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Ayesha Dean Mysteries #2
Ayesha Dean - The Seville Secret
New Friends, New Adventure, New Mystery!
Ayesha, Sara and Jess are back in an exciting new adventure, and this time they're off to Spain! When a fellow passenger's beloved grandpa strangely disappears, Ayesha and her friends gladly join in the search for the missing person. But as Ayesha delves further into the mystery, the more sinister the stakes become! Ayesha finds a link between the missing person and a 16th century diary that contains clues to an ancient mystery. However, each step closer to discovery seems to pose greater chances of peril. Can Ayesha uncover the truth without putting herself and her friends in mortal danger?
Ayesha, Sara and Jess are back in an exciting new adventure, and this time they're off to Spain! When a fellow passenger's beloved grandpa strangely disappears, Ayesha and her friends gladly join in the search for the missing person. But as Ayesha delves further into the mystery, the more sinister the stakes become! Ayesha finds a link between the missing person and a 16th century diary that contains clues to an ancient mystery. However, each step closer to discovery seems to pose greater chances of peril. Can Ayesha uncover the truth without putting herself and her friends in mortal danger?
- GenresMiddle Grade
256 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2019
2 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 24, 2019
Ayesha Dean and the Seville Secret
Melati Lum
Ayesha Dean can’t wait to move on to her next investigation following the dramas and dangers of the Istanbul Intrigue. Undeterred, her passion for becoming a detective is undiminished – rather enhanced – as she heads off to Seville for a ‘holiday’ with her close friends Sara and Jess under the not-very-watchful eye of her guardian uncle. In ‘Ayesha Dean and the Seville Secret’ the author Melati Lum, a lawyer, has drawn out the characters . Ayesha is a little older and wiser, though not too much to avoid the dangers she throws herself into and which makes her adventures such a ‘page turner’. Lum’s writing style has also developed (‘the wooden door behind her flew open to connect with the stone wall’ rather than ‘the door banged open’)) – the plot is tighter and the writing style less literal.
Ayesha Dean’s world is already a darker, scarier place. She is learning no longer to trust outward appearances, but has not yet acquired the literary detective’s natural suspicion of everybody. She also enters a world of organised crime, murder and guns – all of which she realises are elements of what she must learn to deal with if she is to become a detective. The risks are greater and schoolgirl japes have turned serious. Like all good super-heroes, Ayesha has also been honing her special skills to deal with the enhanced threat – hers are martial arts and a course in lock picking - both of which are used to good effect in unravelling the Seville Secret.
What has not changed are the sunny dispositions of the main characters, Ayesha’s Islamic faith that is tried on many occasions, and the fashion consciousness of the three teenage girls whose outfits are recorded in great detail – ‘if you are going to be a detective look good’ is the message – Ayesha Dean is not so much the dowdy Miss Marple as the fastidious Hercule Poirot and like the famous French detective food is high on the agenda.
As with the Istanbul Intrigue, in the Seville Secret Ayesha Dean is drawn into a world of corruption, greed and hidden treasure. This allows a wider context to be explored - in this case the forced expulsion of the Moriscos (the Moors) from Andalusia, Spain. Ayesha is also growing up and is nearly, but not quite, falling in love with the handsome young Kareem whose grandfather’s disappearance has prompted the investigation. Ayesha puts aside romantic possibilities to focus on the task in hand – but this is a clever echo of the love affair that lies behind the ‘hidden treasure of incalculable value’ that everybody is hunting and is prepared to kill for.
As with the Istanbul Intrigue, all the threads are pulled together but not without many twists and turns and it is a palpable relief when Ayesha emerges relatively unscathed, but with more experience and wisdom to begin her next adventure. Maybe entering the world of guns will require her to learn how to handle her firearms skills – but how will she reconcile that with her faith and passion for 12th century Sufis, such as Ibn Arabi and Ibn Hazm, whose work centres around compassion and tolerance? As a grandfather myself - Ayesha feels like a granddaughter making her way in life, I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Richard Twinch, Galle, Sri Lanka, Feb 2019
Melati Lum
Ayesha Dean can’t wait to move on to her next investigation following the dramas and dangers of the Istanbul Intrigue. Undeterred, her passion for becoming a detective is undiminished – rather enhanced – as she heads off to Seville for a ‘holiday’ with her close friends Sara and Jess under the not-very-watchful eye of her guardian uncle. In ‘Ayesha Dean and the Seville Secret’ the author Melati Lum, a lawyer, has drawn out the characters . Ayesha is a little older and wiser, though not too much to avoid the dangers she throws herself into and which makes her adventures such a ‘page turner’. Lum’s writing style has also developed (‘the wooden door behind her flew open to connect with the stone wall’ rather than ‘the door banged open’)) – the plot is tighter and the writing style less literal.
Ayesha Dean’s world is already a darker, scarier place. She is learning no longer to trust outward appearances, but has not yet acquired the literary detective’s natural suspicion of everybody. She also enters a world of organised crime, murder and guns – all of which she realises are elements of what she must learn to deal with if she is to become a detective. The risks are greater and schoolgirl japes have turned serious. Like all good super-heroes, Ayesha has also been honing her special skills to deal with the enhanced threat – hers are martial arts and a course in lock picking - both of which are used to good effect in unravelling the Seville Secret.
What has not changed are the sunny dispositions of the main characters, Ayesha’s Islamic faith that is tried on many occasions, and the fashion consciousness of the three teenage girls whose outfits are recorded in great detail – ‘if you are going to be a detective look good’ is the message – Ayesha Dean is not so much the dowdy Miss Marple as the fastidious Hercule Poirot and like the famous French detective food is high on the agenda.
As with the Istanbul Intrigue, in the Seville Secret Ayesha Dean is drawn into a world of corruption, greed and hidden treasure. This allows a wider context to be explored - in this case the forced expulsion of the Moriscos (the Moors) from Andalusia, Spain. Ayesha is also growing up and is nearly, but not quite, falling in love with the handsome young Kareem whose grandfather’s disappearance has prompted the investigation. Ayesha puts aside romantic possibilities to focus on the task in hand – but this is a clever echo of the love affair that lies behind the ‘hidden treasure of incalculable value’ that everybody is hunting and is prepared to kill for.
As with the Istanbul Intrigue, all the threads are pulled together but not without many twists and turns and it is a palpable relief when Ayesha emerges relatively unscathed, but with more experience and wisdom to begin her next adventure. Maybe entering the world of guns will require her to learn how to handle her firearms skills – but how will she reconcile that with her faith and passion for 12th century Sufis, such as Ibn Arabi and Ibn Hazm, whose work centres around compassion and tolerance? As a grandfather myself - Ayesha feels like a granddaughter making her way in life, I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Richard Twinch, Galle, Sri Lanka, Feb 2019
August 12, 2019
On her way to Spain, a fellow passenger, Karreem, tells Ayesha about his missing grandad. When Ayesha, Sara and Jess look into the mystery, they have to contend with a dangerous gang, the El Maravillo, who are desperate to find the Collar de Pajaros.
I think this book was amazing, and I particularly like the diary. Also, I like the part where they find the necklace inside Sofia's dress.
So all in all, I think this an awesome book, and it's even better than the first.
I think this book was amazing, and I particularly like the diary. Also, I like the part where they find the necklace inside Sofia's dress.
So all in all, I think this an awesome book, and it's even better than the first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2019
A new addition to the Ayesha Dean series. I think this is a fabulous series with an amazing protagonist, in Ayesha Dean, a young muslim girl who wants to be an investigator. She is kick ass and a strong young woman with an eclectic band of friends. Whilst this follows the same formula as the istanbul intrigue it moves to a different city (Seville). I found this book fascinating in its look at the moorish history of the andalusian region of spain. This a great crime series for Young adult readers and whilst its part of a series this book could be read as a standalone. In my opinion we need more people like Melati, writing novels like this as our literature especially for young people should have likeable characters of all races and beliefs and this novel really delivers on that. A massive 5 star read for me.
February 6, 2019
This is the second middle grade mystery story for globe trotting sleuth, Ayesha Dean, and much like her first adventure in Istanbul, this Spanish setting is infused with rich history, delicious food, relatable characters and quick paced action.
SYNOPSIS:
Once again Ayesha and her two friends Jess and Sara are tagging along on a business trip with Uncle Dave, Ayesha's uncle who has raised her since her parent's passing. As they wait in line to board the final flight of their lengthy journey from Australia, a young man drops his contents and Ayesha and him chat, later they are seated next to each other on the plane where he discloses his travels from England to Seville are to help locate his missing grandfather. Ayesha volunteers herself and her friends to help him and they hit the ground in Spain determined to solve the case.
The boy, Kareem, is staying with the friends his beloved grandfather was staying with when he went missing, so that is where the detectives start their work. In searching his room, Ayesha uncovers a 400 year old diary written in Arabic, and a pamphlet from the Archeology Museum with a necklace circled, the Collar de Pajaros. Just enough to get them started and set their adventure in motion.
The group of teens rely on Kareem to translate the Arabic in the diary and Ayesha's wit to decide what to follow up on and how to incorporate their sightseeing with the task at hand. As they journey through the city of Seville, learning the history and tasting the food, nefarious characters start to notice the group and things get intense. From Cathedrals, to cafes, to Museums, and even to an ancient city uncovered in Cordobo, Madina Al-Zahra, the chase is on, not only to find Kareem's grandpa, but to also avoid being caught themselves and maybe even solving a centuries old mystery about treasure and a necklace along the way.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love that Ayesha in any situation stays true to her self. She wears hijab, she prays, she is aware of the good looking guy, but doesn't cross her own line, she is a good friend, an inquisitive person, and confident. All amazing attributes for a fictitious hero and real ones too.
Much like Nancy Drew and other middle grade novel series, the books don't need to be read in order, and while they reference other adventures, they stand alone sufficiently too. Also, like the aforementioned books there is definitely a formulaic pattern to how the author writes her books. And while reading it I didn't notice it intensely, as I write the review I do. Ayesha travels abroad, she has her sidekicks that are not developed at all and truly have no barring on the story plot wise or as comic relief, they are simply foils to bounce conversation off of, there is a cute boy who could be pursued, but isn't, someone passes out while she and her friends are sight seeing, and the spouses provide added clues, Ayesha gets locked in a small dark space, there is a twist and a surprise, a trap, and they all live to repeat the adventure in another city another day. I don't think I have a problem with it, but maybe because I am not the target audience age, I might get bored with it about book four or so. As it stands right now, I'm anxiously waiting for book three.
While reading I was a little irked that Sara and Jess weren't any more developed in Spain than they were in Turkey. One of them could have been the one to administer CPR or to stumble on the diary in the room, something to give them some plot significance, but alas, the books do not bare their names. I wish Kareem would have at least said "Salam" on occasion. I like that the author shows he doesn't know much about Islam and shows that his grandfather admits its been so long since he has prayed, but the boy is a Morisco and his parents immigrants from Algeria, he translates Arabic, he should say Salam when he meets Ayesha in her hijab wrapped head.
The author does a much better job in this book staying with the characters and showing the city through their eyes rather than pulling them out of their scenes to convey something. Only once at the end of a chapter did I feel there was some forced foreshadowing that was not needed, as the book is quick and chapters may end, but the pages still turn until the end is reached. I had more trouble putting the book down than picking it up, and that is saying something as I read it online and I definitely favor physical books.
I wish there was an afterword or author's note explaining what was real and what was fiction. I googled Madinat al-Zahra and found it fascinating, but couldn't find anything in English about the Collar de Pajaros. Also a map or two would be great.
FLAGS:
None. This book is clean and even the fights are not gory or over the top. Yay!
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would absolutely do this as an elementary book club selection, and can't wait to get a copy to my children's school library and their classrooms. The book is an easy read and the history and culture is seamlessly interwoven in to the story that kids will enjoy the action and find they learned something about a culture along the way. I think boys and girls will enjoy it, even if it appeals more to the girls. The cover, the binding, the font is all spot on for the age group and I eagerly await Ayesha's next adventure.
SYNOPSIS:
Once again Ayesha and her two friends Jess and Sara are tagging along on a business trip with Uncle Dave, Ayesha's uncle who has raised her since her parent's passing. As they wait in line to board the final flight of their lengthy journey from Australia, a young man drops his contents and Ayesha and him chat, later they are seated next to each other on the plane where he discloses his travels from England to Seville are to help locate his missing grandfather. Ayesha volunteers herself and her friends to help him and they hit the ground in Spain determined to solve the case.
The boy, Kareem, is staying with the friends his beloved grandfather was staying with when he went missing, so that is where the detectives start their work. In searching his room, Ayesha uncovers a 400 year old diary written in Arabic, and a pamphlet from the Archeology Museum with a necklace circled, the Collar de Pajaros. Just enough to get them started and set their adventure in motion.
The group of teens rely on Kareem to translate the Arabic in the diary and Ayesha's wit to decide what to follow up on and how to incorporate their sightseeing with the task at hand. As they journey through the city of Seville, learning the history and tasting the food, nefarious characters start to notice the group and things get intense. From Cathedrals, to cafes, to Museums, and even to an ancient city uncovered in Cordobo, Madina Al-Zahra, the chase is on, not only to find Kareem's grandpa, but to also avoid being caught themselves and maybe even solving a centuries old mystery about treasure and a necklace along the way.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love that Ayesha in any situation stays true to her self. She wears hijab, she prays, she is aware of the good looking guy, but doesn't cross her own line, she is a good friend, an inquisitive person, and confident. All amazing attributes for a fictitious hero and real ones too.
Much like Nancy Drew and other middle grade novel series, the books don't need to be read in order, and while they reference other adventures, they stand alone sufficiently too. Also, like the aforementioned books there is definitely a formulaic pattern to how the author writes her books. And while reading it I didn't notice it intensely, as I write the review I do. Ayesha travels abroad, she has her sidekicks that are not developed at all and truly have no barring on the story plot wise or as comic relief, they are simply foils to bounce conversation off of, there is a cute boy who could be pursued, but isn't, someone passes out while she and her friends are sight seeing, and the spouses provide added clues, Ayesha gets locked in a small dark space, there is a twist and a surprise, a trap, and they all live to repeat the adventure in another city another day. I don't think I have a problem with it, but maybe because I am not the target audience age, I might get bored with it about book four or so. As it stands right now, I'm anxiously waiting for book three.
While reading I was a little irked that Sara and Jess weren't any more developed in Spain than they were in Turkey. One of them could have been the one to administer CPR or to stumble on the diary in the room, something to give them some plot significance, but alas, the books do not bare their names. I wish Kareem would have at least said "Salam" on occasion. I like that the author shows he doesn't know much about Islam and shows that his grandfather admits its been so long since he has prayed, but the boy is a Morisco and his parents immigrants from Algeria, he translates Arabic, he should say Salam when he meets Ayesha in her hijab wrapped head.
The author does a much better job in this book staying with the characters and showing the city through their eyes rather than pulling them out of their scenes to convey something. Only once at the end of a chapter did I feel there was some forced foreshadowing that was not needed, as the book is quick and chapters may end, but the pages still turn until the end is reached. I had more trouble putting the book down than picking it up, and that is saying something as I read it online and I definitely favor physical books.
I wish there was an afterword or author's note explaining what was real and what was fiction. I googled Madinat al-Zahra and found it fascinating, but couldn't find anything in English about the Collar de Pajaros. Also a map or two would be great.
FLAGS:
None. This book is clean and even the fights are not gory or over the top. Yay!
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would absolutely do this as an elementary book club selection, and can't wait to get a copy to my children's school library and their classrooms. The book is an easy read and the history and culture is seamlessly interwoven in to the story that kids will enjoy the action and find they learned something about a culture along the way. I think boys and girls will enjoy it, even if it appeals more to the girls. The cover, the binding, the font is all spot on for the age group and I eagerly await Ayesha's next adventure.
April 12, 2019
Some of my earliest reading memories surround books like Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. They leave such a potent nostalgia in me and I'm not sure if that's where my love of reading started but it definitely played a HUGE role. When I was young I would do my best to collect as many books from both series as I could, and my younger brother and I formed a type of comradery while sharing their stories.
I haven't picked up a Nancy Drew (or Hardy Boys) mystery in years. However, all of the nostalgia associated with Nancy and her crew came rushing at me with Ayesha Dean - The Seville Secret.
The Seville Secret is the 2nd book in the Ayesha Dean series, yet you don't have to read the first book to enjoy this one. This sweet, mysterious, and refreshing read stands alone.
I actually started reading The Seville Secret with my 9-year-old sister and besides the fact that I enjoyed it, I loved seeing her enjoyment of it as well. The language is simple and perfect for the middle-grade readers that it's aimed for but the story is truly adept at pulling in readers of all ages.
I was absolutely delighted by all of the parallels between Nancy and Ayesha and I was reminded all over again just how much I enjoyed reading a good mystery. If you've read Nancy Drew you can see how both Nancy and Ayesha have a token male parental figure who worries for their loved one but doesn't discourage their independence. There are also the two friends, one who is athletic and one who is more dainty. Then there is the sweet and innocent love interest that doesn't pull away from the story, is a true gentleman, and that doesn't venture into any cheeky places.
Ayesha Dean is literally the Muslim Nancy Drew that I needed as an 11-year-old looking for characters like me. The Seville Secret is well written and the author, Melati Lum, is truly skilled at including the Moorish history of Spain, Spanish culture, and Islamic representation. The story is rich with beautiful imagery and history. I honestly couldn't help but to close my eyes and imagine some of the descriptions of flowers and nature and make myself hungry thinking about some of the food that was being eaten. I'm not an artist but I swear I thought I could draw a version of the missing necklace that is the center of the story.
There's also a part where Ayesha is not able to make wudhuu with water and Lum incorporates her doing tayammum and I was too geeeeked! Ayesha regularly praises Allah and is unapologetically Muslim. One thing that brings me enjoyment is that none of the plot surrounds Ayesha struggling with being a Muslim. She's completely confident in who she is, what she practices, and how she lives. As marginalized people, it's expected that our art and literature reflect the struggle we go through, but sometimes it's refreshing to have a story where the character is just who he/she is.
The Seville Secret was honestly an enjoyable read and The Ayesha Dean series is definitely something I would like to have on the shelf for not only my own enjoyment but my middle-grade siblings and future children.
I haven't picked up a Nancy Drew (or Hardy Boys) mystery in years. However, all of the nostalgia associated with Nancy and her crew came rushing at me with Ayesha Dean - The Seville Secret.
The Seville Secret is the 2nd book in the Ayesha Dean series, yet you don't have to read the first book to enjoy this one. This sweet, mysterious, and refreshing read stands alone.
I actually started reading The Seville Secret with my 9-year-old sister and besides the fact that I enjoyed it, I loved seeing her enjoyment of it as well. The language is simple and perfect for the middle-grade readers that it's aimed for but the story is truly adept at pulling in readers of all ages.
I was absolutely delighted by all of the parallels between Nancy and Ayesha and I was reminded all over again just how much I enjoyed reading a good mystery. If you've read Nancy Drew you can see how both Nancy and Ayesha have a token male parental figure who worries for their loved one but doesn't discourage their independence. There are also the two friends, one who is athletic and one who is more dainty. Then there is the sweet and innocent love interest that doesn't pull away from the story, is a true gentleman, and that doesn't venture into any cheeky places.
Ayesha Dean is literally the Muslim Nancy Drew that I needed as an 11-year-old looking for characters like me. The Seville Secret is well written and the author, Melati Lum, is truly skilled at including the Moorish history of Spain, Spanish culture, and Islamic representation. The story is rich with beautiful imagery and history. I honestly couldn't help but to close my eyes and imagine some of the descriptions of flowers and nature and make myself hungry thinking about some of the food that was being eaten. I'm not an artist but I swear I thought I could draw a version of the missing necklace that is the center of the story.
There's also a part where Ayesha is not able to make wudhuu with water and Lum incorporates her doing tayammum and I was too geeeeked! Ayesha regularly praises Allah and is unapologetically Muslim. One thing that brings me enjoyment is that none of the plot surrounds Ayesha struggling with being a Muslim. She's completely confident in who she is, what she practices, and how she lives. As marginalized people, it's expected that our art and literature reflect the struggle we go through, but sometimes it's refreshing to have a story where the character is just who he/she is.
The Seville Secret was honestly an enjoyable read and The Ayesha Dean series is definitely something I would like to have on the shelf for not only my own enjoyment but my middle-grade siblings and future children.
Read
April 8, 2019The Seville Secret is the second installment in the Ayesha Dean middle grade series by Melati Lum. It follows Ayesha, a hijabi Australian teenager, as she travels and solves mysteries with her friends.
In The Seville Secret, Ayesha goes with friends Jess and Sara and her Uncle David to Spain. He has business to attend to while the girls go on holiday. On the plane, they meet Kareem, who is going to Spain to look for his grandfather, who disappeared while studying some ancient jewels. Ayesha offers to help, and adventure ensues.
While searching through Kareem’s grandfather’s things, they come across a very old diary. The diary was written during the Spanish Inquisition, and it means that readers are treated to two stories: the sixteenth century tale of a secret Muslim and his relationship to a famous necklace, as well as the mystery of what happened to Kareem’s grandfather.
This middle grade novel is both a mystery and an adventure story; there are not only museums and ruins but also fights with bad guys and narrow escapes. This is the kind of book where a child protagonist can use her martial arts skills to get a bad guy to let go of get best friend, where the police share information about an ongoing investigation with a minor, and where she asks the defective with a straight face if there’s anything she can do to help.
The Seville Secret is a really fun read and I especially recommend it to parents looking for more wholesome literature for their kids. Ayesha Dean is such a refreshing character. She is independent and confident: I love that she knows that she wants to be a detective, and she takes herself seriously, training in martial arts. She also owns her faith and her hijab, despite being the only Muslim in her house. She takes time out of her day to pray, even while on her adventures. She knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to go after it. While this book will be especially meaningful to Muslim readers, I can see middle grade readers of all genders and faith backgrounds enjoying this story.
I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
In The Seville Secret, Ayesha goes with friends Jess and Sara and her Uncle David to Spain. He has business to attend to while the girls go on holiday. On the plane, they meet Kareem, who is going to Spain to look for his grandfather, who disappeared while studying some ancient jewels. Ayesha offers to help, and adventure ensues.
While searching through Kareem’s grandfather’s things, they come across a very old diary. The diary was written during the Spanish Inquisition, and it means that readers are treated to two stories: the sixteenth century tale of a secret Muslim and his relationship to a famous necklace, as well as the mystery of what happened to Kareem’s grandfather.
This middle grade novel is both a mystery and an adventure story; there are not only museums and ruins but also fights with bad guys and narrow escapes. This is the kind of book where a child protagonist can use her martial arts skills to get a bad guy to let go of get best friend, where the police share information about an ongoing investigation with a minor, and where she asks the defective with a straight face if there’s anything she can do to help.
The Seville Secret is a really fun read and I especially recommend it to parents looking for more wholesome literature for their kids. Ayesha Dean is such a refreshing character. She is independent and confident: I love that she knows that she wants to be a detective, and she takes herself seriously, training in martial arts. She also owns her faith and her hijab, despite being the only Muslim in her house. She takes time out of her day to pray, even while on her adventures. She knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to go after it. While this book will be especially meaningful to Muslim readers, I can see middle grade readers of all genders and faith backgrounds enjoying this story.
I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2019
Fresh from her adventures in Istanbul Ayesha Dean is ready for her next mystery. Ayesha along with her friends Sara and Jess and her uncle Dave is on her way to Seville, Spain when she meets Kareem. He is looking for his grandfather who has gone missing in Seville and Ayesha agrees to help him. Throw in a centuries old love story and a missing necklace, it's the perfect mystery for Ayesha. But, unfortunately it's not long before her investigation leads her to trouble.
Ayesha Dean is a young, independent, smart, mystery loving, hijab wearing, devout Muslim. She is a martial artist and wants to be a detective. She's brought up by her uncle Dave and aunt Lily after the death of her parents. She loves solving mysteries along with her two best friends.
Seville Secret is the second book in Ayesha Dean series. It shows the three friends trying to solve a centuries old mystery while trying to locate a missing old man in the present time.
The past and the present is intricately woven in the story. The historical sites and the history of Spain were beautifully portrayed. And the delicious mouth watering food. The plot moves forward in a comfortable pace with plenty of risk involved. Ayesha's skills were cleverly showcased in this book. She is definitely not a damsel in distress. I wish the author had given something for Sara and Jess to do. They didn't contribute much to the plot and the story would have continued the same way even if they weren't in it. Other than that this book is definitely a great book for a cozy mystery lover.
I would like to thank the author for giving me a ARC. I loved this book. It's not every day you come across a book with a Muslim heroine like Ayesha Dean. This book was a breath of fresh air compared to all the books which portrays women as damsels in distress who needs to be rescued from big bad men.
Ayesha Dean is a modern day Nancy Drew. This book took me back to my childhood when I read my first Nancy Drew book. It was refreshing to see all the references to Ayesha's Islamic background. This is a book I would want my children read when they grow up In shaa Allah.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the next instalment.
Ayesha Dean is a young, independent, smart, mystery loving, hijab wearing, devout Muslim. She is a martial artist and wants to be a detective. She's brought up by her uncle Dave and aunt Lily after the death of her parents. She loves solving mysteries along with her two best friends.
Seville Secret is the second book in Ayesha Dean series. It shows the three friends trying to solve a centuries old mystery while trying to locate a missing old man in the present time.
The past and the present is intricately woven in the story. The historical sites and the history of Spain were beautifully portrayed. And the delicious mouth watering food. The plot moves forward in a comfortable pace with plenty of risk involved. Ayesha's skills were cleverly showcased in this book. She is definitely not a damsel in distress. I wish the author had given something for Sara and Jess to do. They didn't contribute much to the plot and the story would have continued the same way even if they weren't in it. Other than that this book is definitely a great book for a cozy mystery lover.
I would like to thank the author for giving me a ARC. I loved this book. It's not every day you come across a book with a Muslim heroine like Ayesha Dean. This book was a breath of fresh air compared to all the books which portrays women as damsels in distress who needs to be rescued from big bad men.
Ayesha Dean is a modern day Nancy Drew. This book took me back to my childhood when I read my first Nancy Drew book. It was refreshing to see all the references to Ayesha's Islamic background. This is a book I would want my children read when they grow up In shaa Allah.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the next instalment.
April 12, 2019
It is so wonderful to read another adventure of Ayesha Dean, this time in the captivating region of Andalusia, rich in history and mystique, both of which are described beautifully by the author.
Ayesha again soon finds herself a mystery to solve with her two best friends involving a missing elderly man and an ancient diary, and the reader is taken on a thrilling ride through castles, museums and historical ruins as Ayesha and her friends piece together the clues to locate a priceless necklace and save their friend’s grandfather.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the way Melati Lum interweaves religious experiences of the past and present. The diary extracts detail the difficulties faced by Muslims and Jews during the Spanish Inquisition, yet love blossoms between two individuals despite their different religious and social standing. In the present, Ayesha’s close friendship with her besties Sara and Jess show how they respect and support one another in expressing and practising their respective faiths. Whether it be Ayesha praying her five daily prayers as a Muslim or Sara lighting a candle in a cathedral as a Maronite Christian, religion is an important part of their lives just as it was to those many centuries earlier.
For young readers today who may feel that adhering to their faith is becoming increasingly difficult, this book is a wonderful reminder that they can feel proud of their religious heritage in contemporary times, and that friends come from all walks of life and faith communities.
Ayesha again soon finds herself a mystery to solve with her two best friends involving a missing elderly man and an ancient diary, and the reader is taken on a thrilling ride through castles, museums and historical ruins as Ayesha and her friends piece together the clues to locate a priceless necklace and save their friend’s grandfather.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the way Melati Lum interweaves religious experiences of the past and present. The diary extracts detail the difficulties faced by Muslims and Jews during the Spanish Inquisition, yet love blossoms between two individuals despite their different religious and social standing. In the present, Ayesha’s close friendship with her besties Sara and Jess show how they respect and support one another in expressing and practising their respective faiths. Whether it be Ayesha praying her five daily prayers as a Muslim or Sara lighting a candle in a cathedral as a Maronite Christian, religion is an important part of their lives just as it was to those many centuries earlier.
For young readers today who may feel that adhering to their faith is becoming increasingly difficult, this book is a wonderful reminder that they can feel proud of their religious heritage in contemporary times, and that friends come from all walks of life and faith communities.
February 12, 2019
Ayesha Dean and The Seville Secret, author Malati Lum’s newest YA novel, in the Ayesha Deen series: This story is about a young woman, Ayesha Dean, who wishes to one day become a detective. Throughout her distant global travels, she comes across people and places that hold many a dark secret. Being the curious sort and a natural sleuth, Ayesha engages her best friends to join her in solving the mystery, and lucky for her, her friends are equally as inquisitive and eager to get to the bottom of things, despite facing impending danger.
I especially appreciated the banter and camaraderie between Ayesha and her two side-kick-friends, reminiscent of the original Nancy Drew Mysteries. However, I found the main character––Ayesha––portrayed as less perfect, less passive, and more true-to-life than the iconic Nancy Drew character.
Lum has done more than write an action-packed adventure. She has created a contemporary, coming of age, polished female sleuth willing to bend convention, question authority and gender stereotyping, as well as challenge implicit xenophobic cultural narratives. I’m confident Ayesha Dean and The Seville Secret will engage and satisfy many a YA mystery lover.
I especially appreciated the banter and camaraderie between Ayesha and her two side-kick-friends, reminiscent of the original Nancy Drew Mysteries. However, I found the main character––Ayesha––portrayed as less perfect, less passive, and more true-to-life than the iconic Nancy Drew character.
Lum has done more than write an action-packed adventure. She has created a contemporary, coming of age, polished female sleuth willing to bend convention, question authority and gender stereotyping, as well as challenge implicit xenophobic cultural narratives. I’m confident Ayesha Dean and The Seville Secret will engage and satisfy many a YA mystery lover.
May 21, 2024
Was this good? Absolutely not. Did I love it anyway? Obviously.
February 16, 2019
Really enjoyed the second instalment of the Ayesha Dean series. I travelled through Seville last year and it was so wonderful to be reminded of the locations we visited once again through Ayesha's adventures.
The story is fun, intriguing and captivating, loved the plot, the mystery, and the dialogue between the 3 best friends. Perfect read for tweens, teens and older. Looking forward to the next instalment of Ayesha Dean!
The story is fun, intriguing and captivating, loved the plot, the mystery, and the dialogue between the 3 best friends. Perfect read for tweens, teens and older. Looking forward to the next instalment of Ayesha Dean!
April 14, 2019
Thank you to Melati Lum for sending me an eARC of her book in exchange for an honest review.
I am super excited to be part of this blog tour as I loved the first Ayesha Dean book and I can’t wait to read more of her adventures in the future!
This is the second book in the Ayesha Dean mystery series and I really loved this book even more than the first! I loved seeing how Ayesha, Sara and Jess develop from the first book and we got to see more of their interactions both while they’re solving the mystery and just hanging out together. I also loved this mystery even more than the Istanbul Intrigue. Spain is a place I have wanted to visit for a long time, especially to see the Islamic history there and this book has made me long for it even more!
This story is steeped in the Islamic history of Spain and I loved how Melati wove this history into the mystery that Ayesha and her friends need to solve. I can tell that it has been well researched. Even the way modern day Spain is described in the books. It’s so vivid from the tourist spots to the food and culture and everything, like her first book, was so well researched that all I wanted to do was drop everything and go and visit the places and eat the food!
I also loved that in this book we get to see more of Sara and Jess and their backgrounds. It made them more distinct and well rounded as characters outside of being Ayesha’s friends. It was so nice to see a group of girls who are such great friends and support and love each other yet still make jokes and have fun together.
I also want to mention Ayesha’s uncle, Dave, he is such a wonderful character and although we don’t see much of him, what we do see shows that Ayesha has a beautiful, loving relationship with him. In YA it’s not often we get to see parental figures having a great relationship with the protagonist.
The story itself was so interesting and intriguing that I didn’t want to put the book down and was reading well into the night. It was also much more darker at times than The Istanbul Intrigue which I liked seeing as solving a mystery, especially one which involves a missing person, can lead to dark secrets.
One of the things I love about these books is the way Ayesha’s faith in seamlessly woven into the story. She wears a hijab and prays and her faith is important to her yet she is just your average teenage girl who wants to be work in the police force and become a detective. It makes Muslim women “normal” rather than shown as “other” and I am so thankful for that.
Although this book is part of a series each book has it’s own complete arc so while the adventures build on each other they are completely separate stories and separate mysteries that Ayesha solves.
I highly recommend picking up this book especially if you enjoy mystery/detective books.
I am super excited to be part of this blog tour as I loved the first Ayesha Dean book and I can’t wait to read more of her adventures in the future!
This is the second book in the Ayesha Dean mystery series and I really loved this book even more than the first! I loved seeing how Ayesha, Sara and Jess develop from the first book and we got to see more of their interactions both while they’re solving the mystery and just hanging out together. I also loved this mystery even more than the Istanbul Intrigue. Spain is a place I have wanted to visit for a long time, especially to see the Islamic history there and this book has made me long for it even more!
This story is steeped in the Islamic history of Spain and I loved how Melati wove this history into the mystery that Ayesha and her friends need to solve. I can tell that it has been well researched. Even the way modern day Spain is described in the books. It’s so vivid from the tourist spots to the food and culture and everything, like her first book, was so well researched that all I wanted to do was drop everything and go and visit the places and eat the food!
I also loved that in this book we get to see more of Sara and Jess and their backgrounds. It made them more distinct and well rounded as characters outside of being Ayesha’s friends. It was so nice to see a group of girls who are such great friends and support and love each other yet still make jokes and have fun together.
I also want to mention Ayesha’s uncle, Dave, he is such a wonderful character and although we don’t see much of him, what we do see shows that Ayesha has a beautiful, loving relationship with him. In YA it’s not often we get to see parental figures having a great relationship with the protagonist.
The story itself was so interesting and intriguing that I didn’t want to put the book down and was reading well into the night. It was also much more darker at times than The Istanbul Intrigue which I liked seeing as solving a mystery, especially one which involves a missing person, can lead to dark secrets.
One of the things I love about these books is the way Ayesha’s faith in seamlessly woven into the story. She wears a hijab and prays and her faith is important to her yet she is just your average teenage girl who wants to be work in the police force and become a detective. It makes Muslim women “normal” rather than shown as “other” and I am so thankful for that.
Although this book is part of a series each book has it’s own complete arc so while the adventures build on each other they are completely separate stories and separate mysteries that Ayesha solves.
I highly recommend picking up this book especially if you enjoy mystery/detective books.
February 3, 2019
I really liked this second instalment in the Ayesha Dean mystery series. The characters, again, were great and more developed. Each of them became more distinct, and interesting. I enjoyed the new side characters that Ayesha met this time in Seville.
The mystery was great! I liked the twists and turns, and it was actually kind of frightening, the things Ayesha was put through. I really enjoyed all the talk of Spanish history. I feel like researching even more.
I think that’s what’s most great about this series - the way Lum interweaves history with an interesting mystery to solve. It will definitely intrigue younger readers to find out more, and delve into more histories - which is so important for young readers. The more they learn about the past, the more they learn about why the world is the way it is, and why it’s leading where it is. I love that a lot. And I highly recommend these books be put into school libraries.
Really enjoyable and totally can’t wait for Ayesha Dean’s next mystery!
The mystery was great! I liked the twists and turns, and it was actually kind of frightening, the things Ayesha was put through. I really enjoyed all the talk of Spanish history. I feel like researching even more.
I think that’s what’s most great about this series - the way Lum interweaves history with an interesting mystery to solve. It will definitely intrigue younger readers to find out more, and delve into more histories - which is so important for young readers. The more they learn about the past, the more they learn about why the world is the way it is, and why it’s leading where it is. I love that a lot. And I highly recommend these books be put into school libraries.
Really enjoyable and totally can’t wait for Ayesha Dean’s next mystery!
March 25, 2019
I read Ayesha Dean the Seville Secret with my two older kids and they thoroughly loved it. My 9 year old daughter in particular was especially interested and it was primarily because Ayesha was someone so relatable to her. For once what she said, the cultural and religious nuance was something that she could pick up straight away. This cultural capital needs to be acknowledged, recognised and celebrated. It is a form of 'capital' that kids with migrant backgrounds need to be extremely proud of. More often than not, kids are often told by society to hide this aspect their lives. There needs to be more books like this to celebrate diverse cultural experiences and knowledge kids of migrant heritage have. I highly recommend buying it!
March 18, 2019
This book brought me back to my thirteen-year-old reading days when I used to read adventure stories. It was like I was back there, the suspense keeping me on the edge of my chair. The difference being, for the first time, the heroine of the story was a young Muslim girl. Being a Muslim myself, I am used to reading books where every character is of Anglo background. I love reading fiction, but I usually never feel as if I'm in the story myself. This time I felt I was in the story. I enjoyed how the historical love story evolved, and I was so touched by the ending. I definitely recommend this book for young teenagers and the young-at-heart.
April 10, 2019
Ayesha Dean — The Seville Secret is the next tome in the cozy mystery series of Australian author Melati Lum. Like Ayesha Dean – The Istanbul Intrigue , book two is also a pleasantly fast read. Ayesha and her friends Sara and Jessica befriend a young man whose grandpa is in trouble. Once in Spain, the girls lend the young man some help to resolve the mystery surrounding his family. This leads them to admire and discover the landmarks in the cities they sight-see, witness the culture and most importantly for me, savor the local food! I happily made Churros while reading this book, and you won't regret doing the same as it was a good reading companion.
In Ayesha Dean — The Seville Secret, Ayesha upgrades her sleuthing skills. We also find out that Dean can be an Imam and an Accountant with a penchant for the right kind of asceticism. Furthermore, she is a good ambassador of Islam. This is demonstrated by her nice manners such as her willingness to help anyone who asks to pitch in. Dean's subtle devotion to her faith is a great plus. Thus, her non-Muslim uncle and friends Sara and Jessica have no issue with Islam.
Now, because Ayesha is still young, her uncle doesn't completely appreciate the fact that she puts the lot of them in danger, and we can understand his concerns. She is dealing once again with unsavory gangsters. Ayesha reassures him to be more careful and takes the necessary precautions to avoid causing harm to herself and her friends.
From devouring delicious Spanish food, uncovering sad and loving family histories and ancestries, evading and exposing dangerous treasure seekers to making appropriate and exciting friendships, this is the book you want your teenager to read in an overly materialistic society.
To end, I highly recommend Ayesha Dean — The Seville Secret to the teen in you and around you who fancy cool and exciting Middle Grade and YA books.
In Ayesha Dean — The Seville Secret, Ayesha upgrades her sleuthing skills. We also find out that Dean can be an Imam and an Accountant with a penchant for the right kind of asceticism. Furthermore, she is a good ambassador of Islam. This is demonstrated by her nice manners such as her willingness to help anyone who asks to pitch in. Dean's subtle devotion to her faith is a great plus. Thus, her non-Muslim uncle and friends Sara and Jessica have no issue with Islam.
Now, because Ayesha is still young, her uncle doesn't completely appreciate the fact that she puts the lot of them in danger, and we can understand his concerns. She is dealing once again with unsavory gangsters. Ayesha reassures him to be more careful and takes the necessary precautions to avoid causing harm to herself and her friends.
From devouring delicious Spanish food, uncovering sad and loving family histories and ancestries, evading and exposing dangerous treasure seekers to making appropriate and exciting friendships, this is the book you want your teenager to read in an overly materialistic society.
To end, I highly recommend Ayesha Dean — The Seville Secret to the teen in you and around you who fancy cool and exciting Middle Grade and YA books.
May 9, 2021
A challenging read with a lovely setting
(but Spanish language, history and culture should have been better researched)
This time, Ayesha Dean is traveling from Australia to Seville, Spain, but her travel companions are still the same of the first book of the series, Ayesha Dean – The Istanbul Intrigue.
Ayesha’s uncle David Dean is going to Seville to meet some potential clients for his international law firm and he suggested that her niece and her two best friends Sara and Jess might like to join him to visit the city.
All this seems to happen shortly after their travel from Australia to Istanbul, if you read the original version of The Istanbul Intrigue, but in the second edition the three girls are just sixteen years old. I didn’t like this change at all. The Istanbul Intrigue was quite good as it was, but when I browsed the new pages I found out that it had been rewritten. I felt betrayed! I understand if you want to correct typos or other mistakes, but you can’t change the book this way. You can’t compel me to re-read a story that I already know, so that the second installment make sense. It isn’t fair. It would have been better to let Ayesha and her friends grow up and attend their first year of college.
On the last plane, the one that takes the protagonists from London to Seville, Ayesha meets a boy who seems to be eighteen years old like her and her friends. Kareem Lansari is tall, with dark brown hair, olive skin and dark eyes, and he speaks with a British accent. He is the son of Algerian immigrants.
This Ayesha is such a lucky girl: during each travel she finds a handsome Muslim boy who could potentially be a perfect match for her. But have you already forgotten the Turkish Emre, Ayesha?
Kareem is going to Seville because his paternal grandfather Amine Lansari disappeared while he was on vacation there. He will be staying with María and Miguel, the same middle-aged Spanish couple that already hosted his grandfather.
“The narrow, paved street at the front of the hotel seemed very quiet at this time of the day. Ayesha remembered that the Spanish people enjoyed a siesta mid-afternoon which probably explained the current lack of noise and activity.” These sentences can be misleading and sound like a die-hard stereotype, because they seem to imply that most Spanish people do actually still take a nap in the afternoon while the truth is that they simply have their lunch break later than in other countries and during this time many stores are closed.
Ayesha tries to speak to María in Spanish and she does it quite right, but María answers using the masculine singular form “bienvenido” instead of the feminine plural “bienvenidas” to welcome the three girls?!
Amine Lansari liked to think he was a descendant of the Moriscos, Muslims living in Spain who were first obliged to formally convert to Christianity and later expelled from the country in the early 17th century. What he forgot to remember is that the Iberian Peninsula was already a Christian territory when in 711 it was conquered by the Muslim Arab-Berber force coming from North Africa that ruled it for about 780 years until the end of the Reconquista (Spanish and Portuguese for “reconquest”) in 1492. Who is the oppressor and who is the oppressed? It’s all a matter of perspective, like when discussing the fall of the Roman Empire, Italians, French and Spaniards talk of Barbarian Invasions while Germanic and Slavic peoples refer to the same phenomenon calling it Migration Period. The reason is obvious: if you are a descendant of the invaders or you culturally identify with them, you would probably try to legitimize the actions of your ancestors.
While looking for clues in Amine Lansari’s bedroom, Ayesha finds an ancient diary written in Arabic that Kareem translates for the three girls. The manuscript tells the story of Isaac and his family living in Seville in 1609. They were Moriscos obliged to change their names and convert to Christianity, but who secretly continued to practice Islam and speak Arabic. Isaac knew that the Moriscos were being expelled from Spain, but he didn’t want to leave the beloved land of his forebears to be sent to North Africa. Is it possible that Isaac didn’t realize that his forebears were most likely originally from North Africa and not from Spain?
The day after their arrival, Ayesha Dean and her friends go to see the iconic Giralda Tower and they visit the adjoining Seville Cathedral. After lunch they are ready to enjoy the Museo de Arqueología.
The following day, Ayesha and Sara fly to Córdoba with Ayesha’s uncle. Once there the two girls rent a car to visit the nearby ruins of the ancient city of Madina al-Zahra.
After the couple of days spent in Córdoba, Ayesha and Sara reunite with Kareem and Jess in the beautiful Plaza de España of Seville. This book is full of so many lovely places! I’d really like to visit them one day.
The next stop is a royal palace called Real Alcázar, but then Ayesha decides to pay a second visit to the Museo de Arquelogía and she’s kidnapped while she’s looking for some clues in the offices at night. I had a déjà vu: Ayesha was kidnapped also in the first book of the series. I would have preferred a different literary device this time, a little more variation, you know.
What I really enjoyed of this second volume is Isaac’s diary and especially his moving and impossible love story with a Christian young lady of the court named Sofia. He’s only a gardener and she will soon be married to a Lord.
During her imprisonment, Ayesha meets Kareem’s grandfather who had also been kidnapped by the same gang. The criminals are interested in an ancient necklace and the cunning and brave Ayesha saves herself and the old Amine pretending to be able to locate that piece of jewelry. Ayesha is a keen observer and thanks to her great problem-solving skills she is always able to get out of trouble.
The curator of the museum is finally arrested for stealing from the excess inventory. He had always chosen items that weren’t on display. Along with Mr Smythe, also his three minions and the unfriendly front desk man Manuel are sent to prison.
Amine tells Ayesha and her friends that he has also a second ancient diary and that Isaac was his ancestor.
Sofia invites Isaac to her wedding and during the congratulations she gives him a ball of paper with a message hinting at a necklace and a dress.
Ayesha finds Sofia’s wedding dress in a museum and it really has a gold necklace hidden among its fabrics. Sofia had stored Isaac’s love message inside the locket.
Ayesha’s time in Seville is over and Kareem will be leaving with his grandfather the next day. He invites her to visit him and his family in London, but Ayesha thinks she won’t see him again soon. She’s a little sad, but she knows that this feeling won’t last too long and she’s ready for her next adventure.
(but Spanish language, history and culture should have been better researched)
This time, Ayesha Dean is traveling from Australia to Seville, Spain, but her travel companions are still the same of the first book of the series, Ayesha Dean – The Istanbul Intrigue.
Ayesha’s uncle David Dean is going to Seville to meet some potential clients for his international law firm and he suggested that her niece and her two best friends Sara and Jess might like to join him to visit the city.
All this seems to happen shortly after their travel from Australia to Istanbul, if you read the original version of The Istanbul Intrigue, but in the second edition the three girls are just sixteen years old. I didn’t like this change at all. The Istanbul Intrigue was quite good as it was, but when I browsed the new pages I found out that it had been rewritten. I felt betrayed! I understand if you want to correct typos or other mistakes, but you can’t change the book this way. You can’t compel me to re-read a story that I already know, so that the second installment make sense. It isn’t fair. It would have been better to let Ayesha and her friends grow up and attend their first year of college.
On the last plane, the one that takes the protagonists from London to Seville, Ayesha meets a boy who seems to be eighteen years old like her and her friends. Kareem Lansari is tall, with dark brown hair, olive skin and dark eyes, and he speaks with a British accent. He is the son of Algerian immigrants.
This Ayesha is such a lucky girl: during each travel she finds a handsome Muslim boy who could potentially be a perfect match for her. But have you already forgotten the Turkish Emre, Ayesha?
Kareem is going to Seville because his paternal grandfather Amine Lansari disappeared while he was on vacation there. He will be staying with María and Miguel, the same middle-aged Spanish couple that already hosted his grandfather.
“The narrow, paved street at the front of the hotel seemed very quiet at this time of the day. Ayesha remembered that the Spanish people enjoyed a siesta mid-afternoon which probably explained the current lack of noise and activity.” These sentences can be misleading and sound like a die-hard stereotype, because they seem to imply that most Spanish people do actually still take a nap in the afternoon while the truth is that they simply have their lunch break later than in other countries and during this time many stores are closed.
Ayesha tries to speak to María in Spanish and she does it quite right, but María answers using the masculine singular form “bienvenido” instead of the feminine plural “bienvenidas” to welcome the three girls?!
Amine Lansari liked to think he was a descendant of the Moriscos, Muslims living in Spain who were first obliged to formally convert to Christianity and later expelled from the country in the early 17th century. What he forgot to remember is that the Iberian Peninsula was already a Christian territory when in 711 it was conquered by the Muslim Arab-Berber force coming from North Africa that ruled it for about 780 years until the end of the Reconquista (Spanish and Portuguese for “reconquest”) in 1492. Who is the oppressor and who is the oppressed? It’s all a matter of perspective, like when discussing the fall of the Roman Empire, Italians, French and Spaniards talk of Barbarian Invasions while Germanic and Slavic peoples refer to the same phenomenon calling it Migration Period. The reason is obvious: if you are a descendant of the invaders or you culturally identify with them, you would probably try to legitimize the actions of your ancestors.
While looking for clues in Amine Lansari’s bedroom, Ayesha finds an ancient diary written in Arabic that Kareem translates for the three girls. The manuscript tells the story of Isaac and his family living in Seville in 1609. They were Moriscos obliged to change their names and convert to Christianity, but who secretly continued to practice Islam and speak Arabic. Isaac knew that the Moriscos were being expelled from Spain, but he didn’t want to leave the beloved land of his forebears to be sent to North Africa. Is it possible that Isaac didn’t realize that his forebears were most likely originally from North Africa and not from Spain?
The day after their arrival, Ayesha Dean and her friends go to see the iconic Giralda Tower and they visit the adjoining Seville Cathedral. After lunch they are ready to enjoy the Museo de Arqueología.
The following day, Ayesha and Sara fly to Córdoba with Ayesha’s uncle. Once there the two girls rent a car to visit the nearby ruins of the ancient city of Madina al-Zahra.
After the couple of days spent in Córdoba, Ayesha and Sara reunite with Kareem and Jess in the beautiful Plaza de España of Seville. This book is full of so many lovely places! I’d really like to visit them one day.
The next stop is a royal palace called Real Alcázar, but then Ayesha decides to pay a second visit to the Museo de Arquelogía and she’s kidnapped while she’s looking for some clues in the offices at night. I had a déjà vu: Ayesha was kidnapped also in the first book of the series. I would have preferred a different literary device this time, a little more variation, you know.
What I really enjoyed of this second volume is Isaac’s diary and especially his moving and impossible love story with a Christian young lady of the court named Sofia. He’s only a gardener and she will soon be married to a Lord.
During her imprisonment, Ayesha meets Kareem’s grandfather who had also been kidnapped by the same gang. The criminals are interested in an ancient necklace and the cunning and brave Ayesha saves herself and the old Amine pretending to be able to locate that piece of jewelry. Ayesha is a keen observer and thanks to her great problem-solving skills she is always able to get out of trouble.
The curator of the museum is finally arrested for stealing from the excess inventory. He had always chosen items that weren’t on display. Along with Mr Smythe, also his three minions and the unfriendly front desk man Manuel are sent to prison.
Amine tells Ayesha and her friends that he has also a second ancient diary and that Isaac was his ancestor.
Sofia invites Isaac to her wedding and during the congratulations she gives him a ball of paper with a message hinting at a necklace and a dress.
Ayesha finds Sofia’s wedding dress in a museum and it really has a gold necklace hidden among its fabrics. Sofia had stored Isaac’s love message inside the locket.
Ayesha’s time in Seville is over and Kareem will be leaving with his grandfather the next day. He invites her to visit him and his family in London, but Ayesha thinks she won’t see him again soon. She’s a little sad, but she knows that this feeling won’t last too long and she’s ready for her next adventure.
February 27, 2019
The latest addition to the Ayesha Dean series follows our detective hero to Seville for some much needed vacation... that is until she meets a man on the airplane with a brand new mystery for her to solve, and she can't help but get involved. There is plenty of historical fiction thrown into the well-described imagery of the amazing setting.
There is much to like in this book, and it really gives you a taste of different cultures. The strong female lead is nice, and it provides great perspective building for Middle-Grade readers.
There is much to like in this book, and it really gives you a taste of different cultures. The strong female lead is nice, and it provides great perspective building for Middle-Grade readers.
January 14, 2022
Wow this was a fantastic second instalment of the Ayesha Dean mysteries! I feel this one upped its anti where the content was a little more mature than the first instalment which makes sense given Ayesha is another year older and as the series continues, she's growing up. This was an interesting mystery as this time around it's not a manuscript but an artefact in Seville they are trying to locate and the clues stemming from an ancient diary made it all the more exciting. I learnt a lot about the Andalusian history and Seville through this book, a lot of information was shared through the creative writing that it didn't feel like I was reading a text book. It was very insightful. The mystery and suspense was intriguing even creepy at times (which is what I meant by the more mature content this time around).
I adore the diverse friendship between Ayseha and her besties Jess and Sara and I adore Ayesha's character - a bright, switched on young lady who holds her Islamic faith so close to her heart and knows how to go from pleasant to badass when need be. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am going to dive straight into the third instalment: The Lisbon Lawbreaker. Whilst this book is pitched to a more middle-grade audience, I believe a YA audience - even adults - will enjoy this book.
Fantastic read, highly recommend.
I adore the diverse friendship between Ayseha and her besties Jess and Sara and I adore Ayesha's character - a bright, switched on young lady who holds her Islamic faith so close to her heart and knows how to go from pleasant to badass when need be. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am going to dive straight into the third instalment: The Lisbon Lawbreaker. Whilst this book is pitched to a more middle-grade audience, I believe a YA audience - even adults - will enjoy this book.
Fantastic read, highly recommend.
February 4, 2020
I received this book for free, for an honest review. I found it to be lovely. Ayesha Dean is an 18 year old girl who lives with her uncle, and enjoys solving mysteries. The Seville Secret is the second book in her series, but it can be read as a stand alone novel. It occurs while Ayesha is traveling in Seville, Spain with her uncle and her two best friends.
For me, it wasn't an intense page-turner, it was more of a fun, intriguing read. Ayesha is Muslim and her beliefs are scattered throughout the story. There is a small amount of romantic interest between Ayesha and a young man she is helping, but not even a kiss occurs. There is some light cussing, and for that, plus the age of the main characters, I would classify the book as more young adult versus middle grade. Melati Lum has created very lovable characters in Ayesha and her best friends. There's fun banter between them, humor, and strong support during the more serious moments of the story. This is a great book for anyone who enjoys a fun mystery.
For me, it wasn't an intense page-turner, it was more of a fun, intriguing read. Ayesha is Muslim and her beliefs are scattered throughout the story. There is a small amount of romantic interest between Ayesha and a young man she is helping, but not even a kiss occurs. There is some light cussing, and for that, plus the age of the main characters, I would classify the book as more young adult versus middle grade. Melati Lum has created very lovable characters in Ayesha and her best friends. There's fun banter between them, humor, and strong support during the more serious moments of the story. This is a great book for anyone who enjoys a fun mystery.
May 23, 2019
Hi, I am 9 and I enjoyed this book.
Ayesha Dean is an eighteen-year-old female that someday will become a detective. After Ayesha dissolved a mystery in Istanbul that took a few days, before you could count to ten she was on the move again! When on an airplane scheduled to go to Seville, Ayesha and her friends, Sara and Jess, met a boy their age named Kareem.
Kareem had just recently discovered that his grandfather was in a troublesome situation while looking for the famous artefact, the Collar de Pajaros and asked Ayesha if she could help. She couldn’t resist the chance to solve another mystery, and off she went to solve the case!
Can Ayesha Dean, Sara and Jess be able to discover who is behind the plot, or will she and her friends be caught themselves? You will definitely want to know what will happen next!
Ayesha Dean is an eighteen-year-old female that someday will become a detective. After Ayesha dissolved a mystery in Istanbul that took a few days, before you could count to ten she was on the move again! When on an airplane scheduled to go to Seville, Ayesha and her friends, Sara and Jess, met a boy their age named Kareem.
Kareem had just recently discovered that his grandfather was in a troublesome situation while looking for the famous artefact, the Collar de Pajaros and asked Ayesha if she could help. She couldn’t resist the chance to solve another mystery, and off she went to solve the case!
Can Ayesha Dean, Sara and Jess be able to discover who is behind the plot, or will she and her friends be caught themselves? You will definitely want to know what will happen next!
December 23, 2019
This book is different from others because he narrator is Ayesha Dean, a Muslim teen raised in Australia, who loves to solve mysteries. This lucky girl gets to travel the world, and in this book she’s in Seville, Spain. That’s something I love because I’ve been to Seville myself. The author does a great job of showing us the sites, touristy and not so touristy. There’s a great mystery to solve too, and lucky Ayesha, it comes by a handsome young man asking her for help. It seems his grandfather has disappeared. But Ayesha hasn’t come to Seville alone, and together with her two girlfriends, the four young people do their best to bring the old man home safely. Action, excitement, mystery. I recommend this book highly.
March 20, 2020
Ayesha Dean and the Seville Secret is full of mystery, intrigue, and suspense, with rich cultural and historical details about Moorish Spain woven throughout. Ayesha is a Muslim superhero detective-in-training, on an adventure to solve the mystery of a missing person. But as she and her close friends venture to find this person, they enter a world of organized crime, hidden treasures, and greed.
This middle-grade novel is full of action, humor, and diverse characters, and we get to learn about the history of Moorish Spain and Muslim culture along the way. This is a great book to introduce more diversity into classrooms and libraries. I look forward to reading more adventure stories by Melati Lum.
This middle-grade novel is full of action, humor, and diverse characters, and we get to learn about the history of Moorish Spain and Muslim culture along the way. This is a great book to introduce more diversity into classrooms and libraries. I look forward to reading more adventure stories by Melati Lum.
September 2, 2019
I received an author copy of this book and am I glad or what! The premise of the story is very unusual and welcome. A Muslim girl with a nose for mysteries and who loves following up on any she finds is the main protagonist. She and her two friends love solving mysteries. The book opened up a new world to me, and it was interesting for sure. She is a bit too reckless and walks right into the face of danger without thinking twice. I would have been really mad if I had been her uncle. But she and her friends seem to make it out alright. I loved the 16th century romance described in the book too. Looking forward to reading more from the author.
December 26, 2021
This is a quick read at a lower reading level, which I was expecting. However, the characters being 18+ and traveling around the world so independently seemed unrealistic to me. So, I felt that these two things didn't match. The girls seem really into boys and fashion, just as much as they solve mysteries. They don't really think things through, and predictably get into trouble. I didn't really see any positive role models, meaningful themes, or discussion topics here. The historical and cultural passages in the book are a redeeming quality. Also, this is a clean book with a good Muslimah main character, so I will recommend it to those who like mysteries and possibly for our school library.
May 22, 2019
I am eleven years old, and recently, I read a book called Ayesha Dean, the Seville Secret and this is my review on it.
Ayesha Dean is full of intriguing surprises, mysteries and puzzle solving. When Ayesha Dean and her friends go to Seville, Spain, another mystery is to be solved! However, when Ayesha gets stuck in some shady business, who knows what will happen?
I really like the book because it’s about a Muslim girl, and not many books have the main character Muslim. It’s also set in Seville, Spain and the author (Melati Lum) has put a lot of detail into it.
Ayesha Dean is full of intriguing surprises, mysteries and puzzle solving. When Ayesha Dean and her friends go to Seville, Spain, another mystery is to be solved! However, when Ayesha gets stuck in some shady business, who knows what will happen?
I really like the book because it’s about a Muslim girl, and not many books have the main character Muslim. It’s also set in Seville, Spain and the author (Melati Lum) has put a lot of detail into it.
June 14, 2019
Honestly, I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I haven’t read the first in the series but I didn’t feel I missed out on much. The author set the tone and introduced the characters getting me up to speed early on. I enjoyed the mystery and the descriptions of the beautiful Spanish locations. One aspect I did thoroughly enjoy was the Muslim faith being so prominent throughout. I’m not Muslim but I learnt a lot about Muslim beliefs. Just another great aspect of this fun, fast-paced mystery. Go Ayesha Dean!
April 18, 2021
I loved this book. The connection the characters had with the fascinating history of the Spanish Inquisition and that period was one of my favourite aspects of this book for children who are in their preteen years. I have visited Seville on a couple of occasions and I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this city through this charming story. The main character is a young Muslim female detective and we don't see a lot of these diverse characters in children's fiction today. I think young people will enjoy the fast pace action and adventure as much as I did!
April 12, 2019
My blog, YA Book Corner, is part of the The Seville Secret Blog Tour. I'm so excited to finally share my review of this fantastic book by Melati Lum!
Melati Lum returns to the world of Ayesha Dean to take middle grade readers on a new, exciting adventure through Seville, Spain! The second book in the Ayesha Dean series is titled The Seville Secret and is just as thrilling and fun as its predecessor, The Istanbul Intrigue.
Ayesha Dean: The Seville Secret will appeal to anyone looking to explore beautiful cities, meet some very likable characters, and solve an ancient mystery. It’s perfect for fans of Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls series and Heist Society series.
Read my full book review on my blog: https://yabookcorner.wordpress.com/20...
*Thank you to Melati Lum for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Melati Lum returns to the world of Ayesha Dean to take middle grade readers on a new, exciting adventure through Seville, Spain! The second book in the Ayesha Dean series is titled The Seville Secret and is just as thrilling and fun as its predecessor, The Istanbul Intrigue.
Ayesha Dean: The Seville Secret will appeal to anyone looking to explore beautiful cities, meet some very likable characters, and solve an ancient mystery. It’s perfect for fans of Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls series and Heist Society series.
Read my full book review on my blog: https://yabookcorner.wordpress.com/20...
*Thank you to Melati Lum for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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