Aladdin is indeed the honorable, worthy thief. The romance was a little steamier than the Disney version I grew up with, but much of the heart and soul of the story remained perfectly intact.

It definitely created this personal, humanized voice in what might otherwise have seemed an otherworldly narrator. I loved that it’s as if Zahra is relating her story to her friend the entire time. The story felt larger than a simple fairytale and seated in a vast, complex world. I loved the way Khoury developed this whole culture and hierarchy of jinni. Then I read the first few chapters as a sample from NetGalley, and that was enough to get me hooked! I loved the vivid descriptions of the landscape and culture. My Review:Īt first I was a little unsure about reading this book. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?Īs time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.īut when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity-only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin.

When Aladdin discovers Zahra’s jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn’t seen in hundreds of years-a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra’s very existence is illegal. Available FebruAmazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads From Goodreads:

The forbidden wish book