Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco

Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic, #1)

by Rin Chupeco

What if every story you'd ever heard was true? Jack killed the giants. Red slayed the wolf. Rapunzel fled the tower. But the greatest one of all, had yet to be told.
Once upon a time, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left to wither and die after the Snow Queen encased it in ice. Its former citizens are now refugees. Which is why crown prince Alex and his protectors are stuck in… Arizona.
Tala Makiling has lived her life as an outsider. Her family curse, the one that's doomed her to be a spellbreaker, someone who destroys magic, hasn't won her too many friends. Except Alex, who trusts her and her family to keep his royal identity a secret.
And then one night, a famous creature of legend, the Firebird, appears in their tiny town, reigniting hope for their abandoned homeland. Alex and Tala team up with a ragtag group of new friends to journey back to Avalon. Their path is filled with danger—from deadly prophecies, to terrifying ice wolves, a traitor among them, and the Snow Queen herself. But if they succeed… their story would be legendary.
"A great read for fans of fairy tales, myths and legends… Come for the adventure, stay for the sassy jerkwad firebird."—Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Three Dark Crowns series
Gripping, fantastical, and delightfully funny, Wicked As You Wish is perfect for readers looking for:young adult magic, mythology, and folkloreLGBTQ representationdiverse characterscreative new takes on classic storiesfresh and dazzling world buildingPraise for Wicked As You Wish:
"Glorious."—Shelf Awareness
"Combining legends, myths, fairy tales, and classic children's literature from Oz to Neverland, Chupeco (The Bone Witch) creates an enchanting story that is both a feast for the senses and a unique spin on the hero's journey…A nail-biting quest that introduces a gripping new series."—STARRED review, Publishers Weekly
"…A truly original novel. A deftly executed melding of folklore and reality grounded in contemporary issues."—STARRED review, Kirkus

Reviewed by layawaydragon on

5 of 5 stars

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I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Wicked As You Wish, if you don't already know, is Rin Chupeco's (yes, THAT Rin Chupeco) alternative history middle grade/young adult story about magical group of teens saving the world from a literal Ice Queen and I.C.E.

About Wicked As You Wish:



IMHO: Wicked As You Wish


Wicked As You Wish grabbed me right from the beginning with Tala's voice. Kids have such distinct voices that getting this correct is often the key to enjoyment for middle grade kids. And they will let you know if it comes off false!

My 7th grade daughter doesn't like reading anymore because it's boring. There's such a dearth of books for those that are beyond kiddie fairy/baby animal books but not wanting to read about partying and hooking up. This is perfect for 7th and 8th graders (and up of course) like my daughter and her friends, where they sing from Frozen 2 and Hamilton.

The Rundown:


» Yesssss

» Such a huge fan of Rin, had to jump on it.

» Fast paced with plenty of action

» Decent sized cast of characters that banter so no one gets forgotten and they've got their own mysteries to unravel

» Like this world! Universe where fairy tales are real & there's a clear effort to include most peoples. Modern & retelling. Honestly can say nothing like it.

» Clear voice & humor.

» Good mix of seeing it coming and being surprised

» Queerrrrrrrr

» Enby Loki!

» FUCK I.C.E,

» SAVE THE KIDS

»Filipino culture & pinoy foods that will make your mouth water

» I needs the dragons to come back

» The friendships! The romance drama! The passionate fighting opposites that belong together.

» Ends with SUCH a surprise that I have to know what happens next right right right now.




Very unique and compelling with a totally different vibe from her previous works that I appreciate and leave me awestruck.  If you didn't like Chupeco's other books, you should give this one a shot anyways, it's like THAT.



Favorite Quotes:


Magic barely worked in Invierno, this dry forgotten armpit of a town in Arizona, so nobody ever knew Tala was responsible. 

 
Sure, he was an idiot. But it was also partly her fault for being best friend with an idiot. 

 
“Well,” he finally said, “we’ve accidentally lured Deathless in and ruined their festival. May as well kidnap the priestess’s granddaughter while we’re at it.”        

 
Talking to West sometimes, Tala learned, was like trying to walk up a down escalator. 

 
“You’re like Marlon Brando playing Julia Childs in a movie.”

 
But this, the forgotten meal, a celebration cut short by tragedy, this wasn’t something most people thought of writing when they thought about war. 

 

               

About the Author:



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This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 1 February, 2020: Finished reading
  • 1 February, 2020: Reviewed
  • Started reading
  • 1 February, 2020: Finished reading
  • 1 February, 2020: Reviewed