Wishtress

By: Nadine Brandes

Narrated by: Kim May, Max Himmelreich

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 militairenfind 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

Critic reviews

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

Sooo lovely!

Charming and magical and delightful and deep! Not my usual genre, but I really enjoyed this!

Beautiful Adventure

This story has a completely unique idea with the talent of the Wishtress. the characters are bright and relatable. It deals with the age old concepts of forgiveness, dealing with emotions, love, and choosing right vs. wrong etc. It is a great adventure to get away from the the doldrums, or stresses of life.

Masterfully Crafted. Beautifully Voiced.

I’ve wanted to read one of Nadine’s books for a long time. I’m so glad I started with this one.

I felt so many things. Myrthe’s story grabbed my heart from the first line. Nadine crafts a gorgeous world, but her real strength, from what I can tell with this first book, lies in crafting amazing, page-leaping characters. They are so well fleshed out, with real depth and internal struggles that I felt and emoted with.

I found Myrthe refreshing. I love a strong female protagonist, but with tenderness. With heart and courage that’s uniquely feminine. My heart wrenched with hers at every betrayal and leapt at key moments of discovery and new hope.

Often with multiple POV books, I connect with one more than the other(s), but in this case, they all had my full attention. I’ll offer credit to the narrators. They did a phenomenal job bringing these characters to life. But it all stemmed from the writing.

Bastiaan’s story was equally as compelling as Myrthe’s. His struggle to find peace after the choices he’d made (and their subsequent consequences) made him a hero worth rooting for. His heroism and courage were admirable, but it was the vulnerability that got me.

Runt was endearing and clever. All the supporting and antagonists were expertly written.

The last line forced a grin and burst of joy from me. What a perfect ending!

Highly recommend!!

Great story and characters

Excellent story, characters and flow of story. The ending is even greater! The story is cute has a lot of adventure, love and great values. I totally recommend it!

Excellent Story

The writer weaves a tale worthy of a series to follow! Characters were well developed and dimensional. I could not wait to listen to the next chapter to see where the characters went next.