Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read and review Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller! The princess is on a mission to rob the pirate ship, Night Farer. Princess Alosa has been sent by her father, the Pirate King, to steal a piece of the map that shows the way to the Isla de Canta., the island where sirens have placed their treasures throughout history. Alosa proves herself to be a very deceptive spy and a skilled fighter who can take care of herself. Riden, the brother of the Night Farer captain, knows Alosa is hiding secrets and wants to know what they are. Riden also seems to be more observant than anyone else she has ever met and Alosa isn't sure how he can sense and see the changes in her as she uses her powers. Alosa is tough, has a clever intelligence and wit and I enjoyed her sarcastic comments throughout the story. Her focus and confidence help her through many tough struggles. Alosa's secrets are revealed while her father's story is told also. The story will continue in the sequel, Daughter of the Siren Queen, scheduled for release February 2018. 5 stars for an entertaining adventure fantasy!

I adored this book. First, who doesn't want to be a pirate. I mean come on. Its swashbuckling plot and wonderful characters make this a must read!! Don't skip this one!

I can't wait for the sequel. Filled with adventure and strong characters this is a great read for young girls or those interested in pirates. Great addition to any J or YA collection.

Being the Daughter of the Pirate King has it perks, but it also has its downsides. A 17-year-old pirate captain of an almost all female crew, Alosa is tough, clever, and resourceful. Her father, the Pirate King is in possession of 1/3 of a treasure mapand his rival, Captain Draxen is rumored to be in possession of another third. Sent undercover by her father to purposely get captured by a rival pirate crew, Alosa’s mission is to retrieve the third and to find the legendary treasure. In order to find the map, she’ll have to outwit and out-trick the captain and his brother, Riden. Handsome and attractive, Riden, however, may be a bigger obstacle than Alosa expected. Can she retrieve the map and complete her mission?

Full of interesting twists and turns, the plot is engaging and full of fantastical detail. The characters are unique and work well with the story. Together, the plot and characters draw the reader into Alosa’s world hook, line, and sinker. Fans of pirates, adventure, and treasure hunts with a little bit of romance will enjoy reading this book.

Review linked below!

Book was long and full of fluff chapters that never went anywhere or said anything useful. The main character was incredibly dull and I could not relate to her at all. The book was terribly written and was full of plot holes. Boring read, with an unrealistic and out of nowhere fantasy twist.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley for an unbiased review.

I really wanted to like this book, but sadly I DNFed it at about 32%. The main reason I couldn't continue reading was the main character. She is the daughter of the pirate king of the title of the book. She is one of those protagonists that is good at everything and everyone underestimates her - and that drove me NUTS. She was smarter than everyone around her (and she knew it) and always found her way out of trouble. I really have a hard time reading about this type of character because I find it so unrealistic and just down right annoying.

In addition to the annoying main character, I also had a hard time with the writing style. I found the writing to be very dialogue heavy, which is a style I don't particularly enjoy. The writing also contained a lot of action but not much description. I often found myself wondering about the setting of a scene because it wasn't described well enough for me to visualize it.

While the writing style and the main character's personality didn't work for me, I will say that the 32% of the book I did read was very action packed! From what I could tell the plot of the story seems to be full of action and very exciting. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy stories about pirates and don't mind a cocky protagonist and dialogue/action heavy writing.

Swashbuckling pirates, a legendary treasure map, and swoony romance fill the pages of Tricia Levenseller's action-packed young adult debut DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING featuring a cunning protagonist who is as good at verbal sparring as she is kicking ass.

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING introduces readers to 17-year-old Alosa, daughter to the infamous pirate king, who sets out to steal a map for her father, allowing herself to be kidnapped by a rival crew in order to retrieve part of a legendary treasure map.

“Oh, the ridiculous things one has to do when one is a pirate.”
There's no shortage of action and adventure in DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING.

The story opens with a bang, landing readers smack dab in the middle of pirate takeover as the enemy crew of Night Farer capture Alosa, planning on holding her hostage in exchange for a large ransom payout by her father.

The moment Alosa saunters across the pages you can't help but like and admire her.

"Lass, you've the face of an angel but the tongue of a snake."
She is sassy, cunning and completely dangerous. Watching her plan her own kidnapping and outmaneuvering the enemy crew is only half the fun. I loved seeing Alosa in action as she kicks more than one pirate's butt.

What makes this story work so well is the fact we know the kidnapping is all a fun subterfuge but it's also the knowledge that there is something much more deadly at stake than just a fabled treasure map.

Levenseller weaves in a touch of magic and plenty of danger as we learn just how dangerous it is to grow up being the daughter to the pirate king. Caught in a deadly feud between her father and rebel pirates, Alosa finds herself trying to keep one step ahead of the Night Farer’s first mate, Riden, who seems to see through all her trickery.

The brewing attraction and delicious banter between Alosa and Ridden are some of my favorite scenes in DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING.

A battle of wills resulting in mutual admiration and some very swoony moments which make for an entirely too enjoyable romance that had me seriously grinning.

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING was everything I had hoped for when I picked up this fantasy, pirate read.

Swashbuckling adventure, danger, magic, and romance splash across the pages making for a thrilling Young Adult read and an exceptionally well-written debut that has all the makings of a seriously sought after new series to follow. Highly recommended to YA fans looking for adventure in fun new pirate tale.

Four stars: A funny swashbuckling adventure with a feisty heroine who will entertain you throughout.

Alosa is pretending to be a reluctant prisoner, in truth, she arranged the whole kidnapping ruse in order to get aboard the Night Farer. Alosa is not your ordinary pirate. First, she is a girl. Second, her father is the Pirate King. Third, she is the best trained pirate on the seas, and she just might have a few tricks up her sleeve. Alosa is determined, while on board the Night Farer, to track down an ancient map that will lead to a legendary treasure trove. What Alosa doesn't expect is for the first mate, Riden, to come in between her and the prize. Will Alosa claim the map and escape her captors?
What I Liked:
*The Daughter of the Pirate King was a breath of fresh air. This was a fun adventure with a terrific heroine. I loved Alosa and her feistiness, and I liked the surprising twists. If you are a fan of pirate tales, this is a must read.
*I adored Alosa. She is so not your average pirate. I loved that she was a girl, and that she could fight any man and win. She is daring, determined and believe it or not, incredibly funny. I also liked her surprise hidden abilities that are revealed in the second half. I appreciated how she looked after her crew, and how she even took care of some of her enemies. If you want an unforgettable female lead, Alosa is a sure bet.
*The first half is rather straight forward, but the the second half takes off with some exciting paranormal reveals. I was surprised by the developments, and I am eager to know more.
*I loved the high adrenaline pace. There is always something going on.
*Surprisingly, there is a lot of humor in this one. Alosa is pretty darn entertaining at times, and she made me laugh.
*The ending was fast and furious, and a lot goes down in those final pages. There are some lingering questions, and the books ends rather abruptly, not enough to leave me irritated, but I certainly finished wanting more.
And The Not So Much:
*The romance was a lacking for me. It just didn't grab me. Yes, there is attraction and chemistry, but the heat and fire were sorely lacking. At least it wasn't a case of insta love, and I am happy that the relationship is taking its time. I just hope that it becomes a bit more fiery next time around.
*The ending felt like an info dump. A lot goes down in the final pages. I didn't like that the book ended just as it got into Alosa's back story on how she came to be. It was a cruel place to end.
*At times, I felt like I was missing something because Alosa's history is crucial to the story. She mentions all this training she received from her father, and I was left wondering about their relationship, and how she came to be reared by her father. I need more of her history so I can fill in the blanks.
The Daughter of the Pirate King was an exciting and entertaining adventure that exceeded my expectations. This was a fun read that had me giggling. I loved the characters, the story and I was surprised by the inclusion of some paranormal elements. All in all, this was a terrific read, and I am looking forward to the next installment.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

This swashbuckler is filled with action, adventure and intrigue. Seventeen-year-old Alosha is a kick-butt heroine. She can take on multiple opponents at the same time and come out the victor. Her father is the king of the Pirates and his brutal training made her into a fighting machine. Sent on a mission to retrieve a special map, she allows herself to be taken prisoner by another group of pirates. She may be their prisoner, but it’s clear who has the upper hand. The relationship with Riden, one of her captors, makes the situation sizzle. They trade barbs as he tries unsuccessfully to keep her contained. Alosha is always one step ahead of her captors and she has hidden powers that she doesn’t want to use unless necessary. Levenseller’s debut is fascinating, alluring and tremendously entertaining. Alosha and Riden are a delicious pair and they light up the page when they are together. The cleverness of the plot is noteworthy and riveting. There are twists and turns that are unexpected and keep the reader turning the page. A resounding success. 4.5*

Excuse me while I fangirl for a moment. This book made me so unbelievably happy! I wanted to start rereading it as soon as I finished.

Firstly, all the characters were awesome, and Alosa is so incredibly sassy and it was an absolute treat to read her snarky, insulting - flirtatious - interactions with Riden (who, can I also say, SWOON). This was swashbuckling pirate-y goodness and I just want more! I will write a more coherent review soon, but I just had to squeal about this while still riding the post-reading high. THANK YOU TRICIA FOR CREATING THIS BOOK.

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.



* * * * *



I just loved this book! It seems as though young girls don't have a lot of role model nowadays and Alosa is a perfect one. She can outfight and outwit any man which comes in handy considering her mission for her father. This book has a lot of action, drinking and thievery in the typical pirate fashion and is a lot of fun to read.


There is a strong current of romance between Alosa and Riden but there is no explicit sex or any sex at all for that matter. It's a great book for readers of all ages who are looking for a fun and frolicking adventure. I am really hoping that there will be another book in Alosa's tale.


*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

I really, really hate having to be that guy who comes along and says that debut novel isn’t all that good, but sometimes you have to be that guy. Daughter of the Pirate King is fun crack, but it’s not very good.

The concept of Daughter of the Pirate King is excellent. A pirate princess letting herself get captured by rival pirates (who are conveniently also mostly young and hot) so that she can run a con on them? Yes, PLEASE. The fantasy aspects didn’t really add much for me, but on a basic level this plot could very much have led to an amazing book.

Unfortunately, the writing’s pretty damn terrible. It’s simplistic to start with and just bursting with sentence fragments. Now, fragments can be useful to make a POV sound more like natural speech, but excessive fragments come across as juvenile and simplistic. In the ARC, Levenseller begins, by my count, 208 sentences with “But.” That’s just mind boggling.

Because of the sloppy writing, Alosa comes off as an idiot rather than a badass. Alosa constantly makes observations that are incredibly obvious, like the time that “a sword would be much harder to hide than a dagger.” No shit, Alosa?!?! Alosa hears rapid stomping and deduces that “it’s distinct from the rest of the battle. Probably because it’s closer. If I had to guess, I’d say someone rolled down the stairs.” Look at her trying to think! You’ll notice the occasionally baffling word choice in the sound of a person rolling down the stairs being referred to as “stomping.”

Throughout the book, Alosa realizes things after the reader does and often comes up with a brilliant deduction she has already been told. The reader is told that Alosa’s clever, but this really does not show ever. For example, Alosa keeps managing to escape from the brig and wander the ship in search of the map and is shocked when she learns they were allowing her to do this. Then again, considering that the pirates who captured her didn’t bother to check her or her possessions for weapons, maybe that was a reasonable assumption. It’s also clunky that Alosa escapes for days before the narration finally lets the reader know how she’s getting out of her cell.

Multiple times within Daughter of the Pirate King, characters stop to have conversations with someone while in the midst of a battle or guarding a prisoner. Because none of these people are capable of doing two things at once, the person they are fighting or guarding is able to launch an attack. Not just a stealth spring like a cat, either. They’re able to climb or bend over for a boot knife. SUCH FEARSOME PIRATES.

So yeah, the writing is almost entirely terrible, precisely the sort of writing YA haters think is representative of all YA fiction. However, I will say that this book is total crack, and I enjoyed it a lot in spite of myself. Levenseller does manage some pretty good banter occasionally, mostly between Riden and Alosa. This ship alone saves this book from a 1.5 star rating, because honestly it really is that bad. Well, that, and the concept. Still, this book could have been amazing if written by a more skilled author.

If you’re looking for some crack, shippy fun, go for it. Just go ahead and lower those expectations significantly.

This was one stellar book! It really is like a female Jack Sparrow man and this one blew me away!
The pacing of this one worked so well from point a, to b, to c. It was perfect. I do wish it would have been a little longer but thats ok.

The world building the author has given us was so good. The use of the pirate ship was so good and it worked out so well. It made the world come alive and the characters were wonderful. I really fell in love with Alosa and her crew which I hope we get to see more of in the next book. I really can't wait to see the outcome of this story in book either. Waiting a year is going to suck.

Alosa as an MC was fab! She's such a strong take no prisoners kind of character. She knew what she needed to do and she got it done. Riden was an amazing romantic interest and you just don't know about him fully until the end of the story. Which ended way to soon. I needed at least another 100 pages.

I want to say so much about this story but I'm afraid I'm going to give something away!!

This is one high seas adventure with a wonderful romance with a girl who is still somewhat finding her way at least with love. It will make you want the next book (Daughter of the Siren Queen YES it has a title!!!!) Now!

Book in a Pinch
Pirates and Sirens O My
Go Into This One Knowing
Slight cliffhanger, Romance, No Love Triangle, Lots of Action and Suspense

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING was a dashedly good pirate tale with a fierce and wily heroine, an enemy pirate who is far too smart and who she shouldn't fall for, and a quest that will put them both in danger. Those who enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean and similar tales of danger, adventure, and romance will love this one!

I loved this story from the very first page. I loved the heroine and I loved her antagonist, Riden. I loved the subterfuge and the game, so to speak, between these two. It all felt realistic. The storytelling was spot on and marvelously done where I felt I was literally in a pirate tale. The chemistry was fantastic with a few swoon-worthy moments, but nothing that crossed any lines, keeping this clean. I loved that Alosa is quite skilled. She knows how to use her skills, but she's also a little brash (I mean the girl does have her pride). I loved that she has her own crew. I also loved that she has a soft heart underneath it all. There were also some heartbreaking moments and some decent twists. I expect some more development to the plot and these characters in future books.

What wasn't perfect? Well, I did notice a few mistakes Alosa makes, but due to her age and desire to not disappoint her father, I forgave her. There were a few places where the violence got a little crude or uncomfortable, but more because of one or two pirate's intent than anything else. All of this lent more authenticity to the story, because really, some pirates should be evil, right? I'm just glad that most of the time, Alosa didn't have to deal with those types.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I was very happy to find that my high expectations were met with this one. I loved this story and can't wait to find out what happens next to these characters and the treasure they seek!

Content: Violence and some innuendo.
Source: Received a complimentary ARC through NetGalley, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

An adventurous romance set on the high seas. Alosa, the Pirate King's daughter is captured by an enemy pirate who longs to rule, but she is no shrinking violet. Trained by her father to be a ruthless pirate captain, she is on the hunt for a piece of treasure map that she is sure is hidden on the enemy ship. As Alosa evades her captors searching for the map, she gets into trouble and soon finds herself at odds with the first mate Riden, who serves his cutthroat brother. Riden and Alosa are drawn together, as their relationship grows despite their status as enemies. Fun read.

Daughter of the Pirate King promises to bring readers a tough, female pirate captain who has just a dash of Jack Sparrow mixed in. Considering that pirates – and female ones at that – are rarely found in YA fantasy, I thought I'd give this novel a shot. I mean action, adventure, and a female pirate captain? What more could you ask for?

In many ways, Daughter of the Pirate King is very much a debut novel. I wouldn't say the writing is juvenile, but it reads like it was a first novel and has many problems I've encountered with a first debut novel from an author. Problems such as repetitiveness, inconsistent writing style, a heavy focus on romance when other elements should have been highlighted, telling readers and not showing them things, and a case of trying just a bit too hard to make the main character funny and likeable were some of the things I encountered.

Repetitiveness was a huge issue in this book. Alosa is, as the title suggests, the daughter of the pirate king. While this is a huge part of the story, it is mentioned ad nauseam. I am really not sure we went more than two or three pages without having someone – Alosa or the pirates that 'kidnapped' her – mentioning that Alosa was the daughter of the pirate king. If the pirates weren't saying "We are looking at the daughter of the pirate king", then Alosa was telling people and saying things like, "I am daughter of the pirate king. Do these people know who I am?".

When someone wasn't saying it out loud or Alosa was thinking it, she was reflecting on what being the daughter of the pirate. Her internal dialogue would include memories of being the daughter of the pirate king or thinking to herself that she was daughter of the pirate king. It was just a little bit too much.

The inconsistent writing style wasn't a huge issue, but it was noticeable at times. Most of the book both the narrated sections and the dialogue were written in modern English. Every so often there would be a random old time word thrown in. Something like 'Tis' or 'ye'. It wouldn't have been bad if it was during a conversation, but it was usually done in Alosa's internal thoughts. It was hard to understand why 99% of the time she'd talk normally then have a random old time word thrown in.

The romance issue was extremely noticeable. The novel revolves around Alosa trying to find a map on a pirate ship. To find the map, she gets herself kidnapped. This is what should have been the main focus of the novel, but instead this romance instantly becomes front and center to the novel. The minute the love interest is introduced, our "strong" main character immediately turns to mush. While she is fighting she thinks things like 'wow... why does he smell so good' or when being intensely questioned she thinks 'Oh you are so handsome. I wonder what you are like to kiss'.

Don't get me wrong, romance can be good for a novel and in some points necessary. It just seemed to push everything aside and made what should have been the main plot seem secondary. It is also extremely frustrating when a female character is supposed to be super strong and tough, and then the minute a good looking guy walks in her brain turns to mush and her thoughts center on his smell, hair, body, voice, etc.

Telling and not showing was another huge issue in Daughter of the Pirate King. Almost everything that happened, all the information and world building was told to the readers. This was usually done through very long, lengthy monologues given by the characters.

Some examples of telling instead of showing include the following situations. Alosa is supposed to be this tough, no nonsense pirate captain. How do we know this? Because she tells us that she could beat people up, she could kill, that she is tough. Time and time and time again she tells us this, but she doesn't ever really show it to us. There is a brief fight scene here and there, and she even kills someone, but for the most part her tough persona is developed because she tells us she is tough.

Another example is her training and upbringing with the pirate king. The pirate king was apparently mean, cruel and really hard on Alosa. Readers are never really shown how this happens through memories or anything. Alosa just told us it was rough and hard growing up with him. It would have been nice to see some of the stuff instead of being told everything after the fact.

The last issue was – and this is just a personal opinion – I felt the main character Alosa tried too hard to be a female Jack Sparrow. The stuff she did just came across as immature instead of funny. For example, she is locked up in a cabin. She doesn't want to be locked in the cabin and she is upset. So she throws things on the floor, messes up the maps, jumps on the guy's clothing. When that doesn't work, she then hums loudly while he tries to sleep or makes noises so he can't sleep. Remember – Alosa is the toughest pirate captain, so you would think that her approach to things would be rougher.

In addition to the immature antics, Alosa has a habit of trying to have this witty banter with comebacks to everyone. Most of the time it just seemed like she was trying too hard, but sometimes – rarely – the conversations came across as funny and witty. It almost came across as a parody of Jack Sparrow, but I don't think that was the intent of it.

Even with all these problems, it would seem like I didn't enjoy the book. I wouldn't say that was the case. It was an average read. There wasn't anything that made it stand out and it was a fast paced novel. It is also a debut novel so some of these issues may go away in the future. I believe if the book had been portrayed as more of a romance novel or had things been a bit more polished, it could have taken this novel up a notch and made it stand out.

I do think that there might be an audience for this book, especially if you go in knowing this is going to be a light-hearted, sometimes silly novel with a lot – and I mean a lot – of focus on the romance. However, if you are looking for rip-roaring, action and adventure with rough and tumble pirates, you will probably be fairly disappointed.

The question I am left with is – would I continue with the series? I would definitely give the second novel a chance. I understand debut authors have some kinks to work out and I see potential. I would say to weigh what I said and if you still find it interesting to give it a shot. It might surprise you and be a novel that you enjoy.

Picture this, a feisty redheaded pirate, whose father is the pirate king, a mission to get captured by an enemy ship, an attractive and very clever first mate, daring sword fights, and stealthy searches at night. What more could a book have?

This is the first book in this thrilling duology by Tricia Levenseller, and when I read the synopsis and saw for once we have a female pirate I couldn’t help but (politely) demand a copy from NetGalley, and it does not disappoint one bit.

The tale of the Pirate King’s daughter draws you in from the first words, with enough action to keep you riveted, and a kindling of a romance that makes any romance lover’s heart beat a little faster.

I loved how every situation was well thought of and that at the end of the book I was gasping for more. Can’t wait for the next one.

When I hit the request button on Netgalley, I remember not reading the synopsis and basing my NEED to read this book purely on the title alone.

I guess that’s why it took me SO LONG to bring it to the top of my lung crushing, bookworm drowning TBR pile but now that I finished it, I AM SO SO HAPPY THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT IS EASILY ONE OF THE BEST I’VE READ THIS YEAR!

“I believe we create ourselves to be what we want.”

Instead of describing this book, I’m going to rant about ALL THE GREAT THINGS that I LOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF MY FANGIRLING HEART (and I hope you will want to read it too!)

1. ALL THE GIRL POWER: What’s better than a Fearless Female Main Character who is ALSO the captain of her own ship? A SUPER SASSY Protagonist with the ability to hold her own EASILY in a ship full of enemy male pirates, FIGHT LIKE NOBODY’S BUSINESS and also HAS A CREW FILLED WITH THE MOST AWESOME SAUCE AND LOYAL GIRLS. (Who I am SO SO EXCITED to read more about in book two.)

2. ALL THAT BANTER: One of the things I loved the MOST about this book was THE EASY, sometimes sassy, sometimes flirty banter that Tricia Levenseller managed to create that made a book about pirates, mythical sea creatures, hostages and treasure SO MUCH MORE FUN. (If that is even possible) SERIOUSLY. Some AMAZING DIALOGUE.

3. ALL THAT FLIRTING: I LOVED LOVED Riden and Alosa together. It was such a FUN, refreshing romance with NO PINING, all honour, attraction and flirting and I LOVED IT. (Yes, I have used the word ‘love’ about 36,289 times in this review already) I loved the kissing scenes, I loved the turmoil that went through Alosa’s head during those moments, and I loved them. I cannot WAIT to see what book two does with them.

4. ALL THOSE PLOT TWISTS: Most days, I can predict where a fantasy will end up. Daughter of the Pirate King, however, had me saying ‘OH HOLY WOW. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.’ These are such AMAZING twists too, fitting pieces in place and WOW. LOVE. (Yes, again)

5. ALL THAT ALOSA KALLIGAN: Move over Celaena Sardothien, MY NEW FAVOURITE FEARLESS FEMALE CHARACTER IS HERE. This girl takes NO NONSENSE, has ALL THE SASS AND THE BRAINS AND THE FIGHTING SKILLS and well, I LOVED LIVING IN HER HEAD FOR A FEW DAYS.
There was NOTHING AT ALL WRONG WITH THIS BOOK. In fact, IT WAS SO PERFECT I COULD CRY.

A fast paced, swashbuckling tale with an amazing cast and ALL THE GIRL POWER. I’m so in love, all I want to do it read it again. 5 stars.

Very entertaining and charming main character. I'd like to see more from her!