Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Published by Feiwel & Friends in February 2017
Debut Author 2017

"A 17-year-old pirate captain intentionally allows herself to get captured by enemy pirates in this thrilling YA adventure.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King." - From Goodreads

Will you like it?
I wasn't entirely sure how to feel about this book.  There was a lot of telling vs. showing about the background of Alosa, and I'm not entirely sure it's my favorite way of finding out the backstory.

The action was awesome!  The last 1/3 of the book made up for the dancing Riden and Alosa do.  I loved how smart and strong Alosa was to get out of all of her scrapes.  She never let anything get in the way of what she wanted.

Overall, this book would be perfect for someone who likes a lot of action mixed with their romance.

Disclosure: I received an electronic galley of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman
Published by Simon Pulse in February 2016
Debut Author, 2016

"Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Normally I am not the biggest fan of historical fiction.  But this book was AWESOME.  I was drawn in with the first chapter.  While the synopsis refers to Teach Drummond as Blackbeard, when we begin our story he is just a merchant's son.  I loved the way that his and Anne's relationship grew- slowly and steadily- rather than a quick dive.  This book is going to be a series, and I am super PUMPED.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on November 4, 2014.

Summary: "Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.

She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has." --From Goodreads

I can't do my normal book review loves and dislikes with this book.  I LOVED THIS BOOK.  I LOVED THIS SERIES.  The characters.  The plot.  The fact that the main characters are kick-butt heroines.  I love the way the author weaved her own story into the true facts of history.  I truly appreciated the ending, it gave the reader closure and also ensured that it was an open happy ending.

His Fair Assassin series

Grave Mercy

Dark Triumph

Mortal Heart

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Published by Egmont Press on February 6, 2012

“I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.  That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.  He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.” —From Goodreads

All I can say is wow. I’m surprised that I have never made it through this book until now. It is a great tale of friendship and of World War II. I’m excited to read the companion novel, Rose Under Fire.  I’m really glad my book club chose this book so that I would have to read this book.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my library.