Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC. This is an awesome YA book about Layla, who is a teenager trying to navigate her Mom's alcoholism. Layla is one of the strongest characters I've read about recently. This is an excellent read!

What We Wish For introduces us to Layla, a resilient teenager grappling with the harsh realities of having an addict mother and the instability of living in a homeless shelter. She does everything to keep her home life circumstances hidden from those around her.
When Layla's mother overdoses, Layla is sent to live with her aunt and uncle. There, she experiences the normalcy of clean clothes, having her own room, food and a seemingly more stable environment. However, life in her new environment unveils its own set of challenges and complexities, exploring themes of belonging, new beginnings, family and the enduring impacts of past traumas.
And I must add, how much I loved the nods to Ellen Hopkins “Crank.”

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Trigger warnings* - Drug and alcohol addiction, suicide, domestic violence.

"What We Wish For" by Melody Maysonet is a book that will tear at your heartstrings. 15 year old Layla Freeman is keeping some big secrets. She lives in a homeless shelter with her mum who is struggling with addiction. In order to keep up her appearances at school, Layla keeps all this to herself. A boy who goes to her school moves into the homeless shelter which shakes things up as she struggles to keep her home life a secret. Maysonet does a great job exploring some very heavy themes and topics. I also thought all of the characters felt very real and developed.

This book will resonate with me for a long time.

An excellent coming-of-age book about Layla and mom who are homeless and live in a shelter. Mom is an alcoholic and because she hasn’t gotten a job they will need to leave the shelter. Then mom overdoses and ends up in the hospital. Mom’s sister, whom she hasn’t talked to in a while, picks up Layla and says she can stay with their family. As Layla and her cousin get to know each other better, the dad offers to pay for rehab. Layla’s mom comes for Thanksgiving and then leaves after she’s been drinking. Layla tries to find her, and they go back to the shelter. Once again mom goes to rehab only to walk out. Layla gets an email from mom and her cousin thinks it could be a suicide note. Is that possible? Layla finds out a secret her mom never told her and wonders what will happen to her now.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"What We Wish For" by Melody Maysonet is a poignant and gripping YA novel that delves into the complexities of family, friendship, and learning to grow. Before reading this book, I do want to provide a trigger warning for alcoholism and drug use in this book. The MC never partakes, but others in the book do. Also, I wanted to provide a trigger warning for domestic abuse (this is described in the book).

Fifteen-year-old Layla Freeman is adept at putting on a façade, pretending that everything is fine despite her family's struggles. With her mother's sobriety hanging by a thread and their recent move into a homeless shelter, Layla is determined to keep up appearances at school. However, as the pressure mounts and Layla's lies become harder to maintain, she finds herself grappling with the truth and the fear of judgment from her peers. When Layla's desperate plan to seek help from her wealthy aunt and uncle goes awry, her world is turned upside down. Yet, amidst the chaos, Layla is granted a glimmer of hope as her mother receives treatment in rehab and Layla moves into her relatives' opulent mansion. However, as Layla navigates her new life of privilege, she discovers that not everything is as it seems, and buried secrets threaten to unravel her newfound stability.

Maysonet expertly crafts a compelling narrative that explores themes of resilience, forgiveness, and the importance of confronting one's past. I really enjoyed Layla’s journey of growth as well as learning from her own mother’s mistakes. Layla’s thoughts and actions felt very realistic for her age, especially because of the experiences she has had growing up and throughout the plot of the book. There were times where Layla made some decisions that weren’t thought-out or had some thoughts that were prejudiced, but I think these decisions/thoughts made Layla even more realistic and relatable. Through Layla's journey, you are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as you witness her struggles and her growth as she learns to confront the truth and embrace her authentic self. While I didn’t think the romance in the book was entirely necessary (I was much more invested in the plot regarding Layla’s mother and the major secret she was hiding), I really liked how Maysonet played out the romance at the very end; I thought it was a smart decision and worked the best for both Layla’s circumstances as well as the love interest’s. I did find the major twist in the book to be rather predictable, but I was very invested in Layla’s growth once that twist was revealed.

Overall, "What We Wish For" is a thought-provoking and emotional read that will resonate with you long after you’ve turned the final page. Maysonet's skillful storytelling and nuanced characters make this book a must-read for fans of contemporary YA fiction.