The Forbidden Wish

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

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 {Goodreads Summary}

"Oh, my naive thief. " I pause briefly to meet his gaze. "Love is rarely a choice.” 

I love fairy tale retellings, which I guess is unsurprising since I've been working on some of my own. I also love Aladdin and One Thousand and One Nights, so I knew I was going to love The Forbidden Wish from the moment Khoury started posting about it on her facebook page. When I finally got to read it this month, it didn't disappoint. 

"As the poets say, stories are truth told through lies."

The Forbidden Wish is a story of magic, love and friendship. Friendship was so important in this novel and that was really great to see, especially since it is so often overlooked in YA. Zahra's friendship with Roshana was just as important to the plot as her relationship with Aladdin and the relationship Caspida (the princess) has with her handmaidens made them a formidable force. I would love to be a part of their gang. 

“There is only one thing more numerous than the stars,” I say, looking up to the heavens. “And that is the darkness that holds them.” 

The world Khoury creates was vivid, exotic and inviting. I hadn't read anything by her before, but I would definitely read more on the strength of The Forbidden Wish. 

“Because happiness itself is a mythical construct, a dream you humans tell yourselves to get through each day. It is the moon, and you, like the sun, pursue it relentlessly, chasing it around and around, getting nowhere.”