Plot: Zahra is a jinn that has been laying in wait in a city of ruins for over 500 years. When a young thief unwittingly rubs her lamp, she has no idea what to expect from her young master. And let me tell you, these crazy kids have the adventure of a lifetime.
I'm still on the fence on my rating, I'm somewhere between a 4 and a 4.5, dare I be difficult and give this book a 4.25? I loved every moment of this book and how Khoury uniquely tied in the Aladdin story that the Disney princess in me loves. There was a clear beginning, climax, and satisfying conclusion that actually has me waiting on Khoury's doorstep for a companion novel (I know it won't happen, but a girl can dream).
Characters: Khoury's characters made The Forbidden Wish special to me. Being inside Zahra's mind really helped add depth to this novel and her story was remarkable. Aladdin was a loveable playboy and their banter made my heart flutter. While Khoury didn't dedicate a lot of time introducing the secondary characters, they were easy to fall in love with and their voices felt natural .
Worldbuilding: Khoury's writing is nothing short of beautiful, and her vivid description of this mystical land really stood out. I now want to devour anything set in the desert and have a bit of a reading slump. Worldbuilding is hard in fantasy, but Khoury made it seem effortless. My one minor complaint with the word is the consistency of language. Khoury did a wonderful job in including translations of Arabic phrases, but in the same line a character will refer to another character as "man." Like, "Whatever you say, man." It brought me out of the moment because that specific phrase felt very modern and didn't have a proper place in the novel.
Short N Sweet: Was Aladdin your favorite Disney movie growing up? Then The Forbidden Wish is a book that you need on your shelves, immediately.