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  • Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes

  • Rose Gardner Mystery, Book 1
  • By: Denise Grover Swank
  • Narrated by: Shannon McManus
  • Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (16 ratings)

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Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes cover art

Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes

By: Denise Grover Swank
Narrated by: Shannon McManus
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Summary

The first book of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today best-selling series! 

"Though much of the book is light-hearted and occasionally outright hilarious, the author sneaks in a few home truths along the way that will hit you where it counts, like how even someone’s best intentions can box you in." (Everybody Needs a Little Romance blog)  

"This was one of those books that I kept telling myself one more page, then I need to put it down. Instead I found myself tearing through the book instead, needing to know the outcome." (Just Jump Book Reviews)

For Rose Gardner, working at the DMV on a Friday afternoon is bad even before she sees a vision of herself dead. She’s had plenty of visions, usually boring ones like someone’s toilet’s overflowed, but she’s never seen one of herself before. When her overbearing momma winds up murdered on her sofa, instead, two things are certain: There isn't enough hydrogen peroxide in the state of Arkansas to get that stain out, and Rose is the prime suspect.  

Rose realizes she’s wasted 24 years of living and makes a list on the back of a Wal-Mart receipt: 28 things she wants to accomplish before her vision comes true. She’s well on her way with the help of her next door neighbor Joe, who has no trouble teaching Rose the rules of drinking, but won’t help with number 15 - do more with a man. Joe’s new to town, but it doesn’t take a vision for Rose to realize he’s got plenty of secrets of his own.  

Somebody thinks Rose has something they want, and they’ll do anything to get it. Her house is broken into, someone else she knows is murdered, and suddenly, dying a virgin in the Fenton County jail isn’t her biggest worry, after all. 

©2011 Denise Grover Swank (P)2020 Denise Grover Swank

What listeners love about Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent audiobook series

I have read all of the Rose Gardner series but wanted to listen to the books whilst working from home.
The narrator is excellent and tells the story well.
I love the first Rose story and the meeting of Joe and how much she gains her independence and confidence in the first book. The story keeps you gripped til the end and packs a lot in. I really enjoyed the book and recommend the whole series.

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  • s
  • 13-11-21

oh wow

so I have finished the entire 2 series of rose this is an amazing series it has everything and keeps you guessing and makes you sob as well

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Great start to a series

This book gripped my interest all the way to the end . I heard the birds singing just as it finished. Can't wait to listen to the next one.

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  • Connie
  • 22-10-20

Must read!! (again)

This is my favorite series EVER! I am reading/listening to it for the second time and just like the first time I read it, i find myself having a hard time turning the book off, the whole just one more page would be true if I was actually reading instead of listening. This series has everything, one minute im laughing (out loud), the next sitting on the edge of my seat in fear of what Rose has gotten herself into, and anticipation of how she is going to get herself out of it, the next thing you know your crying with her either tears of joy or heartbreak. Ms. Swank is an awesome writer, but with this series she really pulled out all the stops. I dont know if she ever reads these reviews but in case she does I'd like to say Thank You! I'm an on call hospice nurse and drive (usually at night) to the homes of patients with urgent needs. Your books have gotten me through a lot of rough nights. Im sure you work hard writing books for our entertainment, please know that this hospice nurse appreciates it more than you know.

21 people found this helpful

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  • CR
  • 25-06-21

Didn't work for me

I usually do not write reviews unless I enjoy a book, but felt I had to throw my two cents in here, just as an alternative voice to the majority of reviews.
Sorry to say I did not enjoy this book. I found the MC to be an unreal collection of stereotypical southern princess tropes. I found her unbearable, and completely unsympathetic as a character. The additional characters did not seem like real people to me. They were cliches from beginning to end; scenarios seemed remarkably cliched, and the dialogue was unconvincing (I will reference the scene at a dinner post-funeral, and a bowl of flying jello).
The narrator reads really well, but there was an inflection to her line readings of the MC that contributed, for me, to the unlikeability of the MC.
No one book fits every person's reading needs, so your mileage may vary. But this did not work for me.

17 people found this helpful

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  • Azul
  • 14-03-21

Promising premise but one big disappointment

You know the storyline is bad when the only interesting/fun aspect to the story is the dog with flatulence. Poor research on police procedures; trifling dialogue and unexplained character arcs.

11 people found this helpful

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  • Ma'at Nefer Ra
  • 27-05-21

Well, okay.

Well, crappy doodles this book is good and awful at the same time. Either Ms. Swank is a writing mastermind or she is just lucky that Rose is enduring & annoying enough to keep a person interested to find out what happens next in her insane life. Listen to it or don’t either way you will be happy.

10 people found this helpful

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  • CoffeeIV
  • 12-10-21

Too much crying and whining

I realize the protagonist found out tragic things, but if I wanted Jodi Picoult I would have gotten it. Very little humor is in this book and I am partial to Jana Deleon and Janet Evanovich. Also, some of the details of the investigation don’t follow any rules. Why is she able to sleep in the murder house? It would be cordoned off until investigation was done. Also, her bail was never set so she goes about her business despite that. Also, her lawyer is not very hands-on and only spoke with her twice. I couldn’t get past chapter 18.

6 people found this helpful

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  • sophie
  • 09-01-21

Very fun! Loved it!

This is a fun, entertaining listen! Loved the characters and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. So much of listening to a book, however, is about the narration and Shannon McManus did a great job!

Books number 2 and 3 have a different narrator and I would suggest listening to the sample before purchasing. Frances Fuller sounds more like a 60 year old than a 24 year old and does not do the story justice at all. I will definitely read these two installments instead of listening to the audio. The good news is that It appears McManus returns for book four and for the remainder of the series.

In any event, this was the first selection I've listened to by Denise Grover Swank and I'm delighted to have found a new author!

4 people found this helpful

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  • Tom
  • 09-02-21

wonderful book

I own multiple copies of this book. Have read and listened to it now. Listening makes you imagine everything in a whole new way. would highly recommend for anyone who loves a act pack book.

3 people found this helpful

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  • Marie
  • 01-06-22

Do not waste your credit

This has to be the dumbest book I have read since 2019! This could have been written by a six year old, minus the stupid sex scenes. How on earth did this make it into book.
Unless you have too many credits, don't get this book.

2 people found this helpful

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  • S J
  • 21-04-21

Great redo with Shannon McManus

This is a great series! The order list is on Denise Grover Swank Website. Shannon did the later books. The first few books done by a different narrator aren’t as good. I hope they get Shannon to do all of them! So worth purchasing it again!

2 people found this helpful

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  • Kathy C
  • 07-12-22

Crappy-doodles made me smile

I just had to smile every time she said “crappy-doodles.” Such a fun protagonist. Reader had excellent diction and accent. Only issue was the number of characters that sounded the same was a bit confusing. Still a great listen and a compelling story.

1 person found this helpful

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