Wishtress - by Nadine Brandes (Hardcover)

About the Book

A girl who can create wishes teams up with a boy who can stop time to break a curse that will bring on her death with the next tear she sheds.

Book Synopsis

Her tears grant wishes. Her next tear will end her life.

She didn't ask to be the Wishtress.

Myrthe was born with the ability to turn her tears into wishes. But when a granted wish goes wrong, she is cursed: the next tear she sheds will kill her. She must travel to the Well to break the curse before it can claim her life--and before the king's militairen find her. To survive the journey, Myrthe must harden her heart to keep herself from crying even a single tear.

He can stop time with a snap of his fingers.

Bastiaan's powerful--and rare--talent came in handy when he kidnapped the old king. Now the new king has a job for him: find the Wishtress and deliver her to the schloss. But Bastiaan needs a wish of his own. He gains Myrthe's trust by promising to take her to the Well, but once he gets what he needs, he'll turn her in. As long as his growing feelings for the girl with a stone heart don't compromise him.

Their quest can end only one way: with her death.

Everyone seems to need a wish--the king, Myrthe's cousin, the boy she thinks she loves. And they're ready to bully, beg, and betray her for it. No one knows that to grant even one wish, Myrthe would pay with her life. And if she tells them about the curse . . . they'll just kill her anyway.

"A beautiful tale about self-worth, second chances, and mysterious enchantment." --Kathryn Purdie, #1 New York Times bestselling author

• Exciting, low-spice YA romantasy
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: approximately 125,000 words
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Review Quotes

Wishtress creates a world of magic to explore very human themes . . . With her realistic characters, lush scenery, and fantastical elements, Brandes has created a tale that ranges from thrilling to introspective. Myrthe and Bastiaan's journey is one you will not want to leave.--Nashville Book Review

Brandes's (Romanov) literal wish-fulfillment fantasy is filled with Christian allegory and richly imagined worldbuilding that's complemented by complex characters . . . Brandes's fluid prose adeptly details the fantastical world of Winterune, and Myrthe and Bastiaan's seemingly forbidden romance handily propels the plot toward a climactic resolution.--Publishers Weekly

A gorgeous fantasy about incredible power just out of reach. Myrthe's and Baastian's stories interweave into a beautiful tale about self-worth, second chances, and mysterious enchantment.--Kathryn Purdie, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Burning Glass and Bone Crier's Moon

Breathtaking. Never have I ventured into a more unique and vibrant story world than within the pages of Wishtress. It is both fairy tale and literature, modern fable and timeless allegory. Nadine Brandes has crafted the masterpiece of her career. Full of secrets, romance, and magic, Wishtress is the book everyone will be wishing never comes to an end!--Sara Ella, award-winning author of The Wonderland Trials, Coral, and the Unblemished trilogy

The battle for good and evil gets a unique twist in this imaginative and beautifully written fantasy, with the Wishtress caught in the center of the fight. You'll want a magical wish for yourself when you get the breathtaking finish!--Sara B. Larson, author of Dark Breaks the Dawn and the Defy trilogy