The Forbidden Wish / Jessica Khoury

5/5

After trying to read a few books that just weren't doing it for me, I found exactly what I was looking for: a fantasy novel with themes of freedom and loyalty, friendship and responsibility, led by an amazing cast of characters.

The Forbidden Wish is sold as an Aladdin retelling, but it is much more than that. Khoury has loaded it with history and intricacies so that the story is completely new. Zahra, our lead jinni, is direct, strong, and vulnerable. I love how Khoury made sure we never forget that Zahra isn't human, but at the same time incited sympathy. The mystery of piecing together the sins of the past and exactly what crimes were committed kept me eagerly reading. Following Zahra's fight for freedom and watching her scheme to achieve her own goals all while staying within the limitations set on her made me a loyal fan of hers.

I also adored Aladdin and Caspida, and I wish they had gotten even more of the spotlight. Our eyes were always focused on Zahra, but in our peripheral vision Khoury allowed us to see how Aladdin and Caspida were each strong and complete characters. We got glimpses of how much was on each of their plates and could decipher the reasoning behind their actions-- a sign of good writing that Khoury was able to show us what Aladdin and Caspida felt and thought, even if Zahra didn't specifically acknowledge it. The Forbidden Wish could definitely be re-written from either Aladdin's or Caspida's point of view, and it would tell a different story that I would 100% want to read.

The ending may be a little bit of a stretch, but is overall a small imperfection. The Forbidden Wish mixes the complicated navigation of courts and lies, duty and freedom, and love and loyalty. I would highly recommend it, particularly to fans of The Winner's Curse and Strange the Dreamer. Plus, who can ever say no more Aladdin? 

All Rights Reserved / Gregory Scott Katsoulis

3.5/5

I couldn't wait to read All Rights Reserved because the premise intrigued me so much. A world where all words and gestures are copyrighted, trademarked, or patented, and people must pay to communicate? I was eager to see how Katsoulis was going to implement that and how he would weave a story under those conditions.

I was surprised by how many restrictions there were-- mouthing words, nodding, shrugging are all deemed forms of communication and therefore off-limits to Speth, our protagonist who chooses to go silent. I was impressed that even with these restrictions, I never felt trapped or bored reading Speth's story. There isn't one clear direct line of plot throughout the novel, it's more a tale of what happens once she chooses to go silent. When the product-placers are introduced, the plot picks up speed. I appreciated Speth's initiative and her dedication to her goals and to her family. I enjoyed hearing what she had to say and that this novel never became some cheesy, romance-filled mush. Nothing was ever perfect.

The reason my rating isn't higher is because the ending left me feeling a little unsatisfied. The novel closed too quickly and felt a little too easy, a little anti-climactic. Yes, their community now needs a lot of rebuilding, but the takedown of our villain, Silas Rog, didn't feel meaningful enough. I also felt like more could have been done with the premise of the novel. Katsoulis had this great idea, but didn't say enough with it. This was an opportunity to tie the novel into human rights, into current events, into revolution, but I felt that that unity never gathered in the novel.

Overall, All Rights Reserved has a unique plot, and Speth has interesting perspectives on everything she encounters. Though I felt that the novel could have been more, it is already interesting and intriguing enough to be worth the read. 

Forget Tomorrow / Pintip Dunn

4/5

In the world of Forget Tomorrow, everyone is sent a memory from their future self when they turn seventeen. The memory Callie receives is of her killing her beloved younger sister. The rest of the novel is of Callie going on the run, trying to avoid her fate, and unravel the mystery and science behind sending memories. 

Forget Tomorrow has a quick pace, an urgent tone, and high stakes. I enjoyed Callie's character development and her strength. A nice touch Dunn adds into the novel is the opportunity to learn about Callie through what others think of her. Callie doesn't see herself as "defiant" or "aggressive," but seeing how others interpret her actions shed some light on why she might be called such.

Forget Tomorrow has a thought-provoking premise and executes it with suspense and intensity. I was engaged throughout the entire novel and am curious to what will happen in the next. I'd recommend it to fans of dystopian novels like The Giver or a less-violent Hunger Games, or fans of All Our Yesterdays, a similar novel by Cristin Terrill that I would also recommend.