Review: Don't You Wish

Title: Don't You Wish
Author: Roxanne St. Claire
Publisher: Delacourte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Find it here: Amazon, Goodreads
Source: ARC compliments of the Publisher

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father—and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.

In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billionaire—if usually absent—father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating . . . and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.

But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie.

So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?

The choice isn't as simple as you think.

My thoughts: 

I really enjoyed this story! It’s a somewhat different take on the whole “the grass is greener on the other side”. And who hasn’t wondered if the grass really is greener on the other side? I know I have. One of the reasons that this book really stuck with me is because I spent a lot of time in junior high and my early years of high school wondering what it would be like if I was born into a wealthy family or if I was more popular. In Don’t You Wish, Annie experiences firsthand what it would be like to have a different life while retaining her previous life memories.

Annie Nutter is a great character! She’s the epitome of nerd, striving to be noticed by those who are deemed “more popular” by her peers. Annie and her best friend eat junk food to their heart’s content, gossip endlessly about the hottest guy in school and have each other’s back no matter what. After a seriously mean prank played on her by her ultimate high school crush, Annie goes home wishing she was popular more than ever. When her house gets hit by lightning, she wakes up a completely different person in a completely different place.

Annie/Ayla is convinced that she is having the most awesome dream for the whole first day. She’s gorgeous, popular, filthy rich with the most popular boyfriend. She is pretty much basking in every moment she can. After a few days pass she begins to understand that not everything is perfect in this world and she doesn’t know if she wants to go back. Even I wasn’t sure if I wanted her to go back and I was kind of hoping that she could fix her family in this new life. Annie/Ayla always does the right thing so I knew in the end she would make the right decision.

I believe that Don’t You Wish dealt with the question of “what if” really well. It showed that nothing can ever be perfect and even wealthy and beautiful people have problems. I give Don’t You Wish 4 hearts for being fun and tackling series questions at the same time!