Genie Knows Best

Fennell follows I Dream of Genies (Jan. 2011) with the charming story of heiress Samantha Blaine, whose life changes abruptly when she discovers a genie’s lamp inside her deceased father’s safe. Before you can say abracadabra, Samantha’s off to the land of Izaaz with genie Kal, launching a madcap romp through pop culture references, sparkly things, and general magical mayhem. Samantha struggles to cope with narcoleptic trolls, quarreling dragon spouses, and battling leprechauns and gnomes. When her former fiancé turns up with some magical items of his own, she must gain confidence in herself (with a little help from the seductive Kal, who makes even orange curly-toed slippers sexy) to thwart his ambitious schemes. Fennell’s light and lively writing is full of humor and cleverness, and the occasional tributes to fantasy classics add extra fun to the spicy story. (Nov.)