Book Review: Becoming Jinn

Title - Becoming Jinn

Author - Lori Goldstein 

Series - Becoming Jinn #1

Genre - YA Fantasy

Published - April 21st 2015

Publisher - Feiwel & Friends

(Goodreads)(Amazon)

Synopsis

Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit. 

To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny. 

Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters”, Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.

Review

Azra has known that on her sixteenth birthday she would have to accept her fate and become a genie but that doesn’t mean she can’t fight it. When she wakes up on her sixteenth birthday her body has transformed her into a copy of her mother when she was her age, transforming into a fully mature jinn. Thankfully Azra hasn’t been one of the popular girls so her dramatic change won’t be noticed. She’s also wearing the silver bangle the sign that she is officially a jinn and she can’t use her powers to get it off.

Forced to accept her fate Azra is a quick study when it comes to using her abilities and quickly received her first assignment. All Azra wants is a normal life but leading a normal life and keeping her magic a secret might just be harder than she thought when her neighbor catches on that she’s more than just your average girl. When the chance comes up to grant her second wish Azra knows just the girl to choose but when her attempt to give the girl her wish goes wrong she’s going to have to come clean to her human neighbor. What will the Afrit do with Azra for breaking the rules? What will happen when her next assignment is for someone she knows?

I like Azra she made me smile in her attempts to remove the bangle from her wrist. She’s an interesting character that just got better as the story progressed and she learned to grant wishes. Azra has a unique family while she lives with her mom who has Zar sisters and their daughter are in turn her  Zar sisters. They will stay a close nit group for the remainder of their lives. I liked Henry the next door neighbor he’s a good friend who understands Azra.  

I picked up Becoming Jinn not long after it came out but haven’t gotten around to reading it till now. I’ve not read many Jinn/genie books so I wasn’t sure what to expect but with the synopsis I knew it had to be good. I found the concept unique it takes the genie myths and has a whole new spin the wish granting idea. I really loved the story it’s a coming of age genie style story filled with action, adventure and even romance. I was sucked in right from the start from the first paragraph to very last it was hard to put down I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen to Azra. As a character I just loved her she’s a sweet girl who wants a normal life but has this big responsibility looming over her. She’s easy to connect with and she may just be my new favorite paranormal character. I think the author did a great job creating a beautifully written story, it just flows from start to finish never a dull moment. I just loved Becoming Jinn it a quick fun read that teens as well as adults will enjoy. Plus just look at that stunning cover how can you not be excited? I can’t wait for the next one to see what happens next in Azra’s future.