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 Quirky Cat on

3.5 of 5 stars

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Rin Chupeco's latest novel, Wicked As You Wish, is the first in a new series – A Hundred Names for Magic. First, can I just say that I adore the name of the series? I would absolutely dive in to a series with that name, even knowing nothing about it.

What happens when you combine a girl with secrets (including powers), a prince in hiding, a group of secret soldiers, and a firebird? Well, you get Wicked As You Wish, actually. Prince Alexei is the only surviving member of the Royal family of Avalon, which fell years ago.

Now those loyal to the kingdom help keep him safe and hidden away. That includes Tala and her family. Even though they also have secrets that people would hunt them for, should that information get out.

"People who don't look and act like you is what you hate. Every other excuse is only a pretense."

Let me tell you; I was so excited to dive into Wicked As You Wish (see all my reasons above). This raises the question – did it hold up to my expectations? Honestly? It mostly did, yeah! So I can't really complain.

What I loved the most about Wicked As You Wish because it opened the door for having a frank conversation. Many of the subjects discussed in this novel are heavy: police brutality, colonialism, genocide, and so much more. Yet these subjects need to be talked about, especially as they are an active part of so many people's lives.

Using fantasy as a lens for these subjects is brilliant, and I will always appreciate it when I see it. I also appreciate the way Rin Chupeco handled the discussions, so thank you so much for that! Moving onto what I didn't love as much, we have character development. Many of the characters just came off as flat for me. I struggled to care about them, even while feeling so hard for the situations they were in. It was an odd experience, to say the least.

One that I did find jarring enough to keep me from utterly falling in love with the story if we're being honest. Still, I will likely read the rest of the A Hundred Names for Magic series, given a chance!

Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 22 November, 2021: Finished reading
  • 22 November, 2021: Reviewed