I’ve joined up with the IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? kid-lit edition, hosted by Unleashing Readers and MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY hosted by Always in the Middle…
Today I’m featuring AS YOU WISH by Nashae Jones, a fun middle grade contemporary fantasy romance!
Read on for my review of the book, and then make sure you also check out the author’s list of top ten addictions to find out more about her!
As You Wish by Nashae Jones Published by Aladdin on January 14, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Fantasy, Middle Grade, Romance
Pages: 272
Source: The Publisher
Cover Artist: Jonathan Bean
My rating:
A girl learns the hard way to be careful what she wishes for in this sweet and funny middle grade rom-com featuring a chaos-loving West African trickster god.
Birdie has big plans for eighth grade. This is the year that she gets a boyfriend, and since she and her best friend, Deve, do everything together, it makes sense that Deve will get a girlfriend. This is the kind of math Birdie doesn’t find intimidating—it’s Eighth Grade 101. (Birdie + Boyfriend) + (Deve + Girlfriend) = Normal Eighth Grade Experience. And normal is something Birdie craves, especially with a mom as overprotective as hers.
She doesn’t expect Deve to be so against her plan, or for their fight to blow up in her face. So when the West African god Anansi appears to her, claiming to be able to make everything right again, Birdie pushes past her skepticism and makes a wish for the whole mess to go away. But with a trickster god, your wish is bound to come true in a way you never imagined.
Before long, Birdie regrets her rash words…especially when she realizes what’s really going on with her and Deve. With her reality upended, can Birdie figure out how to undo her wish?
Buy from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop.org
Just like Nashae’s debut, Courtesy of Cupid, As You Wish is a fun romance that utilizes common YA tropes and makes them accessible to (and appropriate for!) a middle grade audience. In this case, we have (a personal favorite trope) best-friend-to-boyfriend and alternate timelines.
Birdie is tired of being seen as strange, and she’s pretty sure the best way to change her reputation is to get herself a boyfriend. But when she mentions this to her best friend Deve, he’s not so excited about the idea–he likes her, but she’s blind to it. In fact, when Birdie doesn’t take a hint and keeps pushing, the whole thing explodes into a major argument. Then, in steps the mythical Anansi, who tells Birdie she can solve all of her problems with a three wishes. Of course, since Anansi is a trickster god, none of Birdie’s wishes go as planned.
The story deals with friendship issues and romance and all the insecurities that go along with middle school, but it also deftly handles Birdie’s mom’s mental health struggles. The family relationships in this book are wonderfully nuanced, and it isn’t until Birdie experiences some painful alternate realities that she truly appreciates everything she has and understands some of the deeper reasons for her mother’s fears. Since the book is overall light in tone, it makes it easier for MG readers to digest this tougher topic. The book is an incredibly funny, sweet read that kids are sure to love!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
About the Author
Nashae Jones is a kid lit writer, because at an early age she learned what the magic of books could do for a developing mind. She always dreamed of creating worlds that would stay for a reader long after they put down their books. Nashae is also an educator and book reviewer (kid books, of course). She lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, son, escape artist husky, and two black cats that Nashae is convinced are reincarnations of Pinky and the Brain.
Nashae ‘s Top Ten Addictions
- Fairy Tales
I’ve loved reading or listening to fairy tales, myths, and legends since I can remember. I love tales of magic and whimsy, and I’ve enjoyed these stories since I was a kid.- Haunted Locales
I love visiting haunted historical markers—whether that’s houses, railroads, hospitals or graveyards. I’m a sucker for a good ghost tour, and I try to go to one in every city I visit.- Comic Cons
I love cosplaying and going to Comic Cons to meet my favorite actors. My recent favorite meet and greet is with Steve Burns who played Steve on Blue’s Clues.- Scottish Highland Cows
In my opinion, they are the best animals on Earth, and my dream vacation involves visiting fluffy cows in Scotland.- Christmas
Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I count down every year in anticipation of the Christmas season.- The Mountains
I love the serenity of the mountains. I do my best writing when I’m surrounded by the woods and the mountains.- Thai Food
I eat Thai food once a week, and I would probably eat it everyday if I could.- Quirky Bookstores
I love visiting independent bookstores and exploring the shelves. Each bookstore has its own personality, and I love being able to uncover all of them.- Psych
I love the show Psych. It pretty much has become a comfort show for me over the years. My kids have grown to love it too.- Thrifting
I get the majority of my clothes and housing decor from thrift shops. I love finding something that is meaningful for me that was discarded by someone else.
I have to say, “Scottish Highland Cows” might be the most unique answer I’ve ever gotten for this feature! I Googled them, and they are quite gorgeous!! I also love the show Psych, though my daughter was scared of it when she was a kid (which I found interesting because I always just thought of it as funny and not scary at all – but, I mean, there is a murder in every episode).
MG posts since my last IMWAYR & MMGM:
- I did post this to IMWAYR last week, but I wasn’t on top of things enough to get it into MMGM: Bite-Sized Reviews of The House at the End of the Sea, Stage Fright, The Skeleton Flute, and Safe Harbor
Other MG happenings:
My book, The Song of Orphan’s Garden, releases tomorrow!!! I have a few author copies available for reviews, so if you’re a middle grade blogger and you’d like one, shoot me an email (link is in my sidebar).
What I’m currently reading:
Right now I’m still reading The Ghosts of Bitterfly Bay by Mary Averling and The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner by Erin Stewart. (I’ve been a bit distracted by my debut, so I haven’t been reading much, but I’m really enjoying both of these!)
What are some of your favorite contemporary fantasies? I want to know!
I actually love so many things on Nashae’s list, and the incorporation of a West African god in her story is something fresh and interesting.
Hi Nicole! I bookmarked ‘As You Wish. How great to have a romance for middle grade! As for a recent fantasy I loved; “Impossible Creatures” is a marvelous tale. Thanks for the new book review!
I enjoyed romance when I was a teenager (Georgette Heyer regency romances mostly!) but I don’t read them any more. However this book sounds like a fun read for those who do! I loved Nashae’s top addictions, agree with most (especially Psych!!) and I love that her cats are (might be….) reincarnations of Pinky & the Brain (a show I haven’t heard of for a while!). Thanks so much for sharing!
Forgot to say congratulations on the book launch, the book sounds great, and best of luck with it!
BTW I can’t use your email link for some reason, but I would be happy to review your book 🙂
Sorry – I’ve been having technical difficulties with email on the blog lately. Shoot me an email at nicole (at) nicolemhewitt (dot) com
This sounds like a story I’d really like. I’d like to see more romance in middle grade. I’ll definitely keep my eye out for this one. And thanks for two postings today for MMGM. I’ll be joining with your interview next week!
The fantasy element certainly brings more appeal to this story, adding many young readers who would normally shy away from a boy/girl friend plot. I’ll be looking forward to reading this one and thanks for being a part of MMGM this week.
Congratulations on your soon to be released The Song of Orphan’s Garden. Yeah, for more romance in MG books. This sounds really good. Happy MMGM
I have also added As You Wish to my list, although it’s more about the Anansi aspect. I shall hope it eventually shows up in one of my library systems.
this sounds like such a fun book. I love that she’s blind to her best friend “liking” her more than she realizes. And a trickster god adds to the fun. Thanks for sharing.
What a great cast of characters, including the trickster god. Like the fantasy appeal and I imagine so will readers. Great share. Congrats on you book release — love the title and cover!
As You Wish sounds like a terrific book. I’ll look for it. Congratulations and good luck with your new book!
Congratulations on the book launch, and best of luck with it! As You Wish sounds intriguing–even though I usually avoid MG and YA romance. Or adult romance. I may be an old curmudgeon. But I do love the highland “coos.”