How Not to Make a Wish, by Mindy Klasky
Kira Franklin is in a dead-end job and unsure about her future, when she comes across a magic lamp. And a genie, named Teel, appears and must grant her wishes. Told that larger wishes, such as world peace and ending hunger, would take too many years to resolve, Kira must focus on herself. Deciding her first need is a job, she quickly wishes for her dream job. Her next wishes soon follow, but what Kira thought she wanted doesn’t turn out to be so her ideal.
In true chick lit fashion, How Not to Make a Wish is more about Kira’s journey and learning about herself than it is romance or fantasy. Though there are strong elements of both romance and fantasy as well. The incredibly likeable and relatable Kira has gone through heartbreak and still makes unwise choices. But she learns from her mistakes. While, some of her choices surprised me – I assumed that she’d do the selfless thing and free the genie with one of her wishes. Instead, it seems to never enter her mind. Maybe this is so the series can continue, but for some reason it didn’t sit well with me. Teel was a main character and stated his case several times for wanting Kira to hurry her wishes so he could possibly enter his idyllic, Eden-like garden. But other than the selfish wishes, this was an incredibly fun and fast-paced read.
Klasky is a gifted author that pulled me into the story immediately. The narrative is charming, warm, and witty. This will appeal particularly to chick lit fans, which is a broad category in itself. It’s light-hearted and fun and will leave you wishing for more.