I just finished reading “Tamarind & The Star Of Ishta.” recently; it was such a great book and I knew I had to review it promptly.

“My heart pounds as I open the lid. Surely Mum wouldn’t mind me looking into her secret box?”

Tamarind never knew her mother who died when she was little. In fact, she never even knew why she died. She doesn’t want to go to India and stay with the family she’s not even met. She wanted to stay in England and go to football camp with her best friend. Even if she’s sleeping her mother’s bedroom, no one talks about her mother Chinty to her. However, everything takes an unexpected turn when she finds a girl in the garden. A girl who says her name’s Ishta and has a pet monkey called Hanu. A girl who leaves questions hanging in Tamarind’s mind…

I adored this tale of family secrets, India, magic, and nature. A tale so beautifully told that I wanted to cry. I love how the story unravels itself bit by bit, until you are left looking at the whole picture (and the last page!). Jasbiner Balin has captured my heart in one story I can’t wait to read her other books!

BJMN