As You Wish

I freakin loved this book!! As You Wish is a perfect book to read over and over again while cuddled in a blanket on a rainy day! Viola, who was dumped by her boyfriend, Lawrence last year, has never been able to get over it. Even though her and Lawrence are best friends, she still feels betrayed. She's lonely and unhappy, and wishes she belonged--Enter the magical genie Jinn! Just like in the classic, genie fairytale, Viola gets three wishes that Jinn has to grant.

Viola and Jinn fall in love, but after she makes her three wishes, Jinn will be gone from her life forever. I could not put this book down because I needed to know what happened. If Jinn and Viola did not end up together, I was going to throw my book across the show more room....**SPOILER ALERT**....I did not throw my book across the room! The ending was perfect!

Many times in books, the lead female character bothers me. They are too winy to deal with. Viola complains a lot about feeling invisible and not belonging since Lawrence came out of the closet and broke up with her, but let's face it, this is something that every single teenager has felt. We all at one point or another in our life has felt "invisible in a crowded room". I admired Viola. I thought Viola was strong, selfless, thoughtful, and smart. I also enjoyed Lawrence's character. He was sweet and caring, and brought a lot to the story. Jinn was my favorite. He started off as kind of a sarcastic douche, but once he opened up, it was easy for me (oops, I mean Viola) to fall in love with him! I could not stop picturing Jinn as Aladdin, who I had a childhood crush on, even though he was a cartoon. I know, lame.

The only thing I did not like about this book is the cover. The publishers could have done so much with the cover of this novel. But whatever, the book was still amazing!

Jackson Pearce is a wonderful, funny, and talented writer. As You Wish was her first book that she wrote while in college (which in itself is really cool!). I've read and reviewed Sisters Red already and I am excited for Sweetly, due out in August 2011! show less

Viola and her boyfriend Lawrence have just broken up, and Viola finds herself feeling invisible at school. She wishes so much to go back to the way things were, that she summons a Jinn. But Viola will not wish. She doesn’t want to wish her problems away in a way she sees as fake, but rather work her way through them. Jinn, of course, can only wish that she would wish. The longer he is stuck on Earth, the more he ages. But the longer he is stuck with Viola, the more he begins to fall for her and break Jinn protocol – and risk the notice of the Ancients of Caliban.

Besides the characters and Jackson Pearce’s writing style, what really made me love this book was the ending. I’m a sucker for bittersweet endings that end without show more everything all neatly tied up and finished. The ending of As You Wish suited the story so well, that if it had wrapped up nicely and had the normal happy ending, it would have felt cheap. I’m trying not to give it away, because to do so would ruin the whole story – will Viola ask her three wishes? Will Jinn have to go back to Caliban or will he be able to stay on Earth with Viola? The end is a wonderful mix of it all, and worked so well (for me, at least).

But even before the ending, the characters of Viola, Jinn and Lawrence really help make this story as good as it is. We get to see the story from two points of view – Viola and Jinn – so we get to see how their relationship progresses, and how events play out, from each side. Viola is an inherently strong character. She knows that she should be able to fix what’s ‘wrong’ with her life without resorting to wishes. And she’s a normal girl! She paints really well, has stayed friends with Lawrence even after the break up, as no epic enemies, etc. Viola is in high school, and it shows in everything. I mean, the Jinn is pretty supernatural, but that’s what helps make the story fun. Jinn is such a pessimistic, sort of angry character at the beginning, but he really starts to liven up and become more human during his interactions with Viola and Lawrence. And Lawrence…such a nice guy. Every girl needs a friend like him.

AS YOU WISH is a wonderully magical story that will definitely keep you up reading, and cheering for Viola and Jinn. show less

AS YOU WISH, by Jackson Pearce, was a sweet treat with a genie to match. This story had an Aladdin-esque vibe to it except the wisher was a angst-filled teenage girl who just wanted her life to be fulfilled, be careful what you wish for...

Right from the beginning I was captivated by this charming story of love and magic. After reading Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (and loved it!), I needed to read more of her work. Pearce's stunning story made me laugh and cry throughout and I will definitely be adding it to my bookshelf.

Viola was a genuine girl-next-door who did not want to be invisible anymore. She wished her life was different and in popped Jinn, a handsome, young genie who wanted nothing more but to be back home. Viola opened Jinn's show more eyes to the kinder and more thoughtful side of humans. Viola and Jinn were such a great couple because of their differing natures and because they were never afraid to be honest with each other.

I enjoyed the character progression that Viola went through in terms of how she saw her world after making a wish. The quote, "The grass is always greener on the other side," comes to mind. Jinn's magic worked on illusions and Viola saw that even if you change the picture, deep down the problem still remains.

I loved reading both Viola and Jinn's perspective. I really liked the world of Caliban that Pearce created. It seemed like the most beautiful place and the fact that jinn don't age there was an interesting concept. The lack of human emotion that a jinn possesses made some difficult exchanges between Viola and Jinn, but this created the charm of the book.

Overall this was a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is lacking a little magic in his or her life. show less

After her best friend and boyfriend, Lawrence, breaks out with her by coming out, Viola has desperately wished to feel as if she belonged to something meaningful and passionate again. Her strong desire summons Jinn out of his genie world to grant her three wishes.

Jinn just wants to get the wishes over with so that he can return home to the safe and predictable loveliness of Caliban. Viola holds off on wishing, however, unsure of what it is she wants, exactly, and Jinn is forced to remain in the mortal world with her. As the days pass, Jinn comes to care for her more than he has ever cared about anyone before, and Viola finds that she can’t live without him.

But when Viola makes her third and final wish, Jinn will be forced to leave her show more life forever.

Sounds like the synopsis for the next Disney movie, right? Maybe—but it’s one that would appeal to both the children AND the parents. AS YOU WISH took me by surprise with its sincere charm, lighthearted humor, and the best kind of romance.

The development of Viola and Jinn’s from master-genie to romantic love was extraordinarily well done. It was subtle and likable, like a romantic comedy movie unfolding before your eyes, except in words. It seemed completely natural for them to start off wary of one another and then to develop into friends, and finally something more. It is rare nowadays to find a romance that doesn’t start off from insta-connection and physical attraction, so Viola and Jinn’s relationship stands out to me in the best way.

Likewise, supporting characters are also realistic. With the exception of maybe Aaron, I could believe in the genuineness of the characters’ interactions with one another. Lawrence in particular is a standout secondary character, one whose fate post-story we can actually feel ourselves caring about.

Perhaps the greatest thing about AS YOU WISH, however, is Jackson Pearce’s effortless narration. How many authors can truly tell a charming story out of a concept that rides the fence on being sweet and too saccharine? AS YOU WISH didn’t read like a forced novel to me, but more like me experiencing a good friend’s story, or living out my favorite romantic comedy. I found myself crying through the ending, so involved was I in Jinn, Viola, and Lawrence’s story.

Don’t be fooled by its childlike cover and fairy tale premise. AS YOU WISH makes you believe in wish-granters and the fact that love can triumph all. This is magical realism at its best, completely worth the list price, and one of the best love stories I’ve read all year. show less

For such a light-hearted and fun idea, As You Wish was surprisingly deep and heartfelt. This isn’t your predictable Aladdin-with-rubbing-lamps-for-an-oversized-blue-genie kind of story. Mixing real teenage emotions and real teenage voices with a touch of subtle magic, this is anything but your average young adult chicklit.

Viola is easy to relate to. Her fears and feelings of being invisible and out of place were so easy for me to understand. Jinn was a bit more elusive and stony, but his chemistry with Viola breaks both his walls and his hard personality with time. It’s a beautiful example of great character progression.

Jackson wrote the magical sense of this story so seriously that it didn’t even feel as if the magic existed. show more Jinn and his world of genies, Caliban, became so natural. The wishes and presses and existence of Caliban came second to Viola’s self-discovering story.

Overall, Jackson’s wonderful writing and perfectly voiced characters make for an enthralling story of teenage angst, humor, love, magic and everything in between. I definitely recommend checking it out! show less

At first glance, this looks like a pretty light read: girl pines for her ex-boyfriend, she’s granted three wishes, and suddenly there’s a new romance on the horizon. It is a quick and easy read, but don’t let that fool you. There is more in this story beyond what’s just on the surface.
The story is told through both Viola’s and Jinn’s points of view, and their voices are distinct enough that this works. Pearce deftly captures the deepest emotions of both narrators. I don’t think the book would have worked as well if it had only been told from one perspective, because the changes Viola and Jinn made in their thinking about each other happened slowly, with a thought here and a glance there. Also, without Jinn’s side of the show more story, there wouldn’t be the excellent descriptions of Viola’s power over him as his master, like the way her question yanks at him “like being struck and dragged along the sand by a wave.”
I found Viola to be a relatable character in that she’s paralyzed because she overanalyzes what she does, which happens so often when confidence is low. It’s not just coming up with three wishes that is difficult for her; she wants to change how she expresses herself in her paintings but she can’t really figure out how to make the changes, so she plays it safe. Her lack of confidence, whether that came from her breakup with Lawrence or if it was always there, is the biggest obstacle in the way of becoming who she wants to be. Watching the progression of her character is like watching a slowly unfolding rose.
This book addresses important issues like being true to yourself, thinking about other people over your own desires, and what truly makes a person whole. But what I love is that it’s not a story that beats the message into the reader. I wouldn’t say it’s subtle, necessarily, but it’s not so overwhelming that it pushes out the sweetness of the story. I think the lessons in this book are ones everyone needs to be reminded of every now and then. show less

This was my second time reading this book. And that's a shocker because I have never read a book more than one time. The first time I read As You Wish I was entranced with Jackson's story-telling. I loved how the words seemed to flow so smoothly and endlessly. This debut novel really had me going. It got me to laugh, cry, and yell endless profanities at Aaron, a supporting character.

It all starts with a simple girl, Viola. Now, Viola isn't an outcast or a freak. She is a regular teenage girl who has friends but she can't see that because she thinks she doesn't belong. She feels as if she doesn't belong with anyone or to any group at school because her ex boyfriend-now best friend Lawrence- told her he was gay before they were about to show more do "It." Ever since that fateful night all Viola wanted is to have someone to love her to feel like she belongs in this world. She wishes endlessly which causes a jinn, or genie, to magically appear.

Viola now has three wishes to make but she doesn't know what to wish for. Not knowing what to wish for causes Jinn, the genie, to stay on Earth longer which makes him grow and age. Because in Caliban, Jinn's world, it's as if time stops. No one ages; no one grows. But as soon as they step foot on Earth they do. As Viola doesn't wish that's just more time Jinn has on Earth. But as time slowly progresses, Jinn finds out that being human isn't bad and that having human emotions isn't either, especially when they are directed to Viola. But it isn't until Viola makes her first wish that she starts realizing her feelings for Jinn. Everything after that is like a blur for Viola as she is finally "accepted" and feels like she belongs. But the only problem is Viola coming to terms with her feelings for Jinn. Not only that but she is slowly losing her time with Jinn as an ifrit starts pressing her to wish, making Jinn go back to Caliban.

It seems like this story won't have a happy ending, but on the contrary, there is. I just loved how this novel made my emotions go haywire and I loved that I could definitely relate to some characters. Viola was a bit stubborn at times and I just wanted to yell at her for being clueless at times. I fell in love with As You Wish from beginning to end. I loved every word in this novel and I was extremely sad to finish it. I want Viola and Jinn's story to continue.

Overall I rate this Five Stars. show less