This was an interesting book. I thought it started out a bit slow but as you got further into the book you understand why all the background was necessary. Elise was drawn to a small island called Nosy Be near Madagascar. An old man came up and offered her a lamp when she was young. As she got older the same man offers her a bejeweled lamp. She took it home and was dusting it when a Jinni named Niama came out and offered her three wishes. Elsie couldn’t believe this although she comes from a family of seers. Niama tells Elise the story of how she ended up in the lamp. How her wife Aliya and her were banished and Niama thinks that Aliya is in her body. It a slow burn story and very well written. They become friend and then lover when Niama realizes Elise is her soul mate. The ending is amazing, but you need to read how they got there..

Unique and intriguing is what I would use to describe this take on Alladin but with LGBTQ characters. I recommend 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was an interesting and unique retelling, with plenty of cool worldbuilding, compelling characters, and plot twists to keep me hooked. The main characters had realistic and engaging character development, and even the side characters were very likeable. The worldbuilding and magic system is great; the information is explained cohesively without any info dumping. Overall, this was a fun story that I’d recommend to any fan of retellings.

“𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠.”

Retellings of fairytales, I love them! So when I saw this book, I was immediately intrigued. Fair to say; the cover also really helped to get my attention! Look how beautiful it is! 😍

As you can imagine, this book feels like an Aladdin retelling. But.. it isn’t! This book focuses on stories of the genies like in the 1001 Arabian Nights. It even sometimes mocks the Aladdin movie from Disney 🤭

I loved how the story focused on the genies, or better said: the jinns. Because that’s what they are, not genies, but jinns beings that can be good and bad. You learn more about the different characters of the jinns and how love goes a long way through centuries. I loved reading this book, however I was a bit disappointed that there was quite a bit of smut in it. I don’t mind a girl-girl relationship and even think it’s good that there are more books with these relationships, but I didn’t like how much sexual content was put in this story. It didn’t really add value to the story in my opinion. I thought the story was strong enough on itself.

However, I did like the story overall. I also think Aliya had quite the character development, as did Naima. Elise however seemed to be okay with everything quite fast, which I think was a tad bit unusual since the things she experiences weren’t that common. On the other hand; I loved the sassyness of her grandmother Colleen and her brother Marcus. I liked their character a lot!

A nice book to read if you like retellings and don’t mind the smut. Because I wasn’t a fan of the smut, I have given the book 3 stars ⭐️ I read this book as an ARC and it will be published on the 16th of May.

♥️ “𝘔𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴.” - Naima
♥️ “𝘔𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴.” - Naima

Loved this paranormal take on Aladdin with LGBTQ characters. Elise and Niama were such great characters. I liked how the author incorporated the history of the jinni or genie in this book , it was really well done. The Island that the jinni lived on was such a magical place and the idea that this was so progressive in how it viewed same sex marriage was really interesting. The relationship between Niama and Aliya was good, but I think the relationship between Elise and Niama was even better, there's more of a balance in the latter relationship, because of how Niama had to live for all those years cursed to live in the bottle granting wishes to people hoping it's the lost soul of her wife that will free her from said bottle,I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author.
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"Three Wishes" by Anne Shade is a captivating novel that tells the story of Elise, a woman who buys an antique oil lamp from a mysterious vendor while on a trip to Nosy Bé, an island off the coast of Madagascar. Elise is surprised to find that the lamp contains a Jinni named Naima, who offers to grant her three wishes. However, Naima also has a wish of her own - to free her cursed wife, Aliya, who has taken residence within Elise.

The plot is unique and engaging, blending fantasy and romance seamlessly. The author's writing style is descriptive, and the vivid descriptions of Nosy Bé and the island's culture make the setting come to life. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making the reader invested in their journey.

The romance between Elise and Naima is complex and well-written, and the internal struggle Elise faces as she battles with Aliya's spirit adds an extra layer of tension to the story. The unlikely source of assistance that the characters receive adds a surprising twist to the plot.

Overall, "Three Wishes" is a beautifully crafted novel that blends fantasy and romance in a unique and engaging way. It is a must-read for fans of both genres and will leave readers wanting more from this talented author.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Elise has been drawn to the little island of Nosy Bé and vow to go back. When a mysterious person gives her antique, jewel-encrusted oil lamp she thinks nothing of it until a mystical figure comes out of it. Naima has been cursed to be Jinni her only goal is to reunite with her beloved wife Aliya who is residing in Elise body. As Elise and Naima go on adventure to reunite Naima and Aliya they start to grow feelings for each other. I enjoy this read I won’t go into how it’s end because when it’s comes to fantasy supernatural or thriller I reveal too much but I did love that theses women weren’t damsel that they gave as good as they got.

This had a really interesting premise that I loved, but I'm afraid the execution and ending wasn't entirely satisfying, for me.

It's solidly written, lots of detail and emotion, but some plot points and depictions felt hard to swallow and accept, and completely changed the premise for me. By the end I just wasn't amused in the way I should have been with the newly constructed narrative that came about.

I don't want to say too much to spoil things, just to say it does indeed change gear a few times in surprising ways, that just for me, didn't work or even make much sense. Again all can be down to personal preference, as the writing is solid - but couldn't give it more than 3, because my lack of enjoyment.

I sort of feel like the author was trying too hard to subvert expectation, that they reversed the synopsis and what made it appealing - only to shoot themselves in the foot because it ended up being not as expected!.

I was just quite prepared for the expected story, and didn't feel it needed anything more than what was offered in the blurb to make it truly interesting!

I might not know much about the tale apart from a genie granting the finder of a lamp 3 wishes but when it’s in the form of a spirit trapped inside a lamp that can only be freed by her one true sapphic love is what kept me intrigued.

Naima, a spiritual being who was a royal advisor to her kingdom has been trapped inside a lamp for centuries. When Elise was led to the lamp, they set on a quest to reunite Naima with her wife, Princess Aliya who was sharing a body with Elise.

In the beginning, I was invested in how things would play out but was of two minds when feelings starting developing between Naima and Elise. I liked that Princess Aliya was no damsel but there are plenty of twists in the book that will keep you entertained in this fantasy. A good read and I enjoyed how it all ended.

I just reviewed Three Wishes by Anne Shade. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.