Plot:
This is a YA historical novel taking place in the Caribbean and following the story of female pirate, Anne Bonny, based on the true story of Anne Bonny. Bonny has run from her abusive husband and found herself on the pirate ship, The Ranger, which is captained by her lover, Calico. Bonny has to disguise herself as the cabin boy but lives a content life causing mayhem on the ship and in the Caribbean. However, the pirate-hunter Captain Barnet has set his sights on The Ranger, with the added incentive of Bonny's husband's money in exchange for him getting his 'property' back.

My thoughts:
Reading this book has made me really curious about pirates and, in particular, female pirates like Anne Bonny. Knowing that this novel is based on a true story just made it better and the amount of research the author did really shines through and enhances the story.

I liked so much about this book: the characters (particularly Read); the plot; the action; and, most importantly, the handling of LGBTQ+ themes. This book features a trans man as one of the main characters as well as the implication that he and another male character are attracted to men. These reveals were handled very well and without drama. The point of view given from the antagonist was also effective in both conveying motivations and creating anticipation as so much of the novel took the form of a chase / race against time.

Where the book fell down for me was that it struggled to grasp my attention, particularly in the beginning. But even by the end I wasn't feeling a connection to any of the characters. My other criticism is the underdeveloped romance between Bonny and Calico. I felt that more development would have made understanding and sympathising with Bonny's actions in the second half of the book a lot easier. However, as there had been little development or even background it was difficult to care.

I always feel that I need to write a little reminder that I did enjoy the book after writing anything critical, so here's that disclaimer: I did enjoy this! It was a fun, historical adventure full of piracy, action and general badassery.

*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley*

If we're talking boats, Devil's Ballast is a grand, seaworthy ship, offering and delivering safe passage over some choppy waters - that is, it's a strong, well-researched book with an intriguing and varied plotline. Caddy complements this with some literary finesse in techniques that have tripped many a writer. There are time jumps, alternate settings and perspectives, and obligatory world-building to establish the historical context, yet Caddy makes these literary devices seem like child's play, becoming a seamless addition to the book. Not once was I stumbling over a change in setting or left reeling by a two month transition from chapter to chapter. I felt reassured in Caddy's hands, no matter how tempestuous the seas in the actual plotline. However, without a significant connection to the protagonist (or even another of the recurring characters), it doesn't quite worm its way into the depths of the reader's heart, leaving it a good book rather than the new mass favourite.

Devil's Ballast is a historical fiction story about the life of Anne Bonny.

Anne Bonny is fierce, brave, and never backs down from a fight. She knows her strengths and her flaws and doesn't really care what you think of her. Anne Bonny is one of my favorite women in history and I was happy to see that her character (from can be confirmed from records) was done so great on the page. Devil's Ballast takes place with young Anne and her life as part of Calico Jack's crew after she fled from an abusive husband. With revenge on the mind, her husband hires someone to hunt down his ex-wife and drag her back to him. Little do they release that Anne Bonny will not go without a fight.

I would say that while this book is pretty historically accurate in a way that warms my heart, it was not the Anne Bonny read that I was hoping for. I found the writing to be quite dull and didn't really build up the character's relationships in an enjoyable way. I only really cared about the interactions between Anne and Martin. The story does have trans male representation in that famous pirate Mary Read is trans in this story and is Martin Read. I didn't find the two different POV's to really add anything interesting to the story.

For me, this was an ok book overall and I hope it introduces more people to Anne Bonny..

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.**

Title Devil’s Ballast

Author Meg Caddy

Description from Amazon

Anne Bonny was 18 when she ran away from her violent husband, into the arms of pirate captain Calico Jack. Now, aboard Jack’s ship, she’s part of a ruthless crew bringing mayhem and murder to the Caribbean. But James Bonny is willing to pay to get his wife back. And pirate-hunter Captain Barnet is open to all offers.

Release Date July 14, 2020

Initial Thoughts

I was excited to read this one. It’s been a while since I read a good pirate story and this one sounded really interesting.

Some Things I Liked

Anne’s wit and sass. Anne was hilarious and I loved her dialogue. She was a fierce main character and I loved seeing her interactions with everyone.
Calico Jack as a more romantic Jack Sparrow. Jack gave me such Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow vibes and I really liked that. Albeit, a more responsible and less selfish Jack Sparrow, he felt like he gave off similar eccentric pirate energy.
Dark themes. This book didn’t shy away from some of the dark themes that were prevalent at the time. Anne ran away from an abusive husband, she was conflicted over her pregnancy, and murder was a regular occurrence. This story didn’t sugar coat any of that and I respected the plot for its honesty.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

I wasn’t totally sold on the twist with Martin. One of Mary Read’s claims to fame was that she had a stay of execution because she was pregnant (like Anne) so I was surprised to find that she would never really be in a position to get pregnant. While I understand this is a work of historical fiction, I thought this aspect strayed from the truth a smidge too much. However, I will say that I liked the character very much. My issue is with the changes from the real story.

Series Value

I’d love to see a sequel to this story. Anne and Martin were such fun main characters and I’d really enjoy a sequel / spin-off about Martin. Despite what I know about Anne, Mary, and Calico Jack’s fates, I’d still like to see more of their adventures as written by Meg Caddy.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed this book. I liked the romance, the references to history, and the plot. I would like to see more from these characters but I am also satisfied where everything ended.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace – if you liked the idea of pirates with a lot of sass, try this book that came out in February.

My Rating: 3.5

I love pirates. Always have since I was a kid and this book is great because:

1. Obviously pirates
2. Badass female character, Anne Bonny
3. Bonny and Calico

In this version of Meg Caddy we follow historical character Anne Bonny (how awesome is the fact that this woman actually existed and she was a great pirate, one THE best. And everyone should know that she existed) aboard captain Jack Calico's ship. So pretty much the making of the one and only true pirate Anne Bonny.
Bonny escaped her violent husband and decided to become a part of Calico's crew and join the pirate life. Not everything goes as planned, she's a woman pretending to be a lad that is favored by the captain a few times and that brings trouble aboard the ship. But that doesn't stop Bonny from achieving her goals and she keeps looking forward and fighting for what she believes.
I loved Bonny and Mary Read's friendship and how it was developed, it was truly wholesome.
But as mentioned above one of the true relationships that shinned for me in this book was Bonny and Calico, even though they didn't have that many moments the one's they had were perfect. I wish there had been more romance since I'm a sucker for it.
I loved this reimagination of Bonny's life and adventures.

This book basically covers the life of a pirate, Anne, and the pirate captain, Calico ( they are in a romantic relationship. ) In the past, Anne was married to a cruel man, and she and Calico ended up fleeing him in attempts to release Anne from this relationship. Then they get targeted by a pirate hunter, and they have to survive. *surprise surprise* **jazz hands**

The characters. . . were okay I suppose. I really didn't get the depth of Bonny and Calico's relationship. There was no relationship growth, and I was let down by that. There was no explanation of their relationship, it started off from a romantic relationship, and it just stayed like that. However, I did LOVE the LGBTQ+ representation in the characters. The secondary characters were there for a reason, and I did enjoy their elements brought into the story. Bonny was fierce and so incredibly strong-willed.

I seriously loved that Anne was based on a real character, yes, a real female pirate. There was obviously so much research that had to be done to make this book, so I give applause to the author. Instead of trying to cram facts into the book to make yourself seem knowledgeable, you added them with the storyline. The author took facts and lined them up into a story.

This book had very good potential, but I feel that because I didn't feel as connected to the main characters, I was unable to feel anticipated and unable to feel as many emotions as I feel that I should have. I would have really loved to see the relationships grow, build, and enrich as the story goes.

The book was pretty enjoyable and it was so much fun to see the story of this pirate once again, it offers so much more than textbooks do.

Devil's Ballast was a highly enjoyable read. It was nicely paced, with plenty of action, as well as some good drama and emotion. Anne was an absorbing character and I loved reading of her adventures and her interactions with those around her. The LGBT content was presented in a natural manner, without sensationalising it, and overall this was a delightful read that kept me well entertained over two nights. I recommend Devil's Ballast to YA historical fiction fans and those who enjoy YA stories with feisty heroines and plenty of action.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher, Text Publishing, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Devil’s Ballast by Meg Caddy is a retelling of the life of female pirate Anne Bonny and her lover - the infamous pirate captain, Calico Jack Rackham. Living in Nassau and married to a monster of a man, Anne absconded with Calico and set sail disguised as Andrew Bonny. However, the pair find themselves the target of not only Anne’s husband, but also the ruthless pirate hunter, Jonathan Barnet. Will Bonny and Calico be able to escape capture, and more importantly, the hangman’s noose?

There a quite a few things I really liked about this book including the well-written action scenes, LGBTQA+ representation, and the characters - and I don’t just mean the daring and tenacious Anne Bonny. The author also created some excellent secondary characters in Isaac, Old Dad, darling Darling, and Read (based on Mary Read).

Where the book lost me a bit, was that it was more action than substance. The story opens with Bonny and Calico already trolling the high seas and secretly seeing each other when they can (since she is in disguise), but there is no real merit given to their “love story”. We are simply told they are in a relationship so they must be in love. Without this context established up front, actions taken later in the story don’t carry as much weight or risk, which could’ve built more anticipation/emotion for me as a reader. The action is great, but I would’ve like to see this relationship developed a little more to really invest in the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and was glad to see a reimagined version of this fierce female pirate brought back to life.

I was hooked from the first sentence. Historical fiction is always a favourite of mine specially when it involves actual events/people. Anne Bonny is a very interesting historical figure and I love this interpretation. She's a complex individual and I loved having her as the main character.
It felt so real, it transported me to that time. Not only because we had known figures as Mary Read and Calico Jack but because the author did her reasearch and obviously knew what she was talking about.
I just had a lot of fun. It's based on true events but, of course, the author took some creative liberties, which managed to be informative and entertaining at the same time.

“I counted fifteen dead men working the deck of the Kingston. Well, they weren’t dead yet, but the day was young, and I had a full belt of shot.”

What a fantastic way to start a book. As soon as I read this, I knew that I was going to love this book and I was right, having stayed up till the wee hours to read it. It was fast-paced for the most part and drew you along with a wonderful sense of adventure, banter and high stakes.

As historical fiction, I was impressed with the level of realism. The author didn’t shy away from the reality of Piracy, while also negotiating the stories, rumours and misconceptions that surrounded the real historical figure of Ann Bonny, in a way that makes this version seem as though it could be the real one. Yet, at the same time, it carried the romanticism that is often applied to Piracy, making ‘The Devil’s Ballast’ an entertaining, accessible read.

The character of Anne Bonny was beautifully done, and was everything I want in a female protagonist, riding that line between being a bad-ass woman, who isn’t perfect, and a one who can’t always fight alone, and who to some extent is defined by her love. The romance aspect was handled in a very unique way, and while it didn’t necessarily hold as much page-time as you might expect, it permeated through the story, so you couldn’t doubt the relationship between Anne and Calico Jack. As much as I enjoyed this, it was Anne’s friendship with Read that was my favourite part of the book, as it was built up in a realistic, well-done way, and didn’t turn into a triangle, while also leading both characters through some fairly heavy situations/topics as well and providing some fantastic LGBTQA+ representation which I am always happy to see in books.

Barnet also made for a fascinating ‘villain’ for the story, and it was interesting to watch him balancing between duty and honour, and revenge. In the beginning, I disliked him, but as we learned more about him and his motivations, it was impossible not to respect him or to feel for him, and it made him so much more than the one-dimensional villains that you often see.

A rip-roaring Pirate adventure, with a dash of romance and a high level of historical realism, that had more than a few twists in the tale. I was kept on my toes the whole way through and found myself holding my breath at points due to the weight of what was at stake. I honestly can’t recommend this book highly enough.