Don’t You Wish

By: Roxanne St. Claire
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 2012
ISBN: 978-0-385-74156-9
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor 
Review Date: September 2012

Although this author is well-known for the almost thirty novels that she’s written for the adult world, this is the first YA that has come from her bestselling mind. And, yes, this offering is just as good as the adult titles she claims.

The girl’s name is Annie Nutter. She’s a nice girl, although extremely plain and boring when compared to the ‘stars’ of the school. She sits on the bus in the front and gets ‘thanked’ in the head with the popular kids’ backpacks as they walk by. Her best friend is Lizzie, and knows all about being low on the food chain - she just doesn’t care. You have the token cheerleader named Courtney, and Shane, who’s the male eye candy for everyone to lust after.

After a very embarrassing moment on the school bus, Annie finds herself shopping with Mom.  Mom comes across an architectural magazine and a picture of her old boyfriend - a man she would’ve become the ‘Missus’ of if fate had moved a bit differently way back when. The guy is a billionaire, still-unmarried plastic surgeon who can afford the world, and Annie is a bit surprised to see her mom tear up, discovering that her mom truly wonders what life would’ve been like if she’d made a different decision.

When they head home they run into Annie’s dad, Mel. This is a seriously great guy who works at Radio Shack during the day and messes up the house with all of his inventions. Dad believes that one day one of his brilliant ideas will hit it big and he’ll have his very own infomercial. This time around he’s using parts from Annie’s now broken laptop, duct tape, a mirror, and more, to make a scale that when you step on it, you can actually see yourself differently. All the flaws are removed - your body is tightened and your face becomes stunning. You are…Picture Perfect.

When Annie wakes up the next day after a storm, she IS the picture perfect girl she saw in Dad’s mirror in the garage. Not only is she rich, but her father is the billionaire plastic surgeon and she lives in Miami instead of Pittsburgh with the world at her fingertips. She’s stunning, dating the hottest guy in school, and is the very top of the food chain. In essence, she got everything she ever wanted.  Problem is, as always, you have to take the good with the bad. And even though she dreamed that this would be the perfect life, there are so many negatives that she has to deal with the fact that she hates the glamorous people a lot more…now that she’s one of them.

Although the plot of this story has been done before in various ways, this author certainly brings entertainment, emotions, and a lovely romance into the mix that readers will have a whole lot of fun being a part of. Moral: Be careful what you wish for…you just might get it!

Quill Says: If you’re wishing for a fun read - this is the book!