So at the beginning of the story it gave me Carry on vibes by Rainbow Rowell. I just finished both books and i am here for more magic stories. It also gives me Reverie vibes, and I was thinking Harry Potter but not as much.

We have our two main characters, Alex and Tala are just trying to live life, go to school and not get caught. When a teacher of theirs comes out with a viral video about magic, everything becomes haywire. People are looking for Alex, Tala and her family are trying to protect him and Tala learns more about her life than she thought. Trying to juggle this, her love interest, and just life I was really intrigued on how she would pull through.

It took me a little bit to get used to some of the way the characters talk. After reading Outlander I am a little used to people talking differently, but it takes me a few chapters to really understand what they are saying. My favorite character has to be Talas father, he’s funny, and just care so much about his family. Even though Tala couldn’t see it at first she knows he is only doing what’s best for her.

Overall, this was such an amazing book and I can’t wait to recommend this to everyone.

On no, this was a DNF from me. I really wanted to like this one but I just couldn't.

Rin Chupeco takes us into the world of magic and the famous Avalon. The main character, Tala Warnock is the descendant of Maria Makiling, the legendary Filipina heroine. The Makiling family is famous for negating magic spells, meaning spells do not work on her, nor do the work if Tala does not want them to.

Unfortunately I did not finish this book. I really loved the world the author created but it was just too much. I tried to keep reading but I felt the way the world was explained was too complicated. I did love the diversity of the characters. There were different ethnicity and varying sexual preferences of the characters.

As a Filipino I was super excited to read this book, but sadly I'm going to add this to the DNF pile. It's a little too info dumpy for me at the beginning and it's starting to get confusing. And I'm having a hard time connecting with its characters. I enjoyed the author's writing as usual, though.

I like fairy tales and mythology in an urban setting. Hence I loved the concept of this story. I felt as if I were binging on a television series where each chapter, with a humorous heading, felt like an episode.

Tala negated spells. Prince Alexei of Avalon was in hiding after the war with Snow Queen which caused his kingdom to freeze. The Snow Queen too had disappeared. But the appearance of the firebird at Tala’s place changed the dynamics of the equation. Now Alex, Tala, and the rest had to go to Avalon to fight the Snow Queen.

My first book by author Rin Chupeco, I was quite excited to lay my hands on it. As I turned the pages, I realized the hard truth. It would be a difficult book to review. I stood at the precipice and tried to find a balance in the prose. Not knowing how to write a review, I decided to make a list.

There were a few things I liked; it reminded me of one of my favorite television series Once Upon A Time. The author cleverly transformed all the known fairy tales as subplots of the story. The characters were varied and diverse, each with their own ways of fighting. The firebird, as a weapon, added to the fun of it.

I have always loved villains more than the heroes. The Snow Queen was all I thought her to be. She was foreboding, and she really made the gang work hard to kill her. Her character added spice to the story. The twists were interspersed well, some of them did roil the insides of the main character. Social issues were touched upon which were valid in today’s times.

There were a few confusing things, maybe it was because I was not well and my brain synapses were slow. I didn’t understand the rules of magic. There were too many things told to me. The dialogues too felt a bit off, there was no zing. The worldbuilding initially was all over the place but settled down later. Same with the number of characters.

Things in Avalon were much better, I enjoyed the story much more when it was set in the magical Kingdom. The last few chapters really went hopping. The fight between the gang and Snow Queen and her minions made the story so exciting. The last line of the epilogue was a game changer, for sure!!

3.5 stars

Chupeco's stories are closed to my heart after what she has done to Shadowglass. I also loved her new series, The Never-Tilting World, and I expect that A Hundred Names of Magic would be wowed because it represents Filipino own voice magical story.

Well praise for Chupeco's representation of the Filipino culture and even incorporating the Filipino language. This not a middle-grade story. It is a Young Adult/Fantasy. The author incorporated the Filipino curse language which I laugh up through the story. It may not be for you, but this story is very close to my heart.

The characters are superbly astounding. Tala and the squad are witty, charming, and funny.

One thing that makes me off was the world-building. I don't have any information or knowledge of what would be the story is. I just accept the book for representing a Filipino inspired fantasy. The story was hard to take in because Avalon was massive but, the other side of Avalon was much bigger than it. World-building needs more construct foundation.

Still, I am excited about the sequel and expect more of that astounding storytelling and Filipino sass!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. A huge thanks to SOURCEBOOKS fire for this!

TW: Rin Chupeco's book deals with issues like homophobia (against Alex and Loki's fathers), racism, child abuse, abuse, bigotry, poltical stance on immigration, police (ICE agents) abuse of power.

Tala Warnock is the descendant of Maria Makiling, a Filipine heroine able to negate spells and she lives in a world where magic is strictly controlled, a modern world where magic and techonology are both present and connected. In Invierno, a boring town in Arizona, magic rarely works and thanks to her family's ties to the country of Avalon (unreachable, frozen and bespelled for almost 12 years) they are chosen to protect and guard the heir of Avalon, Alexei, taking care of him against people and countries who want to exploit his kingdom's magic for their cruel ends.
While both Tala and Alex try to have a normal life, going to school, to parties, trying to have boyfriends, their life are abruptly changed when the firebird, one of the Avalon's deadliest weapon, appears to Alex and the Snow Queen, presumed dead, attacks him.
They are forced to run, leaving the town, helped by Tala's family, by the Bandersnatchers, a contingent of young people, teenagers, tasked to protect their heir. On the run, in a kingdom she thought lost, Tala is confronted with family's secrets, magic and the need and desire to protect her best friend and understand her own powers and story.

I really liked Wicked as you wish. In the beginning, to be honest, I found the worldbuilding a bit confusing, but while reading everything clicked and I found myself involved in this amazing story. Set on a Earth where fairytales' characters like Alice in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat, Arthur Pendragon and so on and where places like Avalon, Wonderland and Beira, the Snow Queen's kingdom are real, the reader is pushed right away in a complex and captivating world.
It's almost possible to divide the book in two parts, the first one, set in Invierno and the other one in Avalon.
In the first part, the reader get to know Tala and Alex, their secrets, Tala's being a spellbreaker, Alex being gay and closeted and the Avalon's heir in a world not so different from our own, except for the magic.

The firebird, the Bandersnatchers, the Snow Queen change everything and Tala is separated from her family, with a friend to protect and she's is forced to rely on herself and her new friends, in their attempt to reach Maidenkeep and to try to save their kingdom, but their trip is full of surprises. Ice wolves, secrets, frog marsh king, profecies, dooms and fights. During the trip the reader, through Tala, get to know the Bandersnatchers, their bonds, friendship, families, powers and weapons and Avalon's story.

One of the things I loved the most are the characters. I loved the diversity in this book. Tala is biracial Filipino, Alex is gay, Loki is non-binary, Chinese-Canadian and was adopted by two men, Ken is from Japan.
Tala is smart, brilliant and determined and in a situation where she's utterly unprepared, but where she's eager to learn and fight. Betrayed, full of question, she's focused on their mission, willing to do anything to protect her best friend and save Avalon.
The Bandersnatchers are amazing, I loved them so much. Zoe, who is the leader of the mission, is brilliant, sensible and weighed down by the responsiblity of protecting a stubborn and with attitude heir.
West, whose family is naturalist, so doesn't know many modern things, is funny, cute in his questions and he's a Roughskin, a shapeshifter. (I laughed so much while reading him shredding his clothes and Zoe complaining about him being naked.)
Ken,with his magical swords and their hidden powers, is playful and funny. Loki, with their magical staff, is a ranger, resourceful and without them and their sense of direction, they would have been stuck in the forest forever.
Cole with his scary scythe, his attitute and his secrets is the brooding type, but with his heart in the right place (I hope). And Nya, the latest addiction, full of surprise and ready to be part of their group and adventure. I want to know more about them, from Zoe and her boyfriend (and his bond with Alex), West's shapeshifting, Ken's explanations and joke, Loki and their fathers' love and their powers.
I LOVED the firebird. Like the bantering between the Bandersnatchers, the firebird was unbelievably funny and I laughed so much reading the scene with it in it, like when he blew raspberry or rolled his eyes.

Alex is another interesting character, with a painful past. When he was five years old he saw his parents being killed and was saved and taken away from Avalon, before the frost hit the kingdom. He spent all his life hiding, running for his life, shuttled from one family to the other, until Tala's family, who was forced, with the firebird's arrival, to leave Invierno and run away. Coming back in his kingdom, destroyed, frozen and hurt by the Snow Queen and her vendetta is painful and for most of the book, in Avalon, Alex is rude, hurtful and full of lies and secrets, keeping himself away from Tala and the others. I hope he and Tala will find a way to be more honest around one other in the next book.

Complex are the "villains" in the story, like the Snow Queen, her story and past really interesting, like her vendetta and obsession and Ryker, who is a intruing character, his past and his reasons for his loyalty painful and raw to read. I liked Ryker, a lot, and I can't wait to know more about them, their full and bigger plan.

Amazing are the side characters, like Tala's family, Lumina and Kay, their love and relationship strong and inspiring, and Lola Urduja and Katipuneros, a group of old warriors, unbelievably tenacious and ready to do anything to protect their families and heir and the Cheshire, a mastermind.

Interesting and unique is the use of profecies and dooms, so important in this world that a certain kind of doom can get some priviliges. It was amazing trying to decode the Dame's and the priestess' predictions, while reading! Fascinating the magic and the concept it comes with a price, usually a physical one,.

Brilliant and funny are the chapter titles, like (In wich government agents are assholes, but what else is new or In which Loki uses a toothpick and Ken loses a fight with a library)!

Above all, I really loved this book. I loved how the author deals with important themes, like abuse, homophobia, racism in Wicked as you wish, talking about the political tension in their world, the power abuse, the countries' stance on immigration and so on. At the same time it's a journey of discovery, of trying to do the right thing, of protecting others, of taking back a kingdom, of learning things about others and oneself.
The characters are amazing, the story is full of mysteries, plot twists, fairytales characters and this mix of modern world and fairytales was amazing and funny. I can't wait to know what will happen next.

Wicked as you Wish is a fun mix of fairy tales and urban fantasy that touches on important current issues, but unfortunately not my cup of tea. Based on the Bone Witch series I was expecting something dark and gritty from Wicked as you Wish. It's completely my fault for not reading the blurb.
There are a lot of great jokes and fun to be had here for fans of a more lighthearted toned urban fantasy. A bad-ass squad of diverse protagonists and an Ice Queen villain. Ooh and meme references!

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I really wanted to like this but it didn't click with me personally, I feel like teens might really like it though. I am usually a fan of fairytale and classic retellings but I didn't like the way it was done in this book. Worlds like Wonderland or Neverland were referenced way too often. I got to a point where I wanted to say, "Okay! I get it!" The almost our world but with a slight twist thing wasn't my favorite either. I think some of the action and twists were fun but it just wasn't enough for me to really connect to the story or to care for it at all.

3.5 stars rounded up because I genuinely enjoyed this story! I've never read anything by Chupeco before so I didn't know what to expect but I can say for sure that it wasn't what I got--and I don't mean that in a bad way! I've been trying to think if I've ever read anything like this before and I honestly can't say that I have. It definitely gets points for uniqueness!

The Writing
This is where I think I faced the most difficulties. There was something about Chupeco's writing style that made it hard for me to focus and so it took time for me to warm up to the story. There is a lot happening in this book and especially early on it felt a little bit all over the place. It required all of my focus, although that's not necessarily a bad thing and I didn't mind once I got used to it, but that also made for a much slower reading pace! I loved the humour in the writing though and some of the quirky comments really had me laughing out loud. The chapter titles were also so spot on and got me excited for what was to come in each chapter!

The World building
This book is set in our modern day but with a twist. There's magic but also the fairytales that we've known and loved since we were kids exist in this alternate history. I mean, Wonderland, Alice and the Cheshire Cat, King Arthur and the sword in the stone, Cinderella and her glass slipper, Robin Hood and the evil Snow Queen are all real, but they have character or plot twists that are slightly different to the stories we know. I absolutely loved this aspect of the story and have never read anything like it before! That said, the world building was honestly quite confusing. There's a lot to take in and at the beginning especially it felt like a lot of info dumping. Even now I'm still not 100% sure how exactly spelltech and glyphs work? But I loved what my imagination was able to conjure up based on Chupeco's writing. I don't know if the final version will have a map but I think it'd be so helpful to have one particularly for Avalon, Wonderland and Beira!

Also interesting was how Chupeco touched upon the current political climate (applicable globally but mostly in America). There was little hold back when talking about the treatment of immigrants, especially by the ICE agents, and of people's hatred for those who are different from them (whether it's because of skin colour or sexual orientation). The 'shade' toward ICE and the Royal States' policies was real and I was sitting there snapping my fingers as I read through those parts!

The Characters
There are a lot of characters in this book and I loved them all (well, save for a few). I really liked Tala's parents, Lola Urduja and the Katipuneros, but I loved the Bandersnatches most. Their witty and cheeky banter was hilarious and I got strong found family vibes from this group of friends, including Tala, Cole and Nya. We learn little bits and pieces about them but there's still so much complexity in their characters to explore. I'm particularly interested in learning more about Kay (Tala's da) and Cole Nottingham! I wasn't too sure about Tala's character at first but she grew on me as the story progressed. She was relatable. I enjoyed watching her learn more about how to use her powers defensively. ALSO although romance plays a very minor role in this, there are some ships I can see taking shape and I hope they start sailing in the coming books!

If there's one character that really disappointed me, it was Alex, the last remaining Prince of Avalon. Anytime he would open his mouth I just wanted to shove a sock in it because this dude was just hella rude. I get he has all this pressure on him as the cursed prince who is trying to save his people and free his country that has been encased in ice for the last 12 years. But his attitude was so unnecessary! Even after the Bandersnatches rescued him several times this bro still had to keep being rude AF. No redemption at the end either, so I guess his character is consistent but I was not here for it.

Overall, although I had some issues with the world building and writing, I ended up genuinely enjoying this unique book! That epilogue had my jaw dropping so hard and it threw me off completely--like WHAT?! After an ending like that I can't wait to see what happens next and I can't wait to read more of Chupeco's books! Thanks to Netgalley and Rin Chupeco for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I think it's important to mention that if you want to read this book because you love the Bone Witch trilogy and think this book will be similar, then don't.

It's a completely different story, way heavier and the characters and writing style feels different as well.

The topics mentioned in the book can be triggering for some, so proceed with caution.

However, I enjoyed the detailed and rich world-building, the two main characters, and the story is an interesting mixture of fantasy, fairy tales, and folklore stories.

It's an entertaining YA fantasy story with dark layers and is beautifully written.

*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am so so grateful for this Arc, so thank you so much to the publisher!

I hate to say it though, i DNFed it :((((

The world building is so confusing, i couldnt understand most of it. I like my fantasy to be fantasy and contemporary to be contemporary, this strange mix of the two whilst trying to make it 'modern' really didnt work for me.

I honestly try not to let other reviews and ratings affect me prior to diving into a book but unfortunately this one was definitely a victim of me doing a whole lot of side-eye as the GR rating went down, down, down in the weeks leading up to release and now i can see why. I would still like to read some more of the authors works though!

This one was a bit tough to rate. I have read from Rin Chupeco in the past and really enjoyed it. I was so excited to see what she would do with this story but it fell a little short for me. It was an interesting concept trying to incorporate so many different fairytales and mythes into one story but at times it just because confusing. The world building was a bit lacking and thus not completely fleshed out. With that being said, I thought the topics Chupeco tackled were very important and necessary. For now, I’m not sure if I’ll continue on with the series but I’m vaguely interested in seeing where she goes from here

4 STARS


What's your favorite fairy tale? Whatever your answer is, it's probably here.


The beauty of Wicked As You Wish lies in its complexity. Right now, I suspect this will be a point of contention. I've seen a number of ARC reviews already that find the world-building too dizzying, too scattered. And in some ways, it can be a lot to process. Wicked As You Wish is set in an alternate Earth, where magic permeates every day life, the US is the Royal States of America, and kingdoms straight out of fairy tales exist with monumental force. It was a lot to absorb from the outset, especially since these things that strike a reader as so different are presented as normal to the cast. Because they are! That's just the world they live in!

Anyway, Wonderland and Avalon feature heavily, while the Snow Queen lurks in the background, figures like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty fill in the gaps of history, and magic fills all the spaces in between. Not to mention the sheer richness of the world at hand. One part magic, one part real life culture, Rin Chupeco manages to blend the fantastic elements of Wicked As You Wish with Filipino family and folklore, while also nodding to other cultural touchstones through her supporting cast.

If nothing else, Wicked As You Wish is brilliantly alive, and worth the brief moments of comprehension of the unfamiliar. (And though the ARC did not have a glossary, I believe I read something somewhere about the finished copy having one, so fear not, if Tala's family's use of Tagalog is beyond you.)


The cast brings life just as much as the magic and culture woven in.


In the vein of a true legend, we have a large group cast, though the story centers on Tala Warnock. She's supported in her quest to restore her best friend Alex to the Avalonian throne by a group of teens about her age. They're the Order of the Bandersnatch (or Banders) with personal stakes in this fight, and they get along about as well as you'd think a group of teens in high pressure situations would. On one hand, they're in it together, with common goals. On the other hand, personality conflicts abound, because that's just how it is on group quests with teens. 

But really, I had so much fun getting to know the cast. Tala is in over her head but incredibly determined to do the right thing, while Alex is loyal but equally secretive. Add in Zoe, a dedicated perfectionist and sensible leader; Ken, a playful kind of guy with all the right intentions; Loki, a soft-spoken ranger with all kinds of hidden skills; West, the comic relief who exists in a state of total sincerity; Cole, the broody loner who definitely has more going on than he's mentioned; and Nya, a lively late addition to the gang with valuable knowledge and a hell of a lot of courage. Balancing such a large cast does seem to present its difficulties at times, but it overall makes for a fun ride!

Plus, the cast is delightfully diverse. Tala is biracial Filipino and white, Alex is gay, Loki is non-binary, Chinese-Canadian, and adopted by two dads, Ken is Japanese, and Nya is Nigerian (if I'm remembering the scene where we meet her and explore her home correctly; if I'm wrong about this, please do correct me).


"King thou may be, thy divine right to magic is no cause to be as wicked as you wish."


Wicked As You Wish also does a wonderful job interrogating abuses of power and the lengths characters are willing to go to in order to make them right. From the cruel presence of ICE agents and the general bigotry in Invierno, to the consequences of the war between Avalon and Beira (the Snow Queen's kingdom), to the aftermath of a past steeped in wrong choices, Rin Chupeco doesn't shy away from the nitty-gritty of right, wrong, and the responsibility involved in facing all the consequences that come with it. 

In fact, looking back, the character I disliked the most actually fits this so well. Without spoiling too much, I found him to be ungrateful for the support he was receiving. Not only that, but he was painfully secretive despite the sheer amount of trust placed in him. And yet he comes from a position of power. Even on the edges of that power, it's still part of his character, and I suspect the use and misuse of power is going to play a major role in his character arc throughout the series. It's masterful, making a character kind of a jerk, but playing so neatly into a major thematic element.


Really, this book is nothing less than a joyride, magic in a hundred ways.


I gave it four stars on account of the world-building sort of dunking the unsuspecting reader in headfirst with little warning. It's a bit jarring, and takes some getting used to and back-tracking. But once I got that under my belt, everything else was outstanding. The ominous prophetic elements are so tantalizing, the magic at hand so intriguing and developed. Meanwhile, you've got a cast that comes more and more alive with every turn of the page, and a villain who isn't the blanket evil that we expect in fairy tales. I have extremely high hopes for the rest of the series, and it's such a relief (mostly because I didn't care very much for The Bone Witch, and was nervous to try another of Rin Chupeco's books). Also, the chapter titles were outstanding. When's the last time you read a book with sharp, witty chapter titles?

Hopefully you'll join me in following Tala and Co's quest to set things right in Avalon, starting tomorrow, March 3rd! It's nearly here, so you too can experience the joy of that story-relevant cover and the incredible pages inside!

Also, if you've read it, please talk to me about the firebird. Especially his final scenes. I need to discuss our friend the absolute unit with someone. 😱



CW: loss of a loved one, racism, homophobia, violence, torture, abuse (including child abuse)

[This review will go live on Hail & Well Read at 10 am EST on 3/2/20.]

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Rin Chupeco’s books. The Girl from the Well never interested me. I hated The Bone Witch the first five times I tried to read it. Then I liked it. I absolutely adored The Heart Forger. I’m scared to read The Shadowglass, because what if it doesn’t live up to my expectations? I really enjoyed The Never Tilting World, and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel. And then there’s this book. This is a hard no from me.

I read three chapters and I couldn’t read any further. I was confused, and annoyed, and disappointed, so I’ll keep this as brief as possible.

Firstly, Wicked as You Wish was way too complicated and lacked coherence. It’s like a giant mash up of a bunch of different fairytales, myths, legends, and literary references from all over the world (Filipino mythology, the Russian firebird, Avalon, The Snow Queen, Wonderland, Oz, Neverland). Sadly, mash ups are apparently not my cup of tea.

There was also a ton of info-dumping, especially in chapter three. The main character (who already knows some of this information) does a web search, and we get to read what she finds in big blocks of italic text! I’ve seen what Chupeco can do, and this was way below the standard I know she’s capable of. It’s like the publishers decided to forego editing, and printed the book as it was a decade ago.

The magic system had potential- it was a synthesis of magic and techonology called Spelltech– but I was unclear how it worked. There were three different levels, and they had something to do with obsidian stones and glyphs, which seemed to be mined or something? Only the lowest level was legal, and that involved weaker artificial glyphs that ran things like mobile phones, and cable tv. But then a few special people had innate magic. And there were nine different types – time, elemental/kinetic, death magic, transfiguration, summoning, healing, divination, conjuration, enchantment, and illusion. It just went on and on. went on and on.

The opening scene involves a gay prince of Avalon (Alexei Tsarevich – *cringe*) kissing a boy and turning him into a frog, and then kissing the main character, Tala, so she can prove she cancels out magic and that she’s immune. It just didn’t really sit right with me, but I can’t put my finger exactly on why.

I also found that the dialogue was clunky and confusing. I didn’t know who was talking when more than two characters were in a scene. I think that it was also meant to be funny, but I was too busy going ‘Huh, who the hell is talking? What on earth is happening?’ to enjoy what was supposed to be witty banter.

I understand that this book was really special to Chupeco. She wrote it and tried to get it published back in 2010. But sometimes, your trunk novel should really stay in that trunk.

I didn’t read enough to truly give an objective review, but I read enough to know that this was not the book for me.

The premise is amazing. The execution is far too info heavy with an abundance of things going on that are incredibly difficult to follow. I felt more lost as I went along, when I should have felt like I was gaining a greater understanding. It seemed as if the author was trying to write every fairytale ever written into one story. It’s way too much.

You know how when you start a new job and they sit you down and force you to watch a cheesy, outdated orientation video that is equal parts corporate propaganda, exposition spouting, and a whole lotta cringe? That's kinda what this whole book felt like.

There is not much I have to say about this. It was a blend of modern times and mythical folklore but it took the worst parts of both. The interpretation of nostalgic stories like Snow White and Robin Hood felt juvenile, overly animated, and ultimately tacky, but the nonstop political and socioeconomic exposition, page upon page upon page of extraneous detail into the history of this made up world just sucked all the life out of the story. It kind of went like this:

"Hey, Tala, can you pass the bread?"

"Sure, Ken, but did you know, that when the Snow Witch froze over the lands in the 1500's, Avalon's bread stock price blah blah blah" for PAGES.

It kind of felt like this was a mandatory read for schoolchildren of Avalon's social studies 101 class. Like all of the characters were in on it and were subtly trying to get us to learn things without us realizing. Like they were all trying to show off how much they knew about history to the reader. Like a cast full of Hermione Grangers trying to force a whole political narrative down our throats in 400 pages.

Well, it still didn't help. I don't feel like I understood any of it. Up until like the 60% mark, I barely understood where the characters were and what the objective was. Because the dialogue was just so bulky and laden with superfluous exposition there was barely room for characterization or scenery setup. It made it all super sluggish.

Overall, not a satisfying read.

Thank you to netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Since finishing this book, I have had a hard time wrapping my head around my thoughts and feelings about it. On the one hand, it was a pretty good adventure quest story, with a diverse set of characters some of which I came to like and care about. On the other hand the world and its magical system were just so damn confusing that it really hindered my overall enjoyment of the story.

Let’s start with the positives:
There was an amazing number of diverse characters, someone for everyone to relate to. They were diverse in their ethnicities, gender and sexual orientations.
Tala, the mostly main character, was an interesting one. I liked her magical talent, or rather her talent to negate magic. She was pretty brave, but I never quite got why she spent all this time training as a warrior, yet alway held back when there was a fight.
Alex was also a great character that I mostly liked. He occasionally treated everyone like crap and kept going off recklessly on his own, but it could sort of be brushed off as moodiness and anxiety about what was going on. I did like his friendship with Tala though.
The group of teens who are sent to protect Alex were a fun bunch too. I especially liked West, such a sweet goof, who is a shape shifter unlike anything else I’ve encountered.
I loved the Phoenix, he was such a character and had quite the personality which he related with looks, sounds and wing gestures. He was awesome.
The bad guys may not be so bad? I ended up kind of liking Ryker in the end, and I think he feels that he is in the right, and maybe he is. The Snow Queen seems to have another agenda than what we have been lead to believe as well.
The overall plot, though a bit slow in places, was well done and exciting. There was also an emphasis on family, redemption and forgiveness, loyalty which are always nice to see in a story.
Here are the negatives.
The world building is probably the biggest. I spent most of the book just feeling utterly lost and confused about this world. It is a mash up of the real world and fairy tales and legends. World mythologies were also also included especially when it came to the characters. The history of this world mirrored our own, just with all of these fictional characters and places woven throughout. Statements were thrown about these characters and their historical significance like we should know the stories, but often I didn’t and just felt confused and wondering why this was important. There were times when I thought I was getting a handle on it and then it would just slip away again.
The magical system was also very problematic and not well explained, or maybe just I missed something somewhere. It is a combination of tech and magic called spelltech. So for example, cell phones use magic to work. So yeah. Plus there were these rocks with glyphs that were also spells? And of course magic came with a price, usually something physical.
Too many prophecies, like everyone had one, and some came true through out the story but not others. There were so many I couldn’t keep track of which ones were which and who they belonged too. If this had been a physical copy of the book I would have been highlighting and going back in the text to look at all of them constantly.
Overall I think I can say that I liked the book, but I had many issues with it. This is a review based on an ARC so it is possible that some changes have been made before printing, I can certainly hope so. Will I pick up the next one? Probably, but I don’t think I will be holding my breath or rushing out for it as soon as it hits stores.

Wicked As You Wish is an incredible relevant and self aware book. It wasn't necessarily the best fit for me as the description and actual book didn't seem to mesh in my head in terms of what I expected and what it ended up being. I still firmly believe it has quite broad appeal and is a wonderful way to pass the time.

The chapter headers are brilliant and never fail to make me laugh and it's refreshing to have that little snapshot to continue the story but also help you focus.

I loved the many references to fairy tales and fantasy stories that were spread out through the book and the magical realism vibes was different to my usual reads but well done.

I was a bit let down with the character building and felt disconnected with some characters and I think the fact my favorite character was a fire bird (which BTW OMG I'm in love) says a lot about the human characters.

I did love the Filipinx references and Tagalog throughout the book though and I felt it added an extra sense of realism and heart to the story. I have a couple of Filipina friends and colleagues previously and rarely see them represented in literature and the fire and passion of their families was beautifully represented in this book.

Overall this was a neutral read for me. It was a fun read to destress and pass the time.

Wicked As You Wish, by Rin Chupeco, is an incredibly difficult book to review. I think this book has a little bit of an identity crisis, which makes it hard to really fall for it until you are past the halfway point. That being said, I am extremely excited to see what happens in the books to come and can’t wait to see how Chupeco continues to subvert the stories we grew up on.

This book is CHOCK FULL OF EASTER EGGS. There are references to practically every fantasy story and fairy tale I’ve ever heard of – at first, it almost gave me whiplash. But once I got used to the concept of a melting pot fantasy world, I found myself almost obsessively trying to highlight and tab all the most creative references. I appreciated how Chupeco took the fantasy tropes and heroes we all know and gave them a diverse and feminist spin. Our “classic princesses” are returned to their cultural roots and reimagined as warriors with agency. It’s delightful to learn more about the book’s mythology as the story progresses. The Cheshire Cat, also known as the Duke of Wonderland, is a particular favorite.

Chupeco also does an incredible job with her use of prophesy. Seers and priestesses are, while not common, well-known to the characters of the book. Most characters have their own “Doom” or individual prophecy, for their future. The author seems to follow the Game of Thrones model of “the harder you try to avoid your prophesized future, the quicker you will spur it into action,” which makes it exciting for a reader to keep an eye our for further action.

I both loved the magic system but think its wide range handicaps the book a little. Personally, I really enjoyed how magic was treated almost more like tech, and could be channeled through powerful objects – some of which have a sentience of its own. Our protagonist, Tala, has one of the most interesting gifts (or a curse, as it’s referred to in the book): the ability to negate magic. It’s a really unique way magic and puts Tala in such an interesting predicament – she is simultaneously the most powerful and the most vulnerable person in the room at any given time. It makes her extremely compelling. However, with so many different types of magic and so much history in the world created, the beginning felt a little heavy on the info dumping as I was forced to play catch-up. It keeps you from immediately bonding with the characters.

It is unsurprising, given Chupeco’s heritage, that Wicked As You Wish has absolutely AMAZING Filipino representation. Lola Urduja and the Katipuneros are basically the octogenarian Filipino hit squad war heroes, they fight with traditional abaniko fans, they cook better than you or I ever will, and basically I just want be them when I grow up. I enjoyed the culture and spirit that infused every interaction Tala had with her family. And while I’m talking about representation, Chupeco does a great job representing multiple nationalities and genders, including one of my favorite characters, who is an enby with a mysterious origin.

Finally, I need to say that while it took a while to adapt to the sensory and nostalgia overload that hit me when I first started reading Wicked As You Wish, the action and reveals of the final fourth of the book are astounding. The epilogue has a shocking twist that really got me in the gut. I had a complex relationship with the beginning of the book, but the end left me gasping and eager for more.


Pairs well with: chicken adobo, peanut butter burgers, steak tartare cooked over an open campfire, mochi, very stinky cheese, and the friends you met along the way who become closer than family.

**I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I had really high hopes for this one. The description sounded great and I previously read and really enjoyed The Girl From the Well books by Chupeco. I wish I could say I enjoyed Wicked As You Wish but it just never really grabbed me and if I'm being completely honest it ended up feeling like a chore to finish it. This is one of those times that I wish I was more of the DNF camp because it would have saved me weeks of dragging my heels through this book.

I'm trying to think of way to adequately describe what this story felt like, and the best I can come up with is it reminded me of leftover surprise. You know that ramshackle meal you throw together when you really need to go shopping or you're feeling kinda lazy and you just grab a bunch of random ingredients that are still good and you have on hand and throw them in a pot with broth or a casserole and call it dinner. This book was like that to me. Insert a handful of fairytale characters, a dash of legends and mythology, a pinch of hot topic social issues, a sprinkle of different cultures, and a side of LGBTQ. Voila, dinner is served! All of these on their own are wonderful ingredients, brought together they can make one incredibly tasty dish, but in this case it just didn't work for me as a cohesive recipe. Nothing quite married or really brought it all together.

It ended up feeling like instead of bringing these elements together in a new exciting way pieces of them were just mashed together but never quite fit as a whole. Getting thrown into the fantasy world blind at the beginning was jarring, which could have been ok for me if I understood it more as we went on, but honestly even after the end I'm still confused by it.

When the fantasy end falls short a reader can sometimes turn to the characters to carry them through, some cool peeps to get behind, or someone to root for. When I inevitably turned there I also felt like something was lacking. None of these characters were stand out for me. Maybe the most interesting to me was 'the Scourge of Buyan' which seemed unfortunately used more to try and make Tala somewhat interesting rather than an intriguing character on its own. Ryker maybe being a younger version of that could have been something but we really didn't see much of him, especially not much beyond the surface level of his high school crushiness that dominated the beginning.

All in all this was just not for me, as much as I wish that wasn't the case. Definitely not something I'd be interested in continuing as a series.