Book Review: Wish by Grier Cooper

Title: Wish

Series: Indigo Dreams (#1)

Author: Grier Cooper

Publisher: Dancing Poodle Press

Date: December 2nd, 2014

Pages: 303

Format: eARC

Source: From Publisher, for a review

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads): 

For Indigo Stevens, ballet classes at Miss Roberta’s ballet studio offer the stability and structure that are missing from her crazy home life. At almost 16, she hopes this is the year she will be accepted into the New York School of Ballet so she can begin her ballet dance career. First she must prove she’s ready, and that means ignoring Jesse Sanders, the cute boy with dimples who is definitely at the top of Miss Roberta’s List of Forbidden Things for Dancers.

But Jesse is the least of Indigo’s concerns. When she discovers her mom is an alcoholic, it simultaneously explains everything and heaps more worry on Indigo’s shoulders. As her mom’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Indigo fights to maintain balance, protect her younger brothers from abuse, and keep her mother from going over the edge. But life with an alcoholic parent is unpredictable. When the violence at home escalates, Indigo realizes she can no longer dance around the issue. At the risk of losing everything, she must take matters into her own hands before it’s too late.

Review:

Ever since I was a little girl, I looked upon ballet dancers, admiring them and dreaming about becoming a ballerina when I grow up. Their beauty and the way they could use their body in such a wonderful, almost unhuman way made me appreciate them ever since I remember.

Unfortunately, I grew up in town where there were no ballet classes and my dream about becoming a ballet dancer stayed just a dream, but my love and appreciation for the same stayed with me.

I still love to watch ballet documetaries, movies and even though I don’t have many opportunities to do so, I enjoy watching live ballet performances.

Having said all that, I find it pretty odd that I haven’t read a book about ballet dancer until now.

I am not going to lie – first thing that grabbed my attention is this gorgeous cover. I mean, just look at it! Whoever designed such a beautiful cover deserves an award!

Wish follows Indigo, a girl with big dreams and broken family.
I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. She was strong but vulnerable at the same time, and my heart was broken when I saw the situation she found herself in.

This story is about ballet and wishing upon a dream, and I think everyone who likes those kind of stories – about dreamers who’d like to make something bigger with their tallent, would like it.

But there is more about this story – it covers a pretty serious topic, and that is alcoholism. It covers it in a realistic way.
Because of that, I think you should be aware of it’s potentially triggering effect.

The story is written in first person, in present tense. Because of that, it is an easy and fast read and those who tend to read fast, will probably finish it in one sitting.

The feeling I had the whole time while I was reading this novel was like I was watching a good teen drama TV show.
I really like it and somehow I even dare to say that this book took me to place that I missed visiting and I didn’t even know it.

The end left me satisfied and I am looking forward to see how the story’s going to continue.