Inkheart

Mo Folchart picked out a book from his large collection and read the title on the leather bound spine. Inkheart (by Cornelia Funke). He loved this book. He brought it over to his wife, Teresa. His daughter, Meggie, slept peacefully in her crib. "Rain fell that night, a fine, whispering rain." Mo began reading in his strong, rapturing voice. Teresa sat listening in a trance.

There was a noise behind them. Someone was in their house. Light from the lamp glinted off the steel of the man's sword.  In one quick motion, Mo threw the book at the intruder and wrestled him to the ground. Mo thrust the man's face into the light and gasped, letting go. Dustfinger. It was Dustfinger. The fire eater from the world of Inkheart. Dustfinger scrambled away from Mo and dusted himself off. Mo swallowed, his mind in dizziness, looking for a reasonable answer. He heard a squeal come from Dustfinger, a sword point at his chest. Mo followed the tip up to the owner of the sword. Basta, Capricorn's man, was here too. 
Shocked to see where he was, Basta ran out into the dark night to seek refuge. Dustfinger, more bewildered, wondered if he would ever see his wife and children again. His pet animal with horns scurried after him. Mo turned to face his wife to see how she had fared through this all. The chair she had just occupied was empty. His wife was gone. 

In the cradle, awakened by the noise, cried his baby daughter. Mo rushed to her side and held her in his arms. He looked at the book Inkheart, which lay open on the floor where he had thrown it at Dustfinger. He didn't know how but he knew it. His wife had gone inside the book, in exchange for some murderers who have entered his world. 



And it was all because of his voice...

~Ash

Child of the Dark Prophecy

The  Year The Stars Blinked Out A Prophecy Was Made




















A Child Born In That Year Would Either Bring The Fall Of Avalon Or Save It


Who Is The Heir Of Merlin And Who Is His Enemy?

A Wanderer, Tamwyn?

A Priestess, Elli?


Or The Eagle Man, Scree?



Find Out In The Child Of The Dark Prophecy By T. A. Barron


~Ash

Urchin of the Riding Stars

Urchin of the Riding Stars always thought that he would grow up to be someone important and do something special. Ever since Urchin came falling out of the sky on the night of falling stars, Brother Fir had known that his fate contained a powerful destiny. In Mismantle, everything changes when the rule of fair and just King Brushen and the loving Queen Spindle is threatened. Treacherous Lord Husk and Lady Aspen are determined to take control even if it means sending the well-known and loved Captain Crispin, Urchin's hero, idol, and mentor, into exile. 

But they never should have tampered with the islanders and the ancient prophecies. Now Urchin finally gets his chance to prove himself and maybe even fulfill his destiny. He embarks on an epic journey full of drama, suspense, mystery, and heroic deeds. Share Urchin's tumult of feelings of terror, horror, and shock, as well as  surprise, excitement, and love of adventure in the Mismantle Chronicles Book One Urchin of the Riding Stars by M. I. McAllister.

~Ash

The Lost Island of Tamarind

A good book I have recently read is The Lost Island of Tamarind by Nadia Aguiar. This book tells the amazing story of a 13 year old girl named Maya who explores a hidden and magical island with her younger brother Simon, and her baby sister Penny. Maya, Simon, and Penny have spent their entire lives aboard the Pamela Jane, their family ship, and now Maya wishes for some change. But she never thought she would fight on a pirate ship, become friends with a boy named Helix, and actually miss being on the Pamela Jane so much. Her life gets even more complicated when she lives in a treehouse village, climbs thousands of miles of snowy mountains, and meets a giant and some mermaids. Not to mention the kidnapping baboons and jaguars, and the child-snatching Lady Who Rides the Jaguar.

In a dreadful storm, Maya's parents are washed off the boat and are missing. It is up to Maya, as the eldest, to take care of her younger siblings and find her parents while surviving The Lost Island of Tamarind.

~Ash

The Amaranth Enchantment

The next book I have really enjoyed is The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. The main character, Lucinda Chapdelaine, is a 15 year old girl who has been living with her cruel aunt ever since she was five when her parents disappeared. Her life falls down a deep well when an Amaranth witch shows up at her aunt's jewelry store with a precious stone. Lucinda doesn't know that the stone will soon bring her danger and harm. Other characters who contribute to the plot are a pickpocket, a cute prince, a pet goat named Dog, and an evil lawyer who is after Lucinda's inheritance...and her life.

This book fits perfectly into my favorite theme. Julie Berry explains in her book that girls have power too. All they need is initiative to take matters into their own hands. This book-filled with fantasy, adventure, and mystery-tells how a girl can be successful and make her own story in a magical way.


~Ash

The Diamond of Drury Lane

The first set of books that I will talk about is my favorite series, the 'Adventures of Cat Royal' by Julia Golding. In the first book, The Diamond of Drury Lane, the central character, Cat Royal, a twelve year old orphan, is the female protagonist. Cat tries to protect a diamond hidden in the theater in which she lives, with a political cartoonist wanted for treason. She battles her way through a notorious gang of thugs, and negotiates with a runaway Mughal slave. 
   

Set in the early 1800s London, when the girls were supposed to have etiquette and elegance, Cat is a total opposite. She is a tomboy who loves adventure. Trouble is her best friend and follows her everywhere.With Cat, you can never tell what will happen. I enjoy this theme because I know that an unusual, exciting, and unpredictable twist will complicate the plot. If you are interested in this type of genre, please follow the adventures of Miss Catherine Royal in The Diamond of Drury Lane.

~Ash

Ash's Booktalk

To all my readers: When we open the first pages of a book, we enter a whole new world in which anything is possible. The characters introduce themselves to us and we are able to live their lives. In creating this blog, I am sharing my happy spot, my adventures, and the thrill of one-of-a-kind books.

In this blog, I will regularly update you on the most recent books I have enjoyed reading. The reason for the creation of my blog is for other enthusiastic readers like me to share the adventures they had in the wonderful world of books they read. I would absolutely love to learn about the books you have read. Please email me if you have a question or would like to have a fun, book group discussion with me.

So here's to another story!

~Ash