Let's admit, we all love a good YA forbidden romance book and this one did not disappoint. SO much of romance in it that it gave me a bit of 'wanting what I don't have" lol but it was a really nice book. Maybe not a 5 star but a strong 3.8. Loved the character development and the writing was awesome I also loved the Girl Power in this movie by making Zahra the powerful one (& not evil)

All in all, a great book!

A great and original retelling of Aladdin unlike any I’d read before. The first half was quick, but the second took longer to get through.

I will not lie and say I remember what this excerpt was about, but what I can recall is I was never interested in continuing on with the book. I had sitting on my shelf and still have not picked it up. till this day 5 years later *shrug*

I'd rather be honest than give false flattery, so Im putting an arbitrary 3 stars on this one.

But ! if I ever have the chance or found the will to read it I will definitely give an PG13 exemptuous review of this one xD, whether it being positive or negative. but definitely a constructive criticism.

Thank you.

This sneak peek was a great way to get readers to anticipate the full book. I loved the idea of a jinni retelling and that it was a female one.

Didn't realise this book was a sampler, so was a tad disappointed, but loved what I read! Thanks for the publisher for the opportunity.

I cannot believe I have had this on my kindle for so long and I haven't read it! After reading the sneak-peak I immediately ordered the full book as I have to find out what happens.

At the start of this story, the jinni is found by Aladdin who has used a magical ring to track her down. He didn't know what the ring was leading him to but when he found the lamp... hello jinni! Being persued by Prince Darian, Aladdin is chased through the desert and after debating whether to wish for Darian's death, he uses his first wish to go home.

Once home, he visits a bar (where he gets rather drunk on wine) and places a bet on a young woman in a bar-fight. After winning, he goes outside to have a good old smooch with her and she kidnaps him!

I need to find out what happens next...

In the tradition of flipping well-known fairy tales on their heads, author Jessica Khoury takes the story of Aladdin and gives it a twist. Here the jinni is a woman, Zahra, and she meets Aladdin when he finds her lamp in a hidden treasure cave in the desert. Aladdin takes possession of Zahra’s lamp, and she’s bound to him until he makes his three wishes. As he ponders what his wishes should be, Zahra receives word that the son of the king of the jinnis is trapped in the royal palace. If she can free him, she’ll be granted her freedom. With a little bit of coaxing, she convinces Aladdin to wish to become a prince and visit the palace to try to win the hand of the princess, Caspida. The longer Zahra spends with Aladdin, though, the more she realizes she’s just as capable of human emotions as anyone else.

Author Jessica Khoury writes Zahra with a confident hand. The jinni is affectionate and strong, knowledgeable and yet naïve at times. From the time Aladdin meets Zahra in the cave until the two find themselves in the royal palace, the story zips along. Khoury gives Aladdin a believable, meaty back story. It rounds out his character in a way that even Disney couldn’t do in the live-action version of the film. Unfortunately, the plot starts to flounder once Aladdin and Zahra arrive in court. There are literally weeks in the story timeline where nothing happens. The two are just biding their time until Caspida deems Aladdin worthy of meeting. Later, too, in the story’s climax, despite it being driven by a wish made of the jinni, Zahra has to fight in a treacherous battle with a villain. Shouldn’t the wish have guaranteed the win? What happened to its power? Those looking for a pleasant diversion might enjoy this one, but be prepared for the plot to start coming apart a little later in the book. I recommend readers Borrow The Forbidden Wish.

Love this quick little sneak peak. It has gorgeous writing. Everything is described in such exquisite style that it paints a vivid movie like images. Highly recommend reading the entire story.

The Forbidden Wish is a book that had been on my TBR for a long time and i have longed to get my hands on it based off the summary. It was more magical and lovely than I'd anticipated, with the diversity I'd ached for in YA fantasy. The prose was lush and lovely and I really liked the banter between Aladdin and Zahra. Even though it's only a preview, it's a good taste of what's to come when the book is released.

I am usually not a huge on retellings, and I usually stay well clear of them, because I am always afraid it will take away from the original for me. But this take Aladdin was very interesting, and one I wouldn't have thought of. It had a nice blend of action, magic and adventure, and made for a very fresh and exciting take on this story.

A mysterious and interesting sample! I'm very excited to read more! Can't wait to get my hands on my own copy.

Wasn’t interesting. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.

This sneak peak definitely seemed interesting, but I don't think this is the book for me. Either way, it was fun.

Great sneak peek! Now have this title on my shelf and look forward to finishing it.

Thank you for the sneak peek--this review is just to acknowledge that I received the sneak peek, but did not submit a review for it. I want to submit it before the new review submissions go into effect on August 14.

What a deliciously written, skillfully paced novel! Readers are blessed with characters that are absolutely beyond compelling and the plot sticks with you even after you're finished. Will be reading again!

Based only on a sneak peak of the first eight chapters, this book is intriguing to say the least. It is cleverly written from the perspective of the jinn, Zahra and helps the reader to empathise with her situation by presenting what seems to be a much misunderstood character. Combine that with a new version of Aladdin and we have a tale that promises much to ensure the reader is engrossed in a new way of thinking about a well-loved story.
From the very beginning, there is a great deal of action and the writing style is descriptive and engaging, providing a wealth of detail and characterisation that presents a range of new ideas to the readers. Each of the main protagonists holds appeal and makes the reader desperate to learn more, which is a very promising start to any story...