There was a lot to love about it, a strong female LGBTQIA+ character that is determined but fallible. It was nice to read a fantasy book with an LGBT main character because it isn't around enough. I really enjoyed it, it was an engaging read, my biggest issue was the feeling that I'd read so many of the plot lines before. Which stopped me from wholly loving it the way I feel I could have.

First off, I would like to thank the publisher and author (as well as Netgalley) for providing me this ARC to review. Please note that the version I read was an advanced copy, and certain events/language may be changed in the published edition.

Stars (Out of 10): 8/10 stars

Overall Thoughts: I have a really bad habit of judging books by their cover. So while I was intrigued by the plot, I did not have high hopes because I wasn’t the biggest fan of the cover. (That, and recently the urban fantasy genre has not been working out for me.) But oh boy, this book was fantastic! It had a great, but not too overpowering, romance, interesting characters, great twists, and everything I love about books!

The Good: I really grew to like all the characters, and felt their actions, for the most part, were realistic. Additionally, I really liked that this book had representation, but did not make that the most major part of the characters. Anjeline and Rebel, while LGBT, still were their own people and did not have personalities defined by their sexuality, which is how diversity and representation should be.

SPOILERS BEGIN HERE

The Characters: I ended up quite liking the cast we got, and loved how we got to see so many races (from fae to sirens to magicians!) and how they treated humans, etc. I also just loved Rebel, and how she was willing to work with the cards she was given, but not be pushed around by it. Anjeline, on the other hand, had been abused and contained for so long, but yet was still strong and stood for herself, which is great to see. Both main characters just felt really powerful and strong figures, and were written really well.

The Plot: I really really loved this. The book was only in the 300’s, page wise, but had so much good content, and almost no filler. We got tons of action, but yet enough build up for twists to carry weight, and for it not to feel rushed. It felt well planned, and everything felt well connected. There were no points where I was confused or did not understand why something happened, yet the build up to make the book make sense wasn’t boring either.

The Favorite Character: Rebel!

the wishing heart is a young adult fantasy, where jinnis, werewolves, magicians and fairies all live in the same realm. rebel is an orphan who has never really had any dealings with the supernatural world. except one night she steals a vase that she believes will save her life. rebel has a bad heart, and the only reason she's still alive and kicking is that her thief [friend? partner?] has kept her supplied with pills that help.

she doesn't realize that the vase she steals is actually a vessel. and that once stolen the entire supernatural world in london will be looking for it. because inside that vessel lives a jinni, anjeline, a wishmaker who has been held captive for too long. in spite of rebel being a thief, and in spite of her great need for a wish to heal her heart, she realizes that the life anjeline is being forced to leave is not fair. so instead of just making her wish, she makes a deal with anjeline. she will help free her from the vessel, if afterward anjeline grants her a wish with no consequences.

anjeline is wary, she's been duped by humans before, but there is something about rebel that intrigues her. she just can't quite put her finger on it. and the more time she spends with rebel, the more she is reminded of the one other human who was able to make selfless wishes. rebel's heart may be damaged, but it is clearly an unselfish one.

as rebel and anjeline work together to escape everyone who is interested in getting a taste of the wishmaker's talents, the initial attraction that had sparked between them develops into a connection that they can't deny. and the deeper their search to reverse anjeline's curse takes them, they learn that perhaps there is a reason they have found each other. what brings them together is more than a random act of theft.

i don't want to say anything more because i think the way the secrets are revealed in the book are worth reading about without my spoiling anything.

The Wishing Heart, by author J.C. Welker, is a story told in alternating narratives by 17-year old Rebel, known as the Fingersmith, and Anjeline, known as the Wishmaker. Rebel was abandoned when she was just a baby at the Gramone's Institute for Displaced Youth. The only thing her mother left her was a book, which she takes with her everywhere she goes, and a pendant.

Rebel is a character who has never met a lock that she couldn't pick. Some say she has the hands of a magician. But, unfortunately, her heart is another issue entirely. Rebel’s heart has gotten to the point where she needs one big heist in order to pay for surgery to fix it. When she breaks into an apartment, and steals a vase, Rebel finds herself discovering a world that she never knew existed or imagined after trying to sell it.

Oh sure, Rebel, who is a bibliophile after my own heart, has wished every night for magical things, like the ability to fly, but nothing could prepare her for a world filled with lycanthropes, mermaids, sirens & mermen, Sun and Moon courts (Fae), or a Jinni who has been bound to a vassal by a diabolical Magician with an ax to grind. And, to top it off, Anjeline discovers that Rebel may be the one person who can free her. The one person with a selfless heart.

But, all things come with a cost, and it will be a matter of making impossible choices. Can two unlikely friends find a way to fix Rebel's heart, free Anjeline from her prison, and find a happy ever after? I adore both of these characters. Rebel is a character with real issues, and problems that may end up killing her. But, she never lays down and feels sorry for herself. Anjeline has been forced to make wishes for the most ignorant people ever to live and stand back and watch the consequences of making these wishes. After meeting Rebel, Anjeline finds something she hasn't had in a long while. Hope.

The Wishing Heart is an action packed story from start to finish. It features two genuinely fun characters who are both in bad situations, but by working together, they not only find a way to face their own demons, issues, and those trying to stop them, but an adorable romance blossoms as well. Something that Rebel definitely needs after growing up in a place where she never really got the chance to have the things she wanted without resorting to thieving with her cohort Jaxon, aka the Fox. The Wishing Heart reads as a standalone, and I can't find any other information if there will be a sequel or not. But, let me tell you the end of this story makes it abundantly clear that there is yet another adventure for Rebel, Anjeline, Jaxon, and a curious character named Piran, who is a Sun Court Fairie.

The Wishing Heart
J.C. Welker
Book Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ +
The Wishing Heart is a must read. Add it to your To Read Section now because you don't want to miss this one.


Rebel has never known family. She does what she has to. Survival is her existence her escape is to the fantasy world of books. Rebel is known as the fingersmith. She is crafty with a switchblade and could pick any lock. She is trying to find a cure for her broken heart. She is sent on a mission to recover a pricey antique, but she is unaware how much it could cost her. The vase she steals isn't what it seems, and she has just signed up for the chase of her life. The vase is a vessel for a Jinni. Everyone has a wish, but wishes have consequences. Nothing is given for free especially when greed is involved.

The Jinni, Anjeline is a prisoner to the vessel and has to watch the misfortunes of those selfish wishes. She wants to be free more than anything but anything is a high price.


These two unlikely friends make a pact to help each other to put right what has gone wrong.

The Wishing Heart is full of adventure and fantasy. I would recommend it to fans of authors such as Cassandra Clare.


This book is a girl-girl romance novel which is a clean read. It is a lengthy standalone story, however, sets up the next mission.


I loved this book and was hooked from the very start. Easily a favourite read; Added to the shelf!

5 Plus stars out of 5. I can't wait for the next addition!


*I received this book via Netgalley and Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review. I have to say Entangled Teen is quickly becoming one of my favourite publishers in the YA/ Teen read genre.*

ebook £2.98. 370 pages
Expected publication: May 1st, 2017 by Entangled Teen

I received a copy of this book from Entangled Teen through Netgalley for review.

The Wishing Heart was a fun read. I adored Rebel, a thief with a good, but damaged heart. The book had plenty of magic and fun characters like Anjeline (the Jinni), werewolves, mermaids, magicians, and others. I really liked that it had the lesbian love story that I didn't expect in a fantasy like this.

“The Wishing Heart” is a YA fantasy about Rebel, aka the Fingersmith, who was abandoned as a baby and raised in a home for children. Although others have come and gone from the home, Rebel has always stayed. To take care of herself, she has turned to thieving alongside her friend Jaxon. Rebel’s heart has problems that are approaching a climax- she needs a big heist to get enough money for surgery. Jaxon scouts out a house with a safe, not knowing what is inside. Rebel uses her seemingly magic fingers to break in- but all the safe is hiding is a vase. She hopes it’s valuable enough to get the money she needs.

When Rebel goes to pawn it, she lands herself in a world she never bargained for- a world of magic. The vase turns out to be holding a jinni, Anjeline, a Wishmaker. She was imprisoned by the magician Nero, who trapped her and forced her to grant wishes. Wishes come with a cost- unless one has a selfless heart, the wisher finds themselves dealing with horrible consequences. Nero used the hearts of children to make his wishes, so that they would suffer the consequences of his wishes. He is on the search for a selfless heart- maybe in the form of his own child who has disappeared.

Anjeline and Rebel strike a bargain; if Rebel helps to free Anjeline, she will receive a wish without consequences. Together, they embark on a journey like no other, exploring the Sidhe/magic that resides within the world. Overall, it was a sweet and interesting, albeit predictable, book. We experience the book from both Anjeline and Rebel’s point-of-views, which certainly adds something to their romance, which was sweet and well written. I really liked the romance between them, building slowly over time, and the plot of the book was very unique and a refreshing new take on the magical realm. Although I found it predictable, it was still enjoyable! The ending was left a little open, and I am curious to see if this will become a series (and if so, I want to read the next one)!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was a good read. I just wanted a little more from a fantasy. Loved the romance, though.

The Wishing Heart by JC Welker is scheduled to release on May 1, 2017 by Entangled Publishing, LLC. This is a fantasy/paranormal genre that does not disappoint! Welker creates a wonderfully intriguing book that draws you in and holds your attention. The setting and characters make this story a must read. I really like how Welker’s writing style makes the scenes so vivid and realistic. I think this book would be perfect for any paranormal genre lover