The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

Publication Date :  23rd February 2016

Blurb from GoodReads

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.

Sneak Peek

I am so excited about this re-telling of Aladdin which is due out in February 2016. I managed to get a sneak peek via NetGalley of the first few chapters and they are so good I can’t wait to get my hands on the rest. The chapters I read had a lot of world building but the descriptions really draw you in and there is action and intrigue from almost the very first page.

The narrative is told from the point of view of Jinni Zahra who comes across as a conflicted and complicated character with a lot of power and a tendency to bend the rules. I get the feeling she could be unpredictable. Aladdin however I’m already in love with but then who doesn’t love a rogue’ish bad boy. He’s a flirt and a thief with a tragic past that he’s trying to escape. I’m so excited about how his relationship with Zahra will develop as there are hints of it already.

To top it all off we have an oppressive monarchy, incredible magic and some strong female rebels. This definitely has the potential to be one of the most exciting books of 2016. I’m off to pre order now.