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