AUTHOR: Jody Kihara
INFO: Paperback, Fiction, 253 pages
PUBLISHED: Star Magnolia Publishing, 2011
SOURCE: Received from Author for Review and Blog Tour
Alia is a princess in a dwindling kingdom that lies on the Frankincense Road. Having grown up hearing tales of Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba, she dreams of finding a way to restore her kingdom’s former might. When a caravan journeying to the mysterious incense lands stops to take on travellers, she sees her chance.
She soon realises, however, that her trust in the caravan leaders has been misguided. They are not mere incense merchants, but traitors and mercenaries. Alia’s journey soon turns from dangerous to life-threatening.
The Frankincense Trail is a story that transports the reader to a time and place reminiscent of the Arabian Nights tales.
MY TAKE: Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read. While I tend to lean towards a lot of the English and Scottish history, this story was a very refreshing change. Arabia's past is a completely new area for me to explore and enjoy.
Jody Kihara has created two fascinating characters in Alia and Kardal. Their chemistry and interaction keeps the reader engrossed in the story. Alia's naivete was annoying at times, but I think if you keep in mind that she was a young, sheltered Princess before she ventured out into the world, it explains a lot of her behavior. I liked that Kardal was strong and commanding, yet showed a weakness towards Alia.
The story was entertaining yet educational as I learned many things about Arabian culture and history. The plot moves along quickly and had me completely hooked. The tale truly did remind me of some of the Arabian Nights adventures. I read the book in one afternoon as I couldn't put it down.
I highly recommend The Frankincense Tour for readers who enjoy YA, historical fiction, adventure and a little mystery sprinkled in for good measure.
Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:
You can snag your own copy here:
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You can read the first two chapters and check out the cool trailer.
There are a lot of fun things being planned along with this blog tour including a Twitter-view (Twitter interview):
Join us!
November Tour Schedule:
2nd: Freda's Voice
4th: Fictitious Musing
7th: Sweeping Me
8th: Can't Put It Down
10th: The Book Addicted Girl
~~~~~ Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own. I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links. I may receive books in order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one. Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.
