with Kindle Unlimited Subscription
FREE on Kindle Unlimited | $4.99 on Kindle | $10.99 in Paperback | $1.99 on Audiobook

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A simple wish changes Emma Davies’ life, but she hardly notices it. She’s too preoccupied with being unhappy in her life. She’s in a passionless marriage, trapped in her career, and has a misogynist for a boss. Not even her children provide much happiness. Her teenage daughter has grown distant, and her son has cerebral palsy.

Soon, though, Emma realizes all she has to do is make a wish, and she can change everything.

But as the old saying goes: Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

MY REVIEW:
I found the main character of this novel to be borderline insufferable. I almost put it down several times because of it. She is a brat, to put it simply. She takes everything in her life for granted, can never see the good in anything around her, and is just generally a whiner.

That being said, I’m glad I stuck with this book, though, because I ended up really liking it. I had a feeling Emma’s nature was essential to the plot (at least I hoped it was), and I was right. This is a modern and unique take on the age-old “be careful what you wish for” story.

The character development was extremely well done, and Thomas has a smooth and pleasant-t0-read style. I would absolutely read more of their work.

There is a pretty graphic sexual assault scene in this book, though, so if that sort of thing triggers you, you might want to avoid reading this.

[JenBsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason, as I skimmed the blurb, this seemed like a light, fluffy women's lit (perhaps like The Seven Day Switch) but it was quite a bit heavier than that. As other reviewers have mentioned, there was a sexual harassment/rape scene that while not extremely violent, was overly explicit. It just felt like too much, not matching everything up to that point. There was some more sexual stuff later on too that just ... again, just didn't fit in.

Angela Dawe is a good narrator. This was likely a little challenging, as all of Josh's spoken words were voiced as one with Cerebral Palsy, very difficult to understand. After each, was Emma's "translation". Often, in the audio, I COULD understand (although it was difficult), so the clear reiteration got repetitive. I think it was easier to "hear" than to read the "Cerebral Palsy speak" when I glanced at the Kindle copy. I would have needed the interpretation there I think.

The book just felt uneven - lighthearted in places, with silly wishes. But overall ... pretty dark and discouraging. Everything twisted to the worst possible outcome. While very different - the book Wish also had a "wish come true" premise, so there were some basic similarities. Both make you ponder what would happen IF what you wished for really came to pass. Wishes coming true sounds like a good thing ... but ...

[Robin (ReadItRobi) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If wishes came true...what would you do? Herein lies the predicament of Emma Davies, who is struggling with the way her entire life has become a to-do list. Emma first notices her new ability to wish away the distasteful parts of her life when a stray thought crosses her mind as her neighbor's dog continually barks through the night. "I wish they never got that dog." Emma is baffled when her wish comes true and no one recalls the puppy, except for her.

As the wishes pile up, Emma's life brightens up. Her initial wishes are simple and certain problems just disappear, but as her wishes get bigger they come with repercussions. Emma battles with how far to take her wishes—that appalling boyfriend of her daughter? Her lack of connection to her husband? Her cruel boss? Her addict ex-husband? Her son's cerebral palsy? If Emma chooses to wish away any of these defining facets of her life, what will be left behind?

Janis Thomas does a wonderful job displaying Emma's inner struggles as she decides which wishes to make. Even so, I can't give this a full 5 stars because the two chapter resolution is at first completely odd, then maddeningly trite. I'll settle for 4.75 stars and wishing that Chapter 38 hadn't existed. (Strange, that wish didn't work.)

I really enjoyed Thomas's playful approach to this fantastical novel about ordinary life. A great read for those contemplating a mid-life crisis or anyone who's ever wondered if the grass is really greener on the other side.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review

[Cozy Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC. My opinion is my own.

I love this book ! It is fiction with the element of fantasy. Emma is disgusted with her awful life, she has a husband that won't work and is beyond cheap, a sick disabled kid and another teen that is awful. She hates her evil boss and her neighbors got a dog that barks constantly. She works full time and does all the housework and takes care of everything her lazy husband refuses to do. She is at her breaking point in her life. Her life is going no where and its getting worse day by day.

She goes into a antique shop and finds a beautiful pendant she adores. The woman who sells her the pendant knew what it could do and that it is magic. The wishes you say out loud, they will come true ! When the first wish came true, she believes it was just coincidence. The neighbors dog disappears. Then she makes anther wish taking her down a dark path but the wishes are irresistible to her.

I loved the concept of the book and the moral decisions that Emma had to make. The wishes concept was intoxicating and she was swept up into changing her life . This book is entertaining and held my attention. it was a interesting transition for Emma to make the wishes to the moral choices she had to finally realize. I love it.
A good read !

[Patricia Ibarra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emma Davies is unhappy with her life and I would feel the same if I were her. She has a boy with cerebral palsy, a teenage daughter for whom she is sort of invisible, a job she hates because her boss is always harassing her but a job she cannot quit because her husband is a writer without aspirations and fairly mediocre, living a very comfortable life while her wife supports the family. One day she makes a wish in her mind and soon realizes that it comes true. She thinks she is losing her mind, but soon realizes that whenever she wishes something it happens, but that these wishes cannot be undone. I was about to stop reading this book, feeling that it was completely foolish. I continued and I realized that there was something worth thinking about. Positive people usually say that no matter how bad things are, there is always something good that will come out of it, an idea I do not agree with. Or as some other people guide their lives: analyzing whether you have a half full glass or a half empty glass. For me, a glass is a glass, whether empty or full. I do not think that you must always try to look for the bright side in your life. What I think is healthier is that if you do not like what you are living through, try to change it, regardless of the result. At least you gave it a try. And if I had a wish that came true and helped me to change it, of course I would take it.

[Marie Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a difficult read in the beginning which almost made me DNF, but I hate to do that. I read lots of reviews on this book and knew I needed to push past the work boss’s portion if I wanted to keep going. That part was totally unnecessary and not needed. Really weird. This was a pretty intense, selfish, hard read.

*SPOILERS BELOW*


This book shows Emma as a greedy and selfish person. She wishes her struggles and issues away only to wake up the next day to have her world changed by that simple wish the day before. She ends up losing everything in the end and is by herself with no family, no dog, no life she wants to remember. But a visit with the little old lady may change all that.
The little old lady that sold Emma the butterfly necklace that grants these wishes, has a house the same replica as Emma’s that takes what her wishes change. She loses her son and the house gains a boy in a wheelchair. She wishes the tree in the yard away and the house gains a tree. She wishes she had never met her ex who she had her daughter with and the house gains a young teenage girl. The wishes keep going and the house replica keeps gaining. Does she make it in the end with gratitude or does she remain selfish in her wants? It’s a decent read. I suggest pushing through til the end. Kind of mind screwing in a way.

[Debi Stout · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is usually not my type of book to read, but the more pages I flipped, the more invested I became...... If wishes came true...what would you do?

Emma Davies lives a life very unfulfilling to her. She hates her job, her boss is a sexual predator and abusive. Her son is severely disabled, her daughter is a rebellious teenager and her husband is an unsuccessful writer, which causes Emma to have to be the family breadwinner. Her marriage is pretty much on the rocks.

Emma goes into a antique shop and finds a beautiful pendant she adores. The saleswoman knows what magical power the pendant has but doesn't say anything.

Emma first notices her new ability to wish away the things she doesn't like when, as her neighbor's dog continually barks through the night, she wishes that they had never gotten the dog. Suddenly no one recalls the puppy ever existing, except Emma.

I enjoyed the concept of this story and the moral decisions that Emma has to make. I really liked this book and I'm looking forward to reading more by Janis Thomas!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Shari Ring Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story, didn't like audible version

I did the "read & listen" with this book. I didn't like the narrator's style. There was too much desperation and panic in her voice that I found irritating. I found the main character to be whiny and full of self pity. There was also a rape scene that was horribly graphic and I was appalled at the main character's viewpoint and hideous choices regarding that incident. I put the book aside, but picked it up later, reading the Kindle version.
As the story unfolded I realized that the main character's lack of gratitude was central to the story, and I could leave out the tone of panic as I read the book myself.
It proved to be a very meaningful story. It was well researched and well written. I'm finding that kind of professionalism to be rare in this age of self publishing. I look forward to reading more from this author. So far her books have been very good!

[A.r. Donenfeld-vernoux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book at a writer's meeting. The genre is not something I usually select, and was about to put it on my bookshelf when I decided to read a few pages. WOW! That was it . . . hooked! I sat down and read the whole book in a day and a half, the half because I eventually kept falling asleep no matter how hard I tried to keep my eyes open. Ms. Thomas knows how to keep the reader entranced. Her characters are plausible, and so likeable you are almost forced to connect with them. Emma is unhappy with her life, from the noisy puppy next door to her son Josh to a tree in her yard. But as her journey progresses, she realizes wishes coming true don't necessarily change things to happier results. My mother always told me to 'be careful what you wish for.' Emma finds the homily to be much more than just an old saying.
A.R. Donenfeld-Vernoux, 5-star Amazon author of "Cave Dreams."

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ it gripped me from the beginning and held on tight. What happens if you wishes were granted?
Yesterday she was raped, beaten and humiliated. She fell on the curb outside of her house and smashed her knee. She awoke to the silence of the neighbors previously yapping new puppy . Today there is no evidence of anything ever happening. No bruises or cuts that were evident the night before. No scraped knee. No dog next door. Emma is furious. Not with herself but with God. What has she done to deserve what is happening to her? Is it early onset dementia or is something just as awful happening? If everything seems so surreal, then why does she recognize the petite older lady from the new shop downtown? They one that like to give her a knowing smile and wink? With time come more wishes. Some for good some not -but with the outcome come consequences.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one where you just have to buy the premise and then you'll enjoy the story. Emma has had a string of rotten luck in her life as well as some rotten people (like her boss). Her husband Colin is well, not the most helpful person in the world, her daughter Katie is a teenager testing limits, and her son Josh has CP. And then in an odd twist, she makes a random wish that comes true. She doesn't connect what's happening at first but then.....Everything has a consequence, both good and bad and Thomas lays those out. It's a little confusing at times but intriguing. The big question- what about Josh? No spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one for a thought provoking read.

[janet breider · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you take away everything what's left?

Once I got to the 3rd chapter I couldn't put this book down.. for every decision, for every wish granted there is a consequence and we don't get to choose..
So cleverly written and the feelings of losing control are so vivid that I wanted to be able to go back or rather for Emma to be able to go back and change her wish.. I felt so strongly for her.. a victim of circumstance, lacking the confidence. What I loved was as the catastrophic changes happened she evolved to become more confident and self assured.. in the end making the one wish she had to. Not knowing the outcome but knowing the reality she faced in the present was incomprehensible.
This book really needs to be made into a film..