I have been utterly destroyed.

And it's all Nadine Brandes' fault.

Allow me to attempt to explain...

I'm a huge fan of good quality fantasy fiction. I marvel at the imaginations that create such rich, detailed worlds. I fall head over heels for lively and fully imagined characters. And my heart races as the adventure climbs, intensifies, and finally peaks in a sometimes heart rending, sometimes joyful, and often times satisfying ending.

Then there are those moments when I'm awestruck by the talent and creativity within the pages. When I can feel the passion for the story coming from the author. When I can come very close to seeing the tears on the pages of a beloved character's tragedy and heartbreak.

So, which one describes Wishtress?

I am dumbfounded and floored by the power of the story. I feel changed. And I want to have words with the author over that ending! This has been a joyous and magical journey, and I'm in awe.

I received an advance copy of the book from the publisher. My review was not solicited, and I stand by it.

I absolutely adore Nadine Brandes, and Wishtress sounded right up my street. Myrthe has the ability to grant wishes with her tears, but wishes can be tricky things when not properly worded. After years of being held back by her Grandmother and knowing nothing about her own power, she is finally forced to strike out on her own into the World.

The magic system in the Wishtress is brilliant, and I loved learning about the Banes and Talents. However, there was an insane amount of "tell me" plot, where instead of seeing events unfold we were just told about them by other characters. The plot we did see was slow and drawn out, and I unfortunately rushed the book because I was bored by the characters and not particularly interested in how it ended.

I really wish I'd liked this book, but it was not for me!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

We follow the story of Myrthe, a girl who accidentally kills her parents with her tears and learns that those tears have powers. Unfortunately, those powers also have consequences which lead to her being cursed to die by her next tear. She learns to harden her heart and try to reverse the curse while the kingdom is in upheaval.

While the premise of the story was interesting, I found that while it was easy to pity Myrthe due to her lack of backbone, I didn't particularly root for any of the characters. She starts off as incredibly meek, but lashes out in rebellion to her grandmother after realizing she was being taken advantage of. I don't understand the romance between Myrthe and Bastiaan either, there was hardly any meaningful interactions before they decided they liked each other. While I do understand that the other characters were self-serving and their motives, I just didn't end up emotionally connected to any of them. As such, I lost interest about halfway through.

Although the end wrapped up well enough, I'm quite disappointed that all the characters that died didn't stay dead, which made all their sacrifices lose any emotional impact. I think this book could've benefitted from being a standalone and worked to better round out the characters instead of pushing for a sequel.

I was given an e-ARC through Netgalley, this in no way affected this review.

Wishtress sounded like such a cool book about a magical world where people have these amazing powers and I was so ready to dive into a rich fantasy world, but this book just felt… lacking.

I just wish (see what I did there) that this book had been both longer and shorter. Longer because there could have been so much more world building and interaction between characters that I’d love to have seen; and shorter, because the book just seemed to drag on and on because nothing was happening.

I might read the sequel, because I liked how everything wrapped up (even though it ended on a cliff hanger), but at the same time, I’m happy I finally finished the book.

I was very interested I reading this book after enjoying others by this author. The world building at the beginning drew me in and made me want to know more of Myrthe's story and how her abilities would effect her life. I loved her relationship with her cousin and couldn't wait for her to break free of those in control of her.
The middle of the book did seem to slow down for me and was harder to get through. I wanted to know how it ended but it seemed to have more information than needed. I also struggled to keep track of some characters and the abilities that they had.
I did however, enjoy how the end of the book came together. It was not too predictable and gave me a few surprises!

DNF @ 67%

The description sounded so good but, to my disappointment, the book failed to deliver its promise.

The pace was slow, and, to be honest, I found the story quite boring.

The characters felt pretty bland and I just couldn’t bring myself to care about any of them (with the sole exception of Runt, a side character with more punch than the main ones).
Myrthe was particularly annoying. In the beginning, she totally lacked the backbone, being nothing more than a wish-producing slave in her grandmother's hands, never daring to rebel against her, never daring to ask for more. But then, when she was cursed, she had an epiphany: she abruptly realized that she was the Wishtress, blessed with a unique and powerful talent, and decided that she had to change the world. Well, color me impressed. *rolls eyes*

Bastiaan's talent was so intriguing, but his character did not have much depth.
I couldn't care for the romance too. The relationship between Myrthe and Bastiaan was pretty much the insta-love kind and lacked chemistry. Especially I found it pretty irksome how Bastiaan, for the first half of the book, kept on babbling that he didn't recognise Myrthe anymore. Of course, not knowing why she refused to grant any wish (and here I blame Myrthe because she would have saved everyone a good deal of trouble if only she was less stubborn and more forthcoming), he found her more cynical and detached, but he had met the uncursed-version of her in one occasion and for like 2 minutes at the best so I still couldn't comprehend how he could assume to know her.

I read some reviews that suggest keeping on reading since the ending supposedly redeems the flaws of this book. But I couldn't take it anymore and threw in the towel.

**Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.**

I liked Nadine Brandes' prior work, Romanov, so I thought I would enjoy this too. This had all the ingredients for a good book — compelling writing, interesting characters, and unique powers (the mc can grant wishes through tears????). However, it wasn't a really good hit for me.

First, the pacing is all over the place. I actually really liked the introduction with the first chapter, but afterwards it was like the author was so excited to get into the book that everything went by so fast, and barely any explanations were given about the world, the powers, etc., until it came a few more chapters in and it honestly felt a little late for it. The pacing also fluctuated in fast and slow and it just didn't really encourage me to push on reading.

The characters were interesting, although they can be annoying sometimes. I have a bone to pick with Myrthe and some of the choices she made, but hey, I guess it's all part of life's journey. To be honest, everyone felt like they were cookie-cutter young adult fantasy characters, but they weren't two dimensional or anything at all, so that was great.

I liked the ending a lot, but I don't know if it makes up for the slogging I had to go through in some parts of this book. I wouldn't mind picking up another book from the author though if the plot interests me.

What a super fun and unique read!! It’s enjoyable for teens AND adults. This author did a great job with tiger story line and keeping me engaged.

Nadine Brandes has done it again! Yet another fantastic story that deep dives you right into a magical world full of realistic characters with believable struggles and needs.

I loved seeing how Myrthe and Bastiaan’s stories intertwined. Runt is probably my favorite side character. He’s so spunky! Love him!

Trying to avoid spoilers, so all I’m going to say is this book is worth the read. It’s an action-packed adventure story you don’t want to miss.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars

I received an ebook ARC of Wishtress from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my honest thoughts about this book.

Nadine Brande’s new YA fantasy novel, set to release in September explores a world where people are given talents. Our main character can grant wishes with her tears

Honestly really thought I would love this one, but it just fell flat. I am someone who really enjoys a plot driven book vs character driven and this one was the latter. Up until 75% I felt like the story was super slow. To the point where I *almost* DNF’ed. But the ending redeemed it and I’m glad I finished!

Also the Christianity allegory/metaphor was super subtle up until the end too. I really wasn’t sure how it was going to come into play. Since Brandes did the faith aspect phenomenally in her Out of Time series, I guess I was expecting more on that level. Once again, the ending really brought the faith to the forefront, I just wish it was more prominent throughout.

The world itself was interesting and described really well. As I mentioned above, character development was probably the best thing about this book.


I don’t regret reading this at all, and I’m sure many people will love it… it just wasn’t my most favorite read.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley. All opinions/thoughts are my own.

Thank you Thomas Nelson - Fiction and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

This book has multiple POV’s and I like it because you can see their motivations to do things. The writing style is nice enough and it keeps you reading. Besides that, I like the idea of people with different Talents.

This book has a lot of potential but I found the story overall boring to be honest. It follows the standard path, the characters do the standard things and say the obvious things. And it wouldn’t bother me so much if the characters had enough depth to compensate but unfortunately they didn’t have that in my opinion.

If you’re looking for a young adult fantasy book with characters that have Talents and don’t mind a standard book and plot than this book could work for you.

I was unsure what I had gotten myself into with the first few pages but then....what a wonderful, unique story. The entire cast of characters were well done: really good villains, heroes that were far from perfect, curses, gifts and love of all kinds. I did like the fervent love of a family that the author wove throughout, both born and made. I will definitely be reading more of her work as this was so enjoyable (even when frustrating!) And I'm on the side of loving the ending. It reminded me of the Magicians in the best way. Here's to hope.

I couldn’t put this book down! There are so many twists and turns to the story that I was on the edge of my seat til the very end. In a fantasy world, Myrrthe finds out her tears have the power to grant wishes, but she is constantly plagued with guilt and is hindered by a curse that will kill her. Baastian is perhaps the most knowledgeable person on the source of the power behind the Talents and is absolutely swoon worthy. I love Myrrthe’s and Baastain’s relationship and the way they grow to help each other. I seriously hope there will be a sequel!

4.75 ⭐️

Set in a fantasy, Wishtress invites readers into a world of magic. Seventeen-year-old Myrthe was born with a magical ability that was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because of her ability to turn her tears into wishes; a curse because, when Myrthe attempts to help someone and it backfires, she’s cursed: her next tear will end her life. Bastiaan also has a magical ability, but unlike Myrthe, he wasn’t born with his. When the king commissions Bastiaan to find the Wishtress and deliver her to him, Bastiaan befriends Myrthe by promising to take her to the Well and, once he got what he wanted from her, he would turn her into the king. But what happens when that bond of friendship is tested and strengthened in ways both of them never imagine?

Wowzers, this book was a wild ride! There are definitely a lot of things I loved about this book, but I’ll just mention a few of my favorites in this review.

First, I loved the pacing of the book and the length of the chapters. This may not be a big deal to some readers, but I really appreciate it when the author keeps the chapters short with I-have-to-keep-reading cliffhangers. That alone makes me want to keep turning the pages to find out what’s happening next, knowing that the chapter will only take me a few minutes to read. The author nailed this aspect of the story writing process!

Second, I loved the characters, especially Bastiaan. I think his character was developed a lot in the story. I really loved his relationship with his mom and how he was willing to listen to her advice and be humble enough to take it to heart. His character went from being self-centered to selfless, and it was a gradual, slow, un-perfect, but genuine change. I really loved that about Bastiaan’s character so much! 

Third, without giving away spoilers, I just gotta say—the bread scene between Myrthe and Bastiaan…it reminded me so much of Peeta and Katniss, which made me love this book all the more. Felt all the feels!

Fourth, the ending. Okay, so endings are huge for me. If it’s not well done, that’s a game-changer for me because endings are so important to nail. I’m very happy to report the author nailed the ending. So. So. Good. I won’t give any spoilers, but I love how the story came together in a complete way but didn’t end how you expected it to. Absolute perfection. 

The only reason I docked .25 stars from the book was nothing against the content itself, just a few minor personal dislikes or things I wished had been done a little differently. However, as I said, these are just personal preferences and nothing against the content itself!

For those of you who love fantasy books that give you The Hunger Games vibes in the best possible ways, stories of finding the light in the darkness, words of redemption and love and sacrifice, this book is for you. Definitely recommend it! 

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of Wishtress. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.

Such a fun and unique story! Twists, turns, and relatable, lovable characters. A girl who can grant a wish with each tear she sheds is so unlike any YA Fantasy I’ve read and it was amazing.

Nadine Brandes has done it again, you guys. Wishtress is the story of Myrthe, a girl who can grant a wish with each tear that she sheds, and of Bastiaan, a humble young man who is actually 107 years old (he can stop time indefinitely). The magic system is super cool and the plot is gripping and twisty—SO many plot twists! While I figured there would be a happy (or happy-ish) ending, I had no idea how it would come about. (And I’m not telling you whether there was actually a HEA or not. You’ll just have to read the book!)

I loved the characters. Myrthe and Bastiaan were both flawed individuals, but that only made them more relatable. (And their flaws and mistakes were actually real and serious, not lame and unimportant. XD) But I think even more than the characters, the page-turning plot, or the beautiful writing…I loved the message of Wishtress. The novel was a true allegory wrapped up in adventure and sweet romance.

Wishtress spoke to me on such a personal level—so often, I have an unhealthy view of my writing talent by, really, making a kind of idol out of it. Wishtress was an excellent and much-needed reminder that my writing isn’t really for myself, but for others. And I loved that (even as I cried, heehee). Nadine wove a wonderful theme of surrendering one’s talents to use for God’s glory and the good of others. Highly, highly recommended all around.

(4.5 stars)

Another beautiful story from Nadine Brandes, one that won't leave me soon.

Wishtress is more of a character-driven story, rather than a plot-driven story. It focuses more on the characters and their internal plot, rather than the external plot. But don't think that means there aren't any scenes full of action, or that the story drags!

So, the pacing might seem slow to some readers, but it really just lets you get to know the characters deeply and see their struggles and pain. I'm just going to say it: Nadine isn't the nicest to her characters. But that leads to a beautiful story, and themes of forgiveness and healing. Honestly, all of the various themes Nadine wove into the story were excellent.

But back to the characters. They were fantastic. Myrthe is a character that you just want to hug. Baastian got my interest from the very start. And Runt. Oh my. I love Runt. While he didn't steal the show, I think he could have if he tried. His remarks and comebacks almost had me laughing out loud (which is very rare for me). I loved the sibling relationship between him and Baastian. And the side characters had me either loving or loathing them, depending on who they were.

I also loved the couple of mother-child moments. Nadine's heart for motherhood is clear in them, and I loved seeing the relationship between Baastian and his mom, and some other characters I won't name---no spoilers! Positive parent-child relationships in books, especially YA, always make me happy.

Wishtress takes place in a fictitious kingdom that reminded me of the Netherlands, which was super cool. I'd love to get to explore Fairhoven and Winterune more. The magic system was also great--I love all of Nadine's magic systems.

I didn't binge-read Wishtress, but I did read it a little faster than I do most books. So I'm looking forward to sitting down with my hardcopy come September, and just savoring and soaking in Wishtress once more. I'm fairly certain that there will be things I'll pick up on during a reread that I didn't notice before.

Thinking back over Wishtress, I wish I had a little bit more of everything. But I think that's because I'm not quite ready to leave this story behind. I want to spend more time with Myrthe, Baastian, Anouk, and Runt. And with that ending... while it does work perfectly fine for a standalone, let's just say I won't complain if Nadine ever decides to write a sequel. ;)

Cautions: moderate/heavy violence; brief, non-descriptive mention of a character being trafficked in the past, and a resulting pregnancy; light/moderate romance; three kisses

Nadine Brandes shows delightful creativity and world building in Wishtress. I appreciated that she didn't bury is in setting the stage through telling us everything at the start; she dropped us in and let us wander around her created culture and listen to her characters to figure out what was going on.

Myrthe is the first Wishtress born in hundreds of years, and each tear she sheds offers a wish--until she is cursed. Bastiaan can freeze time--which he used to kidnap the former king. Now the new king's orders will cause the two Talented to become the primary chess pieces in a game that is life or death, especially for Myrthe.

The curiosity to understand the powers of the Talented and the Banes and the back stories of Myrthe and Bastiaan kept me coming back to see the stakes just go up and up and up. The author did a great job with putting her characters in tough situations and not giving an unrealistic or easy way out. I respected this in several places that I won't mention for spoilers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

<i> "Your past matters. It's the ink of your story. But it doesn't write your future." </i>

It was heartachingly beautiful. Following Myrthe's journey was painful, to see everyone "seeing" her like a thing, a tool to achieve their purpose. Until she met Bastiaan, who also had painful journey. They were two sweet people with broken souls and I'm so glad they found each other.

The writing was amazing. I love the magic system of Talents and Banes, the Well and Nightwell. I love the twists and the emotions come with every events, how every small details carved the beautiful story. The pacing was also good! But really, the most amazing part for me is the way the author conveyed emotions in dialogues and actions of the characters, especially the PAIN.

It was brutal, dark, but also beautiful. There are moments I need to stop reading to take a deep breath because my chest felt tight and hurting, but also moments I cheered for the characters. It was that good.

Looking forward the next book because that ending shouldn't be the end!

This was the first book I've read by this author, it sounded interesting and I love YA fantasy books. I liked the unique abilities the characters had, the main character is sort of a genie with everyone after her tears that hold wishes. However she doesn't really know anything about her power and spends most of the book without it. I really liked Runt's character and the revelation we got about him. This was well-written, there might have been one spelling error. What I really disliked about this book was the pacing. It just off and very sporadic. I think the last forty pages could've just been cut, although I did like the hopeful cliffhanger ending. If you don't like the losing your powers trope, I don't think you'll like this. But if you like cool YA fantasy worlds with unique powers, I would recommend.