Enchanting, Romantic...And Let's Not Forget...FORBIDDEN

Title: The Forbidden Wish
Author: Jessica Khoury
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: February 23, 2016
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

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.

I am really, really digging this onslaught of YA novels featuring Middle Eastern culture, and more specifically, jinn and related folklore. I know that there have been retellings of Aladdin previously, but this tale isn't retold all that often, especially compared to some, as seen in this graphic of YA retellings created by EpicReads. That being said, I don't think I've ever read one that turned the original story on its head quite like this one.

The Forbidden Wish is told from the jinni's perspective, and I think it's all the more gratifying for it. Zahra's been locked away for centuries, but even so, she still feels the bitter sting of betrayal her actions caused all those years ago. That palpable grief and guilt can be felt throughout the story and it made my heart ache for her character.

Zahra's voice is flowery and full of beautiful prose, even especially when she is withholding the full truth or scope of things. Aladdin's voice, on the other hand, was course and clipped and made him sound every bit the "street rat" he'd been when he discovered the lamp. I loved that as much as the author changed the larger aspects of the story, she left some of them just the way I remember. That is, from childhood memories of watching the Disney version. =) The story felt familiar in all the ways that count, but it also stood on its own, apart from any previous iterations.

The Forbidden Wish was enchanting, making me fall for the story of Aladdin and his jinni all over again -- and in a slightly different context than I loved their story before. ;0) This retelling was daring and full of sacrifice and sweeping declarations of love. Oh, yes...it was very romantic. Unfortunately, it's purported to be a stand-alone, though the mention of another iconic Middle Eastern hero at the end leads me to believe the author may not be done with this cycle of stories yet. One can only hope after the beauty and magic of this story.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Jessica Khoury wrote her first book at age 4, a fan fic sequel to Syd Hoff's Danny and the Dinosaur, which she scribbled on notebook paper, stapled together, and placed on the bookshelf of her preschool classroom. Since that day, she's dreamed of being an author.

When not writing, Jess enjoys spending time with family, playing video games, and traveling the world in search of stories and inspiration.

Jess currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina. She is the author of Origin, Vitro, and forthcoming Kalahari.

Find Jessica:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest

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Labels: aladdin, beautiful covers, jessica khoury, jinn, penguin, retellings, reviews, the forbidden wish

You Just Have to Keep Reading REBEL OF THE SANDS Until You Either Pass Out or Finish

Title: Rebel of the Sands
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Series: Rebel of the Sands, book #1
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

This book was everything, EVERYTHING I was hoping for when I read that synopsis. A gunslinging girl. Magical sand horses. Mystical djinni. Rebel princes. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect story. It was just so unpredictable and amazing and wonderful.

Sure, I had some theories that panned out, but they were so far-fetched that I was actually glad when I saw them come to fruition. But the same is true for the theories that didn't come to pass: I was equally as happy to see the direction the author took the story in those instances, as well. The writing is fun and fast-paced and sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. This was a buddy-read for me, but neither my buddy nor I deigned to assign a limited number of chapters to read each night because it was just that type of story, where you just have to keep reading until you either pass out or finish. We read most of it in the better part of two nights, texting back and forth all the while.

I loved the combination of Middle East and Wild West in this book. The setting is a desert, and it works for either type of story, obviously, but it really made this novel. The desert became a character in itself, with the things that dwelled there hidden by day and attacking by night. Usually, I'd find a trek through the desert boring and tedious, but in this book, it was terrifying and kept me glued to the pages.

As did Amani's antics. Amani is my favorite kind of heroine. She wants a better life for herself and she will do whatever she has to -- including posing as a boy and entering a shooting contest -- to achieve her goal. Amani is an expert marksman, but the only appeal she has to the people of Dustwalk is as a wife. She wants out of her one-horse-town and she's not about to fail. One way or another, she will be rid of her uncle and the past that haunts her.

Enter Jin. Amani is instantly intrigued by the foreigner, but she also knows he's her ticket out of this place. I thought I knew who Jin was, and then I didn't, but it turns out I really did. That may sound confusing to anyone who hasn't read the book yet, but it just comes down to me trusting my heart when it came to his character, rather than listening to my head. Jin makes for an amazing love interest, but he's so much more than that because he's so good for Amani. He makes her own up to who she really is, makes her see that she is more than just one thing. And I loved him to pieces for it.

I'm dying to experience more of Amani and Jin's story! I might just have to re-read the book to get my fix for now. There's just so much to this story that I'm sure to have missed in my impatience to see how it ends. Those myths! Those demdji! So compelling! So captivating! Rebel of the Sands is a phenomenal debut...a book you definitely don't want to miss! I had SUCH high expectations for this book, and it delivered on every level.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her childhood bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She grew up in a small town there, which might have compelled her to burst randomly into the opening song from Beauty and the Beast were it not for her total tone-deafness. She instead attempted to read and write her way to new places and developed a weakness for fantasy and cross-dressing heroines. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King’s College, and then to London where she became indentured to an auction house. She has a bad habit of acquiring more hardcovers than is smart for someone who moves house quite so often.

Find Alwyn:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Tumblr

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Labels: alwyn hamilton, beautiful covers, fantasy, favorites, jinn, magic, must-read, penguin, rebel of the sands, reviews, wild west

Waiting on Wednesday: What You Left Behind & Blood Passage

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selections are...








's Pick:

Title: What You Left Behind
Author: Jessica Verdi
Series: n/a
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: Aug 4th, 2015

It’s all Ryden’s fault. If he hadn’t gotten Meg pregnant, she would have never stopped her chemo treatments and would still be alive. Instead, he’s failing fatherhood one dirty diaper at a time. And it’s not like he’s had time to grieve while struggling to care for their infant daughter, start his senior year, and earn the soccer scholarship he needs to go to college.

The one person who makes Ryden feel like his old self is Joni. She’s fun and energetic—and doesn’t know he has a baby. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to keep his two worlds separate. Finding one of Meg’s journals only stirs up old emotions, and Ryden’s convinced Meg left other notebooks for him to find, some message to help his new life make sense. But how is he going to have a future if he can’t let go of the past?

I just saw this book on Edelweiss, and I need to have it! It looks so good. Single teen dad = different. Sign me up!





's Pick:



Title: Blood Passage
Author: Heather Demetrios
Series: Dark Caravan Cycle, book #2
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 6, 2015

A jinni who's lost everything.

A master with nothing to lose.

A revolutionary with everything to gain.

When Nalia arrives in Morocco to fulfil Malek's third and final wish she's not expecting it to be easy. Though Nalia is free from the shackles tdhat once bound her to Malek as his slave, she's in more danger than ever before.

Meanwhile, Malek's past returns with a vengeance as he confronts the darkness within himself, and Raif must decide what's more important: his love for Nalia, or his devotion to the cause of Arjinnan freedom.

Set upon by powerful forces that threaten to break her, Nalia encounters unexpected allies and discovers that her survival depends on the very things she thought made her weak. From the souks of Marrakech to the dunes of the Sahara, The Arabian Nights come to life in this dazzling second instalment of the Dark Passage Cycle.

I will pretty much read anything Heather Demetrios writes. I love her contemporary novels with everything in me -- ask April, I talked her into reading them, too! -- but I loved her take on The Arabian Nights just as much. Nalia was a fierce heroine and I can't wait to see where this next installment takes her...and if the potential love triangle comes to fruition. :P


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: dark caravan cycle, harper-collins, heather demetrios, Jessica Verdi, jinn, waiting on wednesday (wow), What You Left Behind

{Audiobook} Review: Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios

Title: Exquisite Captive
Author: Heather Demetrios
Narrator(s): Erin Mallon
Series:  Dark Caravan Cycle, book #1
Length:  13 hrs 44 mins
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Source: audiobook received from publisher, galley from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Forced to obey her master.
Compelled to help her enemy.
Determined to free herself.

Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Stuffed into a bottle and sold by a slave trader, she’s now in hiding on the dark caravan, the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command. She’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle.

Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to free Nalia from her master so that she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother—all for an unbearably high price. Nalia’s not sure she can trust him, but Raif’s her only hope of escape. With her enemies on the hunt, Earth has become more perilous than ever for Nalia. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle…and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him. Battling a dark past and harboring a terrible secret, Nalia soon realizes her freedom may come at a price too terrible to pay: but how far is she willing to go for it?

Inspired by Arabian Nights, EXQUISITE CAPTIVE brings to life a deliciously seductive world where a wish can be a curse and shadows are sometimes safer than the light.

Exquisite Captive began very slowly, methodically building the world of Arjinna and portraying life as jinni slave here on Earth. There wasn't a chance that I was going to put the book aside, though, simply because of slow-pacing early on. Even a less-than-favorable narrator couldn't make me leave this story for later. I've only read one other jinni novel that I can recall, but it's clear to me that this new trend, this revival of an old favorite mythological being, is going to be to my liking.

Erin Mallon is not a terrible narrator. I listened to her narrate the entire Sweet trilogy by Wendy Higgins, and she only started to annoy me toward the end of the series. However, I feel that she was badly cast in Exquisite Captive. In fact, she may have been part of the reason I didn't love this novel quite as much as I expected to. I love a narrator who becomes the characters they're portraying, and Mallon just never seems to. She's not just reading the book, but it also seemed like she never connected with the story herself and it showed in her performance. Also, her male voices are kind of ridiculous, but at least she didn't have to affect a fake British accent this time around. I would have much preferred a narrator with a hint of ethnicity, especially considering the diversity of the characters in this story.

The cast of characters in Exquisite Captive is fairly complex, making it hard to truly connect with them or even discern their likability. Questionable motives. Political machinations. A sympathetic villain. I never knew exactly what to expect from any of these characters, and they surprised me more than once. I knew from my experience with Something Real that Heather Demetrios is gifted at creating a really well-drawn, vivid cast of characters, but I might be even more besotted with Nalia and Raif than I was with Patrick and Chloe. Which is saying a lot because I shipped that pairing SO hard.

Nalia is the last remaining member of her people, a powerful line of the jinn with unsurpassed powers. They were the leaders in Arjinna, and now that they are all gone, Nalia is the heir to the throne. Many things stand in her way -- not insignificant, the fact that she doesn't want to be princess and rule the other jinn -- including that she's enslaved here on Earth, complete with a bottle for a cage when she misbehaves. Nalia is not without her faults, and her sense of morality does come into question several times in this book. She's committed heinous acts and she wants no part of the rebellion...until it wants her, and even then, her thoughts are only of escaping her master and freeing her brother, the only family she has left.

But Raif changes her mind, or rather gives her more reasons to fight. Their initial interactions were of a political nature, but it soon became apparent that as much as these two seemed intent on hating each other, theirs was going to be a star-crossed love. First, I don't think I've ever met a character named Raif that I didn't like. They're usually the bad boy with an attitude type, but I'll take a powerful, chiseled, tingly-skin-making jinn any day. Raif is the leader of the rebellion, having taken over the duty when his father was killed. Nalia should be his enemy; she stands for everything he's fighting against. And yet, they cannot deny their attraction.

Malek is quite the enigma for much of the book. He is not the true villain in this story, but he is the immediate threat to Nalia's future. And yet, his feelings toward Nalia have grown into something other than what one would expect from a master/slave relationship. Malek has mistreated Nalia for most of the three years she has been in his service and she will always be beholden to him as her master, yet he's never taken advantage of her and is only now pressing her to explore her own feelings for him. I find Malek's character exceedingly intriguing and darkly sexy in that redeemable villain kind of way.

I thought the introduction of two leading men would result in the ubiquitous love triangle, but the romance here is more complicated than that. One of the men is her master and the other is her sworn enemy. There are obviously reasons why neither of these men should have a future with Nalia, and yet, by the end of the novel, it's clear to which man her heart belongs. I'm not writing off the resurgence of the love triangle in future books, but it would take some serious creative maneuvering to make that a viable arc, considering how quickly and neatly it was packed away in this installment.

Nalia is faced with choices she may not be able to come back from in this book. There's not simply the matter of a rebellion brewing in her homeland, but she must also now free the slaves on the Dark Caravan, in addition to saving her brother. And with the turn of events there at the end, I imagine things are only going to get more difficult for her. I'm anticipating exciting things for the sequel.

GIF it to me straight:

Nalia be like...

About the author:

When she's not traipsing around the world or spending time in imaginary places, Heather Demetrios lives with her husband in New York City. Originally from Los Angeles, she now calls the East Coast home. Heather is a recipient of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award for her debut novel, Something Real, which Publisher's Weekly calls “[An] addictive yet thoughtful debut” about reality TV stardom. She is the author of EXQUISITE CAPTIVE, a smoldering fantasy about jinn in Los Angeles and what Kirkus called in its starred review "an intoxicating, richly realized realm of magic, politics, spirituality and history" (#1 in the DARK CARAVAN CYCLE). She is also the author of the upcoming I’ll Meet You There (Winter 2015). I’ll Meet You There is a love story about a young combat veteran and a girl trapped in their small town, both struggling to escape the war at home. Heather is the founder of Live Your What, an organization dedicated to fostering passion in people of all ages and creating writing opportunities for underserved youth. She is proud to have an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. You can always find her on Twitter (@HDemetrios), ogling the military dogs she wants to adopt (but can’t because her NYC apartment is way too small). Find out more about Heather and her other books at wwww.heatherdemetrios.com and www.darkcaravancycle.com.

Find Heather:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | YouTube

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Labels: audiobooks, book trailers, dark caravan cycle, fantasy, favorites, harper-collins, heather demetrios, jinn, reviews