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Everyone has a dark side. Mandy’s just moved in with her.
The last time sixteen-year-old Mandy Matteo broke a rule, her sister died. Since that day she has done only what is expected of her, but life as a goody-goody has made Mandy so boring her friends have all but abandoned her. And she’s given up on ever getting Ethan, the boy she’s liked forever, to notice her. Desperate, Mandy makes a wish to simply be happy.
Enter Desiree, a hippie from Woodstock serving a fifty-year indenture as a Wish Mistress (aka a genie). Years of only granting and never receiving her own wish have left Desiree bitter. Arranging for Mandy to right her biggest wrong – the exact thing Desiree would wish for – only makes things worse.
Still, Desiree does her job and grants the wish and happiness arrives for Mandy in the form of Lexi, her childhood imaginary friend come to life. Magical wishes have conditions though: Once started, the wish cannot be altered or revoked. Also, once Mandy is truly content with her life again, Lexi must go back to where she came from. However, the longer Lexi is alive the more she loves being alive, and she’ll do whatever it takes to stay that way.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Shawn McGuire and here’s a bit of info about me. I was born in San Antonio, Texas, then lived in Florida and Illinois but was very young so don’t remember any of it. Correction: I have a memory of living in Mt. Zion, Illinois and after a big rain storm sat in a huge mud puddle up to my neck because the neighbor girl told me it was good for my skin. My parents weren’t amused. From first grade until I graduated high school, I lived in the beautiful Mississippi River town of Winona, Minnesota, the small town that inspired the setting for STICKS AND STONES and BREAK MY BONES.
After graduating from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, I moved to the Milwaukee area of Wisconsin (Go Pack Go!) where I lived for many years. Now my family and I call Colorado home where I love to read, cook and bake, craft, decorate my house, and spend time hiking and camping in the spectacular Rocky Mountains.
I am also the author of young adult, speculative fiction novels that blend contemporary settings with a touch of fantasy and magic. I started writing after seeing the first Star Wars movie (that’s episode IV) as a kid. I couldn’t wait for the next movie to come out so I wrote my own episodes. Sadly, those notebooks are long lost–it would be hilarious to read those episodes–but my desire to write is as strong now as it was then
My books deal with harder topics (dating violence, death of a sibling, divorce, substance abuse, runaways, etc.) because I believe it’s important to talk about these things. That can be hard to handle and a bit overwhelming, so I infuse a bit of humor in my work as well because I also believe that a sense of humor can help you get through just about anything.
I am so glad you stopped by. Thank you. I hope you enjoy my books as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Peace, love, and good wishes!
Shawn
My Review
I was impressed, really really impressed (It was an impulse download of freebie one-click fests and I’m so glad I did) - this book isn't an average YA book. It is a real must read from so may reasons but first a little about the plot:
Mandy just turned to sweet 16, but nothing changed. Even her long time crash, Ethan didn't act any different. So....On 11:59:59 Mandy made a wish and this wish was granted. Desiree, a "wish mistress" still try to give her a way to back from it to change it because she know that Mandy, basically, just wanted to be happy. As one with her own baggage she was afraid to monitor this granted wish.
Mandy is miserable for a long time, her father left her and her mother long time ago after her elder sister, Alexa, died. Her mother are working all the time and they barley see each other and barely talk. Mandy made herself to be the perfect daughter, the kind that never break the rules. The kind that is a hard working who is incredibly caught up in doing everything right, a mistake means anguish which mean, she can't able to let go of the need to be perfect, and stay on everyone’s good side.
So because she wanted a real BFF, she wanted her child imaginary friend Lexi, that despair one day, to come back as a real person. So be careful what you wish, because her wish will not go away till she have to face few things deep inside her. Things she berried very deep. Everyone has a dark side. Mandy’s just moved in with her.
For Desiree, this wish granting never easy. In the plot she got to tell her own story. which was pleasantly surprising.
Mandy, chose to go with her wish, really not comprehending fully about the consequence. Never thinking that the disappearance of her imaginary friend in the age that it's happened has a good meaning. Now her Lexi is teenager like herself, she is all the things that Mandy afraid to be (her carefree dark side)and like the Golem she got life of herself. Life she like too much to leave behind her. This was unexpected to Mandy and it got out of control. And why Desiree let things stay out of control for Mandy? She suppose to protect her isn't she? (Even her master Jeb thin she is letting thing go too far)
Like ans onion all the layers start to peal off and when you dealing with onions...
So... the book is actually about face the past, overcoming fears, standing social pressure, making choices, all kinds of relationships - inside the family, parent-child, boy/girlfriend, social, you with the inside yourselves.
That mean - that this book isn't ‘easy’ or ‘fluff’ read. But it’s still definitely one of those wise books that capable of making you wish that may others will read it. Also Maguire’s writing is easy to dive into.
If you want to read it it is still free at Amazon - Just press on the picture blew:
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