Endless blue sea
Amy Raphael: The Ship of Cloud and Stars (Orion 2022) „Per aspera ad astra” Through hardship to the stars. Nico Cloud is obsessed with science and legends. At home, however, her younger brothers get everything because they are boys. All Nico has to do is embroidery and tutoring her siblings. When her beloved books are taken away from her, she runs away with her remaining treasures (a map and fossil from her aunt, as well as seeds collected by her) She hopes that her parents realize how important she is to them in her absence. Nico’s aunt is a researcher, but in 1832 there are not many laurels for female scientists, so she is forced to travel the world dressed as a man on a ship called Anthos. Nico just wants to take a look at the ship, but accidentally she sails out to sea with it as a stowaway.…
Daughter of the Seas
Anna Rainbow and Oli Hyatt: Antigua de Fortune of the High Seas (Chicken House 2021) Haven is a part of the Fortune Islands, which is true to its name, a perfect place for fishermen and traders. According to an old legend, the Pirate King once, hundreds of years ago, cursed the island and kidnapped the boys on the night of the Bloodmoon in order to create his all-victorious army from them. However, his plan was foiled by the sea creatures: they defeated the Pirate King, but the boys disappeared forever. The story is now just a fairy tale, no one knows if it had any truth in it, but peace was never restored between humans and sea creatures. This year, for the first time in fifty years, there will be a Bloodmoon and Tiggy must prepare for the celebration instead of watching the sea from the harbor. She always felt…
The wish and the sea
Lisa Stringfellow: A Comb of Wishes (HarperCollins 2022) What would you wish for if you could have anything? Since her mother’s death, Kela has felt as broken as the glass pebbles known as „mermaid tears” that are washed ashore on the Caribbean island of St. Rita. So, when Kela and her friend Lissy find an ancient-looking comb in a cave, against all her principles, she takes the treasure they found home. Meanwhile, far away, deep in the cold ocean, the mermaid Ophidia feels that her comb has been found and despite her hatred of humans, she must grant a wish. However, wishes are not given for free. The story takes place on an imaginary Caribbean island called St. Rita, inspired by Barbados, where the author’s father was born. You can almost feel the taste of the food and the sounds of the street from the descriptions. The author also depicts…
Secrets of the Sea
Liz Kessler: The Tail of Emily Windsnap (Orion 2003) Liz Kessler has written more than 20 books for children and young adults. In her middle grade books, we can read about mermaids, fairies, time travel and superpowers. The author grew up by the sea and still lives there. She loves the ocean; this is what inspires her the most when she is writing her books. She has also worked as a journalist and teacher, but she has always loved writing and always encourages others to do so. Her favorite hobby (after writing, because even though she works as a writer, she still considers writing as her hobby) is photography, but she also likes surfing, kayaking, fishing and swimming – basically anything that can be done in or near the sea. The Emily Windsnap series is mostly inspired by her love of the sea and the writer’s belief that special and…
Books in the stream – TBR
Amy Raphael: The Ship of Cloud and Stars (Orion 2022) Nico Cloud definitely wants to be an explorer, but her parents think it is not for girls. However, fate intervenes when Nico happens to remain on board a ship that is about to sail out to sea… Fortunately, the ship belongs to a famous scientist who is about to embark on an expedition. However, the journey is far from cloudless as the pirates are determined to ruin the crew’s mission. Nico finally gets a chance to prove her aptitude. Maria Kuzniar: The Ship of Shadows – Secrets of the Stars (Penguin Books 2021) Aleja and her fellow pirates can’t wait to start a new adventure and find the second piece of the magical map. But they soon find disturbing clues. Aleja has strange visions, but she doesn’t know what they mean. The loyal crew must uncover more secrets than ever…
Books in the stream – Book recommendations for kids
Thomas Taylor: The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea series When the first winter winds blow in, the image of Eerie-on-Sea changes. The tourists, the ice cream vendors and the colorful towels disappear. Even the locals don’t venture ashore once darkness falls. They fear local legends. Or rather from what the legends are about. Herbert Lemont was swept to this shore by the sea but has since been responsible for the objects found at the famous Grand Nautilus Hotel. However, his calm everyday life is disturbed by a girl who is lost and asks Herbie to find her family. The penultimate volume of the series will be released this September. Astrid Lindgren: Kalle trilogy Kalle Blomkvist is a real Master Detective. He may be feared by London bandits and Chicago thugs because he cannot be misled, he will detect all crimes. The only problem is that Kalle does not live in London or…
Books in the stream – Book recommendation for adults
Michael Palin: Full Circle (BBC Worldwide 1997) Michael Palin is an English comedian, writer and actor best known for Monty Python’s Flying Circus show and his traveling series and books, which has had a big impact on travelers around the world and has drawn so much attention to exotic destinations that the process has been named as the ‘Palin impact’. “Full Circle” was his longest adventure lasted nearly a year and he visited 18 countries. Andrea Camilleri: Un mese con Montalbano (Thirty Short Stories, First published by Mondaddori Editore in 1998) Inspector Salvo Montalbano is the leader of the Vigàta police station. He loves silence and delicious food. He does his job honestly and fairly and strives to satisfy both his superiors and the people he needs to protect. In this book, we can read 30 short stories, including some of the inspector’s early cases. The stories are special because…
Books in the Stream
The first BogiWrites Readathon is starting! There are four prompts to complete during the Books in the Stream Readathon. You can complete each challenge with a separate book or with one book if you meet all four conditions. The reading challenges are: 1. A book with pirates 2. A book featuring dangerous adventures 3. A book with mythical creatures 4. A book where you can find treasure The prompts are not strict. It is enough if the pirates appear in the story. Dangerous adventures don’t have to take place at sea. Any fantastic creature can appear in the book and any book in which you found a treasure, counts. The Readathon runs throughout August. I will be back soon with book recommendations for adults and children and my own TBR list. Enjoy reading!