I
was so stuck to it, that I stayed up till 1:00 A.M. to finish it. Next
morning I tried to write a book report on it to have ready to give to
people I think might like it. But.. I gave up. No words can describe how
awesome it is. My heart rushed just to think about it.

The summary as in the book:

Maya Nelson
isn't your typical thirteen-year-old. She's spent her whole life living
on the sea with her marine biologist parents, her younger brother,
Simon, and baby sister, Penny. Maya used to love living on a sailboat,
but lately everything feels terribly claustrophobic. Maya longs to go to
school on land. To make friends. To lead a normal life. But when a
violent storm hits and Maya's parents are washed overboard, life becomes
anything but normal. The children manage to steer the boat toward a
mysterious island, to a place that doesn't exist on a map.

Welcome to Tamarind, where fish can fly, pirates
control the waters, jaguars lurk, the islanders are at war, and an evil,
child-stealing enchantress rules the jungle.

Maya never imagined she'd have to face so many dangers. But then, who could have imagined a place like Tamarind...?

That's the best it gets. The characters are sooo
lovable. Every single one. Though Maya, Simon and Penny are technically
all three the main characters, Maya is the one that the author writes
out her thoughts and feelings, etc.
I have to say, Maya is EXACTLY LIKE ME. Our thoughts and feelings are
completely identical. So if you know me, you'll see me  in her, and if
you don't then you'll know me better! All through the coolest heroine
ever; Maya.

Though our actions aren't quite alike. When she meets her
soon-to-be best friend, a boy named Helix, she decides to go on her own
way with her siblings, instead of follow Helix, even knowing that he
knew the way better. So.. that part was a bit off from the way I'd have
done it.

You come to care so much about the characters, and Maya and
Helix should get married, in my opinion. They were just meant for each
other. The author even DOES hint that they are in love. Nothing too
serious, they're my age, but very obviously slight romantic signs here
and there.

I don't know how to really tell you what I thought of
this book..... no words strong enough come to me. This does mean that
this is my FAVORITE BOOK EVER... this book aaandd.... THE SEQUEL!!!!!!!!
Named "Secrets of Tamarind", it is currently coming in the library, but
I am itching soo badly to read it!!!!

We had found out about these books in the first place, when
we were randomly browsing in the library, and we had stumbled across the
sequel first.

But I had become so wrapped up in this
book, that I forgot there was one! When I finished it, and realized
about the 2nd book, I almost had a heart attack! I couldn't believe that
my favorite characters would not leave me just yet, I almost cried!

This is turning soo long and I you probably don't have time to hear my gush about this book.

So: GO READ IT.
The
true.. awesomness, epicness, wonderfulness, beauty, and amazement and
whatnot of this book cannot be expressed unless you read it! (I'm even
forcing my mom to read it!)