The Wishing Pearl by: Nicole O'Dell

Sixteen year-old Olivia Mansfield dreams of a land far, far away...

A land far away from her stepfather's abuse and torment.

A land far away from her mother's blind eye.

A land far away from the haunting memories of her past.

No one can be perfect, but it does seem like Olivia's parents could both do some things better. When Olivia's dad was alive, everything was different. Her mom would never have needed a spa day. Or had the money for it.

But he's gone. Forever. And with change, people change. Olivia's mother included. There's no way to talk to her, no way to have a glimpse of the mother she once knew.

In a confused state, Olivia makes some poor choices and finds herself in the middle of her best friend's unexpected death, leaving her at a crossroads.

She can choose to get help, or she can let life work itself out. Will the demons from her past prevent her from having a happy future? Or will she go down the right path, towards eternal hope and healing?

Watch the trailer for The Wishing Pearl...



My thoughts:

The Wishing Pearl is seriously amazing! I could not put it down. Everything in it is so nicely done. The cover art is gorgeous. I sat there staring at it for probably fifteen minutes before I actually opened the book.

One thing I did not like, however, was the little Kira-being-pregnant-thing. The romance between Olivia and Justin is innocent and cute, but Kira's pregnancy kind of spoiled the book for me. I know a lot of people would probably laugh at me for that, but it does matter. It was kind of necessary to the book, but it still bothered me.


Objectionable Content:

Language: I don't remember any...
Romance/Sexual Content: Kira is pregnant before she comes to Diamond Estates. She tries to make everyone believe Justin is the father.
Justin tells Olivia he loves her.
Violence: Olivia is in a car crash.
Drugs/Alcohol Content: Lots of drinking. One girl sneaks in some marijuana. Another girl is trying to lose weight, so she eats speed, which I have read a lot on, and it's really not good.

I reviewed this book for

Team Novel Teen.

Team Novel Teen is a group of bloggers dedicated to spreading the word about clean teen fiction. Check out other posts about The Wishing Pearl by Nicole O'Dell by clicking on the links below , and check out www.NovelTeen.com for more information about Team Novel Teen.

 My Life with a Mission • ADD Librarian • Audacious Reader • The Book Fae • Book Nook 4 You • Bookworm Reading • Gillian Adams • Jill Williamson • Katie McCurdy • The Librarian's Bookshelf • The Pen and Parchment • Rachelle Rea • Virtuous Girlhood

Want to buy the book??? Click HERE.

You can also check out Nicole O'Dell's website, HERE.

Making Waves by: Nicole O'Dell

"Just try it one time. It won't hurt anything."

Kate Walker loves to swim! It was because of this that she decided to try joining her local swim team. But swimming on a team is more work then she expected. When she tries out, the coach recognizes her to have a talent for swimming. Because of this, Kate is pushed harder then the rest of the girls on the team. Kate is the new 'teacher's pet'. The coach thinks Kate is the best swimmer that's ever been on the team!

Soon Kate's life is all about swimming. She has no time for anything else. The coach is pushing Kate towards a college scholarship and entering her in competitions. But all this swimming is draining the energy from Kate. She confides in some friends on the team. They tell her about a drink called "Red Dragon" that they use to keep their energy up. Soon Kate is hooked on the drink, but her energy levels are still down. So the girls introduce her to caffeine pills - Another easy way to get quick energy.

When Kate is going to enter an important competition that could effect her swimming future, she feels pressure from herself and her coach. Her mom says for Kate to just do her best, but Kate can't live with that. She wants to win! Then the girls on the team offer her an illegal drug, called 'speed.' Taking the drug would guarantee Kate's winning. But does she really want to take an illegal drug and win dishonestly?

It's time for YOU make a choice.

In these "Scenario for Girls" books, Nicole O'Dell writes two endings and lets you choose what you would do. Would you take the drug? Or would you rely on your own strength?

My thoughts:

I thought this book was really good!

Kate has to deal with her best friend moving away, distrust and disappointment from her friends and mom, and lots of pressure to be the best.

My favourite character is Kate. It took a lot of endurance to stay on the swim team like she did. Some people would've quit, but Kate kept going. I can't say she made the right choice, though, because you have to make the choice for her. What will you choose?

8/10 stars
For 11 to 16 year olds.