I read a third of this story, but it was just moving too slow and wasn’t holding my attention. I love the idea of wish hunting and the magic introduced in the story, but I wasn’t caring for Nadia as a main character.

This was a very interesting take on wishes, how they come to pass ( I do like how people mostly get them, if they don't buy them, by saving someone or more that one, creating a more potent wish). It is a cutthroat business though and you had better hold on tight because there are wish hunters looking to steal those honestly earned wishes. Nadia is one of those, though she is doing so to pay off a debt. This book was a very good solid start though with the abrupt end, you really need a second book which I hope comes out soon. I really want to know if they can figure out all the secrets between the wishmaster, Nadia's grandmother, and even NIck. I sense dark and interesting times ahead!

And I really like Miles! He is such a decent guy and I hope he gets his happy ending, whether it be with Nadia or not.

I absolutely loved this book! It was such a captivating read! I couldn’t stop reading! I loved the characters and the story! Highly recommend!

📚"Wish Hunter" by Jordan Riley Swan & Hero Bowen📚

This book was kindly given to me as an ARC by the publisher via #netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story has a lot of similarities to the new Disney movie "Encanto" but instead of columbian, the family is polish. The MC has a difficult relationship with their grandmother, the family is involved in the magic business and there's even an outcast sibling. That said, Wish Hunter is a lot darker in tone than any Disney movie could be.

What kept me reading:
💚 light and easy writing style
💚 touches on heavy topics and handles them well
💚 suspenseful plot that kept me turning the page
💚 not too young in tone
💚 very unique magic system

Points to consider:
🖤 trigger warning for dead spouses (no spoiler)
🖤 very plot-focused, some characters get more development than others
🖤 this is the beginning of a series and is very open-ended with a lot of potential for continuations

All in all, I read this book way faster than I thought I would and enjoyed it a great deal. I recommend this to anyone who's looking for a fun, quick YA fantasy read that has an amazingly unique magic system and doesn't lean too heavy on the romance.

2.5.stars
I really did want to love it, but i did not.
Nadia was okay, but her love interest was meh at best. Mostly he was just annoying and EVERYBODY loved him.

Explore the dark underworld of wish hunting in the compelling first installment of this urban fantasy trilogy set in Savannah, Georgia—perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and V. E. Schwab.

Nadia Kaminski’s family has stolen wishes for generations, auctioning them off to skeevy business tycoons and politicians in back-alley deals. Their operation is simple enough. Find someone who gained a wish after saving a life. Trick the wisher into sharing a deep secret. Steal the wish.

And as a marriage counselor, Nadia has more access to people’s secrets than most.

But when Nadia comes across the perfect opportunity to steal a wish for herself, she takes it—and the rock star she’s stolen it from desperately wants his wish back.

As Nadia tries to figure out how to get rid of the cocky thorn in her side, she must face off against vengeful wish hunters, her all-too-powerful family, and the consequences of her own desires—because stealing wishes can be a deadly affair.


Not the kind of book that I thought it would be...what a rollercoaster. The cover looks good tho
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy!

I'm really grateful for the opportunity to read this book, thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley. I just tought this book would have a more mature tone, since the characters were older, but that dind't happen. The magic system was really great, I liked the plot, but that problem with the age of the characters really made this reading more difficult.

☆☆☆☆,5 /5
(english review below)

Une histoire enchantante, une magie unique et une écriture immersive composent cette intéressante lecture que j'ai dévoré.
¤
La famille de Nadia Kaminski a volé des vœux pendant des générations, les vendant aux enchères à des magnats des affaires et à des politiciens sordides dans le cadre de transactions clandestines. Leur fonctionnement est assez simple.
Trouver quelqu'un qui a réalisé un vœu après avoir sauvé une vie. Tromper le désireux de partager un secret profond. Voler le vœu.
Et en tant que conseillère matrimoniale, Nadia a plus accès aux secrets des gens que la plupart.
Mais quand Nadia trouve l'occasion parfaite de voler un vœu pour elle-même, elle le prend et la rock star à qui elle l'a volé veut désespérément récupérer son vœu.
Alors que Nadia essaie de comprendre comment se débarrasser de l'épine arrogante de son côté, elle doit affronter des chasseurs de vœux vengeurs, sa famille trop puissante et les conséquences de ses propres désirs, car voler des vœux peut être mortel.
¤
Déjà, en commençant à lire les premières pages, ce concept de voeu et de vol m'a énormément intriguée. Les auteurs ont inventé une magie originale, qui sort du lot par rapport à toutes les formes de magie que j'ai pu connaître dans mes anciennes lectures. En plus de cette étrange magie, l'univers est tout aussi complexe qu'exceptionnel. J'ai été admirative par tant d'imagination et de créativité dans la construction de ce roman.
Bien qu'il m'a fallu un peu de temps pour rentrer dans l'histoire, comprendre toutes les informations et le contexte qui nous étaient balancés de manière abrupte pour ma part, j'ai finalement été emportée par les aventures de Nadia, sa personnalité piquante et sa volonté de s'affirmer.
Le personnage de Nadia m'a énormément touchée. Elle est travaillante, courageuse et ambitieuse. Qu'importe la dureté du travail qu'elle effectue en tant que voleuse de souhaits, elle n'oublie pas ses propres désirs et ça, même si cela peut la condamner. J'ai beaucoup apprécié ses interactions avec Miles, le second protagoniste que j'ai aimé apprendre à connaître. Il y a une certaine ambiguïté et tension qui persiste entre les deux personnages mais l'évolution de leur relation m'a paru réaliste et m'a faite plusieurs fois sourire.
¤
Très franchement, les auteurs ont produit un travail colossal dans le développement de leur univers et de leur histoire. Je suis impressionnée et j'attends impatiemment la suite !

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ENGLISH REVIEW:

An enchanting story, unique magic and immersive writing make up this interesting reading that I devoured.
¤
Nadia Kaminski’s family has stolen wishes for generations, auctioning them off to skeevy business tycoons and politicians in back-alley deals. Their operation is simple enough. Find someone who gained a wish after saving a life. Trick the wisher into sharing a deep secret. Steal the wish.
And as a marriage counselor, Nadia has more access to people’s secrets than most.
But when Nadia comes across the perfect opportunity to steal a wish for herself, she takes it—and the rock star she’s stolen it from desperately wants his wish back.
As Nadia tries to figure out how to get rid of the cocky thorn in her side, she must face off against vengeful wish hunters, her all-too-powerful family, and the consequences of her own desires—because stealing wishes can be a deadly affair.
¤
First, starting to read the first pages, this concept of wish and steal intrigued me enormously. The authors invented an original magic, which stands out compared to all the forms of magic that I could know in my old readings. In addition to this strange magic, the universe is just as complex as it's exceptional. I was in awe of so much imagination and creativity in the construction of this book.
Although it took me a little while to get into the story, to understand all the information and the context that was abruptly thrown at us for my part, I was finally swept away by the adventures of Nadia, her spicy personality and her will to assert herself.
The character of Nadia touched me enormously. She is hard-working, courageous and ambitious. No matter how hard is the job she does as a wish thief, she doesn't forget her own desires and that, although it may doom her. I really enjoyed his interactions with Miles, the second protagonist I enjoyed getting to know. There are a certain ambiguity and tension that persist between the two characters but the evolution of their relationship seemed realistic to me and made me smile several times.
¤
Honestly, the authors have done a colossal job in developing their universe and their history. I am impressed and look forward to the next step!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I requested this book because of the cover and the synopsis but was slightly disappointed when the story didn't deliver what I was hoping for. Others may like it but I didn't. I didn't finish it tbh. The way the MC still loved her family even though they were toxic unnerved me and the inability of the MC to stand for herself frustrated me. I think she would overcome that by the end of the book. And the pacing was also a bit slow, so yeah. I might finish it though one day.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wish Hunter envelops you in a world where a grand deed(saving a life) grants you a wish. Each person is set to a maximum of three wishes in their lifetime, and a special ritual must be followed when making the wish that few know about. Even then, the wishes can be warped or interpreted in ways one wouldn't imagine. When Nadia, a marriage counselor who's family owes a massive debt of wishes to the local Wishmaster, steals the final wish of a rockstar all hell breaks loose. Will Nadia be able to sneak this one wish for herself, or will the Wishmaster catch wind of Nadia's betrayal and come to collect?

A world where wishes are not only real, but can be stolen, sold, and purchased? I was here for it in every way, but sadly my excitement was left unsatisfied. There is so much going on in this book, and absolutely none of it.comes to any kind of closure. I totally understand this is meant to be the first book in a series, but it went on so long and left so much up in the air I just don't have the patience to juggle it all. The characters weren't developed to the level I thought they would be, and the lore of this world is peppered throughout, but doesn't really give you anything different. The lore is simply repeated over and over again. Yes, the wishing tree has the right to warp or even ignore wishes.....but where did it come from? Why a three wish maximum? Why does someone only get one wish if they save more than one person at a time? How does the wishing tree put the proper weight on a wish, therefore putting a value on every life saved rather than the person saving it?

In my opinion, this could have easily been shrank to half the size and that would have freed up pages to atleast bring some kind of closure to the numerous tentacles of plot lines. Two stars from me, perhaps I've just come to expect more out of books, especially at the beginning of a new series. Recommended for those 12+.

Thank you to the publisher Story Garden and Xpresso Book Tours and Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A tale of lost loves, search of our inner self and dark families.

‘Wish Hunter’, by Jordan Riley Swan and Hero Bowen, is a fantasy book about a woman who steals wishes to pay off a family debt to the Wishmaster. Nadia Kaminski has lost many things in the past year: her beloved husband, and her freedom. She is bonded to pay off the debt her family has because of her, when she nearly died.

When Nadia comes across the perfect opportunity to steal a wish for herself, she takes it—and the rock star she’s stolen it from desperately wants his wish back.

As Nadia tries to figure out how to get rid of the cocky thorn in her side, she must face off against vengeful wish hunters, her all-too-powerful family, and the consequences of her own desires—because stealing wishes can be a deadly affair.

One of the things I loved most about this book is the depth of the characters, their background stories, their inner struggles, their development. The main characters are Nadia Kaminski, who steals wishes, and Miles Hunter, the person Nadia has stolen a wish from.

Undeniably strong, complex characters mixing in a way so exquisitely written, with plot twists and magic and family secrets all scattered around the pages of a novel so worth reading.

Code talking, mafias, guns, and a tricky, thorny magic system. And a woman who doesn’t even know her worth yet, because she is lost in her pain and sorrow.

A game has started. An evil, dangerous game of stolen and forbidden wishes and risky missions. Who will win?

I actually didn't have many expectations when I started this book, as I was only vaguely aware what it was about. However, after a few chapters of fascinating and well written world building, I was hooked!

Nadia is a therapist, forced to steal wishes from unsuspecting people to help pay off her family's debt to the cold Wishmaster. After she steals a wish from a famous musician who wants it back, she is drawn into a battle that she knew nothing about.

This fantasy is gripping, with just the right amount of action and solid pacing. I couldn't believe where it ended, just as I was starting to get some answers! I will definitely be grabbing the sequel and jumping back into this world as quickly as possible!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great start to a potentially great series. The characters were likeable, and the plot was well-thought out. I liked how there wasn't an immediate love story, or if there will even be one, but it was refreshing to have a different YA fantasy.

I thought the idea of this book was very unique and it did not disappoint. Though there was a lot of world building necessary, there weren’t info dumps which is something I really appreciate. The story got started right away and everything was paced nicely so I was completely hooked. I liked the characters, especially the MC, Nadia and how we can see her complicated relationships with other family members. The ending was rather abrupt but still, an amazing book and I’m definitely planning on reading the next book in this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The storyline. Is. Goooooood!! I’m not really a die hard fan of YA Fantasy but this book surprisingly captured my interest.

The first part was a little tedious and I had a hard time going through it, but I get that it was necessary for world-building. The world-building was excellently delivered, it wasn’t that hard to understand compared to some fantasy out there.

Nadia. I don’t have much to say about Nadia since I became quite annoyed with her at the latter portion of the book. She’s too trusting and instead of taking matters into her own hands, she relies on others and expects them to honor their word.

Kaleena, on the other hand, is a girl after my own heart. I am A FAN of avenging characters so a POV from Kaleena’s would have been absolutely appreciated.

If you’re looking for a love story romance YA fantasy, this might not be the book for you. There are no eat-shitting-grin romance here, no giddy feelings because of cheesy comments kind of feelings. This book is about family, revenge, lost love, and if I may say blooming unrequited love.

Absolutely loved this. It was very original. A quest but focused around wishes? I loved Nadia, the main character..she was just unapologetically BADASS. She was a proper strong female character!!!

I loved the plot, the fact that Nadia is a marriage counsellor by day but undercover wish hunter as well! She steals wishes that people have been gifted when they did something amazing. So im not sure but does that make her an antagonist?

There is a lot of "family" themes and family ties i the book which i loved.

I spent most of my.time just thinking WHAT HAPPENED TO NICK??!!!?? and the ending !! Definitely going to be a book 2!!

Oh also Miles was a brilliant humorous character as well. I just loved this overall, highly recommended

Wish hunter by Hero Bowen and Jordan Riley Swan gets 4/5 stars from me. This book had such an interesting premise, wish collecting and selling. It takes a little time for the world building, but after that? So many twist and turns. The main character Nadia is pretty badass at times. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. Thanks to @netgalley for the read!

This book had an interesting premise but I'm not even gonna lie I lost interest part of the way through. It wasn't even the writing I just couldn't focus on the story anymore.

I knew this book will be some special story, and it is without any doubt.
Nadia is a wish hunter, she and her whole family, her mother and her grandmother. Being a wish hunter isn't an easy job, plus, when you need to give all you stolen wishes to the Wish Master, because of you debt. But, Nadia is running of time, she needs a wish to herself, and the only way to get it is steal it from someone. Stealing wishes for yourself with a debt to pay, is a big threat. And now, Nadia put herself and her family under a big danger.

When I first started to read this book, it felt a bit boring and slow, but when you get to the middle of the book, you discovers an amazing story. I loved the fact that the author had chosen this kind of subject. The world is incredible: wishes, wish aster, wishing tree... I've never read something similar to this book. And I've enjoyed it.
I've loved how the characters are built. We have a grandmother, Basha (babcia), with her unlimited knowledge and the keeper of the family. Grace, the mother, her relationship with Nadia is most like a friendship.
Miles, the famous rock star.
But the most cool thing about this book, is the world building, and the magic system. Plus, it's si intriguing and when you get to the middle of the book, you can't stop, and you need to keep on reading to solve all the mistery.
The pacing is perfect and I loved the writing style. Plus, I enjoyed finding words in Polish.
It's, definitely, a very good story. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this incredible book.

Unfortunately archived before I got a chance to read it. Will give proper review if I can receive a review copy.