THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING! Bad-ass pirate and her incredible crew that had the sort of chemistry that comes along very seldom in a book - chef's freaking kiss. The adventure and the magic and the lore was also just amazing. cannot recommend this book enough

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My friend recently told me that someone else described this to her as "the perfect pirate fantasy novel." And it truly is. I loved absolutely everything about this book. Amina al-Sirafi is an incredibly relatable protagonist, especially as I enter my 30s. She's a retired pirate and smuggler--a profession that ran in her family--who's forced (err, enticed) into reassembling her old crew and going in search of a kidnapped child, a foreign sorcerer warlord, a powerful artifact, a large monetary reward, and protection for herself and her daughter. Throughout the book Amina struggles with dueling desires--on the one hand, her quiet, safe and settled life with her family, and on the other, adventures and exploration at sea. This is ideal for her estranged husband, who happens to be a demon that feeds on ambition. Amina's relationship with him brings a lot of the comic relief to this book, as do her crewmates, who are all epically loveable characters. I cannot wait for the next installments of this series!

A rollicking pirate adventure with zippy, fun writing and a new perspective on the genre. Amina is a heroine I can't wait to see again!

Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.

I was really excited for this upcoming novel, after starting the City of Brass trilogy that Chakraborty had previously written. The beginning did put me off, with the info dumping and hardly any action. After that, each chapter teetered on captivating my interest to plateauing out. Along with the fact it turned out to be a heist journey, which blanched my interest. I enjoyed everything else including the characters.

Rating: Loved It, 4.5 stars



The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi was one of my most highly anticipated releases of 2023, and it did not disappoint! This book follows a retired pirate/smuggler, Amina al-Sirafi as she is pulled back into her old life by the family members of one of her former crew members. She is promised riches beyond her wildest dreams in exchange for bringing back this woman's granddaughter who has been kidnapped by a foreign captain; however, it soon becomes obvious that there are many more dangers than Amina anticipated, and she has found herself deep in the middle of an incredibly dangerous and magical situation.

I think that my absolute favorite part about this book was Amina and her crew. Amina is an incredibly smart, witty, and sarcastic character, which is one of my favorite combinations to follow. I especially love that she is middle-aged, with all the complaints that go along with that, as well as a mother who is trying to balance doing what she loves while being with and providing for the daughter that she loves. Definitely not a character that we see often in adult, epic fantasy, but definitely one that I'd like to see more.

"I wanted to have adventures, to be a hero, to have my tales told in courtyards and street fairs, where perhaps kids who'd gorwn up like me, with more imagination than means, might be inspired to dream. Where women who were told there was only one sort of respectful life for them could listen to the tales of another who'd broken away--and thrived when she'd done so."

Amina's character and her narrative snark is part of what made this whole journey worth it in my opinion. The story is set up as a scribe taking down, exactly what Amina shares about her adventures, in her own words. So we have what is quickly becoming one of my favorite setups where someone is telling their story, but we get some of their narration, looking back on the situation as an older and wiser human.

"I crawled onto the beach to find the rest of my crew. Literally none of them had fled into the cave as I had commanded. Terrible pirates, they were. No sense of self-preservation."

While Amina is the star of this book, she is not the only character to shine. I loved the side characters we get in her crew. All their interactions really come together to make it feel like they really have known each other and travelled together for ages. I appreciate the sense of found family, and even came to really love the villain of the crew.

This is very reminiscent of Daevabad where it feels like historical fiction in our own world, with some liberal elements of magic and the supernatural woven in. Chakraborty has a fantastic way of doing this, and it all feels like a very rich reading experience. I also appreciate the slight nod she gave to Daevabad about 3/4 of the way through. It made me so happy!

I think that my only real complaint was the pacing in the first half of this book. I understand why it was slower to start as we started off, but I just felt like the pacing was rather uneven. It took me about a month to read the first 30%. Then once I got into the groove of things, I finished it in a few days. I think that part of that was that I was feeling like everything was really dark and heavy for Amina for a while. While it didn't necessarily let up for her, I feel like there was enough comic relief and magical happenings that happened later in the book that it felt less oppressive and more like a fun-time.

Overall, this was a really great time. It is exactly what I was hoping for in a high-seas adventure tale, and I am so excited to see where we go in what was set up for future books. I am curious and hopeful that this will end up being longer than a trilogy, possibly a quartet or quintet, but time will tell. I will certainly be joining Amina for her future adventures, and this has cemented Shannon Chakraborty as one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for an advance copy of The Adventures of Aminal al-Sirafi in exchange for an honest review.

This is an ADVENTURE of a book, and at every turn of a page there is action and a demand for attention! The reader becomes enthralled in the adventures of Amina, and her sea pirate’s heart.

I LOVED how the author made our leading lady older, and not only older, but someone with a child. As someone in my thirties with a child of my own, it was easy to identify with Amina on so many levels. This is something that is very rare in ANY book that I have ever read in my life.

THE CHARACTER BUILDING IS AMAZING. I grew to care for each character that is mentioned in the book, and a yearning to learn and know more about each one of the people in Amina’s life.

The only thing I wished it had more of was romance. In saying that, I also appreciate that it focused on Amina not needing a partner, and being able to go on adventures on her own. I appreciate that completely. Yet, my romance loving self definitely wished for it at times!

The author has a way with words and weaving tales that will grip your heart and your mind for the entirety of the book. Not only that, but I will be thinking of Amina Al Safari for years to come. As she has a permanent home in my bookish heart.

Also, there is a precious cat on the ship. Need I say more?

I received this book as an e-arc from Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I was hooked the second I learned this book was about an older woman getting sucked back into life as a pirate, and fortunately, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi did not disappoint. It's an energetic swashbuckling journey and Amina is a hero I'd happy follow across the seas. She's not the fighter she once was and has a weak knee, but she still is the first to barrel into the action. She's wry and debaucherous, and Chakraborty does a great job exploring the friction between Amina's desire for a quiet, safe life with her daughter and the knowledge that she never feels more alive than when she's at sea. The world and magic in it aren't nearly as detailed as in The Daevabad Trilogy but Chakraborty's prose and the fast-moving action still make The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi a great read.

Pirates and Bad Ass Female Main characters? Is asking for more even something you should consider?

Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

The demon bang, was not something I was necessarily expecting, but Sexually free, and doing her own thing pirate lady fighting the big bad man worked for me. I am hit and miss with Heist books but this one was a 9/10 for me

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is an action-packed pirate fantasy with an endearing cast of unlikely characters. Shannon Chakraborty's writing is strong and engaging as she weaves fantasy and history together to create a rich and unique world. I was immediately intrigued by the unique narrative style of this story. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is written as if it is a story that is being told to the reader. This unique style leads to some incredible foreshadowing and hilarious asides.

The characters are easily my favorite part of this book. Amina al-Sirafi is a badass pirate mom who is fed up with all of the magical bullshit in her world. Having left her pirate life behind she is both terrified and thrilled when she is roped into "one last adventure." I adore every single member of her crew. Though this is the first time we have met these characters, you can feel the history and connections that bond them together. Their banter was both heartwarming and hilarious. My favorite character was, to no one's surprise, the beautifully useless himbo chaos demon Rashk.

This first installment delivers a complete and fulfilling story while also setting up the plot perfectly for future books in the series. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is easily the best book that I have read this year.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi was one of those books where my enjoyment and my appreciation of the quality of the book diverged. I could tell that this was a thoroughly researched historical fantasy, and the writing was lovely and descriptive. But I just couldn't ever get into the story. I found myself reading not to find out what would happen but so I could be done with it and move on.

The blend of myth and history is definitely the strongest element of the book. The world of the medieval Middle East is vibrant and lifelike, and the magical elements fit in seamlessly. The setting made an excellent backdrop for the story, and the characters felt like a natural extension of that world as well. They were all bold and fascinating, each with their own distinct wants, needs, and quirks.

Because the book was so well done, I'm a little sad I couldn't get into the story more. It may have been the pacing - it takes quite a while for things to really get going - or just that I read this book at the wrong time. Regardless, I was ultimately a little bit bored and reading the almost-500 pages felt like a bit of a chore.

I know plenty of others have been engaged by the story, and so if historical fantasy is your thing, I would definitely give this one a shot. It just didn't entirely land for me, and so I don't see myself going back for the eventual sequels.

3.5/5

Wow. Another stunning masterpiece from Shannon Chakraborty. She has such a way of weaving fantastical stories that suck you in from the beginning pages and transport you to wonderful worlds and immersive stories.

I absolutely adored the characters, plot, and premise. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi is a fantastic start to a new series, I can't wait to read the remaining books.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S A Chakraborty is exactly what I want from a fantasy novel. Amina al-Sirafi is retired from piracy. She lives at home with her family and daughter. However, when the mother of one of her previous shipmates makes her an offer she can't refuse, she sets out for one last adventure. Amina is forced to take a trip through her past friends and enemies to recover the young woman who has been taken.
This book has it all. I loved the adventure, the magical elements, and the beautiful relationships between all of the characters. I can't wait for the continuation of the series.

A rollicking adventure through the Indian Ocean, Chakraborty has done it again! With an exquisite attention to historical detail, readers will be transported into a world where pirates meet demons, battle ancient sea monsters, and learn how to age not so gracefully out of retirement

I was immediately pulled into The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi with the prologue. I had serious case of déjà vu with how Moby Dick was introduced by Ishmael, its narrator. Then began the epic tale of badass pirate lady of legend in her own words. Gosh, everything that filled my imagination as a child is in this tale. Grand sea adventures, pirates, magic, ships, swords, cats, gods. A story of motherhood, and trying to make a life, a safe one, for your child. I’ve read a lot of pirate stories in my day, but there is just something so open and fun about this one. Sure, there is a lot going on and quests to complete – but Amina’s voice keeps you absolutely entranced with the story. I don’t particularly care much for first person, only because it takes a master to do it just right, and SAC took this to another level. There hasn’t been a protagonist such as Amina, but I am here for it and her.

I can’t wait to read more.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi was absolutely fantastic! I loved every single thing about this book and immensely enjoyed reading it. Chakraborty does an amazing job of bringing all her characters to life and making you feel very strongly about them. I cannot express how much I loved them all. I hope to reading more about al-Sirafi and her adventures.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was an incredibly exciting and action filled book. I haven't been reading as much this year so I rushed to finish this before the archive date. As a result, there are still some parts of the book I have to come back to in order to call it fully finished. However, I did overall really enjoy this! I think if I'd read it at a more reasonable pace I probably would have enjoyed it slightly more but overall I really enjoyed the characters, the storyline, and the potential for more stories in this world. I also really loved the minor plot twist at the very end I found that to be really fun :)
I was personally not expecting anywhere near the amount of fantasy that ended up being in this book as I originally thought it was mostly just a pirate book, but I wasn't mad about discovering that just not what I originally expected.
Overall would definitely recommend! 4.5 stars

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi is unlike any pirate story I’ve read, and I think that’s largely due to the amazing voice that Chakraborty gives her characters. Amina’s position as a mother who still seeks adventures is a voice I haven’t read before but one I found so compelling. Combining that with found family, lots of adventure, lgbtq+ rep, and a very interesting and magical story. I can’t wait to read more in this series and will absolutely be recommending.

A big thanks to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before the release date and for free in exchange for an honest review. This review is generally spoiler free.

I will start this off by saying that I wasn't the biggest fan of the Daevabad Trilogy. I felt that I wasn't quite the target audience as it landed more in the YA category for me. But this book lands right in my wheelhouse. This adult adventure fantasy with nautical themes centers primarily on the characters. And I love diverse characters with depth.

Things to love about this story... Characters, as I previously mentioned. They are unique and varied as much as they are memorable. There is a decent amount of comic relief which was nice to have along the way. The story itself is easily followed despite having plenty of twists, turns, and surprises along the way. I found myself wanting to keep going to see what new events would befall the crew. This book was a great read, as if you mixed Pirates of the Caribbean with Arabian Nights... and a little bit of Kings of the Wyld.

Things that may hit or miss... The story is presented as if told first hand by Amina al-Sirafi and written word-for-word by a scribe named Jamal. This can be a little jarring at times, but the author uses it often to foreshadow events to come. The book does talk about various degrees of sexual based abuse and/or violence. Nothing described on page, but there are mentions of events, and the threat of it is present at times.

Overall, I was a little hesitant about this book after Daevabad was a miss, but this book exceeded my expectations. I am looking forward to more of Amina!

The Adventures of a Amin al Sirafi will take readers on a journey that involves uncovering one mystery after another. This book manages to find the often tricky balance between solid character development and a well paced plot. With her colorful personality, at times pious and other irreverent, Amina completely won me over as a protagonist. Her words often get Amina into tight spots, but are just as lightly to be her weapons as she fights her way out of them.

While I loved Amina as a protagonist, I also felt that I got to know her crew almost as well and, if the story were to continue, I look forward to seeing more of their adventures.

Another aspect of the story that I appreciated was the fact that most of the characters were older, which meant they would tackle a host of problems that the typically youthful fantasy protagonists do not such as being an aging warrior, a mother or having to juggle family obligations with a desire for adventure.

One important thing to keep in mind when picking up this book is that it is pretty light on fantasy and the magic system is not fully developed. I personally did not find that it took anything away from the story though.

Fans of found family, pirates, adventure, LGBTQ+ rep and Shannon Chakraborty’s previous books should’ve consider picking this one up.