Certainly an elaborate, complex story, reminiscent of Bloody Jack though less cheeky. It definitely takes itself seriously. A dense read, a bit of a slog at times.

Thank you netgalley for this free arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Laney disguised as Lane works as a shipboy upon her fathers ship. If her secret ever got out it would mean death for them both. But the sea and sailing are in her blood and the dream of one day becoming a captain of her own ship still calls out to her.

After coming to port Lane hears rumors of a pirate who as it turns out is hunting down her father. Banned from stepping foot off the ship Lane disobeys her father to find out the truth. Is her father just a merchant or is he really a pirate?

Lane's disobedience sets off a string of events that will forever change the course of her life.

This book was action packed and fast paced from the start. I loved the descriptions of sea life and the goings-on of being on a ship. My problem however is with the main character. She is not believable in the slightest and just not likeable.

Mini Review: This was a fantastic YA pirate adventure book with plenty of twists and turns, that I really enjoyed reading! I'm hoping there's going to be another book! Overall, I would definitely recommend it!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I enjoyed this book but did not love it nearly as much as the authors other series. It took me until about half way through the story to get fully pulled in. Once I was pulled in it was such a good and fast epic story and adventure that I wanted to know how it would end. I also have mixed emotions about the ending, while it was satisfying it also let me wanting something else as well.

Tides of Mutiny is a standalone YA fantasy novel which will immerse readers with the wordbuilding and likable characters. From the beautiful cover to the blurb, readers receive the sense of adventure and excitement Rebecca Rode has created every step of the way.

The plot driven story is told from the perspective of Lane, who goes by her “male” name to disguise herself as a sailor and it gets right to it from the first chapter. Readers get the sense of Lane’s world, where females are not allowed to be sailors, because of a once female sailor shifted the past for female sailors like Lane herself. Yet that has not stopped our main character from dressing as a boy and sailing with her father, who appears to be a captain of his own ship!

With this insight, readers know the sea life is in Lane’s blood. She will stop at nothing to make sure it happens. Yet when Lane is introduced to Aden, who figures out her identity, she must consider what’s more important as their relationship grows: his agenda or her future.

All in one novel, Rode has created a world where people are mistreated, and there are injustices and hierarchies to question. The worldbuilding is not complex to overwhelm a reader looking for leisure time, rather enough to wrap one’s head around. The writing itself is at a pace of enjoyment where readers will fly through the book in no time.

Lane becomes a favourable character from the get-go. She is determined in getting what she wants and strives for equality that has been stripped from female sailors. She showed her braveness through her bearing of two axes, but also how she was not afraid to speak up for her loved ones. The connection she has established amongst the crew, even though most of them do not know her secret, is assuring—but a reminder of how they might react if they knew she was a female.

Aden, on the other hand, was not as spectacular as Lane. There are many fantasy characters to compare him to base on personality, expectations, appearances, looks, etc. Readers might feel nothing toward Aden as the attention had been more on Lane, but he was a dedicated sidekick and smart observer.

This review remains spoiler-free, but it’s worth noting the worldbuilding and how it is constructed around Captain Garrow. Since readers see the story from Lane’s perspective, her father has a lot of influence on her. It was fascinating to spot the moments of doubt fall upon Lane whenever she learnt of a ‘tale’ or ‘rumour’ of her beloved father.

Personally, the ending felt open-ended for possibilities which could probably leave space open for a sequel or companion novel. The entire resolution was not a drag, but rather entertaining to see whether Lane and Aden see it to the end! A highly recommended book for anyone searching for something to escape into!