Duchess of York is urging every young girl to read this book based on astrology

The sky’s the limit with this Zodiac-inspired story

New sci-fi novel, Astro Girls by Isha Panesar will inspire girls everywhere with its all female cast of action heroes

And if that's not enough to convince you it's worth a try, it also comes highly recommended by the Duchess of York herself.

The Duchess, who has penned a foreword for this ground-breaking upcoming release, believes that Astro Girls is a book every girl should read. And it’s certainly true that Isha has crafted an empowering fantasy novel.

What's Astro Girls about?

As author Isha reveals she's "fascinated by astrology and [has] always been good atescaping into the world of fantasy", it's perhaps no surprise that she drewupon the Zodiac signs for inspiration for her magical tale.

Astro Girls tells the tale of twelve-year-old Arianna and her eleven school friends. They soon find themselves transported to a faraway fantasy land with colourful landscapes and an underground world beneath.

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It's a place like none they could ever have imagined. But with their home planet at risk, there’s no time to lose. They must become bearers of the Birthstones and receive the special powers necessary to complete their appointed mission - saving the earth from disaster.

Meeting exotic characters along the way, this may sound like a treacherous enough quest for one book. But the dramatic twists and turns don’t stop there as one of the friends goes missing. The group must complete their task, but now there’s nothing they wouldn’t do to get her home safely...

Zodiac, astrology inspired book

(Image credit: Getty)

With female friendship and empowerment at the forefront, the fantasy setting and astrological inspiration make for a compelling all-action read for young girls everywhere.

And in a year where Nasa has recently announced their commitment to landing the first woman on the moon by 2024, this all-female space odyssey seems timelier than ever.

What was the inspiration behind Astro Girls?

But the journey to a finished novel wasn't easy, as author Isha reveals, "I'm still amazed and elated that I've actually completed my story!"

She recalls the days of waking up at 3am and readying herself for a 10-hour shift, "I was always tired and I wanted more for me and my family," adding, "I'd find myself shaking my thoughts out of a daydream, random probabilities always entering my mind... And this is where I stumbled across the idea for Astro Girls."

She admits that thoughts of an imagined world used to come and go before she was able to capitalise on them. Though, Isha says, "Astro Girls struck me differently...I simply couldn't let go of it."

And once she began writing, she couldn't stop, finding that "what started out as an amusing pass time became highly addictive". A year later, she had her first drafted manuscript for Astro Girls.

The perfect gift to inspire girls everywhere - we can't wait to read it on 19 November!

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!