Bottled by Carol Riggs – Reviewed by Behind the Pages

At seventeen, Adeelah Naji is transformed into a genie and imprisoned in a bottle. For a thousand years, she fulfills the wishes of greedy masters–building their palaces, lining their pockets with gold, and granting them every earthly pleasure. All that sustains her is the hope of finding Karim, the boy she fell in love with as a human. When at last she finds a note from her beloved, she confirms he has access to the elixir of life and that he still searches for her.

But someone else also hunts her. Faruq–the man who plots to use her powers to murder and seize the life forces of others–is just one step behind her. With the help of a kind master named Nathan, Adeelah continues to search for Karim while trying to evade Faruq. To complicate matters, she begins to experience growing fatigue and pain after conjuring, and finds herself struggling against an undeniable attraction to Nathan.

As Faruq closes in, Adeelah must decide just how much she’ll risk to protect Nathan and be with Karim forever. How much power does she really have to change her future, and what is she willing to sacrifice for an eternity of love? If she makes the wrong choice, the deaths of many will be on her hands.

Goodreads

The Review

5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Carol Riggs for providing me with a copy for an honest review!

Adeelah Naji has been trapped as a genie for a thousand years, fulfilling the greedy wishes of her masters. All she wants is to return to her life with the one boy she fell in love with, but her life of servitude has torn them apart. And as much as she disdains the life she has been entrapped in, it would be worse to fall into the hands of a man named Faruq. To be his genie would mean aiding him in murder to extend his life. For centuries she has barely escaped him, but her luck is about to run out.

If you’ve been following my reviews, then you know I am a stickler for character development. Adeelah has a long way to go when you first open Bottled. She’s a girl pining after her lost love and has reserved herself to being a genie. But as Carol Riggs takes you through each of her masters, you slowly watch a spark grow within Adeelah. And watching her realize the potential she had within herself was worth every page.

But Adeelah isn’t the only character that brought this book to life. Adeelah’s master Nathan was a fantastic character to pair up with her. The chemistry between Nathan and Adeelah was pure fun to follow. Through Nathan, Adeelah had the chance to learn how to form friendships and enjoy life. The awkwardness she felt while adjusting to modern society was cute, and I can see many teens connecting to her attempts at social interaction. But despite her struggles, Nathan and his friends never once made her feel unwelcome. They strived to bond with her and bring her into the fold.

This is a great book for teens interested in fantasy novels. There are great themes found throughout the novel. And there is everything a young fantasy reader could hope for: action, magic, a little love, and a lot of entertainment.