A Story You Can't Look Away From

Maura Gentry reviews Wish I Was Here by Ilsa Rey, a new young adult novel that blends science, humor, and suspense.

Wish I Was Here: Even When Invisible, There's No Place to Hide

By Ilsa Rey

Published by Black Rose Writing

As a book blogger, I often comment on the state of different genres, and do my best to keep up on trends in books for various ages of readers. Young adult novels are an area that I have been hesitant to touch for a while now, though. What was once a genre aimed at helping teens through the heartbreak and struggles of emerging adulthood has become a place where readers can encounter lewd and crass stories well beyond what is appropriate for high-schoolers alongside genuine stories of teenage triumph. Though I am not yet the parent of a teen, I worry for high school readers … how do they find the diamonds in the rough?   

Moms, teachers, and teens need look no further than Ilsa Rey’s Wish I Was Here, the first in what is bound to be an excellent trilogy. The book is set to release in December 2025, and I highly recommend pre-ordering it for the voracious readers in your life.   

Wishes Come True 

Wish I Was Here is a suspenseful romance centered around high school senior Ana and her friend Isaac. She often wishes she could disappear to escape their bullies, but her friendship with Isaac keeps her grounded. An avid inventor, Isaac is showing Ana an invisibility pill he has created when men burst into his house to kidnap him. Isaac insists that Ana take one of the pills to avoid being kidnapped alongside him, but he doesn’t tell her where she can find the antidote. She has a week to find him before she’s invisible forever.   

As she struggles to put together clues Isaac left behind, she is sought out by a rookie cop who just so happens to be her former crush, Ben. Can she prioritize the right man in her life to solve the mystery and save herself and Isaac?   

Twists and Turns 

Though this is her debut novel, Rey shows a discerning eye in crafting a story that keeps the reader on their toes. Just when you think you may have the story figured out, another twist is deliciously thrown in.   

Not only is the suspense excellent, but the romance is, too. Ana finds herself in an unexpected love triangle of sorts, while at the same time experiencing her first real romance. It’s a tender time for a teen, and Rey not only gives the romance the gravity that it’s due, she does so with class and feeling. It’s a skill I wish more romance writers for all ages had.   

In addition to the sci-fi and romantic elements, Rey deftly handles complex family dynamics within the story. Both Isaac and Ana’s families are not what they seem on the surface, and Rey uses this to create character arcs that have you rooting for them until the very end. I’m chomping at the bit to read the next book — and the first hasn’t even been released yet!   

Wish I Was Here is a rarity in the world of young adult literature, and is a triumph of a debut novel.

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Copyright 2025 Maura Gentry
Images: Canva