Selected for Victorian Premier's Reading Challenge List 2021
Winner of the Literary Titan GOLD Award 2021
Winner of the Reader's Choice Book Awards Silver Medal 2021
"An action packed adventure with soul. Perfect for fans of Emily Rodda and Rick Riordan."
A genius witch desperate for revenge
A perilous quest to save an innocent life
And a girl with an incredible heritage...
Sonakshi is the first Princess of Macuata Fiji, to be born as a unicorn in hundreds of years. Kept secret and hidden in her castle in the Blue Mountains Australia, she tries to come to terms with her unicorn-self. But it's pretty difficult when she's the only unicorn she knows
When the powerful witch Mankini kidnaps her friend Rowen, she and her loyal companion Kieran, know they must act before he is lost forever.
Their quest leads them across dangerous Australian Bushland and over the Pacific Ocean to Fiji where Mankini lies waiting.
But a terrible secret threatens everything Sonakshi thought she knew.
It will take skill, wit and a bit of magic to get them through to the other side.
There are mermaids, Fae and kangaroos. But where there are friends, there are also foes.
Danger and deception awaits.
Things are never as they seem...
Industry Reviews
"If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. I saw the front cover and just had to read this, and the content did not disappoint. I read it with my daughters and we all love it. The way the author described the scenes, just really made you visualise what was happening. Such a great story with lots of drama and suspense. We will definitely read the next one."
"This is a real page turner and hard to put down. It is quite long and has some tricky words for younger children but the children were captivated. We read it as a group in just over a week. It has a strong message of friendship, courage and self belief and is a positive story for both girls and boys. Great to see a diverse image on the front cover, and the different cultures of Australia and Fiji represented. We need more books like this.
"Wow! What a great read. Beautiful cover.Bought it for my 9 year old but ended up reading it first. The author took me on such a fantastic journey of fantasy that I became part of it. Friendship, loyalty, bravery, fighting with inner demons and witches. My daughter loved it. Will be following this author closely."
"Interesting and well thought out story. Really enjoyed the journey of the Indian princess. Was really surprised that this was the author's first children's fantasy novel as it was very well written with humor in the right places. My little girl loved the Unicorn Princess and hasn't stopped talking about the book. Look forward to more from this author."
"I am giving The Unicorn Princess: The Pacific Princesses Book 1, by Ektaa Bali, 5 out of 5 stars. As a parent and teacher, I can wholeheartedly recommend this first in series for anyone who has fantasy fans in their home or classroom. An engaging story centred around the value of friendship and loyalty, The Unicorn Princess is a sure hit among young readers. I am looking forward to introducing Sonakshi to my students."
