Customer Reviews

The Wishing Pearl (Diamond Estates)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Olivia Mansfield's brother has been protecting her, to some degree, from their abusive stepfather. With their mother blissfully in lalaland and her brother off to college, Olivia has no one but her new friends and her beloved oboe to divert her attention. Her new friends are leading her down the path of drinking and partying, but Olivia doesn't much care. She can't see any reason to change her life until the unthinkable happens.

Suddenly Olivia is face to face with the realities her choices have brought her, and she voluntarily checks into a Teen Challenge program at Diamond Estates in Colorado. But even though she desires to make a new beginning-most of the time-huge obstacles need to be overcome, not only for her, but for her mother.

If you're a teen or know a teen, you need this book. The Wishing Pearl is a strongly written novel that will reach into teens' lives and show them hope.

O'Dell has created a compelling, strong start to her much anticipated Diamond Estates Series. The Wishing Pearl challenges readers to fight against the lies that we all tell ourselves--we're not good enough, we're to blame, God wouldn't want us anyway. Olivia comes to Diamond Estates with as much baggage as possible, and at first she thinks she's only there to escape the immediate threat of home. Slowly, O'Dell peels back the layers and we begin to see a girl who's only been reacting to the bad that's been thrown at her. Once she comes to terms with that truth herself, she sees that God's been there all along and his tenderness has brought her to where she needs to be. She learns to say, "I will trust Him." Olivia's character is complicated and realistic, but so are the characters of the other girls she meets at Diamond Estates, all of whom have a story to tell. O'Dell wants her teen and young adult readers to find hope even when they're going through the toughest parts of life like depression, eating disorders, addiction, and self-hate. She's gentle with readers as she leads them to the same conclusions Olivia came to. I recommend this book to teens who are ready to read about tougher issues in life and those are who seeking answers. O'Dell doesn't mince words and she doesn't shy away from hard subjects. That's why she's a stand-out in this YA market. Looking forward to the next in the series!

Thanks to Nicole O'Dell, I've been able to share relevant books, and the gospel, with an eight-year-old neighbor. O'Dell's new Diamond Estates series reaches out and grabs 12-18-year-olds with engrossing, Good News stories, and I'm hallelujah-ing far and wide!

In "The Wishing Pearl," sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield spends her days playing the oboe during band class and searching for acceptance in the usual high school ways. By night, however, demons from the past...and present...stalk her and push her toward the security gates of her luxurious home that she shares with her shopaholic mom and the stepfather whose flippant smile masks sinister motives.

When Olivia succumbs to substance abuse and defiance of authority, a mentor suggests that she enter Diamond Estates, a home for girls nestled in the Rocky Mountains...and in the loving hands of caretakers who bathe the girls in prayer. Still, Oliva juts out her jaw and refuses...until an alcohol-induced stupor and death slithers into her life and forces a stand-off. Within a week, bags are packed, and Olivia's Colorado bound.

Such a restorative environment can't dim flaring tempers, jealousy, and ingrained dysfunction. Though Olivia longs to know the God that her counselors praise, a handsome boy, a hateful roommate, and that past keep sparking emotional forest fires. Can Olivia truly find healing and find a way to live a life supernaturally ordained?

Bravo to O'Dell, who tackles sexual and substance abuse without losing focus on a poignant story that will touch the heart of any aged reader! However, if you have a teenaged girl on your shopping list, get a copy of The Wishing Pearl in her hands. Now.

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing Nicole O'Dell's newest book The Wishing Pearl. From the minute I started to read this book I knew that I was in for a treat.

Olivia Mansfield is a troubled teen. Her step-father is abusive and her family life is less then happy. So she turns to other things to fill the void. Until one day God get's a hold of her attention.

Some might argue that Olivia's choices are a bad influence, but I digress. The author doesn't sugar coat the issues dealt with in the book, rather she shows teens the consequences and does a wonderful job of writing about the struggles that teens are facing.

I don't cry in books. Ever. I did in this one. I honestly connected with Olivia so well. I didn't want the book to end. I wanted to read the rest of her story. I felt like I was leaving behind a dear friend.

I loved The Wishing Pearl. It is one of my favorite books and I've already read it several times. Every teenager needs to read this book. It's geared towards girls, but boys can learn a lesson too. I recommend this book for teens 15+ just because of the content, but I loved the story.

I found this book hard to put down, and I am not the target audience (teenage girls). I picked it up on a whim because the premise sounded interesting and was not disappointed. I am not being compensated in any way for this review.

(spoiler alert)

I have read Christian fiction in the past, and some of it I find annoying because it can get very preachy and predictable. In many ways The Wishing Pearl follows the same old pattern: person to whom terrible things happened over which they had no control is angry with God, doubts his existence, or both; with the help of people firm in their faith they come to see God has been working in their lives all along and intends only good for them.

What made Wishing Pearl stand out was one main thing: its protagonist, Olivia, a teenage girl who has been handed some very hard knocks. Although it appears she has everything materially a girl could ask for, she is desperately unhappy: her father died when she was young, her stepfather sexually abuses her, and her self-obsessed mother is completely oblivious. Olivia's only solaces are her deaf older brother, whom she adores but who is going away to college, and playing the oboe. She hopes to earn a music scholarship in the future, but college is still two years away. Feeling trapped, Olivia turns to drinking and drugs to escape from reality. Eventually, realizing she desperately needs a change after a drunk driving accident, she goes to a spiritually-based treatment facility for girls called Diamond Estates. Olivia is a fully realized and complex teenage girl character, and reacts to situations in a believable way. She really made me understand how someone kind, talented and smart could get themselves into this kind of situation. Her slow change from rebellion to learning to trust God was believable--no light switch spontaneously lit, she still had to struggle even after she tentatively began to trust in God's good will.

So back to my main complaints about Christian fiction and how this book measures up. Is it preachy? At times, but it doesn't feel like the Christian characters are constantly trying to break the fourth wall to ram lessons down the readers' throats. It feels like a journey of watching Olivia and her friends at Diamond Estates trying to rise above the (sometimes horrendous) cards they were dealt, and the bad choices they made, with the help of their growing faith. Is the book predictable? Again, at times, though it tries to break away from the cliches of its genre. Given how complex and developed the characters are, and how true-to-life everything about this book feels, I was hoping for a little more bittersweet ending. Overall, however, O'Dell tells a good story with a lot of heart.

In conclusion, definitely worth a read, and I'm glad I picked it up. I plan to read the second book in the series (The Embittered Ruby) when it comes out.

Olivia Mansfield has everything a girl could want. She lives in a mansion, has a rich stepfather, a mother who spoils her, and a wonderful big brother. But it's all a mirage. Her stepfather's abuse, her mother's indifference, and nightmares of her real father's death make Olivia's live something she wants to get away from.

So when her friend introduces Olivia to the party scene, Olivia is only too happy to indulge in this means of escape. But one too many parties and the death of her friend lead Olivia to a girls' home called Diamond Estates, her last hope at getting her life on track before she loses it.

Talk about your coming of age novel! Wow. This book sucked me in and didn't let go. And when it was done, I was sad. I wanted to keep reading about Olivia's life, all the way until she was a grandmother. Alas, the book stopped WAY before then. Ah well, it was worth it. Olivia's story and her journey to find herself enthralled me. I was rooting for the truth to be revealed every step of the way. This is a wonderful book for young girls. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!

Haunted by the memory of her father's death and subject to her stepfather's abuse, Olivia Mansfield turns to drugs and alcohol to numb her pain. When her addictions lead to a fatal accident, she turns to Diamond Estates for help. There she befriends a group of girls struggle with difficult pasts. Together, the foursome overcomes self-destructive behaviors, feelings of worthlessness, and even the center's resident mean girl.

Nicole O'Dell treats each of the girl's issues with discretion and wisdom. I don't say this often, but I loved this book. It truly was hard to put it down. Well-written and heart-breaking, The Wishing Pearl will leave you changed.

I received this book free from the Publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Wishing Pearl, by Nicole O'Dell, is a story about a young girl, Olivia, whose life is slipping out of control. Reeling from the effects of abuse at the hands of her stepfather, she begins to make very bad choices ... and those choices have consequences. She is referred to a home for girls where she meets many girls like herself, and begins to put things back in order.

This is not just a great story, it's a great ministry. It comes from the heart of the author, Nicole O'Dell who really wants to speak to youth facing the difficult choices many teens face today. It is not only for the teen, who needs to be inspired to face peer pressure, but for those who grew up in "friendlier" households to understand the pain that can sometimes lead to the wrong choices.

I am so excited about Nicole O'Dell's new series, "Diamond Estates". Why? Because I loved The Wishing Pearl so much!

Nicole has found a way to tackle some very tough topics while being entertaining, heartbreaking and gritty. She finds a way to weave in several important messages but they are tucked so neatly into the story, they don't stand out as being "preachy" or feel like lectures. It's simply a touching story that will keep you engrossed and you'll just so happen to walk away having learned some very valuable lessons.

From the very first page of the novel, you will root for Olivia. You want her to find her way and you want to protect her from things that are going on in her life. Olivia and/or her friends are so real and face such realistic situations, that there is a character every teen girl will be able to relate to. And isn't that what we all hope for in a book?

The Wishing Pearl is a story of restoration and hope. You'll pick it up and won't want to put it down.

Sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield dreams of a land far, far away...

A land far away from her stepfather's abuse and torment.

A land far away from her mother's blind eye.

A land far away from the haunting memories of her past.

But then reality sets in, and Olivia knows she must make the best of her dire situation--at least until her high school graduation. But when poor choices lead Olivia to the brink of a complete breakdown and she finds herself dealing with the unexpected death of her best friend, she comes to a crossroads.

Will Olivia find the path to ultimate hope and healing that her heart longs for? Or will the demons from her past prove too much to bear?

What I Loved

Olivia's story starts out rocky but riveting. I was immediately drawn into her mind and her hurting heart. The first three chapters were the hardest to read, though Nicole O'Dell deals with a hard situation with grace.

Then a series of tough choices sets Olivia into a whirlwind that takes her life from bad to worse. Rays of hope shine in when she gets the chance to make a fresh start and starts to seek God.

In one of the most intricately-woven YA novels I've ever read, right and wrong battle in the mind and heart of a pained young woman who wants only one thing: peace, love, hope. The Wishing Pearl is a beautiful story about finding the path to healing.

What I Didn't Like As Much

This book was hard to read at times. As I realized the dire straits in which Olivia lived, I found it difficult to turn the page--afraid what I would find. But the author handles the darkness very well. And lets in the light in the most subtle, startling, significant ways.

Why I Recommend This Book

The Wishing Pearl is lovingly crafted and seemed so real. Olivia's voice pierces the pages and is true to the very end. The ending is lovely and almost had me in tears as God's love and truth triumph in the most unexpected of ways. Truly a story worth reading.