Esme's Wish by Elizabeth Foster - Book Tour & Review + Giveaway
Esme’s Wish
A warm-hearted, whimsical fantasy tale, with lashings of mystery, magic, and mythology, and prose that 'flows like water.' Prepare to fall in love with Esperance!
When fifteen-year-old Esme Silver objects at her father's wedding, her protest is dismissed as the action of a stubborn, selfish teenager. Everyone else has accepted the loss of Esme's mother, Ariane - so why can't she?
But Esme is suspicious. She is sure that others are covering up the real reason for her mother's disappearance - that 'lost at sea' is code for something more terrible, something she has a right to know.
After Esme is accidentally swept into the enchanted world of Aeolia, the truth begins to unfold. With her newfound friends, Daniel and Lillian, Esme retraces her mother's steps in the glittering canal city of Esperance, untangling the threads of Ariane's double life. But the more Esme discovers about Ariane, the more she questions whether she really knew her at all.
"A fresh new fantasy, of an enchanting world." - Wendy Orr, New York Times best selling author of Nim's Island.
This inventive tale, the first in an MG-to-YA series, is an ideal read for 10-14 year olds.
Esme's Wish recently won first place in the fantasy category of the 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, which recognises excellence in children's literature.
Purchase Links:
Esme’s Wish -Amazon UK
Esme’s Wish – Amazon US
My Review
Esme's Wish is the first book in the Esme trilogy.
We meet Esme, a young girl, who has lost her mother. No, she's not dead; she's just missing. But only Esme believes she'll eventually return. When the book starts, Esme's dad is getting remarried. The only person to protest, of course, is Esme. Unfortunately, she has no say, and so now she's stuck with a mean stepmother who doesn't seem to like her all that much.
But Esme is about to discover some secrets that will lead her into a new world full of magic, mystery, and much more than she ever could have bargained for.
I quite liked Esme's Wish. It was a fun, engaging middle-grade fantasy adventure that spoke to my inner child. There were dragons, creepy creatures (Stygians), sirens, and even magical gifts bestowed upon some of the characters. It's definitely a fantastical read.
I liked the characters of Esme, Daniel, and Lillian. It was nice to see those two take Esme in and help her on her quest to uncover the truth about her mom, no real questions asked. They were from completely different worlds, but they still became her friends, and together they seemed unstoppable.
The plot is nicely paced. It sucked me right in and kept me hooked the whole time. I was eager to see what Esme would find out about her mom and the strange, new world she found herself in. And after that ending, I'm definitely going to be continuing the trilogy. Can't wait to read book two!
If you're a fan of middle-grade/YA fantasy stories, definitely give Esme's Wish a chance.
4.5 stars from me!
Author bio
I read avidly as a child, but only discovered the joys of writing some years ago when reading to my own kids reminded me how much I missed getting lost in other worlds. It’s never too late to find and follow your passion! I now have two books published and am about to start writing the third and final story in the Esme series. My home base is Sydney, where I can often be found running (just kidding – walking) by the water, or scribbling in cafés.
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Giveaway to Win 3 x pairs of e-books Esme’s Wish & Esme’s Gift (Open Internationally)
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