Thursday, September 17, 2015

Wishing for You by Elizabeth Langston Review

"She's a girl who can't remember. He's the guy she can't forget...

It's her final semester of high school, and Kimberley Rey is curious about what will come next. She needs to pick a college, but her memory disability complicates the choice. Will her struggles to remember make it impossible to leave home?

Help arrives through an unexpected and supernatural gift. Grant is a "genie" with rules. He can give her thirty wishes (one per day for a month) as long as the tasks are humanly possible. Kimberley knows just what to ask for--lessons in how to live on her own.

But her wishes change when a friend receives a devastating diagnosis. As she joins forces with Grant to help her friend, Kimberley learns that the ability to live in the moment--to forget--may be more valuable than she ever knew."



YABC.

I'm so upset that Lacey and Grant went their separate ways. Please excuse me while I shove ice cream into my mouth for the next two hours. *goes away*

Okay, I'm back now. Let's begin dissecting. 

After reading a book in Lacey's POV, Kimberly's POV feels weird. She has a much different perspective and is an unique person with her own voice. She doesn't remember things (short-term, at least), and she needs the help of technology for her go through her life. Day to day things. If she doesn't write something down, she forgets it immediately. (Imagine what it's like for her to learn hard Calculus and forget how to do those problems the next day. What a nightmare.) But I'm amazed by how strong she is and how her self-esteem and self-confidence sometimes cripples her But she does climb back up with Grant's help. 

Grant and Lacey. Ahhh... That hot mess. I don't know what is going on with them, but I do know that Lacey doesn't want to interfere with Grant's career. Grant still wants her, but... Oh, crap. Spoilers. Can't do that. But this is my thought: Why so much torture? It isn't fair! And this subplot doesn't make sense. At least, not from this perspective. After so much trouble, they still don't end up together. Ms. Langston, please refrain yourself from tugging my heartstrings. 

The story itself has an intriguing conflict. One of Kimberly's friends is dying from cancer, and Kimberly wants to help. The timer counts down, and Kimberly wishes that she can forget. But she can't. (Despite this interesting story, I find myself lacking the emotional connections that tie me to this story. I felt it in I Wish, but not here.) 

The ending is a bittersweet part, but it seals major loose ends while giving an opportunity for other storylines. (I'm crossing fingers for more Grant/Lacey.)

Unfortunately, there's no villain. Wishing For You is a story of internal conflict (wink, wink) and what can't be controlled. The overall message is... Oh, I can't say it. 

Overall, Wishing For You isn't the sequel I'm looking for. It does however have wonderful parts which will satisfy those who dislike musical numbers. (Do you really want to sing "Prince Ali"?) With a disabled narrator (yay!), a not-quite-human genie who's learning friendship, and a stubborn girl that is Lacey, Wishing For You mixes what's familiar with what's unique. 

Rating: Three out of Five

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