“In Madison, regrets are as commonplace as wishes. And there’s no such thing as do-overs.”
Welcome to Madison, a not so boring, far from ordinary, "dusty, desert town on Nevada State Route 375" (1) where everyone gets the opportunity to make a single wish once they reach the age of eighteen.
But is wishing a gift?
Or a curse?
This premise hooked me from the start! I mean, who hasn't thought about what they would wish for if they could have anything they wanted? And what better setting than the middle of the desert in Nevada for the concept of a small town with a magical secret? The opening chapter even begins with a couple traveling through Madison while on a road trip, asking questions about aliens and Area 51...
A small, secluded town in the desert, just miles from Area 51, with secrets of its own? Not too unbelievable, right?
As far as characters, I'm on the fence when it comes to the main character, Eldon. While I found myself sympathizing with him during some moments, there were more times I felt almost repelled by his snarky attitude. However, since the character IS in high school and fairly young (seventeen), I'm hoping there's a 'coming of age' element to this story so, I'll reserve any final judgment until I find out how his character develops throughout the rest of the book.
Merrill Delacruz was a total hit with me! His character was witty, rebellious, and instantly likeable. Perhaps he can balance out Eldon's sour demeanor...? I certainly hope so...
I'm definitely interested in finding out more about this mysterious town and just how the entire 'wishing process' works. Although, the ability to have their wishes granted appears to be a complete mystery even to those who live there and there are several times when the narrator mentions that those who have already made their wish end up dissatisfied with the results and expressing regret about the wish they'd made.
Obviously, the ability to have your wish come true isn't all it's cracked up to be. Is there something sinister working behind the scenes? Are these wishes "poison" as Merrill believes?
This First Look has me curious to find out more!
The cover is a definite attention grabber and I think the starry night sky works well with the book's concept.
But is wishing a gift?
Or a curse?
This premise hooked me from the start! I mean, who hasn't thought about what they would wish for if they could have anything they wanted? And what better setting than the middle of the desert in Nevada for the concept of a small town with a magical secret? The opening chapter even begins with a couple traveling through Madison while on a road trip, asking questions about aliens and Area 51...
A small, secluded town in the desert, just miles from Area 51, with secrets of its own? Not too unbelievable, right?
As far as characters, I'm on the fence when it comes to the main character, Eldon. While I found myself sympathizing with him during some moments, there were more times I felt almost repelled by his snarky attitude. However, since the character IS in high school and fairly young (seventeen), I'm hoping there's a 'coming of age' element to this story so, I'll reserve any final judgment until I find out how his character develops throughout the rest of the book.
Merrill Delacruz was a total hit with me! His character was witty, rebellious, and instantly likeable. Perhaps he can balance out Eldon's sour demeanor...? I certainly hope so...
I'm definitely interested in finding out more about this mysterious town and just how the entire 'wishing process' works. Although, the ability to have their wishes granted appears to be a complete mystery even to those who live there and there are several times when the narrator mentions that those who have already made their wish end up dissatisfied with the results and expressing regret about the wish they'd made.
Obviously, the ability to have your wish come true isn't all it's cracked up to be. Is there something sinister working behind the scenes? Are these wishes "poison" as Merrill believes?
This First Look has me curious to find out more!
The cover is a definite attention grabber and I think the starry night sky works well with the book's concept.