Customer Reviews

The Wish List (Time of Transition Trilogy)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kristin Montgomery is a CPA. She likes everything organized and in its place. But when her three aunts send her a cryptic message, Kristin drops everything and rushes to their bungalow in Mission Beach. The aunts are almost finished packing. They are going on a world cruise. Kristin is shocked; however, that is only the beginning of how Kristin's organized world crumbles around her. Aunts Rose, Lily, and Hyacinth tell Kristin that they are fairy godmothers and the Time of Transition is at hand. During the Time of Transition, the magical (Arcani) world is at its weakest. The old fairy godmothers start to lose some of their powers, and the new ones are not used to theirs yet. New Council members (who govern the magical world) are chosen and others must step down. Kristin, according to the aunts, is the one they have chosen to become their replacement. Kristin is soon having to deal with her own burgeoning magical powers.

Tennyson Ritter is a brilliant wizard. He is in the midst of studying an ancient book of Merlin's that he had only recently found. (It had been lost back in the Dark Ages and believed to only be a myth until now.) The last thing Tennyson has time for is being the arbiter of anew fairy godmother. As arbiter, he must observe Kristin, help her learn about her powers, and judge whether she is able to handle such a responsible position. Unfortunately for Tennyson, Kristin is a Rare One. Though her deceased parents were both Groundlings (non-magical humans), Kristin is Arcani (a magical human).

Kristin never knew she had magical powers waiting to erupt during the Time of Transition. She never believed in magic. And she is having a hard time believing all that happening to, and around, her. But between the rude Tennyson and her new friend, a tiny sprite named Callie, Kristin just may get the hang of it all. Problem is that during this vulnerable time of the magical world, an enemy of the Arcani has returned for vengeance.

***** FIVE STARS! It is hard for me to believe that this is the author's debut novel. It is an incredible story filled with romance, suspense, and some utterly delightful magical beings. Fans of the classic television show Bewitched will especially enjoy this trilogy. The character of Kristin reminds me strongly of Samantha. I want MORE! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

The Wish List sweeps the reader away on a magical carpet ride filled with exciting twists and turns. A Harry Potter adventure for adults. It's a fun quest that leaves a thirst for more. The wait for the next book will be far too long.

3 and 1/2 stars.


Why I Read this Book: Let me start off by saying this: Never judge a book by its cover. Or by its blurb for that matter. When I first saw the cover for The Wish List, I thought it was a YA novel. There's lots of pink and sparkles going on, a super cute swirly font and it has a whimsical feel to it. Now, there's nothing wrong with YA. I love YA! But I'm not a big fan of fairies so what I do read, that involves fairies, is very minimal. I need a strong romantic element to carry me through it. And there wasn't any hint of romance in the blurb. So if The Wish List was a YA novel, I probably would not have picked it up. But alas, I finally discovered that it is indeed an adult novel and decided to give it a go. And I'm glad I did.

What I Liked: The Wish List was a fun, cute and light read. And there was a bit of suspense that kept me interested. Kristin and Tennyson are both likeable characters. Kristin didn't just jump into the role of being a Fairy Godmother without hesitation. She discounted it and she questioned it and that made it conceivable.

There's romance in the book! Like I mentioned earlier, I need a strong romantic element is most books I read. What can I say? I love reading romance. Kristin's relationship with her leading man progressed at a good pace. I'm glad they didn't fall in love right off the bat. She was a bit reluctant to follow his guidance so there was a bit of bickering at first. She was more concerned about this new-to-her world she now belongs to, and rightfully so.

What I Didn't Like: It was a bit weird that there were no set rules for performing magic. Magical commands varied from person to person. So while one person would say "Veni" to make an object come to them, someone else might say something completely different.

There wasn't much said of the Council; the Council remains to be a bit of a mystery. I am hoping that there will be some light shed on the Council world in the next book. I'm interested to know more and to find out what's going to happen with Kristin.

Overall Impression: The Wish List was a light and fun read with a cute romance. Nothing dark or heavy. There were a few loose ends which made me eager to read the next book, As You Wish.

I love this book! Tennyson is oh-so-sexy and Kristin is cute and fun. I love the fresh idea with the fairy godmother angle and Gabi Stevens pulled it off beautifully. It was fun and impossible to put down!

4-1/2 stars

When CPA Kristin Montgomergy visits her aunts she's shocked to find out her aunts are really Fairy Godmothers. Not only that, but they are retiring and passing the wand to her. Thinking them delusional, she sees them off on a cruise to celebrate their retirement and heads home where Kristen meets surly Tennyson Ritter, a magic historian, assigned to be her mentor as she learns the ropes of her new role. Soon, Kristen finds herself immersed in the magical world, struggling to find her way in place where her power is sought for 2 opposing sides in a magical political war.

I so enjoyed this book! It was light but not glossed over superficial stuff; fun but not sarcastic; full of adventure without being over the top. Anybody who's enjoyed "Harry Potter" will notice some similarities in the world Ms. Stevens created, but it won't cause you to roll your eyes or think the story unoriginal.

What I liked:
1. Kristen--I could so related to her! She's a CPA (I was a Finance Major) and hates to feel incompetent (me, too!) and will do anything to succeed. The only subject at school she didn't succeed in was Art, and she dropped that class once she realized it wasn't an absolute science. She lives by rules and structure and is thrust into a world of make-believe. She's honest, quirky, loyal to those she loves, determined, and real. She doesn't always have the answer and she's not a typical Urban Fantasy Kick-ass heroine, which was refreshing.
2. Tennyson--He was an annoying stuck-up nerd who snuck into my heart, and Kristen's as well. He was so fun to watch as his prejudices melted away and he struggled with his new role as mentor to someone who didn't grow up around magic and doesn't want anything to do with it or him.
3. Magical--Ms. Stevens skillfully builds a world where we feel anything is possible, where magic exists, without resorting to cheap tricks where magic fixes everything. (A personal pet peeve of mine.) Magic has a cost, usually physically. Each time you wave the wand, it is draining.
4. Supporting characters--Even though the aunts and others don't get a ton of page time, the secondary characters where still well fleshed out and believable, even with wands. The Aunts are hilarious, Tennyson's best friend and son were adorable, and Callie the Sprite was perfect.
5. Romance--I'm a sucker for a good romance and it was done very well here. The emotional development of Kristen and Tennyson was very believable and oftentimes hilarious.

What I didn't like:
1. A lot still left unexplained--This might be due to the fact that this is book 1 of 3 and we will get more information as the other 2 Fairy Godmothers come to power. But, there were still several things unsettled and unexplained. Why was it against the rules to teach Kristen? What happened to "The Bad Guy?" What is so special about "A Rare One?" And several other questions I have, but don't want to spoil anything.
2. Wait--What?! I have to wait until April 2011 for the next book!? Really?

I'm looking forward to book 2, when it finally comes out next year. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Kristen, Tennyson, the Aunts, the "Bad Guy", and new characters. I wouldn't say this is an absolutely must read, but it definitely is a fun read. If you're in a reading slump, this could definitely help.

Does contain very few swear words (if any, I really can't remember seeing any), 3 detailed sex scenes, and Magical Chaos.

The Wish List (Time of Transition Trilogy)
As You Wish

A very original storyline that was fun, magical, and enchanted me from the very first page. This is a great read.

Publisher: Tor Books
Purchased: Purchased from Amazon for my Kindle

What I Loved: Kristin, Tennyson, Callie, Zach, Rose, Lily, Hyacinth, and Jake. The characters really made this book completely enjoyable. The storyline was unique (fairy godmothers, sorcerers, councils, and sprites not in a children's book) and fun. There was never a dull moment and the ending was fantastically done.

What I Liked: I really enjoyed the world of "groundlings" and "arcani" that Gabi created. She made the world based loosely on reality, aka magic happening all around us but we would never know because it is hidden, but too you away enough with the story that you could get lost in the book.

Complaints: The next one isn't out until April 2011

Why I gave it a 4: This was a completely enjoyable read that made me happy. It was well-paced, character driven, and very unique. All things a good book should be!

Who I would recommend it too: I would recommend this to chick-lit and PNR readers. If you like Dakota Cassidy, Michele Bardsley, Kimberly Frost--I would say Gabi belongs in that group. Her book is funny, romantic, and paranormal.

Author's website: [...]

Kristin Montgomery is a regular CPA with no clue as what shes about to be dropped into. Her aunts tell her she is a fairy godmother, give her a wand and they take off for a cruise and leave Kristin clueless. Tennyson Ritter is Kristin's magical arbiter. At first they bicker quite a lot, but they learn to trust each other to survive the attacks to them.
this is the first in the time trilogy.

Ah i loved this!!! I couldn't put it down. It is a unique paranormal romance. It was quick and witty with excellent pace. I can't wait to get my hands on the next. Kind of reminding me of a Molly Harper book. She wrote the book so well the emotions flew off the pages. it wasn't a dark book, but i like mixing up the paranormal romances.

This was a fun novel by an author new to me, and I have put Gabi Stevens on my list of authors to watch. It is good book for when you want some relaxing time with light, humorous reading that includes a lot of joy. I'm glad to know it is first in a trilogy, so that we can expect to see some of the unanswered questions in the story resolved. As another reviewer mentioned, it is as much a coming of age story as it is a paranormal romance. I especially liked the fairy tale & folklore magical background of the plot, and the accolades hidden within the book to writers such as J.K.Rowling who have brought traditional fantasy and the magic of reading back into our lives.

Her three aunts announce to their CPA niece Kristin Montgomery that they are retiring. A bit taken aback since they do not hold jobs, Kristin is further stunned when the trio calmly informs her she is one of their replacements as a fairy godmother.

Kristin soon learns that granting wishes to kids is only part of the duties. As she learns her tasks, Arcani wizard historian Tennyson Ritter tests her skills while she decides to test her seduction prowess. As they fall in love while she enjoys wish granting, an unknown adversary has plans to take over Arcani staring with eliminating the newest fairy godmother rookie. Tennyson is at her side to prevent the evil from succeeding.

More of a coming of age fantasy with a romantic subplot, The Wish List is a charming lighthearted frolic starring a CPA turned rookie fairy godmother being audited by a wizard. The fun story line is breezily magical except for the villain who apparently is obvious to readers but not the lead couple in spite their prowess. Sub-genre fans will enjoy Kristin's adventures in the wonderful realm of Gabi Stevens.

Harriet Klausner