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Age of Magic: Wish Quartet #1
Society of Wishes
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR.
Josephina Espinosa makes her living as a hacker-for-hire in the Lone Star Republic, a remnant of the fractured U.S.A. That is, until the day she and her best friend are gunned down in a government raid.
With her dying breath, Jo uses magical lore passed down from her grandmother to summon a wish-granter. Her wish? To save her friend’s life. Except wishes have costs, and for Jo, the price is the erasure of her entire mortal existence.
Now, as the most recent addition to the mysterious Society of Wishes, Jo must form a new “life” alongside the seven other members, one of which being her savior himself. Living as an occupant of the Society’s lavish mansion should be quite the perk, but while it is furnished with everything its inhabitants could possibly need, it lacks one thing—freedom.
Her otherworldly identity crisis takes a backseat, however, when Jo learns that the friend she sacrificed everything for is headed down the same path to ruin. Jumping in head-first, Jo uses her newfound magical abilities to protect him, only to realize that the ripples of her actions have far-reaching consequences. When the Society’s aloof leader Snow decides to give her a taste of his own ancient magic, Jo discovers that there are threads woven into the tapestry of her new reality that reach far beyond the wishes she is now required to grant. Ones that, if tugged on, could mean the unraveling of the world itself.
Josephina Espinosa makes her living as a hacker-for-hire in the Lone Star Republic, a remnant of the fractured U.S.A. That is, until the day she and her best friend are gunned down in a government raid.
With her dying breath, Jo uses magical lore passed down from her grandmother to summon a wish-granter. Her wish? To save her friend’s life. Except wishes have costs, and for Jo, the price is the erasure of her entire mortal existence.
Now, as the most recent addition to the mysterious Society of Wishes, Jo must form a new “life” alongside the seven other members, one of which being her savior himself. Living as an occupant of the Society’s lavish mansion should be quite the perk, but while it is furnished with everything its inhabitants could possibly need, it lacks one thing—freedom.
Her otherworldly identity crisis takes a backseat, however, when Jo learns that the friend she sacrificed everything for is headed down the same path to ruin. Jumping in head-first, Jo uses her newfound magical abilities to protect him, only to realize that the ripples of her actions have far-reaching consequences. When the Society’s aloof leader Snow decides to give her a taste of his own ancient magic, Jo discovers that there are threads woven into the tapestry of her new reality that reach far beyond the wishes she is now required to grant. Ones that, if tugged on, could mean the unraveling of the world itself.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2018
356 people are currently reading
7287 people want to read
About the author
Elise Kova
59 books17.4k followersJoin Elise's mailing list to never miss a giveaway, release, sale, and more: https://elisekova.com/subscribe/
ELISE KOVA is a USA Today bestselling author. She enjoys telling stories of fantasy worlds filled with magic and deep emotions. She lives in Florida and, when not writing, can be found playing video games, drawing, chatting with readers on social media, or daydreaming about her next story.
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ELISE KOVA is a USA Today bestselling author. She enjoys telling stories of fantasy worlds filled with magic and deep emotions. She lives in Florida and, when not writing, can be found playing video games, drawing, chatting with readers on social media, or daydreaming about her next story.
Say Hello!
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
April 20, 2018
I didn't intend to write this review.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC, but after I read Society of Wishes back in January I couldn't find the will to write something about it, because I realized that as soon as I finished the last page, I wasn't overwhelmed with emotions like all the other times I finished a book written by Elise Kova. Instead, I felt nothing, and it was devastating because no words can express how much I loved Elise's Air Awakens. Society of Wishes was by no means a bad book. It was simply average, and saying that about Elise breaks my heart.
Then why now?, you may wonder. Well, the turning point was Elise's newsletter, where she publicly admitted that she could do better, and that all those reviews already written helped her realize the things she should have done differently. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to do something like that, and it gave me the power to proceed, three months later, with this review.
And the authors did tell us a story, a truly unique and innovative one, a story made of wishes and magic and stardust.
December 2057, Lonestar Republic, Texas.
Josephine 'Jo' Espinosa is a hacker on a mission to breach the system of the most powerful credit bank worldwide. But things don't follow the plan, and her best friend ends up dead in a pool of his own blood. Trapped and awaiting her end, she remembers her grandmother's tales about generations of witches and wish-granters.
Now a whole new world unravels before Jo, and she finds herself among the ranks of the Society of Wishes, a team living outside time, bending and reshaping the world and its endless possibilities according to the wishes casted. Between alternate realities and newfound magic, Jo tries to unravel her potential and prove her value, while the enigmatic leader of the team shuts her down. But when Jo made her wish, no one warned her of the price.
The price is steep: Jo's existence was erased. And when the same friend she sacrificed her life for steps on the same path that lead to his death, Jo decides to bend the rules in order to save him, without realising the consequences of her actions.
Since it is no secret that my adoration towards Elise Kova and her Air Awakens series knows no limits, I was curious for her new project together with Lynn Larsh. First, I'd like to commend her for the variety of her works, The Society of Wishes didn't remind me at all of Air Awakens. While the latter was character driven, with heavy romance element (how I miss you my dearest Aldrik), this one was mainly plot-driven. The world the authors crafted was groundbreaking; while reading Jo's story, the occasional confusion, instead of being a setback, it was a motivation to continue, to dive into wishes and secret societies and unravel mysteries. The problem is that all those questions that fueled my need to keep reading were not solved by the end of the book. I can feel that the authors tried to tell us something, but they failed in some respects. I still have major gaps, for example who grants the hours and sets the rules of the Society, and it prevented me from fully grasping their intricate world.
As for the characters, while I admire their diversity and their backround stories, I found them rather superficial. The relationships portayed were devoid of depth, I knew they existed only because I was told so, and not because I felt them. I guess the foundations were there, but they needed further development. As for Jo, the main character, she was sadly indifferent, and at times annoying because she couldn't shake that trait of recklessness that heroines nowadays are so fond of.
To sum up, Society of Wishes was an enjoyable and fast read with an intriguing and imaginative concept, but there were some execution fails that could have been avoided.
BookNest | Instagram
I was lucky enough to get an ARC, but after I read Society of Wishes back in January I couldn't find the will to write something about it, because I realized that as soon as I finished the last page, I wasn't overwhelmed with emotions like all the other times I finished a book written by Elise Kova. Instead, I felt nothing, and it was devastating because no words can express how much I loved Elise's Air Awakens. Society of Wishes was by no means a bad book. It was simply average, and saying that about Elise breaks my heart.
Then why now?, you may wonder. Well, the turning point was Elise's newsletter, where she publicly admitted that she could do better, and that all those reviews already written helped her realize the things she should have done differently. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to do something like that, and it gave me the power to proceed, three months later, with this review.
“Ven pa aca, mijita.
I have a story for you.”
And the authors did tell us a story, a truly unique and innovative one, a story made of wishes and magic and stardust.
“Step one: Cast the circle.”
December 2057, Lonestar Republic, Texas.
Josephine 'Jo' Espinosa is a hacker on a mission to breach the system of the most powerful credit bank worldwide. But things don't follow the plan, and her best friend ends up dead in a pool of his own blood. Trapped and awaiting her end, she remembers her grandmother's tales about generations of witches and wish-granters.
“Step two: Say the invocation.”
Now a whole new world unravels before Jo, and she finds herself among the ranks of the Society of Wishes, a team living outside time, bending and reshaping the world and its endless possibilities according to the wishes casted. Between alternate realities and newfound magic, Jo tries to unravel her potential and prove her value, while the enigmatic leader of the team shuts her down. But when Jo made her wish, no one warned her of the price.
“Step three: Make your wish.”
The price is steep: Jo's existence was erased. And when the same friend she sacrificed her life for steps on the same path that lead to his death, Jo decides to bend the rules in order to save him, without realising the consequences of her actions.
Since it is no secret that my adoration towards Elise Kova and her Air Awakens series knows no limits, I was curious for her new project together with Lynn Larsh. First, I'd like to commend her for the variety of her works, The Society of Wishes didn't remind me at all of Air Awakens. While the latter was character driven, with heavy romance element (how I miss you my dearest Aldrik), this one was mainly plot-driven. The world the authors crafted was groundbreaking; while reading Jo's story, the occasional confusion, instead of being a setback, it was a motivation to continue, to dive into wishes and secret societies and unravel mysteries. The problem is that all those questions that fueled my need to keep reading were not solved by the end of the book. I can feel that the authors tried to tell us something, but they failed in some respects. I still have major gaps, for example who grants the hours and sets the rules of the Society, and it prevented me from fully grasping their intricate world.
As for the characters, while I admire their diversity and their backround stories, I found them rather superficial. The relationships portayed were devoid of depth, I knew they existed only because I was told so, and not because I felt them. I guess the foundations were there, but they needed further development. As for Jo, the main character, she was sadly indifferent, and at times annoying because she couldn't shake that trait of recklessness that heroines nowadays are so fond of.
To sum up, Society of Wishes was an enjoyable and fast read with an intriguing and imaginative concept, but there were some execution fails that could have been avoided.
BookNest | Instagram
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January 30, 2019Stealing the idea of other authors to use this space as an opportunity to give some info about this book... It's a dive into paranormal romance/urban fantasy with soulmates, alternate realities, and magic!
SOCIETY OF WISHES book one in the Wish Quartet is in Kindle Unlimited!
Grab it here: http://getbook.at/sow
No kindle? No problem.
For any of my Kindle Unlimited exclusive books... if you send proof of Amazon purchase to Elise.Kova.Author[at]gmail[dot]com I'll send you a personalized "read anywhere" link!
The Wish Quartet is finished at four books:
Circle of Ashes, Book Two: http://elisekova.com/circle-of-ashes-...
Birth of Chaos, Book Three: http://elisekova.com/birth-of-chaos-w...
Age of Magic, Book Four: http://elisekova.com/age-of-magic-wis...
There's also a completely FREE prequel novella, PRINCE OF GODS. Grab it here: http://elisekova.com/prince-of-gods-w...
SOCIETY OF WISHES book one in the Wish Quartet is in Kindle Unlimited!
Grab it here: http://getbook.at/sow
No kindle? No problem.
For any of my Kindle Unlimited exclusive books... if you send proof of Amazon purchase to Elise.Kova.Author[at]gmail[dot]com I'll send you a personalized "read anywhere" link!
The Wish Quartet is finished at four books:
Circle of Ashes, Book Two: http://elisekova.com/circle-of-ashes-...
Birth of Chaos, Book Three: http://elisekova.com/birth-of-chaos-w...
Age of Magic, Book Four: http://elisekova.com/age-of-magic-wis...
There's also a completely FREE prequel novella, PRINCE OF GODS. Grab it here: http://elisekova.com/prince-of-gods-w...
January 9, 2018
I was sent this book as an advanced copy by author for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
3.5 stars, rounding up for now.
I liked a lot of things in this book and it was overall a very enjoyable and entertaining read.
The idea behind this series is great, and it's what I was looking forward to the most. Knowing Elise Kova's worldbuilding abilities from her previous series, I was sure this aspect was going to be one of the most interesting ones in the book, and I can confirm it's that way exactly. Even when I was left with some questions about how certain things about this wishing-granting society worked, these were answered later.
There was no real info-dump, which is usually a positive thing, but I do feel like some things were kept needlessly mysterious for the sake of the narrative, while in reality they should have been explained right away. Like, when Jo arrives at the Society and people simply tell her "this is your home now" without a real explanation of what the Society is or how she ended up there. I mean, it kept the reader suspended, but it also didn't make much sense because these are all people that have been in Jo's position before, and they should have known to just explain to her right away.
Minor spoilers about the general plot from here on.
Another thing I know from Elise Kova's writing is that her characters are always interesting people, and I found this to be only partially true here. Most characters definitely had me curious about them right away (Eslar and Pan), and others I became interested in as the story developed. Sadly, one character I didn't always like is Jo, the protagonist. She's not a bad protagonist by any means, and her making mistakes is obviously what drove the plot forward. But I couldn't help being annoyed when she went out of her way to put herself in trouble even after everyone told her that her actions would put more than just herself in danger. Though by the end of the novel it did feel like she has a better understanding of it (also because, you know, people actually bothered to give her a full explanation this time).
Another character that didn't make much sense was Wayne. He's supposedly smart and knows the Society's rules, and still he decided to help Jo for no reason, and he didn't even need much convincing at all. And after helping her, knowing they were still "on a wish", he somehow thought it was okay to spend another three days in the real world. He's been in the Society for almost two hundred years and that's not really believable.
I also felt like there was a problem with the telling vs showing, especially when it came to Jo's opinion of Snow. Right away he was presented as this asshole leader who everyone should fear, while I don't feel like his actions really prove that. And towards the very end I felt what the authors wanted to do but I wish there had been some indication of that throughout the novel, because everything felt pretty sudden.
One thing I liked about Snow is that he's the "guy with too much power" trope, and that's really fascinating to read, so I could partially understand Jo's feelings towards him in the end, but I just felt like there was no previous indication of any of it.
Let me mention my favorite character, which is Nico. Admittedly I'm soft for him because he's Italian but also learning his backstory and reading how he talked about it made me want to protect him.
Another character I liked is Takako, I love how she wanted to help Jo.
I'm also pretty pleased so far with the diversity in this. Jo is American-Mexican (although America doesn't really exist anymore when she is born, but well she lives in Texas which is like its own state now) and she often talks about her abuela and the food she used to eat at home (although I have no means to say if this is good Mexican representation), Takako is Japanese, Nico is Italian, and I'm not really sure about the others but you get my point. I also hope that in the next installments we will see more diversity when it comes to queer rep and maybe mental illness as well.
One thing I want to say about the genre: this is marketed as New Adult (there is a sex scene in it) but throughout the novel it felt more like YA. There's nothing wrong with that obviously but I can't help but feel that that's where the collaboration between the two writers shows: I can't tell who wrote what from the writing style alone, but genre-wise, if you take out the sex scene, there is no indication that this is NA. I personally don't care much about that but it is something I noticed and I think is worth mentioning.
I appreciate that the main plot was resolved in this first book. I have no doubt that there will be a common thread in the four books, but for now it feels satisfying as a standalone as well.
I would recommend it because it's a quick and gripping read and I believe there is a lot of potential for the next installments.
3.5 stars, rounding up for now.
I liked a lot of things in this book and it was overall a very enjoyable and entertaining read.
The idea behind this series is great, and it's what I was looking forward to the most. Knowing Elise Kova's worldbuilding abilities from her previous series, I was sure this aspect was going to be one of the most interesting ones in the book, and I can confirm it's that way exactly. Even when I was left with some questions about how certain things about this wishing-granting society worked, these were answered later.
There was no real info-dump, which is usually a positive thing, but I do feel like some things were kept needlessly mysterious for the sake of the narrative, while in reality they should have been explained right away. Like, when Jo arrives at the Society and people simply tell her "this is your home now" without a real explanation of what the Society is or how she ended up there. I mean, it kept the reader suspended, but it also didn't make much sense because these are all people that have been in Jo's position before, and they should have known to just explain to her right away.
Minor spoilers about the general plot from here on.
Another thing I know from Elise Kova's writing is that her characters are always interesting people, and I found this to be only partially true here. Most characters definitely had me curious about them right away (Eslar and Pan), and others I became interested in as the story developed. Sadly, one character I didn't always like is Jo, the protagonist. She's not a bad protagonist by any means, and her making mistakes is obviously what drove the plot forward. But I couldn't help being annoyed when she went out of her way to put herself in trouble even after everyone told her that her actions would put more than just herself in danger. Though by the end of the novel it did feel like she has a better understanding of it (also because, you know, people actually bothered to give her a full explanation this time).
Another character that didn't make much sense was Wayne. He's supposedly smart and knows the Society's rules, and still he decided to help Jo for no reason, and he didn't even need much convincing at all. And after helping her, knowing they were still "on a wish", he somehow thought it was okay to spend another three days in the real world. He's been in the Society for almost two hundred years and that's not really believable.
I also felt like there was a problem with the telling vs showing, especially when it came to Jo's opinion of Snow. Right away he was presented as this asshole leader who everyone should fear, while I don't feel like his actions really prove that. And towards the very end I felt what the authors wanted to do but I wish there had been some indication of that throughout the novel, because everything felt pretty sudden.
One thing I liked about Snow is that he's the "guy with too much power" trope, and that's really fascinating to read, so I could partially understand Jo's feelings towards him in the end, but I just felt like there was no previous indication of any of it.
Let me mention my favorite character, which is Nico. Admittedly I'm soft for him because he's Italian but also learning his backstory and reading how he talked about it made me want to protect him.
Another character I liked is Takako, I love how she wanted to help Jo.
I'm also pretty pleased so far with the diversity in this. Jo is American-Mexican (although America doesn't really exist anymore when she is born, but well she lives in Texas which is like its own state now) and she often talks about her abuela and the food she used to eat at home (although I have no means to say if this is good Mexican representation), Takako is Japanese, Nico is Italian, and I'm not really sure about the others but you get my point. I also hope that in the next installments we will see more diversity when it comes to queer rep and maybe mental illness as well.
One thing I want to say about the genre: this is marketed as New Adult (there is a sex scene in it) but throughout the novel it felt more like YA. There's nothing wrong with that obviously but I can't help but feel that that's where the collaboration between the two writers shows: I can't tell who wrote what from the writing style alone, but genre-wise, if you take out the sex scene, there is no indication that this is NA. I personally don't care much about that but it is something I noticed and I think is worth mentioning.
I appreciate that the main plot was resolved in this first book. I have no doubt that there will be a common thread in the four books, but for now it feels satisfying as a standalone as well.
I would recommend it because it's a quick and gripping read and I believe there is a lot of potential for the next installments.
January 6, 2018
you can find this review on my blog as well!
----
This was fun! I wish there were more new adult novels like this--with magic and fantasy and, I don't know, maybe no college students?
In any case, Society of Wishes is a fun and quick start to a new series I'm so excited to finish. It's got a great, levelheaded main character that you can't help but like. It has fun side characters, some of which I hope are more present in the future books.
The writing itself is seamless. I tried to distinguish the styles but Lynn and Elise write flawlessly together and have weaved a great story with their first novel together.
As for the romance, I'm hoping for a bit more in the sequels. Not that this was disappointing (it wasn't!), buuuut I am hoping for more--something that has undertones throughout the whole book.
Overall, yay! This was everything I expected and I'm glad I enjoyed it so much. I can't wait for book 2!
----
This was fun! I wish there were more new adult novels like this--with magic and fantasy and, I don't know, maybe no college students?
In any case, Society of Wishes is a fun and quick start to a new series I'm so excited to finish. It's got a great, levelheaded main character that you can't help but like. It has fun side characters, some of which I hope are more present in the future books.
The writing itself is seamless. I tried to distinguish the styles but Lynn and Elise write flawlessly together and have weaved a great story with their first novel together.
As for the romance, I'm hoping for a bit more in the sequels. Not that this was disappointing (it wasn't!), buuuut I am hoping for more--something that has undertones throughout the whole book.
Overall, yay! This was everything I expected and I'm glad I enjoyed it so much. I can't wait for book 2!
Want to read
January 27, 2018How did I not know about this??
So far Kova hasn’t let me down (especially that Loom Saga, SO UNDERHYPPED so gimme more!!!
So far Kova hasn’t let me down (especially that Loom Saga, SO UNDERHYPPED so gimme more!!!
August 20, 2020
ANTICLIMATIC. ANTICLIMATIC. ANTICLIMATIC.
I was so happy to start this book, I loOove ELise Kova works, I did not even start the last volume of The alchemist of Loom, because I adore it so very much that I do not want to part with the story just yet.
I know she is the building type, the first volume is always the hors-d'oeuvre, it opens your appetite for more, and the "more" is always fantastical but this book my dude.... I finished it and can not still tell you what the purpose of the book is ! Why did she write this story ? WHAT IS THE STORYLINE ?
I just said that I do not know what the purpose of the book is, and actually I lied, I know but I can not still admit to it, it is so ridiculous regarding the content of the book. THiS is not a fantasy book, in the sense that it does not aim at having you follow our heros ADVENTURES & antics. This book does not exist to tell you of a fantastic journey, it is a LOVE STORY in a fantasy world !
A LOVE STORY ?!!! And I did not know that until the last 10 pages ! I did not know what it is that I was supposed to read, what the hell this book was fuckin' about, I turned pages after pages, very very patiently, because in Elise Kova I trust, and I can not still believe that THIS is supposed to be a romance ?!! I am appalled!
Let me explain you why! So there is this girl supposedly 19 (14 max in her head & lets remember that is NOT a YA but a NA book), who hacks for a living, she is working with the Yakuza to break into THE BANK, the Big bad Cops learn of it, they attack her QG, the friend she is working with is shot down with bullets, she starts making circles with his blood remembering something her grandma told her about wishes. Here happens a guy, Snow, he grants her her wish(save friend & family) in exchange for her life & magic.
NOW LETS appreciate how this ROMANCE unfolds:
X Bim. She finds herself in the Society of Wishes HQ, destined to live with other wizards. Snow explains to her once at the very start of the wishes system. She hints in her head at finding him attractive.
X He shouts at her for her escapade that will may be break hell in the all world. At 65% of the book
X ENd of book: She corrected her screw-up without telling him, he forgives her, and he, the cold dark man, suddenly want to show her a very tragic part of his life : how he makes wishes real. Thats all very dramatic, full of him having his expression changes when looking at her, and her wanting to be close to him.
END. That WAS the romance building. That WAS the love story this book is supposed to tell us. And this is the ALL amount of exchanges they HAVE. For 200 pages, she was just hacking left and right, building friendships, fucking once with another guy.
ANd for me, this is tragic, because it has so much potential to be a good fantasy book, but she chooses to build her story without hurdle to overcome, without big evil to fight, things to conquer on any level, a story without a story to tell. This book had a fantastic premice, and it fells completely flat because no story was told. I turned pages after pages, waiting to understand where this story with wizards forever stuck between two worlds making wishes real, go , what are the stakes ? Book what story are you trying to tell me ... I turned page after page for a story wich did not exist, to understand at the very very end, that this non-story was a love story all along with ZERO building, just shoved down our throat like that. Where we more or less understand that she is may be a reincarnation of his love. But where was the building for this ? If you want to make a LOVE story, even if the love building should not be over-bearing, it should at least EXIST, or the mystery around it built, hinted at, have the two hero of your story INTERACT !
I never EVER read a love story with three interactions, and only one which was a real interaction, that the author decided to sell us as them being basically completely entraced by each other in matter of minutes. SO mushy mushy , nonsensically mushy !
" Snow seemed startled, unsure even. He stared down at her with those steely eyes that suddenly felt as though they were seeing a new corner of her very essence. A place Jo hadn’t even known existed before that moment."
"She felt the muscles of his chest tense under her knuckles. Snow’s hands rose, no doubt about to push her away. Jo uncurled her fingers. She had at least a little bit of dignity; she wasn’t going to force herself on someone who very clearly did not want her touch.
His hands closed around hers, holding her there. With the wrapping of those long, elegant fingers, it felt as if he’d woven a spell across her whole body. Jo swallowed hard.
Would her heart ever catch a break around this man?"
"Jo had never felt a man stare at her with such intent. It wasn’t like some creepy stalker, and wasn’t like Wayne’s eyes, seeing her body first when his own hungered. These were the eyes of someone who was taking in every detail, cataloging it, storing it for a memory that would be cherished."
Thats not often that I feel like a book made me lose my time, because usually I am clever enough to dnf it before that, but I trusted the author way too much, until the very end, and I was not rewarded for it ...
I was so happy to start this book, I loOove ELise Kova works, I did not even start the last volume of The alchemist of Loom, because I adore it so very much that I do not want to part with the story just yet.
I know she is the building type, the first volume is always the hors-d'oeuvre, it opens your appetite for more, and the "more" is always fantastical but this book my dude.... I finished it and can not still tell you what the purpose of the book is ! Why did she write this story ? WHAT IS THE STORYLINE ?
I just said that I do not know what the purpose of the book is, and actually I lied, I know but I can not still admit to it, it is so ridiculous regarding the content of the book. THiS is not a fantasy book, in the sense that it does not aim at having you follow our heros ADVENTURES & antics. This book does not exist to tell you of a fantastic journey, it is a LOVE STORY in a fantasy world !
A LOVE STORY ?!!! And I did not know that until the last 10 pages ! I did not know what it is that I was supposed to read, what the hell this book was fuckin' about, I turned pages after pages, very very patiently, because in Elise Kova I trust, and I can not still believe that THIS is supposed to be a romance ?!! I am appalled!
Let me explain you why! So there is this girl supposedly 19 (14 max in her head & lets remember that is NOT a YA but a NA book), who hacks for a living, she is working with the Yakuza to break into THE BANK, the Big bad Cops learn of it, they attack her QG, the friend she is working with is shot down with bullets, she starts making circles with his blood remembering something her grandma told her about wishes. Here happens a guy, Snow, he grants her her wish(save friend & family) in exchange for her life & magic.
NOW LETS appreciate how this ROMANCE unfolds:
X Bim. She finds herself in the Society of Wishes HQ, destined to live with other wizards. Snow explains to her once at the very start of the wishes system. She hints in her head at finding him attractive.
X He shouts at her for her escapade that will may be break hell in the all world. At 65% of the book
X ENd of book: She corrected her screw-up without telling him, he forgives her, and he, the cold dark man, suddenly want to show her a very tragic part of his life : how he makes wishes real. Thats all very dramatic, full of him having his expression changes when looking at her, and her wanting to be close to him.
END. That WAS the romance building. That WAS the love story this book is supposed to tell us. And this is the ALL amount of exchanges they HAVE. For 200 pages, she was just hacking left and right, building friendships, fucking once with another guy.
ANd for me, this is tragic, because it has so much potential to be a good fantasy book, but she chooses to build her story without hurdle to overcome, without big evil to fight, things to conquer on any level, a story without a story to tell. This book had a fantastic premice, and it fells completely flat because no story was told. I turned pages after pages, waiting to understand where this story with wizards forever stuck between two worlds making wishes real, go , what are the stakes ? Book what story are you trying to tell me ... I turned page after page for a story wich did not exist, to understand at the very very end, that this non-story was a love story all along with ZERO building, just shoved down our throat like that. Where we more or less understand that she is may be a reincarnation of his love. But where was the building for this ? If you want to make a LOVE story, even if the love building should not be over-bearing, it should at least EXIST, or the mystery around it built, hinted at, have the two hero of your story INTERACT !
I never EVER read a love story with three interactions, and only one which was a real interaction, that the author decided to sell us as them being basically completely entraced by each other in matter of minutes. SO mushy mushy , nonsensically mushy !
" Snow seemed startled, unsure even. He stared down at her with those steely eyes that suddenly felt as though they were seeing a new corner of her very essence. A place Jo hadn’t even known existed before that moment."
"She felt the muscles of his chest tense under her knuckles. Snow’s hands rose, no doubt about to push her away. Jo uncurled her fingers. She had at least a little bit of dignity; she wasn’t going to force herself on someone who very clearly did not want her touch.
His hands closed around hers, holding her there. With the wrapping of those long, elegant fingers, it felt as if he’d woven a spell across her whole body. Jo swallowed hard.
Would her heart ever catch a break around this man?"
"Jo had never felt a man stare at her with such intent. It wasn’t like some creepy stalker, and wasn’t like Wayne’s eyes, seeing her body first when his own hungered. These were the eyes of someone who was taking in every detail, cataloging it, storing it for a memory that would be cherished."
Thats not often that I feel like a book made me lose my time, because usually I am clever enough to dnf it before that, but I trusted the author way too much, until the very end, and I was not rewarded for it ...
October 20, 2019
So. I love Elise Kova. I've reread the Air Awakens series like five times already and I just recently read The Alchemists of Loom and I enjoyed that one as well so I decided to go all in and get more of her books. The verdict is in, this was not very good.
I have read the entire series and I'll say that it makes no sense, it took four? books for that ending? something that could have been figured out in book two. Then I just didn't get the whole point of the society, I wish it had another premise (pun intended).
I also didn't really like the secondary characters, I didn't connect with any of them and there were like five of them! Nary a one. They all seemed like caricatures. I needed more depth honestly. Even Snow left me wanting.
I want to read the sequel for the Air Awakens series so I hope that delivers.
I have read the entire series and I'll say that it makes no sense, it took four? books for that ending? something that could have been figured out in book two. Then I just didn't get the whole point of the society, I wish it had another premise (pun intended).
I also didn't really like the secondary characters, I didn't connect with any of them and there were like five of them! Nary a one. They all seemed like caricatures. I needed more depth honestly. Even Snow left me wanting.
I want to read the sequel for the Air Awakens series so I hope that delivers.
January 9, 2018
I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
The first part of a quartet of books was a delightful collaboration between two authors! Elise Kova and Lynn Larsh manage to create a worldbuilding good enough in order to support the upcoming books. Jo is a hacker who lives in a world which has suffered the Third WW.
She makes do by taking on jobs that are dangerous along with her friend Yuusuke. When a job leads them both to their deaths Jo will invoke the power of a man (being?) strong enough to grant her a wish. And thus Jo begins her new life as a member of the Society of Wishes.
There is a good and diverse cast which will appeal even to the most demanding. Truly this book was a journey through time, space and the multiverse, as Jo tried to understand her new powers and make new friends. I really liked Wayne and Elsar and I can't wrap my mind around Snow and who he really is.
The good part is that all the books will be published on 2018 so I won't have time to wonder for long! As a new attempt for Elise to step into the urban fantasy, time travel genre she made it quite well. And for Lynn to debut through this series, I truly can't wait to also read more from her!
The first part of a quartet of books was a delightful collaboration between two authors! Elise Kova and Lynn Larsh manage to create a worldbuilding good enough in order to support the upcoming books. Jo is a hacker who lives in a world which has suffered the Third WW.
She makes do by taking on jobs that are dangerous along with her friend Yuusuke. When a job leads them both to their deaths Jo will invoke the power of a man (being?) strong enough to grant her a wish. And thus Jo begins her new life as a member of the Society of Wishes.
There is a good and diverse cast which will appeal even to the most demanding. Truly this book was a journey through time, space and the multiverse, as Jo tried to understand her new powers and make new friends. I really liked Wayne and Elsar and I can't wrap my mind around Snow and who he really is.
The good part is that all the books will be published on 2018 so I won't have time to wonder for long! As a new attempt for Elise to step into the urban fantasy, time travel genre she made it quite well. And for Lynn to debut through this series, I truly can't wait to also read more from her!
December 24, 2017
When enjoying Aladdin and other wish-granting tales, I've always wondered who "paid" for the wishes that are granted. In Society of Wishes, Elise and Lynn team up to show us. I loved the premise of the book, loved the under girding narrative that reality is what we envision, nothing more--that we invent our own reality (which I believe. It's the magic that language is). And since we invent it, we have the power to change it, too.
Unfortunately, it took a while for me to like Jo, the main female protagonist. The first scenes, we are with her and a really good friend of hers. She tells us, but can't show us, why she likes the friend and would give up her very existence for him. But being told but never shown, didn't cause me to get attached to the friend. Said friend is the plot mechanism that causes Jo to "act out" in her new existence, but again, it felt shallow because I never felt one way or another about the friend--he felt flat as characters go.
The pacing also felt a bit slow, especially at the beginning. For example, we begin with an action-packed first scene with Jo and her really good friend being fired at by cops of sorts. Then she makes a wish and is taken to The Society, where the action stalls. We meet a few of the players in the new environment, but going on a tour of a place I didn't yet understand, confused me. Then we meet some more folks, and so on. But it's a lot of Jo missing home.
Jo's adventure with Wayne was a nice change, although their "encounter" confused me a bit. It felt like they had an opportunity to blow off some pent up sexual energy, but it wasn't clear why they needed to, as nothing else of significance happened between the two of them. It just said Jo and Wayne didn't do anything together for the next month other than perhaps catch a nightcap together. So that part felt incomplete. Perhaps it's laying a foundation for the rest of the series, but I wanted to see something more develop between Jo and SOMEONE else. But I came up dry.
I am interested to see what might develop between Jo and Snow, the leader of The Society. Lots of hints were dropped that things might well develop, but that's all, hints.
By the end of book one, Jo is starting to finally accept her new situation based upon time and liking most of the people she's now with. This series has lots of potential, but I was disappointed that the first book felt as though nothing actually happened. I look forward to the next installment.
Unfortunately, it took a while for me to like Jo, the main female protagonist. The first scenes, we are with her and a really good friend of hers. She tells us, but can't show us, why she likes the friend and would give up her very existence for him. But being told but never shown, didn't cause me to get attached to the friend. Said friend is the plot mechanism that causes Jo to "act out" in her new existence, but again, it felt shallow because I never felt one way or another about the friend--he felt flat as characters go.
The pacing also felt a bit slow, especially at the beginning. For example, we begin with an action-packed first scene with Jo and her really good friend being fired at by cops of sorts. Then she makes a wish and is taken to The Society, where the action stalls. We meet a few of the players in the new environment, but going on a tour of a place I didn't yet understand, confused me. Then we meet some more folks, and so on. But it's a lot of Jo missing home.
Jo's adventure with Wayne was a nice change, although their "encounter" confused me a bit. It felt like they had an opportunity to blow off some pent up sexual energy, but it wasn't clear why they needed to, as nothing else of significance happened between the two of them. It just said Jo and Wayne didn't do anything together for the next month other than perhaps catch a nightcap together. So that part felt incomplete. Perhaps it's laying a foundation for the rest of the series, but I wanted to see something more develop between Jo and SOMEONE else. But I came up dry.
I am interested to see what might develop between Jo and Snow, the leader of The Society. Lots of hints were dropped that things might well develop, but that's all, hints.
By the end of book one, Jo is starting to finally accept her new situation based upon time and liking most of the people she's now with. This series has lots of potential, but I was disappointed that the first book felt as though nothing actually happened. I look forward to the next installment.
May 11, 2021
I received a free copy for an honest review.
Let me start off this review with a little story.
Elise Kova, the author of this book released the first ARC version for this book in December 2017. I also received that version, but before I got a chance to finish it, she updated it to a newer version. She actually reviewed the feedbacks carefully, enough to entirely upgrade and almost re-writing the entire book.
I want to praise her for this because her action is a great role model for many writers out there: don’t be afraid of reviews. They can be intimidating, but they are there to help. Use it to your advantage. This was the whole point of ARCs. The only reason it’s given out in “advance” is so that the reviewers can maybe point out possible adjustments just in time for the author to fix and improve.
I know there are other authors out there who does this (I’ve witnessed no more than three for me personally though), but I just want to give this a shout-out because how much respect I have for her for doing this, and I feel like this is a great example for other authors to look up to if they ever feel uncomfortable reading reviews. Elise Kova was already one of my favorite authors, but this specific event just made me love her more.
Just like how Elise is busy improving her book from all the feedback she got, Society of Wishes is basically a story of someone constantly trying to fix her mistakes through time, magic, and dimensional manipulation. Society of Wishes dives into a type of story-telling that has been proven many times as the downfall of many artist and creators due to how tricky it is: the concept of time and worlds...
Read complete review here.
Let me start off this review with a little story.
Elise Kova, the author of this book released the first ARC version for this book in December 2017. I also received that version, but before I got a chance to finish it, she updated it to a newer version. She actually reviewed the feedbacks carefully, enough to entirely upgrade and almost re-writing the entire book.
I want to praise her for this because her action is a great role model for many writers out there: don’t be afraid of reviews. They can be intimidating, but they are there to help. Use it to your advantage. This was the whole point of ARCs. The only reason it’s given out in “advance” is so that the reviewers can maybe point out possible adjustments just in time for the author to fix and improve.
I know there are other authors out there who does this (I’ve witnessed no more than three for me personally though), but I just want to give this a shout-out because how much respect I have for her for doing this, and I feel like this is a great example for other authors to look up to if they ever feel uncomfortable reading reviews. Elise Kova was already one of my favorite authors, but this specific event just made me love her more.
Just like how Elise is busy improving her book from all the feedback she got, Society of Wishes is basically a story of someone constantly trying to fix her mistakes through time, magic, and dimensional manipulation. Society of Wishes dives into a type of story-telling that has been proven many times as the downfall of many artist and creators due to how tricky it is: the concept of time and worlds...
Read complete review here.
April 9, 2019
2.5... It took time to grow on me. However, by the end, I was intrigued enough to want to read the next book. We'll see how that goes
February 7, 2018
To see more reviews, considering taking a peek at my first in series YA book blog here
3 solid stars
An intricate and fascinating debut to Kova and Larsh's new urban fantasy series!
Society of wishes weaves a tale about, simply put, a magic club that exists outside of time and space, fostered by the force of parallel dimensions and what could be and what is.
Our Main character, Jo (Josephina) is a jaded and talented hacker in the year 2058. she makes a wish to save her friend after a botched job, and sacrifices her existence to The Society. It is made up of 7 members who alter the flow of events of the world based on the wishes they grant.
Society of Wishes is a good start to the series, however, only gives us the most basic of details but about the world and the characters. I had many MANY questions aside from the obvious mysteries the authors have made clear we are not to be given just yet.
Who is allowed to make wishes?
Who knows about how to make wishes?
Why does the society grant wishes in the first place?
Is being a part of society a method of punishment/atonement/reward for the members' granted wishes?
How does this living out of time and space really work and why did it start.
Are there other societies?
Tell me about the elves dang it!
My biggest peeve in this book was the romance. I wasn't really sure in which direction it was going. It felt like it was on the back burner, which is fine- considering Jo's circumstances, but instead it was hinted at with many characters and poorly done in my opinion. Honestly the book could have done without up till the the last couple scenes near the end.
I mean I think I know who the love interest is, and if it's who we believe it to be by the end, you're going to be left like a new Yorker in the middle of an Iowan cornfield. What the hell? Where did that came from? Where did these emotions come from? You've met him like twice!? WHERE DID THIS POTENTIALLY BUDDING ROMANCE EVEN COME FROM. I'm so confused I don't even know whether to call it insta-love or not.
Jo had many more positive and heart warming experiences with other members of the society, yet it seems the romance is going in the direction of her falling in love with the character she has the least amount of interaction and things in common with.
Also that steamy hotel scene, came out of no where and was quite unnecessary given that there was no build up to it. Feelings aren't magic. you can't bippity boppity boo them into existence in 5 seconds. THEY NEED TO BE BUILT ON EXPERIENCES.
Despite my conflict with the romance a d many questions, Society of Wishes was hard to put down. The prose was eloquent and felt appropriate for each character based on the time period they were born in.
I am not familiar with Larsh's writing, but I am familiar with Kova and her incredible world building and characters. While book 1 felt like a mild introduction and a basic highly predictable plot within the realm of urban fantsy, I have faith and ardently hope that the characters-aside from Wayne and Jo- get more depth and personality. Especially the elf. I like him.
Recommended for anyone with a love of fantasy and technology. This book begins the melding of these two genres in what I expect to be a mind-blowing and emotional quartet!
3 solid stars
An intricate and fascinating debut to Kova and Larsh's new urban fantasy series!
Society of wishes weaves a tale about, simply put, a magic club that exists outside of time and space, fostered by the force of parallel dimensions and what could be and what is.
Our Main character, Jo (Josephina) is a jaded and talented hacker in the year 2058. she makes a wish to save her friend after a botched job, and sacrifices her existence to The Society. It is made up of 7 members who alter the flow of events of the world based on the wishes they grant.
Society of Wishes is a good start to the series, however, only gives us the most basic of details but about the world and the characters. I had many MANY questions aside from the obvious mysteries the authors have made clear we are not to be given just yet.
Who is allowed to make wishes?
Who knows about how to make wishes?
Why does the society grant wishes in the first place?
Is being a part of society a method of punishment/atonement/reward for the members' granted wishes?
How does this living out of time and space really work and why did it start.
Are there other societies?
Tell me about the elves dang it!
My biggest peeve in this book was the romance. I wasn't really sure in which direction it was going. It felt like it was on the back burner, which is fine- considering Jo's circumstances, but instead it was hinted at with many characters and poorly done in my opinion. Honestly the book could have done without up till the the last couple scenes near the end.
I mean I think I know who the love interest is, and if it's who we believe it to be by the end, you're going to be left like a new Yorker in the middle of an Iowan cornfield. What the hell? Where did that came from? Where did these emotions come from? You've met him like twice!? WHERE DID THIS POTENTIALLY BUDDING ROMANCE EVEN COME FROM. I'm so confused I don't even know whether to call it insta-love or not.
Jo had many more positive and heart warming experiences with other members of the society, yet it seems the romance is going in the direction of her falling in love with the character she has the least amount of interaction and things in common with.
Also that steamy hotel scene, came out of no where and was quite unnecessary given that there was no build up to it. Feelings aren't magic. you can't bippity boppity boo them into existence in 5 seconds. THEY NEED TO BE BUILT ON EXPERIENCES.
Despite my conflict with the romance a d many questions, Society of Wishes was hard to put down. The prose was eloquent and felt appropriate for each character based on the time period they were born in.
I am not familiar with Larsh's writing, but I am familiar with Kova and her incredible world building and characters. While book 1 felt like a mild introduction and a basic highly predictable plot within the realm of urban fantsy, I have faith and ardently hope that the characters-aside from Wayne and Jo- get more depth and personality. Especially the elf. I like him.
Recommended for anyone with a love of fantasy and technology. This book begins the melding of these two genres in what I expect to be a mind-blowing and emotional quartet!
April 28, 2020
“Women can create life. Women can tend the fires of the hearth and fight in the wars to defend them.”
i liked this one but i didnt love it. i liked the the dynamic between the charracters and the society members it is full of tension and chemistry and fits perfectly. there are many secrets that makes you wonder outloud and a lot of tiny bits of information that makes you heart aching for more information. i liked the worldbuilding , the setup , the charracters and their friendship / relationships. But it isnt a love , i dont really know what it is but it just isnt a love for me. But great read for in between.
i liked this one but i didnt love it. i liked the the dynamic between the charracters and the society members it is full of tension and chemistry and fits perfectly. there are many secrets that makes you wonder outloud and a lot of tiny bits of information that makes you heart aching for more information. i liked the worldbuilding , the setup , the charracters and their friendship / relationships. But it isnt a love , i dont really know what it is but it just isnt a love for me. But great read for in between.
February 12, 2018
I ended up reading this a little later than I originally intended because of the huge slump I have been in, I really wanted to give this book a fair shot, so decided to read it when I was out of it, and I am so glad I did! I absolutely loved this book and I cannot wait for the next instalment to this series!
I'm going to start with the opening line to this story, and not even the entire line - "It was hotter than Satan's tit outside..." - I was not expecting an opening like this and I just burst out laughing. I always think its a great sign when the opening line is one that is interesting/funny because it definitely hooked me into the story and it showed promise for the rest of the book. The opening scenes in general were extremely interesting and had enough information as to what was going on to keep the reader in the know, but still held enough mystery to make me want to know what was going to happen next and to know why they were doing what they were doing. The beginning hooked me into the story and I stayed hooked throughout.
I loved the characters in this book! Each and every character is unique and had their own voices. and they all brought something to the story that added to it in a unique way. I really felt like I could relate to Jo (the MC) and I was invested in her story and what was going to happen next, and how she was going to handle with the different situations that she was put into. She was an extremely likeable character, despite some of her character flaws, which made me want to go back to the book when I was doing something else.
What I also enjoyed about these characters was the fact that they each retained something from their own time period (because they all come from different periods in time - it is clear in the book why when you read it), which helped to keep the characters' voices unique. While we only got snippets of each an every characters' pasts (aside from Wayne's), it was nice to see the authors keeping things in keeping with the character's times, despite the fact that a lot of them are really really old. The world has completely changed since their timelines and it was a unique twist to have them keeping up with the new, as well as keeping the old.
As mentioned above, we did get to see more of Wayne's history because of the connection he had with Jo. Whilst I don't want to give too much away, I thought it was a clever use and twist of actual historical events that made up Wayne's past and the reasoning behind why history went down the way in which it did. I'd be interested to know if they use this technique with other characters' pasts, and if yes, how they will twist and turn history.
Whilst I enjoyed the connection that Jo and Wayne shared and everything that went down between them (more on that if you read the book), I definitely gravitated toward Snow as the main love interested (which is currently not a ship... yet). I gravitated toward his character anyway because he is so mysterious and his past is not at all clear, but I felt more of a pull toward him when it became clear that he and Jo are somehow connected. I am definitely looking forward to seeing how they are connected in future books and what exactly his deal is. I definitely feel more of a pull toward his character and I really really want to get to know him more.
The world building was done extremely well in this book as well. It was easy to visualise what the authors wanted us to see, especially as the rules of magic became clearer. I liked the fact that magic had certain rules and regulations that needed to be followed, and when they weren't, something happened (don't want to go into too much detail about what). It was also a fun twist on the concept of magic that it wasn't always helpful in the way that we know magic to be. Some things were actually made harder, this is something you don't normally expect from magic.
I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. Between he mystery surrounding the Society and the characters, rules regulations etc. To what Jo was planning to do and how she did it - I constantly felt the need to pick the book back up when I put it down. I definitely gravitated toward the characters and I cannot wait to find out more about them and their pasts (One thing I didn't mention is that Pan reminded me of a gender reversed Peter Pan... but that might just be me and my imagination). I absolutely cannot wait for the next instalment and gave this book 5/5 stars.
I'm going to start with the opening line to this story, and not even the entire line - "It was hotter than Satan's tit outside..." - I was not expecting an opening like this and I just burst out laughing. I always think its a great sign when the opening line is one that is interesting/funny because it definitely hooked me into the story and it showed promise for the rest of the book. The opening scenes in general were extremely interesting and had enough information as to what was going on to keep the reader in the know, but still held enough mystery to make me want to know what was going to happen next and to know why they were doing what they were doing. The beginning hooked me into the story and I stayed hooked throughout.
I loved the characters in this book! Each and every character is unique and had their own voices. and they all brought something to the story that added to it in a unique way. I really felt like I could relate to Jo (the MC) and I was invested in her story and what was going to happen next, and how she was going to handle with the different situations that she was put into. She was an extremely likeable character, despite some of her character flaws, which made me want to go back to the book when I was doing something else.
What I also enjoyed about these characters was the fact that they each retained something from their own time period (because they all come from different periods in time - it is clear in the book why when you read it), which helped to keep the characters' voices unique. While we only got snippets of each an every characters' pasts (aside from Wayne's), it was nice to see the authors keeping things in keeping with the character's times, despite the fact that a lot of them are really really old. The world has completely changed since their timelines and it was a unique twist to have them keeping up with the new, as well as keeping the old.
As mentioned above, we did get to see more of Wayne's history because of the connection he had with Jo. Whilst I don't want to give too much away, I thought it was a clever use and twist of actual historical events that made up Wayne's past and the reasoning behind why history went down the way in which it did. I'd be interested to know if they use this technique with other characters' pasts, and if yes, how they will twist and turn history.
Whilst I enjoyed the connection that Jo and Wayne shared and everything that went down between them (more on that if you read the book), I definitely gravitated toward Snow as the main love interested (which is currently not a ship... yet). I gravitated toward his character anyway because he is so mysterious and his past is not at all clear, but I felt more of a pull toward him when it became clear that he and Jo are somehow connected. I am definitely looking forward to seeing how they are connected in future books and what exactly his deal is. I definitely feel more of a pull toward his character and I really really want to get to know him more.
The world building was done extremely well in this book as well. It was easy to visualise what the authors wanted us to see, especially as the rules of magic became clearer. I liked the fact that magic had certain rules and regulations that needed to be followed, and when they weren't, something happened (don't want to go into too much detail about what). It was also a fun twist on the concept of magic that it wasn't always helpful in the way that we know magic to be. Some things were actually made harder, this is something you don't normally expect from magic.
I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. Between he mystery surrounding the Society and the characters, rules regulations etc. To what Jo was planning to do and how she did it - I constantly felt the need to pick the book back up when I put it down. I definitely gravitated toward the characters and I cannot wait to find out more about them and their pasts (One thing I didn't mention is that Pan reminded me of a gender reversed Peter Pan... but that might just be me and my imagination). I absolutely cannot wait for the next instalment and gave this book 5/5 stars.
February 18, 2018
Same Review Also Posted On My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
Elise Kova is one of my favorite YA fantasy authors and I was so disappointed with this book. I was really very excited to read it because It was her new series which sounded quite intriguing and It also has Jinns. I just can’t resist books with Jinn. I loved her Air Awakens series and also The Alchemists of the Loom saga but this was one was a huge disappointment. While reading this book, I was wondering “is this really her book” because it really has a great concept but the story’s execution felt pretty much dull to me. Honestly, It wasn’t really great as her previous works and the romance was totally meh. Adding to that, the protagonist didn’t impress me much either. This was actually Elise’s debut in urban fantasy and also her first collaboration with another author maybe the problem lies in that, I’m really not sure but I really hope the sequel is much more improved.
The story follows Nineteen Year old Josephina Espinosa aka Jo who works as an hacker for hire in the Lone Star Republic, a remnant of the fractured U.S.A. One day, she was hired by the Yakuza to break into the Black Bank System but everything goes disastrously wrong when they get busted and gunned down by the government, and her friend Yuusuke gets killed. Jo feels responsible for his death. She suddenly remembers the old magical tale about wish granters her grandma used to tell her when she was young. Without thinking for a second, she completes the ritual and summons a Jinn. Her only wish was to save her friend’s life, but in exchange she had to sacrifice her eternal life and get completely erased from the mortal world.
After Jo’s wish was granted, she’s the newest member of the society of the wishes. She lives in a lavish mansion and meets seven other members like her. The guy who granted her wish is also with them and he was the leader of their group. Jo has a hard time adjusting to her new life when no seems to answer her questions. When she learns that her friend whom she sacrificed her mortal life for is once again heading to the same path, she decides to stop him because her sacrifice would mean nothing if he dies once again. Despite everyone’s warnings, Jo uses her new abilities to help him but even a minute change in the mortal world can bring great consequences. When Jo finally realizes her mistake she decides to make everything right even though everyone forbids her to not to get involved.
I have mixed feelings about our main protagonist, Jo. I liked her sassy and tough personality but when she started to make stupid decisions, she started to seem like an annoying teenager. She’s a badass hacker but I wish she wasn’t too overconfident about her skills. Honestly, She’s really not as amazing as Elise’s other heroines Vhalla and Arianna. The secondary characters were interesting but I wish they were a bit more fleshed out. I wanted to know more about Snow, Nico, Takako, Eslar and Wayne. Everyone seems to have their own stories but no one wants to share them. Seriously, how can you build a connection with the characters if you don’t know anything about them. Snow is one of the major characters but he was barely there in the plot. I like broody mysterious guys but his hot and cold personality towards Jo really irked me. Sometimes he acts like a total douche but sometimes his expressions shows that he has feelings for her which felt major awkward to me. There is a light romance but I didn’t care much about it because it was sort of a insta-lovey thing and here I was expecting a slow burn romance.
The Plot was good but to be honest, it’s a bit predictable and I think it could’ve been executed even better. This book mostly seemed like a prequel because we still don’t know what’s the actual story really about so there’s still hope for this series. The story moved in a fast pace with engaging scenes but it still failed to thrill me. And Argh, that random sex scene was totally awkward. It’s like watching two horny teenagers getting each other off. It seemed like forcing a sex scene into the book to make it a New Adult novel because that scene didn’t bring anything to the plot and it felt unnecessary to me. Another thing that I didn’t like was the single POV. I really would’ve enjoy this book a bit more if it was written in multiple POV. The world building was pretty cool and I want to explore more of the outside world but not the lavish mansion because I had enough of that. The magic in this book is a bit different which is good and I want more of it. I liked the diverse aspect and how every member of the society comes from different regions and worlds.
Overall, it was an okay-ish read! It really has a great concept and intriguing characters but the execution part seemed average to me. However, I still want to give this series another chance and I hope the next book is better than this one.
Elise Kova is one of my favorite YA fantasy authors and I was so disappointed with this book. I was really very excited to read it because It was her new series which sounded quite intriguing and It also has Jinns. I just can’t resist books with Jinn. I loved her Air Awakens series and also The Alchemists of the Loom saga but this was one was a huge disappointment. While reading this book, I was wondering “is this really her book” because it really has a great concept but the story’s execution felt pretty much dull to me. Honestly, It wasn’t really great as her previous works and the romance was totally meh. Adding to that, the protagonist didn’t impress me much either. This was actually Elise’s debut in urban fantasy and also her first collaboration with another author maybe the problem lies in that, I’m really not sure but I really hope the sequel is much more improved.
The story follows Nineteen Year old Josephina Espinosa aka Jo who works as an hacker for hire in the Lone Star Republic, a remnant of the fractured U.S.A. One day, she was hired by the Yakuza to break into the Black Bank System but everything goes disastrously wrong when they get busted and gunned down by the government, and her friend Yuusuke gets killed. Jo feels responsible for his death. She suddenly remembers the old magical tale about wish granters her grandma used to tell her when she was young. Without thinking for a second, she completes the ritual and summons a Jinn. Her only wish was to save her friend’s life, but in exchange she had to sacrifice her eternal life and get completely erased from the mortal world.
After Jo’s wish was granted, she’s the newest member of the society of the wishes. She lives in a lavish mansion and meets seven other members like her. The guy who granted her wish is also with them and he was the leader of their group. Jo has a hard time adjusting to her new life when no seems to answer her questions. When she learns that her friend whom she sacrificed her mortal life for is once again heading to the same path, she decides to stop him because her sacrifice would mean nothing if he dies once again. Despite everyone’s warnings, Jo uses her new abilities to help him but even a minute change in the mortal world can bring great consequences. When Jo finally realizes her mistake she decides to make everything right even though everyone forbids her to not to get involved.
I have mixed feelings about our main protagonist, Jo. I liked her sassy and tough personality but when she started to make stupid decisions, she started to seem like an annoying teenager. She’s a badass hacker but I wish she wasn’t too overconfident about her skills. Honestly, She’s really not as amazing as Elise’s other heroines Vhalla and Arianna. The secondary characters were interesting but I wish they were a bit more fleshed out. I wanted to know more about Snow, Nico, Takako, Eslar and Wayne. Everyone seems to have their own stories but no one wants to share them. Seriously, how can you build a connection with the characters if you don’t know anything about them. Snow is one of the major characters but he was barely there in the plot. I like broody mysterious guys but his hot and cold personality towards Jo really irked me. Sometimes he acts like a total douche but sometimes his expressions shows that he has feelings for her which felt major awkward to me. There is a light romance but I didn’t care much about it because it was sort of a insta-lovey thing and here I was expecting a slow burn romance.
The Plot was good but to be honest, it’s a bit predictable and I think it could’ve been executed even better. This book mostly seemed like a prequel because we still don’t know what’s the actual story really about so there’s still hope for this series. The story moved in a fast pace with engaging scenes but it still failed to thrill me. And Argh, that random sex scene was totally awkward. It’s like watching two horny teenagers getting each other off. It seemed like forcing a sex scene into the book to make it a New Adult novel because that scene didn’t bring anything to the plot and it felt unnecessary to me. Another thing that I didn’t like was the single POV. I really would’ve enjoy this book a bit more if it was written in multiple POV. The world building was pretty cool and I want to explore more of the outside world but not the lavish mansion because I had enough of that. The magic in this book is a bit different which is good and I want more of it. I liked the diverse aspect and how every member of the society comes from different regions and worlds.
Overall, it was an okay-ish read! It really has a great concept and intriguing characters but the execution part seemed average to me. However, I still want to give this series another chance and I hope the next book is better than this one.
October 1, 2020
Oh my god, I don’t know what to say. Ever since I fell in love with Elise Kova’s The Alchemists of Loom (review to follow!), I was highly anticipating the release of Society of Wishes. It almost literally hurts my heart to say that Society of Wishes is, without a doubt, my biggest reading disappointment of 2018. I am devastated, people. DEVASTATED. In all caps.
From ridiculously underdeveloped characters and their superficial relationships to the most awfully executed romantic development I’ve ever encountered, there was nothing in this book that I could emotionally invest in. Regarding the latter, the heroine developed feelings for a pale-as-fuck, inhumanely nonchalant love interest with whom she had, at most, four very brief interactions throughout the entire book. But whatever.
The plot progressed so slowly I had to take multiple breaks in between reading. I was also guilty of largely skimming the passages, if I’m being totally honest. To make matters worse, the story itself wasn’t even rewarding at all! The dialogue made me cringe a lot. There were too many information gaps to fully appreciate what was going on. The magic system, in particular, was frustratingly vague. As I read, I accumulated more questions than answers – some of them being: What is the point of all this? What’s the actual story? What are the stakes? Why should I care about any of these characters? Why is Society of Wishes so shockingly, unexpectedly terrible?
I am scrambling to come up with something remotely positive to say, but my mind keeps drawing a huge blank. On one hand, this is not the worst fantasy novel I’ve ever come across. On the other hand, I already have a digital copy of its sequel, but I am not entirely certain that I’ll ever muster the strength to try reading it because I’m worried I might hate the second book even more. Honestly, skip Society of Wishes altogether and pick up The Alchemists of Loom instead. That’s my two cents.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Society of Wishes from the authors in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Elise Kova and Lynn Larsh! I apologize that it didn’t work out this time.
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From ridiculously underdeveloped characters and their superficial relationships to the most awfully executed romantic development I’ve ever encountered, there was nothing in this book that I could emotionally invest in. Regarding the latter, the heroine developed feelings for a pale-as-fuck, inhumanely nonchalant love interest with whom she had, at most, four very brief interactions throughout the entire book. But whatever.
The plot progressed so slowly I had to take multiple breaks in between reading. I was also guilty of largely skimming the passages, if I’m being totally honest. To make matters worse, the story itself wasn’t even rewarding at all! The dialogue made me cringe a lot. There were too many information gaps to fully appreciate what was going on. The magic system, in particular, was frustratingly vague. As I read, I accumulated more questions than answers – some of them being: What is the point of all this? What’s the actual story? What are the stakes? Why should I care about any of these characters? Why is Society of Wishes so shockingly, unexpectedly terrible?
I am scrambling to come up with something remotely positive to say, but my mind keeps drawing a huge blank. On one hand, this is not the worst fantasy novel I’ve ever come across. On the other hand, I already have a digital copy of its sequel, but I am not entirely certain that I’ll ever muster the strength to try reading it because I’m worried I might hate the second book even more. Honestly, skip Society of Wishes altogether and pick up The Alchemists of Loom instead. That’s my two cents.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Society of Wishes from the authors in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Elise Kova and Lynn Larsh! I apologize that it didn’t work out this time.
🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
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April 16, 2018
Elise Kova has been on my radar for some time. The first book of her Air Awakens series has been on my TBR for some time, and I might actually read it this year now that I own a physical copy. I have also read most of her Loom Saga series (and just need to get my hands on, and read the 3rd and last book). So, when I heard that she’ll be teaming up with Lynn Larsh to start an NA fantasy series (around the same time that I decided that I wanted to read more NA in 2018), I knew that I had to apply for an ARC!
Well, I was accepted, and here we are! Before I get into everything, I just want to say this for readers who might have similar tastes to mine. (I always try to mention this when it happens, so that other readers don’t run into the same issue.) I believe that this will be one of those rare cases for me, where I will like later books in the series more than the first book in the series. And before everyone panics; this is not a bad thing! Kova and Larsh have created a very imaginative and creative setting in Society of Wishes, and the first book was devoted to setting up the rest of the story.
We met Josephina “Jo” Espinosa, and the other members of the Society. There was a lot of world building and explaining that had to go into the first book of the series as well. Despite all of this information that had to be shared with the reader, Kova and Larsh were also able to include an interesting plot (as well as some steaminess! oh my!) I feel like I got to get to know Jo and some of the other characters a little, but am not too worried, since the next book comes out this April (hurry for not having to wait a year for the next one!) I also like how Jo’s culture played a role in the book, and I also need to either make, or find a restaurant that serves sopapillas, because Jo made them sound so tasty!
The e-ARC that I received featured a sneak peek of the next book Circle of Ashes, and I’m very excited to see what happens there. I also found myself thinking about Society of Wishes a lot after finishing it, which is a good sign. I’m definitely hooked, you guys, and I recommend this book to those who enjoy new adult fantasy and super creative and fresh settings and stories!
Well, I was accepted, and here we are! Before I get into everything, I just want to say this for readers who might have similar tastes to mine. (I always try to mention this when it happens, so that other readers don’t run into the same issue.) I believe that this will be one of those rare cases for me, where I will like later books in the series more than the first book in the series. And before everyone panics; this is not a bad thing! Kova and Larsh have created a very imaginative and creative setting in Society of Wishes, and the first book was devoted to setting up the rest of the story.
We met Josephina “Jo” Espinosa, and the other members of the Society. There was a lot of world building and explaining that had to go into the first book of the series as well. Despite all of this information that had to be shared with the reader, Kova and Larsh were also able to include an interesting plot (as well as some steaminess! oh my!) I feel like I got to get to know Jo and some of the other characters a little, but am not too worried, since the next book comes out this April (hurry for not having to wait a year for the next one!) I also like how Jo’s culture played a role in the book, and I also need to either make, or find a restaurant that serves sopapillas, because Jo made them sound so tasty!
The e-ARC that I received featured a sneak peek of the next book Circle of Ashes, and I’m very excited to see what happens there. I also found myself thinking about Society of Wishes a lot after finishing it, which is a good sign. I’m definitely hooked, you guys, and I recommend this book to those who enjoy new adult fantasy and super creative and fresh settings and stories!
February 4, 2018
3.5 stars
Many thanks to the authors for sending me an ARC copy (and apologies for finishing this a couple of days late)
On the whole this was a solid fantasy novel that I really enjoyed. It was good to see the concept of a 'wish' - the ultimate deus ex machina - presented in such a way as to be truly costly to the wisher. The society itself was an interesting set up too. I find techo-magic can be a bit hit and miss for me but the mix of technology and magic power here really worked for me. I didn't immediately warm to Jo as a character but I definitely wanted to know where her journey would lead. I still do and would read the next book. Where it fell down a little for me was that the story wasn't quite self contained enough for my tastes. It really did feel like episode one in a series which meant that aside from Jo and possibly Snow, the characters lacked the sort of depth that I prefer. Normally in a series this sorts itself out as the series progresses but it's helluva gamble and not something I especially like. The pace sagged a bit for me too in the middle and once again I think that was a product of the book being written very much as the first book in a series. Also this reads like YA but there is a sudden and totally non-foreshadowed sex scene between two characters who just don't go together at all mid way through. Having read the whole book I can see where that was leading now but it was very jarring at the time. (Not that there's anything wrong with casual sex between two consenting adults - it was just a bit bizarre!)
However, overall well worth a read and I would read the next in the series.
Many thanks to the authors for sending me an ARC copy (and apologies for finishing this a couple of days late)
On the whole this was a solid fantasy novel that I really enjoyed. It was good to see the concept of a 'wish' - the ultimate deus ex machina - presented in such a way as to be truly costly to the wisher. The society itself was an interesting set up too. I find techo-magic can be a bit hit and miss for me but the mix of technology and magic power here really worked for me. I didn't immediately warm to Jo as a character but I definitely wanted to know where her journey would lead. I still do and would read the next book. Where it fell down a little for me was that the story wasn't quite self contained enough for my tastes. It really did feel like episode one in a series which meant that aside from Jo and possibly Snow, the characters lacked the sort of depth that I prefer. Normally in a series this sorts itself out as the series progresses but it's helluva gamble and not something I especially like. The pace sagged a bit for me too in the middle and once again I think that was a product of the book being written very much as the first book in a series. Also this reads like YA but there is a sudden and totally non-foreshadowed sex scene between two characters who just don't go together at all mid way through. Having read the whole book I can see where that was leading now but it was very jarring at the time. (Not that there's anything wrong with casual sex between two consenting adults - it was just a bit bizarre!)
However, overall well worth a read and I would read the next in the series.
March 18, 2018
Loved the idea. Not crazy about the actual execution. The writing was particularly hard for me as I'm used to Kova's style but this book had another author...and honestly it came off clunky with some odd sentence structures (and some misspellings in my copy). Too bad but I'll watch for Kova's next solo work.
my biggest issue is the "explanation" that is given (or honestly, not given) for basically every aspect, rule and logic of the world and "magic." it didn't come off as teasing me to learn more but rather like the authors themselves didn't know.
PS the use of "doll face" made me cringe so hard EVERY TIME IT WAS USED.
my biggest issue is the "explanation" that is given (or honestly, not given) for basically every aspect, rule and logic of the world and "magic." it didn't come off as teasing me to learn more but rather like the authors themselves didn't know.
PS the use of "doll face" made me cringe so hard EVERY TIME IT WAS USED.
January 15, 2018
I was immediately hooked. Jo is just my kind of heroine. She is super sassy, totally stubborn, and not afraid to voice her opinion. But I also really enjoyed the side characters of the other 'wish granters'. Each one has their own backstory and personality. There was so much action, but what I loved most is that there's this subtle eerieness towards the end. All of a sudden there's this feeling that much more is going on than meets the eyes.
Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the author.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the author.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
March 17, 2018
Coming off fresh from reading The Alchemists of Loom, I was hyped for this book - annnnnd it did not match up to Elise Kova's usual standard. The second half is much better than the first but it really was a bumpy ride at times, plus the writing also not as good usual.
I am sorry to be a downer but this book could have been so much more - the concept was cool, a Latina hacker protagonist with newfound skills of magic in the not so far future? Aw YEAHHHHH. Secret society of wish-granting immortals living in a pocket of reality? AW YEAHHHHHHHHHH.
The problem is that the writing was just terribly uneven and I have the gut feeling that this is due to the collaborative nature of the book. This is a definite step back from the quality of writing in Loom - there were sentences repeated within paragraphs of another ("his expression shifted into focus"), some of the wording was just cringeworthy and clichéd (see the shifting into focus), the character introductions at the beginning were clunky and some of the characterisations were closer to over the top anime figure than immortal beings with magic and eternity on their hands.
My initial rating would have been two stars but there definitely were moments that made up for it - as it said, once the story got going I pretty much read the entire book in one go and there were some lovely character moments that revealed hidden nuances that otherwise were lost in the unusually average writing. I really enjoyed Wayne's moment , it was only then when I started to warm towards him as a character and Eslar's involvement during the final mission was also beautiful. However, these moments were few and far between and I sometimes felt this was more like an anime about a magical girl school or high school host club than actual immortal beings. Especially Snow just came across as mega.. anime. Or a mysterious and broody hero from a Final Fantasy game. Or any JRPG, really.
Like this gentleman (Alucard from Castlevania - Symphony of the Night). I literally could not unsee Snow as a unholy Alucard/Sephiroth/"man-shaped ball of awkwardness" (argh).
I don't even mean to use the description as a negative one (I mean, goodness knows how much money and time I have sunk in Japanese entertainment, digital and in print) but this is the closest description I can come up with, if this makes any sense. I am usually a sucker for secret society, groups with special powers living together settings but something about the Society of Wishes something just felt weirdly off and I cannot put my finger on what exactly made me feel that way. Ah well, not every work can be a masterpiece. I still have the rest of the Loom saga left to enjoy - and I know that in due time, Elise Kova will come up with something else, as she always does. I am looking forward to it.
I am sorry to be a downer but this book could have been so much more - the concept was cool, a Latina hacker protagonist with newfound skills of magic in the not so far future? Aw YEAHHHHH. Secret society of wish-granting immortals living in a pocket of reality? AW YEAHHHHHHHHHH.
The problem is that the writing was just terribly uneven and I have the gut feeling that this is due to the collaborative nature of the book. This is a definite step back from the quality of writing in Loom - there were sentences repeated within paragraphs of another ("his expression shifted into focus"), some of the wording was just cringeworthy and clichéd (see the shifting into focus), the character introductions at the beginning were clunky and some of the characterisations were closer to over the top anime figure than immortal beings with magic and eternity on their hands.
My initial rating would have been two stars but there definitely were moments that made up for it - as it said, once the story got going I pretty much read the entire book in one go and there were some lovely character moments that revealed hidden nuances that otherwise were lost in the unusually average writing. I really enjoyed Wayne's moment , it was only then when I started to warm towards him as a character and Eslar's involvement during the final mission was also beautiful. However, these moments were few and far between and I sometimes felt this was more like an anime about a magical girl school or high school host club than actual immortal beings. Especially Snow just came across as mega.. anime. Or a mysterious and broody hero from a Final Fantasy game. Or any JRPG, really.
Like this gentleman (Alucard from Castlevania - Symphony of the Night). I literally could not unsee Snow as a unholy Alucard/Sephiroth/"man-shaped ball of awkwardness" (argh).
I don't even mean to use the description as a negative one (I mean, goodness knows how much money and time I have sunk in Japanese entertainment, digital and in print) but this is the closest description I can come up with, if this makes any sense. I am usually a sucker for secret society, groups with special powers living together settings but something about the Society of Wishes something just felt weirdly off and I cannot put my finger on what exactly made me feel that way. Ah well, not every work can be a masterpiece. I still have the rest of the Loom saga left to enjoy - and I know that in due time, Elise Kova will come up with something else, as she always does. I am looking forward to it.
February 26, 2018
Urban fantasy is a genre I generally enjoy so of course at the first chance I got I jumped on Society of Wishes. I've always enjoyed Elise's stories and this book was no different.
I have to hand it to the authors. The wish concept to the story was so unique. I've never read anything like it. You could tell a lot of thoughts were put into creating the complex notion. Details, no matter how small, did not escape notice. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the inner workings of granting a wish.
Jo faced a completely new reality when she absentmindedly joined the Society of Wishes. I sympathized with her predicament but I also struggled to feel anything for her. She was such an impulsive character. Her reckless behaviour not only jeopardized herself but also the wellbeing of her new family. At least she had confidence and her survival instincts were commendable. She's growing on me but I just need a little bit more from her.
I enjoyed getting to know the other members of the society. They're all so different but rich in personality and background. I can't wait to learn more about each person. I'm especially curious with what Snow's hiding. His hot and cold attitude has me baited. I have theories.
My one problem with Society of Wishes is how the writing felt odd at times. Almost like the authors were trying too hard to make things fancy. Some wording felt awkward to read- a little out of place but they didn't affect the story in any major way. The pacing was also on the slow side in the beginning though it did eventually pick up with intrigue.
While the start of the book had me struggling to stay focused and inside the story, the last third of it had me hooked. Society of Wishes brings a brand new concept to life and allows the readers to explore the world alongside the main character. Read it!
I have to hand it to the authors. The wish concept to the story was so unique. I've never read anything like it. You could tell a lot of thoughts were put into creating the complex notion. Details, no matter how small, did not escape notice. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the inner workings of granting a wish.
Jo faced a completely new reality when she absentmindedly joined the Society of Wishes. I sympathized with her predicament but I also struggled to feel anything for her. She was such an impulsive character. Her reckless behaviour not only jeopardized herself but also the wellbeing of her new family. At least she had confidence and her survival instincts were commendable. She's growing on me but I just need a little bit more from her.
I enjoyed getting to know the other members of the society. They're all so different but rich in personality and background. I can't wait to learn more about each person. I'm especially curious with what Snow's hiding. His hot and cold attitude has me baited. I have theories.
My one problem with Society of Wishes is how the writing felt odd at times. Almost like the authors were trying too hard to make things fancy. Some wording felt awkward to read- a little out of place but they didn't affect the story in any major way. The pacing was also on the slow side in the beginning though it did eventually pick up with intrigue.
While the start of the book had me struggling to stay focused and inside the story, the last third of it had me hooked. Society of Wishes brings a brand new concept to life and allows the readers to explore the world alongside the main character. Read it!
May 17, 2018
First book I’ve read and finished this year and Elise and Lynn didn’t disappoint! I could not for the life of me put this book down. I kept gravitating towards it every time I was doing something else and prioritised this over my normal daily routine (so well done for prying me away from my gaming haha). Society of Wishes is an absolutely amazing story and concept and I loved every minute of it. The storyline flowed so naturally and every character fitted so perfectly. I loved the mysterious and diverse pool of characters who all had their own unique and loveable personalities. They all fit together like a dysfunctional yet functional family. I am dying for the rest of this magical series and to learn more backstories of the other characters in The Society. Well done, ladies!
April 5, 2018
I guess I'm not that big of a fan of urban fantasy, paranormal and new adult. I've never really been into those genres and I usually stayed away from such books. Still I was curious when Elise had introduced this series because I had high hopes that I was going to enjoy it as much as her previous works.
And I didn't.
That has nothing to do with Elise. She is a true genius with her works and this book wasn't any different. I am intrigued by what she has managed to create with this series so far and how she has been able to come up with all of that. Elise sure know how to surprise me.
It's just my own brain that kept me from enjoying this book more than I intended. My expectations were certainly met despite the fact that I'm not that big a fan of these kind of books. This has such an interesting concept which I've never read in another book before.
Elise, you are a wonder.
And I didn't.
That has nothing to do with Elise. She is a true genius with her works and this book wasn't any different. I am intrigued by what she has managed to create with this series so far and how she has been able to come up with all of that. Elise sure know how to surprise me.
It's just my own brain that kept me from enjoying this book more than I intended. My expectations were certainly met despite the fact that I'm not that big a fan of these kind of books. This has such an interesting concept which I've never read in another book before.
Elise, you are a wonder.
February 6, 2018
A great start to an urban fantasy series.
Jo is a hacker in a dystopian future. She and her partner are caught and cornered by the authorities, her partner is killed and the bullets are firing at her. She makes a wish that none of this happened, and her wish is granted.
There is a secret society of wishes. In order to grant wishes, a price must be paid. For a big wish like Jo’s, the dimension where she exists is destroyed. She is removed from time and now the earth follows an alternative timeline where Jo never existed. She now is training to use her magic to grant wishes.
I loved the premise, loved Jo, loved the setting. It’s a great start and I can’t wait to see where this series goes.
Free on kindle unlimited.
Jo is a hacker in a dystopian future. She and her partner are caught and cornered by the authorities, her partner is killed and the bullets are firing at her. She makes a wish that none of this happened, and her wish is granted.
There is a secret society of wishes. In order to grant wishes, a price must be paid. For a big wish like Jo’s, the dimension where she exists is destroyed. She is removed from time and now the earth follows an alternative timeline where Jo never existed. She now is training to use her magic to grant wishes.
I loved the premise, loved Jo, loved the setting. It’s a great start and I can’t wait to see where this series goes.
Free on kindle unlimited.
June 16, 2018
I’ll write up a full review at some point but I 100% will not be continuing on with this series🤷🏻♀️
June 8, 2018
DNF @ 27%
I lost interest
I lost interest
April 14, 2018
I received a free copy for an honest review.
Let me start off this review with a little story.
Elise Kova, the author of this book released the first ARC version for this book in December 2017. I also received that version, but before I got a chance to finish it, she updated it to a newer version. She actually reviewed the feedbacks carefully, enough to entirely upgrade and almost re-writing the entire book.
I want to praise her for this because her action is a great role model for many writers out there: don’t be afraid of reviews. They can be intimidating, but they are there to help. Use it to your advantage. This was the whole point of ARCs. The only reason it’s given out in “advance” is so that the reviewers can maybe point out possible adjustments just in time for the author to fix and improve.
I know there are other authors out there who does this (I’ve witnessed no more than three for me personally though), but I just want to give this a shout-out because how much respect I have for her for doing this, and I feel like this is a great example for other authors to look up to if they ever feel uncomfortable reading reviews. Elise Kova was already one of my favorite authors, but this specific event just made me love her more.
Just like how Elise is busy improving her book from all the feedback she got, Society of Wishes is basically a story of someone constantly trying to fix her mistakes through time, magic, and dimensional manipulation. Society of Wishes dives into a type of story-telling that has been proven many times as the downfall of many artist and creators due to how tricky it is: the concept of time and worlds. The key to writing a good urban fantasy story with contents like this is simple: clear explanations that allow readers to understand, and to make your story/series arc ten times more obvious because it would not be running in the normal time flow and order.
This concept also corresponds to other genres. For example, genres such as espionage and mystery must be very careful of their story pace because the genre itself already required a slower pace than normal. Due to the fact that truths and hints can only be unraveled one layer at a time in order to maintain the mystery factor and to not give away everything too quickly or easily.
In this book though, the story arc was a little bit too weak for me, it was not really clear. I first suspected that when I already went over the half of the book but still don’t know what the book is really about. But I confirmed it after I finished the book and still felt like I don't know clearly what the story arc is, and what is the core problem that the story should've revolved around. Normally, after I finished a book, I can clearly visualize an arc (literally an actual physical arc, like a hill with bullet points on it, leading up to a clear climax) that shows how the story is built up to that one core problem of the story. This problem is not bad enough for me to say that the author is completely off the mark, but it’s just something I feel (and is really having trouble explaining, so I’m really sorry if this is not as clear as I had hoped).
However, this can be viewed as a good thing and a bad thing. My reviewer side clearly sees this as a negative factor, but if I look at this point from the perspective of a reader that just want to enjoy a story, good or bad, I actually like this. It’s because this story focuses so much on introducing the characters and explaining the world that caused the story to prioritize less on a single core problem that stories usually revolves around. But because there’s not core problem and this book focused so much on introduction, I can just relax and enjoy the world of this book, and not have to worry too much on some world-ending problem. In fact, I’ll go ahead and say that the whole purpose of this book is to just get the readers warm up for the series.
Either way, there is one clear thing both my reviewer side and bookworm side agrees: this is one hell of a very enjoyable book. This is while all things aside, I actually really love this book (and its idea), and I'm very excited to read and continue the journey of this series. Elise did not disappoint.
Let me start off this review with a little story.
Elise Kova, the author of this book released the first ARC version for this book in December 2017. I also received that version, but before I got a chance to finish it, she updated it to a newer version. She actually reviewed the feedbacks carefully, enough to entirely upgrade and almost re-writing the entire book.
I want to praise her for this because her action is a great role model for many writers out there: don’t be afraid of reviews. They can be intimidating, but they are there to help. Use it to your advantage. This was the whole point of ARCs. The only reason it’s given out in “advance” is so that the reviewers can maybe point out possible adjustments just in time for the author to fix and improve.
I know there are other authors out there who does this (I’ve witnessed no more than three for me personally though), but I just want to give this a shout-out because how much respect I have for her for doing this, and I feel like this is a great example for other authors to look up to if they ever feel uncomfortable reading reviews. Elise Kova was already one of my favorite authors, but this specific event just made me love her more.
Just like how Elise is busy improving her book from all the feedback she got, Society of Wishes is basically a story of someone constantly trying to fix her mistakes through time, magic, and dimensional manipulation. Society of Wishes dives into a type of story-telling that has been proven many times as the downfall of many artist and creators due to how tricky it is: the concept of time and worlds. The key to writing a good urban fantasy story with contents like this is simple: clear explanations that allow readers to understand, and to make your story/series arc ten times more obvious because it would not be running in the normal time flow and order.
This concept also corresponds to other genres. For example, genres such as espionage and mystery must be very careful of their story pace because the genre itself already required a slower pace than normal. Due to the fact that truths and hints can only be unraveled one layer at a time in order to maintain the mystery factor and to not give away everything too quickly or easily.
In this book though, the story arc was a little bit too weak for me, it was not really clear. I first suspected that when I already went over the half of the book but still don’t know what the book is really about. But I confirmed it after I finished the book and still felt like I don't know clearly what the story arc is, and what is the core problem that the story should've revolved around. Normally, after I finished a book, I can clearly visualize an arc (literally an actual physical arc, like a hill with bullet points on it, leading up to a clear climax) that shows how the story is built up to that one core problem of the story. This problem is not bad enough for me to say that the author is completely off the mark, but it’s just something I feel (and is really having trouble explaining, so I’m really sorry if this is not as clear as I had hoped).
However, this can be viewed as a good thing and a bad thing. My reviewer side clearly sees this as a negative factor, but if I look at this point from the perspective of a reader that just want to enjoy a story, good or bad, I actually like this. It’s because this story focuses so much on introducing the characters and explaining the world that caused the story to prioritize less on a single core problem that stories usually revolves around. But because there’s not core problem and this book focused so much on introduction, I can just relax and enjoy the world of this book, and not have to worry too much on some world-ending problem. In fact, I’ll go ahead and say that the whole purpose of this book is to just get the readers warm up for the series.
Either way, there is one clear thing both my reviewer side and bookworm side agrees: this is one hell of a very enjoyable book. This is while all things aside, I actually really love this book (and its idea), and I'm very excited to read and continue the journey of this series. Elise did not disappoint.
January 31, 2018
After not being in love with The Rebels of Gold by Elise Kova I was a bit hesitant to pick this one up. But I did it. And as you can see, I thought this book is okay but nowhere near the Air Awakens series by Elise Kova. Maybe it's because this is a new series, maybe because this was co-written with Lynn Larsh (though I hate it when people try to blame things like this on one person when it is a duo that is writing the story), or maybe it is the genre, I don't know. What I do know is that this book is fine but also nothing more than that.
So to start of, what did I enjoy? I enjoyed the idea. I enjoy the idea of having this Society that works to grant wishes but that it doesn't come without a price and that you have a group of people, all with their own special kind of magic, that help to grant them. I really enjoyed that part. I also liked the idea of granting a wish but the person feeling like, while their wish was granted, they didn't get out of it what they wanted. So basically, I liked the plot and the idea of the world.
What I thought was less well done was the world building itself. It begins already in a way that I find to be really annoying. We have this character who enters this new world and instead of people explaining to her what is going on we will just give her a tour of the facilities and not answer any of her questions. This is obviously done to build up the mystery, to keep the reader in the dark. But it annoyed the heck out of me because Jo keeps asking questions (when she can) and then characters get pissed that she keeps asking them questions or that she is doing on stuff on her own. So weird when you don't explain anything right?! Sadly the world building isn't much better further on in the book, the Society members keep things in the dark from Jo and the reader and then she explores stuff, they get pissed and still never fully explain what exactly is going on with things like magic. I wanted more world building.
Another thing that annoyed me is that this book is marketed as a New Adult book. There are two reasons that I can think of which made them do that. The opening line talks about Satan's tits (to explain how hot it is) and there is this one sex scene. The rest of the book doesn't feel like a NA book and so it feels more like these two things are just added into the story by some third author to make the reader aware that they are reading a NA book. These two moments, but especially the Satan's tits part feels silly. It is unnecessary and borders on feeling fake.
And talking about silly things, there is this one quote in the book which I thought was really cringe worthy:
"I am the Shewolf and I fear no man".
Keep in mind that the character was called Shewolf by some random neighbours because she was always alone YEARS AGO. No one in the book (or in recent years) has called her that. It feels like such an awkward thing to say if no one in the book has used that nickname to describe you in years...
And finally, the thing that probably disappointed me the most besides the lack of world building were the characters. I thought that all of them fell flat. They all walked into the door, did something to influence Jo and therefore the story and then we move on. I never felt connected to any of them, at the most I got curious about their background. I was really expecting more on that front but even Jo felt a bit dull and flat. There is also some romance in this book but it felt weird. It is a bit of a triangle it seems but both guys are super old and I don't see any sparks when they interact with Jo. Both guys have a dad/grandpa feel instead of a lover so I had a hard time imagining and supporting any of it.
So a 3 stars because the plot was interesting and I liked the idea of the Society and the parts that we got to see from it (and the explanation). I will probably continue with the series and I really hope the Society gets explained better and the characters will be fleshed out more.
So to start of, what did I enjoy? I enjoyed the idea. I enjoy the idea of having this Society that works to grant wishes but that it doesn't come without a price and that you have a group of people, all with their own special kind of magic, that help to grant them. I really enjoyed that part. I also liked the idea of granting a wish but the person feeling like, while their wish was granted, they didn't get out of it what they wanted. So basically, I liked the plot and the idea of the world.
What I thought was less well done was the world building itself. It begins already in a way that I find to be really annoying. We have this character who enters this new world and instead of people explaining to her what is going on we will just give her a tour of the facilities and not answer any of her questions. This is obviously done to build up the mystery, to keep the reader in the dark. But it annoyed the heck out of me because Jo keeps asking questions (when she can) and then characters get pissed that she keeps asking them questions or that she is doing on stuff on her own. So weird when you don't explain anything right?! Sadly the world building isn't much better further on in the book, the Society members keep things in the dark from Jo and the reader and then she explores stuff, they get pissed and still never fully explain what exactly is going on with things like magic. I wanted more world building.
Another thing that annoyed me is that this book is marketed as a New Adult book. There are two reasons that I can think of which made them do that. The opening line talks about Satan's tits (to explain how hot it is) and there is this one sex scene. The rest of the book doesn't feel like a NA book and so it feels more like these two things are just added into the story by some third author to make the reader aware that they are reading a NA book. These two moments, but especially the Satan's tits part feels silly. It is unnecessary and borders on feeling fake.
And talking about silly things, there is this one quote in the book which I thought was really cringe worthy:
"I am the Shewolf and I fear no man".
Keep in mind that the character was called Shewolf by some random neighbours because she was always alone YEARS AGO. No one in the book (or in recent years) has called her that. It feels like such an awkward thing to say if no one in the book has used that nickname to describe you in years...
And finally, the thing that probably disappointed me the most besides the lack of world building were the characters. I thought that all of them fell flat. They all walked into the door, did something to influence Jo and therefore the story and then we move on. I never felt connected to any of them, at the most I got curious about their background. I was really expecting more on that front but even Jo felt a bit dull and flat. There is also some romance in this book but it felt weird. It is a bit of a triangle it seems but both guys are super old and I don't see any sparks when they interact with Jo. Both guys have a dad/grandpa feel instead of a lover so I had a hard time imagining and supporting any of it.
So a 3 stars because the plot was interesting and I liked the idea of the Society and the parts that we got to see from it (and the explanation). I will probably continue with the series and I really hope the Society gets explained better and the characters will be fleshed out more.
December 27, 2017
I NEED BOOK TWO NOW!
.
.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. To tell you the truth, I've owned a few of Elise's books but haven't started reading them yet. I'm now counting the days until I finish my finals to start reading them.
So, about the book. It's a new adult urban fantasy book. It's a pretty short book which I absolutely loved. As I mentioned above, I need the second book because this one was so good! The Society of Wishes has a unique idea which is executed well thanks to Elise and Lynn. I loved some of the characters and their quirky traits. Here are some things I loved about some of the characters:
Jo has an awesome personality and I love how she has a determined personality.
I love how Nico's warmth and smile brings happiness whenever I read about him.
I love how Wayne is helpful, even if he has no idea what he's getting himself into.
And Snow, I don't know why but I love him and I'm hoping we'll know more about him in the upcoming books. I don't know why I feel like there is a pretty interesting back story involving both Jo and Snow. I guess we'll see in the future.
I finished this book in record time (especially since I take my time reading e-books). The first time I started it I stayed up until 3AM and today I finished reading it even though I'm sick in bed (and I'm supposed to be studying for my finals). This just shows that the book was very enthralling and addictive. It had some fantastic scenes and I just hope I can get my hands on the second book ASAP.
My recommendation: Go read it!
.
.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. To tell you the truth, I've owned a few of Elise's books but haven't started reading them yet. I'm now counting the days until I finish my finals to start reading them.
So, about the book. It's a new adult urban fantasy book. It's a pretty short book which I absolutely loved. As I mentioned above, I need the second book because this one was so good! The Society of Wishes has a unique idea which is executed well thanks to Elise and Lynn. I loved some of the characters and their quirky traits. Here are some things I loved about some of the characters:
Jo has an awesome personality and I love how she has a determined personality.
I love how Nico's warmth and smile brings happiness whenever I read about him.
I love how Wayne is helpful, even if he has no idea what he's getting himself into.
And Snow, I don't know why but I love him and I'm hoping we'll know more about him in the upcoming books. I don't know why I feel like there is a pretty interesting back story involving both Jo and Snow. I guess we'll see in the future.
I finished this book in record time (especially since I take my time reading e-books). The first time I started it I stayed up until 3AM and today I finished reading it even though I'm sick in bed (and I'm supposed to be studying for my finals). This just shows that the book was very enthralling and addictive. It had some fantastic scenes and I just hope I can get my hands on the second book ASAP.
My recommendation: Go read it!
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