Asha & The Spirit Bird

Asha & The Spirit Bird
Jasbinder Bilan
Published February 2019

I picked this book up last night and within the first page I was hooked.  I couldn’t put it down and therefore needed to stay up late to finish it.  I had tears of joy streaming down my face as I read late into the night.

We meet Asha as she is fondly remembering her father who is away working.  She misses him dearly and is worried about him as the family haven’t heard from him in months.  We meet Asha’s best friend Jeevan, her mother and siblings.  A terrible woman and her henchmen are threatening her family and brave Asha tries to intervene.

Asha shows true bravery at this moment and will draw on this throughout the rest of this adventurous journey.  She learns some hard truths about her family and feels it is her decision to find her father, bring him home and ultimately save her family’s farm.  In the depths of her sadness, a beautiful bird flies into the garden.  It is a lamagaia, and Asha believes it is the spirit animal of her Nanijee.  Asha has been blessed with vivid dreams and connections to the world around her.

Asha has striking green eyes and a local witch tells her she has “been called by the Mountain Gods”.  To find her father she must travel to the most northerly temple in Kasare.  Asha and Jeevan plan their journey and put it into motion.

Danger inevitably follows and Asha is so admirable in her ability to keep going, to protect her friend and to find the path to her father. So much happens to the intrepid duo that you think they will never make it, they won’t find Asha’s father….but Jasbinder Bilan has created such strong characters we grow to love and believe in.

The lamagaia makes appearances throughout the journey and helps Asha to persevere.  Asha’s belief in her spirit bird is unshakable and it helps the friends they meet along the way to see a true path of freedom and happiness.

My heart was in my throat so many times and I had to continue on the journey with Asha.
I love Asha and her bravery, her friendship with Jeevan and the ending is simply glorious.

Buy this book, read it and share it!

A beautiful tale of adventure, friendship and love!