Review: Don't You Wish

Don't You Wish

Roxanne St.Claire

Copyright 2012, Random House

Thank you to Random House for the ARC!

To be released on JULY 10. MARK IT DOWN PEEPS. Or don't and let yourself be surprised when you realized you followed this link and pre ordered it!!!

BOOK OF THE YEAR. HANDS DOWN.

Ok, now that that's out of my system.

Annie Nutter is an invisible. She sits on the bus with her best friend in the first row, prime seating to get pelted in the face with everyone's bags as the head to the popular sections. Which is ok if it's Shane's bag. Because then the delicious scent of your every fantasy is smashed across your face. Annie isn't getting off the bus at her normal stop today, she's getting off at Walmart to meet her mom and pick up things for her inventor father. Things like duct tape. Yeah, Mel Nutter is a little out there but he's a good guy and she's willing to take the embarassment of getting off in front of Walmart to help him out.

The attention of the bus stopping causes the popular kids to notice her, whispering and snickering. And then it happens. Shane stands up and moves towards her. He can see her. He wants to ask her something. And then laughter erupts and Annie moves from the bus frantically. It's hell. She's living in hell. But it gets worse. Once inside with her mom, Annie watches her mother's face transform into a shell of the woman she knows - broken by the "What if's" that come with life and the decisions we make in our journeys. Her mom had a shot with a man who is now a millionaire, they were together and she left him for Annie's dad. Whose broke.

As her family falls apart, Annie wonders what it would be like if her mom had stayed with the millionaire. Would she still be Annie or would she be someone completely different?

And then she wakes up. Ayla Monroe is everything Annie wanted. Pretty, popular, boyfriend that's hotter than Shane, she's got it all. So why is she such a raging beast? Annie is still in there, trapped inside Ayla's out of control life and realizing that who Ayla is, isn't who Annie wants to be at all. She needs to find a way out and back home, but no one would ever believe her if she told them. Not to mention she's in enough trouble as it is, since her "friends" have noticed and haven't approved of the serious change in Ayla's attitude.

After several run-in's and a pretty hefty crush on a kid from the wrong side of the tracks, Ayla-Annie ends up having a total breakdown and needing Charlie like she needs oxygen - like she needs to be home. But after being in his arms, after seeing who he is and feeling very much like he means the world to her - how can she give him up? She's paying the price for perfection, playing Ayla price - but if the cost of being Annie is to lose Charlie, it may be too high.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

LOVE.

Have I mentioned that I love this book? Everything about it is hands down perfect. The world, the emotions, the characters, their interactions and reasonings. Everything. Perfect. It's one of those books that you read in bed next to your Hubby, finish the last page and sigh. And he says, "Oh Yea?" and you say "That was seriously the best ending to a book I've ever read. Ever." And then for DAYS you get on twitter, facebook and in real life convoo's and just repeat how much you love this book. I want to buy every single one of you a copy of it. I want to hand it to people on the street because I know it will make them smile. THAT is how much I want you to read this book.

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK. DO IT ASAP.

And OH MY GOSH I want to quote from it right now. Just to squeal and be RE Excited by it but I can't give it awaaaaaaay. I CAN'T. So please read it. And then tweet me. Or leave comments here if they're non spoilery. MUST DISCUSS.