Review: Diamond Wishes

Diamond Wishes by Abigail Manning is the next of many ARCs I have received from the All That Glitters multi-author series of fairy tale retellings. This gender-bent retelling of "Aladdin" gives a fresh new take on the story, and not because it's about a female thief. It follows a similar premise to many other gender-bent retellings of "Aladdin," in which a thief is transformed into a princess with the help of some magic and joins a group of potential royal prospects for a prince. However, the third act takes the story in an entirely new and surprising direction that I never saw coming, much like Abigail Manning's other retellings.

Kya is an orphaned thief who has been dodging the guards her whole life with a combination of skill and luck, as well as a mute guard she nicknames Jean, who was always looking out for her. Her pet parrot, Kipu, occasionally provides assistance as long as he can keep his beak shut. One day, Kya is propositioned by a mysterious man to sneak into the royal treasury and steal a magic wishing diamond that she finds on an expensive-looking ring. Although she gets caught in the act, Prince Adir comes to her rescue by telling the guards she is a visiting princess who is competing for his hand. Suddenly, Kya gets the royal treatment and some up-close personal time with both Jean and Adir. She must figure out whom to trust to protect the dangerously powerful ring hidden in an oil lamp before it's too late.

This book starts out like any other gender-bent "Aladdin" retellings, but it takes the story in a completely new direction that I cannot discuss without spoiling. All I can say is that the pleasant and unexpected twists were built up nicely throughout the story. The romance was subtle, but well done, and the author does a good job of making Kya a likable character despite being a thief, which can be challenging. The one thing the book lacked was female companionship. I would have liked to get to know some of the other princesses competing for Adir better. However, it was a pretty fast read and did a great job telling a complete story in a comfortable amount of time.

I liked that this book borrowed several lesser-known elements from "Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp" that weren't in the Disney adaptation, but used them differently. It cleverly incorporated both the ring and the lamp from the original fairy tale, as well as the mysterious uncle who sent the main character on a quest to retrieve these items. Although this story made him the prince's uncle and not the thief's, the reference to the fairy tale was very much present. The "genie" character was incorporated in a clever and unexpected way that will probably make readers laugh when they figure it out. Overall, this was a fun story full of surprises for those familiar with the original fairy tale.

Diamond Wishes is a delightful and unexpected retelling of "Aladdin" that offers a fresh take on the classic tale. With its clever incorporation of original elements and surprising plot twists, this book is a must-read for fans of fairy tale retellings. Kya's likable character and the subtle yet well-done romance make for an enjoyable read. While it may have benefited from more development of the supporting characters, the story is well-paced and engaging. Overall, Diamond Wishes is a fun and surprising addition to the All That Glitters series.