How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake: Review

4.5/5 stars. 

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, GLBT

Series: Standalone

The Story:

All seventeen year-old Grace Glasser wants is her own life. A normal life in which she sleeps in the same bed for longer than three months and doesn’t have to scrounge for spare change to make sure the electric bill is paid. Emotionally trapped by her unreliable mother, Maggie, and the tiny cape on which she lives, she focuses on her best friend, her upcoming audition for a top music school in New York, and surviving Maggie’s latest boyfriend—who happens to be Grace’s own ex-boyfriend’s father.

Her attempts to lay low until she graduates are disrupted when she meets Eva, a girl with her own share of ghosts she’s trying to outrun. Grief-stricken and lonely, Eva pulls Grace into midnight adventures and feelings Grace never planned on. When Eva tells Grace she likes girls, both of their worlds open up. But, united by loss, Eva also shares a connection with Maggie. As Grace’s mother spirals downward, both girls must figure out how to love and how to move on.

My review: 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Parental neglect and verbal abuse

You guys, I finally found a contemporary that I didn’t shred and roast to pieces! And I’m literally so happy right now. This book is a gem. It’s so diverse and precious, my god, I can’t stop hugging my copy of this book!! It’s so beautiful and I have the biggest smile on my face and akshajsdhjd I’m so emotional right now. I fucking binged this in less than 2 hours. And god, I want to read it all over again.

This book is so much more than a light, fluffy summer read. In fact, it’s nothing like that at all. This book *inhales book smell* is about a fucked up family relationship, love and finding the happiness you deserve in the world.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE DIVERSITY BECAUSE IT’S BLOODY BRILLIANT:

The main character, Grace is bisexual. She tackles and takes those threesome jokes down so smoothly. She doesn’t feel forced to “choose” a specific gender to be with. She doesn’t “come out.” She does what she wants to and doesn’t need to explain or find acceptance about her sexuality from anyone. It is so natural, I needed this!! Grace is such a strong character, I loved this girl.

The love interest, Eva is a biracial lesbian. She recently lost her mother and is grieving. She’s such a sweet, kind, caring and loving person. Ahhh, I literally wish I could hug these two characters, they are so fucking adorable..

Their romance is so !!! fucking !!!! ADORABLE !!!! I’m literally squealing.

“You and me,” I whisper, “we’re sandy spoons and fireworks, lighthouses and wishes and peanut butter.”

I loved the M/F friendship in this book. A friendship between a boy and girl that is NOT romanticized? This is so rare in YA books. Luca and Grace’s friendship is so wonderful. They are so supportive, loving, caring towards each other and THEY LITERALLY JUST HAVE A STRONG FRIENDSHIP THAT IS NOT ROMANTICIZED.

*Spoiler*

This book is such an emotional story about a very tough, abusive and neglectful relationship between a mother and daughter. Maggie was a very gross parent who had no care for her daughter’s well being. She would move Grace from place to place with new boyfriends and take a kid to bars to rescue the mom when she was being groped?? She always expected everything to be okay for Grace and never cared what happened to her. Maggie did whatever she wanted and expected Grace to be perfectly fine with it and I was just so mad at her. She would talk shit to Grace (i forgot what it was because i have bad memory) and I was so pissed at this freaking woman !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

spoiler ends

Overall, you guys don’t know how bad I need y’all to read this. Please!!! go read this book, it’s a gem.