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Wishing Day #2
The Forgetting Spell
Most people in Willow Hill think Darya is the prickliest of the Blok sisters. What they don’t realize is that on the inside, Darya is soft and gooey from feeling everything, all the time.
When Darya turns thirteen, the goo gets stickier—and as Darya’s Wishing Day approaches, all she wants is to forget the silly tradition ever existed.
Except...she can’t. Ten years ago, a wish made by Darya’s mother splintered their family into pieces. Last year, Darya’s sister Natasha wished for their broken mother to return. This year, Darya has a chance to wish away parts of the past, and who wouldn’t want to do that?
Darya, that’s who!
The past is something you’re supposed to leave behind. Which is why Darya has locked and sealed her most painful memories inside the far corners of her mind, where they can no longer hurt her.
But when some of them begin to leak out, Darya realizes the decision about what to wish for—and what not to wish for—is probably the most important choice of her life.
Laughter and tear-inducing to the last page, The Forgetting Spell is beloved and bestselling author Lauren Myracle’s second book in the unforgettable Wishing Day series.
When Darya turns thirteen, the goo gets stickier—and as Darya’s Wishing Day approaches, all she wants is to forget the silly tradition ever existed.
Except...she can’t. Ten years ago, a wish made by Darya’s mother splintered their family into pieces. Last year, Darya’s sister Natasha wished for their broken mother to return. This year, Darya has a chance to wish away parts of the past, and who wouldn’t want to do that?
Darya, that’s who!
The past is something you’re supposed to leave behind. Which is why Darya has locked and sealed her most painful memories inside the far corners of her mind, where they can no longer hurt her.
But when some of them begin to leak out, Darya realizes the decision about what to wish for—and what not to wish for—is probably the most important choice of her life.
Laughter and tear-inducing to the last page, The Forgetting Spell is beloved and bestselling author Lauren Myracle’s second book in the unforgettable Wishing Day series.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2017
42 people are currently reading
1109 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Myracle
93 books2,022 followersLauren Myracle is the author of numerous young adult novels. She was born in 1969 in North Carolina. Lauren Myracle holds an MA in English from Colorado State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College. she has written many novels, including the famous IM books, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r.
Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .
Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected as one of ALA's "Best Books for Young Adults" for the year 2004. It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers." Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, followed by its YA sequels (Twelve, Thirteen, Thirteen Plus One) .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
May 9, 2017
2.5 stars
Wow, this book was all over the place. I solidly liked the first book in the series, but this one... my head is swimming. One downside to the current push for diverse and issue related books is some authors try to cram too many different elements into the story, and it ends up being so brain twisting that the reader ends up gaining zero insight into any of the issues. Even more so with this title because it is supposed to be Middle Grade. Plus, there were a couple I felt were not MG sensitive.
There was one part where the author took time away from the story to demonize a particular breed of cat with untruths. The addition of the discussion of the cat added nothing to the story, so was it a personal vendetta based on a cat that scratched her? That is amateurish.
Then a discussion about police shooting a man in a hospital because he wouldn't put on a hospital gown was included. Bizarre, right? I have stated time and time again that MG age readers are known for over worrying about the safety of family. They shouldn't have that mental picture or notion in their heads. I was absolutely confounded about that scene in the book. It also added nothing to the storyline.
The big shocker to me was the heavy leanings toward saying people with schizophrenia are just stuck between a magical world and the real world. I won't know for sure until the last book, but it looks like that is the way the story is heading. I don't think that is an idea a young person should have about mental illness. If this ends up being the case I will most certainly come back and remove another star.
The transition between books was weak. The first book ended in a huge cliffhanger, but the story didn't pick up from there. In fact it was only mildly referenced a couple of times, a good measure into the book. I didn't read Wishing Day all that long ago, and I usually have no problem reading even Adult Lit sequels without re-reading the first book, but many times throughout The Forgetting Spell I felt I needed to do just that. Also, just as the first book, this story has a good sized cliffhanger.
I was approved for an eARC, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest review.
Wow, this book was all over the place. I solidly liked the first book in the series, but this one... my head is swimming. One downside to the current push for diverse and issue related books is some authors try to cram too many different elements into the story, and it ends up being so brain twisting that the reader ends up gaining zero insight into any of the issues. Even more so with this title because it is supposed to be Middle Grade. Plus, there were a couple I felt were not MG sensitive.
There was one part where the author took time away from the story to demonize a particular breed of cat with untruths. The addition of the discussion of the cat added nothing to the story, so was it a personal vendetta based on a cat that scratched her? That is amateurish.
Then a discussion about police shooting a man in a hospital because he wouldn't put on a hospital gown was included. Bizarre, right? I have stated time and time again that MG age readers are known for over worrying about the safety of family. They shouldn't have that mental picture or notion in their heads. I was absolutely confounded about that scene in the book. It also added nothing to the storyline.
The big shocker to me was the heavy leanings toward saying people with schizophrenia are just stuck between a magical world and the real world. I won't know for sure until the last book, but it looks like that is the way the story is heading. I don't think that is an idea a young person should have about mental illness. If this ends up being the case I will most certainly come back and remove another star.
The transition between books was weak. The first book ended in a huge cliffhanger, but the story didn't pick up from there. In fact it was only mildly referenced a couple of times, a good measure into the book. I didn't read Wishing Day all that long ago, and I usually have no problem reading even Adult Lit sequels without re-reading the first book, but many times throughout The Forgetting Spell I felt I needed to do just that. Also, just as the first book, this story has a good sized cliffhanger.
I was approved for an eARC, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest review.
January 6, 2020
The Forgetting Spell is the second installment in Lauren Myracle’s Wishing Day series about a town where the girls get a day after their 13th birthday to make three wishes. In particular, the story follows the Blok girls - Natasha, Darya, and Ava - who are still struggling after their mother left the family 8 years ago. My daughter and I finished the first book (Natasha’s story) and immediately started in on this one (Darya’s story).
The characters didn’t seem as developed this go round. Natasha was compelling and interesting and her story included quite a bit of character development for the whole family and her best friend. My daughter repeatedly said that she liked Natasha better than Darya. Darya is so self-involved that the character development is missing from her story. Most of her family is rarely a part of the major action, which is a stark difference from the last book. They are present but for flashes of moments that don’t add to their story arcs. Darya’s best friends are superficially drawn, except for her new friend Tally. Tally’s story has more depth but because she isn’t the main character and Darya makes everything about her, we don’t get as much as we would like about her story. I don’t mind having some mysteries about characters but they should be resolved before moving to the new book since it is from the perspective of another character (Ava’s story). Although, I suppose Tally’s story is much bigger and needs to be drawn into the third one. The only other character we see enough about would be Mama, Klara Blok. Having her mother return and make demands upon her after abandoning the family when she was five puts Darya into a tailspin, which is totally understandable, especially since she has been harboring a secret about the day Mama left. In contrast, Natasha and Ava seem to take it in stride, which adds to Darya’s issues. The sisters’ relationships have gone drastically up and down through these two books. I have two sisters, so I kind of get this but it felt like any bonding from the first book is completely lost in this one.
The continuation of the plot was not as seamless as my daughter and I would have liked. There are cliffhangers for the first and second books but the second doesn’t pick up exactly where the first drops off. I can understand why this is since it is a different main character but it didn’t blend as well as we would have liked. The jumping back and forth between the present and the past is still a good device. We did like the hints and foreshadowing sprinkled throughout the book. Again, the genre bothers me. I can’t tell if it’s fantasy or magical realism. I’m not sure if Myracle really knows what she wants to develop because it goes back and forth.
A warning - I’ve had to have some pretty deep conversations with my daughter about grief and mental illness. I don’t mind having these conversations but I’m not sure she was ready to understand all of the nuances of these situations and how they are presented in the novel. Mama’s issues are the result of grief and guilt, causing her to seem mentally ill. The fantasy/magical realism part makes it seem like she’s not really mentally ill but she deals with all the same problems because that’s how others will view her. That’s a tough thing to explain. A mother who abandons her family because of guilt and grief and a father who retreats inward and distances himself from his family because of grief were not situations my daughter could comprehend completely (thank goodness). Trying to delve into all these issues made the read much heavier than I think my kiddo was prepared for. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I think kids at this age can handle tough situations and we should not talk down to them, but the novel presents these issues in such a convoluted way (lots of secrets, half-truths, “it’s complicated” reasonings, etc) that it creates a murky story and can prevent a kid from really grasping all the truths Myracle wants to get across.
Overall, it’s an okay read. I would suggest parents get involved if a younger child is reading it in order to help them deal with the issues. My daughter and I are moving onto the third novel so it’s still interesting enough to not give up on the series. We will see how it all shapes up in Ava’s story.
The characters didn’t seem as developed this go round. Natasha was compelling and interesting and her story included quite a bit of character development for the whole family and her best friend. My daughter repeatedly said that she liked Natasha better than Darya. Darya is so self-involved that the character development is missing from her story. Most of her family is rarely a part of the major action, which is a stark difference from the last book. They are present but for flashes of moments that don’t add to their story arcs. Darya’s best friends are superficially drawn, except for her new friend Tally. Tally’s story has more depth but because she isn’t the main character and Darya makes everything about her, we don’t get as much as we would like about her story. I don’t mind having some mysteries about characters but they should be resolved before moving to the new book since it is from the perspective of another character (Ava’s story). Although, I suppose Tally’s story is much bigger and needs to be drawn into the third one. The only other character we see enough about would be Mama, Klara Blok. Having her mother return and make demands upon her after abandoning the family when she was five puts Darya into a tailspin, which is totally understandable, especially since she has been harboring a secret about the day Mama left. In contrast, Natasha and Ava seem to take it in stride, which adds to Darya’s issues. The sisters’ relationships have gone drastically up and down through these two books. I have two sisters, so I kind of get this but it felt like any bonding from the first book is completely lost in this one.
The continuation of the plot was not as seamless as my daughter and I would have liked. There are cliffhangers for the first and second books but the second doesn’t pick up exactly where the first drops off. I can understand why this is since it is a different main character but it didn’t blend as well as we would have liked. The jumping back and forth between the present and the past is still a good device. We did like the hints and foreshadowing sprinkled throughout the book. Again, the genre bothers me. I can’t tell if it’s fantasy or magical realism. I’m not sure if Myracle really knows what she wants to develop because it goes back and forth.
A warning - I’ve had to have some pretty deep conversations with my daughter about grief and mental illness. I don’t mind having these conversations but I’m not sure she was ready to understand all of the nuances of these situations and how they are presented in the novel. Mama’s issues are the result of grief and guilt, causing her to seem mentally ill. The fantasy/magical realism part makes it seem like she’s not really mentally ill but she deals with all the same problems because that’s how others will view her. That’s a tough thing to explain. A mother who abandons her family because of guilt and grief and a father who retreats inward and distances himself from his family because of grief were not situations my daughter could comprehend completely (thank goodness). Trying to delve into all these issues made the read much heavier than I think my kiddo was prepared for. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I think kids at this age can handle tough situations and we should not talk down to them, but the novel presents these issues in such a convoluted way (lots of secrets, half-truths, “it’s complicated” reasonings, etc) that it creates a murky story and can prevent a kid from really grasping all the truths Myracle wants to get across.
Overall, it’s an okay read. I would suggest parents get involved if a younger child is reading it in order to help them deal with the issues. My daughter and I are moving onto the third novel so it’s still interesting enough to not give up on the series. We will see how it all shapes up in Ava’s story.
April 20, 2017
I was disappointed
What happened????
Who is Emily
Is her mom coming back??
I need ANSWERS...
I didn't like Tally, or Darya or her mom at all
The first book was wayyyyyyyy better
The ending.....uh
Oh well I'll give book 3 a try
What happened????
Who is Emily
Is her mom coming back??
I need ANSWERS...
I didn't like Tally, or Darya or her mom at all
The first book was wayyyyyyyy better
The ending.....uh
Oh well I'll give book 3 a try
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
August 16, 2017It was a heartwarming book, that brought me to tears at times. I fluently enjoyed this book
May 26, 2019
This is the next story in the Wishing Day Trilogy. It is told from the perspective of the middle sister, Darya. I enjoy Darya's character. The first book had me thinking that she was kind of one dimensional, but that's not the case. She's very well rounded, and this book features a lot of growth from her, which was nice to see.
She's angry at her sister Natasha for seeing their mother without her, but then when she finally sees their mother again, she doesn't get what she expects. She feels a wide range of emotions, and not all of them are good ones.
There are hints in the plot line that Klara (the mother) may have some kind of mental illness. I suspect depression, but I could be wrong. It was only discussed on the surface, for now, but I'm wondering if that will be fleshed out or explained in the next book.
I feel for Darya, because I can relate to her anger. I felt bad, because I don't think her mother should have asked Darya to use one of her Wishing Day wishes to undo Klara's mistake.
I think Darya made good wishes, and I enjoyed her maturity toward the end of the story, especially towards her feelings on the situation with her mother.
I was happier with the ending of this story because it's much better and less abrupt than the last one.
There actually wasn't much that I didn't enjoy, save for a poorly worded section on page 142. The author describes another character with what I percieve as possible intellectual disability as "the man-child who bagged groceries" and "sweet but dull witted."
That section made me so irritated that I actually put the book down. There are much better descriptors that could have been used in this case. And honestly, it doesn't sound like the phrase a 12/13 year old would use, rather a poorly thought choice from an adult.
Other than that, I'm interested to see how this all wraps up.
She's angry at her sister Natasha for seeing their mother without her, but then when she finally sees their mother again, she doesn't get what she expects. She feels a wide range of emotions, and not all of them are good ones.
There are hints in the plot line that Klara (the mother) may have some kind of mental illness. I suspect depression, but I could be wrong. It was only discussed on the surface, for now, but I'm wondering if that will be fleshed out or explained in the next book.
I feel for Darya, because I can relate to her anger. I felt bad, because I don't think her mother should have asked Darya to use one of her Wishing Day wishes to undo Klara's mistake.
I think Darya made good wishes, and I enjoyed her maturity toward the end of the story, especially towards her feelings on the situation with her mother.
I was happier with the ending of this story because it's much better and less abrupt than the last one.
There actually wasn't much that I didn't enjoy, save for a poorly worded section on page 142. The author describes another character with what I percieve as possible intellectual disability as "the man-child who bagged groceries" and "sweet but dull witted."
That section made me so irritated that I actually put the book down. There are much better descriptors that could have been used in this case. And honestly, it doesn't sound like the phrase a 12/13 year old would use, rather a poorly thought choice from an adult.
Other than that, I'm interested to see how this all wraps up.
August 2, 2017
WARNING: A bit spoilery, so proceed with caution!!!!
I'm surprised there are so many negative reviews for this book. I remember reading and enjoying the first book, "Wishing Day," but this one was just so... pretty. And I'm not talking about the cover (though the cover is GORGEOUS). I'm talking about the story.
So. We have Darya. In the first book, Darya is rather annoying, but in this book I liked her. She had many flaws, but she tried so hard to be selfless, and for those of us in real life who try to put others in front of ourselves, we can relate. It's hard to be a "good" person. Darya was trying extremely hard at times, and I love her because she felt VERY real to me.
"Wishing Day" ended with a cliffhanger. Mama is alive, and she's NEAR, because she left those notes where Natasha could find them.
In "The Forgetting Spell," Natasha tells Darya that Mama is back in Willow Hill, and she met her. Natasha MET with Mama for coffee! It's like a dream come true for Darya and all the Blok sisters... until she meets Mama herself. Mama has changed. She won't come home, she won't tell Papa, and she wants Darya to use one of her Wishing Day wishes for HER, to bring back someone she "disappeared" with her own wish years ago, which led to her abandonment of her family.
But Darya wants answers first. And the only one she can confide in, it seems, is the new girl Tally, who is in an even tougher family situation.
Speaking of Tally, she was wonderful! She wasn't likeable, but I liked her anyway :) I guess it was her sense of humor, really. Darya's sisters are amazing. Ava seemed younger than eleven-turning-twelve, but she was so sweet. Natasha was so caring, and after "Wishing Day," we already know how she thinks - have been inside her head - so it was easy to see her logic for certain things. Darya's mom... I didn't like her very much. It upset me that she would leave just because she was oh so sad about making that certain person disappear. Sure, she was miserable, so much so that it was affecting her mental health, but to leave her husband and daughters behind??? Bad move. Very bad move.
The style was beautiful and unique, and by the end of the book, I wanted to hug everyone. Darya, Ava, Mama. Heck, I've even warmed up to the Bird Lady! However, there are mysteries yet unsolved, so I eagerly await the next book in this set of lovely stories by Lauren Myracle :)
I'm surprised there are so many negative reviews for this book. I remember reading and enjoying the first book, "Wishing Day," but this one was just so... pretty. And I'm not talking about the cover (though the cover is GORGEOUS). I'm talking about the story.
So. We have Darya. In the first book, Darya is rather annoying, but in this book I liked her. She had many flaws, but she tried so hard to be selfless, and for those of us in real life who try to put others in front of ourselves, we can relate. It's hard to be a "good" person. Darya was trying extremely hard at times, and I love her because she felt VERY real to me.
"Wishing Day" ended with a cliffhanger. Mama is alive, and she's NEAR, because she left those notes where Natasha could find them.
In "The Forgetting Spell," Natasha tells Darya that Mama is back in Willow Hill, and she met her. Natasha MET with Mama for coffee! It's like a dream come true for Darya and all the Blok sisters... until she meets Mama herself. Mama has changed. She won't come home, she won't tell Papa, and she wants Darya to use one of her Wishing Day wishes for HER, to bring back someone she "disappeared" with her own wish years ago, which led to her abandonment of her family.
But Darya wants answers first. And the only one she can confide in, it seems, is the new girl Tally, who is in an even tougher family situation.
Speaking of Tally, she was wonderful! She wasn't likeable, but I liked her anyway :) I guess it was her sense of humor, really. Darya's sisters are amazing. Ava seemed younger than eleven-turning-twelve, but she was so sweet. Natasha was so caring, and after "Wishing Day," we already know how she thinks - have been inside her head - so it was easy to see her logic for certain things. Darya's mom... I didn't like her very much. It upset me that she would leave just because she was oh so sad about making that certain person disappear. Sure, she was miserable, so much so that it was affecting her mental health, but to leave her husband and daughters behind??? Bad move. Very bad move.
The style was beautiful and unique, and by the end of the book, I wanted to hug everyone. Darya, Ava, Mama. Heck, I've even warmed up to the Bird Lady! However, there are mysteries yet unsolved, so I eagerly await the next book in this set of lovely stories by Lauren Myracle :)
October 12, 2017
Darya has just turned 13 and can now follow a long-shared tradition of making 3 wishes at the Wishing Tree. A wish for an impossible, one they can make come true and the 3rd is their deepest, heart-felt desire. Her older sister, Natasha did hers last year, a younger, Ava, will next year. But Darya already has some magic working in her life. She had long ago asked the mysterious and quirky "Bird Lady" to help her perform a forgetting spell. It worked so well, that she doesn't remember doing it, but snippets return, as needed, to bring what now needs to be done to present. But will Darya allow the magic she denies to happen?
The girls are living with their heart-broken father and the 2 sisters of their mother who disappeared 8 years ago. It's a loving core, albeit damaged by the unknown. Fluttering on the outskirts is the "bird lady" who seems to know all that needs to be done and why anything happens. It's a quirky read with a hidden intent. There is again a long kept secret letters from their mother before she left, but this time, Darya reads it after meeting with her mother. A troubled past intrudes on Darya's present and resentment abounds. I am anxious to read the next book when the youngest, Ava, will make her wishes. That will solve the mystery of Emily, the reason the mother left to begin with.
The girls are living with their heart-broken father and the 2 sisters of their mother who disappeared 8 years ago. It's a loving core, albeit damaged by the unknown. Fluttering on the outskirts is the "bird lady" who seems to know all that needs to be done and why anything happens. It's a quirky read with a hidden intent. There is again a long kept secret letters from their mother before she left, but this time, Darya reads it after meeting with her mother. A troubled past intrudes on Darya's present and resentment abounds. I am anxious to read the next book when the youngest, Ava, will make her wishes. That will solve the mystery of Emily, the reason the mother left to begin with.
August 5, 2017
Book Talk:
Do you remember your 13th birthday? Closing your eyes, making your wish, and blowing out your candles? What would happen if your wish actually came true? In The Forgetting Spell, this is exactly what happens to Darya on her Wishing Day. But Darya should be careful what she wishes for, because it just might change everything about her life.
My Thoughts:
This book was all over the place. In hindsight, I should probably have read #1 before reading this one, but I jumped right in. I was confused and really had no idea what was going on or why. I still don't really know who Emily is, or why she mattered so much to the story. I don't get the mother character at all, or why she felt the need to leave her children and husband. Why would leaving fix anything? I am just so very confused by this story.
I feel like this book wanted to be so much more, and could have been, if there was any sort of logical story line. I just truly did not get it.
My Recommendations:
2.5/5 stars
Grades 5+
Do you remember your 13th birthday? Closing your eyes, making your wish, and blowing out your candles? What would happen if your wish actually came true? In The Forgetting Spell, this is exactly what happens to Darya on her Wishing Day. But Darya should be careful what she wishes for, because it just might change everything about her life.
My Thoughts:
This book was all over the place. In hindsight, I should probably have read #1 before reading this one, but I jumped right in. I was confused and really had no idea what was going on or why. I still don't really know who Emily is, or why she mattered so much to the story. I don't get the mother character at all, or why she felt the need to leave her children and husband. Why would leaving fix anything? I am just so very confused by this story.
I feel like this book wanted to be so much more, and could have been, if there was any sort of logical story line. I just truly did not get it.
My Recommendations:
2.5/5 stars
Grades 5+
December 13, 2017
While Darya seems to be the prickliest of the Blok sisters, she is in reality the most sensitive. Her swirl of feeling is sometimes overwhelming and makes her appear to brush others off, or shut down. As her "Wishing Day" approaches, Darya is filled with anxiety about the power of wishes. Is it possible to wish a person close to you..."away?" If so...can one wish them back, even though it is unclear if that is a good idea. Darya's complex feelings are round her mother who disappeared when she was five. Eight years have past now and she is in a tangle inside about what to do about her wish. Her older sister Natasha seems to have weathered their mother's absence the best, while baby sister Ava, hardly remembers her. With the help and understanding of her best friend Tally, her sisters and her aunts, Elena and Vera Darya is able to embrace the power of her "Wishing Day".
June 14, 2017
Hm. Had very high hopes for this book, and it was definitely good. But it just didn't have that charm the Wishing Day had. And while I certainly feel bad for Darya's position, it seemed like a quarter of the book was her feeling sorry for herself. The last few chapters were super exciting, though. And I was stunned to see what wishes Darya made! Maybe there will a book with Ava. I hope so. Good book, just didn't quite live up to the expectation. The end was a bit annoying, by the way. So many loose ends untied!
June 25, 2017
I really liked this book it kept you wondering. You have a little girl whose mother left home and the girl isn't really sure why so as she grows she tries to make sense of it in her own way and then her mother comes back on her 13th birthday. It's also about magic or is it those who read it will have to draw their own conclusions,was it really magic or only that people fail to look up and see what's around them. I think anyone who likes a coming of age story with maybe a little magic thrown in will probably like this one.
July 8, 2017
4.5/5 stars
I loved this book. I really enjoyed how it started in a prologue. I like how there were flashbacks from in the past, and also how every part of the book was important.
Some parts of the book were a bit confusing. Halfway through the book, nothing had really happened.
In Wishing Day, the first book, Darya was shown as a sassy girl who didn't like to be messed around with, and in the second book, she wasn't. I didn't really understand that.
I would recommend the series to girls who like magical realism and mysteries.
Megan:)
I loved this book. I really enjoyed how it started in a prologue. I like how there were flashbacks from in the past, and also how every part of the book was important.
Some parts of the book were a bit confusing. Halfway through the book, nothing had really happened.
In Wishing Day, the first book, Darya was shown as a sassy girl who didn't like to be messed around with, and in the second book, she wasn't. I didn't really understand that.
I would recommend the series to girls who like magical realism and mysteries.
Megan:)
August 10, 2017
My mom picked this book out for me from the library -- and we all know that could possibly mean I'd hate it... but this book was so intriguing!! I hadn't even read the first of the Wishing Day series, and yet every little aspect of the storyline came along. Of course, I expected much less of this book *no offense*, but it really surprised me. Praise to Lauren for this AMAZING book!
The only thing that disappointed me was that the third book wasn't released yet... but being a fellow writer, I understand the wait. Can't wait for April 13th!!
~ Bray (the 12-year-old "fellow writer")
The only thing that disappointed me was that the third book wasn't released yet... but being a fellow writer, I understand the wait. Can't wait for April 13th!!
~ Bray (the 12-year-old "fellow writer")
August 22, 2019
I think that I liked this book better than the first in regard to characters and personal development. It doesn't strike me with the same initial magic that the first book did in introducing me to the series, but it still held me enchanted.
Maybe it's because she's the red-haired middle child but I connected with Darya's story much more personally than I did with Natasha's. I could understand and empathize with much of what she was going through.
I'm sort of at a loss as to what else to say... As a whole, this was a pleasant and quick read, but it didn't really impact me in any way.
Anyway, I can’t wait to read Ava’s story next! My silly bean!
Maybe it's because she's the red-haired middle child but I connected with Darya's story much more personally than I did with Natasha's. I could understand and empathize with much of what she was going through.
I'm sort of at a loss as to what else to say... As a whole, this was a pleasant and quick read, but it didn't really impact me in any way.
Anyway, I can’t wait to read Ava’s story next! My silly bean!
August 20, 2017
This was a nice read about the second sister Darya who turns 13 and has her Wishing Day. She is very emotional in the book, feeling anger, confusion and sadness, mostly because of she doesn't know what to wish for and because her mother isn't what she pictured.
If another book in this series comes out, I'm going to read it. I'm guessing there will be, about the last sister Ava, who is 12.
If another book in this series comes out, I'm going to read it. I'm guessing there will be, about the last sister Ava, who is 12.
June 13, 2018
I just could not get properly into this book. It vaguely answers the left unfinished questions from the first book but only just. because it is written from the next sister's point of view, everything is different. I was confused a lot.
Plus, as a junior reader it uses a lot of rather large words that seemed were only there for a vocabulary lesson!
Plus, as a junior reader it uses a lot of rather large words that seemed were only there for a vocabulary lesson!
July 30, 2024
Not my favorite book. The characters were hard to like. A lot of loose ends that dangled like giant flags.
The plot was promising, but the events were vague and the reasonings behind everyone’s actions are never fully explained. The characters liked to use the phrase “it’s complicated” a lot. I felt that it had a lot more promise and was quite disappointed in never getting that itch scratched.
The plot was promising, but the events were vague and the reasonings behind everyone’s actions are never fully explained. The characters liked to use the phrase “it’s complicated” a lot. I felt that it had a lot more promise and was quite disappointed in never getting that itch scratched.
May 4, 2017
The story of the middle sister, Darya, continues the plot lines developed in the first book. It's told from Darya's POV. As the book unfolds, we learn why she's so negative and moody. It all revolves around family - relationships and dynamics - with a little magic thrown in.
June 6, 2017
Darya is becoming stressed out, as her Wishing Day approaches.
When her older sister, Natasha, tells her that their mother has returned,
Darya has mixed feelings about the revelation.
Myracle's plot addresses the issue of mental illness realistically
and with compassion.
When her older sister, Natasha, tells her that their mother has returned,
Darya has mixed feelings about the revelation.
Myracle's plot addresses the issue of mental illness realistically
and with compassion.
July 11, 2017
When I first looked at the blurb I though it would be a pretty good book, and don't get me wrong, it's not bad it just didn't hit home with me. It was more boring than I thought it would be, but don't get me wrong, it's not bad.
September 10, 2017
I almost didn't finish this book, because it was overdue at the library, but I'm so glad I did. Once I started reading it, I remembered being moved by the first book, as well. Can't wait to read the third book.
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April 3, 2020I super love this book. But i wonder what actually happened to Emily when she suddenly vanished and no one to remember anything about her but there was one scene when Darya' dad said he would never forget Emily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2021
As a 27 year old I thought it was very interesting. HOWEVER. There were no secure adults on this entire book. So much disfunction. The mystery is great. I plan on reading the final book. But overall it’s too dark for me to recommend.
May 16, 2017
It was amazing! A great prequel. I hope there will be a 3rd book .
June 27, 2017
Just what I needed. I can still feel this confused and conflicted, several decades older than Darya. I have been feeling that way. Finding it so fully described helped me lift my mood.
July 18, 2017
This book is kind of weird and confusing. Darya has temper problems, and is kind of selfish. She has FRIENDS though!!! I don't think she deserves friends. So weird.
August 26, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. More than I've enjoyed any in a while. I want the first one...now!
August 26, 2017
It's very easy to forget that Ava is less than one year younger than Darya. She could easily be much younger.
September 11, 2017
Interesting trilogy but first book, The Wishing Day was much better....that said, we will still read book 3 for the tale of the youngest sister...
October 5, 2017
THE SECOND BEST BOOK EVER!! YOU SHOULD READ IT!!! IT IS THE BEST!!!
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