Kicking off this annual event is a choice that should surprise nobody that has read this blog before. It's not a secret that I adore fairytales, and Disney's adaptations of them in particular. This twist on the Aladdin tale was too intriguing to not catch my interest and make this year's list.
Just check out this Goodreads synopsis! A female genie who falls in love with Aladdin?! ALL OVER IT! I need this book in my life, immediately.
She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world...If fairytales are your thing, and if you love them to have fun sounding twists, this is a book needs to be on your radar!
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.
Jessica was kind enough to answer a few questions (including some inspiration behind this book).
1 Twitter pitch The Forbidden Wish (140 characters or less).
Twitter pitch: THE FORBIDDEN WISH follows Zahra, a jinni of the lamp who must choose between love and freedom after she meets a daring thief named Aladdin.
2 If someone were to make a signature ice cream in honour of your book, what might be included?
As an ice cream flavor, The Forbidden Wish would probably include some delicious Middle Eastern flavors like apricot, fig, and cinnamon. OMG. That sounds amazing. *googles recipes*
3 Let us in on one secret about one of your characters, or the world they inhabit.
Careful, spoilers!! Okay, here's a non-spoiler secret: in the book, Aladdin lives on Pearl Lane. The street was named after another Pearl Lane--this one found in my favorite MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV, where my avatar spends a ton of time working on her sewing skills. XD
4 Your novel is inspired by the Aladdin tale. Is there a particular element of the story that inspired you the most?
Definitely the most inspirational element of the Aladdin story was the jinni, and the question: What if the jinni were a girl? The moment I asked that question, I knew the entire story. One little twist changes everything!
5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?
Oh WOW I can only choose one? Think, think, think... Okay. I'd pick Elizabethan England, and the first-ever performance of Shakespeare's Othello (my favorite of his plays). How cool would that be??
6 What 2016 release are you most anticipating?
There are so many great books coming out next year!! I really, really adored Renee Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn, so I'd have to pick The Rose and the Dagger, the sequel. I'm also really looking forward to Alwyn Hamilton's Rebel of the Sands--that book looks SO COOL.
7. If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of The Forbidden Wish.
"I sense the boy the moment he sets foot in the cave."
That first line definitely has me intrigued and that ice cream sounds pretty delicious! The fact that she's created this potential love triangle has me VERY interested in what she does what this set up.
The Forbidden Wish releases February 23, 2016 and can be pre-ordered right now from any retailer.
If you pre-order there is a fantastic pre-order campaign going on right now. Jessica is offering up some swag and a map she has drawn of the world this book is set in! Be sure to visit her website for all the details.
You can also follow Jessica on Twitter, visit her website, and find out more about her books on the publisher website.
Be sure to stop by to find out the next book that made this year's list!
Be sure to stop by to find out the next book that made this year's list!
Are you a fan of fairytale retellings? What do you think of this twist on the Aladdin tale? Let me know in the comments.
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