The Forbidden Wish Jessica Khoury *Review*

As a huge Khoury fan, I was so excited about this novel I obviously pre-ordered and dove in the moment it was released. (And yes, I did attempt—more times than I'd like to mention—to get an arc, but was tragically unsuccessful.) 

I love Khoury's style. I love the thrill ride she invites me on with her exquisite pacing, the immersion I experience by absorbing the world she's built via lush, lyrical prose, and the unique angle(s) she presents. All of these and more are reasons why I'm so conflicted (and sad) about this review. 

I would like to say that I absolutely, with-all-my-heart-and-soul loved The Forbidden Wish...but I'd be lying. 

The Forbidden Wish is easily Khoury's best work: the characters are flesh and blood, living and breathing in the pages; the pacing, as always, is phenomenal, and the plot riveting—some truly wonderul twists!—not to mention the brilliance of the subject matter (retelling of ALADDIN? Can you say radiance??!); her trademark prose (aka gorgeous) continues to impress; and there isn't a plot hole in sight. 

It's extremely well written and well-thought-through. I loved the characters and their complexity (and quirks). I loved the spin on Aladdin. I loved the immensity of scope involved in making the world and its rules believable. 

What went wrong?

Well...that's just it. In the world of YA, Khoury has hit a triple homerun. The novel fits the genre perfectly and I can see her topping charts and receiving well-deserved praise for her work alongside uber-popular authors. And again, the work truly is fabulous. So it's less what went wrong and more what went right. 

One of the biggest reasons I fell in love with Khoury's work—aside from her impressive storytelling ability—is that I could always count on it being original and easily distinguishable from its YA counterparts. Were her other novels as advanced in terms of style and execution as The Forbidden Wish? No. Origin had a few questionable aspects, Vitro's romance was a bit lacking at points, and Kalahari's characters, while endearing, needed a nudge to cast off. The Forbidden Wish has none of these issues. 

Instead, Zahra's voice, while acceptable and fitting and well done, disappoints solely because it sounds so similar to others in the YA world. Same goes for the romance...even for the themes. I feel like a loser and a betrayer for writing this review T_T, but these are my honest sentiments. I'm happy Khoury penned a great novel. I'm sad that, to me, it can be lumped in with so many other greats instead of beaming from a pinnacle. In my eyes, Origin will always, always  be set apart—same goes for Vitro and Kalahari. But The Forbidden Wish, for all its wonder, lacks that trademark spark. 

In case I haven't made this clear: there is literally no fault to be found in TFW; the novel is exciting and well worth the read, especially if retellings are your thing. My issue is completely personal (and subjective). I don't want to deter anyone from picking up this book because IT IS PHENOMENAL and deserves every morsel of praise it receives. And cover. love <3 <3 <3...! It just wasn't what I was hoping for. 

Final Verdict: 

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About the Author 

Jessica Khoury is of Syrian and Scottish descent, and was born and raised in Toccoa, Georgia. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Toccoa Falls College. She currently lives and writes in Greenville, SC. Jessica is the author of ORIGIN, VITRO, KALAHARI, and THE FORBIDDEN WISH.  

Kalahari Jessica Khoury *ARC Review*

If you're wondering whether the third novel in the Corpus 'series' is worth your while, even if you perhaps disliked either Vitro or Origin...YES, yes it is. This story will seize your heart (and possibly make your blood pressure spike on occasion).

*I received access to an e-galley through Penguin's First to Read program. Woot woot!*

Before you dive into Kalahari, it'd be a good idea to block off a solid chunk of do-not-disturb-unless-there's-a-fire reading time, because this novel's too good to put down. 

I started reading during naptime at work (about an hour), and after I got off work, I read...and then, well, dinner and stuff...and then I read more. I finished just shy of midnight because it was just too compelling to save for tomorrow. 

I was torn as to whether or not this would be my new favorite novel from Khoury because, while it definitely surpassed Vitro in my eyes (though I enjoyed Vitro immensely), Origin has a special place in my heart. As I debated the why-I-love-these-books-and-don't-know-which-I-love-more, I came to realize I love both equally for different reasons. 

I love Origin because it blends sci-fi and fantasy seamlessly—the ideas, the themes, the prose and the setting...it's the wonder of it all that made me fall in love with it.  

I love Kalahari because the sci-fi edge is cutting, because the plot is riveting, and because I connected deeply with these characters and journeyed through the desert (oops, I mean...semi-desert) with them hoping they were all going to make it despite the treacherous landscape and deadly wildlife. And, as always, the prose is beyond brilliant. 

Characters
In her previous novels, I perceived Khoury's character-building to be acceptable, but not anything particularly remarkable (T_T sorry). But in Kalahari, I felt her characters were operating on a completely different level. These characters will surprise you. If you've read the sample chapters, you may be thinking...no, no they won't. But trust me. They will. This includes villains. 

I suppose it's odd to have a sense of pride as a reader, but I do. Khoury earned it, big time.

Setting/World-building
There are few instances I've felt such a sense of presence while reading a novel. I have an uncanny ability to 'disappear' into a world, into a character's mindset, and live that out while I'm reading (I say uncanny because I often take on the attributes of a character while reading, even if I'm taking a break to cook dinner or something. I just get really into it I guess lol)...but I've never been so thoroughly invested as I was while reading Kalahari. 

It was really weird...and totally cool...when I took a human needs break and seriously thought I was in the middle of the Kalahari (despite my surroundings). *Mini spoiler, yet not spoiler:* I even thought for a second after scratching that I'd been infected, horror included, until I looked in the mirror and realized, 'Oh yeah. I was just reading.' It was a lot like when you have a dream but aren't really sure if it WAS a dream because it was so real.

Yeah. I know it's hard to understand how in the world that even happened...but I'm telling you, Khoury almost literally brings the Kalahari to life. 

Favorite!
My favorite part of the novel wasn't the incredible prose, the gorgeous—and deadly—setting, the breakneck—and crazy suspenseful—plot, but the relationship Sarah had with her mother. Khoury dedicated this novel to her mother...and if I was her mother, I'd be more than honored to know how much love is displayed in these pages. The bond Sarah shared with her mother—it's not something you could understand without having experienced it. I envied and delighted in their connection, and loved that her mother's wisdom and joy was woven into the plot and the relationships (platonic and otherwise). 

Kalahari is utterly astounding—put it on your tbr shelf if you haven't, and go get this book!!

Final Verdict: 

(Fyi: A sneak peek or two of Kalahari is available on Wattpad!)

About the Author

Jessica Khoury wrote her first book at age 4, a fan fic sequel to Syd Hoff's Danny and the Dinosaur, which she scribbled on notebook paper, stapled together, and placed on the bookshelf of her preschool classroom. Since that day, she's dreamed of being an author.

When not writing, Jess enjoys spending time with family, playing video games, and traveling the world in search of stories and inspiration. Jess currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina. She is the author of Origin, Vitro, and forthcoming Kalahari.

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Girls Gone Sci-Fi Tour *^_^*!

My signed tour poster :3.
Left to right: Jessica Brody, Lauren Miller, Tamara Stone, Jessica Khoury

Yes. I got to meet these Girls Gone Sci-Fi ladies in Birmingham, AL! Woohoo! :)

Jessica Brody, Lauren Miller, Tamara Stone, and Jessica Khoury are fantastic authors who write about uber cool (and, let's admit it, often scary) scifi scenarios involving things like time travel, cloning, memory/genetic manipulation, and parallel universes.

This was me (Anna):

Image Credit: Disney Wikia 

Except I was about 10x more awkward because I was so nervous. Seriously, I walked up to Tamara Stone because I wanted to speak with her and drew a complete Blank. So embarrassing lol. Despite my awkwardness, however, I still had a blast meeting/greeting everyone and chatting about books/life/being directionally challenged. 

Fun Facts: 

While chatting with fellow TFC alum Jessica Khoury, I discovered (or was reminded? I feel like I knew this...maybe...) that she was originally a Cross-Cultural Studies major before she switched to English. 

Lauren Miller is severely directionally challenged. There is hope for people like me haha! Also, random and weird thing I noticed after looking at the pics I took: we both tilt our heads when getting our picture taken.

The first shot was blurry, so we had to take a second. I have no idea what I'm looking at lol

Stone and Khoury sign on the bottom of their books, while Brody and Miller sign on the top. We all thought that was interesting. Also, it adds a nice symmetrical touch...

Highlights:

The Q&A was fantastic, especially the insider info on 'how to get blurbs' (ask very, very nicely; build connections and THEN ask very, very nicely; enlist your stellar editor/agent/publisher...and they'll ask very, very nicely!).

When I mentioned that I forgot to bring my Unforgotten necklace, Jessica Brody gave me a high-five and expressed that I was the first Unforgettable Fan she'd encountered on tour. I'm not sure if she meant the whole tour or just in Birmingham, but it made me happy regardless. 

I snagged some stellar swag--and totally caved on getting a signed copy of Parallel ^_^':

My pic shows like 3 swag items, but of course they had loads of stuff--stickers, bookmarks, pins, etc. But I played Operation Vitro and the Unforgettable Fan Challenge, so I already had a lot of cool stuffs ^_^. 

I must add that Parallel is SHIMMERY. Of course the pic doesn't do it justice--I mean, seriously, you can't even really see the *shimmer* :/. You should check it out on Goodreads; better pic quality for sure :). 

*sideways glance*

Ok, you should check it out on Goodreads anyway... 

AND I also was blessed with a 50 page preview of Free to Fall. WIN. No. Mega Win. If I knew how to dance and I actually danced when I was excited about things in the first place, I would have *Danced*.

Here it is, in all its 50-page splendor *^_^*

ANNNND, after explaining my ambition to be a YA sci-fi/fantasy author and a bit of my series to Jess Khoury, she told me to let her know when I was finished. 

Maybe you don't see why this is so exciting, so I'll explain: I greatly admire Khoury for both the things we have in common (a surprising amount, really) and the things we don't. I've always loved her work--even before she became a published author. So...it's kind of a big deal to me ^_^'.

If you missed out on the tour, my condolences--but I have good news! You can watch a Recorded Interview Here, compliments of WREG Channel 3 News.   Also, I'm sure that at least one of the authors will be blogging about the tour shortly, if they haven't already. 

You can find out more about these fabulous authors and their novels on their websites:

| Jessica Brody | Lauren Miller | Tamara Stone | 
| Jessica Khoury |

VITRO Jessica Khoury *Review*

Jessica Khoury describes her sophomore novel Vitro as an "adrenaline rush on an island," and for the most part, I heartily agree.

I pre-ordered Vitro and I was not disappointed about my decision after finishing :). This novel is brilliant. 

Plus, it's a companion novel set in the same world as Origin, which means that readers who are new to Khoury's work can read Origin and/or Vitro in any order they want without worrying about missing anything. Some companion novels aren't really like that--like Kristin Cashore's Fire, for example. While I enjoyed Fire (my favorite of the Graceling series), I felt that I would've missed the richness of the world if I hadn't read Graceling first. This wasn't the case with Vitro. (I did, however, find the not-so-subtle references to the events in Origin that come later in Vitro hilarious. But honestly...that's probably just because I'm weird.)

Of course, like with most novels, I wasn't enthused about everything. 

But if you're looking for a solid, thought-provoking read flavored with humor and pulsing with the thrill of sci-fi-induced terror, Vitro is a novel you don't want to miss.

So, why don't you want to miss this novel?

Because  The  Prose.  (Was fantastic.) There are great books out there that come just shy of being extraordinary to me for one reason: the prose is mediocre. Reading Jessica Khoury's prose is a lot like taking a nice hot shower after working 8 hours in the grueling sun--it's gripping, lush, refreshing, dynamic. 

I lived on Skin Island with the characters as I read Vitro. Khoury is a master at weaving a multitude of "aerodynamic" concrete details into her settings to bring them alive. I say aerodynamic because her prose never drags. Few authors I've read can boast of having such skill.   

Because  of  LUX.  I love love loved (now that I'm reading it instead of hearing it in my mind it looks weird, but whatever) everything about this character--her personality, her existential struggles, her courage, her stubbornness. The chapters from Lux's POV were stunning, and once again demonstrated Khoury's finesse as an author.

The  science.  Was Origin believable? Sure--but it still had twinges of the fantastical. To me, immortality seems distant, out of reach for humanity despite all the research and attempts to find it. Vitro, however, feels terrifyingly close to actually happening. Like 20 years from now kind of happening. (Maybe sooner.) In other words, the issues and events presented in Vitro are frighteningly plausible.

The technology behind the scientific advancements in Vitro already exists. Think about that for a moment. It already exists! Khoury simply projects what could happen if a particular company decided to develop the technology...and if something went "wrong." I can't say much else because I'll give parts away, but I will say this: Vitro embodies the moral quandaries of this age in spine-chilling form. 

Vitro  is  a  gem  of  a  novel  with  few  things  I  could  reasonably  'critique'.  The one rather nebulous thing I didn't like: Vitro felt like it was missing something. (As you can see, my specificity is unparalleled.) A subtle something, admittedly, but an important something. Sadly, I have no idea what that something is. If you read Vitro and feel the same way, let me know--maybe we can figure it out together :). 

Other than that, I loved the characters, the structure of the novel, the setting, the plot....

Overall, I highly recommend Vitro (though I liked Origin more...thought it had more tension, especially in the action sequences, and that it presented more [numerically] provocative themes. Also, I really enjoyed the fantastical side)! 

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About the Author

Jessica Khoury is of Syrian and Scottish descent, and was born and raised in Toccoa, Georgia. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from Toccoa Falls College. She currently lives and writes in Columbia, SC. Jessica is the author of ORIGIN and VITRO.  You can visit her online at www.jessicakhoury.com. 

And guys, you can also check out some of her other work--and preview Origin and Vitro--on Wattpad!



You can visit Jessica on...

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Operation Vitro

A new year has come (Happy New Year!!)...and in 2014, there are loads of delicious YA books being released! Huzzah. 

As you may already know, Jessica Khoury’s VITRO is coming out January 14th.

I, for one, am mega excited to read this gem of a novel! Origin was fantastic (5 stars). The first 3 chapters I’ve read of Vitro were fantastic. You can see where this is going :D.

BUT. Before the release, going on RIGHT NOW, you can enter to win some uber cool prizes by playing a *game*. I mean, it doesn’t get any better than this!

Join in on the fun and win some swag—every player is GUARANTEED TO WIN—at Corpus Network! 

Review: ORIGIN by Jessica Khoury

Origin is a YA dark sci-fi novel that features a girl named Pia, the first member of a race of immortal, “perfect” beings.  For the last 16 years of her life, she’s lived in a secret lab hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest with a team of scientists, never once venturing outside the compound—until the night of her 17^th birthday, when she discovers a hole in the electric fence and sneaks out into the rainforest. But Pia’s world begins to collapse around her from the moment she crashes into a boy named Eio that same night…because the truth about her immortality--her origin--is being unraveled with each step she takes closer to him, his village, and the legacy of those in the generations before her.  

I’ve found that most people who’ve reviewed Origin are passionate about the novel—they seemingly either ‘absolutely’ love it, or ‘absolutely’ hate it. Because I am just compelled to be different from those around me (I’m only being somewhat facetious about this), I must say that ‘absolutely’ love it…but that there are a few details that I *might* rant about if given the opportunity.  

Semi-facetiousness aside, I found much of Khoury’s work immensely enjoyable; the quality of her prose/dialogue is excellent enough to merit a must-read recommendation on its own, the ingenuity of Pia and Little Cam and Elysia is striking, and the questions raised by the actions of all involved in the dark sci/fi/fantasy thriller (I say thriller because the pacing is so ridiculously well done it’s like reading a thriller) last well beyond the final pages. I highly  recommend Origin for all of these reasons and more.

Read this one line and tell me this isn’t fantastic: “I stare at it as my heart tumbles over itself and my tongue turns into stone,” (87).  

Plus…it’s set in the R-a-i-n-f-o-r-e-s-t people!!!

So, what didn’t I swoon over in Origin?

In a word, Pia. I loved the idea  of Pia. Ok, I still  love the idea of Pia. But I found the specific details about her immortality confusing and even a bit contradictory at times. For example, it confused me when Pia told me that she can’t suffocate, but she was still somewhat afraid of drowning and wasn’t sure if she *could* drown. Maybe this is just a poor reflection on me, but I honestly thought that suffocation and drowning were the same thing…or so close to being the same thing the difference would be moot for Pia.

In another word, the Ai’oans (erm, the villagers). Granted, Origin takes place in a super-fast time frame—like a week—and it would’ve been difficult for Khoury to do a whole lot more fleshing out here, but I think it would’ve been better if the people group was explored  and fleshed out a bit more.

Other than that, Origin is superb. It’s thought-provoking, passionate, and largely unpredictable.

I’d give Origin 5 stars.

If you haven’t read Origin, you should ^_^.

Also, keep an eye out for Vitro, which is a companion novel to Origin that will be out January 14, 2014.  

Pushing The Gates of Blogdom Open

To be honest, The Blog and I aren’t best friends. (Bloggie, however, is another matter entirely. Love that camera-video…thing.) Have we ever tried to be? Oh trust me, we’ve tried. Several times. Everything starts out fine. Our relationship is fresh, blissful, and exhilarating. Before it crashes off the cliff-side, that is. 

It’s not that I don’t like The Blog; I think it’s great. People write hilarious anecdotes, crafty advice that even I could potentially take away from…and I love reading what people have to say about themselves. People fascinate me. I even fascinate myself, and I’m sure that I could find plenty of things to write about. And, wouldn’t you know it, I like writing! 

Alas, I just can’t write a blog T_T. I can’t eat a bagel like a boss (like that really cool person on fanfiction.com or whatever the site is), I can’t crochet anything, I can’t seem to get the creation of Southern food down…and I can’t write a blog because I am way too flighty to remember to get online and write on one daily (or weekly, for that matter)!

About 3 weeks or so ago I was presented with the fact that I WILL have to start—and continue—writing one. Not maybe, not if I want to, not ‘try’…WILL. MUST. SHALL. Of course, I willfully ignored this ‘advice’ and tried to forget I’d ever read it out of the Poet’s Market. 

But on December 12, 2012 (yes, that’s today), I ran smack into the Gates of Blogdom because of Jessica Khoury and had a direct confrontation with The Blog. Brilliant writer that she is, I blame this—almost—entirely on her. Did I mention that we went to the same college?  Or that I really looked up to her—and still do—even though she probably never realized it? Or that I also want to be a novelist in the YA genre???? So my blaming her, you see, is not completely ridiculous.

But I digress. The end result of reading her blog...and practically everything on her website *ahem* was something like this: I sniffled and said to myself, “I’m going to have to start blogging…”


So here I am…writin’ a blog…staying the course and all that…but I’m thankful. If no one gave me the boot I’d still be on the porch, and it’s likely that virtually all good writers (or all writers that want to be good) need to venture to the mountain sometime.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult. “Fight-o OH!” –Gokusen, Yankumi 

**The inspiration for embarking on the blog journey:**

Jessica Khoury, her debut novel Origin, and her blog!