I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. Review withheld for the duration of the HarperCollins Union strike.

Wishtress is the first book I’ve read from Nadine Brandes, although I’ve long been interested in the premises of her books. While it isn’t immediately obvious, there are subtle Christian messages in the book, which makes sense as this was put out by a Christian publisher. The effectiveness of the blending of fantasy and faith will depend on the reader, but I enjoyed it for the most part.

I liked the magic system of Talents, and how each person with a Talent has a different one (ie Myrthe has the ability to grant wishes with her tears, Bastiaan can stop time).

Myrthe is an intriguing character, and I love how the combined impact of her power and the curse on it have hardened her, otherwise any tear she sheds will mean she dies. On top of that, she’s been through a lot, having been faced with her aunt’s manipulation and now dealing with being on the run from the king and his militairen. She does vacillate at times between that hardness and a softer side, but it always feels believable. I also loved that the book highlighted the relationship she had with her mother, and reckoning with her grief for her over the course of the book. The dedication at the beginning to Brandes’ own mother is a nice touch.

Bastiaan is the other major character, and he’s also pretty compelling. While he’s been tasked by the new king to bring Myrthe in, and he does this by making a deal with her, which he plans to go back on once he gets what he wants. While that can be very hit-or-miss for me, it does add an interesting dynamic, as he has to avoid getting his feelings compromised for his own reasons. And ultimately, just like Myrthe, he can’t help but be in touch with his emotions and feelings for her. Ultimately, he’s doing it for good reasons, and is protective of those he loves.

While it’s on the longer side (448 pages + acknowledgments and discussion questions in the hardcover edition), I didn’t feel the length at all. It’s a well paced, engaging read, with relatively short chapters and prose that easily kept my attention.

This is an enjoyable read, and I’m more intrigued to check out more of her work. If you’re a fan of YA fantasy, I recommend checking this out!

First thank to Negalley and the publisher for this arc.

Myrthe is born with a talent. The one that made her the Wishtress, she had the ability to turn her tears into wishes. One day one of her wishes goes wrong, and a woman place a curse on her. If she ever shed another tear, this one tear will kill her. She will need to take a journey to the Well to break the curse and save her life.

It was the first book from that author that I was reading and i really enjoyed this story.

How original this plotline was! Nadine Brandes was a new author to me but I've heard so many wonderful things about her engrossing fantasies that I snagged this one up as soon as I saw it! It did not disappoint. I loved the flawed characters the conflict of the heroine's tears causing death.... wow. I've read a lot of YA fantasy and this was a super imaginative storyline. The romance was sweet as well and I'd definitely read Brandes again.

Wishtress by Nadine Brandes follows Myrthe, a girl born with a Talent to grant wishes with her tears. She is the Wishtress, and she must keep this a secret because commoners are not allowed to have Talents. Myrthe’s Oma has strict control over the usage and sale of these tears. When Myrthe makes a wish that goes awry, she gets cursed. She will die with the next tear she sheds. She must travel to the Well to break the curse—while avoiding the king’s militairen. Baastian has a rare Talent where he can snap his fingers and stop time. He uses this Talent to kidnap the old king to change his mind on commoners and Talents. The new king wants him to find the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. Baastian hopes for a wish of his own to be granted. So when he finds Myrthe, he decides to bring her to the Well in exchange for a wish. Then he will turn her in. But feelings soon disrupt Baastian’s plans. Myrthe finds many people needing a wish from her, but little do they know of her curse.

This is a complex and layered fantasy. The magic system was interesting in how it is typically granted by a well. I liked Myrthe and Baastian as characters.

Nadine Brandes has such a fun, unique way of world building. I was instantly drawn in by the setting, and super intrigued by both Myrthe's Talent and her curse. Bastiaan is a treat of a second protagonist as well--he's a curious mix of soft, strong, and wracked with guilt over something that may or may not actually be his fault. The way he cares for his family (both biological and found) is endearing. Myrthe and Bastiaan's journeys are compelling, and watching the magic develop along with the folklore in the world of Winterune was very fun. Brandes has grown as a storyteller throughout her career, and Wishtress is her best work to date.

I've been a big fan of Brandes' books so far. I loved Romanov and liked Fawkes, and I think it's very cool how Brandes weaves Christian values and messages into her books. The way she did it in Fawkes wasn't quite for me, but I think she mastered it in Wishtress.

The magical concept of talents and banes in this book was really interesting. I liked the concept and wished Brandes had delved into their origins a bit more. Otherwise, I very much enjoyed the way different types of magic were presented in this universe.

While I liked our main female character, I enjoyed the male main character's chapters a lot more. He had a great brother relationship with another character that I would have loved to see even more of, and I liked his storyline more than the girl's. Wouldn't have minded if the whole book was from his point of view, although I guess it was necessary to have a lot of content from the Wishtress herself, as well.

In all, cool and interesting story, and even had me contemplating my own faith at the end and how I view it. Very nice allegory in this one. Looking forward to whatever Brandes writes in the future!

A magical story of grace and forgiveness, I found myself swept up in the tale of Myrthe and Bastiaan. I had high hopes going in, Nadine Brandes has garnered many high ratings from me. (Personally, "Romanov" remains my favorite, with this one just under it in my ranking.)

I'm happy to report it did not disappoint. I adored the world and the magic system, I came to truly care for the characters, and I would absolutely read a sequel if there was ever to be one (I don't think there will be, but I'd totally read it) The balance between Myrthe and Bastiaan's storylines were perfect and totally kept me engaged until the end!

Four stars from me!

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**

If you had only 1 wish, what would you wish for?

I am so absolutely grateful to @nadinebrandes and @netgalley and @thomasnelson for the opportunity to read and review what is probably my best book for 2022.

Wishtress explores a magical world of talents. And how they impact the society they function in. But not everyone has a talent. Because to get one you have to take a pilgrimage to well. And this well will weigh your intentions, your heart and your purpose and gift you talents accordingly.

This perfectly woven storyline has made it so difficult to review in such a short caption because I can literally go on for pages and pages about why you should read this book. This Christian author has perfectly executed a fantasy world with hidden pearls of Scripture truth. It took me on a healing journey I didn't realize I needed and left me feeling full of joy and hope.

If you love fantasy, regardless of your religion, you will love this story. It truly is so good. But if you're a Christian I want actively encourage you to get yourself a copy of this book as well as follow this amazing author.

Wishtress is a book that has a lot to say. That's expected, isn't it, considering it has 464 pages. The theme it tackles is the classic Good vs Evil, which might be considered cliché but remains relevant no matter how many times it's explored. In Myrthe's world, it's possible to gain a magic power, but whether it's a Talent or a Bane is up to you. When it comes to the plot, there's again lots going on. Everyone wants something, but above all, everyone wants a wish. To get it? Well, you need the Wishtress.

Right off the bat, the book starts off pretty tragically, with Myrthe's Wishtress power causing chaos in her life because she's young and doesn't know how to control it yet. This is fine, but it unfortunately set the tone for rest of the story, giving her no chance at all to breathe or have any joy at all. It's my personal pet peeve, though, and some may find the fact that everyone wants Myrthe for something yet not being able to give it a character-building experience for her. For me, all the bad things she has to go through overshadow the things I like about the book, turning it into an agonising read.

With the detailed way the book was written, it's clear to see that the author has spent a lot of time crafting the world and thinking about how things work. That's always lovely to have, especially when there is a magic system unique to it. The author takes time to walk you through what Talents are and how they came to be. The overall concept is immediately interesting and was what first prompted me to request the book. Tears that grant wishes! A curse that promises to kill!

However, I have to say that all of it falls quite flat for me. It feels like, because of how overpowered such a Talent is, the author had to take it out of the picture as soon as possible after showing its potency (and its perils). It's great to see what someone does when you take away their strengths, but Myrthe was never allowed to use her powers, so it doesn't matter at all that she doesn't have it once she's cursed.

I love that the battle of good and evil is so directly left in the hands of individual people. Everyone can choose the way they live their lives and use their powers. Good or evil, Talent or Bane, it's all very black and white. And therein lies the problem. There is no nuance anywhere, no shades of grey. The characters themselves also embody this fight by being good or evil. But there is no exploration of why someone is good or evil. They just are, and they have to choose one. And if you choose a Bane, which is more powerful and tempting and corrupting, you're evil. End of story.

Speaking of an ending, I just want to say that I like open endings. For someone who doesn't like bad ones, it gives me the leeway to pretend everything's fine. If there's just the smallest sliver of hope, I'll hold onto it. But this book makes everything too easy, too convenient, without any rhyme or reason. Everything works towards fulfilling the plot and it slogged there. In the very same way I slogged through reading the book.

All in all, it just seems like there were many other ways to go about handling this story. Of course, that wasn't the story the author wanted to tell, and that's fine. It's just that this one isn't for me.

It's rare that I DNF a book, but unfortunately I just could not get into this one. If I can't get pulled into the story within the first couple chapters then I know I won't. This wasn't for me.

There is absolutely no way around it, Nadine Brandes has a way with words. She writes so beautifully, in this like captivating, poetic, artistic way that really I don't think I can find the words to describe. The world she creates in this story is mesmerizing. I could see everything happening right in front of me as I was reading. I basically became one with the story - that's how detailed, descriptive, and fascinating her writing is.

The character journeys are wonderful. Myrthe especially. I don't want to go into detail because of spoilers, but her character was so well done. And Brandes adds little life lessons along her journey that really resonated with me. Again spoilers, but trust me when I say - just read it!

Fantasy fans will devour this book and then want more. It's an exciting, well paced story that I honestly can't get enough of. Brandes is one of my favorites and this is why. I'm never disappointed in her stories! Highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was sadly a DNF for me. I made it to about 25% but could not get into the story or characters at all.

This book was really interesting! I was intrigued by the storyline and that's what initially drew me to this title. I also really love the cover artwork.

While I enjoyed the story and Myrthe and Bastiaan together. This one wasn't my favorite of Nadine's but still love her writing style and her world building. I just think I'm a little bit on the older side for these books. But Nadine's books are great for teens.

At twelve year's old when Myrthe shed her first tears she became the Wishtress. Not fully understanding her capability to grant wishes, she became enslaved by her 'Oma' who would use her for wishes and forbid her to use any for herself. Five years later when she was of age, Myrthe made a mistake that made her realise people wanted to use her, she was cursed, her last tear, her last wish would mean the end of her life. Her only hope is that the well of talents could save her from this curse.

An intricately woven story, with magic, a battle between good an evil, a display of compassion, empathy, kindness. This book had me from the first to the last. I loved reading about the connection between Myrthe and Bastiaan, watching them grow into their characters. This book was also beautiful written but I have so many questions about the ending.

5⭐

Thank you @netgalley @thomasnelson and @nadinebrandes for the ARC all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really liked this YA novel! Overall, I would definitely recommend it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

DNF at 45%. When it's an ARC, I tend to try to push through and read the full book instead of DNF'ing it, but here I already pushed from 10% to 45% and I just had to be honest with myself here: I couldn't go past the boring feeling and being totally uninterested with the characters and the story.

The blurb was honestly so good and I was really interested (hence why I requested this ARC), and the magic system on itself was really intruiging. But I think this book may be more targeted to an audiance under 14 years old, and those who are not used to fantasy: it's pretty classic and messy, and very much based on the good vs evil trope. And that's where my 2nd problem lies: we feel the Christian value here influencing the story, the whole trying to be selfless, almighty power you can't fight, having compassion, sacrificing oneself for the good of others, etc. I've also read a review with spoilers of the ending (after my 45% mark) and it seems to be recurrent throughout the book.

The story is very messy, there's a lot of tell don't show, all stuff very convenient for the good of keeping the story : the king's Banes, the loss or not of a power, suddenly Bastiaan finds Myrthe knocked out without even looking for her?, Bastiaan arriving to Sven's camp and Myrthe talking about it like it's normal but never mentionning he came and how she felt about it, oh so convenient secrets to keep, someone happens to have a map, the Banes being oh so convenient, Myrthe being able to send a letter to the Queen without knowing anyone in the schloss (oh and let's not talk about the use of a mix of Dutch and German language? Why both?), etc.

I'm just very sad it didn't do it for me because the idea of the wishes being made through Myrthe tears and the way her grandma made all the contracts to use them was so extremely interesting. But thanks to the spoiler review, I feel no regrets giving it up halfway through as the story seems to keep on getting messier and I prefer to stop here instead of continuing and disliking everything...

I'm a huge fan of Brandes and I enjoyed this very lengthy book. Beautiful writing and complex plot. I can't wait to see what Brandes writes next!

I was really looking forward to this one. I loved the idea of tears granting wishes. The story sounded like it was something quite unique and interesting. Unfortunately after giving it several tries I couldn't get into the story. It was very slow and I found myself losing interest and ended up skim reading it. Shame as I loved Romanov.

I was ridiculously excited to be able to receive an ARC of this book. Nadine Brandes’ Fawkes is on of my favorite books, with Romanov nearing the top of the list as well. When I saw the premise for Wishtress, I was immediately interested, hoping this book would live up to the two previous. Now that I’ve finished my reading, I still don’t know whether I liked Wishtress or not, if I’m being honest.

I read the book quickly, helped along by the fact that the writing flows very well, with something always seeming to be happening. Most of the events that occurred just weren’t that eventful, if that makes sense. Things happened, but nothing really stands out. I face the same problem with the characters - I liked Myrthe and Bastiaan, but they’re not as fully developed as I would like liked, leaving me without a real connection to either. I think Runt saved the cast of characters, as he was the most entertaining. The end of the book felt rushed and like an easy way out, not really providing any real closure. That’s a theme though, as several things felt that way. I just feel confused about the ultimate direction the story took, and don’t think it made the most sense getting there.

I really don’t know what I think. I’m kind of hoping for a sequel that actually concludes the story. I’m kind of hoping to forget this book and cross my fingers that the magic of Fawkes and Romanov isn’t gone and the next book will be the “great” I’ve come to expect. I’m kind of torn between 2, 3, and 4 stars. Maybe I’ll think about it some more and return to this at some point. For now… 3 stars, but very far from a recommended offering by this author.