Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Title: Becoming Jinn
Author: Lori Goldstein
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication date:  April 21, 2015
Pages: 384
Source/format: ARC from Emma of Miss Print

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

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.

My Thoughts:

Azra Nadira doesn't want to live a life where she is forced to grant wishes. Despite her beauty from her Jinn heritage, she wants to be free. When she turns 16, she is able to tap into her Jinn powers. She does not want a Zar, a sisterhood of Jinn, by her side. All she wants is to live her normal life and to see Jenny again.

Azra hasn't been able to see her father. Female Jinn are allowed to live amongst the humans but males and females who no longer grant wishes reside in Janna. The Afrit control the wish making between the Jinn and humans. They even control who procreates with who and they frown upon attachments with humans.

Lori Goldstein adds depth and emotion within Becoming Jinn. It is sad to read about how Azra's friend Jenny and what happened to her. No matter how much magic Jinn possess, they can not grant a wish from a human that they are not assigned to, cannot heal humans and cannot bring someone back from the dead. The 33th chapter hit me hard. There is so much going within Azra's thoughts and Goldstein does a fabulous job with description. I love the writing of Becoming Jinn overall and the ending of the book is crazy. So much goes on and I want to read more. The only thing that bothered me is the pacing of the book. The first portion of the book with Azra's birthday and the interactions between the Zar sisterhood took forever. Once we got past the Azra's birthday, the pacing of the book was fine.

What I like about Becoming Jinn is the fusion between contemporary and paranormal fantasy. It reminds me of Rebel Belle and how it is a contemporary but has fantasy elements woven into the novel. I love how Jinn have different physical traits and how they celebrate different holidays on a rotating basis. I appreciate how Kalyssa, Azra's mother, makes food without magic. It shows how she is hardworking and doesn't always take the short cuts. It's interesting to see how Jinn love sweets and alcohol but are sensitive to salt. The apporting, means of teleportation, reminds me of the apparating in Harry Potter.

There are difficult decisions Azra has to make throughout the novel. Her mom wants her to choose the Zar sisters over friend Henry and love interest Nate but Azra want to live her life as a normal teenage girl. However, there are consequences for not following the rules that the Afrit has made for the Jinn. What will Arza decide? Pick up Becoming Jinn to find out.