Review: The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

The Forbidden Wish
by Jessica Khoury
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Publication Date: February 23rd 2016
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781595147677
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Retelling
Source: First To Read

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She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world...

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. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But 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 saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As 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. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
When I discovered that The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury was an Aladdin retelling, I KNEW I would have to read the book. This is actually the first Aladdin retelling that I've read so far, and I enjoyed it so much! While I've never actually read the real story of the Arabian Nights, I grew up watching the Disney version of Aladdin, and because of that, there was so much in this book that felt familiar as I turned the pages. (Yes, I know the Disney version probably doesn't even compare to the original folk lore, but it's all I can compare to at the moment.) Either way, I really, really enjoyed this story!!

The Forbidden Wish is told through the eyes of Zahra, the most powerful Jinni, who has been trapped in her lamp for hundreds of years. When she's finally found by Aladdin, he releases her into a world where Jinni's and magic are forbidden, and she's forced to hid what she really is. And when the King of the Jinn offers her a chance at freedom, she must decided if it's worth betraying the boy she's falling in love with.

Ok, having the genie be a girl was awesome. I loved the gender reversal so much more than I expected to. Zahra was so many kinds of awesome, and, pardon my French, she was a bit of a bad-a**.  Yes, she was an all powerful Jinni, who could take a normal wish and twist into something sinister if she wanted to, but she also had a kindness to her that I totally loved. She was strong willed and caring, and wanted nothing more than her freedom. And Aladdin, of course, who was completely forbidden to her. I really loved everything about Zahra.

Aladdin was so much like the character in the Disney movie, the sly thief who is always looking for trouble, but who also has a huge, caring heart. He had the ability to fit into any situation that he was throw into, and the people loved him even when they didn't want to. I loved the budding romance between him and Zahra, as they made such a good pair.

I also loved the setting for the book. It was so well described, I actually felt like I was in the desert along with Zahra and Aladdin. The storyline was very much addictive, and when I was not flying through the pages of this book, I was thinking about it, wondering what was going to happen next. I was completely engrossed, and I loved every minute of it.

Overall; I really don't think I've been this excited after reading a retelling in a really long time. I enjoyed SO many things about The Forbidden Wish, from the characters and setting, to the familiarity of the story. I loved it all. I will definitely be adding a copy of this book to my shelves, and I really look forward to reading more by Khoury in the future!!