The Wish Granter audiobook

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***The Wish Granter by C.J. RedwineBook Two of the Ravenspire seriesPublisher: Balzer + BrayPublication Date: February 14, 2017Rating: 4 starsSource: eARC from EdelweissSummary (from Goodreads):An epic fantasy inspired by the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, about a bastard princess who must take on an evil fae to save her brother’s soul, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen.The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence that he can’t stop.Growing up ignored by the nobility, Ari never wanted to be a proper princess. And when Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague, who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown.So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself.But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess. And if Ari can’t outwit him, she’ll lose Sebastian, her brother...and her soul.What I Liked:C.J. Redwine has yet to disappoint me! I love her books and I am always looking forward to reading more from her. This latest novel was a delight, and it had a different feel compared to the rest of her books. It was a delightful story!Ari and her twin brother Thad are illegitimate children of the king of Súndraille. When the queen finally gives birth to a son - the new legitimate heir - she sends bounty hunters to kill Thad and Ari. But Thad makes a wish with the Wish Granter, Alistair Teague: let him (Thad) become king of Súndraille. And so it happens, because being king has consequences. Teague is a ruthless fae that tricked Thad into being king so that he (Teague) could gain control of the kingdom, and begin to take over other kingdoms. But Ari won't sit around and let it happen - especially since she isn't under any contract of Teague. With the help of the new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, Ari begins to devise a plan to take down Teague. But Teague is hundreds of years old - and a fae - and he is much cleverer than any human. Sebastian and Ari must both make sacrifices in order to see the kingdom - and each other - safe.I love how Redwine creates a world and makes it unique and wholly her own. This particular world spans across this entire Ravenpsire series. However, this book is set in the kingdom of Súndraille. In this kingdom, there is abundant crime, poverty, and drugs. The problems of this kingdom seem so modern and understandable - so like today's problems. I love how the author has the characters approaching the problems with actual solutions. How do we get rid of criminals? How do we get drugs off the streets?Another thing that Redwine does so well is dig deep into her characters. Each one of her characters, whether primary or secondary, are so fleshed out. Ari, for example. She is the bastard daughter of the king, and she grew up like a servant. She isn't comfortable being a princess, the sister of the newly declared king. She prefers simple clothes and she doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. She is good at bargaining, baking, and numbers, and she loves having plans and lists. Ari isn't a sword-wielding kickbutt female - rather, she is insanely clever and a very talented baker.Sebastian is quite possibly the youngest weapons master to ever exist, at eighteen. He knows how to use any and every weapon in the king's arsenal. He grew up under the care of one of Teague's most deadly collectors, and his father was cruel and hard on Sebastian. He doesn't like being touched, he hates crowds, and he doesn't say much. A man of few words, but the words he says are carefully chosen and hold a wealth of meaning. Everything about Sebastian is disciplined and precise - because he fears turning into his brutal and cold father.This book is written in third-person limited POV, and we get chapters from Ari's POV, Sebastian's POV, and surprisingly (or not surprisingly, if you've read Redwine's novels), Teague's POV. I like third-person, and I liked the triad of perspectives from which this story is told.It's always interesting, how Redwine gives her villains a voice in the story (i.e. a POV). Her villains aren't just evil caricatures out to kill everyone and take over the world. Redwine gives the villain a backstory and a purpose. Teague isn't a soulless Wish Granter (ha! pun intended). There are reasons for him being the way he is. Don't get me wrong, he's still a villain. But we better understand his origins, his motives, and his intent, with the elaborate backstory.I love fairy tale retellings! This is a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, but not in the way you think. The girl spinning gold is not Ari, though you can probably guess that Teague is Rumpelstiltskin. This story is based on Rumpelstiltskin, though I'm not sure I'd necessarily call it a retelling, since most of this book does not follow the story of Rumpelstiltskin. But it's so cool how Redwine took the original story of Rumpelstiltskin and made it into something different, interesting, and fascinating.This book seemed lighter and more fun than her other books, though there were high stakes and heartbreak in this book. A key part of this book is Ari's baking - she loves food, and she loves to bake. Also, the way this book is told is almost humorous, with the writing style being so candid and almost conversational. The story itself is indirectly split into two parts - the first half being about Thad and Ari's adjustment to being royals, and Ari getting to know Sebastian and starting to plan how to take down Teague; the second half being about them dealing directly with Teague, in which he forces Ari's hand and she signs a contract with him, and Sebastian comes up with a plan to save her. I like how the story was set up, because there was enough action and twists to keep me extremely invested.I like the romance! It was slow and sweet, definitely there but there weren't a lot of scenes devoted solely to the romance. There wasn't a ton of physical interaction, but you could really feel how Sebastian and Ari fall for each other and develop feelings for each other. There is no doubt of their emotional connection.I love how this book ends! It's a wonderful ending, and everything feels fairly wrapped up. Redwine ends the book a little differently from what you might expect, and I like the ending (though a part of me would have loved her to go a little further). Still, it was a great ending to a lovely book!What I Did Not Like:There wasn't anything specific that detracted from the story! I personally would have loved more Sebastian/Ari moments (you know what I mean), but their relationship wasn't a potent, chemistry-filled one. It was a sweet romance, and I can't complain (too much) about that. Again, nothing specific really took away from the story.Would I Recommend It:Personally I'd recommend any of Redwine's books, this one included. I love that her latest novels are standalone novels. As much as I liked her Defiance series, not having to wait for the book to know what happens next is really satisfying. I recommend this one if you like fantasy, fairy tale retellings, sweet romances, clever girls, and strong, silently brooding boys. (Here's looking at you, Sebastian.)Rating:4 stars. I can always trust Redwine to write an interesting and clever story! I love how her heroines are uniquely their own - smart, yet not without faults - and her heroes the same - intelligent and strong, yet not without weaknesses. I look forward to reading the next Ravenspire novel! I'm hoping that there will be cameos from this book and book one, in the next book.Eeeee! :D :D

"He'll grant you the deepest desire of your heart, but in ten years he'll return for your soul." As soon as I saw mention of a Rumpelstiltskin retelling, I knew I had to read this. Alistair Teague was exactly the conniving, cruel, vengeful character that I hoped he would be. While also being The Wish Granter, he's also somewhat of a drug lord in the kingdom of Súndraille, and no one dares to defy him. That is, until Ari Glavan.Fooled into a wish, Ari's brother, Thad, is the new ruler of Súndraille. To protect her brother's soul, Ari ventures into a dangerous journey, with help from the weapon's master, in hopes of destroying Alistair Teague and the contract binding her brother. This girl was amazing. Not only was she smart, levelheaded, and kind, but she also loved food. "Dancing is for people who don't truly appreciate the buffet." The romance was genuine. The action was booming. It had all the elements I love from the original tale, too. I'm incredibly pleased with this one.

So so good...I loved it so much. This is more of a 4.75 stars but it is still an amazing book. First of all...The cover is insanely beautiful and I loved Ari's humour and everything about Sebastian....❤ I loved the concept of creating a rumplestiltskin themed retelling and since rumplestiltskin is my favourite villain apart from the evil Queen...I enjoyed it even more. If you haven't read this already... your missing out on a lot so go read it!!!Rtc

This was a really interesting novel, it was a lot darker than the previous book. I did enjoy the first book slightly more but it was still a great read.

Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...4.5/5 StarsThad and Ari are the bastard children of the King. When their mother is murdered and the royal family are mysteriously killed, Thad finds himself the new King. Ari has never wanted to be royalty, but then Thad begins training her to take his place on the throne. Ari realizes that the Wish Granter, Alistair Teague, is responsible for Thad becoming the King. As time goes on, Ari learns the terms of Thad's agreement and decides to free him from the contract. With the help of the new weapons master, Sebastian, Ari must find a way to defeat Alistair before he claims Thad's soul. I love fairytale retellings so I was very excited to pick this one up! I was a bit hesitant to pick this up since I found The Shadow Queen, Redwine's first novel in this series to be a very average read for me, but I've never read as Rumpelstiltskin retelling and was very intrigued by this story. The writing style flowed nicely and was easy to read. The plot was engaging and exciting and I found myself unable to put the book down. I was so engrossed in this world and the tale of Rumpelstiltskin. I was so invested on learning about how Ari planned to defeat him! The characters are what really shined for me in this book. Each character, whether they are a main or side character are well-developed and intriguing. The story is told from three POVs, Ari, Sebastian and sometimes Teague. I LOVED Ari and her quick humor and wit. She was so fiercely loyal and I loved reading about her love for her family and friends. She was just a genuinely caring and nice person. She was also insanely resourceful and smart. I loved how she turned to others for help when she needed it. I loved her friendship with Cleo, it was so sweet. The sibling relationship between her and Thad was also well done. I also loved how she is described as curvy and ACTUALLY LOVES IT ABOUT HERSELF! I hate when authors write self-hating characters but Ari was definitely not that. I loved how she was unapologetically herself and didn't change for anyone. I also really loved Sebastian. His development through his friendship with Ari was so beautiful to watch. I loved how he learned to trust and care for Ari and how she showed him that he didn't have to be alone. The relationship that develops between them is slow and sweet and I loved watching it grow. Teague was an extremely intriguing character to me. He had so much hatred for humans and it was interesting to learn more about his backstory. Overall a very entertaining read with an amazing cast of characters you can't help but love.

Guys, I found one of my new favorite fairytale retellings.While I enjoyed The Shadow Queen last summer, I LOVED The Wish Granter. Something about the southern kingdom of Sundraille, the character chemistry, and (of course) the fact that this is a RUMPELSTILTSKIN retelling was just... *chef's kiss*For starters, Ari is not a typical princess. In fact, she wasn't even treated as a princess until the beginning of this book, because as one of the king's bastard twins, she amounted to very little, politically speaking. Circumstances thrust her into the limelight, however, and now she has a ton more responsibility to contend with. Her intelligence, confidence, pragmatic nature, and passion for food made me love her. She can talk her way out of anything and serve you bacon while she's doing it.Then there's Sebastian. This boy landed on my good side immediately because I love his name, but he also turned out to be a total softie with a tragic past--and I know that sounds cliché, but trust me. He's amazing. The way he overcame the abuse from his past, faced his weaknesses square in the face, and slowly began to feel safe and at home in Ari's presence... PARDON THE FANGIRLING, BUT I SHIP THEM SO MUCH.Ari's twin brother, Thad, wasn't in here much, but he was precious too. So was her best friend, Cleo.Another shining point in this story's favor is Teague. I was worried at first that he would follow in the footsteps of the iconic Mr. Gold from Once Upon a Time, but Teague was very much his own person while still hitting the must-have Rumpelstiltskin traits. He was positively chilling. I feel like not many villains are truly scary, but he was preeeetty darn creepy and intimidating. For the longest time, I couldn't see how he could be beaten. He also well and truly shocked me a couple times, so props to CJ Redwine for not pulling punches.I've seen some reviews saying the plot was slow, but I honestly didn't find it dragged at all. Something was always developing, whether it was Ari's mission to save her brother from his deadly deal with the Wish Granter, the relationship between Ari and Sebastian (can we call them Aribastian? yes? yes.), the subplot with Hansel and Gretel (loved!), or Sebastian's dogged determination to keep Ari safe.(Speaking of which, I really appreciated Ari's maturity toward Sebastian. She gave him space to breathe, respected him instead of pitying him, and affirmed his identity in such a powerful way.)And... you know you're reading a good retelling when one of the ORIGINAL PLOT POINTS from the ORIGINAL FAIRY TALE still takes you by surprise. I was too caught up in the story to remember what was coming.My only complaint is that I wish a couple things about the ending hadn't happened so fast; for one magical thing in particular, I could've used a smidgen more clarity.But this book was delicious, and I'm already pining away for book 3. Five golden spinning wheels from me!!!

Rating ~3.5*Review to Come*

4-4.5 starsTotally did not expect to love this book as much as I did, and for it to become my new favorite C.J. Redwine book - and ship! I'm always a sucker for fairy tale retellings, and The Wish Granter had me invested from beginning to end. The best part was it's characters, Ari and Sebastian, two beautiful souls who found each other at the perfect time. Their romance gave me all the butterflies!

4.5/5I finally have time to read! I liked this book more than I thought I would and that's really great! And let us not forget how the cover is charming! I'm never bored of reading books and tales about faeries, they interest me so much. After I finished this book and saw the reviews I realized that this book is actually a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin's tale... I have to read it. The characters in this book were adorable, even the wish granter. I liked the way his feelings and cruelty showed up on his face with that smile of his which sent chills through spines.Looking forward to read the other books of C.J. Redwine!

“If all you ever do is look for a person’s moments of weakness, you’ll miss out on the best they have to offer.”In this exciting retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, Princess Ari must do anything necessary to save her brother’s soul from the manipulative trickster, Alistair Teague. Ari enlists her friends and arms herself with weapons and knowledge she thinks will defeat Alistair, but she just may be in over her head, and now she risks losing not only her brother but everyone she loves.This book is somewhat part of a series, but each one stands alone as a retelling. So while The Wish Granter wasn’t the first book, I was able to read, understand, and enjoy it with no issues. But after reading this one, I desperately need the others! Such an amazing and dark retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, a villain we don’t read enough about!For the most part, the characters were my favorite part, namely Ari and Alistair. Alistair was a perfectly ruthless villain with just enough complexity to make you root on the sidelines for the possible discovery of some small bit of his humanity. I thought this was just a semi-lighthearted fairy-tale retelling, and then Alistair would do something so unexpectedly horrible and evil that left me completely shocked.Ari was one of the most relatable female characters I’ve read in a while. She’s not overly talented, but she learns. She’s not “perfect” by physical, modern standards; it’s mentioned more than once of her love of food and her curvy figure. Although one thing I disliked was how characters kept called her fat: it was a bit unnecessary in my opinion. I think the number of times Ari thinks and talks about food could’ve been dialed down a bit as they felt out of place in a few situations. Another thing I appreciated was how she approached her “love interest”, wanting to be friends with him and build a foundation; unfortunately he did the opposite and it felt as if he created a “insta-love” vibe.Redwine’s writing and storytelling style hooked me from the start, and her new approach to an old fairytale was not an adventure I’ll soon forget. The world building and detail created a story that felt equally timeless and fresh, with a perfect balance of action, romance, sass, heartbreak, and intrigue. This book was a pleasant surprise from beginning to end, and I can’t wait to read the others in the series! 4/5

“There's a restless, pent-up power in the sea, and you know if it ever decided to stop respecting its boundaries, it could destroy you. But it does respect its boundaries. It stays where it should, so its power feels safe. When you stand here, surrounded by mystery and beauty and power, you feel safe.” THIS BOOK IS FOR ALL RUMPELSTILTSKIN FANS !!Full review: https://thebookishword.wordpress.com/...

This book was good but not my favorite of the series. Personal taste, and I don't think it helped that I read book 4 before book 2, and book 4 is absolutely amazing and my favorite of the whole series.