WICKED WISH | Kirkus Reviews

Being a teenager is tough, but being one who can make bad things happen with a wish is even tougher in Gordon’s paranormal YA novel.

Eighteen-year-old high school senior Regan Braaten is not what she appears. Though her life features everyday teen struggles, she also possesses the ability to control other people’s minds and actions with a wish. The discovery of this power came at a cost, specifically, the death of her father in an accident, for which Regan feels guilty. Regan’s mother moves the family from Anchorage, Alaska, to Wyoming, where the teen helps her grandparents on their ranch, gets a job at a local restaurant, and navigates life as a new girl in town with a big secret. She soon gets involved with two boys: Jude, a mysterious, artistic type with a “deep, smoky voice” and dark eyes, and Layne, the star of the high school football team and boyfriend of ruthless queen bee Gabby; as a member of a powerful local family, Gabby could make life very difficult for Regan. Later, to avenge those that Gabby has hurt, Regan puts her newfound skills to the test. Gordon’s book employs a very familiar romance trope in which an outcast girl must choose between two vastly different boys who are enthralled by her, and a significant portion of the plot revolves around this dilemma; as a result, deeper topics, such as guilt and loss, feel relatively glossed over. However, the plot gains more nuance when Regan realizes that she might not be the only one with extraordinary abilities. The novel’s main strength is its pacing; the dialogue, exposition, and action all move quickly, and readers will be kept guessing as to what Regan will do next, particularly in her romantic life: Will she choose Layne, whose normalcy encourages her to keep her powers in check, or Jude, who accepts her for who she really is? Meanwhile, mysterious dark-suited men seem to be following her, which adds intrigue.

An often entertaining coming-of-age romance with a supernatural twist.