Review of The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar

Title/Author: The Art of Wishing (The Art of Wishing #1) by Lindsay Ribar
Publisher/Date published: Dial Books for Young Readers, March 21st 2013
How I got this book: got it from my lovely friend Debby as a Secret Santa gift!
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.

Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie - he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

Guys, Debby really nailed it with this present for me! Thanks again! I totally adored the cuteness in The Art of Wishing and I just want to hug this book and go awwww cause it was just so sweet and fluffy and JUST A WHOLE LOT OF YES OK?

This is the fourth book I've read in 2015 and 2 of those books I've DNF-ed, so this year is not off to a good start. And then Debby reminded me last week of The Art of Wishing at our book club dinner and I was like YES this needs reading. And it was just what I needed to fall back in love with reading again!

I completely loved Lindsay Ribar's writing style! It's just so engaging and I felt like I was right there in the story along with Margo and Oliver and I just didn't want to stop reading! I LOVE that feeling that you just need to keep going and this was one of those books that just has me smiling while reading it. It was that adorable and funny and just a total feel-good book, even though there is a murderer after Oliver. Which is a pretty dark part, but well, it didn't lessen the adorableness for me.

I really liked Margo, she's talented and smart and the way she struggled with not letting herself be petty in her disappointment over not getting the role she wanted in the musical felt real. Especially with how things develop from there and the performance of the person who actually gets the leading role. She wants to be ok with things and handle them right, but it's not something that comes natural to her and I can empathize with this. I felt for her in her parental situation and I'm not sure how I would have handled it in her stead, I hope there's more about her dealing with this in the sequel.
Also, I kinda loved that Margo's 18 instead of 15 or 16, like most YA heroines and it's actually ok to joke about sex and it seems right for her to start making choices regardless if her parents approve of it or not. I mean, when I was 18 I moved out of my parents' home because I went off to university.

And Oliver. Sweet, lovely Oliver who I just want to hug and watch smile for real and he was just the most adorable boy I've come across in a while ok? I loved how he's genuinely happy when he grants someone a wish and they're happy with the result of it. He's such a giving person and I loved how he loved his waffles and how he and Margo are together. And I totally laughed at how Margo sort of headdesks when she finds out Oliver's age and says she's like 'all those other girls in movies/books'. It was awesome.

Also, genies are just so interesting! I'd tried reading a book about genies/djinni before and every time I'm just disappointed, but this was awesome and I'm wondering what else Lindsay Ribar has in store for us in the next book! Because after that ending I'm not sure where we go from here, but as the next book is already in my possession, I won't have to wait long to find out!

My rating: 5 stars