When Good Wishes Go Bad

I don't ask a lot from my chick lit. A little humor, some good girlfriends, a decent love interest, some good fun situations.... Just light good girly fun. Mindy Klasky delivers all of this and more in "When Good Wishes Go Bad". This is the second book in a series and I had not read the first but was still able to follow the story. In one horrific day Becca Morris loses her boyfriend, her money, her apartment, and both a play and a chunk of money that belong to the theater company she works for (as you may imagine some of this goes with the missing boyfriend. So her friend gives her a bottle with a genie in it. There is romance, friendship, romance, a fabulous apartment, a gender-bending genie, and a happy ending in a quick fun read. Everything I could ask for!

Be honest, if you came across your own personal genie who granted you wishes, would you honestly know what you would wish for? I don't think it would be as easy as you think. I would probably ponder my choices for a long time to make sure that I would get the most out of each each. If I had a genie like Teel, they would probably be very annoyed with me for taking such a long time to make a decision. I don't normally read paranormal books and other than Harry Potter, I usually don't even really like books about magic. But Mindy Klasky writes about those subjects with a chick lit twist so being a chick lit fan, I fell in love with her writing. This series have been fun to read because you can help but wish you were in the same situation as the main characters. Becca works at a theater as the person who reviews all the scripts that have potential to be put in production. She's just found out that her boyfriend has embezzled the theater of millions of dollars and has run abroad with all the money. Plus the show she had just commissioned now has to be put on the back burner. Just when she's hit her lowest point, a miracle in the form of a gender bending genie comes into her life with the power of granting four wishes. I don't want to spoil the story but there were lots of surprises that I didn't see coming that were a lot of fun. There's great humor in the story as well, I found myself giggling while reading several times. Even though this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. Kira, the main character from the first book, makes some appearances but her story is not continued. Reading the first book might help you to understand Teel a bit more and his/her desire to want to get into the garden. I will admit that I liked Kira's story more so than Becca's. There were times when Becca seemed to be a bit selfish. In fact almost all her wishes were solely just for herself. I can understand the first wish being just for yourself but she didn't seem to want help out others even though she had the opportunity. Overall, this was a really fun read. I really enjoyed learning about what goes on in the background scenes of running a theater. There were so many things that I didn't know before that this book taught me and it gave me a whole new respect for those who have that career. I think everyone would like to share the scenario of having a genie like Becca. It's a wish that everyone wants. This is a light read, great for a day at the beach. I'll be looking forward to the third book in the series to see if Teel finally gets to go to the garden.

Mindy Klasky's "When Good Wishes Go Bad" is a great, light, summer read. It's full of fun imaginative situations. Let yourself go and let the unrealistic become possible. I found myself getting lost in the story and later wishing I could have one of those magic lanterns with a genie inside. I love the theater and having so much of the story taking place there just doubled up the fun for me. Add to that some magic and romance and, Honey, we are talking a book I had a hard time putting down once I started reading it. What I like best is the lesson that no matter how much magic you have in your life not all magic is good magic and not all good wishes turn out good. In the end it's all up to you and what you do with it. How about that, a fairy tale for grown ups with a moral to the story.

This was a fun and lighthearted read about a woman who finds herself suddenly broke and homeless after her boyfriend of 3 years disappears with her entire life savings, as well as 3 million dollars from the production company that they both work(ed) for. That being said, a friendly co-worker lends our protagonist a box of clothes, as well as a brass lamp, complete with a gender-bending, wish-fulfilling genie. What I didn't realize before reading this book is that the friendly co-worker's adventures with the magical genie were apparently documented in the first book in this series. However, this book stands alone just fine and I had absolutely no trouble keeping up with what was going on. Even though the two books are evidently written as a continuation of the story, one needn't necessarily read them in order. That's what I was told, anyway, and I believe it since I didn't even realize this was a continuation until I was told so. That being said...... I found this book to be the perfect brain candy. It was an effortless read, perfect for a lazy summer day. The characters were, in my opinion, very likable and well rounded. Even the Popcorn King was irritatingly well-written. The plot was well executed and the author left no loose ends when the story was over. Toss in a teaspoon of humor and a dash of romance, and you have a perfect recipe for a great book. I noticed that some reviewers didn't like this book because the plot was "unbelievable", but how believable is a genie in a lamp supposed to be? This book has very little semblance to anything believable, but that's what makes it so much fun. This book is a nice little escape from reality, and it was an escape that I truly enjoyed making. The back of the book states that Mindy Klasky's next book (in this series) will be published in October 2010 and I look forward to reading about another 4 wishes being granted to another unsuspecting soul.

I read the first book in this series about a genie named Teel and I loved it. The theater atmosphere was so real, you felt like you were actually there. And this book is even better! It can be read as a stand-alone, so don't worry if you didn't read the first one (although you'll want to, I promise you). Klasky's writing is clever, funny, and full of heart. Her characters are real and original and the genie is, well, a genie. What's not to like?!