Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson

A believable fantasy replete with evil-yet-not-so-evil Jinn (spirits reminiscent of HP’s goblin-type creatures), this is a tale of Alif, a young Middle Eastern techno-whiz who uses his talents to hide all manner of dissidents in cyberspace from their terrorist, repressive government. When the secret book of the Jinn (the Alf Yeom or The Thousand and One Days) finds it’s way into Alif’s hands it unleeshes a series of events that spin his world out of control. I know, it doesn’t sound like my kind of book, but the characters were so thoroughly charming and the Jinn so smart and sassy I was swept away. Some wisdom sprinkled along the way and a happy ending – who could ask for a better summer read???