Title
The Wish Granter
Author
C.J. Redwine is a New York Times bestselling author of speculative fiction, a diehard lover of going to the movies, and a believer in fairytales. She keeps a six-foot tall Loki figure in her office and will argue the merits of Batman vs. Superman with anyone she meets. She once accidentally punched herself in the face on a ride at Disneyland. She doesn’t recommend it.
*From the publisher’s website.
Format
Hardcover
Summary
An epic, romantic, and action-packed fantasy inspired by the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, about a bastard princess who must take on an evil fae to save her brother’s soul, from C. J. Redwine, the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen. Perfect for fans of Graceling and the Lunar Chronicles.
The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop.
Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.
So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.
But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother…and her soul.
*From the publisher’s website.
Stars
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Okay, I know in the last Ravenspire post I said I didn’t have a favorite, and generally speaking, I’m not even a fan of Rumplestiltski. But y’all. This book got me. CJ Redwine set the bait with a beautiful cover and compelling first book, and I bought it (literally) hook, line, and sinker.
One of the coolest things about this book is that neither our hero nor heroine or any of their friends have magic—but their enemy sure does, and oh boy, does he let them know it. Again and again and again.
Magic got our main crew into their mess in the first place, but they couldn’t use it to save themselves, so what were Ari (Arianna), Theo, Sebastian, and Cleo to do? The spunky Ari always has some kind of plan brewing, and that might just be the thing to save them all—if the overly cautious and protective Sebastian doesn’t put a stop to it, that is.
But when her brother’s life is on the line, Ari will give up everything, even her very soul, to see him and their kingdom freed from the tyrannical rule of Alistair Teague, wish granter and exiled fae.
Ari isn’t your typical princess. Born as the result of an affair of the previous king, Ari and Theo don’t quite fit into the royal world. Though Theo’s father taught him to rule just in case, Ari is the type to fill her purse with snacks and chocolate just to make it through all the ridiculous royal affairs. Honestly, I can get on board with that.
Then there’s Sebastian—precious, quiet, secretive, and shy royal weapons expert. He’d rather keep to himself of course, but Ari will have none of that. And once she works her way under his skin and into his heart, well, Sebastian won’t have it that way either.
These two and their will to overcome all while being self-sacrificing and incredibly lovable will make you wish they were your real life friends. You’ll certainly cheer them on in every misadventure, though.
This book was a bit heavier over all, so Redwine did a fantastic job of giving us comic relief through Ari. She’s real and relatable, quirky and filled with good-humor. I think that’s probably why she and Sebastian and Theo make an appearance in each of the following Ravenspire novels. I just couldn’t let go of them, and it seems Redwine couldn’t either. And after you read The Wish Granter, you’ll probably say, “Who can blame her?”
Reasons to Love It
📚 magic
📚 Rumplestiltskin retelling
📚 fairytales
📚 YA fiction
📚 clean romance
📚 rags to riches
📚 outsider
📚 royalty
📚 quotes for days
📚 fae magic
Quotable
There’s a restless, pent-up power in the sea, and you know if it ever decided to stop respecting its boundaries, it could destroy you. But it does respect its boundaries. It stays where it should, so its power feels safe. When you stand here, surrounded by mystery and beauty and power, you feel safe.
Ari, p. 160
You and I both know that you are not to be underestimated. . . . You can do anything you set your mind to.
Sebastian, p. 185
Hope was a desperate, painful thing fluttering in her chest, but it was followed swiftly by the harsh slap of reality.
Ari, p. 263
He had a weakness. He had secrets. . . . By the time she was finished with him, Teague was going to regret ever setting foot in her kingdom.
Ari, p. 302
My Take
Nothing is ever so bad as it seems. Hold on to hope. Use your brain. You can overcome with the help of God and good friends. A little magic doesn’t hurt either. 😉
Read my review for Ravenspire Book 1, The Shadow Queen.
Read my review for Ravenspire Book 3, The Traitor Prince.
Read my review for Ravenspire Book 4, The Blood Spell.
Click here to find out where to purchase your own copy.
I’d love to hear from you! What C.J. Redwine book is your favorite? What were your thoughts on this one? What other fantasy books have you read and enjoyed? Or what are you reading right now that you really love? Drop a comment below!
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