The Girl From Everywhere, Heidi Heilig
Hardcover, 464 pages
Expected publication: February 16th 2016 by Greenwillow Books
Source: e-ARC from Edelweiss
It was the kind of August day that hinted at monsoons, and the year was 1774, though not for very much longer.
Sixteen-year-old Nix Song is a time-traveller. She, her father and their crew of time refugees travel the world aboard The Temptation, a glorious pirate ship stuffed with treasures both typical and mythical. Old maps allow Nix and her father to navigate not just to distant lands, but distant times – although a map will only take you somewhere once. And Nix’s father is only interested in one time, and one place: Honolulu 1868. A time before Nix was born, and her mother was alive. Something that puts Nix’s existence rather dangerously in question…
Nix has grown used to her father’s obsession, but only because she’s convinced it can’t work. But then a map falls into her father’s lap that changes everything. And when Nix refuses to help, her father threatens to maroon Kashmir, her only friend (and perhaps, only love) in a time where Nix will never be able to find him. And if Nix has learned one thing, it’s that losing the person you love is a torment that no one can withstand. Nix must work out what she wants, who she is, and where she really belongs before time runs out on her forever.
Time travelling pirates?! Could a book sound any cooler than this? Nix sails on her father’s ship, The Temptation, and as long as he has a map the captain can sail to any place – and any time. The past? Then to the future? Mythical ports? All doable! Oh and partly set in Hawaii? Give me more!
Nix helps her father find the maps required for their time traveling sails, but the one map he desperately wants might wipe Nix off page entirely. Nix and Captain Slate don’t sail the Temptation alone – they have a unique and hilarious crew to help – including ghosts and tiny dragons. So poor Nix loves her father, but to help him find happiness she risks her own life. And as much as the story is about Nix and her father, there’s so much more; love, addiction, treason and adventure on the high seas!
I loved Nix, I loved Kashmir and I loved the mythology that Heilig wove into their journeys. I knew I was head over heels for this book when the Chinese Terracotta warriors came up…
http://www.chinatour.com/xian/xian-attractions/terracotta-warriors.htm
If you’re looking for an adventure I highly recommend this fast and fun read. I am dying to get my hands on a finished copy of The Girl from Everywhere so I can see the maps! This was such an awesome concept and I cannot wait to see where the series goes.
5 stars!
Thank you Greenwillow Books and Edelweiss for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Gun In Act One 
Totally agree! I really enjoyed this one and wound up going to the launch party to get a finished (signed) copy because I NEEDED the maps.
So glad it’s not just me! I feel like the maps must enrich the story even more.
I wondered how this was! I have been noticing it a lot lately and thought it sounded like something both my daughter and I would enjoy. I am adding it to Books I Want list!
Well I hope you both enjoy! I thought it was just such a fun idea!
TINY DRAGONS? I just lost my entire damn mind. This sounds SO great.
ok to be fair it was 1 tiny dragon – but so much other cool stuff too!
I worried at first that this sounded like it hadntoo much going on, but it seems to have threaded the needle for you! I’d love to see those maps too. 🙂
I see what you mean, but I thought it all played out just right
I’m so glad to hear you loved this one! It sounds like a blast and I hope to get to it in the next few weeks!