The Genie Game by Jordan Ifueko

• Publisher: Amulet Books
• Publication Date: April 21, 2026
• Reviewed from Netgalley e-galley
• ISBN: 9781419764370

Valentine hadn’t even realized that her family had forgotten her older sister until she received a message from her. Suddenly Valentine could remember her big sister, Mango and how much they loved and supported one another. Mango was the only person to tell her not to grow up too fast even as their parents pushed them both to get good jobs with one of the three powerful companies that run the United States. When Valentine follows the message her sister sent her, she ends up trapped in the Genie Game where she must now work to grant wishes to people in order to win her freedom. The game gathers magic but doesn’t allow the genies working for them to use it. Can Valentine win not only her freedom but also find Mango and rescue her too?

This incredibly compelling story creates a future United States entirely ruled by three corporations. The game itself is inventive and unlike anything I’ve seen in a novel before. Valentine manages to skirt the rules, use them against the game itself, and find unlikely allies as she works to win the season. Along the way, readers will see our modern world reflected back, including loss of autonomy, the need to grow up too fast and the pressures young people are facing. It is all presented in a book that is compellingly written with an impeccably built diverse world. 

A great new middle grade fantasy series full of modern magic. Appropriate for ages 8-12.