Review & Giveaway: Wishful Thinking by Alexandra Bullen
Reviewed by Jennifer J.
On her 18th birthday, Hazel Snow’s foster father hands her an envelope with her birth certificate and the name of the woman who gave her up so many years ago. Desperate for answers and to know where she came from, Hazel sets out to find her. When she discovers that her mother will be at a fundraiser, Hazel makes plans to be there to meet her.
She takes a beautiful dress she’d picked up months earlier at a thrift store to a seamstress named Posey, hoping to have it back in time for the event. But when she opens the garment bag prior to the event, she discovers she’s been given the wrong dress! With nothing else to wear, Hazel slips into the replacement dress and continues with her plan, only to discover that she’s attending a funeral instead.
Fervently wishing that she could have known her mother when she was still alive, Hazel finds herself transported back in time just before she was born. Armed with just the dress on her body, a mysterious note from Posey, and two more dresses with wish-granting capabilities, Hazel befriends the woman who would give birth to her, falls in love, and finds out where she truly belongs.
In Wishful Thinking, Alexandra Bullen recaptures the magic from her debut novel Wish, this time tackling unplanned pregnancy. I was enthralled by the relationship between Hazel and her birth mother, eagerly turning one page after another to find out how their story would end. Just about everything in this thought provoking novel is unpredictable, and I found myself in tears as I read the last few pages.
Bullen’s talent for putting emotions into words and creating memorable and heartwarming characters are sure to keep you coming back for more and more.
Rating: 4/5
Check out our review of Wish and Alexandra Bullen’s guest post!
[amazonify]0545139074[/amazonify]Giveaway:
I have 1 hardcover copy of Wishful Thinking to give away!
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This giveaway is open to US residents only. Deadline to enter is midnight on February 22, 2011.
Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.
Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Point Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.
Category: Children's Books, For Teens, Gift Ideas, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Series, Social Issues, Young Adult
I love the idea of dresses with wish-granting capabilities. Hazel befriending the woman who would give birth to her is really something to think about.
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This sounds like an intriguing book! I love books that transport you back to the past (possibly Back to the Future, Peggy Sue Got Married–both of which I loved!) This sounds like a book I would enjoy! Thanks for the chance.
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The mystery and family dynamics of this novel sound fascinating. The time travel quality also should make it interesting.
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I enjoyed the conversational writing style and her sense of humor. The picture of her companions was cute too. Her books whimsical and yet they talk about human relationships.
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I enjoyed reading the description of the book! I thought it was interesting how Hazel ended up attending a funeral… Would love to read it to find out how that happened!
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I loved hearing about the book. The relationship between Hazel and her birth mother sounds interesting.
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great review definitely makes me want to read the book
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Sounds interesting that this deals with an unplanned pregnancy. Thanks for the giveaway.
Sounds wonderful! What a magical tale and families ties to keep you enticed along the journey!
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Sounds like a fairy tale for anyone who grew up in foster care!
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I am interested because it is pretty cool how she is transported and able to see her past
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This one sounds great! Thanks for the chance to win!!
I’m really interested in what she thinks of her mother and whether she’s going to stay living in the past.
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Interview gave great snippets of making me die to read this
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I am very excited to have a chance to win this book that I know I will thoroughly enjoy! I found it very interesting that the author would travel with her 2 unlikely companions on a trip across the US. What a trooper. It had to have it’s challenges along the way.
But, how sweet!
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Sounds like an interesting book. I’m not sure I have read anything about adoption. It would be great to read something new.
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Haven’t read this author, so find this an interesting review. Would love to read this book…
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I love how she describes her travels..And gives us a cute photo of her dogs!
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What a shock to think you are going to meet your birth mother and then find out that you will be attending her funeral instead!!!!! Magical clothes is something new to me. I think I would like to read this imaginative book.
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This is a very unique topic that sounds both exhilarating (as far as wondering what will happen next!) and heartbreaking. I have never read anything with magical clothing before
, so it has potential to be very interesting. Can you imagine being able to meet one of your parents before they had you? Adding on the fact that she had never met her mother and her mother just died….wow. Thanks for the review and giveaway!
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I loved the fact that this is a follow up to WISH. I recently read it and loved it. Would love to win a copy of WISHFUL THINKING.
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I would really love to read this book. My son is adopted and we love him to pieces. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
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I enjoyed the synopsis and review. I like the idea of this seamstress altering more than just dresses for the life of this young woman.
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I enjoyed the review. It sounds like an interesting way to reconnect with the past.I would love to read the book.
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this sounds like a great book! i enjoyed reading the review and i can’t wait to get a hold of a copy! it’s always interesting learning about your parents past since it’s so hard to imagine them before your existence.
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I like the idea of this young woman going on an adventure to find out how her life began.
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Would really enjoy this. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway
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I really enjoyed the novel Wish so am glad she has followed that up with an equally charming novel. The guest reviewer has confirmed what I thought after reading Wish. Bullen’s next book will be a TBR for me as she is a talented author.
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It sounds like a very touching story.
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This happened in my family in the reverse. My niece found out Thanksgiving that her son who died 19 years ago from a terrible drowning during a flood when he was 21 years old. Three years before his death, when he was 19 and in college had a fling with a girl and she left college because she was pregnant and never told him. When the beautiful, sweet girl was 18, her mother told her the truth and she started looking for her father. Hense, she found her father’s brother and they did a DNA. We now have a offspring of him and we are blessed!
So this book, Wishful Thinking has a very special meaning because my great niece has found where she belongs!
Thanks Rebecca
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AS AN ADOPTEE THIS CAPTURES MY INTERESTS!!! I WOULD LOVE TO WIN!