Nashae Jones delivers a charming and witty middle-grade rom-com in As You Wish, blending friendship, first crushes, and the unpredictable magic of a West African trickster god.

Birdie’s eighth-grade dreams of romance and normalcy take an unexpected turn when her best friend, Deve, resists her matchmaking plans. When an ill-advised wish to Anansi, the mischievous god, sends her world into chaos, Birdie quickly learns that magic comes with consequences. What follows is a heartwarming and often hilarious journey of self-discovery, friendship, and understanding the true meaning of love—both romantic and platonic.

Jones masterfully weaves West African folklore into a contemporary setting, creating a unique and engaging story. Birdie is a relatable and lively protagonist, and her dynamic with Deve feels authentic, full of humor, tension, and warmth. The inclusion of Anansi adds a delightful layer of magical mischief, making this more than just a typical coming-of-age story.

While the book is fun and fast-paced, some of the plot developments feel a bit rushed, particularly in the resolution of Birdie’s conflicts. A bit more time spent on certain emotional beats would have made the story even more impactful. However, the humor, heart, and cultural richness make it a fantastic read for middle-grade audiences.

Overall, As You Wish is an entertaining and thoughtful tale about friendship, identity, and the power of words. A great pick for fans of contemporary middle-grade fiction with a touch of magic!

As You Wish was a super fun read! I really liked that the romance was true to a typical middle school student and not like some of the more adult books students are choosing from social media. I look forward to recommending this novel to my readers.

I didn’t even know what this was about to know I wanted to read it. I LOVED Jones’ Cupid book and I heard this one had something to do with wishes? I thought it was genies, but it was even better than that! It was about Anasi! It’s been a while since I read something with him in it, but it was also a MG. I’m so glad that children are able to learn about him and African mythology!

Ok so the thing about this I loved the most is how it’s all these different genres but the reader never feels confused. Like with the time loop it’s actually considered sci fi because she keeps going to different universes and finding different ways her world has been screwed up now lol And then there was the romance. We don’t know right away that it’s a romance, but that’s because the main character doesn’t know herself lol And then the historical bit is when it’s kicked back to Anansi and his tale is shown first before it’s kicked back to the present to show how its being re-told in the present. I thought this was so clever and so smart. <– Idk another way to put it lol I was just incredibly blown away again by Jones and the way she was able to tell this story.

The romance was cute, but I do wish we had a tiny bit more. I understand this is MG, but in the Cupid one there was more. Idk maybe it was just because it was the bit about Cupid, but I thought it still should have had more than just a kiss on the cheek. They went through way too much just to end it there. They needed to flirt more. It was almost like someone told her cut the romance because people don’t want the romance in books. And that’s crazy. They fought their way back to each other the whole book just to barely flirt. (And yes I understand this is a MG book. But I also read her first one and there was more romance in that one than this.)

Obviously my favorite character was Nancy lol She made things HE double hockey sticks for this girl. I think I would have snapped a long time ago. Especially since she recognized that Nancy knew what she was saying but was intentionally making things go wrong. Ugh it was so good. Even at my big age I had no idea how she was going to fix that last mess. But I think that’s what makes me rate this what I did. We don’t get a really good reason as to why she decided to reverse everything. They’re just friends one day again and it was weird lol I’m just not a huge fan of open endings. I want to be able to know definitively what happened because I know I won’t be able to make it as good as the author lmao I cannot write.

The other thing I loved about this audio was the fact that its narrated by one of my faves, Jade Wheeler is EXCELLENT! If you’ve never listened to anything she’s done, please change that right now. She is amazing at inflections, adding emotion, and just everything. So when I say read this via audio, I’m totally being biased, but she does a good job and I think she also needs to be praised like the author. (However I can say her voice for Nancy was weird lolol)

I was waiting on the MG book since I knew it was coming out. I’m glad it lived up to almost every expectation I had. Nashae Jones is truly gifted and I REALLY hope there is more coming out for this companion series. I’m just saying, there’s more West African gods out there lol

This was such a fun MG romance (with a dash of folklore & magical realism)! I personally quite enjoy the “do-over” trope, and Nashae Jones does it really well in this book with a three-wishes twist. I also LOVED the way she wove Anansi the spider into this story. Middle school Michelle would have loved this one. (Adult me loved it, too.) And I will definitely be recommending it to my students.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

Nashae Jones has once again delivered an incredible middle grades novel brimming with magic, tween angst, well-developed characters, and heartwarming, age-appropriate romance. Courtesy of Cupid is already a favorite of mine, and I loved the glimpses of Erin and Trevor a year later (this book stands alone, and you don't need to have read her first book to fully enjoy this one... though you should read it anyway just because it’s wonderful!).

Birdie and Deve have been best friends (crunchy peanut butter level friends…iykyk) since they were little kids. She can’t imagine life without him. On the first day of 8th grade, Birdie is ready to reinvent herself and try to change her status as the weird kid. Her solution: get a boyfriend! Deve doesn’t seem to like this plan…and he’s even unhappier after Birdie suggests she help him get a girlfriend.

After a fight, Deve suggests they take a friend break. Birdie is confused and heartbroken.

Luckily, Birdie has a unique family history: Anansi, the trickster god, owes each generation a favor if/when they reach a crucial crossroads. And so, Anansi offers her a wish. The solution seems simple! Birdie wishes that Deve were never mad at her…and then wakes up on the second day of school to find that she and Deve never became friends. After all, someone who doesn’t know you won’t ever be mad at you, right?

Turns out “favors” from a trickster god are not generally simple, and wishes can have some unintended ripple effects. With two more wishes left (one per day), Birdie must find a way to fix this new disaster while still trying to improve her life. She needs to be careful what she wishes for, though, after wish three, she’ll be left in whatever new reality she’s created.

As You Wish captures an authentic, poignant middle grades voice in our narrator Birdie, and it also provides a full cast of complex characters and meaningful relationships. You’ll find yourself invested in much more than Birdie’s relationship with Deve. Her relationships with her family and peers (and their relationships with each other) are affected with each timeline.

This book made me smile (I was reading on a plane and trying to avoid reactions that might concern my neighbor) and made me cry multiple times (…and I failed at that goal).

This is such a perfect book for a middle grades reader, and its length makes it all the more accessible for unsure readers. I will be adding it to my classroom library as soon as the physical book is available.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book, and thank you to Nashae Jones for once again gifting readers another incredible book with a diverse (in every way) cast of lovable, flawed, real characters.

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it!

Beware of Gods bearing gifts. Especially when said God is Ananzi the Spider…

As you wish is a light romance between two middle school kids. It’s a sweet book, and a nice twist on the traditional genie, three wishes narrative. While the end is pretty strongly telegraphed by the subject matter (of COURSE Birdie’s going to eventually get things reconciled with Deve…), the twists and turns caused by placing your wishes in the God that inspired Bugs Bunny….well, it goes as well as expected.

For kids who like Percy Jackson and similar mythology based books, and don’t know much about West African mythology, this book may inspire some wonderful rabbit…or spider…trails.

This is a light romance and is appropriate for middle school kids…or, truthfully anyone who enjoys a clean romance with a bit of the supernatural, has been frustrated with their parents, or had a cross-gender best friendship as puberty starts to beckon.

13 Going on Thirty meets It’s A Wonderful Life with this MG time loop romance.
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Birdie believes 8th grade is her year to get a boyfriend and finally be seen as “normal”. She and her best friend and neighbor, Deve, do everything together so of course she wants to get boyfriends and girlfriends together. She doesn’t get it when Deve gets upset with her. When West African god, Anansi appears to her in the form of a tween named Nancy, Birdie learns she gets three wishes. As she goes through each wish she learns more about herself and how great her life is already.
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I just adored this MG romance book. Nashae Jones is quickly becoming a top author in this genre. I loved the crossover from Courtesy of Cupid and the West African culture included. I believe this is such a unique title for this age group they’re going to be obsessed when it releases January 14!

CW: OCD, bullying, divorce, cyberbullying

AS YOU WISH was such a hilariously funny middle grade rom com! Kids are going to absolutely love this one (and so did I)! The characters are relatable, the plot engaging, AND there's funnel cake and a trickster spider god. What more could one want?

This cute book gets a 4.5 rating. Birdie, the daughter of an over the top anxious mother has developed enough quirks of her own that she finds herself at the bottom of the popularity food chain. She wishes that things are different and Anansi, the trickster, decides to give her three chances to wish herself into a new life. Interspersed with Birdie's story is the story of her grandmother's experience with this same tricky wish grantor. There is some heartache, some self discovery, some romance. As you wish is a squeaky clean, perfect book for young middle grades on up.

I was given an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Be careful what you wish for--the Trickster is up to their tricks! Jones has an impeccable and delightful ability to bring characters to life and to invoke all the feels. Her research on Anansi and West African folklore takes the reader beyond the rom-com and deeper into the Trickster lore. "As You Wish" is a delightful and charming story about friendship, mental health, first love, discovering your worth and realizing you can be the hero in your own story.

I love that stories like "As You Wish" are coming out into the world! I can imagine so many seeing themselves in Birdie's messy life--like the first time I recognized my own self in Meg Murray. It's life changing.

An absolutely hilarious middle grade romcom full of charming characters, one laugh-out-loud moment after another, brilliant use of mythology, and a sweet first dating story. I hope this book is added to every library and middle grade classroom!

I loved the use of the West African trickster god, it added that element that I was looking for from the description. The plot was wonderfully done and was engaging and had that mythology element that I wanted. I enjoyed the concept of be careful what you wish for and how it worked in this story. Nashae Jones wrote this perfectly and was glad to read this.

This book is a must-read for middle-grade readers and anyone who enjoys a heartfelt story sprinkled with magic. It is witty, authentic and has well developed characters.