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The Radforth Hotel #1
The Third Wish
This edition has sprayed edges.
What would you do if you could win a wish? And what would you give up to win?
The Third Wish is an adventure story filled with unexpected friendships as the lonely Silas and apathetic Kayleigh find themselves amidst a hundred contestants, all determined to win the yearly Radforth competition and its grand prize: a wish.
It’s all fun and games until one of the contestants gets murdered, and the hotel’s mysterious guardian Vana pairs the two of them with broody, angry Day, whose sole aim in life seems to be to get on Silas’s nerves.
As the challenges keep increasing in difficulty and lethality, it is up to Kayleigh to get her ragtag team aligned. To win, they must overcome their differences, and work together to outsmart the fierce and deadly competition, but the real questions soon become: what will they have to sacrifice to win their wish, and will it be worth the cost?
Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Squid Game, The Third Wish is a queer found family story full of adventure, two teaspoons of spice and a few dashes of magic.
What would you do if you could win a wish? And what would you give up to win?
The Third Wish is an adventure story filled with unexpected friendships as the lonely Silas and apathetic Kayleigh find themselves amidst a hundred contestants, all determined to win the yearly Radforth competition and its grand prize: a wish.
It’s all fun and games until one of the contestants gets murdered, and the hotel’s mysterious guardian Vana pairs the two of them with broody, angry Day, whose sole aim in life seems to be to get on Silas’s nerves.
As the challenges keep increasing in difficulty and lethality, it is up to Kayleigh to get her ragtag team aligned. To win, they must overcome their differences, and work together to outsmart the fierce and deadly competition, but the real questions soon become: what will they have to sacrifice to win their wish, and will it be worth the cost?
Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Squid Game, The Third Wish is a queer found family story full of adventure, two teaspoons of spice and a few dashes of magic.
354 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2026
About the author
T.E. Forest
1 book3 followersT. E. Forest (Tamara Envie) was born in the Dutch countryside, where she grew up questioning and redefining ‘normal’. She’s an avid bookstagrammer, gamer, and cosplayer on a constant journey of self-discovery and usually in the midst of some existential crisis. Always loving languages and stories, she graduated with a Master of Arts in Literary Studies at the University of Leiden.
The Third Wish is her debut novel.
The Third Wish is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I received a digital proof copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, injury, murder, torture, death, bullying, self harm, suicide attempt, depression, drowning, ableism, drug use, alcohol, eating disorder, panic attacks, school shooting, sexual content, homophobia, transphobia, misgendering, sexual assault, swearing
--
The Third Wish is a fun (if a mysterious hotel that entices you to compete in what becomes a deadly competition when the prize is getting any wish you want granted counts as fun) and entertaining urban fantasy story with a nice big dose of suspense.
The Squid Game and Hunger Games vibes are definitely there but this book is unique in that it is more centred around discovering/accepting yourself and what you want to live for.
Going in with these comparisons I honestly expected things to get brutal quite fast but that side of things is initially a lot more subtle which added this brilliant tension to the narrative overall. The uneasy atmosphere lurks in the shadows as you follow the characters through the hotel’s puzzling challenges and you’re just turning the pages nervously anticipating it to jump out and wreak havoc.
We follow 3 primary points of view – Kayleigh, Silas and Day - each from different backgrounds and tempted by the promises of The Radforth Hotel for very different reasons but their dynamic, filled with equal moments of clashing and understanding, worked so well. I was blown away by each of their introductions and how well their characters were written which instantly invested me in their personal journeys and put me in MUST PROTECT mode for all 3.
There were a fair few supporting characters, some who stood out a lot more than others, and while the group that formed around our main protagonists was very wholesome I do wish they had all been fleshed out a little bit more. A couple of them do have their own interlude chapters in and around the main storyline where they got to take the limelight but I wanted more! Saaniyah and Agata particularly were so compelling and the breadcrumbs that we got about them both was not enough for my curiosity. Same goes for Vana, the enigmatic and supernatural hotel host and I even wanted a little more background on the antagonistic individuals we meet.
The good news is that there is a hint of the story continuing at the end of the book though which has me super intrigued and hopeful that some of the unanswered parts will have their time. This will be a companion novel though and while I did find final challenge in this particular story to be a little rushed I absolutely loved how everything wrapped up for Kayleigh, Silas and Day!
**I received a digital proof copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, injury, murder, torture, death, bullying, self harm, suicide attempt, depression, drowning, ableism, drug use, alcohol, eating disorder, panic attacks, school shooting, sexual content, homophobia, transphobia, misgendering, sexual assault, swearing
--
The Third Wish is a fun (if a mysterious hotel that entices you to compete in what becomes a deadly competition when the prize is getting any wish you want granted counts as fun) and entertaining urban fantasy story with a nice big dose of suspense.
The Squid Game and Hunger Games vibes are definitely there but this book is unique in that it is more centred around discovering/accepting yourself and what you want to live for.
Going in with these comparisons I honestly expected things to get brutal quite fast but that side of things is initially a lot more subtle which added this brilliant tension to the narrative overall. The uneasy atmosphere lurks in the shadows as you follow the characters through the hotel’s puzzling challenges and you’re just turning the pages nervously anticipating it to jump out and wreak havoc.
We follow 3 primary points of view – Kayleigh, Silas and Day - each from different backgrounds and tempted by the promises of The Radforth Hotel for very different reasons but their dynamic, filled with equal moments of clashing and understanding, worked so well. I was blown away by each of their introductions and how well their characters were written which instantly invested me in their personal journeys and put me in MUST PROTECT mode for all 3.
There were a fair few supporting characters, some who stood out a lot more than others, and while the group that formed around our main protagonists was very wholesome I do wish they had all been fleshed out a little bit more. A couple of them do have their own interlude chapters in and around the main storyline where they got to take the limelight but I wanted more! Saaniyah and Agata particularly were so compelling and the breadcrumbs that we got about them both was not enough for my curiosity. Same goes for Vana, the enigmatic and supernatural hotel host and I even wanted a little more background on the antagonistic individuals we meet.
The good news is that there is a hint of the story continuing at the end of the book though which has me super intrigued and hopeful that some of the unanswered parts will have their time. This will be a companion novel though and while I did find final challenge in this particular story to be a little rushed I absolutely loved how everything wrapped up for Kayleigh, Silas and Day!
August 30, 2026
Dit boek heeft m'n verwachtingen overtroffen!
✨
Het begint al leuk: de cover, de art én de playlist (al luisterde ik die niet want muziek en lezen zijn geen combo voor mij). Een plaatje om te zien én om te lezen. Ik heb zelfs wat dingen geannoteerd omdat het soms zo mooi beschreven werd.
In dit boek volgen we de verhalen van Kayleigh, Silas en Day. Drie mensen met hun eigen achtergrond en hun eigen reden om mee te doen met de wedstrijd. De manier waarop ze elkaar leerde kennen en het tempo waarop ze elkaar vonden was erg goed uitgewerkt.
Er waren 100 deelnemers in het hotel The Radforth. De ene keer viel er een voornaam en de andere keer een achternaam. Ondanks de tabellen in het boek was het toch nog lastig om te volgen wie nou wie was. Dat maakte het verhaal net wat moeilijker dan nodig was.
Het is een multiple pov en af en toe vinden we dus ook een hoofdstuk van een andere deelnemer. Dat voelde voor mij een beetje onnodig en onuitgewerkt (lees: de hoofdstukken/verhaallijnen van Ciara, Saaniyah).
Het paniekaanvalletje van Kayleigh vond ik weer goed beschreven. Net als de reacties van ieder personage in de rest van het verhaal. Hierdoor kwam het allemaal erg menselijk en realistisch over. Alsof dit ieder van ons ook gewoon kan gebeuren.
Eindstand: een tof en vooral spannend boek! Zet je verwachtingen maar opzij want de manier waarop het er in dit boek aan toe gaat… die laat je écht versteld staan.
Het begint al leuk: de cover, de art én de playlist (al luisterde ik die niet want muziek en lezen zijn geen combo voor mij). Een plaatje om te zien én om te lezen. Ik heb zelfs wat dingen geannoteerd omdat het soms zo mooi beschreven werd.
In dit boek volgen we de verhalen van Kayleigh, Silas en Day. Drie mensen met hun eigen achtergrond en hun eigen reden om mee te doen met de wedstrijd. De manier waarop ze elkaar leerde kennen en het tempo waarop ze elkaar vonden was erg goed uitgewerkt.
Er waren 100 deelnemers in het hotel The Radforth. De ene keer viel er een voornaam en de andere keer een achternaam. Ondanks de tabellen in het boek was het toch nog lastig om te volgen wie nou wie was. Dat maakte het verhaal net wat moeilijker dan nodig was.
Het is een multiple pov en af en toe vinden we dus ook een hoofdstuk van een andere deelnemer. Dat voelde voor mij een beetje onnodig en onuitgewerkt (lees: de hoofdstukken/verhaallijnen van Ciara, Saaniyah).
Het paniekaanvalletje van Kayleigh vond ik weer goed beschreven. Net als de reacties van ieder personage in de rest van het verhaal. Hierdoor kwam het allemaal erg menselijk en realistisch over. Alsof dit ieder van ons ook gewoon kan gebeuren.
Eindstand: een tof en vooral spannend boek! Zet je verwachtingen maar opzij want de manier waarop het er in dit boek aan toe gaat… die laat je écht versteld staan.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Unfortunately, I had to DNF this around 70%. I gave this book a fair chance, but it ended up not being for me. I found it hard to get into, and after a while, I just wasn’t excited to pick the book up anymore.
The concept sounded really fun, but it just didn’t deliver for me.
In the beginning, you get a lot of names, and sometimes people were referred to by their first name and other times by their last name, which I found a bit confusing. There are three main characters, but you still get a few POVs from different characters, and I found that a bit unnecessary.
There are also a lot of parts in between the challenges, and those dragged a bit for me.
I also didn’t buy the romances in this book and didn’t feel much chemistry between the characters.
The challenges were fun to read, and I liked the simulations as well. Those were really well thought out. I also liked some of the side characters, who brought a lot of heart to the story, like Agata and Connak.
Overall, I can definitely see why this book would work for some people, but it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you, Hamley Books, for providing me with this ARC!
The concept sounded really fun, but it just didn’t deliver for me.
In the beginning, you get a lot of names, and sometimes people were referred to by their first name and other times by their last name, which I found a bit confusing. There are three main characters, but you still get a few POVs from different characters, and I found that a bit unnecessary.
There are also a lot of parts in between the challenges, and those dragged a bit for me.
I also didn’t buy the romances in this book and didn’t feel much chemistry between the characters.
The challenges were fun to read, and I liked the simulations as well. Those were really well thought out. I also liked some of the side characters, who brought a lot of heart to the story, like Agata and Connak.
Overall, I can definitely see why this book would work for some people, but it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you, Hamley Books, for providing me with this ARC!
October 13, 2026
Goosebumps while reading the last chapters for my own expectations to come true or take a twist!
Fell in love with the characters and their stories. Had a laugh, cried, became angry at the bullies and felt all sorts of things!
I want to know more about the hotel and hope we can find it out soon 🔑
Fell in love with the characters and their stories. Had a laugh, cried, became angry at the bullies and felt all sorts of things!
I want to know more about the hotel and hope we can find it out soon 🔑
August 29, 2026
The Third Wish is a suspenseful, magical story with queer found family, mysteries, competition, and murder. The Radforth Hotel hosts a yearly competition with a wish as the prize. Vana, the enigmatic manager, welcomes 100 people to their grandious hotel, including Kayleigh, Silas, and Day. Each has their own reasons for competing, but soon finds out that their odds are higher when together. Can this trio stay together, or will they choose for themselves?
Ultimately, there are three POV's in this book, allowing for a deeper exploration of each character. Kayleigh, with her demi-romantic gray-ace sexuality, makes for a complex and apathetic personality. She's a true daredevil, cunning, a bit sly, fierce, and extremely loyal when emotionally bonded. It made her an interesting character and competitor. I felt with her throughout the whole story due to her past experiences, realistic moments of crisis, and strategic thinking.
Eventually, she meets Silas, a pan-Frenchman with low self-esteem and gorgeous hair! He loves a tasty drink and a swoony dance. But underneath all the charisma and flirty smiles hides serious self-doubt and a big heart. I especially loved following his character growth and getting to know Silas more. I think because he's the most explicitly emotional one out of the three, and because he actually does care whether people love him, like his mother.
Kayleigh and Silas start working together and quickly form a bond when Day comes into the picture. We meet him earlier alone, and his situation represents the unequal social class society. He quickly went from the top to the bottom after his parents' fatal accident and his greedy uncle's actions. When the world let him down, Rajae took him kind of in and, since then, made his living by competing in underground fighting. A great motivation to participate in the Radforth Hotel competition.
There are also a few other side characters, a lot actually considering that there are 100 competitors, but we only focus on a handful. Some supportive (Yuki, Agata), some not (Xenissa 🙄). There are more on each side, or they are more complex to categorise into "good/bad." And then there are also a few side characters on each MC's personal side, so everything together felt a bit overwhelming to memorize. I wish that there was a bit more depth to the "bad" characters, but the supportive ones were well developed. And while there is a beautiful schema of each competitor, it's only their last name, and sometimes it took some time to figure out who was who. I'd love it if that was made a bit clearer, so that's why I might not exactly remember who is who 🙈 Nonetheless, I could still follow it adequately enough. It also helped that some side characters left the competition soon, or they went in batches, speeding up the elimination process.
About the challenges, they were indeed like Squid Game x Hunger Games. First starting individually and then teaming up in trios. I don't think that it became harder, but rather, they tested you on different sets of skills. The magical aspect really enhanced the suspense, though it also got me thinking about how all the characters just went along with it, since it does take place in an alternative "mundane" world. I guess I adapted that mindset and immersed myself in the story 😂 I really needed my tabs to keep track of the plot, etc. Because we have at least three main POV's, some short POV's of others, and it switches from past to present 🤯 I also felt like there were some plot holes, but since it was quite overwhelming for me, I can't tell you if that is true. But this is just a personal experience! I have a very systematic-working brain.
There was a great and genuine dynamic between Kayleigh, Silas, and Day. Kayleigh x Silas felt sentimental, while Silas x Day started off with bickering and banter, with Kayleigh acting like: "guys 🤦♀️." But then heat between Silas x Day slowly turned into something more passionate. I gotta say that I would've loved to see more (emotional) interaction between Kayleigh and Day. But Kayleigh does have more connection with some of the (supportive) side characters. Overall, the three of them worked together very well, despite their differences. They complemented each other and formed a powerful trio in the competition. There was a strong trust and loyalty between them.
Finally, the writing style was easy enough to follow. Not too flowy or unbalanced. The variety was for me at a maximum level I can handle 😅 (again, something personal). It made me really feel with the characters and side characters as well, so that is a good sign. I loved the mystery and the atmosphere. Almost felt like Caraval. And then the challenges had much away from Squid Game and The Hunger Games. It could've been a bit more novel, but I can't judge too much because I wouldn't be able to write like this in the first place. Again, love the representation of sexuality and nationality. Great social commentary and moral conflict. There are some trigger warnings, so check those, please! It's heavy, and personally, I was wary of one of those the most, but it turned out to be nothing too triggering.
Final rating: 3.85-4.1 🌟
Ultimately, there are three POV's in this book, allowing for a deeper exploration of each character. Kayleigh, with her demi-romantic gray-ace sexuality, makes for a complex and apathetic personality. She's a true daredevil, cunning, a bit sly, fierce, and extremely loyal when emotionally bonded. It made her an interesting character and competitor. I felt with her throughout the whole story due to her past experiences, realistic moments of crisis, and strategic thinking.
Eventually, she meets Silas, a pan-Frenchman with low self-esteem and gorgeous hair! He loves a tasty drink and a swoony dance. But underneath all the charisma and flirty smiles hides serious self-doubt and a big heart. I especially loved following his character growth and getting to know Silas more. I think because he's the most explicitly emotional one out of the three, and because he actually does care whether people love him, like his mother.
Kayleigh and Silas start working together and quickly form a bond when Day comes into the picture. We meet him earlier alone, and his situation represents the unequal social class society. He quickly went from the top to the bottom after his parents' fatal accident and his greedy uncle's actions. When the world let him down, Rajae took him kind of in and, since then, made his living by competing in underground fighting. A great motivation to participate in the Radforth Hotel competition.
There are also a few other side characters, a lot actually considering that there are 100 competitors, but we only focus on a handful. Some supportive (Yuki, Agata), some not (Xenissa 🙄). There are more on each side, or they are more complex to categorise into "good/bad." And then there are also a few side characters on each MC's personal side, so everything together felt a bit overwhelming to memorize. I wish that there was a bit more depth to the "bad" characters, but the supportive ones were well developed. And while there is a beautiful schema of each competitor, it's only their last name, and sometimes it took some time to figure out who was who. I'd love it if that was made a bit clearer, so that's why I might not exactly remember who is who 🙈 Nonetheless, I could still follow it adequately enough. It also helped that some side characters left the competition soon, or they went in batches, speeding up the elimination process.
About the challenges, they were indeed like Squid Game x Hunger Games. First starting individually and then teaming up in trios. I don't think that it became harder, but rather, they tested you on different sets of skills. The magical aspect really enhanced the suspense, though it also got me thinking about how all the characters just went along with it, since it does take place in an alternative "mundane" world. I guess I adapted that mindset and immersed myself in the story 😂 I really needed my tabs to keep track of the plot, etc. Because we have at least three main POV's, some short POV's of others, and it switches from past to present 🤯 I also felt like there were some plot holes, but since it was quite overwhelming for me, I can't tell you if that is true. But this is just a personal experience! I have a very systematic-working brain.
There was a great and genuine dynamic between Kayleigh, Silas, and Day. Kayleigh x Silas felt sentimental, while Silas x Day started off with bickering and banter, with Kayleigh acting like: "guys 🤦♀️." But then heat between Silas x Day slowly turned into something more passionate. I gotta say that I would've loved to see more (emotional) interaction between Kayleigh and Day. But Kayleigh does have more connection with some of the (supportive) side characters. Overall, the three of them worked together very well, despite their differences. They complemented each other and formed a powerful trio in the competition. There was a strong trust and loyalty between them.
Finally, the writing style was easy enough to follow. Not too flowy or unbalanced. The variety was for me at a maximum level I can handle 😅 (again, something personal). It made me really feel with the characters and side characters as well, so that is a good sign. I loved the mystery and the atmosphere. Almost felt like Caraval. And then the challenges had much away from Squid Game and The Hunger Games. It could've been a bit more novel, but I can't judge too much because I wouldn't be able to write like this in the first place. Again, love the representation of sexuality and nationality. Great social commentary and moral conflict. There are some trigger warnings, so check those, please! It's heavy, and personally, I was wary of one of those the most, but it turned out to be nothing too triggering.
Final rating: 3.85-4.1 🌟
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2026
4 ⭐
The prologue immediately hooked me in and sets the tone for the rest of the book. To be honest, I did not have any expectations from this. I just saw the ARC call from the publisher on Instagram and thought, "Hmmm, why not?" This pleasantly surprised me, and I can't wait to see what this author will do in the future.
I'm not going to say too much; this is just one of those books where it's best not to know too much about it before you start, but what I can say is that one of the main strengths, in my opinion, is how the author wrote the characters and the relationships between them.
I just found out while scrolling on the author's Instagram that they are also an All for the Game fan, and that just makes so much sense. If you read the series, you know that found family is a big part of the story, and if you're just like me and have been searching for a book that can encapsulate that, then don't look any further. I found it.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and you should just go read it instead of this review.
· ─ ·✶· ─ ·
4 ⭐
De proloog wist me meteen te grijpen en zet direct de toon voor de rest van het boek. Eerlijk gezegd had ik hier helemaal geen verwachtingen van. Ik zag gewoon de oproep voor het ARC van de uitgeverij op Instagram en dacht: "Hmm, waarom niet?" Dit boek heeft me op een leuke manier verrast en ik kan niet wachten om te zien wat deze auteur in de toekomst gaat doen.
Ik ga niet te veel zeggen, want dit is gewoon zo'n boek waarbij je het best niet te veel weet voordat je eraan begint. Wat ik wel kan zeggen, is dat een van de grootste sterke punten naar mijn mening de manier is waarop de auteur de personages en de relaties tussen hen heeft geschreven.
Ik kwam er tijdens het scrollen door het Instagram-account van de auteur achter dat die ook fan is van All for the Game, en ineens viel alles op zijn plek. Als je die serie hebt gelezen, weet je dat found family een groot onderdeel van het verhaal is. En als je net als ik op zoek bent naar een boek dat dat gevoel weet te vangen, zoek dan niet verder. Ik heb het gevonden.
Al met al heb ik hier enorm van genoten, dus je moet dit boek gewoon gaan lezen in plaats van deze review.
The prologue immediately hooked me in and sets the tone for the rest of the book. To be honest, I did not have any expectations from this. I just saw the ARC call from the publisher on Instagram and thought, "Hmmm, why not?" This pleasantly surprised me, and I can't wait to see what this author will do in the future.
I'm not going to say too much; this is just one of those books where it's best not to know too much about it before you start, but what I can say is that one of the main strengths, in my opinion, is how the author wrote the characters and the relationships between them.
I just found out while scrolling on the author's Instagram that they are also an All for the Game fan, and that just makes so much sense. If you read the series, you know that found family is a big part of the story, and if you're just like me and have been searching for a book that can encapsulate that, then don't look any further. I found it.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, and you should just go read it instead of this review.
· ─ ·✶· ─ ·
4 ⭐
De proloog wist me meteen te grijpen en zet direct de toon voor de rest van het boek. Eerlijk gezegd had ik hier helemaal geen verwachtingen van. Ik zag gewoon de oproep voor het ARC van de uitgeverij op Instagram en dacht: "Hmm, waarom niet?" Dit boek heeft me op een leuke manier verrast en ik kan niet wachten om te zien wat deze auteur in de toekomst gaat doen.
Ik ga niet te veel zeggen, want dit is gewoon zo'n boek waarbij je het best niet te veel weet voordat je eraan begint. Wat ik wel kan zeggen, is dat een van de grootste sterke punten naar mijn mening de manier is waarop de auteur de personages en de relaties tussen hen heeft geschreven.
Ik kwam er tijdens het scrollen door het Instagram-account van de auteur achter dat die ook fan is van All for the Game, en ineens viel alles op zijn plek. Als je die serie hebt gelezen, weet je dat found family een groot onderdeel van het verhaal is. En als je net als ik op zoek bent naar een boek dat dat gevoel weet te vangen, zoek dan niet verder. Ik heb het gevonden.
Al met al heb ik hier enorm van genoten, dus je moet dit boek gewoon gaan lezen in plaats van deze review.
September 6, 2026
Phew, my thoughts are all over the place, so bear with me while I try to rearrange them into an actual review😅
First of all, I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a stunning physical ARC💜
Now, let's break down my thoughts.
The premise of this book sounded incredibly promising but unfortunately, I don't feel like the actual story lived up to that promise.
One of my biggest issues from the very beginning was the amount of characters. There are so many of them and to make matters even more confusing, the characters are referred to by both their first and last names throughout the book. It also doesn't help that some of the surnames could easily be first names themselves. This made it really difficult for me to keep track of who was who and unfortunately, that frustration never really went away throughout the book.
The story is told from the perspectives of three main characters but unfortunately, I didn't really connect with any of them. I wouldn't necessarily call them unlikeable but I never felt particularly invested in them either. We get some backstory about each of them before following them through the trials in the hotel but I felt like there wasn't enough character development along the way. I really wanted to feel more connected to these characters but that never quite happened for me...
And then we have the trials themselves.
The trials in the beginning were quite simple and nobody was actually dying, so I kept wondering where the high-stakes competition I'd been promised was. Some of the later trials were more interesting though!!
On the positive side, I did enjoy the writing style. The book itself reads quite smoothly and I think I would have flown through it much faster if I hadn't constantly been stopping to figure out which character was being referred to😂
And then there was the romance... which honestly felt like it came out of nowhere. I just didn't buy it. I didn't feel any chemistry between the characters beforehand so when the romance suddenly happened, I was left thinking, wait, what? It didn't feel natural or earned to me.
Overall, I think the concept itself was really fun and I can genuinely see the potential in this story. I also don't particularly enjoy writing negative reviews, especially when it comes to a debut author. I always want to be fair because I know how much work, time and passion goes into writing a book.
Unfortunately, the execution just didn't quite work for me. I think the story could have benefited from fewer and less complicated character names, stronger character development, more original trials and a little more build-up when it came to the romance.
But please, don't let my review discourage you from picking this one up! Just because a book didn't completely work for me doesn't mean you won't love it💜 There are definitely some really fun ideas here and I can see this being a book that works much better for other readers.
I would especially recommend giving this a try if you enjoy dystopian stories, a little touch of magic, found family and stories centred around trials and challenges.
Sadly, this book just wasn't what I expected it to be but I do think there is a really interesting concept underneath it all! I can definitely see the potential here and I'll be curious to see what this author does next💜
First of all, I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a stunning physical ARC💜
Now, let's break down my thoughts.
The premise of this book sounded incredibly promising but unfortunately, I don't feel like the actual story lived up to that promise.
One of my biggest issues from the very beginning was the amount of characters. There are so many of them and to make matters even more confusing, the characters are referred to by both their first and last names throughout the book. It also doesn't help that some of the surnames could easily be first names themselves. This made it really difficult for me to keep track of who was who and unfortunately, that frustration never really went away throughout the book.
The story is told from the perspectives of three main characters but unfortunately, I didn't really connect with any of them. I wouldn't necessarily call them unlikeable but I never felt particularly invested in them either. We get some backstory about each of them before following them through the trials in the hotel but I felt like there wasn't enough character development along the way. I really wanted to feel more connected to these characters but that never quite happened for me...
And then we have the trials themselves.
The trials in the beginning were quite simple and nobody was actually dying, so I kept wondering where the high-stakes competition I'd been promised was. Some of the later trials were more interesting though!!
On the positive side, I did enjoy the writing style. The book itself reads quite smoothly and I think I would have flown through it much faster if I hadn't constantly been stopping to figure out which character was being referred to😂
And then there was the romance... which honestly felt like it came out of nowhere. I just didn't buy it. I didn't feel any chemistry between the characters beforehand so when the romance suddenly happened, I was left thinking, wait, what? It didn't feel natural or earned to me.
Overall, I think the concept itself was really fun and I can genuinely see the potential in this story. I also don't particularly enjoy writing negative reviews, especially when it comes to a debut author. I always want to be fair because I know how much work, time and passion goes into writing a book.
Unfortunately, the execution just didn't quite work for me. I think the story could have benefited from fewer and less complicated character names, stronger character development, more original trials and a little more build-up when it came to the romance.
But please, don't let my review discourage you from picking this one up! Just because a book didn't completely work for me doesn't mean you won't love it💜 There are definitely some really fun ideas here and I can see this being a book that works much better for other readers.
I would especially recommend giving this a try if you enjoy dystopian stories, a little touch of magic, found family and stories centred around trials and challenges.
Sadly, this book just wasn't what I expected it to be but I do think there is a really interesting concept underneath it all! I can definitely see the potential here and I'll be curious to see what this author does next💜
September 17, 2026
First of all, I want to thank Hamley for the physical arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The premise of this sounded amazing. I love a competition, especially one filled with mystery and magic. But it sadly didn’t live up to the premise. The competition was there, it definitely had some mystery and magic but to me it fell flat.
You meet the 3 main characters as they all find their way to the game at the Radforth Hotel through their own circumstances. And while they all had some interesting things going on, I never felt like I fully connected to any of them. Partly because you get introduced to so many characters as soon as they get to the hotel. I was so distracted trying to remember who everyone was and what role they played in the story. The mixed usage of first names, last names and nicknames didn’t make it any easier.
The stakes of the competition also went from barely there to you might get killed and we don’t care. But even when the trials became deadly, I still didn’t feel that invested. The long pauses between the trials and the lulls in the trials themselves before suddenly becoming rushed and confusing just didn’t work for me. The lack of reaction from the characters to the magic, twists and injuries/deaths also made it hard to care.
Overall, I really do think the concept of the book is great. But the execution of it just wasn’t it for me sadly.
The premise of this sounded amazing. I love a competition, especially one filled with mystery and magic. But it sadly didn’t live up to the premise. The competition was there, it definitely had some mystery and magic but to me it fell flat.
You meet the 3 main characters as they all find their way to the game at the Radforth Hotel through their own circumstances. And while they all had some interesting things going on, I never felt like I fully connected to any of them. Partly because you get introduced to so many characters as soon as they get to the hotel. I was so distracted trying to remember who everyone was and what role they played in the story. The mixed usage of first names, last names and nicknames didn’t make it any easier.
The stakes of the competition also went from barely there to you might get killed and we don’t care. But even when the trials became deadly, I still didn’t feel that invested. The long pauses between the trials and the lulls in the trials themselves before suddenly becoming rushed and confusing just didn’t work for me. The lack of reaction from the characters to the magic, twists and injuries/deaths also made it hard to care.
Overall, I really do think the concept of the book is great. But the execution of it just wasn’t it for me sadly.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“Endless promise. Would you rather feel too much, or nothing at all?”
The Third Wish is a dystopian trials novel and the debut of T.E. Forest. Squid Game meets Alchemy of Secrets and The Hunger Games?
Let me start by saying that this is probably not a book I would ever have picked up on my own. I’m simply not much of a trials and dystopian girlie. That being said, this book genuinely surprised me.
T.E. Forest has a very enjoyable writing style and manages to bring a lot of depth to her characters. Each of them comes with their own baggage, strengths, and weaknesses. Because none of them are portrayed as perfect and they all have their own reasons for taking part, it’s fascinating to see the choices people make as the pressure continues to build.
The premise of a magical hotel, where the winners of a mysterious competition are granted a wish, is both intriguing and surprising. Because if absolutely anything were within your reach, what would it be worth to you? It regularly made me wonder while reading: what would I wish for if anything were possible? And how far would I be willing to go to make that wish come true?
There is a lot happening throughout the book, and at times I found myself losing track of who was doing what and where. Strangely enough, that confusion actually worked for me. The characters themselves don’t always know exactly what is happening, what is real, or who they can trust. Because of that, my own confusion sometimes almost felt like part of their experience.
What perhaps surprised me most in the end was that The Third Wish became much more than just a book about trials and winning. Beneath the competition are themes of desire, identity, trust, and the question of how much of yourself you are willing to sacrifice for something you believe will make you happy.
All in all, a very strong debut from T.E. Forest and definitely a recommendation for fans of trials, dystopian fiction, found family, and self-discovery.
I received an Advance Reading Copy of The Third Wish from Hamley Books in exchange for an honest review.
The Third Wish is a dystopian trials novel and the debut of T.E. Forest. Squid Game meets Alchemy of Secrets and The Hunger Games?
Let me start by saying that this is probably not a book I would ever have picked up on my own. I’m simply not much of a trials and dystopian girlie. That being said, this book genuinely surprised me.
T.E. Forest has a very enjoyable writing style and manages to bring a lot of depth to her characters. Each of them comes with their own baggage, strengths, and weaknesses. Because none of them are portrayed as perfect and they all have their own reasons for taking part, it’s fascinating to see the choices people make as the pressure continues to build.
The premise of a magical hotel, where the winners of a mysterious competition are granted a wish, is both intriguing and surprising. Because if absolutely anything were within your reach, what would it be worth to you? It regularly made me wonder while reading: what would I wish for if anything were possible? And how far would I be willing to go to make that wish come true?
There is a lot happening throughout the book, and at times I found myself losing track of who was doing what and where. Strangely enough, that confusion actually worked for me. The characters themselves don’t always know exactly what is happening, what is real, or who they can trust. Because of that, my own confusion sometimes almost felt like part of their experience.
What perhaps surprised me most in the end was that The Third Wish became much more than just a book about trials and winning. Beneath the competition are themes of desire, identity, trust, and the question of how much of yourself you are willing to sacrifice for something you believe will make you happy.
All in all, a very strong debut from T.E. Forest and definitely a recommendation for fans of trials, dystopian fiction, found family, and self-discovery.
I received an Advance Reading Copy of The Third Wish from Hamley Books in exchange for an honest review.
September 17, 2026
Thanks Hamley Books fot the copy.
Tamara, this book is everything, I can't wait to read more from you.
I loveed it!
I was so immersed on the story the whole time, it kept me thinking about it, the plot, the twist, the characters.
I love our 3 main characters, they are everything, the best. How we meet them as they meet each other, how it's impossible not to fall for them and wanting for them to get everything right, and be happy.
If you like trials, the squid game serie, found family, and more, this is your book!
Please give it a try! I want people to talk about this book with.
Tamara, this book is everything, I can't wait to read more from you.
I loveed it!
I was so immersed on the story the whole time, it kept me thinking about it, the plot, the twist, the characters.
I love our 3 main characters, they are everything, the best. How we meet them as they meet each other, how it's impossible not to fall for them and wanting for them to get everything right, and be happy.
If you like trials, the squid game serie, found family, and more, this is your book!
Please give it a try! I want people to talk about this book with.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hi, it's the author!
Before you ask: The Third Wish is a standalone story, though it will have a sequel! Book two will take place a year after the events of The Third Wish and will end this duology. It doesn't matter which order you read them in, or if you pick only one. They both have closed endings.
I am so grateful that you want to read my debut. I've put pieces of myself and soul in all three of my main characters and I hope they will steal your heart as they did mine. But before you start this journey, please bear in mind that The Third Wish is an adult book, dealing with heavy themes. Stay safe, and check the content warnings:
You are now ready to check in. The Radforth Hotel wishes you a pleasant stay.
Before you ask: The Third Wish is a standalone story, though it will have a sequel! Book two will take place a year after the events of The Third Wish and will end this duology. It doesn't matter which order you read them in, or if you pick only one. They both have closed endings.
I am so grateful that you want to read my debut. I've put pieces of myself and soul in all three of my main characters and I hope they will steal your heart as they did mine. But before you start this journey, please bear in mind that The Third Wish is an adult book, dealing with heavy themes. Stay safe, and check the content warnings:
You are now ready to check in. The Radforth Hotel wishes you a pleasant stay.
October 13, 2026
Tamara has an incredible talent to weave a story, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The characters were vibrant, human and all had their own backstories and haunting memories, making their run for their Wish for a multitude of reasons. Or, in Leigh's case, just because she was bored. And needed a challenge.
Tamara has a wonderful style of writing that's both descriptive and approachable, which made this one a page turner for me. I think I finished it in a week. There is a race - so there's urgency - there is murder, fatal accidents, love, sex and scary challenges. All the main characters are fleshed out through back stories and all of them go through ordeals that challenge them physically and mentally, which affect all of them in a multitude of ways.
The Third Wish is a book in the vibe of the hunger games/squid game, but with it's own personal niche. There is a hint of magic or otherworldly, but it's not explained yet, at least not in the first book, which leaves me hungry for more.
A very enjoyable read. Oh, and the hardcover edition is gorgeous.
Tamara has a wonderful style of writing that's both descriptive and approachable, which made this one a page turner for me. I think I finished it in a week. There is a race - so there's urgency - there is murder, fatal accidents, love, sex and scary challenges. All the main characters are fleshed out through back stories and all of them go through ordeals that challenge them physically and mentally, which affect all of them in a multitude of ways.
The Third Wish is a book in the vibe of the hunger games/squid game, but with it's own personal niche. There is a hint of magic or otherworldly, but it's not explained yet, at least not in the first book, which leaves me hungry for more.
A very enjoyable read. Oh, and the hardcover edition is gorgeous.
October 13, 2026
I love a good book with trials, magic and complicated characters. And this book had it all. Especially the characters were interesting and multi-layered!
I am also happy to read an urban fantasy. There aren't enough good books in that genre and I personally love urban fantasies. So I was very happy with this setting
There is some mystery and I have a few questions which I hope will be answered in part 2. This can be read as a stand alone but there's more than enough intrigue by the end to make me very curious and excited for part 2.
This is such a great debut and makes me excited what else this author has planned for future books!
I am also happy to read an urban fantasy. There aren't enough good books in that genre and I personally love urban fantasies. So I was very happy with this setting
There is some mystery and I have a few questions which I hope will be answered in part 2. This can be read as a stand alone but there's more than enough intrigue by the end to make me very curious and excited for part 2.
This is such a great debut and makes me excited what else this author has planned for future books!
September 8, 2026
3,5 ster!
In The Third Wish volgen we Day, Silas en Kayleigh. Alle drie hebben ze hun eigen redenen om mee te doen aan een competitie die plaatsvindt in het Radforth Hotel. Ze zijn bereid veel op het spel te zetten om de prijs der prijzen te bemachtigen: een wens! Klinkt goed, toch? Tot je ontdekt dat de competitie letterlijk én figuurlijk moordend is.
De competitie begint met honderd deelnemers die individueel aan de eerste proeven beginnen. Na twee proeven, die nog redelijk tam zijn, worden de overgebleven deelnemers in teams ingedeeld. Vanaf dat moment verandert de sfeer en wordt de competitie steeds bloederiger en gecompliceerder. Wat rustig begint, wordt naarmate het verhaal vordert steeds grimmiger.
Het concept vond ik erg leuk: spellen op leven en dood in ruil voor een wens. Het verhaal is queer, bevat een beetje spice en een vleugje magie. Daarnaast is een van mijn favoriete tropes, found family, sterk vertegenwoordigd. Ik vond de combinatie van deze elementen erg geslaagd.
Vanaf het begin wist het verhaal me te boeien en mijn aandacht goed vast te houden. Ik zat bij de proeven regelmatig op het puntje van mijn stoel en vond het soms oprecht jammer dat ik het boek moest wegleggen voor zaken als werk. 😉
Bij een van de proeven moest ik sterk denken aan Expeditie Robinson, al gaat het er daar natuurlijk een stuk vriendelijker aan toe. 😂 De spanning wordt gedurende het verhaal steeds verder opgebouwd. Vooral de overgang van relatief onschuldig naar steeds bloederiger en grimmiger vond ik goed gedaan.
Wel had ik bij de bijpersonages af en toe moeite om te onthouden wie wie was en om alle verschillende verhaallijnen bij te houden. Ook werden personages soms bij hun voornaam en dan weer bij hun achternaam genoemd, wat het voor mij onnodig ingewikkeld maakte.
Al met al vond ik The Third Wish een leuk debuut. Het einde vond ik persoonlijk iets minder sterk uitgewerkt en ik bleef daardoor nog met een aantal vragen zitten. Ondanks die kleine kanttekeningen heb ik genoten van het verhaal en zou ik een vervolg zeker oppakken!
Bedankt Hamley books voor dit unieke ARC exemplaar 🥰
In The Third Wish volgen we Day, Silas en Kayleigh. Alle drie hebben ze hun eigen redenen om mee te doen aan een competitie die plaatsvindt in het Radforth Hotel. Ze zijn bereid veel op het spel te zetten om de prijs der prijzen te bemachtigen: een wens! Klinkt goed, toch? Tot je ontdekt dat de competitie letterlijk én figuurlijk moordend is.
De competitie begint met honderd deelnemers die individueel aan de eerste proeven beginnen. Na twee proeven, die nog redelijk tam zijn, worden de overgebleven deelnemers in teams ingedeeld. Vanaf dat moment verandert de sfeer en wordt de competitie steeds bloederiger en gecompliceerder. Wat rustig begint, wordt naarmate het verhaal vordert steeds grimmiger.
Het concept vond ik erg leuk: spellen op leven en dood in ruil voor een wens. Het verhaal is queer, bevat een beetje spice en een vleugje magie. Daarnaast is een van mijn favoriete tropes, found family, sterk vertegenwoordigd. Ik vond de combinatie van deze elementen erg geslaagd.
Vanaf het begin wist het verhaal me te boeien en mijn aandacht goed vast te houden. Ik zat bij de proeven regelmatig op het puntje van mijn stoel en vond het soms oprecht jammer dat ik het boek moest wegleggen voor zaken als werk. 😉
Bij een van de proeven moest ik sterk denken aan Expeditie Robinson, al gaat het er daar natuurlijk een stuk vriendelijker aan toe. 😂 De spanning wordt gedurende het verhaal steeds verder opgebouwd. Vooral de overgang van relatief onschuldig naar steeds bloederiger en grimmiger vond ik goed gedaan.
Wel had ik bij de bijpersonages af en toe moeite om te onthouden wie wie was en om alle verschillende verhaallijnen bij te houden. Ook werden personages soms bij hun voornaam en dan weer bij hun achternaam genoemd, wat het voor mij onnodig ingewikkeld maakte.
Al met al vond ik The Third Wish een leuk debuut. Het einde vond ik persoonlijk iets minder sterk uitgewerkt en ik bleef daardoor nog met een aantal vragen zitten. Ondanks die kleine kanttekeningen heb ik genoten van het verhaal en zou ik een vervolg zeker oppakken!
Bedankt Hamley books voor dit unieke ARC exemplaar 🥰
September 18, 2026
Wat als je alles op het spel moet zetten voor jouw ultieme wens? In The Third Wish volgen we Day, Silas en Kayleigh tijdens een bloedstollende competitie in het Radforth Hotel. Wat onschuldig begint met honderd kandidaten, verandert al snel in een grimmige strijd op leven en dood☠️
.
Waarom dit boek een aanrader is:
Spannend concept: Een moordende competitie waar proeven een duistere, bloederige twist krijgen🩸
Toegankelijke mix: Het verhaal combineert een sterk vertegenwoordigde found family-trope met magie, queer elementen en een vleugje spice🌶️😏
Echte pageturner: De opbouw van rustig naar steeds grimmiger zorgt ervoor dat je op het puntje van je stoel zit(althans ik wel 🤭)
.
Ietjes minder...:
Door de vele bijpersonages en verhaallijnen is het soms even lastig te onthouden wie wie is (mede doordat voor en achternamen door elkaar worden gebruikt) het kan ook even wennen zijn van de schrijfstijl.
.
Conclusie:
Een erg geslaagd en meeslepend debuut! Ondanks een paar kleine kanttekeningen smaakt dit verhaal absoluut naar meer en is een
.
Waarom dit boek een aanrader is:
Spannend concept: Een moordende competitie waar proeven een duistere, bloederige twist krijgen🩸
Toegankelijke mix: Het verhaal combineert een sterk vertegenwoordigde found family-trope met magie, queer elementen en een vleugje spice🌶️😏
Echte pageturner: De opbouw van rustig naar steeds grimmiger zorgt ervoor dat je op het puntje van je stoel zit(althans ik wel 🤭)
.
Ietjes minder...:
Door de vele bijpersonages en verhaallijnen is het soms even lastig te onthouden wie wie is (mede doordat voor en achternamen door elkaar worden gebruikt) het kan ook even wennen zijn van de schrijfstijl.
.
Conclusie:
Een erg geslaagd en meeslepend debuut! Ondanks een paar kleine kanttekeningen smaakt dit verhaal absoluut naar meer en is een
September 20, 2026
They should have known better than to make a deal with a devil.’
Die eerste zin, waar het boek mee begon, had me meteen te pakken! 🔥
En daarna werd het alleen maar beter. Een mysterieuze wedstrijd, een wens die alles kan veranderen, onverwachte vriendschappen, gevaarlijke challenges en natuurlijk een flinke dosis spanning en spice. 🌶️✨
In dit verhaal volgen we Kayleigh, Day en Silas tijdens hun mysterieuze wedstrijd in het Radforth Hotel . Ik vloog letterlijk door dit verhaal heen . De combinatie van de spanning en found family maakte dat ik het verhaal niet los kon laten en steeds maar door bleef lezen. 🫣📖
The Third Wish heeft mijn verwachtingen dus zeker waargemaakt. Een heerlijk duister en spannend debuut dat je laat nadenken over één belangrijke vraag:
Wat zou jij opgeven voor een wens? 👀
Die eerste zin, waar het boek mee begon, had me meteen te pakken! 🔥
En daarna werd het alleen maar beter. Een mysterieuze wedstrijd, een wens die alles kan veranderen, onverwachte vriendschappen, gevaarlijke challenges en natuurlijk een flinke dosis spanning en spice. 🌶️✨
In dit verhaal volgen we Kayleigh, Day en Silas tijdens hun mysterieuze wedstrijd in het Radforth Hotel . Ik vloog letterlijk door dit verhaal heen . De combinatie van de spanning en found family maakte dat ik het verhaal niet los kon laten en steeds maar door bleef lezen. 🫣📖
The Third Wish heeft mijn verwachtingen dus zeker waargemaakt. Een heerlijk duister en spannend debuut dat je laat nadenken over één belangrijke vraag:
Wat zou jij opgeven voor een wens? 👀
Review of advance copy received from Author
*ARC provided by author*
This book was such a wild ride! I've been looking to get more into urban fantasy for a while now and so when I got the opportunity to read this arc it felt like perfect timing.
The whole setting in a hotel is so unique, and I really enjoyed how the story used it for both downtime and the trials themselves.
And then the characters - oh my god the characters. They all felt incredibly real with their own complicated lives and reasons for joining the competition. Silas my sweet baby angel who has never done anything wrong ever in his entire life.
Long story short (and wishing this story was longer) I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone!
Also pt2 when? Maybe now? Please??
This book was such a wild ride! I've been looking to get more into urban fantasy for a while now and so when I got the opportunity to read this arc it felt like perfect timing.
The whole setting in a hotel is so unique, and I really enjoyed how the story used it for both downtime and the trials themselves.
And then the characters - oh my god the characters. They all felt incredibly real with their own complicated lives and reasons for joining the competition. Silas my sweet baby angel who has never done anything wrong ever in his entire life.
Long story short (and wishing this story was longer) I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone!
Also pt2 when? Maybe now? Please??
September 20, 2026
I was lucky enough to receive an avanced reader copy from @hamleybooks. Thank you!
The book was described as a combination of Squid Game and The Hunger Games, which immediately caught my attention. We follow Kayleigh, Silas and Day, who each have their own reasons for taking part in the annual competition at the mysterious Radforth Hotel. Along with a hundred other contestants, they have the chance to win a very special prize: a wish. But when one of the contestants is murdered, it quickly becomes clear that the competition is far more dangerous than they thought. What are they willing to do to make their wish come true?
This is T.E. Forest’s debut, and there is definitely potential in this story! Unfortunately, the book didn’t completely manage to capture my attention. I always find it difficult to write a more negative review, especially when it’s a debut, so I do want to emphasise that there are definitely some good things about this book as well.
The story is told from the perspectives of several different characters. I usually enjoy this, as it adds some extra depth to the story and allows you to experience the events from different perspectives. The three main characters are the ones you get to know best, especially Kayleigh. I felt she was wratten as a very well-developed character. Besides the main characters, there are also a lot of other characters introduced. They are sometimes referred to by their first name, sometimes by their first and last name, and sometimes only by their last name. This made things a little confusing for me at times, and I had some trouble recognising certain characters or telling them apart.
To be honest, I also struggled to keep my attention on the story at times, as the pacing and tension varied quite a bit. I was really getting into the story once the first challenge started, but that faded again because there was quite a bit of time between the first and second challenges. I didn’t find all of the challenges equally exciting either, but thankfully, the later ones became more interesting, which brought the tension back up.
The book also contains some romance and spice, which I wasn’t really expecting. I would have liked to see a little more development between the two characters and in the romance itself. But I’m also not someone who particularly enjoys romance and spice, so that might be just on me 😉
A big plus for the writing style, though! It’s very vivid and flows nicely, so I had no trouble picturing the surroundings. I especially found the hotel an interesting setting, with all its different floors and designs. It’s definitely a book that’s easy and enjoyable to read.
Overall, I think The Third Wish is an interesting concept with a lot of potential, but for me, some aspects could have been developed a little more. I would have liked to see more attention given to the characters and the build-up of the tension. If you enjoy dystopian stories, I think this could definitely be a book for you.
The book was described as a combination of Squid Game and The Hunger Games, which immediately caught my attention. We follow Kayleigh, Silas and Day, who each have their own reasons for taking part in the annual competition at the mysterious Radforth Hotel. Along with a hundred other contestants, they have the chance to win a very special prize: a wish. But when one of the contestants is murdered, it quickly becomes clear that the competition is far more dangerous than they thought. What are they willing to do to make their wish come true?
This is T.E. Forest’s debut, and there is definitely potential in this story! Unfortunately, the book didn’t completely manage to capture my attention. I always find it difficult to write a more negative review, especially when it’s a debut, so I do want to emphasise that there are definitely some good things about this book as well.
The story is told from the perspectives of several different characters. I usually enjoy this, as it adds some extra depth to the story and allows you to experience the events from different perspectives. The three main characters are the ones you get to know best, especially Kayleigh. I felt she was wratten as a very well-developed character. Besides the main characters, there are also a lot of other characters introduced. They are sometimes referred to by their first name, sometimes by their first and last name, and sometimes only by their last name. This made things a little confusing for me at times, and I had some trouble recognising certain characters or telling them apart.
To be honest, I also struggled to keep my attention on the story at times, as the pacing and tension varied quite a bit. I was really getting into the story once the first challenge started, but that faded again because there was quite a bit of time between the first and second challenges. I didn’t find all of the challenges equally exciting either, but thankfully, the later ones became more interesting, which brought the tension back up.
The book also contains some romance and spice, which I wasn’t really expecting. I would have liked to see a little more development between the two characters and in the romance itself. But I’m also not someone who particularly enjoys romance and spice, so that might be just on me 😉
A big plus for the writing style, though! It’s very vivid and flows nicely, so I had no trouble picturing the surroundings. I especially found the hotel an interesting setting, with all its different floors and designs. It’s definitely a book that’s easy and enjoyable to read.
Overall, I think The Third Wish is an interesting concept with a lot of potential, but for me, some aspects could have been developed a little more. I would have liked to see more attention given to the characters and the build-up of the tension. If you enjoy dystopian stories, I think this could definitely be a book for you.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Ik vind dit boek beoordelen heel moeilijk. Het concept is namelijk heel tof! Heel erg Squid Game vibes. 100 deelnemers en één winnaar. Je volgt het boek voornamelijk uit de POV van Kayleigh, Silas en Day, maar er komen best wat karakters langs die bij de voornaam en achternaam worden benoemd. Hierdoor wordt je soms overspoeld door namen en perspectieven. Waardoor ik een beetje duizelde. De proeven zijn leuk om te lezen, maar de tijd tussen de proeven kan wel eens wat lang aanvoelen. De stakes van de proeven voelde ik soms niet helemaal, ondanks dat er zeker doden vallen. Het boek is filmisch en goed beschreven, maar pakte mij niet helemaal. Maar dit is gelukkig ook een kwestie van smaak!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the author/publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read it.
The Third Wish sounded really promising, but unfortunately, it just didn’t deliver for me.
I received this book as an ARC, which is honestly the main reason I finished it. Otherwise, I probably would have DNF’d it.
One of my biggest struggles was keeping track of all the characters in the beginning. There were a lot of names introduced at once, and I often found myself confused about who was who, especially because the characters were sometimes referred to by their first names and other times by their last names. This made it difficult for me to keep track of everyone.
I did really enjoy the challenge scenes! Those were definitely the parts that kept me interested. Unfortunately, I found everything in between quite slow and at times a little too drawn out. I also didn’t really feel the chemistry between the characters, so I wasn’t particularly invested in the romantic aspect of the story either.
That being said, I can definitely see this being a book that other readers will absolutely love. It has an interesting concept and some elements that I think will really work for the right audience. It just wasn’t the book for me.
The Third Wish sounded really promising, but unfortunately, it just didn’t deliver for me.
I received this book as an ARC, which is honestly the main reason I finished it. Otherwise, I probably would have DNF’d it.
One of my biggest struggles was keeping track of all the characters in the beginning. There were a lot of names introduced at once, and I often found myself confused about who was who, especially because the characters were sometimes referred to by their first names and other times by their last names. This made it difficult for me to keep track of everyone.
I did really enjoy the challenge scenes! Those were definitely the parts that kept me interested. Unfortunately, I found everything in between quite slow and at times a little too drawn out. I also didn’t really feel the chemistry between the characters, so I wasn’t particularly invested in the romantic aspect of the story either.
That being said, I can definitely see this being a book that other readers will absolutely love. It has an interesting concept and some elements that I think will really work for the right audience. It just wasn’t the book for me.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
'The Third Wish' is het debuut van T.E. Forest, uitgegeven door Hamley Books.
Het boek volgt voornamelijk Kayleigh, Silas en Day tijdens hun avontuur en op weg naar de overwinning om hun wens te claimen. Het doen echter heel veel karakters mee en op het begin wordt je overspoeld door namen. Van sommige krijg je alleen de voornaam, van andere de achternaam en van weer andere zowel de voor- als de achternaam. Dit maakte het allemaal zeer verwarrend.
Verder is het verhaal niet heel spannend. De proeven zijn wel leuk om te lezen, maar op een gegeven moment zit er heel veel tijd tussen twee proeven. Ik vond het daar een beetje langdradig worden.
Het boek bevat lichte The Hunger Games vibes, dus je kon verwachten dat er in het boek doden zouden vallen. Toch vind ik het geen toevoegde waarden hebben. De proeven waren leuk, maar in plaats van moorden zou je ook kunnen bedenken dat er iedere proef een of twee teams verliezen en zij het hotel moeten verlaten.
Ook het romantische plot pakte mij niet zo. De relatie van Kayliegh en Silas was zeer oppervlakkig (ook al was dat deels te bedoeling). Day viel opeens op jongens en uiteindelijk ontvouwde het zich in een soort van why choose, ook al vond ik Kaylieghs aanwezigheid zeer ongemakkelijk.
Ik moet eerlijk bekennen dat ik de spicy stukjes dan ook heb overgeslagen.
Een groot pluspunt is wel de schrijfstijl van de auteur. Het is zeer gedetailleerd waardoor je je alles kunt voorstellen, net alsof je naar een film zit te kijken in plaats van letters op papier. Dit maakte dat je de verzonnen plekken helemaal kon voorstellen en de gevoelens van Kayliegh, Silas en Day werden uitgewerkt, waardoor je precies wist wat iedereen op een bepaald moment dacht of voelde.
Ondanks dat het boek dus niet helemaal mijn smaak is, wil ik HamleyBooks van harte bedanken voor deze ARC. Ik weet zeker dat er vele lezers zijn die dit boek wél heel leuk gaan vinden!
Het boek volgt voornamelijk Kayleigh, Silas en Day tijdens hun avontuur en op weg naar de overwinning om hun wens te claimen. Het doen echter heel veel karakters mee en op het begin wordt je overspoeld door namen. Van sommige krijg je alleen de voornaam, van andere de achternaam en van weer andere zowel de voor- als de achternaam. Dit maakte het allemaal zeer verwarrend.
Verder is het verhaal niet heel spannend. De proeven zijn wel leuk om te lezen, maar op een gegeven moment zit er heel veel tijd tussen twee proeven. Ik vond het daar een beetje langdradig worden.
Het boek bevat lichte The Hunger Games vibes, dus je kon verwachten dat er in het boek doden zouden vallen. Toch vind ik het geen toevoegde waarden hebben. De proeven waren leuk, maar in plaats van moorden zou je ook kunnen bedenken dat er iedere proef een of twee teams verliezen en zij het hotel moeten verlaten.
Ook het romantische plot pakte mij niet zo. De relatie van Kayliegh en Silas was zeer oppervlakkig (ook al was dat deels te bedoeling). Day viel opeens op jongens en uiteindelijk ontvouwde het zich in een soort van why choose, ook al vond ik Kaylieghs aanwezigheid zeer ongemakkelijk.
Ik moet eerlijk bekennen dat ik de spicy stukjes dan ook heb overgeslagen.
Een groot pluspunt is wel de schrijfstijl van de auteur. Het is zeer gedetailleerd waardoor je je alles kunt voorstellen, net alsof je naar een film zit te kijken in plaats van letters op papier. Dit maakte dat je de verzonnen plekken helemaal kon voorstellen en de gevoelens van Kayliegh, Silas en Day werden uitgewerkt, waardoor je precies wist wat iedereen op een bepaald moment dacht of voelde.
Ondanks dat het boek dus niet helemaal mijn smaak is, wil ik HamleyBooks van harte bedanken voor deze ARC. Ik weet zeker dat er vele lezers zijn die dit boek wél heel leuk gaan vinden!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3,5 ⭐
The Radforth Hotel in Rotterdam hosts a yearly competition where you can win a wish as a prize. 100 contestants start the game and this number will become less and less throughout the games and challenges.
In the story we follow three POV's: Kayleigh, Silas and Day. They come from different parts of the world and have different reasons why they enter the competition. We get flashbacks from their lives and I found them all quite interesting.
Then there a bunch of side characters, some you get to know a bit better than others but characters would sometimes be addressed with their first name and sometimes with their surname. That in combination with the multiple POV's made it quite overwhelming sometimes to remember who is who. And made me not as connected with them as I wanted to be.
I really enjoyed the competition element. The challenges and games were exciting and fun to read and they all focused on different set of skills. At first they had to work on their own and further on they had to work with teammates. Here we see the bond between Kayleigh, Silas and Day become closer and I enjoyed their dynamic while they were working together.
But the romances that start to blossom I wasn't always fully convinced by because I felt like some of it happened really fast and I didn't always feel the chemistry or wanted a bit more of a emotional connection between certain characters.
Overall I did really enjoy this book! I thought the concept was really fun and I'm excited to see what T.E. Forest will write next
Thank you to the publisher Hamley Books for the ARC in exchange for a honest review
The Radforth Hotel in Rotterdam hosts a yearly competition where you can win a wish as a prize. 100 contestants start the game and this number will become less and less throughout the games and challenges.
In the story we follow three POV's: Kayleigh, Silas and Day. They come from different parts of the world and have different reasons why they enter the competition. We get flashbacks from their lives and I found them all quite interesting.
Then there a bunch of side characters, some you get to know a bit better than others but characters would sometimes be addressed with their first name and sometimes with their surname. That in combination with the multiple POV's made it quite overwhelming sometimes to remember who is who. And made me not as connected with them as I wanted to be.
I really enjoyed the competition element. The challenges and games were exciting and fun to read and they all focused on different set of skills. At first they had to work on their own and further on they had to work with teammates. Here we see the bond between Kayleigh, Silas and Day become closer and I enjoyed their dynamic while they were working together.
But the romances that start to blossom I wasn't always fully convinced by because I felt like some of it happened really fast and I didn't always feel the chemistry or wanted a bit more of a emotional connection between certain characters.
Overall I did really enjoy this book! I thought the concept was really fun and I'm excited to see what T.E. Forest will write next
Thank you to the publisher Hamley Books for the ARC in exchange for a honest review
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I went into this book with high expectations. The premise promised a quick, fun read, and I was genuinely excited to dive in. Unfortunately, the final result didn't quite live up to what I had anticipated.
Throughout my reading experience, I found myself having to push through each chapter, hoping the story would pick up as it progressed. Unfortunately, that momentum never quite arrived. I had gone in expecting a blend of trials, betrayal, fantasy, and a touch of romance woven throughout, but instead found the romantic plotline taking center stage for the majority of the book, and it didn't feel particularly genuine or well-developed.
That said, there were elements I did enjoy. Both the main and supporting characters were well-crafted and engaging, and the chapters centered around the trials were genuinely a highlight for me. However, the other threads of the story simply didn't resonate with me the way I'd hoped they would.
Overall, while this book has strong individual elements, particularly its characters and the trial sequences, the overall execution and pacing didn't come together in a way that worked for me.
Throughout my reading experience, I found myself having to push through each chapter, hoping the story would pick up as it progressed. Unfortunately, that momentum never quite arrived. I had gone in expecting a blend of trials, betrayal, fantasy, and a touch of romance woven throughout, but instead found the romantic plotline taking center stage for the majority of the book, and it didn't feel particularly genuine or well-developed.
That said, there were elements I did enjoy. Both the main and supporting characters were well-crafted and engaging, and the chapters centered around the trials were genuinely a highlight for me. However, the other threads of the story simply didn't resonate with me the way I'd hoped they would.
Overall, while this book has strong individual elements, particularly its characters and the trial sequences, the overall execution and pacing didn't come together in a way that worked for me.
September 18, 2026
First of all I would like to thank publisher Hamley Books for providing me with a review copy. In this review my honest opinion.
I find the concept of the book original. It’s a fun idea and definitely gives off Squid Game vibes. 100 participants compete against each other in various games and challenges until only one winner remains. The prize: a wish.
⚔️ Deadly competition
⚠️ High stakes
🔪 Murder
🩶 Morally grey characters
🏳️🌈 Queer romance
We mainly follow Kayleigh, Silas, and Day. There are both individual and team challenges, and as the story progresses, these challenges become increasingly difficult. How much are our main characters willing to put on the line to have their wishes granted? Especially when the games can even have deadly consequences...
I find the games original, and I really enjoyed reading these parts. In between the challenges, however, there were moments when not quite enough happened for me personally to keep my attention fully engaged. Hence the 3.5 stars.
If you enjoy books filled with high-stakes games, I can definitely recommend this one!
I find the concept of the book original. It’s a fun idea and definitely gives off Squid Game vibes. 100 participants compete against each other in various games and challenges until only one winner remains. The prize: a wish.
⚔️ Deadly competition
⚠️ High stakes
🔪 Murder
🩶 Morally grey characters
🏳️🌈 Queer romance
We mainly follow Kayleigh, Silas, and Day. There are both individual and team challenges, and as the story progresses, these challenges become increasingly difficult. How much are our main characters willing to put on the line to have their wishes granted? Especially when the games can even have deadly consequences...
I find the games original, and I really enjoyed reading these parts. In between the challenges, however, there were moments when not quite enough happened for me personally to keep my attention fully engaged. Hence the 3.5 stars.
If you enjoy books filled with high-stakes games, I can definitely recommend this one!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I had high hopes for this, since it was marketed as 'perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Squid Game'. The beginning was a bit slow. We meet some characters, but we don't get immediately into the action. Then the action happened, and the first thing I noticed is that is wasn't much gore or fighting for your life. What I also noticed is that almost all of the tasks weren’t original. I've already seen them in other books or movies. There was one task that had a bit of gore, but it kind of came out of nowhere so it was a bit odd. Another problem is that there were many characters, and since they sometimes used their first name and other times their last name, is was really confusing. Also the romance didn't grab me at all. There was suddenly spice, which kind of felt out of place. The magic system also wasn’t really a system. It just felt random. The setting was fun though. So overall, the marketing gave me the wrong expectations and I just didn’t like the story.
September 20, 2026
Om te beginnen heb ik dit boek als Arc mogen lezen van Hamley books publishing, zeer dankbaar voor.
Ik ben met veel nieuwsgierigheid in dit boek gestapt, maar het nam me maar niet mee. Ik ben dan ook net over de helft gestopt met lezen.
Het waren te veel personages voor mij waarbij ik in de war geraakte of geen voeling kreeg met de personages.
De schrijfstijl is wel heel duidelijk, maar het maakte het helaas niet makkelijk voor me om doorheen het boek te geraken.
Voor mij was het niks, het heeft wel veel potentie, dus wie weet is het wel iets voor iemand anders.
Ik ben met veel nieuwsgierigheid in dit boek gestapt, maar het nam me maar niet mee. Ik ben dan ook net over de helft gestopt met lezen.
Het waren te veel personages voor mij waarbij ik in de war geraakte of geen voeling kreeg met de personages.
De schrijfstijl is wel heel duidelijk, maar het maakte het helaas niet makkelijk voor me om doorheen het boek te geraken.
Voor mij was het niks, het heeft wel veel potentie, dus wie weet is het wel iets voor iemand anders.
September 13, 2026
een mysterieuze competitie in een hotel, waarin honderd deelnemers strijden voor één grote wens. De combinatie van fantasy, spanning en de sfeer van The Hunger Games en Squid Game sprak me zeker aan.
Toch wist het verhaal me niet helemaal te overtuigen. Het concept vond ik sterker dan de uitwerking en ik had soms wat moeite om echt in het verhaal en de personages te komen. Er zaten zeker spannende momenten en leuke ideeën in, maar voor mij ontbrak er iets waardoor ik volledig werd meegesleept.
Wel vond ik de found family elementen en de dynamiek tussen de personages leuk, en de combinatie van magie, gevaar en een mysterieuze setting zorgde ervoor dat ik wilde blijven lezen.
Al met al een origineel debuut met een veelbelovend concept, maar voor mij net geen echte favoriet.
Bedankt Hamley Books voor de ARC! 🤍📖
Toch wist het verhaal me niet helemaal te overtuigen. Het concept vond ik sterker dan de uitwerking en ik had soms wat moeite om echt in het verhaal en de personages te komen. Er zaten zeker spannende momenten en leuke ideeën in, maar voor mij ontbrak er iets waardoor ik volledig werd meegesleept.
Wel vond ik de found family elementen en de dynamiek tussen de personages leuk, en de combinatie van magie, gevaar en een mysterieuze setting zorgde ervoor dat ik wilde blijven lezen.
Al met al een origineel debuut met een veelbelovend concept, maar voor mij net geen echte favoriet.
Bedankt Hamley Books voor de ARC! 🤍📖
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Ahhh I was so excited to read this book but unfortunately I didn't feel like I could connect with it enough.
The Third Wish is T.E. Forest their debut novel and follows Kayleigh, Silas and Day. Three people competing in the yearly Radforth competition wanting to win the grand prize: a wish. It's all fun and games until people start dying and people have to think about how far they're willing to go to win the game. If this sounds familiar, you might be thinking of Squid Game. The book is marketed as a novel for fans of Squid Game and/or The Hunger Games so that makes total sense!
Like I mentioned, The Third Wish follows three people. It's not easy to make readers care about all three people equally but unfortunately I mostly found myself not really caring about any of them. I was curious but never emotionally invested in their life, goals or relationships. I think this was mostly because besides these main characters, there are quite a few of other characters that make appearances. And some even get a chapter. AND there are present and past POVs. Yeah, I was a little lost sometimes I'm afraid. At one point the organisation formed teams based on last names of the characters and that's where the author really lost me. Too many names, too many first and last names, I couldn't keep up. This could just be me though, I really struggled. There was one flashback for a side character that really intrigued me and the author did do something with it later in the book but somehow it also didn't capture my attention enough.
Magic is also a pretty vital part of the story but not a big one. You know what I mean? It doesn't really get an introduction or explanation but it's just there. But since the rest of the world feels pretty realistic, I sometimes struggled really believing in the magic in this world. Besides this, the world-building was really good though. This author has a really fluent and captive writing style, transporting you to the world they're creating.
The challenges were varied enough to remain entertaining. The first challenge was a bit boring and got me worried for a second but let me tell you right now: they get better! And more dangerous! And difficult and risky and whatnot. The scenes were usually action-packed and fast-paced, which was really nice.
This is by no means a bad book, it just wasn't the right match for me, which is why I'm still rating it 3 stars. I did really love the inclusive nature of this book. Seeing queer characters and people from different backgrounds is really a must in every book but it isn't so it's very nice to see how it easy it is in this book.
The Third Wish is T.E. Forest their debut novel and follows Kayleigh, Silas and Day. Three people competing in the yearly Radforth competition wanting to win the grand prize: a wish. It's all fun and games until people start dying and people have to think about how far they're willing to go to win the game. If this sounds familiar, you might be thinking of Squid Game. The book is marketed as a novel for fans of Squid Game and/or The Hunger Games so that makes total sense!
Like I mentioned, The Third Wish follows three people. It's not easy to make readers care about all three people equally but unfortunately I mostly found myself not really caring about any of them. I was curious but never emotionally invested in their life, goals or relationships. I think this was mostly because besides these main characters, there are quite a few of other characters that make appearances. And some even get a chapter. AND there are present and past POVs. Yeah, I was a little lost sometimes I'm afraid. At one point the organisation formed teams based on last names of the characters and that's where the author really lost me. Too many names, too many first and last names, I couldn't keep up. This could just be me though, I really struggled. There was one flashback for a side character that really intrigued me and the author did do something with it later in the book but somehow it also didn't capture my attention enough.
Magic is also a pretty vital part of the story but not a big one. You know what I mean? It doesn't really get an introduction or explanation but it's just there. But since the rest of the world feels pretty realistic, I sometimes struggled really believing in the magic in this world. Besides this, the world-building was really good though. This author has a really fluent and captive writing style, transporting you to the world they're creating.
The challenges were varied enough to remain entertaining. The first challenge was a bit boring and got me worried for a second but let me tell you right now: they get better! And more dangerous! And difficult and risky and whatnot. The scenes were usually action-packed and fast-paced, which was really nice.
This is by no means a bad book, it just wasn't the right match for me, which is why I'm still rating it 3 stars. I did really love the inclusive nature of this book. Seeing queer characters and people from different backgrounds is really a must in every book but it isn't so it's very nice to see how it easy it is in this book.
September 17, 2026
✯ "𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒂𝒅𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚,
𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 " ✯
𝑬𝑵𝑮
✨This was a great book to read, and how can you not love it? A mysterious hotel where you can win a wish, but you have to compete with hundreds of other people.
✨It a mix of the Hunger Games and Squid Game vibes all in one book. There is a lot of tension, challenges, and mystery.
✨I understand that having three different POVs can be confusing, but that is not the case here. The author’s writing was very fluid, and I highly recommend this book.
My note ☟︎
4/5 𝒊 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
𝑭𝑹𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑨𝑰𝑺
✨ Ce livre était une bonne lecture, un mélange entre The Hunger games et Squid game, ça annonce directement la couleur.
✨ Un roman YA avec de la tension, des challenges, du mystère et bien sûr la compétition pour gagner le grand prix : un vœu. Le seul bémol? Il faudra ce battre contre 100 autres compétiteurs.
✨ Avoir trois points de vue différents peut souvent déranger ou rendre le suivi de la lecture compliqué, mais j’ai trouvé que ce n’était pas du tout le cas ici. L’histoire était très fluide, ainsi que la plume de l’autrice, que j’ai beaucoup appréciée.
Je recommande ce livre et je lui donne la note de ☟︎
4/5 𝒋’𝒂𝒊 𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒆́ 𝒎𝒂 𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆
𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 " ✯
𝑬𝑵𝑮
✨This was a great book to read, and how can you not love it? A mysterious hotel where you can win a wish, but you have to compete with hundreds of other people.
✨It a mix of the Hunger Games and Squid Game vibes all in one book. There is a lot of tension, challenges, and mystery.
✨I understand that having three different POVs can be confusing, but that is not the case here. The author’s writing was very fluid, and I highly recommend this book.
My note ☟︎
4/5 𝒊 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
𝑭𝑹𝑨𝑵𝑪𝑨𝑰𝑺
✨ Ce livre était une bonne lecture, un mélange entre The Hunger games et Squid game, ça annonce directement la couleur.
✨ Un roman YA avec de la tension, des challenges, du mystère et bien sûr la compétition pour gagner le grand prix : un vœu. Le seul bémol? Il faudra ce battre contre 100 autres compétiteurs.
✨ Avoir trois points de vue différents peut souvent déranger ou rendre le suivi de la lecture compliqué, mais j’ai trouvé que ce n’était pas du tout le cas ici. L’histoire était très fluide, ainsi que la plume de l’autrice, que j’ai beaucoup appréciée.
Je recommande ce livre et je lui donne la note de ☟︎
4/5 𝒋’𝒂𝒊 𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒆́ 𝒎𝒂 𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆
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