Daughter of the Pirate King

This book is awesome! It has made Tricia L. an auto buy author for me for sure. I love the characters and the story, and I'm sad that it is only a duology- I could read a ton more books in this world!

For most part I enjoyed this book. It, at times, dragged a bit and seemed at some points redundant but other times it was a swashbuckling good time.
It's about a beautiful redhead, Alosa, who also happens to be the daughter of the pirate king. She's tough, smart and has a few secrets up her sleeve. She is sent on a mission by her father and as simple as it seems, nothing seems to work out to her favor.
Good story although I felt that Alosa talked more about being skilled and tough then she actually showed. She seemed to think very highly of herself which went a bit overboard from confidence to conceitedness. Luckily her kind heart and quick thinking helped level things out.
Nice story and would be interested in reading the next book (if there is one).

I devoured this book because the characters are uniquely human but not cliched, the plot line is intriguing and fast paced, and because envisioning a woman ruling the seas without relying on magic intrigues me

This was the best book I've read in a long time. You gotta love a good pirate tale...plus the main character reminded me a lot of Celaena from Throne of Glass which obviously means it's gonna be good

I was so excited to receive this in the mail yesterday. I had preordered it after reading the excerpt; it didn't disappoint. I didn't want to put it down. I found myself sneaking reading time whenever I could. I finished it in a day.
Alosa, daughter of the pirate king, is a strong, likable heroine. Her journey to make her father proud is a tough one, but I never believed she couldn't do it. Her developing relationship with Riden, her pirate interrogator, followed a natural progression that was believable. I truly enjoyed their banter back and forth, and romantic tension. And for this being a pirate novel, I was happily surprised with the clean romance and non-gory battle scenes. I loved the fast pace and detailed storytelling. For a debut novel, this gets high marks. I read hundreds of books each year, and know this one will stick in my memory. I can't wait for the sequel!

It's always exciting when a book lives up to its hype - and this one does for sure! I didn't want to stop reading, and now I'm desperate for the next installment. Daughter of the Pirate King is fast paced and thrilling from start to finish. It is also a lot more intense than I imaged. This is a brutal world and Alosa and the other pirates she encounters are not playing around. The pirate life is gritty and in many cases it is kill or be killed. Thankfully, Alosa is up for the challenge. She's not afraid to make difficult choices to complete her mission and survive.

The strength of this book is the characters, especially, Alosa: Pirate Princess and all around badass. This girl does not need any help, thank you very much. She is capable and strong and gets things done. I loved her from start to finish. I also love that despite her tough exterior, and willingness to do anything to survive and succeed, she is fair, cares for her crew and isn't needlessly ruthless. Although she doesn't need anyone to rescue her, she also realizes that she's not an island to herself, and I loved seeing moments where she works with others. Of course those moments are few and far between when she's stuck on an enemy pirate ship.

My second favorite character is Riden: first mate on the pirate ship Alosa infiltrates on a secret mission for her father. I enjoyed getting to know him better as the story continues. I found his relationship with his brother Draxen, captain of the ship, to be interesting and well written in its complexity. But the best relationship in this book is the one Riden develops with Alosa. Their snappy banter and incredible tension is off the charts. They begin as enemies and are constantly trying to get an angle on each other, but almost immediately, it's very clear how great a match they are for each other - in wits and everything else. And slowly, the working against each other changes flavor to one of support and even more than that. AKA swoons abound. Riden is an observer and he doesn't miss Alosa's attempts at deception, but he also sees her strengths, and respects her for them. He is not threatened by how capable she is. I wish there were more heroes like him.

I'm not sure exactly the scope of this fantasy world, and I would love a map to appear in the finished copy. Alosa's home features a lot of ocean and some islands as well as a pirate king and a land ruler (not seen but briefly mentioned). There's also magic, which was a lot of fun to discover. But this story is mostly spent on a ship so I didn't get a clear picture of what this world looks like.

Daughter of the Pirate King is definitely part of a series (I think it's a duet). The book doesn't end on a cliffy, but it does stop in the middle of the story. This part of the tale is finished, and I can't wait to find out what happens next. Highly recommended.

I loved almost everything about this book. The powerful female lead, the layers of her upbringing and tumultuous relationship with her father, the romantic relationship with Riden, who was more than just a macho male lead, and the siren/fantasy aspect was well executed. I could have used some flashbacks to Alosa's training days, but all in all, I really loved this book. Definitely a fun, summer read.

I’m a little late on this book, but I finally got around to buying it from Book Outlet for super cheap. I didn’t have much interest in reading this novel–the premise seemed a bit boring and I’ve never been one for pirates and such. I’d say the book was pretty much how I expected it to be, meaning it wasn’t anything special.

I’m not going to lie, I don’t even remember the main character’s name. She was unmemorable. She wasn’t clever like the synopsis claimed she was; she didn’t have much in terms of unique personality traits, and she’s exactly like other average YA fantasy characters. meh.

This is really all I have to say for this book because I completely apathetic and unimpressed by it. It’s a typical YA novel with almost nonstop action that held no excitement for me. There was a bit of a magical element, which was unexpected, but it was poorly introduced and developed. It could have contributed greatly to the story had it been executed correctly. The romance is alright, but I didn’t feel any spark between the characters. They were quite flat and predictable.

The plot leads exactly…nowhere–and I feel no compulsion to see if the next novel finishes what was barely started in this book.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this novel unless you really like pirate novels or are looking for something that you’ve already read hundreds of times in YA :/

Tricia Levenseller's Daughter of the Pirate King won't awe you with its world-building, but is still an undeniably entertaining fantasy. Alosa is on a secret mission from her father to steal a map that leads to the mythical island of Isla de Canta. Feigning her own capture is only the first step. Alosa must contest with a ship full of pirates, convincing them she's nothing more than the daughter of a pirate king instead of a skilled pirate in her own right all the while searching the Night Farer in secret. But it is the ship's first mate Riden who gives her the most troueble. Just when she thinks she might succeed, Riden seems to catch a glimpse of who she really is beneath her facade, but she can't risk failing no matter the cost.

Alosa is a strong character that many readers will be drawn to. Her father rules the waters and as his heir a lot is expected of her. She's had rigorous training and constantly needs to check herself in order to conceal her skills from her captors. She's incredibly strong-willed and while this doesn't always work to her advantage, it's hard not to root for her. The most interesting part about her character was her relationship with her father. While readers do not get a chance to meet the pirate king Kalligan until the end of the story, it's clear from Alosa's perspective that he isn't a man to be trifled with. It becomes clearer as the story progresses that Kalligan has used destructive methods to train his daughter. Alosa herself needs to believe that her father loves her, that his methods come from a place of love, but it is clear that this is not the case. This mission is her way of proving herself to him, but it's also about her proving to herself that she is more capable than she's been given credit for.

Alosa isn't the only character with father issues. Riden's older brother Draxen has taken over captaining the Night Farer from their father. Though readers aren't given the full story until later, it's clear from the start that Riden didn't agree with his father's ruthlessness. Riden, much like Alosa with her father, needs to believe that his brother is better than their father, but his unwillingness to confront the truth often renders him ineffectual. Riden's greatest weakness is his love for his brother, but unlike Draxen, he has a moral compass that he constantly struggles with. Alosa calls him a coward and while this isn't an inaccurate description, I would have liked to have seen Riden call her out in turn. There was a lot of give and take between the two and while I do think it pushed Riden to confront issues with his brother, I wanted to see Alosa struggle with her own demons as well.

Much of the story is driven by the tension between Alosa and Riden. I loved the banter between the two and it was really easy to enjoy the exchanges. There's a hate to love element underneath these conversations that made the ride more enjoyable. That being said, the plot does take a backseat as a result and sometimes feels like it disappears altogether. There are some interesting fantasy elements like the Isla de Canta that is said to house a trove of treasures, but is also the home of beautiful and deadly sirens. Sirens were the most interesting part of the worldbuilding of the story and while we learn a few things about their abilities, I was really eager to travel to this isla and learn more.

Daughter of the Pirate King is a fun fantasy if you're looking for something more on the light side. A lot of fun can be had with Alosa's adventure, but if you're looking for a book with really complex characters and worldbuilding, you might want to look elsewhere.

Alosa is one of the most ruthless pirates sailing with a crew that has as much cunning as it does intelligence. Alosa is also the seventeen-year-old daughter of the feared Pirate King.

When the Pirate King needs to steal an ancient piece of a treasure map from a rival pirate lord, Alosa knows she is the best candidate for the job. Leaving behind her ship and her talented (mostly female) crew is a trial and allowing herself to be bested and abducted by her targets is humiliating. But Alosa is willing to do whatever it takes to complete her mission and steal the map.

What Alosa doesn't count on is the ships first mate. Riden is smarter than he lets on and tasked with uncovering all of Alosa's secrets. Locked in a battle of wits with this formidable foe, Alosa will have to watch her back (and her heart) if she wants to get the map and escape before anyone is the wiser in Daughter of the Pirate King (2017) by Tricia Levenseller.

Daughter of the Pirate King is Levenseller's debut novel.

This book is a lot of fun--something readers can expect from the very first page when the book opens with a quote from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. How you feel about that movie will also quickly determine how you feel about the rest of the book.

Daughter of the Pirate King is a fantasy filled with seemingly anachronistic phrases that begin to appear almost as soon as the novel starts. This story plays out against the small backdrop of the ship where Alosa is being held captive leaving larger details of the world to remain blurry at best.

This novel is narrated by Alosa who while entertaining remains a bit too fastidious (particularly when it comes to cleanlieness) to make an entirely convincing pirate. Some narrators are capable and clever, some narrators talk about being capable and clever. Alosa is largely the latter as she tries to convince readers that she is in fact a cunning pirate captain far superior to those around her instead of a reckless one who only barely manages to keep a grasp of her mission.

For all intents and purposes the pirates here are exactly what you would expect from eighteenth century pirates with the added technicolor touches of a good pirate movie including witty repartee, dashing clothes, and high octane swordfights. The pirates in Daughter of the Pirate King are, however, completely divorced from any historical context and left to flounder in an imagined world that feels flimsy by comparison. The addition of true fantasy elements come too late in the story to redeem the lackluster beginning.

Daughter of the Pirate King is an entertaining, swashbuckling adventure. Recommended for readers who enjoy pirate stories buy can take or leave historical accuracy. Ideal for anyone looking for a light adventure with romance and banter.

Possible Pairings: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi, Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman, The Reader by Traci Chee, Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, Winterspell by Claire Legrand, Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell, Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer, Snow Like Ashes by Sarah Raasch, The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace

I received this free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

A Bit Repetitive
Because of the plot and the world in which this book took place, the story took on a bit of a repetitive nature, repeating the same few scenes over and over again with only minor changes. As a result, the book was a bit of a slow read. I was expecting more action and danger for a pirate book and was left a little disappointed.

Predictable
I understand the need to offer foreshadowing for the reader to entice them and make them want to read more and what not, but this was a bit over done in this book. The foreshadowing was obvious, more than hinting at what was going to happen on later in the book. As such, it was a bit disappointing when just that happened later on in the book. That’s not to say all the book was predictable, but some of it was and it made the read less interesting that it could have been.

Overcompensation
Female pirates. This pretty much sums up this book where the MC is a female pirate and her whole thing is ‘I’m better than any male pirate,’ which is executed time and time again. However, at some point, it becomes a little too much. It feels like overcompensation and ends up being just a little too unrealistic, especially with the author’s constant reminders of why the MC the way she is.

Cliff-Hanger
The book doesn’t end in an overly annoying cliff hanger, but it’s a cliff hanger nonetheless. It’s entire purpose is to draw you back into the next book. Unfortunately, that left me feeling less than sanctified with the current ending. I was expecting a bit more resolution than was given, which could have enhanced the story and taken away a bit of the repeated scenes earlier in the book.

"I sat pondering my stupidity" -Alosa the MC

-that quote and the other time she actually acknowledged she was not as smart as she thinks she is are the only time during this book I agreed with her.

This book is a whole bunch of tell and an absence of show. The MC brags relentlessly, that she's oh so clever and badass, yet she's a complete idiot. I don't know why she thinks she's so smart. I really don't. None of her plans worked, literally everything she's thought she's done so cleverly and secretly, we find out others were onto her the whole time. Which, of course they were because she's not very smart. The only clever plan that gets her out of a really bad situation, was executed and thought of by her love interest Riden, and it was more foolhardy than smart. I rolled my eyes so many times, I lost count. Her reaction about the only gay character even alluded to was selfish and idiotic and offensive in that idiocy. Very poorly done.

(Review taken from bookish blog Literary Weaponry)

Oh my lovelies, it has been so long since I well and truly fell in love with a book. I’ve had strong feelings of like and general enjoyment but a good, true love? Not in a long, long time. But that is exactly what I found with Daughter of the Pirate King. I had purchased this book several months ago in hardback on a really great sale and since then it has been sitting on my shelf. I kept saying, “Oh, I’ll get to it soon” or “I need to get to these ARCs first” or even “there are so many new books coming out, I don’t have time for a throwback.”

However, I have been in a funk lately. April has not been a good month for me overall so I just snagged a random book off of the shelf to keep myself entertained while my daughter had playtime outside of the house. This just happened to be the book I snagged. I am so very glad that I did.

WHAT I LIKED

-It is rare that I get to say this but I loved the support characters in this book. Sometimes you read a book and the secondary characters are so dull and lifeless. They are there for presence only and add very little of substance or entertainment value to the story. Oh no, not in this book my friends. There is one particular minor character, a pirate, who had me laughing and crying and rooting for every step of the way. I love that. When I’m reading I want to fall in love with every part of the book, not just the two or three leads.

-Hello bada** pirate princess! Alosa is smart, sassy, physically capable, and so very clever. To me she is the perfect female lead. While she is everything I just mentioned she is also flawed and is aware that having people around she can trust and count on is beneficial. She doesn’t feel the need to do every little thing on her own but knows that she can if she needs to. Alosa makes mistakes but then finds a way to work through her mistakes and solve them. Girl couldn’t be more perfect to me if she tried.

-Of course we have a romantic interest in this story, no surprise there, but he too was just shy of magical. Riden expects Alosa to be able to take care of herself. He even counts on it. When she is in trouble he doesn’t swoop in to save her, he is an intelligent man and is clever enough to use her brain and talent to their advantage. He is also steadfastly loyal but with a warped moral code that makes him absolutely charming.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

-There was a whole lot of banging people’s heads together to knock them out. It was cool the first couple of times but it got old pretty fast. It was also like no one cared that she was bashing their heads together. You would think that they’d get pretty mad about it but no one seemed to give a darn. That was a little odd.

OVERALL

Boy I love it when I have a short Didn’t Like list. This book was amazing and I finished it in just over 24 hours. For me, that is HUGE as it usually takes me around a week or so to read a book. On page one the action started and it didn’t stop until the very end. I loved it so much that I went to the store and bought the second book of the duology, Daughter of the Siren Queen, when I only had a chapter or two left of this one. I NEEDED more. I HAD TO HAVE MORE! This book was so close to perfect for me and I am so very grateful for it. Daughter of the Pirate King is actually the second book I have read this year that features a siren theme and let me tell you that it was done astronomically better than To Kill a Kingdom. In a nutshell I would recommend this book with fireworks and stars in my eyes. The writing was captivating, the themes well done, and the characters beautifully developed. Hearts. In. My. Eyes.

"Everyone has something dark in their past. I suppose it’s our job to overcome it. And if we can’t overcome it, then all we can do is make the most of it."

Daughter of the Pirate King is a quick, cute, and fun guilty pleasure novel that kept me entertained from start to finish.

Growing up with the relentless ruler of the seas as her father, Alosa understands what it means to be powerful and feared. The Pirate King taught her everything she knows, and it's why he trusts her alone to carry out a daring and dangerous mission: infiltrating another pirate ship under the guise of capture in order to steal a valuable artifact. Alosa thinks the hardest part is going to be staying locked up as she plays her part as the unwilling prisoner, but even she can't help the unfair attraction that she starts to feel toward her enigmatic captor, Riden, and neither of them can predict the storms that are growing on the horizon.

I was charmed from page one. Alosa is a quick-thinking, resourceful heroine who can more than hold her own in both physical and verbal sparring. It was a joy to watch her engage in battles of the wits with her captors, often coming out on top almost effortlessly with her sharp tongue or hidden strengths. I didn't much care for the narrative tendency of listing and explaining her own character traits, which often rang flat and too cocky, but I was always amused when she backed her claims with action.

Alosa and Riden were both such strong characters, and I wanted to love the attraction blooming between them, but it felt much more rushed than natural. It was hard to find satisfaction in their inevitable connection, since they'd been wavering right on the edge of it from more or less first glance. There were also plenty of apparent betrayals that warranted discussion but instead seemed to get swept under the rug, which was frustrating. Nevertheless, I loved their fierce protectiveness of one another and their ability to get under each other's skin in a way that no one else ever could.

And lastly, oh, that twist! I loved the additional dimension that it brought into the storyline, but I really do wish there had been some more clues dropped or even just asides that would make sense in hindsight. For a fantasy novel, there could have been a lot more world building woven throughout the book from the start, and my fingers are crossed that the followup will expand on the mythology.

Despite my gripes, I really did find this to be a thoroughly entertaining read. The action was fantastic, and Alosa was such a sassy and powerful protagonist. I'm very much looking forward to its companion piece due out later this month! 3.5 stars.

Daughter of the Pirate King surprised me. While boasting pirates and adventure on the high seas, all of which had my attention, it also hosts a cast of snarky characters. The story is full of hijinks and banter to keep readers entertained, but some things kept me from really enjoying it.

The book wastes no time setting the scene. Alosa, daughter of Kalligan, self-professed king of pirates, is on a mission to find a piece of a map, and woe to anyone who gets in her way.

Alosa is sarcastic, clever, and not above killing someone to prove a point. Even though she’s snarky, she has a soft spot for her crew and a vulnerability when it comes to her father. Just don’t let her know you know that. However, Alosa’s sarcasm starts to wear thin after a while. It’s also very distancing and kept me from truly caring about her. As she proves again and again that she can best her captors, it feels like she’s nothing but quips even with her vulnerability.

Her romantic back and forth with Riden is entertaining and has the hate to love aspect I adore, yet I had some issues. Where Alosa is hot-tempered and shoot first, ask questions later, Riden is more calm and composed. You can tell how much they like each other but want to one up each other. What really doesn’t sell it for me is how quickly it happens. The hunt for the map is then brushed off for a while as they bicker and banter. The entire book is fast paced as is, and I like my romance to happen slowly. Give it time to simmer.

I wanted more from the world building. Some parts are given some detail, but I wanted to feel the sea breezes and the sun and further explore the lands the pirates set down on. It’s also hinted that Alosa is more than she seems (aside from being a pirate king’s daughter), and even though it was not a surprise to me, it feels like the reveal of this part of her happens suddenly.

But the story is far from over. I am definitely going to check out the second book. These seas demand more exploration.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Book One of the Daughter of the Pirate King series
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: February 28, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

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.

Debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.

What I Liked:

This was a really fun and entertaining read - exactly what I would hope for, from a story with pirates. Anytime you drop the word "pirate" in the title or synopsis, I'm going to except swashbuckling adventure, clever scheming, and a good dose of sneak thievery. I was not disappointed by this book!

Alosa is the daughter of the pirate king Kalligan. She's his only child (the only one he's claimed), which makes her very valuable. What people don't know is that she isn't a spoiled and pampered pirate princess - she is a cunning and dangerous pirate. When her father sends her on a mission to retrieve a part of a map, Alosa's plan is get captured willingly by a young pirate lord and search their ship for the piece of the map that the former pirate lord of that ship had. The captain, Draxen, is every bit as cruel and ruthless as his father was. But Alosa doesn't expect to be distracted by the captain's first mate and younger brother, Riden. Finding the piece of the map isn't going to be the difficult part of the task - getting around Riden will be.

From the start, this book set the tone of adventure and humor. Getting captured (willingly) might seem like gloom and doom, but Alosa is so entertaining. She is taken prisoner and her crew is freed. From the start, Alosa proves to be a handful. She is brazen and smart-mouthed, and she is feisty. She's spirited and unafraid to keep trying. She has a plan and she doesn't let obstacles get in her way of finding the map.

Much of the first half of the book is about Alosa's search for the map without getting caught. She is placed in the brig, but she cleverly lets herself out of the prison at night to search the ship. But she is caught several times by Riden, the first mate. He is very suspicious of her, but he finds her entertaining and hot-tempered. Between him and the captain, he is more merciful, but he makes it very difficult for her to search the ship at will.

I adored Alosa! She is so spirited and she is a fighter. She has been hardened by her father's tutelage, and she proves herself to be a capable and clever pirate, over and over. She's a fierce and wonderful heroine, and she relies on no one to save her but herself. This book has a light and fun current to it, but it's also incredibly empowering and feminist in a subtle way.

I also really liked Riden. We can see that Draxen, his older brother and captain of the ship that, is greedy and ruthless pirate. But Riden is much more merciful and wicked, with a conscious and a clever brain. He is very observant and learns a lot about Alosa by watching her and observing her. I like how he understands and reads her so well, even after only weeks of knowing her.

Initially I thought the romance would be weird, because how on earth would Alosa fall for a pirate that took part of her capture. But Alosa and Riden sort of become friends. Almost every time she let herself out of the brig, he catches her, which leads to some sort of hilarious back-and-forth banter. He visits her in the brig and talks to her - the purpose being to extract information about the pirate king from her - but they each learn a lot about each other. And there is a lot of banter and bicker, especially on Alosa's part. As the story goes on, it's clear that at least in terms of their relationship, it's less of prisoner-captor, and something else. Riden begins to help Alosa, both directly and indirectly.

It was adorable, watching them fall for each other. The chemistry between them is suuuuuuper swoony, fan-yourself-worthy, and tangible. Every time the scene included the two of them, I started to expect two things: banter, and serious tension. I was almost never disappointed, especially as the story went on. Whew!

But I liked that the author didn't develop the romance too quickly. Neither character is at the "I-love-you" stage. Both have pretty strong feelings for each other, and there are a few makeout scenes, but their relationship doesn't progress too quickly and it doesn't get too heavy. Yet? There is another book to follow this one.

There are several twists and turns to the story! You think it's just about Alosa finding a map piece for her father? Nope! I can't say more because of spoilers, but we learn key things about Alosa, and another pirate lord, and Riden and Draxen, as the story progresses.

The ending is pretty good, in terms of how it wraps up. There isn't a cliffhanger, but it is clear that the story must (should) continue. I think this is a two-book series, which sounds good to me! I love the duology trend in YA publishing these days.

What I Did Not Like:

I don't have any specific dislikes, though I suppose I would have loved for this story to keep going! The end was a little bit abrupt. Hopefully book two picks up exactly where book one finishes.

Would I Recommend It:

I'd recommend this book! It's not an omg-new-favorite, but it's really enjoyable and definitely not disappointing. I wanted a fun, entertaining pirate-based story and I got exactly that (and a little more). I really liked the strong female protagonist and the clever and charming male protagonist, and the story was very entertaining. If you're looking for a captivating adventure on the sea, look no further!

Rating:

4 stars. I am looking forward to reading the second book! I'm hoping for more "pirate stuff", especially concerning Alosa's father, more swoon (kissing! more kissing!), and more sticky situations for Alosa to clever wriggle out of. Levenseller is an author whose books I will be keeping an eye out for in the future!

I really don’t know where to start with this book. I wanted to much to like it, but it took me just over a month to finish and I didn’t mind reading other books while this one was in progress. For the first three weeks I wasn’t past page 60 but was finishing other books without issue. I found Alosa, the daughter of the pirate king, insufferable.

Alosa should be a great heroine. She’s smart and sassy, and a pirate. What’s not to like? Her know it all attitude is what bothers me the most. No matter what the other characters say or do, and though she is locked in the brig, she’s always a step ahead.

The other characters in the book, mainly men, seem downright stupid and lazy, except for Riden. From page three the sexual tension was forced and made me roll my eyes every time. The predictable storyline, Alosa’s “secret”, the capture of her and Riden, all of it was very boring to me. All 308 pages I was hoping for a page turner, something I could get through quickly and enjoy. I’m sure it’s a great book for some one out there, but for me, a story about a female pirate should have been intriguing and I found Alosa and the storyline lacking. Read all of my reviews here <a href="http://the-pink-moose.com/">the-pink-moose.com</a>

If you're looking for a fun read to past the time, where you don't care about in-depth characters or plot holes, this will be enjoyable. What I liked about the book is its general idea, but the execution is all wrong. I'm too old for this book, as the narration voice is very young. I recommend it for younger teens, as the main character won't appeal to most young adults. There are themes of female friendship, trauma, and family ties. It appeals to feminism, but in a shallow way.

The main character, Alosa, is downright unlikeable. She does a lot of telling, but not showing, which makes for boring narration with no real substance. Alosa is also too cocky and full of herself. I love confident characters, but not characters who can't stop complimenting themselves and yet don't do much to show for it. Again, showing versus telling. I thought the romance might make up for the flaws in the story, but it became a huge flaw in the story. Alosa and Riden end up together because of lust and there's no real development or interesting conflict between the two. Alosa should not be rushing into a lustful romance when she is supposed to be a believable ruthless princess of the pirates. That is biggest issue of all. Alosa is no pirate badass, and this is no Pirates of the Caribean. She is a superficial wannabe.

Are you ready to go on an adventure with the daughter of the pirate king? She may be a looker, but she’s also highly skilled in combat and manipulation. She can be crass yet has class. She’s ready to do whatever she needs to do to get what she wants. And best of all, we’re reading from her first person narration in this quick and spicy read. Daughter of the Pirate King is extremely fun, has cool twists, and a scorching romance featuring pirates that have no mercy. I absolutely adored reading from Alosa’s point of view. She was a super refreshing character who has an armor of steel and yet is vulnerable in some places. It only takes a cunning pirate to poke at those spots.

We start this story with the capture of Alosa’s temporary ship. Her mission? To infiltrate the enemy ship and steal a secret map that will lead her father (the Pirate King) to the Island of Sirens. Rad, right? Alosa has to act biddable and hide her kickass-ery while she tries to find the map that Draxen, the captain, has hiding somewhere. It would be pretty easy, if only the first-mate (and brother of captain) Riden weren’t so perceptive at figuring her out. But don’t worry, she’s not stupid! Alosa is a master at manipulation and twisting things. The dialogue between her and the other pirates is absolutely hilarious to read. I really adore her character! She can be snarky, and yet caring. She’s super strong mentally and physically, but has secrets that leave her weak and open. Every time we peeled a layer from her character, I liked her more and more.

“‘Let’s get one thing straight, Alosa. You are my prisoner. While it appears you’ve learned a thing or two from growing up as the daughter of the pirate king, the fact remains that you will be the only woman on a ship full of cutthroats, thieves, and blackhearts who haven’t made port in a good long while. Do you know what that means?’
I spit again, trying to get the taste of blood out of my mouth. ‘It means your men haven’t been to a whorehouse recently.’”

Riden is a character that I would have liked to see more exploration on. We get to learn quite a lot of his past, and what he had to go through while enduring the scorn of his father, the previous captain of the ship. Basically he and Alosa descend from three of the main pirate families who all have a piece of the map to the Island of Sirens, where treasure lays. Alosa is tasked by her father to steal Draxen’s part of the map, and failure isn’t an option for her. Although Alosa is a very strong and brave character, you can’t help but feel sympathy for her when she describes her dangerous childhood where she had to fend for herself. Levenseller did a great job in developing her character – especially that twist we find out in the latter half of the book! Way to bring spice to the action.

“Because I won’t fail. I can only imagine what my father would do to me if I did. But I’m not afraid. I’m doing this not only for my father but also because I want to. Because I’m a good pirate and the hunt is thrilling.”

There’s so much packed in this fast-paced story, I found myself finishing within hours! The romance is soooo sweet. It happens really naturally – not too fast and not too slow. Riden and Alosa are enemies, yes, but that doesn’t stop them from basically combusting every time they see each other. Their banter is off-the-charts cute and they’re both too smart to let the other get the upper hand. Riden is actually pretty compassionate for a pirate, which is seen as he provides a foil against his avarice brother, the captain. I’m excited to see what else is in this store for this developing relationship!

“I can feel Riden’s breath in my face. He’s so close and so angry, I almost want to laugh.
‘No it wasn’t,’ he insists.
Then he’s kissing me.
What the – I misread where that was going.”

Readers looking for blood will also be super satisfied. There is a lot of action and bloodthirst and no mercy throughout it all. We see pirates getting killed in the first chapter even! Alosa constantly proves herself in the book, and I loved seeing many more female pirates in her ship. There’s also an interesting storyline about sirens that really enhances the plot. Being just 300 pages, this book was a fairly quick read – but every page was worth it.

“‘I am me because I choose to be me. I am what I want. Some people say you have to find yourself. Not I. I believe we create ourselves to be what we want. Any aspect of ourselves that we do not like can be altered if we make an effort.”

Packed with action, revelations, and the romance of being in the seas (as well as the combustible romance between characters), Daughter of the Pirate King brings a refreshing world which will surely satisfy a reader’s thirst for danger and adventure. There are so many awesome elements that Levenseller introduces such as kickass female pirates and a mysterious map, as well as characterizations that I can’t wait to expand on in the following book. Fantasy fans really need to pick this one up, and readers in general looking for an adrenaline-fueled read should check this one out!

I always love a good pirate story, and this one did not disappoint.

Daughter of the Pirate King somehow managed to be both incredibly bloody and funny at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I zipped through it in just a few hours. Alosa, daughter of the Pirate King, is sent on a mission to stage her own kidnapping by a specific crew of pirates so she can find a specific map on their ship. As she struggles to maintain her ruse, she finds the handsome and sharp first mate, Riden, watching her every move. And not all is as it seems onboard the ship.

Tricia's writing is delightful. She writes in such a smooth and slick fashion that readers will quickly devour. Her writing sparks with life, hilarity, and basically emits a personality of its own. I loved the sarcastic and humorous tone of the writing that allows Alosa's character to shine through. The pacing was quick throughout the book, and I basically loved every minute of reading this book. There was plenty of swashbuckling, swordplay, cannon blasts, and fights to give readers the pirate adventure novel they seek. The action sequences were exciting. Tricia also adds an interesting element to her story that I think readers will find as fascinating as I did. I'd say more, but I don't want to spoil you!

I wish there were more world-building, but I guess with a story at sea there isn't as much to share and describe. I would've liked to know more about the history, hierarchy, and rule of the Pirate King through. Although I guessed the twists in this book, it didn't really diminish my enjoyment of the story.

Alosa is so unapologetically badass in this book. She is the epitome of girl power and I love her confidence and strength and courage. She loves so fiercely but she also takes lives without an afterthought. Her competence and independence made her such an easy protagonist to admire. Riden is as swoony as I'd hoped he would be. We also meet a colorful cast of pirates to round out the story. A majority of the time is spent with these two characters though. I love the banter between Alosa and Riden. Their relationship is a battle of wits and the mind and I love their constant bickering. They had so many moments that made my heart swell.

Overall this book entertained me from start to finish and I will definitely be pre-ordering a finished copy! If you like badass main characters, sweet romance, and pirates then I recommend you check out this book.

I don't even know how to write an introduction to this review. I absolutely loved this book so much. The characters are amazing, the plot is amazing, all the ship descriptions are amazing.

Alosa is the princess of the pirates. Her father is the pirate king. He basically owns all the seas. Alosa is SUCH a badass female character. She is fierce. She is stubborn. She is ruthless. She isn't afraid to kill a man and get her hands dirty. She is the captain of her own ship which is manned by almost exclusively women. I love it. She's so girl power, it's amazing.

Riden is the first mate of the Night Farer, the ship that came along to kidnap Alosa. He is charged basically with babysitting her and interrogating her to get information about her father's keep. Little does he (or anyone else on the ship) know that Alosa allowed herself to be kidnapped in order to search their ship for a piece of a special treasure map.

Riden really doesn't come off as pirate material. Either that or he really lets his guard down too much around Alosa. He really seems to underestimate her and she continues to best him at pretty much every turn. I really liked Riden though. He's definitely not a hardened pirate. He's sweet and he's kind. He cares about Alosa and what happens to her even though she's a captive on his ship and she killed several other members of his crew.

I love the relationship between Riden and Alosa. In the beginning, it really seems more like they're just lusting after each other. The ship hasn't docked for awhile and Alosa is just doing what needs to be done to get what she needs. But they have such chemistry and the banter between the two of them is everything. They really shouldn't like each other, but somehow they do. And I love it.

Draxen is the captain of the Night Farer and Riden's brother. He really isn't cut out to be a captain. He doesn't really hold the respect of his crew. But he does seem to actually try. He really comes off as a dirtbag. He likes to watch people suffer, but when you get to know him from Riden's point of view, you can't help but not actually hate him. I really hope that this is going to be an actual series because I think that Draxen could become an interesting character to learn more about, especially in his predicament at the end of this book.

Overall, this book was AH-MAZING. I polished this one off all in one day because I just could not put it down. There was always something going on and there was a super interesting plot twist that makes Alosa even more awesome, if that's even something that's possible. Seriously, I don't think that there was ever a dull moment in this book. If you like pirates, badass female characters, and so much action that your head will spin, you will definitely LOVE this book. This is a 2017 debut book that you NEED on your radar if it's not already there.

The comparison to Jack Sparrow does not go undeserved with Tricia Levenseller’s debut young adult historical fantasy novel, DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING. This novel follows Alosa, the Pirate Princess, on her journey to carry out one of her father’s missions. In order to do that she must play the part of a prisoner in an enemy ship. Unfortunately for her, the first mate, Riden, seems to carry just as much fire as her and will stop at nothing until he figures out what she is hiding.

If it is a pirate adventure you are looking for, a pirate adventure you are to receive. Levenseller doesn’t fail to deliver a fast-paced novel starting from page one. It is an easy flowing read, so you can barely even notice as the pages turn. Alosa’s attitude is as feisty as anyone would imagine pirates to be. She is not afraid to go after whatever she wants, not caring if she has to take down a few people on her way to do so. Yet her hard exterior crumbles down whenever she talks about her crew. Levenseller does an amazing job at characterization. She gives enough to satisfy us but also leaves holes to keep us at the edge of our seats eagerly waiting for the next book.

Riden’s character was by far the most interesting character. More so, his relationship with his brother. While we are given Alosa’s perspective on the fearsome Captain Draxen, we also know that Riden would give up his life for his brother. Readers can look forward to interesting storylines along with the complex characters. Levenseller gives hints and clues all throughout the novel and it was really fun making guesses about what was going to happen. Sometimes I was right and other times I wasn’t, but the story was its own treasure map. The predictability of the book might not appeal to everyone, and at first it really did annoy me, but in the end, the pirate adventure won me out.

I cannot emphasize enough how much fun I had reading this novel. It took you to another place in time and Alosa was such an entertaining person to follow. Of course, this was Levenseller's first novel, and there were times where I found myself really frustrated because how much she was telling the reader straight up the bat. It would have been nicer to slowly get to know Alosa since she put a hard face on for everyone else. I would have liked to find even more clues about her past other than what the author straightforwardly wrote. There were also times where Levenseller overstates what happens. I would understand if she was trying to put a certain emphasis on any action or dialogue but in the end, it didn't seem to be going anywhere. She characterizes Riden and Draxon differently and then tells us through Alosa that they operate differently. This was all very frustrating in the beginning, but once you get used to it, it's very easy to look past it and really enjoy the story, because it was a really fun story.

The novel also shows us the cruelness that comes along with the pirate life. There are deaths and dangerous schemes, but also adventure. In DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING, this all happens while having the main pirate be a female! A female captain with a mostly female crew who can outwit and outfight any other pirate ship that crosses them? I’d really like Jack Sparrow to beat that.

Reviewed by Sabina Z., Teen Board Member

4 stars!

“Oh, the ridiculous things one has to do when one is a pirate.”

Alosa is a seventeen year old pirate captain who serves under command of her father, the pirate king. Sent on a secret mission, Alosa is to be captured by her enemies in order for her to search their ship for a fragment of a treasure map.

While aboard, finding the map proves harder than expected, especially since the first mate Riden keeps getting in her way. But Alosa is persistent if anything, cunning as well and she is determined to succeed at her mission.

“Everyone has something dark in their past. I suppose it's our job to overcome it. And if we can’t overcome it, then all we can do is make the most of it.”

First off I gotta give Owlcrate a shout out, if not for them I would have never read this book on my own. I got this book via their subscription box a couple months ago and only just now got to it. I love owlcrate, I have discovered many books that I really enjoyed because of them that I wouldn’t have picked for myself.

Daughter of the Pirate King was such a cute and fun adventure! I adore this book, it was full of humor, excitement, and was a little bit naughty. I don’t think I’ve ever read a YA pirate book before, that’s a huge gap in the young adult genre that Levenseller has filled!

I love Alosa the most, as a main character she was spunky, crafty, and for a pirate had a considerable amount of morals (but not too many). She was also a lot more ruthless than I expected but I kind of liked it. The pacing of this book was on point, such great character development too! This is a fun and fast read that many people will enjoy.

“I am me because I choose to be me. I am what I want. Some people say you have to find yourself. Not I. I believe we create ourselves to be what we want.”

Okay, review time! Let's see. I really didn't have any expectations going in. This was fun and the banter between the main character and the romantic interest was well done.

Alosa is the daughter of the pirate king. He is king because he is the one who successfully grabbed the most power and enough men and ships to secure the seas. There are two other "bloodline" pirates from old families that have a portion of a map that leads to an island full of riches, a place where sirens dwell.

Alosa is sent to one of those rivals' ships by her father to try and steal a part of the map. It's funny because she has to "act" like she's a prisoner when she's really just allowing herself to be held. While on her rival's ship, she meets one of his sons, Riden, the first mate. His brother, the captain, is a squicky jerk.

But, she meets some pirates onboard who sort of help her or provide a sort of rag tag vibe. Her personal crew of females show up a few times. I really liked how specifically Alosa said she valued good qualities in her crew, and how they supported and encouraged each other. Her friends/crew mates weren't in the book a whole lot, but I liked when they were there.

Halfway through the book, we learn something and the story takes a more fantastical turn. I liked it! Alosa was great. As someone who is NOT a girly girl, I could allow her to be physically strong and a good fighter while still wanting pretty hair and nice clothes made from fine silk, etc. Not every cool heroine has to prefer dirty boots and ripped pants. *mytwocents*

This was a well-written debut novel. I only wish I could come up with such a delightful romp on the high seas. It kept me interested from the beginning, the pacing was good, and it made me want to read the next one!

This is possibly geared towards the lower end of YA, except for some adult male pirates making suggestive comments, and one scene where the villainous captain intends to force Alosa to have sex (but she is quite capable of defending herself and is no damsel in distress). The violence is not graphically described. It's maybe PG-13?

Anyway, great book! It gets a big thumbs up from me.

There’s this thing that happens to me every time finals season comes around: I could be in the biggest book slump in the world, but if I have exams I’m supposed to be taking, I will pick up a book against my better judgement, and what do you know, it turns out to be the most amazing book ever. It annoys me to know end, because it makes studying for finals so darn difficult, and it’s not like it’s easy in the first place.

One of the first books I read after classes let out and I was supposed to be studying for my Calculus II final was Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller. I know the cover doesn’t look like much, but it is such a ridiculously fun book that I’m so glad I gave it a chance anyways!

This book is about the daughter of the Pirate King, Alosa. The book begins with her ship being captured by another pirate ship, run by a handsome – but disgustingly awful – captain and his dreamy, adorable cunning first mate, who also happens to be his brother. They take Alosa as a prisoner in the hopes that she’ll reveal something that’ll allow for them to defeat the Pirate King, but here’s the twist: Alosa wanted to get caught, and she has her own agenda on that ship of theirs.

WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO IN THIS BOOK:
• A feisty, pirate’s daughter who isn’t defined by anyone other than herself, despite the title of the book. She basically has no fear, would do anything for her Pirate King father, has an A++++ crew waiting for her, and is hilarious even in the most dire of situations.
• A delightful slow burn romance with non-stop banter until the very end. Is there anything better than two enemies feeling stirrings of things for each other in their chests? I think not.
• At a certain point in this novel, some supernatural aspects come into play. I realized it right before it happened, and I’ll be surprised if you realize it way before then.
• A fast-paced plot with a great cast of characters, wonderful scenes, a whole lot of adventure – despite them being on a ship for the majority of the book – and zero boredom whatsoever.

Basically, a final exam taker’s worst nightmare, but what can you do. Besides, it was totally worth it.

THE MOOD YOU SHOULD BE IN BEFORE READING THIS:
• You don’t have to be in the mood to read, because just reading the first page will draw you into the story, as well as in Alosa as a character.
• Don’t be looking for an intense fantasy with multiple different plots and paragraphs describing the setting, because this is not that (and personally, I find that a good thing).
• Being in the mood to swoon certainly won’t hurt.

When I picked this out at the library I had no idea that I would have such a thrill reading it! Despite my attempts to study, I finished this book the same day I started it, and all I could do was stare at the title of book two – which you shouldn’t look up yet because it’s a major spoiler – and wish I had the book in my hands. Alas, it doesn’t even have a cover yet.

To recap, I loved the strong feminist character who had to make the tough decisions, and I absolutely loved the ending – it’s so perfect, and I can’t wait to see what high jinks the gang gets into in the next novel.

I didn't expect much when I picked up 'Daughter of the Pirate King" mostly because I rarely come across a book about pirates that I like (maybe it's just not my thing), but that amazing cover and following hype led me to a sort of "I know I won't like it, but I just have to try it now" attitude. I ended up enjoying the book a great deal. It's fast-paced, full of snark, and most importantly - fun. And funny. It's the humor weaved throughout the whole novel that made me read it in one day; and in the world of so many YA books that are full of tragedy, pain, heartbreak and all things dramatic "Daughter of the Pirate King" was a nice respite.

Almost all the praise for this book from me can be divided in two parts - main character Alosa (and her incessant smart-mouthed remarks and sass), and a comical quality that the novel certainly possess.
First, Alosa. I figured people will either love or hate her, she is definitely not someone that will leave you indifferent. I happened to be in the first category. Her boldness and sarcasm along with resourcefulness and serious toughness (and Tricia Levenseller wasted no time showing us Alosa can be unrelenting and hard when needs to be) turned out to be enjoyable combination.However, what makes her amazing is that she is actually funny as hell. Girl tells jokes! Even if she's about to fight for her life she still can't keep her mouth shut - it's wildly entertaining! Don't even get me started on her thinking process...Alosa would be one of not so many MCs from young adult books with whom I'd actually like to hang out. We'd have a blast! I never knew ruthless and hilarious is a mix I'd find to be compelling, but apparently it is. And now I know.

As far as the comical quality goes - it went much further then Alosa's character, and almost everyone in this book has something "up their sleeve", Riden doesn't hesitate to engage in banter with his own amusing responses. Conversations between Kearan and Enwen are dispersed throughout the book and a comic relief on its own. The whole novel carries this light-hearted quality to it that prevents it from sliding into another epic drama. It's just damn funny!

Another thing that I enjoyed was that "romance" in this book wasn't even a romance, so to speak. I would described it as heavy flirting with both of the sides being incredulously surprised by the way things were developing. But although in the end, some things get a bit deeper and emotional - they never slide into anything sappy or theatrical. Nothing was defined or set in stone and I love that author took this direction! I hate when characters end up suffocating their own personalities because of sudden feelings towards someone else. Things take time to develop and people don't change overnight, I appreciate this manner of approaching romantic relationship.

It's hard to say much about world-building, because 95% of action happens on a ship. (And it's still fun to read, so I think Tricia Levenseller did a great job). Technically, this ship can be anywhere, in any kind of world. There are some minimal facts thrown around and some parts of the lore, but world itself is sort of a mystery because the action of the novel was directed at the events at sea. I don't see it as a minus at all, I haven't had a thought "I wish I'd know more about this world!" at any point of reading "Daugther of the Pirate King", so I'm looking forward to full introduction in the next novel.

The only thing that prevented me from giving this novel full 5 stars is Riden's character. I wasn't too impressed with what I have seen. Yes, he definitely has some outstanding qualities and is generally sincere in his ways, but there were some drawbacks in his character that I just couldn't look past. I don't like cowardliness, and I found Riden tethering on the edge of that quality almost constantly, and even actually being that - a flat-out coward - in few instances. It is clearly underlined by the author, and we see that Alosa has a very big problem with that as well, so I'm looking forward to see how Riden will develop in the next book. He definitely has a chance to become an MC that I will want to "fall in love with" (we all need those sometimes), but as of right now he is something of a mixed bag, and I'm on the fence about him.

I borrowed "Daugther of the Pirate King" from a library, and now it's on its way to me, because I enjoyed it so much more than I expected. If you're looking into fast-paced sea adventure, pirate action, snarky banter and kick-ass MC, along with interesting story told with a sense of humor - look no further as you will find all of that in this book.It will also do well as light entertainment that will whisk you away from your everyday problems for awhile and make you laugh, so definitely take your chance with it.

Happy Reading, Maties!

I received this in my Owlcrate subscription box and once again they succeeded in giving me a book I never would have picked up by myself, but I am so grateful I did!
I was completely and pleasantly surprised with how much I loved this story. It follows Alosa who is, as we can all deduce, the daughter of the pirate king, who intentionally gets herself taken prisoner by a rival pirate crew for the intention of searching the ship for a map that will help her and her father find the ultimate treasure trove.
Things I loved: - Alosa. This was a main character that was strong, sassy, clever, and dangerous. I applaud the author in giving us such an amazing character to root for. She is truly a 'boss'.
-I loved first mate Riden, and his and Alosa's interactions together. They bandied about witticisms faster than I could take in, and were constantly trying to one-up the other which made for a very entertaining read.
- the plot twists. Its always nice to be surprised in a book and while I definitely did not see some aspects coming, and at first I was unsure on how I felt about them, i can say as the story went on that it fit with the whole world of pirating and the superstitious beliefs that go with it.

Things that keep me from giving it a 5 star:
- I would have loved if the crew of the Night Farer, the rival pirate crew that capture her, were a little more competent. With the exception of a couple of characters they were the stereotypical bumbling pirate crew and I would have loved it more if they were more 'with it' as it would have provided more of a challenge to Alosa and hence made the story so much more entertaining.
- I would have loved to have had one really big moment where Alosa could show us what she can do/ is capable of. She spends the story constantly holding back to throw off suspicion and while her inner strength and power show through a couple times, I would have loved to have had one scene in the book that unleashed everything and made us go 'oh so thats what she's been holding back'.
All in all it was a fantastic read that I breezed through and I am really looking forward to the next book.

This book was everything I hoped it would be. It was a fun pirate story with a kickass heroine and high stakes. This definitely has Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, which is one of my favorite movies, and I loved the book all the more because of it.

Alosa is an amazing heroine. Girl is unstoppable and can get out of practically any situation. With her brain and her wits and training and a smidgen of luck, nothing can keep her down. Alosa was the star of the show and I loved how badass she was and that nothing could stop her.

We also have Riden, who frankly needs to man up a bit. I liked him a lot but he needs to step up on occasion. His brother is a terrible person and I wasn’t thrilled with some of the stuff he let him pull… even if he knew Alosa could get out of it herself. Take responsibility a bit. But anyway. I still liked him and I can’t wait to see how he grows.

Of course this one has a touch of romance but honestly if it hadn’t existed at all I still would have loved this one. I would have been content to read an entire book that was just Alosa being her badass self. Also, I’m dying to meet more of her predominately female crew cause I’m sure they are badass too.

Daughter Of The Pirate King delivered a fun read with a ton of action and an incredible heroine. It was so fun watching Alosa purposely get caught, escape, purposely get herself caught again, escape again, and repeat. This was a great read all around and I can’t wait for more.

Okay, I just realized that I never actually posted a review for this book that I loved so much! It is one of my staff recommendations at the bookstore where I work currently, so I did a tiny blurb to recommend it, but I never posted one on my blog. Well, I can tell you this, it was such a good book! While it was mainly about pirates, which makes it seem kind of historical, it was really a lot of fantasy, as there are actual Sirens in it, and the main character has some of those abilities, she can sing to get men to do what she wants.

But she's not just part Siren, her dad is king of the pirates, or so he calls himself. It seems there are some other pirates who want to claim that title for themselves. So Alosa, his daughter, sets out to get herself kidnapped, so that she can spy on these other pirates, find a map, and also hopefully lead them way off track of finding her father. Of course, Alosa is also a very good pirate in her own right, and so there is a lot she must do in order to seem like someone that would be an actual prisoner. She uses her skills to sneak out of the cell where they're keeping her on the enemy's ship, and then she is able to sneak around and see if she can find what she's looking for. Only, one of the pirate brothers that is in charge of the ship that has taken her hostage seems to see past her fake plans. Not only that, the two of them clash, and are definitely attracted to each other.

In the end there is even one more traitor that will cause everyone to have to figure out who they can and can't trust, as well as changing plans to help her father get what he wants. But the feelings that may come between Alosa and Riden, (the pirate brother), can only serve to cause them so much turmoil in their end game plans. It is such a fun ride though, just reminded me so much of the first Pirate of the Caribbean movies. And the ending, well it ends in a way that you're left on the edge of your seat, so excited for the sequel. As I mentioned, I highly recommend this one!

There’s something so exciting and fascinating about pirates, am I right? When I think about pirates I instantly go to movies like The Goonies, the Pirates of the Caribbean, and even Peter Pan! The swashbuckling adventures never fail to entertain me on the screen though, besides Peter Pan, I had yet to find something as magical and fun in the pages. Until now!

Right from the get-go I adored our daughter of the pirate king, Alosa. She is a badass pirate, and knows it. She is extremely methodical with every move she makes and is quite the problem-solver, which comes in handy on her newest mission- to be captured by pirates and to steal a treasure map for her father. Daughter of the Pirate King does not hold back on the violence, they are pirates after all, so you can expect some death and fighting. And it is filled with witty banter to lighten it up. The best banter is between Alosa and the first mate, Riden. She could dish out that banter like no other! Flirting and teasing one moment and knocking you over the head the next. They had this great push-pull ‘relationship’, a ‘will they or won’t they’ type. And I was absolutely rooting for the ‘will they’! The love I have for these sort of relationships! Nothing is easy and nothing is certain but they had so much chemistry and there were definitely some swoony moments between the two.

There are magical elements that come into play as well, and I can’t say I was surprised by them but nevertheless found them a welcomed addition that adds a whole new spin on the adventure that awaits us as the series continues. Why 4 stars instead of 5 then? While I appreciated the magical elements that came into play, I felt a couple scenes that used them didn’t grab me like I wished and fell flat. And then the novel sort of just ended, abruptly. Don’t get me wrong, I did feel like the first chapter of the adventure was coming to an end but the way it wrapped up seemed rushed. Nevertheless, I am thrilled to know a sequel is on the horizon! I cannot wait for more magic, sword-fighting, thieving, and that banter I adored so much! Anyone looking for an adventure should absolutely pick up this quick and exciting read!

I have a strange love of pirates, ever since I was a kid and watched Captain Blood. So the idea of a book of a girl pirate, my secret dream, is definitely right up my alley. I loved the adventure and piracy of Daughter of the Pirate King.

The book captures what I love best about old pirate movies. Not only are they full of adventure but also have a lot of witty dialogue. At times Alosa is quite humorous, especially when she banters with Riden. It gave the book a little bit more of a light heartedness that I enjoyed.

Alosa is a spirited, fierce and quick witted. She has been trained by her father to be ruthless and tuck her emotions away. Although she doesn’t follow this all the time, she has great affection for her hand picked crew. Which predominantly consists of women. She is also very observant and she rewards kindness. She is by far a force to be reckoned. She does greatly seek her father’s approval which can sometimes dictate her actions.

Alosa’s romance with Riden is a slow burn. They are adversaries, friends and then teetering on something more. Riden is loyal to his brother, through thick and thin. It’s admirable and stems from what had happened in their past. I like how he challenges Alosa in ways she did not expect and that he chooses to use his wit rather than sword to get the information he needs.

I really enjoyed the plot. There were interesting aspects that you didn’t always see coming. At first you think of the world being confined to the one boat but as things unravel it because bigger than that.

Like I stated earlier I love a good pirate novel and add a female pirate, you’ve got an enjoyable tale. I can’t wait to see how the story continues and if you are looking for something when a strong lead and fun adventure. I can say this is the story for you.

“Oh, the ridiculous things one has to do when one is a pirate.”

OMG so good!!! I love this book <3 Honestly it is probably one of my favorite books this year! As I had mentioned before, I am no fan of the cover. So I ended up just reading getting the ePUB, but man I adore this book so much I might buy a hard copy despite my dislike for the cover.

This book is a fast-paced, fun, action-packed pirate adventure, filled with manipulation, cunning, thievery, romance, humor and a great helping of wit.

The story follows Alosa's adventures as she tries to find a missing piece of a map, for her father, that is said to lead to the greatest treasure ever known to man. But there are certainly many obstacles in her way. Nothing is as simple as it seems, not even Alosa herself. There plenty of fun twists to keep to guessing, and while this book does end on a high note, there is certainly more mischief and trials to be had. And I have no doubt we will get plenty of those in the next book.

Alosa is not your typical YA heroine. She is cunning, witty, ruthless, strong-willed, beautiful, manipulative young pirate who kicks ass and takes names. Daughter of the infamous Pirate King, she certainly did not have a usual upbringing. A life of endless training and punishment has toughened her up, and there are few things Alosa can't handle. It seems wherever she goes, she leaves a trail of dead bodies in her wake. Be warned if you're looking for a heroine with your typical sense of morality, look elsewhere.

Riden is a smart, witty, clever, brave, handsome, loyal young pirate with a killer shot. He serves as Alosa's interrogator, protector, and potential love interest. His growing feelings for Alosa are often in direct conflict with his fierce loyalty to Draxen, his older brother - and Alosa's captor. Unlike most pirates, Riden seems to live by some sort of code. In contrast to his brother Draxen, there are lines Riden will not cross. He is not quick to violence, instead relying on his ability to read his enemies through conversation and observation. A skill he often uses to better understand Alosa, and figure out just what it is she is hiding.

It is such an amazing start to what is bound to be a fabulous series.

To sum this up simply, hats off to the author because this book is everything I love about pirates

Honestly, I need the second book in my hands this very instant!

When I hit the request button on Netgalley, I remember not reading the synopsis and basing my NEED to read this book purely on the title alone.

I guess that’s why it took me SO LONG to bring it to the top of my lung crushing, bookworm drowning TBR pile but now that I finished it, I AM SO SO HAPPY THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT IS EASILY ONE OF THE BEST I’VE READ THIS YEAR!

“I believe we create ourselves to be what we want.”

Instead of describing this book, I’m going to rant about ALL THE GREAT THINGS that I LOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF MY FANGIRLING HEART (and I hope you will want to read it too!)

1. ALL THE GIRL POWER: What’s better than a Fearless Female Main Character who is ALSO the captain of her own ship? A SUPER SASSY Protagonist with the ability to hold her own EASILY in a ship full of enemy male pirates, FIGHT LIKE NOBODY’S BUSINESS and also HAS A CREW FILLED WITH THE MOST AWESOME SAUCE AND LOYAL GIRLS. (Who I am SO SO EXCITED to read more about in book two.)

2. ALL THAT BANTER: One of the things I loved the MOST about this book was THE EASY, sometimes sassy, sometimes flirty banter that Tricia Levenseller managed to create that made a book about pirates, mythical sea creatures, hostages and treasure SO MUCH MORE FUN. (If that is even possible) SERIOUSLY. Some AMAZING DIALOGUE.

3. ALL THAT FLIRTING: I LOVED LOVED Riden and Alosa together. It was such a FUN, refreshing romance with NO PINING, all honour, attraction and flirting and I LOVED IT. (Yes, I have used the word ‘love’ about 36,289 times in this review already) I loved the kissing scenes, I loved the turmoil that went through Alosa’s head during those moments, and I loved them. I cannot WAIT to see what book two does with them.

4. ALL THOSE PLOT TWISTS: Most days, I can predict where a fantasy will end up. Daughter of the Pirate King, however, had me saying ‘OH HOLY WOW. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.’ These are such AMAZING twists too, fitting pieces in place and WOW. LOVE. (Yes, again)

5. ALL THAT ALOSA KALLIGAN: Move over Celaena Sardothien, MY NEW FAVOURITE FEARLESS FEMALE CHARACTER IS HERE. This girl takes NO NONSENSE, has ALL THE SASS AND THE BRAINS AND THE FIGHTING SKILLS and well, I LOVED LIVING IN HER HEAD FOR A FEW DAYS.
There was NOTHING AT ALL WRONG WITH THIS BOOK. In fact, IT WAS SO PERFECT I COULD CRY.

A fast paced, swashbuckling tale with an amazing cast and ALL THE GIRL POWER. I’m so in love, all I want to do it read it again. 5 stars.

I can always get behind a book about pirates, friends. Tricia Levenseller’s debut, DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING, is everything I hoped it would be: fun, fast-paced, and badass. It has secrets, mysterious characters, and a great balance between humor and cut-through pirate stuff. While there are some hiccups in terms of pacing and plot reveals, I enjoyed the crap out of this book, and can’t wait for the next one.

The best thing about DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING is, without a doubt, Alosa. She is by turns vicious, sarcastic, loyal, compassionate, and ruthless. In short, she’s a great pirate. Alosa is on a secret mission for her father, the titular Pirate King, and she relentlessly pursues her goal. She is clever and fearless, and so badass. I hope we get to see her interact with more of her own all-female ship crew in the next book because I know that those girls will be just as amazing as Alosa.

Of course, one of the other great fun things about DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING is the relationship that forms between Alosa and Riden, the first mate of the crew Alosa has allowed to capture her, and a clever pirate in his own right. Since they’re basically enemies for most of the book, their interactions are fraught with snarkiness and also mild danger. It’s the perfect tension. Riden himself is also fun to read. He’s smart, a little emo, he clearly has some backstory. I like him a lot.

The thing that bothers me the most about DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING is, as I mentioned in the beginning of this review, some weird pacing. Or, well, not pacing maybe. More like a little herky-jerky at spots, particularly with a big reveal at the end. It kind of came out of nowhere, but there are some hints, but it still feels…weird. So that’s a little bummer, but not major.

Also, I need a map. That’s rude. I would like a map very much. DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING is a fantasy, after all, and the world isn’t one we know. There’s background about the power the Pirate King holds over the rulers on land that intrigued me on its own, but it also made me curious about this place.

In the end, I thought DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING was a solid debut, and there’s enough left open-ended to keep me intrigued about book two, and where it will take Alosa, Riden, and all the pirates.

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING was a dashedly good pirate tale with a fierce and wily heroine, an enemy pirate who is far too smart and who she shouldn't fall for, and a quest that will put them both in danger. Those who enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean and similar tales of danger, adventure, and romance will love this one!

I loved this story from the very first page. I loved the heroine and I loved her antagonist, Riden. I loved the subterfuge and the game, so to speak, between these two. It all felt realistic. The storytelling was spot on and marvelously done where I felt I was literally in a pirate tale. The chemistry was fantastic with a few swoon-worthy moments, but nothing that crossed any lines, keeping this clean. I loved that Alosa is quite skilled. She knows how to use her skills, but she's also a little brash (I mean the girl does have her pride). I loved that she has her own crew. I also loved that she has a soft heart underneath it all. There were also some heartbreaking moments and some decent twists. I expect some more development to the plot and these characters in future books.

What wasn't perfect? Well, I did notice a few mistakes Alosa makes, but due to her age and desire to not disappoint her father, I forgave her. There were a few places where the violence got a little crude or uncomfortable, but more because of one or two pirate's intent than anything else. All of this lent more authenticity to the story, because really, some pirates should be evil, right? I'm just glad that most of the time, Alosa didn't have to deal with those types.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I was very happy to find that my high expectations were met with this one. I loved this story and can't wait to find out what happens next to these characters and the treasure they seek!

Content: Violence and some innuendo.
Source: Received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

Favorite Quote:
“If I’m to keep up appearances, I’ll have to escape the ship. Then get caught on purpose. Oh, the ridiculous things one has to do when one is a pirate.”

The Pirate King’s Daughter is a humorous, high spirited, action packed , YA fantasy adventure that offers readers an empowered teenage female pirate whose need for her infamous father’s approval sends her on the adventure of a lifetime.

Fans of the mythical Captain Jack Sparrow and the Pirates of the Caribbean films will find a kindred spirit (and some familiar scenes and plotlines) in Captain Alosa-the Pirate King’s Daughter. Bits of magic and mayhem rock the seven seas as Alosa is charged with finding a very special map. Allowing herself to be captured by rival pirates allows Alosa to gain access to their ship and search for the map. Of course, she never expects to be waylaid by the good looking and frustratingly intelligent first mate-Riden-who’s been charged with extracting information from her. As Alosa and Riden battle their wits and wants, someone else is looking for the map and will do whatever it takes to get it.

Well written with a bold narrative, dynamic characterization, and some interesting plotlines; Levenseller relies heavily on her heroine and the heroine dialogue to fuel the story. Slow but steady, this book spends a great deal of its time setting up the world and main character backgrounds while simultaneously plotting the conflict and edging towards the grand reveal. While most assuredly comedic and almost parody-like in this story’s telling, there are darker and more serious undertones as Levenseller deals with emotional angst, feelings of abandonment, abuse, misogyny, paternalism, and the risks one will go to gain a loved one’s approval. Levenseller pokes quite a bit at the male characters and their archaic masculine in here as you watch her constantly direct Alosa to humiliate them.

Our heroine, Alosa, is one of the few female pirates and an entertaining pain the arse. You can’t help but be amused by with her constant and oft repeated tales of all her magnificent talents while watching her drive an entire ship insane with her annoying but effective skills. Beautiful and extremely deadly, this seventeen-year-old is much much more than meets the eye. Raised by her father to be nothing less than the best, she is confidence personified and takes advantage whenever she can. She is an interesting mixture of strength, wit, and pragmatic views that is offset by her feminine nature. She is a girly girl.One minute she’s slicing throats and the next she’s fussing over the state of her dresses.

The romance is more of an undercurrent rather than a dominant element though it gains strength towards the end. It’s an antagonistic relationship that entertains immensely. I loved that even though Alosa is attracted to Riden, her mission and honor mean more to her. That’s not to say she won’t use Riden to get what she came for. Pirates are notoriously selfish and self motivated, you know. :) Riden is a strong solid presence and helps to show Alosa see there are more things in life beyond being a pirate.

The secondary characters all hold the potential to be more and each one seems to have a secret waiting to be revealed, adding to the suspense and intrigue. No one is quite what they seem and we are on constant guard possible betrayal and deception-I mean, these ARE pirates. Levenseller barely scratches the surface of the potential this story holds and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for readers next.

While the strong juvenile tone and overly chatty protagonist may turn some off, I feel this whimsical and high spirited adventure is sure to appeal to both young and older readers who love a flamboyant and forceful female protagonist, non stop action, witty banter, and a long reaching mystery. Tricia Levenseller is definitely an author to watch for in the future.

Grade: B-

I don't read a lot of fantasy. I have no idea why I don't, because every time I read a fantasy book, I always have such an enthusiastic response. Daughter of the Pirate King was yet another fantasy book which won a huge response from me.

The daughter of the pirate king, Alosa, is sent by her father to retrieve a map. This requires Alosa to be captured and imprisoned by the enemy pirates. While aboard the Night Farer, she is challenged by the Night Farer's crew, but most of the crew is really no match for Alosa, that is except for Riden.

"Lass, you've the face of an angel but the tongue of a snake."

Alosa had me on her team from page one. She was the total package. A fierce woman, who was smart and snarky, and not afraid to slit a few throats if necessary. She was also loyal to her crew, and would go above and beyond to protect them. But don't let that fool you, she still liked to be clean, groomed, and well-dressed even if she was not a "lady". Her wit and candor kept me amused, and I just thought she was a stellar example of what a great heroine is: strong, but a little soft too. Still, so much girl power. The twist with her lineage really pulled me in. I thought it was an imaginative addition to an already great character. Aside from Alosa, she had an almost all female crew filled with fiery, intense, and bold women.

"Submissiveness. I try not to cringe as the word enters my mind. Horrid word, that one."

"Because pirates aren't supposed to look like you look and talk like you talk and do what you do. You're confusing, and it's messing with my head."

There were many supporting characters who added to the fun, but I would be remiss if I did not talk about Riden. All I am going to say is, every time Riden was on the page, I had heart eyes. Levenseller gave us a great heroine AND a great hero. It was interesting of her to create this anti-pirate. Yes, he could fight, but he had a lot of compassion and cared a lot for his brother, his crew, and after a short time, Alosa. The verbal and physical sparring between these two was fantastic. The chemistry was perfect. And the tender moments were full on swoony. I just adored every minute of them together.

"His brown eyes are alight with merriment. I think he enjoys our little spats."

Overall: A fun and fantastic pirating adventure filled with action, romance, and witty banter. I am eagerly awaiting book 2!

No spoilers in this review of Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller. I give it 4 stars! This book was fun from start to finish. Levenseller sets a good pace for her story and strings us along with fun banter on nearly every page.

As unusual as it is for her age and gender, Alosa is a young pirate who already has her own ship and crew. Her father is also a pirate (the king of pirates, to be exact), so she has learned from the best. Alosa’s father wants her to track down a piece of a map that supposedly leads to a long-lost treasure. She needs to board another ship to search for the map, so she gets kidnapped (on purpose) to gain access to these pirates and their ship. The former captain recently passed away, and his eldest son Draxen is the new leader aboard this ship. His younger brother Riden is the first mate and is assigned to keep an eye on and question Alosa. These two continually try to outsmart each other and interpret the other’s true motives.

This isn’t a story where the characters experience a lot of growth. It’s a mystery in which, right along with Alosa, readers slowly discover what’s important about the map, whether it’s even aboard this ship to begin with, and what the true intentions of the various pirates are. Alosa is a courageous, smart, witty main character who I loved from page one. I liked how her personality coupled with Riden’s even though they were on opposing sides. Finally, a touch of magic is introduced later in the story. It’s fun, unique, and sure to be explored further in the sequel.

I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it! There are a few gritty plot points, but it’s predominantly on the younger side of YA, which is refreshing when many YA books are hovering on the YA/NA line.

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When I hear “Pirate” in the title – I want a story that is fast-paced and action packed, with plenty of intrigue and characters who straddle the line between outright villains and upstanding citizens in their own little world. And Levenseller brought all of that, and more, to this first book in the duology featuring Alosa, the Daughter of the Pirate King.

Brazen, confident, smart-mouthed and seventeen, Alosa is easy to picture, strutting about as she plans and commands the next move. The only (claimed) child of Kalligan, the tendency is to underestimate her cunning and deadly skill, to the dismay and surprise of all who seek to derail her from the course she’s set forward. And she is everything that one would want in a pirate ship captain, fueled by her own confidence and determination. When she is tasked with finding a piece of map for her father, she sets a plan in motion, believing the subterfuge and her own skills will bring success.

From the start, the story is non-stop: from Alosa’s plan to allow her own capture by Draxen, a newly crowned pirate lord in possession of the ship formerly owned by the man who held the map piece. Alosa believes she can use her wiles and cleverness to search the ship for the missing piece, and reunite with her own crew thereafter. Adding to the mix is Alosa’s repeated “discovery’ by Riden, first mate and younger brother of Draxen, and the banter they share as he is returning her (repeatedly) to her space in the brig.

With a touch of friendship blooming into a gentle romance, the interplay here is clever. In fact, all of the dialogue in this story, from Alosa and Riden’s banter, to the general dialogue caught and captured during the story has a lovely touch of humor to it: in many ways Alosa is funny, the moments even more bright as they contrast completely with her ruthless determination and her overwhelming (if occasionally bordering on overstated) confidence. When the action and pacing is so forward thinking, it would be easy to lose sight of the plotting: this story is well crafted and builds piece on piece to give readers a never-ending sense of ‘what next’ among the smiles. With a last little twist, and an ending that works without being a cliffhanger, yet leaves room for more for Alosa to come, this was a wonderful debut, sure to please readers.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Pirate books are amazing. And so I couldn't resist this gorgeous book when I read more about it. And saw that stunning cover. So glad I decided to get this book from the publisher via Netgalley. Eee. It was the first book I read in two weeks. And I simply could not stop reading it. It was all kinds of exciting and fun. I loved it.

I am unsure what to say about this book. I truly enjoyed it from beginning to end. I had a few issues, which is why I'm giving it four stars instead of five. But despite those small parts, I pretty much loved this book. It was fast paced and written pretty well and just so good. I enjoyed reading everything about this book.

I love that this is a pirate book. That the main girl, Alosa, is a pirate. A pretty important one too, which was pretty interesting. The summary mentions that there is a bit of magic in this one. And gosh. It was all kinds of stunning and perfect. I loved that part of the story the most. Eee. So much fun. And awful too. And I can't wait to read more about it all. The sort of twist was hinted at all through the book, but it was still a pretty awesome reveal. I loved it. And I want more of this magic part in book two. I want it very much. And oh. Alosa. This girl was all kinds of amazing. I adored her a whole bunch. I simply loved getting to know her. She was awesome. I did not like her relationship with her father. It was not good. Shudders. Yet so so interesting to read about.

This book is mostly about Alosa being held capture by some pretty bad pirates. She let herself be taken, so that she could steal a map she knows is supposed to be on their ship. Though things don't actually go as she had planned, hah. There is so much happening in this book, despite most of it taking place on one ship. I loved getting to know Alosa. I loved getting to know a couple of the crew on this bad ship too. Two of them were pretty interesting and kind and I liked how the book ended for them. Yay. So many pirates.

And then there was the boy. Sigh. Riden was all kinds of amazing. I had a few issues connecting with him at first, but my love for him just got bigger and bigger. He is sort of a mystery at times. He is trying to get Alosa to tell him about her father, the pirate king. But he is also falling for her. Though the point of view is all Alosa in this book. But yeah. Riden was surprising at times. I liked getting to know him so much. He was so cute. Yet could be bad too. Either way, though, I loved this boy a whole bunch. Need more of him.

And I must mention the romance. Because it is there. And there are some amazing kisses. Eee. I loved those parts so much. But it is also pretty complicated, considering Riden is holding her capture on his brother's ship. But I think they would be amazing together, always. Because they banter so well. And they are so awesome together. And I just adored this romance. I wish there had been even more about it, lol. But the ending has given me hope for even more, eee, so I'm crossing my fingers. I simply adored it all.

I'm not sure what to mention about the plot. Other than that it was amazing. I love reading about pirates. Some of these were pretty bad, though, and I didn't like that one bit. Aw. But I loved how Alosa dealt with them all. She was so awesome. I loved how strong she was, how capable. Maybe a little too stubborn at times, but I didn't mind too much. I adored this girl. Except for one thing she did with the captain. Ugh. It bothered me. This is a four star because I didn't fully love the writing, but I loved the story. It was great.

This book ends pretty well, but it is also sort of a cliffhanger, just not a bad one. But definitely not a story that is finished. And then I checked on goodreads, and it told me nothing about a sequel; I got so worried. Then I saw that Tricia had tweeted about writing book two, and eee, I'm excited. I need more books about these characters. And this awesome story too. I just wish book two was out right now, lol. Cause I'm sure I will love it. And I want to read it right now. Ack. This first book ended way too fast. Yet was long enough.

I'm just so glad I read this book. I was a little unsure about it before I started it, as I had not heard of this author before, but now I will be checking out whatever she writes next, lol. Daughter of the Pirate King was such an amazing debut. It was so fun and awful and a bit romantic too. The magic parts were the best. And all the characters were so interesting to read about. I would highly suggest that you all read this book when it comes out. Eee. Because it was such an awesome read. And I liked it so much. Go order it.

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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books.

*I received this book from Netgalley, thank yoouuuuuu Feiwel & Friends, this doesn't change my feelings at all!*

You know, I think this is a first. The Daughter of the Pirate King has me so conflicted on this rating. 4/5 or 5/5? I LOVED it but it wasn’t my favorite but it was still REALLY good.

I enjoyed Daughter of the Pirate King from the very beginning. The action kept up, the wittiness was always present and the events just kept on happening. I think it slowed down a bit near the end but it quickly picked up pace once more. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t stop. I literally read 80% of this book in one day (which is rare for me to do now thanks to college). After that ending, I can NOT wait for book two. I need it right now.

One of my favorite things about Daughter of the Pirate King was the main character. Alosa is highly enjoyable from the beginning. I feel like I rarely say this but her attitude makes the book, I think she is one of my favorite book characters of all time. She is seriously witty, she always has a good snappy comeback. I loved her relationship with Riden, while I don’t ‘ship’ them I do enjoy the banter between one another.

The only thing that felt weird to me was Alosa’s relationship with Riden. He seemed creepily into her since the very beginning. *semi-spoiler* Maybe I’m looking to into it but he seemed kind of clingy to her even though she was his prisoner. *end semi-spoiler*

I also liked the brother relationship between Riden and Draxen. While Draxen was a jerk, I still loved the loyalty between them and the respect they carried for each other. I’m all for family relationships and loyalty.

Anyways, Daughter of the Pirate King is one of my favorite books this year. (I know I already said that about three times already) but these books just keep coming! It’s a fantasy, adventurous ride with pirates. Who doesn’t like pirates?!?!?

I so wasn't expecting Tricia Levenseller's debut, Daughter of the Pirate King to be a one day read! But man those pages just kept flying by and all when I was still getting over the remains of a cold! This is most definitely a read for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean franchise! Particularly the first movie when Captain Jack Sparrow was at his best! Alosa reminds me of a female teenage Jack because she was just that snarky and I loved her for it all!

Alosa is the daughter of the pirate king, as you might have guessed, and her father has always been willing to use whatever means necessary to get what he wants, including his own daughter. But Alosa loves her father...in her own way and doing something for him is a matter of duty. So when she must allow herself to be kidnapped by an enemy pirate lord in order to find a piece of a map that will lead to untold treasures she doesn't even blink an eye.

Though Alosa was expecting an older captain like her father, she's surprised to find that his teenage sons are running things. They can't be more than a year or two older than herself. Draxen is what you'd expect from a pirate, vicious, cruel, cold, and completely selfish. He plans to use Alosa as a bargaining chip to her father to get the location to his treasure trove. Alosa knows her father would never give up that information so she uses her time as a prisoner to search the ship for the piece of map that should be there, according to her father. What she didn't expect was for Riden, Draxen's younger brother to be so annoyingly charming.

Riden and Alosa start off with an odd relationship of prisoner and prison guard. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a Stockholm Syndrome situation as Alosa put herself deliberately in her position. She planned for everything almost, except not being able to find the map in a timely manner. Or for Riden himself for that matter. Riden and Alosa go through the entertaining round of bantering. Alosa is quick witted and I loved that about her. She doesn't shy from saying what's on her mind no matter how appropriate.

It seems both Alosa and Riden start to fall one another unwillingly. They're pirates and not used to feeling such feelings. Though Ride, is by far the most kind-hearted pirate you'll ever meet. He's got more heart than a pirate should. He remains loyal to his brother and thus the reason he sticks to the pirate life, plus he might even enjoy it but he is still different.

Alosa has a secret though, one that I saw coming really given certain things, but it was still an interesting one that needed further explaining. I am definitely happy to have the next book at the ready to see how the story continues. It ends on high note and one that doesn't really leave you hanging desperately for more information. It's definitely my favorite way for a book to end, especially when it's apart of a series of some undetermined length. Still not positive if this is a duology or longer. Guess I'll find out soon enough! Daughter of the Pirate King is action packed read filled with everything you would expect of a pirate book! Tricia Levenseller has definitely made her way onto my favorites list!!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Never trust a pirate, especially in this high-tension tale where sword fights and stormy waters are nothing compared to deception's games.

Alosa isn't just a pirate, she's the feared pirate king's daughter. When she lets herself get captured to fulfill a task for her father, the circumstances - which would be horrifying to anyone else - are nothing more than an adventure. Or so she thinks.

I'd heard a lot about this book and was excited to get my hands on it - although I wasn't sure it would be something I'd enjoy. The first chapters swept me away.

Alosa isn't only capable, she's a real treat. She knows her strengths, and she knows she's clever. For her, dangerous situations are all fun and games. Even though she borders on arrogant, she's simply a ton of fun. Her fearlessness puts even the bravest pirate to shame, but it's her secret heart of gold which rounds off the sharpest edges of her personality.

The other characters in the book are rich with personality, each demonstrating very distinct characteristics. They come to life, creating a crew which calls for dread and humor at the same time. Especially the dialogue exchanges are a joy to read-packed with sarcasm, hidden messages and stabbing humor. Alosa dances with her words around everyone, but finds a few who match pace and make for a dangerous game.

There's never a boring moment as the sea and the pirating world come to life. Alosa goes from one high-tension moment to the next, often with very bloody and deadly stakes. This book is heartless in that respect. Pirates die violent deaths, and there isn't a twitch of regret. Pirating life is not a dainty past time, and that is clear in these pages. Alosa plays her part of deception like a master, but she isn't the only one - and it's this tension which grabs hold the entire way through.

Secrets come in layers, but in this rough world, it's the softer ones which are the most dangerous. The author does a great job of making these moments not only a facet of intrigue but creates a needed warmth to make the characters sympathetic. It's hard not to root for them, even with horrendous acts. Things like romance gain an extra edge, since even this aspect isn't clear cut. Not even at the end.

The only thing which bothered me was the heavier twist into fantasy toward the end. Although the story didn't lose pace through it, it weakened Alosa's character and strength. But this is a very personal opinion, which others probably won't be bothered by in the least.

Summed up, this is an exciting read which takes to the seven seas and back again. The wit is a real treat. Fans of adventure are sure to enjoy this one.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it, so I wanted to leave my thoughts.

Tricia Levenseller’s debut, Daughter of the Pirate King, is the pirate tale we need more of in YA! It’s a fun, fierce adventure that is sure to entertain fans of Pirates of the Caribbean!

Our main character, Alosa, is setting up her kidnapping when we first meet her. In my opinion, the blurb is a little too spoilery for my liking. Making it known that her kidnapping was planned allowed the beginning to be less intriguing for me. Now, we know that this is all an act as Alosa becomes a prisoner.

It was hard for me to connect with Alosa as she was hiding pieces of her true self. In the end, I really did enjoy her though. She’s a strong heroine that readers can easily root for! Being the daughter of the powerful pirate king has shaped her into a brave, fearless woman, and she even has the scars to prove it. She’s intelligent and skilled, and unlike most pirates she knows, she has a good heart.

Her inner thoughts did become a bit repetitive at times, by telling us how skilled she was, etc. This wasn’t a downfall in her character but more in the writing of the story. Besides the parts that seemed to drag a bit, I think Tricia Levenseller is a fantastic writer. She brought to life such a fun adventure! There’s a huge lack of pirate tales in YA, which I find odd, so this alone made Daughter of the Pirate King unique to read!

All of the characters introduced are enjoyable! There were evil ones and surprisingly fun characters within this crew of pirates. Of course there was our other main character, Riden. The two of them complimented each other well. Everything Alosa lacked in bringing to the story, Riden was there for support. It didn’t hurt that their banter leading up to a more romantic relationship was pure gold!

Within the actual world building there was plenty of action. There was also a lot more blood and death than I was expecting, but I’m not complaining! The history of these pirates was well thought out to add more depth to these characters, too. Finally, it wraps up perfectly by adding a bit of magic to the story.

Overall, this book was enjoyable and fun. Centering it around pirates made it feel unique, and there were a few twists to keep the story exciting. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of Alosa’s story in the next book! If you’re looking for an action-packed adventure then this book is for you! Plus, who doesn’t enjoy pirate tales?

I feel indifferent about this book. I'm not exactly sure what I'm feeling toward it...I don't hate it but I don't love it. I'm not especially excited by it yet, the ending made me curious for more.

I think my problem is that while this is a good tale with a decent plot, unique and interesting--which is all well and good--it's a bit shallow and superficial for me. 2D.

I didn't connect with the characters. The writing didn't ensnare me and pull me into its depths. Because it was lacking depth.

The whole time I was reading I kept feeling like something was missing. And it was depth.

The writing style is light and easy. Gentle. I'd say. It didn't speak to me. It didn't entrance my mind and consume me.

Is that a big problem? No. Not really. It was still a good read. Just didn't meet my personal criteria of "instant obsession" and favourites.

I feel a good target age for this book would be 13-17 year olds. And I am certain were I about 15 yrs younger I would be all over this.

I enjoyed the light romance best. That was a pleasant surprise. As I prefer YA Fantasy with romance ( although I've noticed when reading reviews that I'm in the minority there).

So I gave an extra half star for the love interest!

Overall a good book with a fast paced and unique plot, strong female lead, a sprinkling of yummy steamy bits and a lovely cliffhanger ending that'll have you putting the next installment on preorder.

I got this book from NetGalley to review. I ended up enjoying this book a lot more than I thought I was going to. It's a fun read that's action packed and full of witty banter. I am usually not a huge fan of "pirate" books, but this one was engaging and had a great blend of action, adventure, mystery, and romance.

This book was just a ton of fun to read. Alosa is such a witty and snappy heroine that is super confident and has the skills to match the bluster. I enjoyed reading about her a ton.

The storyline is a mix of predictable and unpredictable elements. I loved the whole storyline about Alosa trying to steal a map to find a secret island of treasure. At first this seems straightforward, but as the story continues there are a lot of twists and turns and betrayals.

The romance between Alosa and the first mate on the enemy ship is a bit predictable; but it is also ends up being complicated and sweet. The witty dialogue throughout is what really makes this book shine; it’s just so much fun!

The story is fast-paced and full of action and adventure. The writing flows nicely and is easy to read. This was one of those books that I had a very hard time putting down; I just really needed to know how things wrapped up!

This is the first book in a series so….while the book stops at a good spot not everything is wrapped up neatly.

Overall this was an awesome book that totally surprised me with how much I loved it. I always love books that have a good balance between world-building, mystery, action, adventure, and romance. This book is perfectly balanced and well written; there is also a lot of humor which makes it super fun to read! I will definitely continue on with the series. I would recommend to YA fantasy fans who enjoy action and adventure with their romance.

This was one stellar book! It really is like a female Jack Sparrow man and this one blew me away!
The pacing of this one worked so well from point a, to b, to c. It was perfect. I do wish it would have been a little longer but thats ok.

The world building the author has given us was so good. The use of the pirate ship was so good and it worked out so well. It made the world come alive and the characters were wonderful. I really fell in love with Alosa and her crew which I hope we get to see more of in the next book. I really can't wait to see the outcome of this story in book either. Waiting a year is going to suck.

Alosa as an MC was fab! She's such a strong take no prisoners kind of character. She knew what she needed to do and she got it done. Riden was an amazing romantic interest and you just don't know about him fully until the end of the story. Which ended way to soon. I needed at least another 100 pages.

I want to say so much about this story but I'm afraid I'm going to give something away!!

This is one high seas adventure with a wonderful romance with a girl who is still somewhat finding her way at least with love. It will make you want the next book (Daughter of the Siren Queen YES it has a title!!!!) Now!

Book in a Pinch
Pirates and Sirens O My
Go Into This One Knowing
Slight cliffhanger, Romance, No Love Triangle, Lots of Action and Suspense

I've been looking forward to this book for a number of months, ever since my daughter Grace became a Beta reader for the Levenseller, and I was not disappointed!!!

"Daughter of the Pirate King" is a fast paced, action and romance filled adventure. Alosa, the Pirate King's Daughter, is a feisty young woman with a mission to fulfill and several tricks up her sleeve to help accomplish that mission. Riden, the first mate on the pirate ship 'Night Farer', is far too kind to be a pirate, but that doesn't matter. He still is a believable pirate and a smart one to boot. Loyal to a fault to his brother Draxen, he may just be Alosa's match.

This is a quick read with lots of action and intrigue. The characters are well drawn many of them being very complex. Secondary characters add a just the right touch - sometimes lighthearted, sometimes fearsome. And the world was spot on for a pirate adventure.

There were a few spots where I became confused by time passage. To me, this is something an editor should have seen and taken care of. Time moves so quickly in this novel, that I didn't realize days were passing. When it became evident that more time had passed than I assumed, it pulled briefly me out of the story while I got my bearings again. I also had a problem with a couple slight continuity issues, but none of them were so challenging as to spoil the story.

If you like YA fantasy-action-romance, this is a book I highly recommend. There will be a sequel, but the ending to this one does not leave you hanging....just wanting more. This is Levenseller's debut novel, and it's a winner!

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller is a fun read with a fierce, independent lady main character. Yup. I am here for that! Here are a few of my favorite bits:

Historical Fiction: I love me some historical fiction. I especially loved that this one was so much fun! I know I already used that word to describe it but it just fits. Fun, fun, fun.
Pirates: I have read few, if any, pirate books. Why are there not more? I loved that aspect of this one. Life at sea and the quirkiness of the different sailors… so enjoyable to read about.
Smart Heroine: My favorite part, of course! Alosa is pretty much the best. I loved learning to know more about her and the way she was raised. Throughout the book she is capable and fierce, but also vulnerable and unsure. I loved that we see both sides and it doesn’t mean she isn’t strong!
Swoons: There are certainly some romantic bits and I just loved them. I had such a crush on the love interest. It’s very clear the main characters are keeping secrets from each other but I was still rooting for them.
The only thing that I didn’t love was the ending! I didn’t realize this was the first of a series when I went into it an wished I would have. But that’s just me being oblivious… not a flaw in the book.

Basically this is just a fun and compulsively readable story!

hank you to Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for a copy of the eARC in exchange for a fair review.

Alosa is the daughter of the Pirate King and she is on a mission. When Draxon and Riden board her (fake ) ship she hides herself among the crew and only reveals herself after they have surrendered. She then negotiates rather well to get her crew released and all of her stuff moved over to their ship.

She is looking for a map and she will do whatever it takes to find that map. No matter how handsome Riden is. She spends night after night breaking of her cell looking for this map. She keeps getting caught by Riden, and even when her father's man reveals himself to her, she refuses to take any help.

For Riden is right she is hiding a great many things, the least of which is the location to her father's keep. When another pirate steals her from Draxon, she knows things are deeper than she expected. There are many players in this game.

I loved Alosa and her all women crew!!! Totally on board with that. She is snarky, clever, and a complete badass. And those twists, whew this was a game and many players were playing and no one knew just how many until the end. I will say that I am not a fan of her father, he was clearly very abusive in his training of her.

But that connection between Riden and Alosa was amazing! I can't wait to see what the next book brings... In fact I am more than a little heartbroken I have to wait a whole year.

Half the reason I requested this galley was because of the pirates. Even better was the fact that the lead pirate in the novel is a girl. There are not enough pirates of any gender in YA literature!

Alosa is the daughter of the new pirate king and the captain of her own ship. But she is more than a pirate. She has abilities that make her powerful, abilities that she hates. But she uses them in order to please her father, who is a tyrant at best. And he has sent her on a mission... to find a third of a fabled map that leads to impossible treasure.

Alosa is a strong, confident girl who doesn't hesitate to go after what she wants. She knows that there are very few that could match her skills. I love that attitude! But she isn't all hardened edges. She desperately wants to please her father, even after the ways in which he's treated her. And she just might have a soft spot for a certain fellow pirate.

I really enjoyed this story. Alosa's character was fantastic. Strong and powerful, but with an edgy sense of humor. Her interactions with the men on the ship are sometimes serious, but most of them time she is pushing them just for the fun of it. There were times, though, when the plot dragged a little bit for me. A little repetitious, but not enough to ruin it for me. All in all, it was a fun read!

Princess Alosa has just been captured by enemy pirates. She is now being held prisoner in order to get a ransom from her father the king. But there's a catch... she planned on getting captured in order to find a secret map hidden somewhere aboard the enemy pirate ship. Can she find the map and get out of this in one piece? Perhaps she will have to use her "other abilities" to help her along the way.
But there's more drama when the very tasty looking first mate starts to suspect Alosa of being more than just a prisoner. Will he betray her secrets to his brother the captain? Or will he have other plans for her?
This was such an enjoyable read. I had problems putting this book down. It was perfectly written with just enough detail and does not drag out at any point. When you're not being enthralled with the action and adventure of pirate swashbuckling, you are being seduced by the sexiness of a siren. Deceit and betrayal run rampant in this book. But there is so much more. I cannot wait for the second installment to hit my shelves!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good action adventure read with a side of PG-13 sultriness.

Daughter of the Pirate King is a thrilling adventure. I loved this book!

Why did I love this?

• From the beginning to the end I was mesmerized by this story. The story begins with Alosa captured by her enemies, so right away you see her calculating her every move. As I read more it became clear this was going to be an exciting adventure. And I was right. I loved the action and enjoyed riding beside Alosa while she searched for the map. I also loved the banter between Alosa and Riden. It was fun watching them try to outwit each other but also see the connection they were making.

• I love Alosa! She’s clever, intelligent and strong. Alosa doesn’t want to rely on her special skills (I’m not spoiling it for anyone), so it was interesting watching her stay in control. It was exciting to see her transformation and I can’t wait to read more about it in the next book. Despite her rough relationship with her father, she still finds the good in him. As tough as she may be, Alosa is like most of us and craves her father’s approval. It will be interesting to see what happens with her relationship with her father.

• I love Riden! It is refreshing to have the love interest be the second in command, rather than the Captain pirate. He is clever and a definite match for Alosa. His brother Draxen is a cold-hearted pirate but Riden has compassion. Even though they are enemies, Riden and Alosa have a lot in common due to their painful past. They have sizzling chemistry and I can’t wait for more of them in the next book.

• I loved that Alosa’s crew was primarily women. I’ve never read a book with female pirates so I loved seeing the strong women fight and control their ship.

Daughter of the Pirate King has adventure, romance, suspense and action. This is a fun story and I can’t wait to read the next book.

Female pirates? Yes, yes, I need more!

As much as I liked this novel, admittedly, the majority of it read like an average fantasy/adventure to me. I liked it, I liked the characters, and it was entertaining. I was having a good, albeit mediocre, reading experience.

But then, I got to the last quarter of the book. Oh boy, did that shake some things up! That was what brought it from a 3.5 star rating to a 4 star rating. It became much quicker paced, the adventure had me totally entranced and captivated, and the story was going in all sorts of different directions--in a good way!

Throughout the book, but especially in that last quarter, I do have to commend the author for the world that she created. This was a different spin on these.....magical creatures (no spoilers from me), that I haven't seen done before. It was well incredibly well done!

I cannot wait to read the sequel because I'm excited to read where the story goes from here. I am actually the little kid joy, kind of excited! There is so much potential for what's to come and I'm looking forward to the adventure.

It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel because the style of writing and the freshness of the story itself is both strong and unique. There have been several stories about Sirens, and just as many about pirates but a half-siren pirate captain, a girl in charge of her own ship. She is a young girl who plans her own capture at the behest of her father to get a piece of a priceless map. It is fun and quirky, but there’s also a level of darkness to the tale that gives the story a level of the dimension. It is, after all, a pirate tale, and pirates are dark characters. The mixture of comedy and sarcasm in the novel makes the reading quite enjoyable, coupled with the fiery characterization of Alosa and the character dynamics.

It is a fun story but also very straightforward. There is a clear direction for the story but also bits and pieces of intrigue as far as the characters are concerned. There is a piece of dark history to these characters, and it is given to the reader bit by bit. They do not weigh down the story and instead add some dimension to the storytelling at integral points in the story. This also helps to form chemistry between the characters. Their dynamics are vibrant, and the internal narrative is thoughtfully structured in a way that the reader gets to know the character, her history and how that history influences how she works and thinks.

It is not a terribly complicated plot line but it does tell a story, and it does focus hard on bringing these characters to life. It is fun, and Alosa is such a fiery character. There is some tightness to the story however regarding the romantic aspect of the story. There are times when the scene structure losses some fluidity and the sexual tension comes across as forced. It is slightly forgivable because the dynamics between the characters grow into something amusing to read. It is fun to see Alosa play with the minds of the men, but sometimes that can alienate the reader because her tone and attitude are a little standoffish.

Overall though, it is a fun novel full of interesting backstory, interesting characters, and a story full of some clever twists and turns. (★★★★★ | A)

I got this book in one of my book boxes and I was excited right away because I love anything to do with Pirates. Let me tell you I was not disappointed! I was hooked right from the beginning, I was drawn into the story and connect with the characters right away. From the start there was adventure, humor, and a hint of romance.

The books characters were well developed and they played off each other well; especially Alosa and Riden. However, I thought Alosa's interaction with all the characters was fun; I always love sarcastic humor and this book had lots of it especially when Alosa was involved. I liked how you got bits of backstory about Alosa and Riden as the book went on and got to understand them more. I of course was rooting for them to get together because they had great chemistry.

I thought the plot was fun and interesting. You don't see many women pirates, and even in the book Alosa is a rare woman pirate. She has many strengths and tricks up her sleeves that the men holding her "captive" don't know about. It made me laugh whenever she would trick Riden and the rest of the pirates on the ship. The plot wasn't super suspenseful you could kind of see where it was going, but not enough to where you knew exactly where it was going so some surprises were in there. I thought it had a great mix of adventure, humor, and romance.

Alosa and her fathers relationship was definitely different and you can see it isn't the best, but Alosa deals with it pretty well. I like that she wasn't the typical girl lead who starts to have pity parties and question everything; personally there is too much of that in some books I have read. I could see how this would make a fun movie! I was excited to learn that there will be more in the series and will get to read how things end up for Alosa and Riden!

I was excited about Daughter of the Pirate King for two reasons - lady pirate and sirens! The book is like imagining what Elizabeth Swann would be if she had been born as a pirate. Alosa, our protagonist, is on a mission from dear old dad to retrieve a map from a pirate ship. She is sassy, well-trained, and a headstrong girl - she has this shit handled! Or so she thinks. Because being a girl in a pirate world means being constantly underestimated, but she uses that to her advantage. She gets ‘kidnapped’ by the pirate ship she intends to steal from, and then stealthily searches it when she can. However, looking for a long-lost map is not easy and the ship’s first mate, Riden, keeps an extra close eye on her. Also, out there is another pirate lord who has taken an interest in her skills, and her mission gets a lot more complicated than originally planned.

The book is set in a fantasy world that also has the legends of sirens, only that few people have seen them and lived to tell about it. The connection with the plot of the novel comes later in the novel, but it is not entirely unpredictable. In fact, much of the novel isn’t - it heartily relies on tropes and cliches, but still manages to be extremely entertaining. The banter between Alosa and Riden alone can leave you in splits, and I had a smile going through most of their scenes like ‘oh just kiss already’. They go through some stuff, too, though as this book is not entirely fun and giggles - this is a pirate story after all, and there is a body count (5 minutes into the first chapter and 3 people die). Alosa is a trained fighter and has a good heart, but she is also the daughter of a pirate king and has not been brought up as a princess, mind you. Her father is depicted as a ruthless man, more interested in what value she has a captain and her skills, rather than any natural affection to his flesh. For her part, she accepts the cruelty of her world as a part of existing in it, and rarely questions the morals.

Which is why I must speak about the normalization of sexual assault in this book. The threat of rape is frequently used as a device in fantasy stories, and this one is no different. Alosa faces attempted (sexual) assault twice, but there is a difference in how it is resolved. The first time, she outright kills the guy, and Riden stands by, condoning it. But the second time, when it is his brother who is doing it, he asks her not to kill him, and she relents, thinking about Riden’s feelings. Never mind that he (Riden’s brother) was a turd since the moment she met him, and she is more than capable of protecting herself thanks to her skills, but Riden didn’t even do much to stop his brother, and then he is advising her not to take her natural course of action? Yeah, that put a damper on my shipping for those two, even though their relationship is fraught with manipulation, lying and you know, all that first date stuff.

And lastly, as I read this in audio, I want to add a note about the narrator Marisa Calin, who does an amazing job with the book. She brings out the personality of Alosa so well that I did not even want to read this in text, because it felt lacking compared to her narration. She also does the other voices extremely well, from Riden to even the basic crew member, and makes the story feel much more alive.

Overall, though, this book is quite entertaining with an amazing empowered heroine, who has her own mostly-female pirate crew (which I really am hoping to see more of in the next book) and a high stakes plot, plus some fun flirting and banter.

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levensetter

The Breakdown:

Alosa is a feared pirate captain that also happens to be the daughter of the Pirate King Kallidan. In a world where female pirates are laughed at and do not hold much worth, Alosa seeks to claim the title of Pirate Queen when her father can no longer hold the mantle. However, first, she needs to complete her first real mission from her father. Get kidnapped and steal a piece of a map that is split into three pieces. The map leads to an island of untold treasures guarded by Sirens. Each piece was given to one of the three royal pirate families. Enter the roguish brothers Riden & Draxon who seek to kidnap the princess for their own bounty and knowledge of her father’s keep. I thought for sure I was going to be head over heels for this book- AND I WAS TOTALLY smitten from the first devilish smile Riden casts in Alosa’s direction!

This world is totally new and immersive! There are no other books even remotely close to the quality or detailed creation that is the Daughter of the Pirate King duology! My only regret is that the series IS only a duology and that after I finished book books in 2 days, that I am left wanting so much more! The characters are well thought out and have very distinct personalities! This book was so easy and fun to read that I did not realize an entire afternoon has passed me by until I closed the book with a gasp over the ending!

Let’s Hear It For The Characters!

Princess Alosa! WOW! I love her swagger and how she does a knockout job of escaping her cell nightly, only to return and play the dutiful captive! Alosa is no prisoner and the brothers are fools to think for a moment that they can best her! I have seen her referred to a female Captain Jack Sparrow, but I have to stay that I love her character much, much more than good Ole Jack! I am obsessed with pirates and everything swashbucklingly adventurous, so to finally have a great book and strong female Pirate to lead it is all my little heart needed to be happy for the rest of the month and probably longer! Alosa is as sizzling as her hair and has Riden wrapped firmly around her dainty little finger! I could read the banter between her and the crew until the end of time!!!!! Really, why only a duology!!!!!!??????????

Riden is a breath of beautiful fresh air!

I know he has long black hair but lord I imagine him looking like a prettier version Captain Hook from the tv show called Once Upon a Time! He has the daunting task of interrogating Alosa and making her talk! There is nothing simple about the lass and he doesn’t know how to handle her for most of the book! She leads him the ride of his life! Riden is fiercely loyal to his unseemly brother Draxon and is the complete opposite in demeanor. There is so much more this quiet, well manner pirate who finally learns chink in Alosa’s armor and I am totally happy with how his character progressed into one that the book could go on without!

I did not really care for Draxon much because of his attitude and view on women. He was a sexist pig and written to be the perfect bad guy of the story. He never developed further and was more like a background threat for the majority of the story.

Kearin and Enwen are probably the best secondary characters in the story- as there are quite a few monotonous ones! Their banter is almost as fun as Alosa, Drax, and Riden! I was relieved that they were placed in the crew of Alosa, who mostly only have women sailors but made an exception for these two rotten sods! Enwen’s supernatural suspicions are the best! I love how he adopted Kearin as a friend when no one else would and drives him batty with his tales of the paranormal and how they need to ward them off with his ridiculous remedies! I want to go get my own charms now!

Conclusion:

I am totally in love with this book and I cannot tell you how much I am going to recommend it! I am going to shove it down everyone’s throat until they read it!!!!! It is going to be the topic of every conversation that I am in that is book related! This was a fantastic start to a long career for the author and I do not believe I have ever loved a debut book this much! GO BUY IT RIGHT NOW!

Alosa has carefully staged her capture at the hands of pirate captain Draxton, letting him think she is his unwilling prisoner. But in reality, she is on a mission for her father, the Pirate King?? to find a hidden piece of a map to a long lost place full of treasures, and a third of the map is somewhere with Draxton. What Alosa did not count on was Riden, the first mate, who drives her absolutely crazy...and she can't tell if she likes it or not, but he keeps getting in her way. But Alosa has some secret skills of her own to use and she is use to getting her way.

So you may not know this about me, but I lurv anything pirate. Since I was super young I sought out any movie, book, and decoration I could get my hands on to express my inner pirate- I even have house decorations with skulls and mention of wenches- my love knows no bounds (I may have attended a pirate party or two as well...). When I saw that there was a new author (who just so happens to be local and hysterical in person) coming out with a pirate book, I knew I was going to read it. I promptly purchased it and put it on a shelf of honor...with the best on intentions to read it asap. As time passed and I had not read it yet, all my bookish friends raved about it so I made the time to spend with my soon to be new pirate friends.

Yea for adding supernatural anything into these murky waters! You want to add magical elements and supernatural creatures to my pirate story? By all means add away! I loved how this world included myths and fantastical elements of sea creatures, as well as superstitions and pirate lore. It blended so well together to help the characters as well as the plot develop.

There was also a romance which I enjoyed watching unfold through naughty pirate (not that naughty- I meant drinking, snooping and sword fights!) acts and sarcastic banter and her love interest Riden is seriously the best of guys (for a pirate!...ok, actually he is kind of a terrible pirate but a great guy). I look forward to seeing how their relationship will progress with his insider knowledge about Alosa...and what she is capable of.

Happily, this was just the start of my nautical adventures with Alosa and her crew (I love that she has a pretty much all girl crew- go girl power!). The ending was not quite a cliffhanger, but instead one mission ended just to gear up for the greater journey to come and I am excited to see what dangers and sauciness I will encounter.

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."
My Review:
Ok where do I begin with this AMAZING novel, the swoon worthy slow burn romance, the playful banter, the fearless heroine pirate princess or the devastatingly handsome first mate? I absolutely loved this entire book. It hooked me from page one. The story line is to die for and has all the swash buckling adventure you could want. There are secrets, backstabbing and obviously some romance. This book took me away to sea. The only thing that I was disappointed in was that I didn't know this was a series. I have been in a "book-hole" half of the week craving more Alosa and Riden. That is literally the only thing that has me slightly disappointed about this book, is that I have to wait until February for more.  I gave this book 5 stars, and I will be "patiently" waiting for book two. Thank you Tricia Levenseller for writing such a fantastic book.

Let me just preface this review by saying - I absolutely adored this book!
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book through Netgalley (Thank you, Netgalley!) and my review is entirely my own and unbiased.
Though I'm not a fan of reading on my kindle, I made an exception for this beauty. Tricia Levenseller did an excellent job weaving together fantasy and the world of pirates. I love that she created an entirely fictional world for this story, and the characters effortlessly come to life under the deft strokes of Levenseller's pen.
I am also typically a fan of longer novels, but Levenseller leaves the door open at the end of this book, paving the way to a sequel filled with world-building, fantasy and pirate hi-jinks. I was a bit worried when I saw the low page count, but Levenseller fit in the perfect amount of romance, fantasy and suspense, which makes me especially eager for the sequel.
The MC, Alosa, is a character I think readers will LOVE! She's a badass, entirely realistic considering her circumstances, and equal amounts roguish and compassionate. I especially loved her friendships with the female crew members, and I can't wait to read more about them in the sequel! Though the main plot twist surrounding Alosa didn't surprise me, I enjoyed the additional twist as it added just the right amount of fantasy to the story.
Overall, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good adventure, with daring MC's and a healthy dash of romance!

So, this book has been on my radar for a while, but I hadn’t gotten around to reading it. I thought that I might not like it, for some reason or another, so I kept my distance. After the hurricane hit Puerto Rico, I found myself with a lot of free time, so I downloaded a bunch of ebooks to read.

I read this in one day.

The concept is intriguing and the witty dialogue is the best. My favorite thing about this novel are the quick comebacks between Alosa and Riden, because if there’s anything I adore is banter.

(As seen by the state of my NaNoWriMo novel)

The plot is engaging, the story interesting, and I really liked where Levenseller took the novel at the end. There were things I didn’t see coming, things I did, but all around it was a super fun read that had me laughing out loud.

My one and only complaint about this novel, for which I’m knocking off one star is that a lot of the plot depends on characters fully explaining themselves and being overheard. There are several instances when Alosa explains herself to Riden, or the other way around and someone overhears and the plot moves. STOP. EXPLAINING. YOURSELF. TO. EVERYONE.

That’s the one thing I disliked, because if Alosa had remained quiet about things, the story wouldn’t have moved on. And I mean, of course there’s reasons for it, but not every single time.

Other than that detail, which I know might bother others, I truly enjoyed this novel. It’s fun and funny, intriguing and engaging, and it will make you want to keep reading.

And have a mighty need for the sequel.

(please)

This book was filled with so many unexpected surprises. Daughter of the Pirate King wasn’t even on my radar and I have no idea how I completely missed amazing pirate adventure. This book is a definite page turner that’s for sure. Once I started, I was quickly submerged into Alosa’s world and her quest.

Alosa is my kind of heroine. She’s strong, confident, and can hold her own. This girl is fierce and I wouldn’t want to go up against her at no certain point. I enjoyed her interactions with Riden. You just never knew what was going to happen between the two. I can’t name anything that I didn’t like about this book. I enjoyed every aspect of this book. From the world building, to the richly imagined characters, I loved every bit of it.

I went into this book blind. I didn’t read any reviews. I saw the book as I was scrolling through Goodreads new releases and found myself intrigued by the synopsis. I’m so glad I took a chance, this book isn’t one that I’ll be forgetting anytime soon. As a matter of fact, I wish I had the sequel. I can only imagine what’s in store for Alosa and crew next.

Alosa has some skills. They involve commanding a ship, killing, lying, thieving. Pirating. Alosa is a pirate. In fact, she is the daughter of the Pirate King, next in line to rule the 7 seas. Her father is an impenetrable shield to all, including Alosa, but she knows that the cruel way he raised her was for her benefit. Now, he is on the hunt for a treasure only Alosa has the skills to retrieve and not die in the process. Alosa lands herself as a prisoner on a ship. What she doesn't expect is the quirky and sympathetic first mate. Plans take a turn when she has to find empathy in herself to find mercy for others. All the while, she must hide her deadliest secret that is both her greatest weapon and secret.

this book wasn't necessarily the compex plot I was yearning for but screw it because Daughter of Pirate King was SUPER ENTERTAINING AND SASSY. I was laughing out loud! Characters were super developed, but by no means were they underdeveloped either. I really understood Alosa's attitude and how challenged she felt trying to change and come to terms with feelings she did not expect of herself. Cannot wait till the second book comes out!!

The mythological aspect behind the book was, predictable, however, it didn't take away from my enjoyment. Alosa is troubled, but she is not a victim and I loved it. He has come to terms with what she would and wouldn't do to get what she wants and it's rather respectable.

Overall, an amazing read with a strong cast of characters. Definitely recommend if you're looking for myth, pirates with no morals, and laugh out loud scenes.

I need more!! There are many adventures to be had. I had so much fun reading Daughter of the Pirate King, from the very first chapter! It was just the sort of pirate book I've always wanted to read. Alosa was an awesome character; I found her and her reasons for her actions compelling, and I just plain liked her. She kicked ass, she's intelligent, she has a complicated relationship with her father, and she has a mostly female pirate crew. Awesome.

I really liked Kearan and Ehren as part of the crew who kidnapped her; and I want to know more about Draxen, the lost treasure map, etc. I also loved the tension Alosa had with Riden and thought the romance was very well done; it wasn't rushed and it was sprinkled throughout the story. Their banter was great. This book was violent, swashbuckling, adventurous, with hints of mystery and romance and fantastical elements. For me the only downside was the tendency to have short infodumpy paragraphs but it's a debut so that's forgivable. This was entertaining in every sense, I can't wait for others to read it in a couple months!

5/5
I really don't have the words for how pleasant of a surprise Tricia Levenseller's Daughter of the Pirate King was for me. I've heard great things, but I didn't really think I was going to absolutely love it. Maybe it was the cover that made me under estimate it? I really don't know. I'm also not big on books about pirates, so there's that as well. However I ended up loving every minute I spent reading this. I was not happy when I saw I had but a few pages left, and even unhappier still when I reached the end.

Alosa is a firery main character. She is so saucy, and I absolutely love it. I have a feeling she will grow even stronger in the next installments of the series, and I look forward to seeing it. Alosa has secrets which you discover throughout the book, but you'll have to read it to find them out. She is clever, brave, and can fight like no other.

Riden is my favorite type of hero. He can match Alosa in banter and wit. He has a good heart and is loyal to a fault. He definitely has a romantic side and I so hope we get to see much more of that as the story continues.

Almost all of the book is set on a ship Even though it is an unchanging scenery, I never once was bored. In fact, I was hooked right from the beginning. I might have devoured this in the course of one day. The plot has a steady place, and there are twists and turns throughout. Some you can see coming, some took me by a pleasant surprise.

If you are looking for a book full of fighting, witty banter, and adventure then make sure you check this one out. I for one will be counting down the days until I get my hands on the sequel. It was a breath of fresh air in the reading slump I feel like I have been in lately.

This was a slow one to get into, but by Chapter 3, I was hooked. Talk about a wild ride packed full of grit, adventure, and sexual tension. The story was unique and the book world was quite magical.

Alosa is a female pirate and a total bada$$. She is also the daughter of the Pirate King. Growing up with him wasn't easy and she has many emotional and physical scars to show for it. Her rough upbringing has contributed to her fierce persona though and has left her battle ready. When she sets out on a mission to find a missing map, she finds herself in the middle of a ship full of hot blooded pirates with a handsome first mate. It is her intention to seek out the map and be on her way, but she is slowly drug into a world of pretending. She uses her nights to escape and explore and her days to interrogate those around her. She is full of snarky remarks and gives the guys a run for their money. Riden is the only one that is able to crack her tough facade. They share many fights, few kisses, and a couple secrets that lead to them being captured by yet another group of pirates. It is there that they are broke down and exposed. Alosa is forced to show her special skills and Riden is forced to show his true feelings. Together they fight to escape and end up face to face with the Pirate King himself. It is then that Alosa shines and takes control of the situation. She decides who stays and who goes and prepares for what I expect to be an epic journey.

I really enjoyed the pirate theme, but I NEVER expected the siren twist, and man did it pull me under (pun intended). The scenic descriptions and magical skills really gave this gray story, color. I appreciated the poetic wording and I found the skills to be quite beautiful. I was intrigued by the stories and captivated by the beauty of something so fearful. I don't want to say much, but I will say this... If you love mermaids like me, then you MUST read this one. I highly look forward to the sequel!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars
Recommend: Sure
This was a fun, reasonably quick read with a super kickass female lead that left me cheering.
I love that the plot is about pirates because you really don't see many YA books about pirates, and if you do the females are likely not strong, so I was all for Alosa. I love her determination, her cunning, her continued strength no matter what was done to her, and the fact that her pirate crew is majority women. Like, yes please for all the strong, bad ass women who are totally about owning the seas and taking names.
I like how the story weaves in mythology in a realistic way instead of just throwing it out there because as MC Alosa had to be special. Like, I like how she doesn't necessarily like her specialness and how she fights it. I like how even though she was trained by her father to use it, she only wants to as a last resort because she doesn't like how it makes her feel.
I didn't like how from the first chapter it was obvious there was going to be a romance that wasn't just going to be background to the story and that you also automatically knew who it was going to be with. I don't mind romance in stories, in fact I do like them, but I hate when they are so obvious and predictable, and how they usually end up being a central point of the plot.
I didn't like Alosa's relationship with her father, it felt very abusive and made me cringe. Personally, even though Aloes seemed to think that her father loves her in his own way, to me it felt like he only cared about her because of who her mother was, what that made her, because he could use her, and that he knew she was likely his best bet at getting what he truly wanted. I know this is only book one in the series, but I kinda hope that something happens to change their dynamic, because she deserves better than that.
Also, this may sound a little bit cruel, but I think Alosa was way too nice to Draxen. After everything he put her through, after all the pain and humiliation he caused her, after he almost raped her, he deserved soo much worse than what she decided. I admit it, I may be a bit more Slytherin than I like to admit, but if I were her, I would have totally made him miserable and in pain. Like, I am not the type of woman you want to cross and I kind of thought Alosa was the same, but her love for his little brother clouded her judgment. So, I'm hoping that her decision for him actually pays off later.
This book did have me laughing at times and also had me ready to pick up a sword and fight (probably would have ended up hurting myself trying to, but that isn't exactly the point). This book definitely puts you in a swashbuckling mood and craving the high seas.
I am definigelg ready for the sequel and I cannot wait to rejoin Alosa on the seas!

I need more stars for this review! I'd hoped that I would enjoy this book since I have a huge love of pirate stories and lore, but even I was shocked at how madly and deeply I fell in love with this book, its characters, world, and magic. Absolutely one of the best books I've read so far this year and one I'll be recommending to everyone I know. The story is intriguing and compelling throughout with lots of surprises and exciting twists near the end. Alosa is one fierce woman who (almost) always has everything under her control, and whose powers are both incredible and frightening. Riden is a fun, swoon-worthy balance to her, and their romance and banter was one of the many highlights to the book. I honestly could not get enough of this adventure or the characters. This is a fantastic debut and has cemented me as a fan of Tricia Levenseller. I'm waiting with bated breath for the next chapter. It can't come soon enough. This is a book for anyone who loves pirate stories, strong women who let nothing stand in their way, romance between two characters who drive each other crazy, and readers who want something fun and different on their shelves. Pick it up today. You will not be disappointed!

This is a fast and easy read. It has a feel of pirate of the the Caribbean, the author even quotes the movie before the start of the book. Alosa is the daughter of the pirate king, but she is more than just that. She purposely gets kidnapped by a rival pirate to find and steal their 1/3 of a map that will take them to an island filled with treasure from Sirens. But on the way, Alosa falls for the first mate of the ship Riden.

Most of the book Alosa and Riden are playing a cat and mouse game. It is cute and entertaining. It keeps the book going. Alosa has a lot up her sleeve but so does Riden and it isn't as easy to trick him as she thought.

Alosa and Riden are the main characters but I like some of the other secondary characters better like Enwen and Kearan. I hope we get to learn about the characters a little bit more. You kind of get a back story of both Alosa and Riden but it would be nice to learn about them even more in the next book.

I’m so happy I gave this book a chance. I had read a YA with pirates before that left me disappointed, so I was a little hesitant with this book, but I’m so glad I took the chance. I LOVED this book. I read it in single sitting. It was so easy to get lost in the story and I did not want it to end.

The characters are fascinating. The main character, Alosa, was splendid. I adored her fiery attitude, unyielding loyalty, and strategic mindset. Riden, the love interest, was a pirate with a heart of gold that kept you on your toes. My favorite parts was the banter between Alosa and Riden. The chemistry between them was evident in the first few pages.

The story was interesting. We start off without a lot of introduction. Instead, we’re in the middle of an action scene that pretty much sets the pace for the rest of the story.

If you love Pirates of the Caribbean then you’ll enjoy Daughter of the Pirate King. Romance, suspense, and mystique make this story a winner.

~Royalty Readers~

3.5/5 Stars

I'm clearly a sucker for all things set on the high seas and a badass lady pirate as the lead officially sold me on Tricia Levenseller's Daughter of the Pirate King. This debut is a fast paced, snark filled romp following Alosa's attempt to gain access to a treasure map. Purposefully captured she faces threats and interrogation from the Nightfarer's crew especially that of Riden, the first mate.

Alosa was a force of nature; fierce, strong, and capable of holding her own against a crew of men. She's also stubborn, making it difficult to play a submissive role while being held captive on a ship. Having her father as the Pirate King isn't easy, but her loyalty is beyond question. She learned from the best and even crews her own ship full of mostly other badass women.

Riden, on the other hand, is calculating and calm. He's just as strong but doesn't flaunt it. He's a foil for his brother Draxen and preaches reason before overreacting. The banter between him and Alosa was particularly delightful and the two of them matched wits over and over again. The Nightfarer crew had its mix of good and bad and they definitely added to the endless days of captivity.

Levenseller's writing was quick and concise making events fly by. Unfortunately there's not much more to the plot than finding this map and it became a bit repetitive as Alosa repeatedly got caught searching the ship and faking escape. The few twists and turns that arose were pretty predictable and I was left wanting. I also would have liked to see more of Alosa's ship and crew.

Overall I enjoyed Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller quite a lot but felt it lacking in regards to the plot. Alosa and Riden were definitely endearing though which kept me coming back for more and the pirate life was a thrill to read about. If you love books teeming with adventure this one is certainly for you. Cannot wait to see what happens next!

Originally posted on Hopeful Reads

If you want a badass MC with sass, Alosa is definitely the MC you’re looking for. She speaks her mind, often doesn’t even know when to shut it and fights her own fights. She’s simply the kind of character I always fall in love with pretty hard and fast!
And then there’s Riden, the first mate battling his own battles during the entire story. You get some glimpses of who he is, why he is like that and whatnot, but I’m really looking forward to finding out more about him. I want to know how he came to be like that, why his brother is so important to him, even though he seems to be treated with such indifference – or was that me?

Levenseller’s writing took me by surprise as well. Although the story itself felt slow-paced in a way, it also got a hold on me. I kept reading, kept reading and then.. it was finished and I’d read the whole book in a matter of hours?

It was my first time reading a book about pirates and with Jack Sparrow being my all-time favorite pirate, I’m so glad to have found a book like this that I love! Definitely looking forward to the sequel – which is being published in February 2018 by the way.

5 / 5!

I paid full-price for my copy of this book. All opinions are entirely my own. I'm not being compensated in any way.

“Oh, the ridiculous things one has to do when one is a pirate.”

If you love strong female characters with a bit of a temper, then look no further, this is the book for you.

Taking on a mission from her father, Alosa gets captured by an enemy pirates in order to retrieve a piece of a map that leads to a mysterious island. The only problem is, the map is no where to be found. When sneaking around at night isn't enough, Alosa must get close to the Captain and his handsome brother to find her father's treasure and prove to him what a loyal daughter she is.

Alosa will go down as one of my favourite characters. I find her very similar to Celaena Sardothien (Throne of Glass) in the way she talks and thinks. She's extremely intelligent, she's cunning, and the amount of sass this girl has is unbelievable. Alosa will have you on your toes, waiting to see what she does next, or laughing out loud from her sassy comments.

The romance in this story was very well written. I was expecting a love triangle, but thankfully there was none of that. Alosa and Riden have an amazing slow-burning romance that you get to watch grow. While it was a little bit too much insta-love for me, it was still a very well written romance. I definitely ship them.

The writing, the plot twists and the world building were all amazing. The story and world that Tricia created is very unique and captivating. While the characters didn't explore too many places, the author gives us a sense of the world and some of the places that Alosa will be soon visiting. There was just the right amount of action and surprise in the plot to keep you engaged in the story, the twists the author threw definitely caught me by surprise. I'm really impressed.

Overall, this book was fantastic! I can't wait to read more about Alosa and Riden, hopefully as they take on the world. I highly recommend this book to all pirate lovers, as well as fans of strong female characters.

When Alosa is captured by the pirate captain of the Night Farer and his brother, Riden, she knows exactly what she is doing. Alosa plays her part well, making Draxen and his crew think that they will get a nice ransom from her father, the Pirate King. But she's aboard the Night Farer to find one of three pieces of the infamous map to the Sirens hidden hoard of treasure and she will use her special set of skills to make sure she gets it. But this mission turns out to be much more of a challenge than she expected.

This was a lot of fun to read. The idea of pirates just draws me in every time and this story features a female pirate captain. So much yes! Alosa is fantastically snarky, fiercely independent, and entirely badass despite that she plays the helpless, kidnapped princess.

I have a new OTP because Alosa and Riden's banter was very entertaining, even when it was kind of cheesy and their little budding romance was everything. Their chemistry was undeniable. Riden is one of those good-hearted male characters that you can't help but root for.

My only issue with this book is that it was so quick and so short. I felt like most of the story is taken up with the interactions between Alosa and Riden; not that I'm complaining. I really can't wait to see more of them in the sequel. I do think that if there had been a tad bit more adventure I would have been head over heels for it.

That being said, there was some very interesting surprises thrown in at the end that I really, really loved. I'm looking forward to continuing this series in all it's swashbuckling glory.

I purchased this book in an Owlcrate subscription box.

Alosa is a princess. But not your every day, once upon a time, fairy tale princess. Alosa is the daughter, and a well trained worror, of the feared Pirate King Kalligan. In attempt to prove herself to her father, Alosa is determined to succeed at the task he has given her. Retrieve the map piece from the ship Nightfarer that he needs to learn of the burring place of a legendary treasure.

Can Alosa keep up the phony persona of a helpless princess onboard the Nightfarer to achieve the piece she needs for her father? Or will the handsome first mate Riden put an end to it?
I'm just going to say it right now, Daughter of the Pirate King is going to be one of my top reads of 2017!! Alosa is a fearless, strong, fun, and honest female lead, and carries the novel so well. The story itself is full of great twists, and is such a fun and intriguing tale. Author Tricia Levenseller does an amazing job of creating such a vivid picture throughout the book. Each character is well thought out, and makes you a fan of even the smallest of side characters.

Daughter of the Pirate King is a planned duology

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

I spent a lot of time trying to think of the fairest and most accurate description of this book.

The cons are that the book is very short on scene description and details on fights. For example, “Below deck was the crew quarters, storage, and the galley.” Also, 90% of the story takes place on one pirate ship. I don’t get a good idea about the world except that the have something like 17th century Earth technology with gunpowder for pistols and cannons but sea Sirens are real.

The pros are that there are that if you like that seesaw interplay between enfuration and charm of the most attractive 18 year old man (Riden) with the sexiest 17 year old woman (the daughter of the pirate king), this is your book. It is also pretty fast paced.

The story revolves around Alosa, the daughter of the pirate king (and thus a princess) who was raised like a man and a pirate without the comfort of her mother (or any other both mother or comfort). Today she is the Captain of her own almost all female crewed pirate ship. She has killed hundreds of men without the slightest trace of guilt or remorse and would do it again many times over out of the desire to prove herself to her father and fear of his punishment, beyond that she personally wants profit, power, the thrill of it doing daredevil risk taking.

From start to finish the character is overpowered in her skills and abilities. She starts out as a cross between a ninja and James Bond. Half way through the book she reveals that her mother was a sea siren from whom she inherited powers from that make her supernatural and superhuman. Her top three abilities are that she can make any man do what she wants by singing (mind control but no more than 3 men at a time and she has to recharge with sea water), see people's emotions and become (personality wise) the woman a man most desires. While under water she is the Justice League movie's Aquaman.

In the back half of the book there are a lot of “after the event” explanations about the limitations on her powers. It is like saying Supergirl needs sunlight for her to be at full power and half vampire Blade doesn’t like to drink human blood because it makes him feel like the vampire in him will take over. Also some of the way she does things are as ridiculous as Clark Kent being raised as a mafia gangster and using a knife or gun like a human instead of his Kryptonian super powers. Coupled with the cliche inept guards from 007 movies the story should be taken humorously whether it was intended that way or not. Examples include, being able to pop out of her prison cell quickly and effortlessly, and knocking out both guards or there both being asleep. Anybody with her skills, abilities, and lack of conscience could have easily killed everyone in their sleep, one at a time or even all at once (like an old school Kung Fu movie or the movie 300 and she is the Spartans) and sailed off with the ship by herself. That or taken the captain and his first officer prisoners for information. Then she could have searched the ship at her leisure for the treasure map.

The character of Alosa does not really develop over the course of the story. She is basically the same person as when she started except for having feelings for Riden that she neither understand nor knows what to do with. Although trained in some many skills of being a sailor, captain, fighter, etc it is never mentioned if she ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend or even ever been on a date. She doesn’t appear to have any weakness or desire for sex and instead is obsessed with proving herself to her father and fears his punishments. Her childhood was full of training and discipline that was next to torture.

The closest thing she has to a family is her female pirate crew. She assumes she has a 100 half brothers and sisters her father produced but never claimed or raised, she has no care to find or get to know.

The surface plot of the story is that she was sent on a mission to search rivel pirate ship for one third of a treasure map under the guise of being kidnapped. The pirate king picked a “disposable” crew and sent her off in the part of the sea the pirate vessel was plundering. The story begins with the ship being boarded by the “bad guy” pirates and Alosa allowing herself be to discovered. Telling them who she is it sets the story such that the bad guy pirates get to ransom her but must not rape or hurt her for fear of her losing “value.” After being locked in the brig she sneaks out every night to search the whole ship until she finds the missing treasure map

The real story is about her action and reaction to characters and events that go on while she is searching for the treasure map.

I would have enjoyed the story more if she were more like Batgirl instead of Supergirl in her power level or had some achilles heel weakness like sunlight is to a vampire. She is way to overpowered. Maybe I’m looking at it from the wrong point of view and Alosa holds back just so she can “toy” with the bad pirates, even though her and her father's plan is to kill them all in the end. One thing is for certain, she doesn’t act like a female Jack Sparrow. He's scared and runs away. Alosa is more like Hela from Thor Ragnarok in her cockiness and ability to fight, like Hela does the Asgard army or Wonder Woman does with the WW1 German army.

There are so many reasons I adored this book, not the least of which is that it’s set on the high seas and is about a bunch of pirates. (I mean, PIRATES, guys!) But even more than that, I loved Alosa.

Raised by the Pirate King, Alosa is ruthless and driven (view spoiler), staging a kidnapping to get to a legendary treasure.

She’s smart, she’s calculating—but she’s also spirited and funny and exactly the kind of heroine I want to hang out with for 320 pages. I loved watching her play the role of the damsel … then outthink her captors time and time again.

And then there’s Riden, the first mate who’s smart and kind and, yes, totally swoonworthy. Their romance was slow building and so entertaining—it’s a battle of wits between them, which I adored.

Daughter of the Pirate King has a quick, cinematic quality (think Pirates of the Caribbean minus Johnny Depp), which made the book fly by. I read this in one sitting—it’s that exciting and fast paced.

I will now commence impatiently waiting for a sequel. —Tracey N.

"If you wanted me dead, you would have already killed me," I say. "Since you want me alive, you will comply with my terms...But for every man I lose, you shall lose one as well...Or shall we see just how many of your men I can kill as you try to force me over."

How is this a debut novel? Daughter of the Pirate King has everything I could want in a book. It had aspects of fantasy, adventure, amazing characters, plot, bad ass heroine, swoon-worthy first mate, romance and so much more. Fantasy is my favorite genre so I was hooked to know this book would be dealing with some mythical elements. I recently said I wanted to see different mythical creatures in a book and different types of people and I got both. We have a half-siren and pirates!!! Miss Tricia's writing was amazing she wrote the banter perfectly and her story unfolded magically. I really loved the building romance and Riden's admiration for Alosa. I am so excited to see where book 2 takes us with her powers because I want to see them and her fighting skills in full effect now that she's back in her own ship. I also can't wait to see how Alosa and Riden grow because SWOON. 

"Weaknesses become strengths. Fear becomes resolve. These men don't know who they're dealing with. I am power strength. I am death and destruction. I am not someone to be trifled with. They are beneath my notice." 

This book! I ended up liking this one more than I thought I would. I honestly struggle to find fault with it, it's just too much fun. With a fast paced plot, great unexpected characters, and a very cool surprise twist, Daughter of the Pirate King was a fantastic read from beginning to end.

The setting and characters definitely have a very Hollywood-ized pirate feel, so if you're a big fan of Pirates of the Carribean and not a stickler for a historical portrayal, you'll really be able to enjoy this. There's much swashbuckling and carousing, sword-fighting and heavy trigger fingers abound, and a few stereotypical piratey types roaming around these pages, but it all adds to the entertainment.

Alosa is so fierce, I loved her. She just exudes confidence (sometimes overly so!) and knows she's a great pirate, but you really get a sense of who she is as she reflects on the torturous and cruel "lessons" put on her by her father, the pirate king, whom she still stretches herself to please. So her faults are definitely there. I loved how she was so tough and clever (though sometimes she thought herself more clever than she actually was), but still had so much love and respect for her almost all-woman crew. Plus I loved that in the dirty world of pirating, she insisted on, even reveled in, her femininity. Doesn't take any crap from anyone, but still loves a nice dress. :)

Riden was interesting---a bit more kind and brooding that you would expect to find on the high seas---his brother was jerk enough for the both of them, I guess. He's a bit foolish at times, but in a heroic sort of way, so it was okay. And he put a great importance on family, even being brought up in cruelty and knowing his brother is awful. He was a perfect sparing partner for Alosa and I loved their bantering and the hate-to-respect-to-love development between them.

There was one big twist that I didn't see coming and it made this even more the type of story that I love. I don't remember ever feeling a let down in pace--this was a fast and fun read! I truly can't wait to get my hands on the second book so I can see what adventure is next for these characters!

Review originally posted on lysskreads.wordpress.com

"Draxen snorts, rests his hands on his belt, and turns back toward the Night Farer. His first mate, however, never takes his eyes off me, as though he anticipates a violent reaction.

Well, of course I’m going to react violently, but why should he expect it already?"

Alosa is probably one of the best main characters I’ve read in a long time. Imagine a female Captain Jack Sparrow.. now make her a badass, snarky redhead. YESSSSS. I fell in love with this book in a matter of minutes. It was fantastic! She’s a pirate Mia Corvere without the super detailed smut scenes, scars and all.

"I force him to his knees. One hand yanks his head back by the hair; the other holds my sword steady against his neck. He doesn’t make a sound as I hold his life in my hands. Impressive, considering he has seen me kill two of his shipmates. He knows I will feel no guilt at his death."

With so much action and witty banter, there’s really no reason not to love this book. Riden and Draxen both completely underestimated Alosa and her abilities as a pirate, but of course that’s what she intended. Riden was extremely perceptive though and I loved having him as Alosa’s love interest. With him going back and forth as both her jailor and her protector, it was hard to determine what would happen next, especially with all of other obstacles than jump in Alosa’s way.

"Being underestimated always works to my advantage. But sometimes I find it offensive. That often makes me violent. It make question whether I should allow them to kill RIden, just so I can beat the hell out of all three of them without Riden watching. I couldn’t let him see what I’m capable of doing to them. I hate that I have to hold back now."

Alosa has to pretend to be less capable than she really is in order to play the part she has been assigned: the kidnapped daughter of the Pirate King. While playing prisoner during the day and hunting for a map by night (under her father’s orders), Alosa finds herself in many wild situations, both physically and emotionally. Will she succeed in her mission and find the map in time?

Levenseller blew me away with her story full of pirates, sword fights, sirens, and lo’ and behold, a map that leads to hidden treasure! I was expecting something cheesy, but what I got was a fantastic read that definitely put Tricia Levenseller on my map. I’ll be pre-ordering Daughter of the Siren Queen the first chance I get.

This book. Blew my freaking 18 year old mind.

I'm going to say this first: You have to read it! Stop what you're doing. Put away your work. Your studies. Your chores. Just sit down, get into a comfortable position (because trust me you'll be so hooked you wouldn't want to stop reading so might as well prepare yourself for it) and open the book.

Trust me, it was AMAZING! So much fun to read. The pages sparkled with world-building, the words leaped with feelings and epic emotions. What was not to like? I couldn't find a single flaw in the book!

The sassiness of our heroine, the kick-assery, the swoon-worthy romance, the hilarious banter. I laughed and giggled out loud more than a few times!

I finished it in just under a couple of hours. A fantastic book!

I absolutely recommend it!

I don't like the description of "a female Jack Sparrow". That made me really wonder if I was going to like the book. So, I started the book with a bit of skepticism. Luckily, I didn't really see any correlation between Jack Sparrow and the main character besides the fact that they're both pirates.

I did like this book, and I look forward to the next in the series. There was enough mystery to keep the plot rolling, and the interactions between the characters was really enjoyable. I want to know what happens to all of them.

There is kissing, with references to the kissing leading to other things, but overall it was clean. Movie-wise it'd probably be PG for sexual content, but PG-13 or R for the violence (they are pirates, and there is a LOT of killing the "red shirt" characters). It isn't described in a graphic way, but it does stay with me.

Alosa is a wonderful heroine.

strong, capable, driven, isn't afraid to storm a pirate ship and be taken hostage, she is ruthless but loyal.

Alosa is the daughter of a pirate king. she is on a mission to find a missing part of a map that leads to treasure.

She attacks a rival pirate ship and is taken hostage, all part of a plan.

But even her surrender is done on her terms. at no point is she afraid. She knows she can take any man in a fight, but for now, she hides her abilities.

Alosa is questioned by Riden, the captains brother. He knows she is hiding something, but has no idea what.

Thus begins a cat and muse chase. Alosa searches the ship, befriends some of the more decent sailors and developed a hate/love relationship with Riden.

How much of Riden is real and what is deception to get her to reveal her secrets?

Alosa is smart and confident. She out smarts Riden on many occasions, but one mistake costs her her freedom and jeopardizes her mission.

I adored both Alosa and Riden. They were both slaves to love and responsibility. They did what they had to do. some of it was out of survival and some out misplaced sense of duty.

We learn Alosa and Riden's secrets and cheer for them.

I cant wait to see what happens next!!

I will not come up as a Verified Purchaser because I was given a paperback copy for reviewing purposes. I loved this book. It has all the aspects of a Young Adult "Pirates of the Caribbean" feel. The protagonist is a headstrong female who thinks she knows more than she does. Along the way, she realizes some of her mistakes. There is a strong feel of it being a romance novel as well. It's a fun book about a stubborn girl meeting her match in a stubborn boy. The conversations between them are great.I thoroughly enjoyed it and contacted the author to make sure there was more coming our way. She told me it would be a duology. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

There is no adult or vulgar language. The violence is more than mild but non-graphic. Passionate kissing is the only romance that is specifically described although there are very vague references to nudity.

I had seen this book everywhere and heard nothing but incredible things. All the incredible things I heard were true. This is an incredible fast paced pirate adventure that has amazing action, romance, and hilarious lines from characters that you instantly love.

I adored the plot. Since I truly don't want to spoil anything for this I can't talk about it much but it kept you engaged on what was happening and truly shocked me at some points. The characters. Now the characters are my favorite parts of books. I love finding characters that I can love or love to hate and this story gives you both. Alosa has such an feisty personality and I adored her. She is sarcastic and hilarious and so tough. You can't help but cheer her on the entire story. And if you love amazing banter between characters then definitely pick this up. Riden. Riden. Riden. Thats all I really need to say about him. Just trust me if you love adventure and pirates this will become a new favorite for you.

Daughter of the Pirate King is a fast paced read. I thoroughly enjoyed the swashbuckling adventure. I did spend a lot of the time feeling that Alosa was just a bit too good at everything. It makes her a bit difficult to relate to. She needs a few more flaws than just her ulterior nature making her soulless (though admittedly her not being entirely human makes it more forgivable that she constantly laughs in the face of all danger). And a bit more thoroughly edited (there were a few sentences that didn’t flow well or had subject disagreements), but this as this was a debut novel, both issues are completely understandable. And her fear when we get near the end and she and Riden are taken, definitely helped me get over how overly perfect she was before. Overall I really did enjoy it. I can’t wait to read Daughter of the Siren Queen.

I loved that this book was from a female pirate's POV. The book was interesting and a fun read. Alosa was not your typical female character. Not once she plat the damsel in distress. She was witty and smart. I loved her strength and tenacity. She has many secrets and does a good job of hiding them. I can't wait to read more about her in the next installment. Riden was wonderfully complicated. I like characters that have some dimension to them and he did not disappoint. He was conflicted and loyal. He and Alosa had great banter that kept the story entertaining. Some things I'd like to learn in the next book or books are about both of their pasts; such as how did Alosa get to be in her father's custody and what really happened to Riden's father. Any reader looking for a fun and adventurous story will love this book.

Recommended for reader's 16 & up.
Mild to moderate sexual and adult content.

I LOVED this book so much! I started it at 11:30 last night and finished it this afternoon (with breaks to go about my daily business/sleep). The story flowed so well from start to finish, I could barely put it down, even when it was necessary to do so. The concept of Alosa's character and how she interacts with others and the world around her is incredible, inspiring, and amusing to the extreme. Her sarcastic wit and ability to continually pester her captors was one of my favorite parts; I found myself always wondering what she'd do next. The relationships involved are also incredibly compelling, from Alosa's relationship with the Pirate King (her father) to her relationship with the first mate, Riden to her crew, to Riden and his brother.

I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, though I'm anxious about some things left open-ended as well. It's a real nail-biter!

Meet Princess Alosa, the female Jack Sparrow of the Literature world. She is feisty, smart and carelessly brave. She is also stubborn. So much so, she repeatedly gets herself stabbed or punched to prove she’s right. This girl ain’t afraid to get her hands dirty!

I love her personality because you can easily see Alosa written as a man. Usually when you have strong female characters placed in very “piratey” situations they are forced to succumb to their male captures by keeping their heads down in order to survive. Which is in all fairness the smart thing to do.However, Alosa has none of it. If she doesn’t want to clean the deck, she won’t clean the deck. Even if they hang her off the ship with chains around her arm, she still won’t.
I recommend this book for anyone who is looking to be entertained. It’s very light and funny. There’s nothing deep or upsetting about it. So if you ever find yourself free and looking into doing something fun, definitely pick this up. It only took me a day to finish it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read and review Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller! The princess is on a mission to rob the pirate ship, Night Farer. Princess Alosa has been sent by her father, the Pirate King, to steal a piece of the map that shows the way to the Isla de Canta., the island where sirens have placed their treasures throughout history. Alosa proves herself to be a very deceptive spy and a skilled fighter who can take care of herself. Riden, the brother of the Night Farer captain, knows Alosa is hiding secrets and wants to know what they are. Riden also seems to be more observant than anyone else she has ever met and Alosa isn't sure how he can sense and see the changes in her as she uses her powers. Alosa is tough, has a clever intelligence and wit and I enjoyed her sarcastic comments throughout the story. Her focus and confidence help her through many tough struggles. Alosa's secrets are revealed while her father's story is told also. The story will continue in the sequel, Daughter of the Siren Queen, scheduled for release February 2018. 5 stars for an entertaining adventure fantasy!

I absolutely loved this story! The main character is strong, confident, and totally snarky. The other mixture characters are well developed as well with their own distinctive identities and traits. There are so many storyline events in this book and they are balanced quite perfectly throughout to prevent it from ever becoming boring and I found it not at all predictable like many other stories so it kept me turning page after page literally for hours when I normally switch between multiple books throughout the day. This is definitely in my top favourite books now and I cannot wait to read the next book!

“How are you ... you?”
“I am me because I choose to be me. I am what I want. Some people say you have to find yourself. Not I. I believe we create ourselves to be what we want. Any aspect of ourselves that we do not like can be altered if we make an effort.”

Okay, that book was an absolute delight.

It was a fast-paced adventure with so much sass I could butter bread with it. I loved the intense romantic tension as well as the suspense of the story. I loved the twists and turns and I didn't mind that the story took a certain track - you got to enjoy this amazing journey on a pirate ship to get there!

Not to mention a smokin' hot romantic lead with a temper problem, which just so happens to be my thing.

I loved how fierce and unabashedly themselves these characters were - all of them. I loved the twists and turns and what lengths they were willing to go to get what they wanted AND needed. And how some of those things intersected.

I read this in one afternoon and it was an utter delight. I can't wait for the next one!

Like always, let’s take a glance at this cover. The artwork is definitely enticing for the younger audience, which is perfect considering this is a young adult book targeting those 12 years and older. Although, after finishing the book I personally imagined Alosa, the main character, as more rough-and-tumble and realistic; as apposed to the cartoonish red-head depicted.

The meat: The story takes off immediately with trouble and fighting. The pirate captain, 17 year old Alosa, is faced with a ship invasion. Now, Alosa is not who she seems as she deviously fools her enemies. Turns out, even in the brig of an enemy ship, she is exactly where she wants to me. The story continues with well construction to include romance, lies, and honest trouble.

I gave this book a 3/5 stars along with anticipation for book two Daughter of the Siren Queen (due to release Feb. 2018).

If you are interested in any of the following, than you will find enjoyment reading this book: #ya #youngadult #pirates #mermaids #sirens #love #brothers #daddyissues #treasurehunt #swordfights

This book was everything I was hoping for. I couldn't put it down. I've always had an interest in pirates, and my three year old son is also really into them right now, so we've read a bunch of pirate picture books together. Pirates is a common theme for children's books, but not seen much in YA, so I was really excited to read this and experience my own pirate adventure.

It had everything I wanted- a clever and determined heroine, a slow burning romance full of banter and meaning, and swashbuckling adventures and plot twists. Alosa and Riden were seriously fun characters to read about and I loved following their adventure.

Sometimes it was more brutal than I would have preferred, but of course it is about pirates so that's to be expected.

This was a great read! The characters in this story were so much fun. Alosa is a strong, confident, ruthless, and talented pirate. She is so sure of herself, but things change as she is taken captive (on purpose) by and enemy ship. She meets the first mate, Riden, and enjoys their spunky conversations but doesn’t want to admit that she has grown to care for him. Riden keeps Alosa on her toes and is impressed with her ability at being a pirate. He can tell she’s hiding something. Their relationship is engaging and entertaining. They both get on each other’s nerves yet can’t stay away either.

The fact that Alosa gets captured on purpose was of course intriguing from the beginning. What’s entertaining is how she has to constantly look like she’s a prisoner even though she escapes her prison at night and sneaks about the ship searching for a map.

I loved this story and recommend this to anyone who enjoys the Pirates is the Caribbean movies, witty dialogue, adventure, and of course some romance.

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING is tremendously entertaining with pirates so bad I couldn't help but love them. Alosa is a fiery, redheaded lass with a difficult upbringing fit only for the daughter of the pirate king. Cocky, confident, and intuitive (ironically, these are all accusations she makes against her love interest), Alosa is as cutthroat as she is devious. Even with her bravado, the witty banter between her and her love interest is entertaining and believable. This story ends satisfactorily, but with plenty of intrigue for a sequel. DAUGHTER OF A PIRATE KING is going on my 'do not touch this book or be skewered' shelf. To sum up my feelings: Alosa is a smart heroine with a heart not nearly as dark as she lets on. I'd be honored to sail the high seas aboard her ship.

A pirate book with a main character described as "a female Jack Sparrow"? C'mon, I had to read this one eventually.

The plot is quite simple. The Daughter of the Pirate King stages her kidnapping to get a piece of the map that will lead the pirate king to -yes, you guessed it- an island of unimaginable treasures. Plot Twist? It's also the land where Sirens -who lure men to sea by their magical singing voice- live.

While the storyline was generally predictable, with some plot twists here and there, but it was nothing too dramatic, it was the characters that pulled the plot along.

Alosa, the Daughter of the Pirate King is witty, smart and strong. While she is a pirate, she is also a girl, who cares about her dresses and looks. She was a unique character, but too good to be relatable.
On the other hand, Riden, First mate of Enemy Ship and Alosa's Captor, is very much the traditional YA-appeal guy, with good looks and smart brains. Though, I felt he was had less characterization, and pretty much got overshadowed by Alosa's character.

The story is told in first narrative by Alosa, and it is fast-paced. There was not much world-building and we didn't get to see what the other character's lives are like, especially Alosa's Crew, whom I would have liked to read about more.
Nevertheless, it was a quick read that I enjoyed.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Looking forward to reading book 2.

I've been looking forward to DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING ever since I first heard about it, and it was everything I hoped for and more! It's a fast-paced adventure full of action, romance, magic, secrets, and sharp, witty banter. Alosa is such a great heroine--she's smart, funny, fierce, and determined to get what she wants, even if it means orchestrating her own kidnapping. The romance between Alosa and Riden, the first mate of the enemy ship, is full of tension and chemistry. (And did I mention the banter? I love the banter.) There's also plenty of swashbuckling action and immensely clever fight scenes. I read it in almost entirely in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I absolutely loved it, and I can't wait for the sequel!

I gave this book a 3 out of 5 star rating because, for a start, I was not totally committed to the characters throughout the story. The beginning was slow and it took awhile to lead up to the actual climax that started around the middle of the book.

Once I reached the climax it was a pretty fast paced read and I finished within a few hours. However, like I said I was not totally committed to the characters and I didn't bond to any of them on an emotional level so I was pretty indifferent about any of the circumstances that they found themselves in, good or bad.

The main character Alosa is also supposedly suppose to be the female version of Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. However, I found very few similarities between the two besides the fact that they are both pirate captains and are able to magically get out of ANY tough situation they find themselves in.

I also didn't feel much of a "pirate vibe" from any of the main characters, non of them really stood out besides Alosa and I wasn't totally sold on how easily she was able to get out of tough situations like I stated before. When you find yourself captive on a pirate ship don't you think it would be a little difficult for you to constantly have the upper hand? Apparently not in this book.

All in all it was an O.K. read. It went by quickly, it's just not a book I would buy new for the price of it, I would just wait for a used copy or get a copy from your local library if you're interested. That choice is yours. The ending was abrupt but I'm pretty sure there's a second book coming out soon. Not sure if I'll be looking into reading it but I'll leave that option open anyways.

Summed up - The cover art, the dedication area, and the idea was 5 stars. The actual content inside was 1 Star. . . If not less.

5 stars! I was a bit unsure when I first started DOTPK. A female pirate akin to Jack Sparrow? Those are big shoes to fill. While she's not as hilarious as he, I can confirm that Alosa is every bit as witty, sarcastic, and funny, as well as getting herself into various predicaments.

I enjoyed reading about Alosa, and I adored her relationship with Riden. New OTP! I enjoyed how the author fleshed out some of the other characters too, particularly two of the pirates on Draxen's ship.

There was A LOT of banter, action scenes, sleuthing, and even a bit of mystery.

I immediately ordered Daughter of the Siren Queen--I'm very interested in what I learned at the end of this book that leads into the sequel!

I gave this book 4.5 Stars but rounded up because it was closer to 5 than a 4.

I seriously loved this book. It was exciting and interesting from the very first page. It isn’t very often that I get immediately sucked into a book but this story did it for me. Alosa is such an excellent character, I love when books have strong female characters who aren’t afraid to just do what they want and be who they are. I actually really liked pretty much every character and I think that the development of all of them was realistic and felt authentic. The romance portion of this book was great for me as well, it didn’t feel forced or overdone. I absolutely can not wait to read the second book!

See more of my reviews on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I got from the publisher.

Is it really so much to ask for if I want a YA fantasy novel free of rape threats and with no superpartiarchy in place? I know there’s plenty of YA fantasy like that out there, but I’m particularly bad at finding them and/or finding them interesting enough to read. I’m a bit fond of pirate books, so why wouldn’t I expect Daughter of the Pirate King to be fun for me?

It wasn’t, reader. It was fun until it got h*ckin homophobic, as @dog_rates might say. Then it wasn’t fun anymore.

The first chapter hooked me pretty well. Alosa being a fearless pirate very willing to kill people, her secret plan to steal a map fragment from her captors while she lets them keep her hostage–that’s the kind of stuff I like to see. She immediately conformed to the Fiery Redhead character archetype, but I had hopes her character would develop. Sadly, it doesn’t, and for being such a clever pirate, it takes Alosa a long time to consider some obvious hiding places on the ship or think about any hidden ones.

Honestly, I was genuinely entertained for most of Daughter of the Pirate King. The content is far from outstanding, but it’s enough to occupy you when you need to whittle some time away. The characters are flat and do a serviceable job fulfilling their roles, such as Draxen being the minor antagonist; Alosa and Riden’s romance is uninteresting but not in-your-face enough to annoy anyone who isn’t into it.

Too bad there are little background reminders that indicate the book might have the dreaded Fantasy Superpatriarchy after all. It’s notable that Alosa is a pirate at all, let alone the captain of a ship full of other pirate women. Draxen and Riden’s ship has no women on board, so Alosa naturally interacts with other women for very little of the novel and fields a litany of rape threats.

Really, it’s a fantasy novel. It’s not that hard to shake things up and not conform to our gender norms.

If you want a book that will surprise you, Daughter of the Pirate King is definitely not what you want. One character’s habit is described so faithfully every time they appear that you’ll figure out their secret. Alosa just kinda throws out the fact she’s half-siren at the halfway point of the book without ever thinking about it for the first half. In case you didn’t know, that kind of reveal really ticks me off.

But most of all, YOU ARE NOT GONNA TELL ME ALOSA HAS NO IDEA WHAT THE THIRD MAP-HOLDER LOOKS LIKE WHEN HER DAD IS SO DESPERATE TO GET ALL THREE MAP PIECES. Her pirate king father would have drilled that information into her head, such is his desire to get all three map pieces and make it to the treasure-rich siren island known as Isla de Canta. But he apparently never educated her on that and thus she has no idea. I CALL NINE KINDS OF BULL ON THAT BASED ON THEIR CHARACTERIZATIONS.

But oh no, we ain’t even at the worst part yet: the homophobia and the magic system’s reliance on everyone ever being heterosexual.

I’m still stunned. Not because Vordan only likes the company of men, but because I’ve never had to use my abilities on his sort. I didn’t realize there are men out there who are immune to that particular talent of mine. And knowing Vordan is one of them makes the cage around me seem more solid somehow. (p. 254)

Let’s dissect this piece by piece.

1) Alosa had no idea gay men existed. ALOSA HAD NO IDEA MEN WHO LIKE MEN EVEN EXISTED. Shush, no one tell her about the asexuals or any identity that sees someone attracted to the same gender (lesbians, bi people, basically all the non-heterosexual groups). God, if she ever finds out about nonbinary or agender people, her skull is gonna burst right open.

2) Did her dad seriously not bring out the gay pirates during his experiments with Alosa’s powers? There can’t be two grown human beings who think only heterosexual people exist, especially if they’re pirates.

3) Do u even know how sirens work yo

Let me expand on that last one.

Sirens can in fact seduce sailors and pirates, as is one of Alosa’s powers, but Levenseller phrases it through Alosa as the pirate princess being able to become the perfect woman for any man. Whatever kind of woman a man is most attracted to, she can easily pick that up and conform to that persona to get what she wants. Innocent country girl, married woman–you name it, she can do it.

But that’s not what sirens have ever been about? In a manner of speaking, they do seduce their listeners with their song, which uses what the listener wants most as a lure. If the listener is a heterosexual man and what they want most is a woman, there you go! But their song will bewitch any listener. Being gay or pan or even asexual will not save you from a siren if you hear them.

For God’s sake, if I were out at sea and heard a siren’s song, they’d be luring me in with my cats! My kitties are what I want most whenever I’m away from them. Maybe the siren would be happy they’d get a break from singing about the typical things people want most, like fame or love.

Plus sirens were singing to men in all the Greek legends just because the Greeks never had any pirate women or enbys on board in the stories. If women or nonbinary people were on board, folklore makes me certain they would have been affected too.

Okay, we’re done with the mythology lesson. With such a fearsome but entirely defeatable power that weaves its spell regardless of the listener’s sexual orientation, Levenseller restructuring it so Alosa can only conform to a given heterosexual man’s preference in women is just sad. Why make heterosexuality a requirement when it never has been? Alosa only discovers Vordan’s preferences shortly before she escapes and he has wax in his ears when she gets out, so he would have been immune anyway. It’s just poor writing.

The book’s one and only gay guy Vordan is a villain and he dies, of course. That’s just the icing on this gross cake. I was willing to give the book three stars until I got to the above quote and then it all went downhill.

If you’ve guessed I won’t be reading the sequel, Daughter of the Siren Queen, you’d be correct. This is the YA pirate novel that Joss Whdeon would write–and if you’ve seen his Wonder Woman script that leaked on line, you should understand that’s not a compliment. If you’re looking for pirates and women being amazing, you’d be better off going for The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie or Steel by Carrie Vaughn. (Don’t tell anyone, but I’d still accept a poster of this book cover if you offered it to me. I’m not gonna deny a cover this gorgeous even with the horror show that lurks beneath it.)

Checked out hard copy from the library. Disappointed. Would give it a 2.5. I know this is for younger audiences but it's very juvenile in both story and writing. The heroine is way too full of herself and that got old real fast. The writing was plain, almost simple in a silly way. No lyrical prose here whatsoever. If the author is going to continue to write about pirates I suggest she read The Windflower to find out about how pirates really lived (descriptions and depth of ALL characters in The Windflower are stellar). I felt the characters were shallow, especially Riden, who had very little to say during this book. We never got a real feel for what he was all about. what he was really like as a person. And we got too much from the heroine about what she was all about or 'thought' she was all about. Strange, I never thought of her as a badass, but rather comically stupid that she thought she was. I stopped reading when suddenly the heroine turned into a 'sea siren' being. Was that contrived to make the book longer??? Books do NOT have to have a paranormal element in order to be intriguing or be a great read. This trope felt like it was tossed in at the last minute just to give it a paranormal slant. Bad choice.
Disappointing overall.

3.5 stars

I'll be completely honest: this wasn't something I requested when I first saw it. I'm sure I would have picked it up eventually, but there was something that kept me from getting it. I had a couple of friends tell me that it was amazing, so I grabbed it.

I liked Alosa. She's smart and sassy and kicks some serious butt. I enjoyed her manipulation and games and her love for frilly dresses. Of course Riden was delightful and their banter was fun.

The plot was where I struggled a bit. It seemed repetitive after a bit. And while there were some interesting revelations, I just couldn't get captivated by the story. However, the characters are what will get me to read the next book.

**Huge thanks to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for providing the arc free of charge**

This review is for Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller. I had originally received my copy of this fantastical, swashbuckling story through BooklyBox (now known as PageHabit) in March of 2017. This story is written in first person, from Alosa’s point of view, and it takes places in the world of Maneria, during the era of piracy in the Caribbean.

There are just so many great things to be said about Daughter of the Pirate King! The story is abundant with action and adventure, lots of twists and turns (I totally did NOT see that coming!), plenty of wit and sassy humor (from chuckle moments to laughing so hard there were tears in my eyes), and grazed with just the perfect touch of romance. The story development was rather fast-paced, but not so fast that it seemed rushed. The characterizations were what impressed me most…they were extremely strong, and there was so much detail that I could envision the characters from head to toe with no problem at all. It was so fun to imagine myself as Alosa, and even more fun to encounter Riden. Ohh, Riden. Mmm, Riden. After reading this book, I would literally dream about Riden at night. He was a hunk, haha, and definitely my “book boyfriend” for this story! (Shhh, don’t tell my fiancé, hehe!) Ms. Levenseller did a fantastic job of creating a vivid, memorable cast of leading characters…I absolutely despised Draxen from the very start. No, wait, I do mean that in a good way! It’s just that she did very well making Draxen come across as this heinous, villainous captain right from the very start.

I do wish there was more I could’ve learned about Maneria, since there’s much more of a focus on the characters and not a whole lot of description about this fantasy world. Maybe it’s a world that Tricia Levenseller will continue to build onto with the addition of more books to the series? I’m certainly looking forward to finding out! 5/5*

4.5/5 Stars

PIRATES! My word, I have looked everywhere for a really good pirate book. There are great books with pirates in them but the story itself isn't exactly about pirates. But this book right here....oh my goodness. I was up until 1 last night reading until I decided I needed to stop so I could savor it some more in the morning. This book was dark, funny, and perfectly full of pirates. I felt like I was reading all about a badass Jack Sparrow- but female! Alosa is by far my favorite female character. She is so powerful and cunning, yet so beyond smart. The twists in this story kept coming and my heart couldn't take the suspense. I had no idea how this story was going to end and it kept me on edge. I cannot wait for the next book in the series and to see what Tricia Levenseller has in store for us. (less)

This was my first pirate read and i was not disappointed! I was a little leery of it, just because its not my favorite thing to read about, but throw some mythology and magical creatures in there and I'm hooked!
Alosa is amazing! Strong and confident and little bit mythological! There are two sides to Alisha and they are both deadly! Men beware!
Alosa is sent on an important mission by her father, the king of the pirates. She has a mission to do, she's good at her job. Insert Riden, kind handsome pirate, and a little cocky. She likes that. Things get complicated when she starts to feel for riden and her mission gets compromised. But she's a resourceful girl!

It's 2:20 am. I should have gone to bed ages ago. But no, I decided to read a little bit of DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING. I was about 70 pages from the end, maybe I'd read 10 pages or so and finish it tomorrow. BUT NOPE. Alosa and Riden and the other marvellous characters would have none of that.

One of my favourite things about DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING was how it was the perfect book for my teenage self, back when PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN was my life and I craved adventure on the high seas. If you're a fan of whip-smart girl protagonists, love interests who are so much more than cardboard cutouts, and plots with twists and turns, you've got to buy this book!

I picked this book up, because I saw it posted a lot online. I wanted to see what all the hype was about, but didn’t expect too much. I was completely taken in by the story that I couldn’t put it down. I had to continue reading until the early hours of the morning, because I desperately had to see how it ended. To my surprise this book was way more than I expected it to be and I cared a great deal about what happened to the main characters. It’s not often that I care so much about the characters that I have to continue to read the book as if their lives depended on me finishing until the end. I was captured by the story and wanted the main characters to be safe and sound by the end of the book. I was nervous for their safety and scared that they would end up hurt or dead. The author brought so much emotion to the characters. I felt afraid, concerned, angry and frustrated. I felt apart of this story and felt intertwined with the characters that I wanted to do something about the villains myself. I love a story that takes me by surprise when I open the first page and find myself hungry for more!!

I just loved this fun and adventurous Pirate story and can not wait for the next book in the series. What a fun ride upon a Pirate Ship with thieves and assassins. This story follows Alosa, the Pirate King's daughter, and her plans to be captured by enemies to retrieve a piece of the map needed to find an ancient land of Sirens and Treasure! While imprisoned, Alosa meets Riden and that is when things get interesting. I refuse to say anymore, as not to spoil this book and I would highly recommend it to everyone. This book was added to my 2018 Favorites List.

This was a fun story. Following the adventures of the ever fearless Alosa, daughter of the Pirate King, the reader is taken on a wild ride.

A true girl power story, Alosa doesn’t allow any man to save her; she can save herself, thank you very much. She is captain of her own ship of mostly female pirates and she has plans to one day replace her father as ruler of all pirates. But first she has to get through this escapade!

Entertaining with plenty of adventure and action, this was a fun read.

Daughter of the Pirate King is an amazing, edge-of-your-seat adventure full of swashbuckling sword fights, feisty pirates, and a great touch of romance. Alosa is the sole heir to the throne of the ocean- as the title suggests, the Pirate King's daughter. She is spunky, sassy, and takes no crap from anyone. Alosa goes on a mission to steal a treasure map from an enemy's ship, but finds herself in lots of troubling situations along the way. The Captain and First Mate of the Night Farer (what a cool name!) are brothers that each feel very differently about her. What ensues is sword fighting, brutality, treasure hunting, and the care and protection of someone she never dreamed she'd conspire with. Alosa has a great secret that takes the book out of the genre its placed in, but makes the book all that much better.

All in all, I adored this book! It was a super fast read and I found it completely and utterly enjoyable. I'm a huge fan of adventure style books, and The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue put me in the mood for another pirate book, and let me tell you, this completely fulfilled that. I had so much fun reading this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes adventure, romance, and fantasy.

4.5 stars. This was such a fun read! I really got into Alosa's character. Even though I correctly predicted one of the "twists" very early on from the first clue dropped, there was at least one other twist where I knew something was up, but I didn't know exactly what until later on (still before the reveal, but the clue that gave it away for me had me going "Oh! Oh wow!" when I guessed it) All in all, I thought it was a really fun read. If you have 1-2 days, grab it and give it a try. Was it touch your soul/life changing stuff? No. Cuz it's a pirate adventure. But does it give you a fun escape and characters to love? Yes. Cuz it's a well done pirate adventure.

If you're wondering about objectionable material, here's my take:

Language: There are a few words like b***ard, but all piratey-swearing is limited to the "soft-core British" genre of profanities, if that makes sense. Also, I appreciated that anywhere Alosa might normally swear and take the Lord's name in vain (book's in 1st person), she didn't, and it didn't feel unnatural. She usually used "Star" or "stars" instead, (the way someone might say "Oh, heavens") which would make more sense for a pirate to think of as a higher power than some Diety anyway.

Sexuality/Nudity: There is an attempted sexual assault, but she has serious hand-to-hand combat skills, so it never comes to that. There is male nudity but never described graphically, just that they were dressing or she had to strip them off their clothes and leave them passed out on the bed. There is kissing, and it does get a bit steamy compared to some of the "sweet clean romances" I've been reading lately, but there are no sex scenes. I'd say it's a medium on the spiciness scale. Not mild, not hot, but a solid PG-13 level of sensuality. Sample: "When [his] lips move down to my neck, I forget all about my father. There's nothing except heat and chills all at once. He reaches the base of my neck, and I let out a soft moan. He returns to my lips with a new intensity. The burned spot on my tongue tingles when he traces it with his own."

Violence: Yeah. There's a lot. People are karate chopped in the throat, punched in the face, stabbed with swords, shot with pistols. I mean, it IS a pirate book. They're not gonna be having pillow fights. But that said, none of it is described in gorey detail. It's just good, fast-paced action.

If you are looking for a super fun book with a totally kick-ass heroine, this is the one for you! It is a fabulous take on the traditional pirate story where the female characters are just as swashbuckling as the male characters. It has great twists—including a well-crafted fantasy element—that caught me completely by surprise. You will want to read it in one sitting (and then be desperate for the next one!).

This book is fun from the first page. Its exactly the kind of frivolous (but with serious undertones of loyalty, trust, duty, the strength of family bonds and forging your own path), YA pirate story you'd expect. As the title suggests, our heroine is more than just a pirate, she's the daughter of the King - not necessarily a good thing though. Alosa gets herself into all kinda of mischief, usually of her own making, but also for her own reasons. She is feisty, strong, determined and resourceful... and not opposed to using her abilities and, assets, to her advantage. She's a girl on a mission after all! Full of piratical pleasure, nautical nonsense, and just enough lighthearted romance to keep you on board.

Read it in one day, so that’s saying something. Great adventure, interesting and unique characters. Plenty of action, but not super explicit on the gory parts (which for me was a plus). Relationships get a little intense, so I probably wouldn’t recommend to a younger teen. More of a New Adult book than Young Adult. The voice is captivating, and you can’t help but cheer for the main character. It was a refreshing take on pirates, and I enjoyed it. Can’t wait to read the next installment.

Wow! DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING was everything I hoped for and more—a fantastic read filled with adventure, romance, secrets, betrayals, and a plot that kept me guessing. Alosa is such a compelling heroine. She’s smart, sassy, and every bit as ruthless as any of her male counterparts. And she’s well matched by a whole cast of characters that are fully-fleshed out and run the entire gamut—good, bad, and ugly. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Absolutely loved it and I can’t wait for the sequel!

Unputdownable, swoonworthy, swashbuckling read! I loved every second and laughed all the way through. READ IT. Don't hesitate, just get it. Also, its a bunch of teens who all have their own ships, because they freaking deserve them through hard work and perseverance and they all want treasure. This is everything the last Pirates of the Caribbean film didn't give us! Read, read, read!

I love this book! I was recommended to read this by friends anxiously awaiting the second one in 2 days. The were right, it was great. About 90% of this takes place on a pirate ship. The main character gets captured on purpose to look for a hidden item on a rival pirate ship. Seeing a female pirate that is smart and cunning was awesome.

I was very pleasantly surprised with this book. I have been looking for a great pirate book for a while and this did not disappoint. I planned on just reading a couple of chapters to get a feel for the book and ended up almost finishing the whole thing in one sitting. I will be waiting impatiently for the next one. February can’t get here sooner!

I was captivated from the first page on. Princess Alosa was bad to the bone and so charmingly wicked! And Riden, a guy we all wanted him to be. Great story, I fell under it's spell and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book. The rest of the crew was also very endearing. It was perfect.
Stars!

I thought the writing was very well done and I got sucked into the story right away. I would definitely recommend this book to pirate fans. The only issues I had were the main character felt a little too good at what she does and her siren powers felt a little too strong. I was also on the fence about the romance. With that said, I enjoyed it enough to read the next book in the series, which is hard for a series to get me to do.

The pacing was a bit slow at first, but about 1/3 into the book, it really picked up and I became engaged and intrigued. Alosa is an interesting character and I look forward to learning more about her. I dislike her father. Riden is....complex. I don't like the weakness he displays about his emotions and wants. He needs to step up his game if I'm going to start pulling for him and Alosa to be a couple.

I absolutely loved reading this book, I found Alosa's character refreshing. She was headstrong, sassy, and did I mention hardheaded?! I also love Riden's character, him and Alosa's banter made this book very entertaining!! I found myself laughing several times. I look forward to reading The next book, I didn't think I would enjoy a pirate book this much.

The cover fasnicated me. The characters were breathtaking that i could connect with throughout the entire novel. Kept a steady pace. Jack Sparrow needs to meet Alosa the daughter of the pirate king! Her sarcastic attitude, intelligence & quick thinking is astounding!

AMAZING...is the word I would use to describe this book! I absolutely love Alosa...this book is full of twists and turns....ups and downs....it kept my attention 100% of the time and as soon as it ended I grabbed #2 (Daughter of the Siren Queen)

Easiest five stars ever! It took me two days to read it. I couldn't put it down. This was everything I wanted in the YA pirate book, and then more. I fell in love with Alosa right from the start—she's smart, funny, strong, and everything a female pirate should be like. I cannot wait to read the sequel!

This book had it all--fun cast of characters, great main character, lots of adventure, some good romance. Didn't hide the fact that a pirate is going to kill someone. Alosa was a smart, well-written character and the plot and pacing were excellent. I recommend this to everyone!

Ive found its very hard to find a good "pirate" book with any type of romance in it, always sappy romance and not enough BA pirateness. Daughter of the Pirate King was everything I have been looking for. The story pulled me in and had me in a book hang over for the last 2 days. I need book 2 now!!

I could not get enough of this. I read through this book so quickly. She was definitely a female Jack Sparrow besides like, some of the obvious. I have always been a fan of pirate stories and this is by far one of the best, and I'm extremely happy it's a female lead. Amazing.

Girl who is a kickass pirate? SOLD! I loved this story from page one. Alosa gives me some serious Deliha Baird feels and I was not disappointed. Let's get one thing straight, Alosa is a badass. Like really really. Tricia doesn’t just tell us that she is and expect us to believe it. No, her being a badass is proven over and over. This is so well done! If you are looking for a fun read with action and hate to love romance pick this up today!! I will most definitely be purchasing the sequel!

I absolutely loved this book! It had the kind of kick-ass heroine you always want to read about and great supporting characters! Every character has a reason for being in the book, they weren't just placed there to fill a hole! The adventure itself was a great fun read and I cannot wait for the next book to come out! (Hurry up February 2018!) I'll definitely be rereading this book in the future!

Got this via Owlcrate and was so excited to read it. Sadly it was a major letdown. Almost didn't finish the book at all. Alosa was extremely arrogant and I never got into the book enough to actually care about her.

Definitely like this book, a solid debut for Ms. Levenseller. If you like pirates and swashbuckling, but wanted to see the world from a heroine's perspective with a few twists and turns, this is the book for you! I wasn't sure if I could classify this as a YA or Adult, it totes the line for me if you're looking to get this book for a teen.

Great book and start to the series. Anyone who loves pirates will love this book. It's not as strong in world building as I'd like, but very fast paced and had me reading to the end. I highly recommend this book, as book two is even better!

Alosa, a teen-aged pirate captain, is sent on a secret mission by her father, the Pirate King. She is to get captured by another pirate captain and while there, find a hidden map. The job turns out to be more difficult than she expected.

This is a YA novel, and it is filled with the fantasy elements so often found in YA books. Alosa--captain of an all teen-aged female crew--is not only above average in everything, able to defeat multiple male pirates at one time, and strikingly beautiful, she also has hidden powers. (I honestly groaned out loud when the mystical abilities were revealed.) The plot was interesting, though, and so much could have been made of this book if Levenseller hadn't made Alosa into a Mary Jane instead of a believable character.

I really liked this book. It had adventure, strong female character, and some romantic heat! I found it very entertaining and easy to read. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a fun, easy going read!

The biggest disappointment about this book was the fact that it could have been something completely unique and amazing, but instead ended up being exactly what you would expect of every YA book out there. First of all, the all-female pirate crew was barely present in the entire book! Why would you write a book about badass female pirates and then ignore them for 95% of the novel??? It was such a wasted opportunity. Instead, the book focused on a weird and unbelievable romance. Insert rolling eyes emoji here.

Honestly, the only characters I really enjoyed were Alosa's crew, but we barely got to spend any time with them. Alosa was seriously a pain and was completely full of herself. The book was told from her point of view, and I found this to be pretty detrimental to the story. Alosa kept telling the reader how tough she was, talking about all the cool things she could do and how she could destroy an entire ship of men if she wanted to. But she never really did anything that was that amazing. She was all talk and never actually SHOWED us what she could do. Perhaps if the story wasn't actually told by Alosa, we could have seen what she was actually capable of, instead of repeatedly hearing her talk about how awesome she was.

The only thing that Alosa proved to me was that she was not nearly as amazing as she claimed to be. Despite all her talk and bravado, when it came down to it, she was distracted from her mission by a boy. (OF. FREAKING. COURSE.) You would think that the daughter of the pirate king would have a bit more wherewithal and stay true to her cause. But no, as soon as he takes off his shirt and she realizes he smells like soap, she completely forgets what she is supposed to do. The romance was totally unbelievable as well. It felt very forced - like the author was trying to cross things off a typical YA checklist. Girl (redhead of course) is captured and falls hopelessly in love with her hunky, mysterious captor with a dark and troubled past. Gag.

All in all, this book was predictable and a huge disappointment. The multiple "twists" were easy to guess and super trope-y. This book had so much potential, but it went so wrong so fast. Even the cover is awful. The entire thing was a giant disappointment. The only good thing about it was that it was a really fast read, so I didn't waste too much time on it. I will definitely not be picking up the next book in this series.

The story is interesting enough, the characters are fun to read, but there isn't a lot of depth to the story line. It was mostly predictable - nothing to keep me awake reading this novel. Of you're looking for light, relaxing reading, this is a book for you!

I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did! It's super funny, the main character is a total badass that I so love! the writing is fantastic! Daughter of the pirate king is now in my top five favorite books of all time!