Not very exciting and is very predictable. Did not connected emotionally with the characters and felt like it was trying to be Pirates of the Caribbean.

I first want to say this review isn’t based off the author’s viewpoints (I tried to do a search and couldn’t find exactly what they were anyway). With that being said, sadly this was a DNF for me. I just couldn’t get into this one and I usually like pirate books. Maybe I’m out growing YA? I’m not sure. To me it felt like the writing was kind of choppy and I wasn’t a big fan of the dialogue. It was very slow going and I just couldn’t push myself through this one. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

I was browsing NetGalley when I found that this book had been made available for a limited time, so I grabbed it. I am so glad I did. This book was amazing! I wasn't sure what to expect as I hadn't read much about it before reading it, but I devoured it. It was very propulsive and had a great beginning. There was so much adventure and swashbuckling! I felt as though I was on the ride Pirates of the Caribbean but with a better plotline. The characters are also so well written and easily loveable. I loved Ximena and her tenacity to follow her dreams and what she believes in. I do wonder if some of her fault other readers would find annoying, but to me I appreciated her growth as a character.
One of two notes notes I would let readers know is that there is a lot of Spanish in this book. I thought it was great since it added to the authenticity, but I definitely had to use my translator a few times.
Note number two is that this was very mild on the romance scale. It was a slow burn, glacial even and there were no spicy scenes. I appreciated it because of how the story unfolded.
All in all, this was a great read. I plan on buying a paper copy when it comes out and highly anticipate the sequel.

This is your next pirate book obsession. This story had me hooked from the very early pages. I like how we got a very different perspective in this book coming from the Pirate hunters instead of the pirates. And the slow slow burn I feel will be well worth it in the next book! I think this is hands down one of my favorite reads of the year!! Do yourself a favor and order this one now. It has all the piratey goodness we love but with some much more bang.

Dark academia at a pirate academy? Sign me up.

Ximena is out to restore her family’s honor through the academy, hunting pirates and top marks with equal zeal. Similarly, I tore through this book excitedly and finished it in just a few days. A nearly perfect YA pirate story, I found myself shocked and confused by twists in the plot (below), but found myself cheering on the main character the entire way.

This is the first in a duology, and I’m so excited to read the next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books/ Quill Tree Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After doing some research and readers bringing things to my attention I've done my due diligence and I can no longer support this book and author's debut.

I am a sucker for YA pirate stories ever since Daughter of the Pirate King and as soon as I saw this debut was coming out next year, I knew I had to pick it up. I was so excited to read it early!

This book follows Ximena, the daughter of pirates, who is trying to get past the scandal and stigma of having pirates for parents by becoming a legendary pirate hunter.

I really enjoyed Ximena as a character. She has a lot stacked against her with her past and really is not treated well by those around her. Still, she doesn’t wallow or feel sorry for herself. She just does what needs to be done without complaint. I couldn’t help but feel for her and root for her.

The story had a lot of twists and turns and I basically flew through it. The book also had an easy writing style which I appreciated. I also liked the Spanish phrases throughout which enabled me to practice my Spanish and that is something I’m always excited to come across in the books I read. (I know that’s a minor thing but I wanted to mention it.)

As far as the romance goes, it wasn’t my favorite, but I did enjoy their banter together. He was an interesting character and I liked getting to know and understand him.

I will say that I suspected the plot twist, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. I liked seeing it come together.

It ended on a very interesting note and I will definitely be picking up the sequel as this is the first book in a duology. Overall I was very impressed with this debut. I really enjoyed this one.

This was such a great romantic fantasy element, it had that pirate feel that I wanted and enjoyed the overall story going on. I was hooked with this world and how the characters worked with the plot of the novel. Cassandra James has a strong writing style and had that element that I wanted to read more in this series and from Cassandra James. It was a great start to this world and does everything that I was looking for in a opening chapter of this.

Disappointing that a pirate book wasn't great. Weak plot, weak characters, just overall disappointing.

I will not be promoting this book on any platform in the foreseeable due to the recent revelations of the author's political views.

I was super excited for this book, but street there authors very public views online, I can’t support this book.

First, I'd like to send a thanks to the author, Cassandra James, the publisher, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Capitana. I will share my review to Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble as well. This pirate fantasy aimed at ages 14-18 stars a main character named Ximena Reale, the 17-year-old daughter of pirate legends who were executed and left a storied legacy behind. She attends La Academia to join the Cazadores, a group of swashbucklers who hunt down pirates for the Luzan Empire.

When the legendary pirate Gasparilla returns to kidnap the Queen, Ximena and her competition, Dante de Leon, head out on an adventure to return the queen to her throne and win a magic cloak. Ximena's legacy follows her, and she soon learns that there's a lot she doesn't know about pirates and the Cazadores. She's only heard one side of the story, and that side has been the side of empire. Her friend Pia the archivist is very cute and sweet, and I always love a loveable best friend side character. I found the pacing and plot had some moments of drift and I found myself drifting as well, but I very much appreciate the author's dedication to the research and accuracy of the vocabulary and events within. There's a lot of Spanish vocab which makes it feel more realistic. This one is slower in the romance, and I suspect it will take off more in the second installment. I would recommend for anyone who enjoys a strong female heroine and clever, handsome MMC and a YA story with a little magic and mystery.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!

𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢 is an enthralling, fast-paced YA fantasy with a strong female heroine, intriguing male rival, and intelligent archivist friend! I was hooked from the first line, and while I had an idea where the story was going the entire time, I still enjoyed the ride. I'm already anxiously waiting for the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Quill Tree Books, and HarperCollins Children's Books for this advanced copy. You can pick up Capitana on February 4, 2025.

While a YA pirate fantasy sounds up my alley, unfortunately, I will not be reading this book due to the political views this author has displayed publicly online. I wish I had known about this behavior before downloading the book, but for now, I think it's best if I DNF and move on to other ARCs.

The author is Zionist, a Trump supporter and against abortion, and being that set against basic human rights for so many people is unacceptable.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. But all thoughts are my own. Capitana had a good strong main lead, interesting characters and a fun and exciting plot. The only place it fell flat was in the romance. I didn't feel any chemistry between the characters and while I appreciate a slow burn it didn't really feel like there was any real reason for the characters to like each other. There was also some plot holes that didn't really make a lot of sense to me especially a major one toward the end. I appreciated that there was no swearing or sex but there is violence including mentioning of hanging, necks breaking and being run through and shot. Although it ends with a bit of a cliff hanger I still feel like it has enough of a conclusion that I don't feel desperate for the sequel (although some people might feel differently) I still think I will read the second book when it comes out as long as it doesn't throw in any plot points that I'm not a fan of.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Capitana is a riveting, adventurous YA pirate fantasy with a propulsive plot and captivating characters that hooked me from the first page.

This was such a fun read. I loved the characters, especially Ximena and Dante. The tension and chemistry between them was *chef’s kiss, and I really enjoyed Ximena’s personality. The pacing was great, and the settings, world-building, and action were well-written. The writing was lovely, and I am so excited to see what’s in store in the sequel!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ARC!

A very interesting work that started off with a bang and a very badass protagonist, just what i like in a romantasy! the vibes were immaculate and the discussion of the nature of justice that was talked about throughout was very interestingly done. I loved our main protagonist set, and the mention of a whole bunch of historical figures somewhat distorted to fit into this world was really cool! tysm for the arc. 4.5 stars.

Swashbuckling fun!

Ximena Reale is the star student of La Academia, the elite school in which top students train to become cazadores, Pirate Hunters. There’s just one problem. Ximena’s parents were famous cazadores who turned pirates and betrayed the empire. As she struggles with escaping the shame of her parents executions and her notorious rivalry with the son of the High Minister Dante, Ximena discovers that the pirates have banded together under the possibly reincarnated Gasparilla, scourge of the Empire and perhaps the most famous pirate who ever lived. If she can survive necromancers, sea serpents, an army of pirates who want her dead, a magical hurricane, and being stuck on a ship with Dante, to capture Gasparilla she can prove her loyalty to the Empire and earn herself the Cazadora status she has always dreamed of!


Ximena is such a relatable character: the undersog with something to prove, especially when the odds are all stacked against her. Brave, intelligent, and unfailingly loyal to the law, she is perhaps the model student at La Academia. Except she has no friends, her sister is failing out of the school, and her rival has everything handed to him on a golden platter, despite not having to work for it.

The adventure starts off fast and the momentum never slows down. As soon as Ximena and Pia doscover a pattern among the pirate attacks it kicks off ala Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and keeps on rolling through one life-threatening scenario after another. Some of the challenges were things I never would’ve expected either, but lent a sense of fun and mystery to the adventure.

I wanted a bit more romance, even though it was meant to be a sub-plot. It was a little one sided. Dante definitely had been crushing a long, long time but sadly for him Ximena is oblivious to his pig-tail pulling for a good 80% of the book. I am guessing the romance will have a bigger part in book two (after that ended there will be a sequel for sure!).

I guessed the twist on Gasparilla’s identity pretty early on, although it would’ve been another cool magical element if Gasparilla had been a reincarnated pirate or even a reanimated corpse (too much like POTC maybe for copyright infringement?). Either way it was good to see Ximena open her eyes and become the person everyone always saw the potential for. I am excited to see more of her character growth in the sequel.

Overall a fast-paced and fun adventure with just the right amount of danger, pirates, friendship, and mystery to keep you enthralled throughout the journey!

Thank you Cassandra and NetGalley for this arc! This was a really fun read. Ximena is one of the most stubborn characters I’ve ever read about and I enjoyed getting to know her. At times I did want to shake her and yell at her to not just blindly follow the rules, but I loved watching her grow and finding out that rules aren’t everything. The smidgen of romance was really good and I can’t wait to see where it goes in the second book. Pia was so fun I love her and I just want her to be safe and happy forever and ever. She is such kind character and her friendship with Xiemena is so sweet. The scenery was really cool too I felt like I was there watching everything happen. I had a great time reading this and you should definitely pick it up!