Review: The Fire Wish by Amber Lough

The Fire Wish (The Jinni Wars #1) by Amber Lough
Published July 22nd 2014 by Random House Children's  

A jinni. A princess. And the wish that changes everything. . . .
Najwa is a jinni, training to be a spy in the war against the humans. Zayele is a human on her way to marry a prince of Baghdad—which she’ll do anything to avoid. So she captures Najwa and makes a wish. With a rush of smoke and fire, they fall apart and re-form—as each other. A jinni and a human, trading lives. Both girls must play their parts among enemies who would kill them if the deception were ever discovered—enemies including the young men Najwa and Zayele are just discovering they might love.

My Thoughts 

I have been wanting to read this book for quite some time. Jinni has quickly become one of my new favorite Young Adult troupes and The Fire Wish didn't disappoint in the least. I listened to the audio book. While they are pretty hit or miss this one was spot on. The narrator has the perfect complementary accent to set the scene. Between the the vivid descriptions of the lush setting and mystery surrounding the wish that took place, The Fire Wish was a perfect addition to my Jinn shelf.

Typically I am a very character driven reader but I could not really connect with either of the M.C.'s in this story. Told in alternating first person perspective, the voices of Najwa & Zayele come across loud and clear. I just found Najwa to be wet blanket and Zayele to be incredibly selfish. The imagery and setting itself is what kept me glued to my ear buds (as I said ...audio book). Najwa is a Jinni with extreme power yet she has a difficult time standing up for herself. Zayele will do anything she can to escape her arranged marriage so when she encounters Najwa she wishes herself home. The only problem is that it takes her back to Najwa's home and not her own. The girls look almost identical so now they must play the parts of each other and chaos quickly ensues since they are the brink of a war with the humans and the jinni. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the girls, I have to admit that the character growth that was displayed was pure perfection. Many secrets come to light and the plot seems a bit murky for a minute but resolves itself into the perfect ending. I was shocked by many of the revelations that came to pass.

The magical system was also quite brilliant. There is a very set limitation on the Jinni's powers and that made things much more believable. The thought of someone being able to wish whatever they want all the time kinda cancels out all problems they could ever encounter so I was pleased to see that wasn't the case here. It was very well thought out. The story had almost A Prince and the Pauper type feel for a bit which was also entertaining as we got to glimpse inside the political workings of both worlds. I am thrilled to have the sequel The Blind wish to read immediately!

If you are a fan of vivid settings and the Jinn in general, I think this one may definitely be a go for you.

5 Snowflakes

Review: The Kill Order by James Dashner

The Kill Order By James Dashner
Published-Delacorte Press
Released- Aug 14th 2012
Pre-Order- Amazon / Barnes & Noble /Chapters

Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares seared the earth and mankind fell to disease. "The Kill Order" tells the story of that fall.

“The prequel is something that has churned in my mind since before "The Maze Runner" was even complete. It's been hard to keep it a secret! I'm excited to finally share the news and I can't wait for my readers to see how it all began," shared author James Dashner.

My Thoughts:
The Kill Order is the much anticipated prequel to The Maze Runner series by the incredible James Dashner. I can't even begin to express how badly I wanted this book. Dashner is one of my all time favorite authors. He's the reason I found my love for post-apocalyptic/dystopic books which provoked me to want to read more in this genre.

This installment takes place thirteen years prior to the initial time setting of the series, which was before Thomas and the Glade, and even before WICKED was created. We follow new characters, Mark and Alec and a group of teenagers battling to survive the aftermath of the Sun Flares. To add more to their already difficult lives, one day a Berg comes out of nowhere and starts shooting darts, killing and effecting everything in its path. The Flare Virus.
Mark, Alec and a couple of the remaining survivors hunt down where the Berg came from, to demand answers as to why these people are spreading a virus when the world is already in horrendous devastation. During their journey they see how the virus is affecting people and all the different reactions it causes - from graphic brutalized pain to bizarre hallucinations. Along the way, they do manage to rescue a little girl named Deedee, who miraculously seems to be immune.

This is where it all begins...

Wow! What a prequel! This book is a roller coaster of non-stop action and heart pounding desperation. I'll admit, I wasn't sure what I was expecting when I found out that a prequel was in the works. I was a bit nervous to read about new characters knowing their inevitable fate. But leave it to Dashner to have me totally consumed by Mark and Alec's journey. Dashner doesn't hold back. This book is filled with thick agony, madness and the twisted minds of unhinged people. I couldn't help feeling so sickened by all the sadness and furious about the unnecessary tactics that caused these people so much grief and despair. A part of me kind of wished that Dashner would have written about Thomas and Teresa or even Newt and Minho. What they meant to WICKED, how they contributed to the plans and life for them before the Glade.
The Maze Runner had one constant. Hope. It's what drove the readers to battle it out till the very last book. But for The Kill Order, it felt very fatal, very final. In the end, I'm glad that Dashner decided to share this story. It may feel hopeless, but it wasn't pointless by any means. This is a story for fans who are curious to know why WICKED was born. Why it was good. It's the birth of the Flare Virus and where we learn that certain characters played a vital role in the protection of others.

Overall, there is no happy ending, but fans of The Maze trilogy already know that, so it’s no surprise. This was a heart breaking and terrifying glimpse into a world that has been utterly destroyed. But it's also a story about fighting for humanity and survival till the bitter end.

So, with a heavy heart, I'm finally able to let this series go. It's been a fascinating and thrilling adventure.
Fans of The Maze Runner trilogy are going to want to experience this prequel because it's a definite gem for their collection!

I can't wait to see what James Dashner has planned next!

Find The Author:
Goodreads / Website                                      4 Snowflakes