COMPETITION REVIEW
Wish - Alexandra Bullen (2010)
Olivia Larsen is devastated by the death of her twin sister, Violet. Grieving because she partly blames herself for Violet's death, she can't move on from the fact that she may have been able to help her sister. Even moving across the country from Massachusetts to California can't help Olivia's despair. It only emphasises the fact that Violet is gone and not coming back. Then a mysterious dress shows up on Olivia's doorstep. While wearing the dress at an event for her mother's new job, Olivia finds herself unable to hold herself together any longer. She wishes her sister could be there with her. Later that night, Olivia hears something in the spare room in her new house and finds her sassy sister Violet sitting there on the bed. Thinking she is dreaming, but knowing that she isn't, Olivia is reunited with Violet once more - but only she can see her sister. Together they visit the dress shop where the miraculous dress came from and find out that it is really a place where girls like Olivia who are in desperate need of something - whether it be something small or something major such as bringing a loved one back from the dead - can go and have three magical dresses made for them. Each dress allows the girl wearing it one wish, but they cannot wish for money or things like world peace. Violet decides to help Olivia get back on her feet and out of her depression by taking Olivia shopping and encouraging her to make new friends. But when Olivia falls for the boy that her new best friend, Calla, just broke up with, she has to decide if friendship or love come first. An entertaining and thought-provoking book aimed at young adults, this deals with love, loss and everything in between. Wish presents one of the most-thought-about questions of all: If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? (AS)
