pretty coool little work, great iideas, sad and hopeful at the same timem, and a very dramatic cast. tysm for the arc

“I also need to ask him to please not tell anyone he saw me here, because if it gets out how pathetic my life is, the ‘I-don’t-care-what-you-think-of-me’ image I’ve built won’t be strong enough to hide behind.”

As a result of her mother's addiction, Layla and her mom are currently tenants of Helping Hands Homeless Shelter. It's an embarrassing fact Layla will do anything to hide from her classmates, including her best friend, Morgan. When her mother overdoses on heroin, Layla is left in the care
of her affluent aunt and uncle, Tanya and Scott Rockwell, while her mom is sent to rehab. Suddenly, Layla has access to luxuries she hasn’t had in ages, such as a nice, warm bed and fancy new clothes. However, living in the Rockwell household is not as pleasant as the family wants people to believe. As secrets get harder to keep and her mother’s condition worsens, Layla learns who she can truly rely on in her times of need.

Melody Maysonet’s What We Wish For introduces readers to a variety of themes that are intricately woven to create a meaningful, nuanced story about addiction, family, and insecurity. Between the trying issues concerning Layla’s mother and her uncle’s status as a corrupt politician, I expected an allegory demanding that the audience live a certain way. Instead, Maysonet lets readers come to their own conclusions about the causes and solutions to mental health problems and addiction, focusing more on the stigma around the issues presented. I found that not steering readers towards the author’s desired way of handling a difficult situation was a refreshing change from some contemporary YA literature. While in search of a more permanent home, Layla guides readers through her introspective journey, adjusting her perspective to find more compassion for her friends, family, and herself. One such example is when another teenager at the homeless shelter becomes a close friend of hers. He encourages Layla to see her mother’s condition as a disease, rather than a choice made without concern for its impact on Layla. Stories about teenagers going through such distressing circumstances can be emotionally challenging to read, but Layla’s perseverance and personal growth in the face of adversity are what make What We Wish For worthwhile.

This was a book about having hope and persevering. The main character, Layla, is dealing with living in a shelter with her alcoholic mother. She is desperate to keep the illusion that her life has not fallen apart, to the point she isn't even telling her best friend. Unfortunately for Layla, despite her best efforts, things end up getting worse before they can get better. The premise was believable and dealt with tough topics many teens are living through. The cast of characters were likable. Will be adding to our library and recommending to students. (Thank You to Melody Maysonet and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC)

What We Wish For by Melody Maysonet

15-year-old Layla Freeman likes to pretend everything is fine and that she doesn’t care what other people think of her. Never mind the fact that she’s living in a homeless shelter and that she’s on constant vigilant watch to make sure that her mother doesn’t start drinking again now that she’s celebrated 30 days of sobriety. But things aren’t fine. And she cares a great deal.

When her mother overdoses on heroin and they are kicked out of the shelter, Layla goes to live with her wealthy relatives. As Layla’s lies become more difficult to maintain and the life of privilege she experiences in her aunt and uncle’s house isn’t everything she thought it would be, past secrets threaten to bring everything crashing down for good.

This is a story of resilience and grit. Poor Layla endures more than any teenager should have to experience. This emotional read will resonate long after you’ve finished the book. This coming-of-age tale is good for fans of contemporary fiction and YA. With a heavy subject matter (substance abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, etc.) trigger warnings abound.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a good book, but one that deals with some very weighty issues.
The protagonist, teenager Layla, has been through a lot in her life; a rollercoaster ride of very few ups, but many downs. What with her mom’s drug addiction, which led to them being homeless and in a shelter, and still attending high school, Layla feels desperate. Desperate to keep even her closest friend from finding out the situation, and to make her mom take rehab seriously this time, before it’s too late for them both…
Red Flags:
Alcoholism and drug abuse are prevalent, with adults and teens in this book. There is some vulgar language. Parental infidelity is an issue that’s discussed.
Trigger Warnings:
Child abuse, spousal abuse, attempted suicide
* I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Synopsis: Layla Freeman is 15 and navigating a traumatic home life through poetry and with the support of some unexpected confidants.

Opinion: This YA book covers many important topics (e.g., loved ones and addiction, being unhoused, domestic abuse, insecurity, etc.) in a compelling and poignant way. The character development for Layla is strong and moving, the plot and pacing are good, and the ending of the book is beautiful. I didn’t love the development of Tanya’s character and felt that some of her dialogue was unrealistic, but the rest of the characters were written well. I would recommend this book to my students because the perspectives are important and the plot is engaging.

A bit heavy and formulaic/predictable.
Characterization is good. Fast-paced narrative.
Does great job of showing how victimized loved ones of addicts are.
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest

Giving 3.5 of 5 stars.

Synopsis: Layla is a 15 year old girl dealing with the outcome of a mother who is an addict. Navigating homelessness, addition, family troubles, school life and more, Layla is determined to find a way to persevere.

Thoughts: This was an interesting read about the struggles of addiction both from the point of view of someone battling addiction but also the child of an addict. Unfortunately I didn’t feel the romantic connection between Layla and Gabriel, but only got friend vibes from them thought out.

Thank you to Melody Maysonet, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Fifteen-year-old Layla Freeman lives with constant fear - fear that her mom is going to relapse, fear that her classmates will find out she lives in a homeless shelter, and fear that people will see how much their opinions matter to her. When her mother overdoses, Layla is thrust into a new world, moving in with her affluent aunt and uncle. Initially, life seems to improve, with a new phone, new clothes, and new friends. This newfound stability begins to crack as family secrets emerge, threatening to unravel Layla’s newfound security and identity.

THOUGHTS: A realistic depiction of the effects of addiction on families, What We Wish For is a coming-of-age story about resilience, family, and the importance of hope. At times Layla can be difficult to like; some of her decisions, rooted in insecurities, are hard to witness. However, her growth throughout the novel had me rooting for both her and her mother by the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC. This is an awesome YA book about Layla, who is a teenager trying to navigate her Mom's alcoholism. Layla is one of the strongest characters I've read about recently. This is an excellent read!

What We Wish For introduces us to Layla, a resilient teenager grappling with the harsh realities of having an addict mother and the instability of living in a homeless shelter. She does everything to keep her home life circumstances hidden from those around her.
When Layla's mother overdoses, Layla is sent to live with her aunt and uncle. There, she experiences the normalcy of clean clothes, having her own room, food and a seemingly more stable environment. However, life in her new environment unveils its own set of challenges and complexities, exploring themes of belonging, new beginnings, family and the enduring impacts of past traumas.
And I must add, how much I loved the nods to Ellen Hopkins “Crank.”

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Trigger warnings* - Drug and alcohol addiction, suicide, domestic violence.

"What We Wish For" by Melody Maysonet is a book that will tear at your heartstrings. 15 year old Layla Freeman is keeping some big secrets. She lives in a homeless shelter with her mum who is struggling with addiction. In order to keep up her appearances at school, Layla keeps all this to herself. A boy who goes to her school moves into the homeless shelter which shakes things up as she struggles to keep her home life a secret. Maysonet does a great job exploring some very heavy themes and topics. I also thought all of the characters felt very real and developed.

This book will resonate with me for a long time.

An excellent coming-of-age book about Layla and mom who are homeless and live in a shelter. Mom is an alcoholic and because she hasn’t gotten a job they will need to leave the shelter. Then mom overdoses and ends up in the hospital. Mom’s sister, whom she hasn’t talked to in a while, picks up Layla and says she can stay with their family. As Layla and her cousin get to know each other better, the dad offers to pay for rehab. Layla’s mom comes for Thanksgiving and then leaves after she’s been drinking. Layla tries to find her, and they go back to the shelter. Once again mom goes to rehab only to walk out. Layla gets an email from mom and her cousin thinks it could be a suicide note. Is that possible? Layla finds out a secret her mom never told her and wonders what will happen to her now.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"What We Wish For" by Melody Maysonet is a poignant and gripping YA novel that delves into the complexities of family, friendship, and learning to grow. Before reading this book, I do want to provide a trigger warning for alcoholism and drug use in this book. The MC never partakes, but others in the book do. Also, I wanted to provide a trigger warning for domestic abuse (this is described in the book).

Fifteen-year-old Layla Freeman is adept at putting on a façade, pretending that everything is fine despite her family's struggles. With her mother's sobriety hanging by a thread and their recent move into a homeless shelter, Layla is determined to keep up appearances at school. However, as the pressure mounts and Layla's lies become harder to maintain, she finds herself grappling with the truth and the fear of judgment from her peers. When Layla's desperate plan to seek help from her wealthy aunt and uncle goes awry, her world is turned upside down. Yet, amidst the chaos, Layla is granted a glimmer of hope as her mother receives treatment in rehab and Layla moves into her relatives' opulent mansion. However, as Layla navigates her new life of privilege, she discovers that not everything is as it seems, and buried secrets threaten to unravel her newfound stability.

Maysonet expertly crafts a compelling narrative that explores themes of resilience, forgiveness, and the importance of confronting one's past. I really enjoyed Layla’s journey of growth as well as learning from her own mother’s mistakes. Layla’s thoughts and actions felt very realistic for her age, especially because of the experiences she has had growing up and throughout the plot of the book. There were times where Layla made some decisions that weren’t thought-out or had some thoughts that were prejudiced, but I think these decisions/thoughts made Layla even more realistic and relatable. Through Layla's journey, you are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as you witness her struggles and her growth as she learns to confront the truth and embrace her authentic self. While I didn’t think the romance in the book was entirely necessary (I was much more invested in the plot regarding Layla’s mother and the major secret she was hiding), I really liked how Maysonet played out the romance at the very end; I thought it was a smart decision and worked the best for both Layla’s circumstances as well as the love interest’s. I did find the major twist in the book to be rather predictable, but I was very invested in Layla’s growth once that twist was revealed.

Overall, "What We Wish For" is a thought-provoking and emotional read that will resonate with you long after you’ve turned the final page. Maysonet's skillful storytelling and nuanced characters make this book a must-read for fans of contemporary YA fiction.