Release: October 13th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Source: Amazon
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, Kobo,
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Maeve Merritt chafes at the rigid rules at her London boarding school for “Upright Young Ladies.” When punishment forces her to sort through the trash, she finds a sardine tin that houses a foul-tempered djinni with no intention of submitting to a schoolgirl as his master.
Soon an orphan boy from the charitable home next door, a mysterious tall man in ginger whiskers, a disgruntled school worker, and a take-no-prisoners business tycoon are in hot pursuit of Maeve and her magical discovery. It’ll take all of her quick thinking and sass to set matters right.
About the Author:
Julie Berry grew up in western New York. She holds a BS from Rensselaer in communication and an MFA from Vermont College in writing for children and young adults. She now lives in southern California with her husband and four sons.
“The Emperor’s Ostrich,” Julie’s newest middle grade from Roaring Brook, earned a Booklist star. “The Passion of Dolssa” (Viking, 2016), won an ALA Printz Honor, was a New York Times Notable title, earned five stars, and was named to many best of year lists.
Her middle grade novel, “The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place” (Roaring Brook, 2014) received an Odyssey Honor. It was a Wall Street Journal Top Ten Children’s Book of 2014, and was in the Dorothy Canfield Fisher list. “All the Truth That’s in Me” (Viking, 2013) was Julie’s first YA novel. Also, it has earned starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, BCCB, and the Horn Book. And it won a Horn Book Fanfare title, a School Library Journal Best Book of 2013, a Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013, and a Junior Library Guild selection. It was on the shortlist for a Carnegie Medal and a YALSA BFYA award. It was published in 14 international countries and territories.
Julie is also the author of “The Amaranth Enchantment” and “Secondhand Charm” (Bloomsbury) and the “Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys” series (Penguin Books for Young Readers). Julie’s works appear in audio and international versions worldwide..
Wishes and Wellingtons Review:
Sorcerer Kings, Djinns, and magic wishes make “Wishes and Wellingtons” a magical read.
Firstly, I adore the concept of the story. It was like watching “Annie” thrown in with “Aladdin” with quirky twists and turns. The author writes this fantasy novel in a delightful manner where you find yourself engrossed in Maeve’s adventures. The author beautifully balances the adventure and mystery with heartfelt moments between Maeve and her friends. I particularly loved the parts where they go to Persia. Also, the author imparts a beautiful message that lust and greed could be addictive, as Maeve learns what is essential in life. There are quite a few twists and turns, and the story gets exciting when the sardine can disappears.
Maeve is a wonderful heroine, and I loved her confidence and spark. It was so interesting to see how she uses her wishes and how the adventure changes her life. Moreover, I loved her friendship with Alice. Tom is also an excellent addition to the group, and I chucked at how the three of them considered themselves oddities. Similarly, I also enjoyed Mermeros, the Djinn who lives in the sardine can. He is foul-tempered yet electric in his scenes. The author also adds some characters you tend to despise, like Theresa and her father, Mr. Treazleton, who try to make Maeve’s life miserable. The characters in this story are zany, quirky, a bit scary, and so memorable.
Overall, I enjoyed reading “Wishes and Wellingtons” and look forward to reading its sequel “Crime and Carpetbags.” The book is heart-warming, fun, magical, and worth reading.
