Down with the Shine

by Kate Karyus Quinn

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
This is one hell of a fun book. Can you even imagine the shenanigans that would occur if you suddenly had the ability to grant wishes- only you didn't even know it? Because that is what is happening here. Lennie is a mess, basically, since her best friend Dylan's disappearance (which people blame her for, but that's a whole other issue). So when she starts granting wishes for all the popular kids at a party, she has no idea that her (often poorly worded) wishes were going to come to fruition. 

Lennie is a disaster in general, yes, but it's easy to see why. Her uncles make moonshine (and apparently grant actual wishes), her mom is pretty much incoherent, her dad is a real piece of work (and that's putting it mildly), her best friend is dead, and her best friend's twin hates her and blames her for his sister's death. So she's not in a fabulous place. So when she realizes that all the wishes she granted in jest actually came true, she knows that she needs to do damage control.

This was just plain enjoyable, really. The thing is, it isn't some fluffy contemporary though, it deals with some serious stuff. But then the infusion of magic, and the downright wackiness that happen at the party lighten it all up. I couldn't help but feel for Lennie. Yeah, she makes some bad choices, but she most definitely learns from them. I loved the quirkiness of the side characters, the chaos of Lennie's wish granting and the aftermath, and the ups and downs that Lennie experiences along the way.

The writing was fabulous, and I actually laughed out loud- in the serious way not in the "lol" way- several times during the book. Yet it was still emotive enough to leave an impact. And frankly, it was one of the most unique and inventive books I have ever read.

Bottom Line: If you are like me, and crave a little something "different" with your contemporary, this is absolutely a book for you. It's a book that can be hilariously entertaining, yet still have emotional fortitude when the story calls for it. Down With the Shine definitely didn't disappoint!