Source: Goodreads
Still grieving her mother’s death two years prior, Molly Bell is less than thrilled with the prospect of a brand new stepmother and little stepbrother. When her dad and new mom head off on their honeymoon and Molly and Henry are left at their grandparents’ farm, and Molly discovers the old wishing well where her Aunt Joan claims all the wishes she ever made came true. Molly is convinced that if she wishes hard enough, things will go back to the way they were, and she could be happy again. The consequences of wishes are much larger than Molly anticipated, however, and her selfish desires start to disrupt what happiness she has left. Now she’ll need to figure out it’s possible to undo wishes, or if she’ll have to learn how to make things right on her own.
First-time author Bridget Geraghty makes a permanent mark with this book. I was granted a copy by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I just have to thank them for giving me this book! I wasn’t initially impressed with the very simple sentences in the first few chapters, but as the main character cheered up the sentences became more complex and I thought that was awesome. The book is written for middle-grade/juvenile readers, but it is definitely something enjoyable at any age.
The light went out in Molly Bell’s eyes when her mom died, and she’s struggling with her dad’s imminent remarriage. Her now stepmom, Faith, is nice, but it’s hard to like someone when they’re replacing your mother. Molly is also not excited about gaining an annoying little brother in Henry, and it’s especially hard to watch her family love Henry while they seemingly ignore her. At her grandparents’ farm, Molly learns hard lessons about the power of wishing which leads her in learning to accept the life she has now and loving the people she’s been given.
It’s a good thing this book is short because I sobbed through the entire thing. It was heart-wrenching to follow Molly through her struggle to find happiness again, but there was true beauty in the discovery. I highly recommend reading this. The lessons shared here are just so powerful, and I think they could be potentially life-changing for anyone who might be going through the same struggles that Molly faces.
HHC Rating: 4 Stars