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Lamplight
Everyone knows the tale of a certain diamond in the rough and the friendly genie who helps him woo a princess, but what if the genie was really a malicious being fueled by his own quest for power? Lamplight is the heartbreaking retelling you didn’t know you needed.
The only child of an ailing sultan, Mina knows the man she chooses to be her husband will soon become the new ruler of Dalgar. She has long given up hope of finding love when a man new to nobility captures her interest. Din impresses Mina with his quiet thoughtfulness and kind nature, but there is a dark secret hidden in his rise to power from a mere serving boy to a sultan’s adopted son.
A secret so deeply devastating that it threatens to tear both the kingdom and Mina apart.
A secret only revealed by lamplight.
The only child of an ailing sultan, Mina knows the man she chooses to be her husband will soon become the new ruler of Dalgar. She has long given up hope of finding love when a man new to nobility captures her interest. Din impresses Mina with his quiet thoughtfulness and kind nature, but there is a dark secret hidden in his rise to power from a mere serving boy to a sultan’s adopted son.
A secret so deeply devastating that it threatens to tear both the kingdom and Mina apart.
A secret only revealed by lamplight.
75 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2022
34 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
July 29, 2025
I haven't found a aladdin retelling yet until this one in the stuff your kindle event and never thought it would be one that I would be in to because it just wasn't one of my favorites as is. But this one may just have changed that. I liked the story line and the twists there were some moments where I would try to predict what I thought a twist was gonna be and I was completely wrong! I definitely suggest this one if you like Disney retelling but where they have it set where its like a what if this happened instead of this kind of story line!
January 14, 2023
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author.
It's a new retelling of Aladdin and it's a bit dark, and a bit dirty, but doesn't stray too much in either direction. The story has fairytale vibes, but because of that, it's sometimes lacking in detail.
The characters are a bit two-dimensional, especially Din. Mina is more fleshed out, but very naive and single-minded which follows the fairytale vibe.
While I do wish there was more to the characters and the details, it didn't bother me much. Overall, it's a quick and engaging read.
This story may be finished, but I can't wait to see more from this author!
It's a new retelling of Aladdin and it's a bit dark, and a bit dirty, but doesn't stray too much in either direction. The story has fairytale vibes, but because of that, it's sometimes lacking in detail.
The characters are a bit two-dimensional, especially Din. Mina is more fleshed out, but very naive and single-minded which follows the fairytale vibe.
While I do wish there was more to the characters and the details, it didn't bother me much. Overall, it's a quick and engaging read.
This story may be finished, but I can't wait to see more from this author!
January 25, 2023
I recieved a copy of the book for an honest review.
I do like a retelling and I liked the sound of the story. But while reading I found personally it wasn't for me. I enjoyed the story and I liked the twist with the lamp.But felt for a short story it was too short- it felt rushed in places especially near the end. The characters felt underdeveloped, they needed flushing out a lot more. I definitely needed more spice and for me to be darker.
I do like a retelling and I liked the sound of the story. But while reading I found personally it wasn't for me. I enjoyed the story and I liked the twist with the lamp.But felt for a short story it was too short- it felt rushed in places especially near the end. The characters felt underdeveloped, they needed flushing out a lot more. I definitely needed more spice and for me to be darker.
January 12, 2023
I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed it, and I'm not a romance reader. If I were, I would probably have given it 5 stars.
It's a quick, easy read, a bit spicy and a bit dark, but not too much of either, and beautifully, lyrically written. It definitely gave me that fairytale vibe, and had a great ending.
If you enjoy well written dark romance, this book is for you.
It's a quick, easy read, a bit spicy and a bit dark, but not too much of either, and beautifully, lyrically written. It definitely gave me that fairytale vibe, and had a great ending.
If you enjoy well written dark romance, this book is for you.
March 5, 2023
Lamplight by Faye Knightly
I had the privilege of being sent this book by the author before its release date.
It is a dark retelling of the story we all know and love from childhood, Aladdin. Mina is torn when she discovers a dark secret about her beloved Din and has to find a way to save her kingdom along with the man she loves.
I usually have a hardtime connecting with characters in short novels just due to no build up but Knightly does an amazing job at making you care for her characters in such a small amount of time! I cannot wait for more from this author!
Release date is Febraury 6th, 2023 ! If you are needing a short quick read, pick this jewel up!
I had the privilege of being sent this book by the author before its release date.
It is a dark retelling of the story we all know and love from childhood, Aladdin. Mina is torn when she discovers a dark secret about her beloved Din and has to find a way to save her kingdom along with the man she loves.
I usually have a hardtime connecting with characters in short novels just due to no build up but Knightly does an amazing job at making you care for her characters in such a small amount of time! I cannot wait for more from this author!
Release date is Febraury 6th, 2023 ! If you are needing a short quick read, pick this jewel up!
January 14, 2023
Firstly, unrelated, but I just want to say that I love the author’s name. I mean, Faye Knightly? It sounds like the main character in a fantasy novel, and I adore it. So yeah, that aside, let’s get into it.
🧞 The story 🧞
It’s important to mention that I don’t often read such short books, and I thus had to get used to this a bit. The chapters are quite long, and there are only a few, but the story itself is really short. This means that the build-up of relationships, characters, and the world can’t be as extensive as I’m used to. The pacing also has to be quite quick, which was another thing that I had to get used to. However, that aside, the story itself was all right. It might be an idea to edit the blurb a bit because this basically already spoiled the entire story – some of the aspects in the blurb weren’t mentioned until the ending, so that spoiled the surprise somewhat. I did like the brutality in the story though, because it really added to the story in this case and made me quickly dislike Din. The ending was cute, although it did feel like the problem got dealt with quite easily.
🧞 The characters 🧞
Although I liked the twist on the original Aladdin, I didn’t really like Mina. Although she is a princess, and later sultana, all she does is think about Din and cry over him. Furthermore, for her constant appreciation of the way Din and her father treat others that are below them, she definitely doesn’t get inspired by them. She constantly looks down on others, such as in the case of Idris, and I honestly detest her for it. I would’ve loved to learn more about Idris and Ada, but once again, it’s a short book so I understand that that’s not possible. Din was cute, although I’m not a big fan of the insta-love trope, Ionce again, lmao sorry understand that it is necessary when the book is so short.
🧞 Overall conclusion 🧞
So yeah, I enjoyed this story, it was a very easy read, but the shortness was just not something I’m used to. Although I liked the characters and the steamy scenes, it was hard for me to fully feel for them when they didn’t have that much depth yet. I do however recommend this, it’s an easy read and an interesting take on the original!
🧞 The story 🧞
It’s important to mention that I don’t often read such short books, and I thus had to get used to this a bit. The chapters are quite long, and there are only a few, but the story itself is really short. This means that the build-up of relationships, characters, and the world can’t be as extensive as I’m used to. The pacing also has to be quite quick, which was another thing that I had to get used to. However, that aside, the story itself was all right. It might be an idea to edit the blurb a bit because this basically already spoiled the entire story – some of the aspects in the blurb weren’t mentioned until the ending, so that spoiled the surprise somewhat. I did like the brutality in the story though, because it really added to the story in this case and made me quickly dislike Din. The ending was cute, although it did feel like the problem got dealt with quite easily.
🧞 The characters 🧞
Although I liked the twist on the original Aladdin, I didn’t really like Mina. Although she is a princess, and later sultana, all she does is think about Din and cry over him. Furthermore, for her constant appreciation of the way Din and her father treat others that are below them, she definitely doesn’t get inspired by them. She constantly looks down on others, such as in the case of Idris, and I honestly detest her for it. I would’ve loved to learn more about Idris and Ada, but once again, it’s a short book so I understand that that’s not possible. Din was cute, although I’m not a big fan of the insta-love trope, I
🧞 Overall conclusion 🧞
So yeah, I enjoyed this story, it was a very easy read, but the shortness was just not something I’m used to. Although I liked the characters and the steamy scenes, it was hard for me to fully feel for them when they didn’t have that much depth yet. I do however recommend this, it’s an easy read and an interesting take on the original!
February 22, 2025
Dark Twist
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when reading this. It’s very short and I just assumed it would be just a spicy little story. Nope…the dark twist that played out was just pure evil. Definitely not the kind of retelling I was thinking it was going to be. I enjoyed this and would read more of these! I think Faye Knightly did fantastically with this dark tale!
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when reading this. It’s very short and I just assumed it would be just a spicy little story. Nope…the dark twist that played out was just pure evil. Definitely not the kind of retelling I was thinking it was going to be. I enjoyed this and would read more of these! I think Faye Knightly did fantastically with this dark tale!
July 20, 2024
pas si mauvais que je pensais
le plot aurait pu être bien si c'était moins court (le livre fait 74 pages)
après la fmc était un peu delulu et bébête mais bon
le plot aurait pu être bien si c'était moins court (le livre fait 74 pages)
après la fmc était un peu delulu et bébête mais bon
January 8, 2023
This was a short story and easy read. To me it was an average story and plot. From the description I fell in love but once reading the story it left me wanting more: connection, more detail, and way more spice. I feel the author could have done so much with that.
January 29, 2024
THIS WAS SO GOOD!
January 3, 2024
The story had a good plot, and I loved what this book COULD have been. The author definitely could have drawn the story out into a 250+ page book easily and it could have been a 4 or 5 star book with that.
The story (and book) felt VERY rushed, and it was severely disappointing.
The story (and book) felt VERY rushed, and it was severely disappointing.
January 18, 2023
Short version: If you found Aladdin hot, and have always wanted a darker, sexier version of Aladdin, this is for you.
I received this book as an ARC, and within a matter of hours was through it. It's a short story, and reads as such. If you are looking for something more in-depth and slow, this won't be for you. Within the smaller page count however, the author does an excellent job of pulling you into this retelling. The writing itself was very beautiful and well done. The story was fast paced but gave you enough detail to keep up. My ONLY "issue" with this story was that I wasn't a huge fan of the main character. I didn't HATE Mina, but with all the importance she put on her father and her husband treating others, she didn't do a great job of that herself. However, a flawed character is better than a perfect one is my opinion. If you have half a day to spare, want something fun to pass the time, and like retellings and romance, I highly recommend!
Oh, and in case you are wondering, yes there is some spicy scenes, but it doesn't take over the whole story - which is how I like it!
I received this book as an ARC, and within a matter of hours was through it. It's a short story, and reads as such. If you are looking for something more in-depth and slow, this won't be for you. Within the smaller page count however, the author does an excellent job of pulling you into this retelling. The writing itself was very beautiful and well done. The story was fast paced but gave you enough detail to keep up. My ONLY "issue" with this story was that I wasn't a huge fan of the main character. I didn't HATE Mina, but with all the importance she put on her father and her husband treating others, she didn't do a great job of that herself. However, a flawed character is better than a perfect one is my opinion. If you have half a day to spare, want something fun to pass the time, and like retellings and romance, I highly recommend!
Oh, and in case you are wondering, yes there is some spicy scenes, but it doesn't take over the whole story - which is how I like it!
February 8, 2023
Short version: If you found Aladdin hot, and have always wanted a darker, sexier version of Aladdin, this is for you.
I received this book as an ARC, and within a matter of hours was through it. It's a short story, and reads as such. If you are looking for something more in-depth and slow, this won't be for you. Within the smaller page count however, the author does an excellent job of pulling you into this retelling. The writing itself was very beautiful and well done. The story was fast paced but gave you enough detail to keep up. My ONLY "issue" with this story was that I wasn't a huge fan of the main character. I didn't HATE Mina, but with all the importance she put on her father and her husband treating others, she didn't do a great job of that herself. However, a flawed character is better than a perfect one is my opinion. If you have half a day to spare, want something fun to pass the time, and like retellings and romance, I highly recommend!
Oh, and in case you are wondering, yes there is some spicy scenes, but it doesn't take over the whole story - which is how I like it!
I received this book as an ARC, and within a matter of hours was through it. It's a short story, and reads as such. If you are looking for something more in-depth and slow, this won't be for you. Within the smaller page count however, the author does an excellent job of pulling you into this retelling. The writing itself was very beautiful and well done. The story was fast paced but gave you enough detail to keep up. My ONLY "issue" with this story was that I wasn't a huge fan of the main character. I didn't HATE Mina, but with all the importance she put on her father and her husband treating others, she didn't do a great job of that herself. However, a flawed character is better than a perfect one is my opinion. If you have half a day to spare, want something fun to pass the time, and like retellings and romance, I highly recommend!
Oh, and in case you are wondering, yes there is some spicy scenes, but it doesn't take over the whole story - which is how I like it!
February 8, 2023
Jasmina must find a man to marry before her father's ailing health declines even more. Her new husband will rule Agrabah, so she needs to pick someone who will run the country like her father. Then she meets Din and he is everything she had ever wanted. However, after they are married, something changes within Din. Something has taken hold of him and now she must find a way to get the man she loves back.
This is a short story (only around 70ish pages long) so it's a fairly quick read. This is of course a play off Aladdin and maintains some of the same story, but definitely has a twist to it. I loved Jasmina and Din's relationship and how sweet they were together from the start. I also loved that her father was happy with her choice in husband and that he didn't try to push her into something she didn't want.
I NEEDED more details! The book is short, and while you still get the full story and concept, I wanted more details and more scenes since the writing and plot were so good!
Overall rating
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.5 🌶
This is a short story (only around 70ish pages long) so it's a fairly quick read. This is of course a play off Aladdin and maintains some of the same story, but definitely has a twist to it. I loved Jasmina and Din's relationship and how sweet they were together from the start. I also loved that her father was happy with her choice in husband and that he didn't try to push her into something she didn't want.
I NEEDED more details! The book is short, and while you still get the full story and concept, I wanted more details and more scenes since the writing and plot were so good!
Overall rating
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
.5 🌶
February 18, 2023
Overall: 4 stars
Spice level: 2
Writing: 5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
The above is the general rating I give to this novella. It was short, less than 100 pages and I read it in about 2 hours.
I’m not sure if Lamplight is Faye Knightly’s writing debut or if she’s written under other pen names, but if this is her first, then I wish, I WISH she had made her foray into writing with a longer, more well-rounded piece of work.
The reason I say this is because I find her writing style and her descriptions to be really really beautiful and I feel like if the book were longer we really could have seen where she’s capable of taking her skills.
Lamplight was just too short to do that. There wasn’t time to flesh out the story, the world, or the characters or get into the tale about the lamp. I love that this was a darker retelling of Aladdin. And for those of us familiar with Middle Eastern folklore and myths, this retelling is actually more accurate bc in general, jinns or ‘genies’ are not blue and benevolent. They are either neutral or malevolent, cunning tricksters that steer others wrong.
But we got none of that! Unfortunately.
I see a lot of potential in the author’s ability to write, hence the four stars. I’d love to read a full-length work of hers in the future.
Spice level: 2
Writing: 5 stars
Plot: 3 stars
The above is the general rating I give to this novella. It was short, less than 100 pages and I read it in about 2 hours.
I’m not sure if Lamplight is Faye Knightly’s writing debut or if she’s written under other pen names, but if this is her first, then I wish, I WISH she had made her foray into writing with a longer, more well-rounded piece of work.
The reason I say this is because I find her writing style and her descriptions to be really really beautiful and I feel like if the book were longer we really could have seen where she’s capable of taking her skills.
Lamplight was just too short to do that. There wasn’t time to flesh out the story, the world, or the characters or get into the tale about the lamp. I love that this was a darker retelling of Aladdin. And for those of us familiar with Middle Eastern folklore and myths, this retelling is actually more accurate bc in general, jinns or ‘genies’ are not blue and benevolent. They are either neutral or malevolent, cunning tricksters that steer others wrong.
But we got none of that! Unfortunately.
I see a lot of potential in the author’s ability to write, hence the four stars. I’d love to read a full-length work of hers in the future.
February 20, 2023
I had the privilege of being given an ARC for this book, but my opinions are my own.
Although it's a novella, I found that Lamplight packed in a great amount of content, intrigue and emotion. It brings in some spice that helps to develop the characters and their relationship further, and includes a shifting viewpoint over the course of the story (avoiding spoilers, so not adding any more than that!). I empathize more with the secondary character than the primary, and I think a lot of that is that they seemed more competent and capable as an individual. If I had to identify any drawback to the story, it'd be that I wanted more from that secondary character's development to justify their skill and capabilities.
It's a solid first entry from this author, and I'm looking forward to some more. I agree with the other reviewers that I'd have liked a longer story, but it's perfect for a novella. To me, it's still five stars because wanting more of something good isn't a drawback - it's a feature.
Although it's a novella, I found that Lamplight packed in a great amount of content, intrigue and emotion. It brings in some spice that helps to develop the characters and their relationship further, and includes a shifting viewpoint over the course of the story (avoiding spoilers, so not adding any more than that!). I empathize more with the secondary character than the primary, and I think a lot of that is that they seemed more competent and capable as an individual. If I had to identify any drawback to the story, it'd be that I wanted more from that secondary character's development to justify their skill and capabilities.
It's a solid first entry from this author, and I'm looking forward to some more. I agree with the other reviewers that I'd have liked a longer story, but it's perfect for a novella. To me, it's still five stars because wanting more of something good isn't a drawback - it's a feature.
April 12, 2024
« You may call on me then, Your Majesty. For I would press a thousand such flowers if it would earn me your smile. »
Rating: 2 ⭐️
Genre: Fantasy Romance Novella
Format: Ebook
Pages: 109
Spice: 1 🌶️
POV: Double first POV
S/S: standalone
Check trigger warnings for any book
Quite disappointing. I don’t think this story works in a novella. The author wants to say a lot, the relationships are meant to be more powerful than they are portrayed.
Barely any backstory, which makes sense in a novella, but doesn’t in this plot line. The lore wasn’t working.
The beginning was actually good, we felt the interest in each protagonist but it did not hold up through the rest of the story.
Favorite quotes (MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS):
« It is the flower you were named after for, my princess, and the most beautiful in all the land. »
Leena - Leena.reader review - @leena.reader on tiktok and instagram
Rating: 2 ⭐️
Genre: Fantasy Romance Novella
Format: Ebook
Pages: 109
Spice: 1 🌶️
POV: Double first POV
S/S: standalone
Check trigger warnings for any book
Quite disappointing. I don’t think this story works in a novella. The author wants to say a lot, the relationships are meant to be more powerful than they are portrayed.
Barely any backstory, which makes sense in a novella, but doesn’t in this plot line. The lore wasn’t working.
The beginning was actually good, we felt the interest in each protagonist but it did not hold up through the rest of the story.
Favorite quotes (MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS):
« It is the flower you were named after for, my princess, and the most beautiful in all the land. »
Leena - Leena.reader review - @leena.reader on tiktok and instagram
January 25, 2023
Lamplight is an Aladdin retelling with a grown up twist. It has some darker moments to it, more like the original tales from One Thousand And One Nights.
The writing was engaging and easy to follow. Faye also incorporated some very nice little details and thoughtful moments in the book for the reader. I don’t want to spoil those, but I’ll say watch for the little things as they are important too.
The two main characters Din and Mina held my attention and were well developed considering the length of the book. Though you can kinda tell things are going to get rocky from the initial interactions between the two. The romance between the two is steamy, but not overly spicy in the book.
Lastly, I loved the way the book ended with the heroine being the one still partially carrying a secret when often times that isn’t the case in paranormal romance novels.
The writing was engaging and easy to follow. Faye also incorporated some very nice little details and thoughtful moments in the book for the reader. I don’t want to spoil those, but I’ll say watch for the little things as they are important too.
The two main characters Din and Mina held my attention and were well developed considering the length of the book. Though you can kinda tell things are going to get rocky from the initial interactions between the two. The romance between the two is steamy, but not overly spicy in the book.
Lastly, I loved the way the book ended with the heroine being the one still partially carrying a secret when often times that isn’t the case in paranormal romance novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2023
Lamplight is a dark retelling of the story of Aladdin by Faye Knightly. It is a quicky and easy novella. Honestly, after reading the description, I was expecting this to be way darker than it actually was. The story revolves around the love story of Mina and Din, their courtship and subsequent marriage. If you like a quick fantasy read, it does get the job done, however, with a bit more content, I feel that it could have been so much better. The plot of the story was good, and it had twists and some departures from the original story. I would have loved to have seen multiple POVs from the characters throughout the book, especially when they were being controlled by the darkness. I missed feeling the angst and inner turmoil of the characters as they tried to fight against the darkness. Overall, it was a good story, but fell a bit short for me.
January 13, 2023
I was able to read this book before its release.
Don't let the the fact that its a short story turn you away. There is a full amount of love and adventure. It's fasted pace and incredibly well written, Not many authors can you make you love a character within the first chapter but she defiantly sold Din, and Jasmina! The story flows really well and has twists that you don't see coming. It's a dark retelling of Aladdin with some spice, I honesty liked it more than the original Aladdin. The cover is beautiful and on of the thing that drew me in from the start. Im looking forward to what else the author Faye Knightly come up with.
Lamplight is definitely worth the read and the re read. I read it one sitting and definitely will be reading it again.
Don't let the the fact that its a short story turn you away. There is a full amount of love and adventure. It's fasted pace and incredibly well written, Not many authors can you make you love a character within the first chapter but she defiantly sold Din, and Jasmina! The story flows really well and has twists that you don't see coming. It's a dark retelling of Aladdin with some spice, I honesty liked it more than the original Aladdin. The cover is beautiful and on of the thing that drew me in from the start. Im looking forward to what else the author Faye Knightly come up with.
Lamplight is definitely worth the read and the re read. I read it one sitting and definitely will be reading it again.
January 15, 2023
A grownup retelling of a childhood favorite. I loved the twists and turns and version of this classic story. Couple spicy scenes, a dash of dark, touch of magic, a short story and an HEA. For a super quick easy read with a little fantasy feel, it is definitely worth a read. Aside from the magic lantern, it is not fantasy and more of a kingdom romance type feel. Not too detailed that is was too wordy but enough you got lost in the scenes, overall good writing! Would recommend if needing a quick palette cleanser in between series. I haven’t ever read Faye Knightly before today, but I would love to read any other of her retelling of other childhood classics (soft hint to Faye 🖤🖤🖤haha)!!
I received an ARC copy for my honest review, so glad I did and look forward to more stories by her.
I received an ARC copy for my honest review, so glad I did and look forward to more stories by her.
February 6, 2023
This is a newer author for me which I enjoyed reading. i look forward to seeing what is next for them. I enjoyed how the author used details to make the story come to life. I found this book to be well written and hard to put down. A story where the characters made me feel as if I was part of the story. They are connectable, strong, supportive and added so much to the story. I enjoyed watching their growth as well as their chemistry throughout the story. This is a romance story that has a touch of suspense added to it. What happens in this story you don't want to miss. Will Mina find her happily ever after or will things get tore apart. I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it.
January 14, 2023
I received an advanced copy from the author. I enjoyed the book. For being a novella it is what you expect. Short quick and fun. For being on the romance side I feel that it didn’t quite hit the mark, it can really close, but not quite. Also once switching points of view I had a hard time following the time lapses. I initially got the sense that it was only over the course of a day but something that the MMC said made me question the timing. Over all I did enjoy reading this novella and can’t wait to see what comes next from the author. It would be nice to have a few novella’s to keep me entertained while I contemplate my next read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2023
This dark retelling of the Aladdin story is quite intriguing and well written, but it certainly raises many moral issues. I have no triggers whatsoever, but I found some scenes and some behaviors quite disturbing. I don’t want to spoiler anything, but I didn’t like that Jasmine accepted some behaviors of her “husband” (you’ll see why I put husband in quotes) just because she loved him. Anyway I enjoyed the novella and I really think the author is talented and look forward to reading more of her.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 6, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️
Age range: NA
I love the idea behind Din and Mina, an Aladdin retelling with a twist. What if the genie wasn’t a blue skinned sweetheart eager to grant your wish? Instead, you’ve stepped into a much darker more sinister version of a childhood classic.
Knowing the backstory of the main characters played into the ability for this to be a short story and skip, otherwise, essential parts. I was still left lacking in the world, character, and relationship development. Insta-love is not my cup of tea. That being said, I’m all for this novella turning into a novel and giving me more.
Tropes:
- Aladdin Retelling with a twist
- Magic
- Genie
- Insta-love
🌶️🌶️
Age range: NA
I love the idea behind Din and Mina, an Aladdin retelling with a twist. What if the genie wasn’t a blue skinned sweetheart eager to grant your wish? Instead, you’ve stepped into a much darker more sinister version of a childhood classic.
Knowing the backstory of the main characters played into the ability for this to be a short story and skip, otherwise, essential parts. I was still left lacking in the world, character, and relationship development. Insta-love is not my cup of tea. That being said, I’m all for this novella turning into a novel and giving me more.
Tropes:
- Aladdin Retelling with a twist
- Magic
- Genie
- Insta-love
February 7, 2023
This was a great retelling of the story Aladdin. The genie and the lamp unexpectedly ended up being the villain, and the story turned out to have a fun dark romantic element to it. I enjoyed getting more of the main character, Jasmine’s (Jasmina’s), background. There were a few intense instances, but for a dark romance there aren’t any triggers. There are dark themes in the story, but it is not dark in general. The story could’ve been a bit longer. I wish there was a bit more detail on the lamp and its origins. The story was a little short, but this was an enjoyable novella. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
February 8, 2024
Lamplight
Fantasy
Faye Knightly
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴘᴏᴠꜱ • ᴀʟᴀᴅᴅɪɴ ʀᴇᴛᴇʟʟɪɴɢ • ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ •
This was a dark retelling of Aladdin, and I really enjoyed reading it.
The pacing was great, and the writing flowed smoothly.
I liked the characters, although I wish they were developed a little bit more. I would've liked the Sultan to be featured more before his death, too.
The little romantic gestures Din showed towards Jasmine were sweet. It was obvious that he cared about her before the lamps' power overpowered him.
I liked the ending, but I wanted to know if Jasmine could resist the call of the lamp or not.
Fantasy
Faye Knightly
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴘᴏᴠꜱ • ᴀʟᴀᴅᴅɪɴ ʀᴇᴛᴇʟʟɪɴɢ • ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ •
This was a dark retelling of Aladdin, and I really enjoyed reading it.
The pacing was great, and the writing flowed smoothly.
I liked the characters, although I wish they were developed a little bit more. I would've liked the Sultan to be featured more before his death, too.
The little romantic gestures Din showed towards Jasmine were sweet. It was obvious that he cared about her before the lamps' power overpowered him.
I liked the ending, but I wanted to know if Jasmine could resist the call of the lamp or not.
January 22, 2023
3.75⭐️ 1🌶️
This was really good! It’s a novella with an Aladdin retelling. It was paced well for the length, and Faye’s writing is really good.
We all know and love the story of Aladdin. This one was done with a twist. I don’t want to give away the twist, as I think you should read it for yourself. The twist gave this a fresh look at the story.
I would’ve liked to have seen some more relationship development between the characters, Din and Jasmina. But it is meant to be an insta-love story, so that’s tricky to do.
Take an afternoon to read this short novella! Worth every second. 🧞
This was really good! It’s a novella with an Aladdin retelling. It was paced well for the length, and Faye’s writing is really good.
We all know and love the story of Aladdin. This one was done with a twist. I don’t want to give away the twist, as I think you should read it for yourself. The twist gave this a fresh look at the story.
I would’ve liked to have seen some more relationship development between the characters, Din and Jasmina. But it is meant to be an insta-love story, so that’s tricky to do.
Take an afternoon to read this short novella! Worth every second. 🧞
January 23, 2023
I received the ARC from the author in exchange for my opinion.
Who doesn’t love Aladdin? This retelling has all the possibilities of being a great and longer book.
Why 4 🌟 and not 5? Because even though it’s a great story, with characters that you love and hate at the same time, the story felt rushed; it left me wanting more… more details, more story, more of the courtship… just more! But the idea was a good one with a little spice, romance and darkness; it keeps you engaged until there are no more words left to read.
Who doesn’t love Aladdin? This retelling has all the possibilities of being a great and longer book.
Why 4 🌟 and not 5? Because even though it’s a great story, with characters that you love and hate at the same time, the story felt rushed; it left me wanting more… more details, more story, more of the courtship… just more! But the idea was a good one with a little spice, romance and darkness; it keeps you engaged until there are no more words left to read.
January 27, 2023
I received this book as an ARC.
It is a short Novella (under 100 pages). The concept of this story was dark magic from the lamp taking over the characters in the story. Overall I like the concept, but I think as a short story it was very rushed. I think the story could have been fleshed out a bit more. Too much time was spent on describing what everyone was wearing at the beginning of the book. I would have liked Din's POV sooner in the story, especially with what he was struggling with.
TW: Cheating and Innocent Death
It is a short Novella (under 100 pages). The concept of this story was dark magic from the lamp taking over the characters in the story. Overall I like the concept, but I think as a short story it was very rushed. I think the story could have been fleshed out a bit more. Too much time was spent on describing what everyone was wearing at the beginning of the book. I would have liked Din's POV sooner in the story, especially with what he was struggling with.
TW: Cheating and Innocent Death
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