What a fun book! I read My Lady Jane relatively recently and, while I enjoyed it, it didn't inspire me to immediately pick up the rest of the series (or the spin-off series). This one did. I laughed a LOT while reading this, and while the writing style felt pretty juvenile given the ages of the characters, I actually kind of liked that. I think it made the book better and kept things very lighthearted. This book is chock-full of comedy references (I caught many to The Princess Bride, and at least one to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure), which, as a millennial reader, I loved. I'm not sure how many teenagers would get all the references, but I certainly enjoyed them. I also loved the inclusion of Anne Bonny. She's been a character I've been interested I for a couple of years now, and while this book's portrayal of her is obviously not historically accurate, it was still so much fun to see her causing mayhem and chaos. The mermaid aspect took me a little longer to get into, but I think the authors pulled that together with the rest of the story quite well. My only complaint is, as is often the case with historical fiction, the modern feminist attitudes held by most of the characters, long before most of modern feminism had even been thought of. I get that the book was lighthearted and not taking itself seriously at all, which is why it bothered me much less in this book than usual, but I don't think this will ever stop being a pet peeve of mine. All in all, this was a really fun and funny YA alternate history/fantasy novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you like absurdist comedy, like Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy or The Princess Bride, I think you'll love this.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperTeen for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid with some pop culture references throughout (think of "famous" captains, the Titanic movie, and Disney). This was the first book from this series that I've read, and I really like the author's writing style (addressing the reader, the pop culture references).

Instead of marrying the handsome shipwrecked man, the little mermaid becomes a pirate in a time when women pirates aren't welcome. Mary discovers what she truly wants from life.

"Perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, New York Times bestselling authors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows are back with a fantastical, romantical, and piratical historical fantasy remix that marries the story of The Little Mermaid with the life and times of infamous lady pirate Mary Read.

Don't call this mermaid "little" - call her "captain," unless you want to walk the plank.

Mary is in love with the so-called prince of Charles Town, except he doesn't love her back. Which is inconvenient. Since she's a mermaid, being brokenhearted means she'll - poof! - turn into sea-foam.

But instead, Mary finds herself pulled out of the sea and up onto a pirate ship. To survive, she joins them. But Mary isn't willing to just sing the yo-ho-hos. She wants the pirate life, all of it, and she's ready to make a splash...by becoming captain. But when Blackbeard dies suddenly, Mary has a chance to become so much more: Pirate King...or Queen. She won't let anyone stop her - not Blackbeard's cute son, not her best friend from back under the sea who's having a bit too much fun with his new legs, and certainly not everyone who says she can't be a pirate just because she's a girl.

She may not be the best man for the job, but she'll definitely prove that she's worth her salt."

If you watched and fell in love with My Lady Jane and are desperately awaiting a season two pickup, good news, the authors who wrote that book have written tons of others, including this new one!

Pirates. Mermaids and Bad-woman, what more could you ask for!? A crossover. The title. The end.

There is so much to talk about. I absolutely adore the Lady Janies and Mary series. They take sad tales and make them better. These books are categorized as historical fiction, but they want you to look into the real facts and events they are talking about. Everything about this book works out in its favor. If you know these ladies, tune in, because there are better tides ahead.

Do yourself a favor and read the whole series, but especially this book, because it was amazing.

Thank you for Netgalley and HarperTeen for this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the twisted and rewritten history of Mary Read (If you've never heard of her, highly recommend looking her up. There's not a lot of information about her because she was a woman in a man's world, but what there is is absolutely fascinating) so of course it has pirates but also some mermaids. So weird and wonderful.

I have not read any of the other Mary books but I have read all of the Jane books and they were always so fun with corky supernatural twists on history and this is definitely no exception. It follows that same pattern.

If you're looking for a fast-paced fun read to kick back and read by the pool or the beach, then I would definitely recommend picking this book up. From the second you pick this book up you are in for a journey and a delight.

This had potential but fell pretty flat for me. It seemed to drag on and on and nothing was really happening. I love the wit and charm that the authors bring to these books but it didn't help me get through this one. I ended up giving up around 50% done.

Everything about this works, but is not a terrific jumping off point for the uninitiated. If you are looking for a little mermaid retelling and are unfamiliar with these authors: This is not the book you are looking for. If you know these ladies already: Tune in, good times ahead.

This novel, a collaborative effort by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, is a fantastical remix of The Little Mermaid and the life of Mary Read. Is it historically accurate? Hardly. Is it romantically believable? Maybe. Is it a rip-roaring, laugh-out-loud romp? Absolutely.

Cue the yo-ho-hos and a life of high-seas hijinks.

When Blackbeard bites the dust, Mary sees her chance to enter the Pirate King contest and seize the pirate throne. Her competition? Captains Obvious, Crunch, Morgan, Penzance, Ahab, and Vane (real). She sets sail with a motley crew that includes Blackbeard’s annoyingly cute son and her overly enthusiastic mermaid-turned-human bestie, to find Blackbeard’s treasure.

What ensues is a whirlwind of swashbuckling shenanigans, perilous pirate politics, and enough gender-role defying to make you want to throw your corset overboard. The authors excel at blending whimsical fantasy with historical flair. Mary herself is a standout—fierce, clever, and unyieldingly ambitious. Mary’s tenacity is infectious, and her refusal to be anything less than captain material is both inspiring and downright hilarious. She navigates the treacherous waters of pirate politics and the perils of the high seas with equal parts daring and charm. Her interactions with Blackbeard’s son and her sea-creature best friend add layers of intrigue and fun, making the story both heartwarming and entertaining.

This book is a fantastically fun read that delivers on its promise of adventure, romance, and pirate mischief. The authors—Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows—deliver a swashbuckling adventure that’s as much about finding oneself as it is about finding treasure. The novel's humor is sharp, the dialogue witty, and the characters richly drawn. If you’re a fan of historical fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, then this book is your treasure chest of delight.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen for this review copy!

The latest in the series by this author trio does not disappoint.

My favorite thing in these books is always the humor, they never fail to make me laugh out loud. The sea setting was lovely. The swashbuckling immense.

A good series closer, though I hope they keep adding more books!

This book was a fun, nostalgic kind of YA fantasy/historical adventure. This is the third book I’ve read in the Lady Janie’s series and maybe my new favorite. As always, the narrative voice is so strong - it is quippy and witty, which really keeps the story engrossing and fun. This book was full of adventure and reimagined history told in a way that was genuinely funny and fast-paced.

I loved the banter between the main characters. The narrator when they interject in the most surprising places. The "in-jokes" or rather, the IYKYK moments. I loved seeing Mary's growth from start to end, and Tony's steadfastness. The story was a little drab in the beginning, but Mary quickly made up for that. Overall an incredibly pleasing read and unputdownable.

This is my first time reading a book by the Lady Janies authors, but their books have been on my "to read" list. I was excited to finally experience one, and I was impressed from the start! I love the humor, combined with history, combined with fantasy and fairy tales. Following the character Mary through her initial heartbreak and rebirth as a pirate fighting for Pirate King status was a wonderful story that hooked me. There were so many humorous "zingers" throughout this novel that kept me coming back for more. I really enjoyed it.

I loved all the previous books in the Jane and Mary series, and My Salty Mary is no exception.

The description for this book--The Little Mermaid meets Pirates of the Caribbean--is spot-on, and it's an amazing mash-up. Hand, Ashton, and Meadows continue to pull bits of inspiration from a variety of sources to tell a funny, adventurous, and sweet story about Mary Read, former mermaid princess and current pirate. Faced with the challenge to become the next Pirate King (err, Queen) or be forced to return to her underwater home, Mary leans on her friends and her own smarts and courage to hunt down Blackbeard's treasure. The multiple POVs do a great job of giving depth to the characters, and Mary, Jack, and Tobias are all fun characters who bring their own strengths to a swashbuckling adventure.

Full of the trademark humor, strong female characters, and laugh-out-loud references (I caught The Princess Bride and National Treasure among others), My Salty Mary is a strong addition to this fun series of retellings.

They are back at it and as good as ever! The quick wit and just so close to being dad jokes but they're too aware of pop culture keeps bringing me back and it does not disappoint. I will never get over how absurd these stories are, but how fun and enjoyable they are because of it. I laughed out loud so much. I'm thankful for the Janes and the Marys of history and what continues to happen in these books.

My Salty Mary is a quintessential, irreverent Hand, Ashton, Meadows rewrite of history. This addition to their Mary series departs from others a bit in the addition of the fairy tale slant. The combination of Mary Read with the Little Mermaid is the pirate tale I didn't know I needed! As always, the writing twists history and makes it more. More entertaining, more laugh-inducing, more engaging, and more of just about anything you can think of!

MY SALTY MARY (PUB Aug 19, 2024) is the latest installment in the brilliant revisionist history collection by authors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows I should be clear up front – even though this is part of a series, you can read any of these books without having read the others. In previous books we’ve seen history rewritten for British Queens, Gunslingers, and Jayne Eyre. The authors started with the Janes… My Lady Jane, Plain Jane, Calamity Jane, then moved into the Marys.. My Contrary Mary, Imaginary Mary, and now.. My Salty Mary. All of these books are hilarious and offer laugh– or groan– out loud moments. My Salty Mary is a new take on The Little Mermaid. A better version, if you believe the authors, this one with Pirates, and treasure. The Mary of the title is based on Mary Read, one of the famous pirates you’ve maybe never heard of because she didn’t have a great pirate name like Blackbeard. And for this book, at least – the pirate Mary Read is also a little mermaid. Maybe I said that wrong. She is, in fact, THE little mermaid. Who traded her tail fin for legs to marry her true love – but true to the Hans Christian Anderson story, her true love marries someone else – leaving Mary to do something else with her life, namely, become a pirate, and team up with Blackbeard’s son in search of treasure. These books are ridiculous in all the best ways, a bit like leaning into dad jokes written by suburban moms who are creatively rewriting the non-Disney versions of classic stories. They even manage a few Taylor Swift jokes among all the others. I’ve purchased a stack of books from this series for my library, and after reading My Salty Mary, will definitely add this fun title to the stacks.

Another great entry in this series, My Salty Mary takes readers to the age of piracy and throws some mermaids into the mix. Mary Read, main character, is also basically the little mermaid, she gained legs to chase a prince, was rejected, and should have dissolved into sea foam due to a broken heart. Instead she finds a new love, pirating. Joined by a colorful cast of characters, Mary leads a crew in a contest to see who will be the next pirate king (or queen). The narration is great as always, with the narrators providing a delightful amount of humor and historical tidbits that make for a lighthearted book that's fun to read. While this was not my favorite of the Mary and Jane books, it still holds the same charm and fun as the rest of the series.

This was a fun mashup of The Little Mermaid and famous historical pirates like Mary Read, Anne Bonny, Calico Jack, and Blackbeard. If you have enjoyed the other Jane and Mary books by these authors, you are sure to delight in this one as well. The mix of loosely based historical figures plus well known stories plus modern cultural references is just fun to read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! I absolutely enjoyed the latest adventure from the Lady Janies! This book follows Mary Read (yes, that Mary Read- the historical female pirate), but in this world, she's also the Little Mermaid (yes, that little mermaid). After her heart is broken by the human man she traded her mermaid life before, Mary joins the crew of a pirate ship, but has to disguise herself as a man, as female pirates aren't allowed. On this ship, she becomes best friends with Tobias Teach, the son of Edward Teach (Blackbeard).

After Blackbeard's untimely death, Mary enters a contest to crown the new pirate King. However, someone has found out her secret and you know that her former mer-life is going to come back to mess with her.

This was a really fun adventure! I love the sense of humor that the Lady Janies bring to their books. There were multiple laugh-out-loud moments for me and I will try to patiently wait until I can buy a physical copy of this book to share with my students.

I love the Lady Janies and the Mary series. They take a sad tale and make it better.
I know that these books are historical fantasy, but they also make me go look up all the real deets, so I end up learning real history too.

My Salty Mary has pirates, mermaids, and bad*ss women- who wouldn't want to read it?
This story is fun and fast paced and definitely satisfying!
Highly recommend. It'll be a great book to read by the pool this summer.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for an early copy for review