Wicked Wish Blog Tour Review

 

Wicked Wish

Darkest Wishes Series – Book 1

By Alex Gordon

 

About the Book:

Genres: YA/NA Paranormal Romance, Coming of Age, Love Triangle

Publisher: Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: July 5, 2023

 

When 18-year-old Regan accidentally kills her father, she discovers some startling truths.

First, she has the power of mind control.

Second, she must use it for evil or else suffer one of two fates: insanity or death. Her solution is vigilante justice.

To atone for her sins, she vows to protect her classmates from The Three Musketcheers, a vicious gang of cheerleaders who use lies, brute force, and blackmail as weapons in their quest to dominate the school.

Unfortunately, every time Regan uses her gift, it develops a persona of its own—one she has trouble controlling—leaving her to question whether she can save them without destroying herself.

 

Purchase Links:

 

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Audible

Goodreads

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

 

Excerpt:

 

I found a spot in the back corner of the room and hunkered down with crossed arms. I’d made it through my first day unscathed.

Then in walked the dark-haired pretty boy, who, for some reason, didn’t seem to like me. Which was fine with me. He pulled a plastic bag out of the pocket of his unbuttoned, gray and black flannel shirt and tossed it on Mr. Clark’s desk.
He smiled and said something in a deep, quiet voice, but I didn’t catch it. The teacher’s worn face lit up. Pretty boy stopped and surveyed all the empty spaces. He inhaled, his nostrils flaring, and exhaled for a long time before he
strolled nonchalantly over to me. He swung the plastic chair around, its metal legs grating the floor, then straddled it. He stared at my profile, his gaze traveling slowly over me. It was as if I could physically feel his eyes caress my skin. The desire to reach up and brush the foreign feeling from my cheeks was strong. Instead, I concentrated on the paintings hanging above Mr. Clark’s desk. Abstracts. My favorite. I liked the way they invoked emotion without telling what it should be.

After a full minute of this discomfort, I tilted my head toward him and said, “What?” The overpowering lights matted his bronze skin, but it wasn’t unflattering. He looked like he’d been carved from stone.

His eyelashes were so thick and dark I couldn’t tell if he was wearing eyeliner to go with his black nail polish or not. Tiny silver hoop earrings hung from both his earlobes. His silence made me twitchy. I turned my chair so it was facing
him. I crossed my legs and folded my hands on my lap, mimicking my previous therapist.

“And Johnny? What do you think about this new girl? The one that seems to irritate you?” I blinked my long eyelashes rapidly.

He fiddled with a polished arrowhead that hung from a braided leather rope around his neck. “It’s Jude actually,” he said in a deep, smoky voice. I already knew that having had four classes out of seven with him. All advanced placement classes and art. Jude’s eyes were so black that, even in this bright light, I couldn’t differentiate his pupils from his irises. He swiveled his head, trying to see what was behind me, which was weird because the only thing there was a wall.

“And I think there’s something wrong with the new girl.”

 

Julie’s Review:

 

It is a rare occurrence when I devour a book in 1-2 sittings. And when I get to and want to do that, the rating reflects that. This is one of those unputdownable books.

It gripped me from the first sentence and I just had to keep reading to understand what was happening with her abilities. The pacing and plotting were spot on – I was never bored, I was also never confused about what was happening. It was always interesting, always twisty, and I was deeply invested in the characters.

The main characters were very well done. I felt their struggles, I understood their purpose and motivations. I understood why Regan blamed herself and continued to punish herself, but I also understood she had no way to know about this power.  Her entire family let her down and then abandoned her. I was quite mad at both the mom and the brothers. Like, ok, you thought she didn’t have them and didn’t tell her about these powers, but now that it was obvious? You still won’t tell her anything? Leave her to figure out how to control them so they don’t control her all alone? I mean I get it, you’re all grieving, but that’s just irresponsible parenting and older brothering.

The love interests, definitely swoony. I knew who I wanted her to pick before the book explained all what was going on, but I understood the difficult decision. She keeps her promises, unlike her family did. But then again she doesn’t really, with the infidelity. She wanted to be good, she wanted to be with someone who made her want to be good, instead of give into her dark powers. But it became more than that. I really enjoyed the building of the relationships in the story.

The best part was the revenge for others she did with her powers. She can’t use them to help herself, because she gets sick, which I don’t quite understand but it is what it is. But when she uses her powers to avenge others hurt by the mean girls squad, it was so entertaining. It was so much you get what you deserve. And it was also opening the door for mean girl character growth should she decide to be better.

Absolutley an enjoyable read. While these are high school seniors, our main group felt so much more mature. So much more understanding of their place in the world and how they can impact it. They went through so much pain and became something better for each other on the other side.

Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a YA/NA type read with paranormal abilities, relatable characters, close-knit friendships, and deeply damaged and flawed characters who come out on top.

Author Interview

1. At what point did you decide to become an author, and what was your path to publication?

This will sound a bit strange, but I’m not sure I decided to be an author. One of my best friends bought me a psychic reading for my birthday. He’s an open to the possibilities kind of guy—I’m a see it to believe it kind of girl. But I thought what the heck, it will be fun, right?

I went to the reading with a semi-open mind—because let’s be honest, I’m a bit of a skeptic.

She told me I was destined to become an author. While I read A LOT, writing wasn’t on my radar.

Until my husband asked if I’d ever heard of the Fata Morgana. Of course, my answer was no, so he explained. It’s a mirage visible right above the horizon. The most famous example is the Italian Strait of Messina where the fabled Isle of Avalon is said to exist. Also, it’s what makes The Flying Dutchman fly. But the phenomenon often occurs between the city of Anchorage, Alaska and the distant mountains surrounding the Cook Inlet.

And almost magically, my mind expanded and downloaded an epic tale of adventure, love, and sacrifice.

I frantically typed the story—and then I re-wrote it like a thousand times because I was a terrible writer, with a pretty cool concept.

Ten years later, Wicked Wish, a completely different story, was traditionally published with The Wild Rose Press. So—was I destined to become an author, or was it a self-fulfilling prophecy? I’ll probably never know, but the strangest gift I’ve ever received was the best! And now I believe in magic.

 

2. Describe your writing process. Do you outline, plot, and plan, or is your writing more organic?

I like to say I’m a pantser—I write by the seat of my pants—with a plan. My inspiration often comes from dreams, but sometimes I steal ideas from my husband. He’s well aware I’m a thief, and he’s proud to claim his title of muse. Before I start writing a story, I know the beginning and the end. But how I get there is an off-road adventure into the unknown. This allows my story to grow without totally derailing my original plan. If I hit a dead end, I step away from the computer, and usually, when I least expect it, the path forward finds me.

 

3. What are some books or authors that you would recommend to our readers?

I have a couple favorite YA series—both are completed.

The Cruel Princeby Holly Black—Faerie’s, political intrigue, and a human FMC who’s driven to survive and thrive in world where she’s not wanted.

The Arcana Chroniclesby Kresley Cole—dystopian, fast-paced, and the best banter ever!

A few of my favorite Indie authors are C. J. Archer, Ellis K. Popa, and Cara Devlin.

My all-time favorite book—the one I wish I could read all over again for the first time—is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. When I was way too young, my mom handed me this book and insisted I read it. I’ve never been the same since! Jamie Fraser will always be my first book boyfriend, and to this day, he’s still in first place.

 

4. What is the toughest criticism you have received as an author? What has been the best compliment?

The toughest criticism I’ve ever received are all the rejections sitting in my e-mail. I stopped counting after seventy-five. LOL! The best compliment was the yes from The Wild Rose Press. I’ll never forget where I was when I opened that e-mail. The memory still brings me to tears.

 

5. Share some advice for aspiring authors. What advice would you give to your younger self?

I hate to say this but—get thick skin—find a way to emotionally separate from the criticism. As for advice to myself, prepare in advance for success. Otherwise, you’re going to be one step behind, always running to catch up! As they say, hindsight is 20/20. I’m not complaining. I just wish I would’ve been more prepared for all the marketing.

 

6. What is your favorite line from your book?

Only now was I finally beginning to understand—her crown was built on a mountain of money, fueled by lies, and bought with people’s fear.

 

 

 

About the Author:

Alex Gordon is a bit of a wanderer, having lived in Washington, Montana, Germany, Alaska, and Tennessee where she currently resides with her husband and two rescued German Shepherds. When not writing, you can probably find her hiking, or if she’s lucky–fishing, though she’s not opposed to camping out on the couch with dessert and bingeing murder mysteries.

Contact Links:

Website: https://www.alexgordonauthor.com/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0C4Z658BX/about

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5761429.Alex_Gordon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088926625113

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexgordonauthor

Tick Tock: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexgordonauthor

Giveaways:

First Giveaway

 

One Paperback Copy of Wicked Wish to One Lucky Winner

Open to US Only

 

Second Giveaway

 

One eBook Copy of Wicked Wish to One Lucky Winner

Open Internationally

 

Hosted By:

 

Quill and Ink Book Tours

https://quillandinkbooktours.com/

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