The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride

A centenarian and ten year old seem an unlikely pair. Toss in a strong, brave, and kind little girl, and you've got the leading cast of this life-changing adventure novel. For fans of Tuesdays with Morrie or The Five Times I Met Myself, this book delves into some of the hard issues in life, what it means to truly love and live, and how we can affect others. The love in these pages is something we all so desperately need to recover these days. I don't want to say too much (no spoilers here), but you won't be disappointed. I _can_ say, however, that if this book doesn't make you both chuckle aloud and shed a tear, then you are an inhuman robot. I'd give it more than five stars, if possible...

Heartwarming, funny, sad, endearing, memorable; emotional, and so much more. THE FIVE WISHES OF MR. HARRY McBRIDE, will stay with you long after you finish reading it. I could not stop reading until I had finished. You must read this story!! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the privilege of reading and reviewing this wonderful story. I gave my honest opinion in this review

Please don't be misled by the cheesy cover on this book, it's a delight of a read and will have you on your knees by the end.

I actually started this book fully prepared to give up on it, anticipating maudlin sentimentality and cliche ridden text. Oh how wrong I was. From the moment our grumpy but great hero met his his irritating yet adorable (as 10 year old boys with the depth and attention spans of your average spaniel are) sidekick I was hooked.

Their adventures are brilliantly described and that we who are more familiar with 21st century life than Murray McBride gain an additional perspective even beyond his is very clever.

Trust me, you'll be weeping by the book's end - but no spoilers, you'll have to read it to find out why.

This book is wonderful!

There's so much I want to say that I don't know where to begin. And I don't think I can say enough to show how good, I believe, this book is.

It made me emotional and gave me life lessons and so much realisations.

Mr. McBride and Jason make a great pair - include Tiegan and make that a trio. Mr. McBride being 100 years of age and Jason being 10, you get to see how different the world is for them.

This made me laugh, cry and happy.

I just really love this book so much - I have a hangover. Once you start reading, it's pretty hard to stop. I think anyone who reads this will finish/close the book with more appreciation of life.


I can't thank you enough for allowing me to discover and read The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride.

P.S. I need me a heart like Tiegan's.

The story starts at JFK Center for the Performing Arts – Washington, D.C. – Miles, the biographer of Prospero The Greatest Magician, is about to hear a story about; magic and the real thing.

Segue; 20 years earlier, centenarian Murray McBride of Lemon Grove, Illinois – wonders “How can a man as old and washed-up as me possibly find a reason to live?” It is Murray’s voice we hear for the greatest part of the story. It is a voice of old fashioned principals. He is a man of conviction, strong religious belief and able to acknowledge his faults and his failings. But it is his one hundredth birthday and he want to do something to help someone before he dies and decides that reading to sick children at the Children’s Hospital in a nice gathering space might be something he can do.

Segue; the children’s hospital, ten year old Jason Cashman, dying from a terminal heart defect, is playing a video game in that nice gathering space. After undergoing yet another treatment he is waiting for his father, and Jason has just enough time to engage Murray McBride before he is dragged out of the hospital by his father. But Jason has forgotten something and his father will not take the time to allow Jason to retrieve a small scrap of paper that he has left behind. This little scrap of paper defines the balance of this wonderful, remarkable, heartbreaking story.

There are distinct characters; Murray’s Priest and friend Father James; his unsettled grandson Chance, who perceived as selfish, might just be misunderstood; Jason’s “I’m always going to be there for you friend Tiegan Rose Marie Atherton; Jason’s Mother Anna who will never give up hope; Jason’s Father Benedict whose aloofness masks his fear. Each one is developed and defines the direction the story takes. The peripheral characters are equally well defined and each lends credence to the story.

Jason’s video game provides the perfect device to help Murray and the reader to understand how unfair life can be even as you continue to play. How “Every once in a while” life “blasts you for no reason, even though you didn’t do anything wrong”.

Segue; JFK Center for the Performing Arts – Washington, D.C. – Miles, the biographer of Prospero, The Greatest Magician, has just heard the most amazing, the most important, and the most miraculous story of real magic.

I have been looking for my next great read and there is no doubt that I found it in this book. Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for a copy.

I loved this story. I couldn't put it down. It tells the story of 100 year old Mr. Mcbride and a 10 year old boy with a heart defect. Mr. Mcbride finds a list of the boys 5 wishes he wants before he dies that the boy left at the hospital. He sets out to find the boy and help him make his wishes come true. There is also a 1o year old girl and her inspiring greeting she has with her mother, which is SBK. I love the "SBK" greeting they have. This book is filled with heart, wisdom, laughs, and sadness. I loved it. I highly recommend this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

I received this book "The Five Wishes of Murray McBride" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. What a great book! I loved the story of Mr McBride who is 100 years old and Jason who is 10 years old. They form a wonderful friendship and they go on adventures. This book will really make you think about being old and being young. Very heartwarming and uplifting, laughter and tears await you while reading this wonderful story. Highly recommend.

Sweet and sentimental. At 100, Mr Murray McBride is nearing the end of his life, but a chance encounter in hospital with a 10 year old heart patient, Jason, reinvigorates him. Together Mr McBride and Jason embark on a whirlwind of fun to make Jason's five bucket-list wishes come true. Populated with a host of endearing characters, this is a feel-good read.

"Without love, we might as well not exist."
It's a beautiful novel of Love, Hope, Wishes and Friendship between a ten year old boy and a hundred year old man.
It proves that best friends will always find each other no matter how long it takes. That love gives and receives with steadfast determination right to the very end without reservation.
Laughter and tears are a wonderful part of this plot.
SBK- (strong, brave and kind) definitely prevails throughout each of these amazing characters.
I loved it!
Ten stars!

The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride is one amazing debut novel. I loved how the story was written and how an unlikely friendship between two kids and one adult was formed. The friendship with Jason and Tiegan reminds Murray of what he missed when his kids were still little. I loved the great relationship between Tiegan and her mom and their greetings to each other of SBK, you have to read the book to find out what is means as I don't want to give a spoiler. This book makes you realise that every moment with a loved one counts and that we have to make the best of it. Keep the tissues nearby when reading this book as you will need it. I finished this book early on a saturday moring crying my eyes out. If I could give more stars I would, as it is I would recommend this great novel to everyone, you can't not read it. This would make a great movie!!!!

Beautiful, thoughtful, heart warming. Lovely read! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I absolutely loved this book. A great plot and characters. No limits to friendship! My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc. This is my unbiased review.

A heartwarming, gentle book that will stay with me for a long time. really enjoyed this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

What a beautiful example of friendship. I love any story about quirky characters and this book is just that.

This is a story of the unlikely friendship between a 100 year old man and a 1en year old boy. I had an entire range of emotions when reading this book. There are parts that are laugh out loud funny and parts that made me do the ugly cry.

Do not let the pitiful cover picture detour you from reading this book. This book will definitely be on the list of my favorite books of the year.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

It was a sweet tale and an easy read. The premise of the book was good but I felt that it would have been better for the author to create an older 'Jason' character. As an educator, I have met a lot of 10 year-old boys and I did not find his language or some of his 'street-wise' knowledgeable very believable. He would have been more convincing as a 12 year-old.

The ending was totally unbelievable - without giving too much away, transplants require careful tissue and blood matching and I was not convinced!

This was a heart warming story of a 100 year old man called Murray McBride and 10 year old Jason Cashman. Neither of them are expecting to live much longer. Murray has outlived his wife, his two sons and most of his friends and is ready to go, even contemplating stopping his medication. But that all changes when he meets Jason at the hospital cardiology unit. Jason has a list of the five things he most wants to do before he dies and these become the five wishes that give Murray a new purpose in life as he tries to find ways to fulfil them.

This is a simple story, full of humour and love as an old man tries to navigate the world of today and Jason grows to understand that Murray was once young and vital too. There is a wonderful little girl called Tiegan who is feisty and brave who joins them in their quest and becomes important to both of them. A bit of a tear jerker so be prepared!

If you were a fan of A Man Called Ove you will also enjoy this moving and humorous story of a depressed one hundred year old man who befriends a very sick little boy. Both are facing their own mortality. Murray and Jason form a special bond and both seem to get “a second wind” as they go about trying to grant Jason’s last five wishes. Keep a box of tissues handy because this was an emotional but lovely story of an unusual relationship between two very different people.
I received a copy of this book from Black Rose writing via Netgalley and this is my honest review.

The seemingly unlikely friendship between 10 year old Jason, who is waiting for a heart transplant, and 100 year old Mr Murray McBride will make you laugh, cry and experience every emotion in between. This story is told in such a way that you totally believe in the characters and travel the journey with them. You can't help but wonder how it will end, and it can be tough. It is however told with warmth and humour. It will stay with you after you finish.

I had heard so many good things about this book I decided I'd read it. I'm so glad I listened to my friends. I could compare this book to A Man Called Ove or The Five People You Meet in Heaven. It's the same kind of small story that grows big and takes you along. With a My Sister's Keeper twist, be prepared to need a box of Kleenex. Read this book, then share with all of your friends.

We all know something: it's important to find a reason, or many more for living or for continuing to living. When we are young there are plenty of reasons for living; a family, work, desires of experiencing, exploration of the world: it's simple, but...If a person if 100 years old? More difficult? We will discover thanks to this book that there is always a reason for going on. And the best engine is helping others in great difficulties. This one and much more is: The Five Wishes of Mr.Murray McBride by Jason Siple.
It is true that at first also mr. Murray McBride with 100 years on his shoulders, all his relatives gone, finds that his existence is a bit...gone. What to do?
A lot of elderly people wait, terrorized, the arrival of death, but mr.Murray also thanks to the suggestion of some people close to him, decides to act. Why waiting for death when a lot can still to be done?
And he discovers Jason. Jason, 10 years is afflicted by a terrible illness. Substantially he doesn't have a lot of available time but before to pass away he would want to realize five wishes. Mr.Murray finds for case this piece of paper where the 10 year old boy wrote down these wishes in and he thinks that he would want so badly to try to realize them with and for this little boy. Murray found more than a reason for continuing to live!
It's a real countdown but also the discovery of two pretty different souls and a great and solid friendship. Jason with his weird language, strange e-mails and expressions when he speaks or write: McBride with the desire of being realistically helpful, learning also how to send and receive e-mail; just an example. How different these trajectories of existence are: McBride arrived at 100 years, this boy should die soon, without to having experienced anything in this life.

I found extremely touching the end of the story; I didn't imagine it. Sad and positive at the same time, like life is, after all.

Everything starts at first, with a magician with the desire of telling why to be grateful to his life and people he had to thank for being there.

He tells it to his biographer; a simple story, real and solid: human.
A friendship of a 10 years old boy soon to be gone because his heart didn't work anymore with a man of 100 years...


You'll love it! The cover is beautiful! An elderly man holding the hand of a kid. Past and present walking together for building good values, for transmitting knowledge, leaving the world with someone in grade to perpetuate the values and life-lessons learned and the possible pills of wisdom necessary for this trip on Earth.

Highly recommended.

I thank NetGalley for this eBook. And Library Thing as well!

This is a tear jerker about two very unlikely friends. Murray McBride is 100 years old and ready to die, while 10 year old Jason is hoping to live another year. They meet in the hospital and Murray learns Jason has 5 things he wants to do before he dies. Murray, with the help of Tiegan start working on a plan to grant Jason his wishes. This unusual friendship will have you smiling and crying it's great to see Murray have a reason to live. This book is a very quick read because you keep turning the pages and not realizing how long you've been in the story. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Murray McBride is 100-year-old and rather sick of living while the people he loves die and leave him alone. On his birthday, McBride’s decided enough is enough until he meets Jason - a young boy with a heart condition and not a long time to live. Jason has a list of five wishes he wants to complete before he dies, and Murray decides to help him, changing both of their lives in the process.

This is a very sweet, moving book that is just like a big old visit to a candy shop. Murray is the typical grumpy old man (think Carl from Up) and Jason is a exuberant boy who makes you think he’s not sick at all until the unspeakable almost happens. The two had a very good dynamic between them and once you look past some of the implausible scenarios (like Murray actually being allowed out of the blue to become Jason’s ‘Big Brother’), all the situations they get into are enjoyable and fun.

This just reminded me of a sweet made-for-TV kind of movie. The plot is straight forward, Murray is ancient but appears quite healthy, Jason is young and very sick and the friendship ends up helping them both in the long run.

The best part about this book is that Siple can write emotions. You felt what the characters were going through and you cared about them. That alone makes this a great story. But, it is also a good storyline. I enjoyed following all the characters on their adventures and wanted to know what would happen. I had a feeling about what would happen at the end, but it wasn't any less heartbreaking. I was engaged the whole time and did not want to put it down. Very impressive for a debut!

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It was an emotional read...so have lots of tissues around. I literally sobbed out loud at times.

This book will tug on your heart strings, but you'll also be cheering on Jason as he, Tiegan, and Mr. McBride struggle to fulfill the five wishes. As I read Murray McBride's thoughts, I could see some of the senior adults in my church and imagine them expressing the same feelings. But what can a precocious 10-year-old boy and a precious 10-year-old girl do to change this old man's outlook on life and death.

This is definitely one to put on your to-read list. It provided some valuable life lessons, made you sit down and take a hard look at what really matters to you, had you chuckling at some of the antics Jason and Murray they performed, and realizing the even a young child can make a huge impact in the lives of many people.

I cannot begin to express how much I appreciate the opportunity NetGalley gave me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This was a treasure and a story that will stay with me for years to come.

This book will make you cry.

Well, I can't say it will for certain, but it certainly made me cry. When you read these kinds of books, you kinda expect to cry - or at least, I do. I simply didn't expect to be blinking back tears from nearly the first chapter.

It's not that this book is depressing - in fact, it's the opposite. It's the uplifting story of an old man and his friendship with a sick young boy, framed as a magician telling the story to his autobiographer. Not the most elegant of framing devices for a few reasons, but it works.

The shining part of this book is the titular Murray McBride. We meet him on his hundredth birthday, quietly ready to give up on life so he can see his beloved wife again. He is forgetful, crotchety, and terrible with technology. Watching him loosen up and appreciate life again, seeing him build relationships with those around him - it's beautiful.

If you're looking for a good old cryfest about unlikely friendships and living life in the shadow of death, pick this book up. Bring tissues.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book via NetGalley but all opinions (and tears) are my own

"With all his family and friends gone, one-hundred-year-old Murray McBride is looking for a reason to live. He finds it in Jason Cashman, a ten-year-old boy with a terminal heart defect and a list of five things he wants to do before he dies. Together, they race against the limited time each has left, ticking off wishes one by one. Along the way, Murray remembers what it's like to be young, and Jason fights for the opportunity to grow old. But when tragedy strikes, their worlds are turned upside-down, and an unexpected gift is the only thing that can make Jason's final wish come true."

This is a beautifully told love story but with a difference. A man who wants to die befriends a boy who is dying and together they make each other's lives richer with love, compassion, companionship, wishes, adventures, laughs and tears. I really enjoyed it and loved the ending, but get the tissues ready because this book will pull at your heartstrings and stay with you afterwards.