In 200BC, frankincense was worth its weight in gold, making Arabia was the envy of the world. But wealth comes at a cost: the precious resin was transported along the Frankincense Road, a dangerous route through rocky mountains and barren desert. Alia is a princess in a dwindling kingdom that lies on the Frankincense Road. Having grown up hearing tales of the famous 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.
Jody Kihara is an author of children's and teen fiction. She writes for several age ranges, from chapter books to mid-grade to young adult. Her younger children's books are humorous, and her mid-grade and YA books usually have a strong element of adventure or mystery. Five of her books are now available via the Amazon Kindle store: MONSTERZINE, a humorous chapter book; WHITE WITCH POND, a mid-grade ghost story; THE GIRL ACROSS THE WATER, a young adult mystery/thriller; THE GOOB FACTOR, a humorous YA novel; and THE FRANKINCENSE TRAIL, a YA historical novel set it pre-Islamic Arabia.
You can learn more about Jody at her website: www.jodykihara.com.
Latest reviews of THE FRANKINCENSE TRAIL:
"laced with danger and adventure... a magical journey of discovery"
"I cannot recommend this one enough... the story will pull you in and not let you go till the very end."
"The strength of the MC, Alia, is amazing; I found her to be refreshing and empowering."
"The scenes were so vivid! I was transported to the point where I could feel the heavy heat of the desert sun beating down, or the parched state of the travellers as the water from the skin bottles trickled to a stop. I heard the zing of the swords, the echoing of the horse's hoof steps against the palace walls, and the guttural shouts of the men in their foreign tongues."
"It felt like I'd travelled back in time. It was so very vibrant that I could feel it, feel the book, the place, the people... I loved every page, every moment."
"I loved, loved, loved The Frankincense Trail. It was unlike anything I'd read before. Once I'd finished, I just wanted to dive back into the story."
"I will count this book as one of my favourites for this year."
