The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Magic and adventure on the high seas!

I loved this book. Shannon Chakraborty has some serious writing skills. The plot felt very different and fresh. I am happy this book is part of a series because I need more!

Amina, a 40-year-old mother, used to be one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates. She thought she’d retired to live a life of piety with her family. But when a mother of a former crewman tracks Amina down, she offers Amina a job she can’t refuse—a kingly sum to find her missing granddaughter. Amina rounds up her old crew for one last adventure. However, things aren’t as simple as they seem. What follows is a legendary adventure!

*This author also wrote The Daevabad Trilogy—a series that I highly recommend.

Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen

**A Fairy Tale for Adults!**

This tale is about love, loss, friendship and redemption. I really enjoyed the writing and the characters. I would take this book on vacation or read it during the Holidays. It’s a heartwarming book that takes the reader on a fun, magical journey.  

Harry works for the US Forest Service. Put simply, he loves trees. When he tragically loses his wife in a freak accident, he retreats to the woods in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains. There, in a magical twist of fate, he meets Oriana, a young girl, who has recently lost her father. Oriana has a wild dream of finding her way back to her dad. Oriana believes Harry is the key to make her dream come true. They set off on an adventure guided by a handwritten book, The Grum’s Ledger.

The Graceling Realm by Kristin Cashore

If you want fantasy, romance, and adventure these are the books for you. They’re YA novels but lean towards an older audience. You don’t need to read this series in order until you reach Book #4.

In the Seven Kingdoms, there are people called Gracelings. A Grace is a unique ability like super strength or mind reading. In some Kingdoms, Gracelings are honored. In others, they’re the property of the King. With each book, Cashore expands the world and introduces new magical capabilities. The world building is extremely well done.

#1 Graceling - Katsa can kill a man with her bare hands. She never expected to fall in love. When Katsa discovers a dangerous secret, she sets off on an adventure with Prince Po to save the Kingdom.

#2 Fire – Fire is the last remaining human monster. She can control minds. The royal family brings her to the palace to help uncover a plot against the King. Fire learns there is more to her power than she ever imagined.

#3 Bitterblue – Bitterblue is the queen of Monsea but the influence of her psychopath, violent father lives on. The only way to move forward is to reveal the truth of the past. The problem is that truthseekers often end up dead.

#4 Winterkeep – A new kingdom has been discovered. Torla is a land of miracles and telepathic creatures. When Monsea’s envoys drown under mysterious circumstances, Bitterblue sails to Torla. With the help of Giddon and Hava, she discovers a secret that threatens their lives and homeland.

#5 Seasparrow – Told entirely from the prospective of Hava directly after the events in Book #4. Read Winterkeep first.