I loved this book personally, it is fun, exciting, and has an amazing strong heroine. However I would recommend it more for pleasure reading for older students, rather then make it part of any curriculum. But it was a pleasure to read!

Meet Alosa, she's your regular, average pirate princess. Except for the part where she's not, but well, spoilers! Alosa is a on a mission from her father (also known as the pirate king) to steal from rival pirates, and she vows to complete it or die trying.

I'm really of two minds about this book. The first two-thirds of the book were absolutely fantastic. Well-paced (which is a frequent complaint of mine) and well-thought out. The characterization was divine, there were some great one-liners, and I actually found myself rooting for the main couple to -- and I quote myself here -- "just fuck already!"

Then the last third of the book happened. As more and more magic was revealed, I lost the magic and love I had for the book. Now, don't get me wrong, it's still a great read and I enjoyed it, but the ending doesn't hold up to the hype from the beginning.

I loved Alosa, our protagonist. She's fun, she's spunky, and she's an unapologetic bitch. She owns herself in a way that I don't get to see too often from YA female protagonists. She's also a very damaged character (abusive father warning here), but she owns up to that too. She doesn't make too many excuses for him, which I appreciated. Of course, she still makes a few because he's her father, but she admits that (some) of the things her father has done is wrong.

I also have to applaud the author for not falling into the trap of a love triangle. While Alosa does end up falling in love with one of the "enemy" pirates, it's a natural, slow-burn. In fact, by the end of the novel, while the reader knows Alosa's in love, she's still coming to grips with everything.

My failings with the book probably come with the revelation that Alosa is half-siren. We start off with this kick ass, smart heroine but wait! It's not enough that she's smart and beautiful, she also has extra special magical powers because her mother was a siren. I just... can we just have a kick ass heroine without the extra added magic?

My other failing with the book is the ending. For a book that was so wonderfully paced at the beginning, the ending just slaps you. That's how quick the book ends. We get some nice backstory and then a vow to finish the mission and then boom! Done. Roll credits.

Overall, Daught of the Pirate King is a fun read. The enjoyment you'll get out of the beginning of the novel far outweighs its disappointing resolution.

A Bit Repetitive
Because of the plot and the world in which this book took place, the story took on a bit of a repetitive nature, repeating the same few scenes over and over again with only minor changes. As a result, the book was a bit of a slow read. I was expecting more action and danger for a pirate book and was left a little disappointed.

Predictable
I understand the need to offer foreshadowing for the reader to entice them and make them want to read more and what not, but this was a bit over done in this book. The foreshadowing was obvious, more than hinting at what was going to happen on later in the book. As such, it was a bit disappointing when just that happened later on in the book. That’s not to say all the book was predictable, but some of it was and it made the read less interesting that it could have been.

Overcompensation
Female pirates. This pretty much sums up this book where the MC is a female pirate and her whole thing is ‘I’m better than any male pirate,’ which is executed time and time again. However, at some point, it becomes a little too much. It feels like overcompensation and ends up being just a little too unrealistic, especially with the author’s constant reminders of why the MC the way she is.

Cliff-Hanger
The book doesn’t end in an overly annoying cliff hanger, but it’s a cliff hanger nonetheless. It’s entire purpose is to draw you back into the next book. Unfortunately, that left me feeling less than sanctified with the current ending. I was expecting a bit more resolution than was given, which could have enhanced the story and taken away a bit of the repeated scenes earlier in the book.

Imagine if Captain Jack Sparrow was a teenage girl. Just picture it. Because you will find yourself with Captain Alosa, daughter of the fearsome pirate king. Reckless, clever, and determined, she's going to blow you out of the open water in Daughter of the Pirate King.

This book was so much fun! I honestly thought that having a teenage pirate captain wasn't going to go so well but Levenseller created an amazing kickass heroine who won't settle for anything but the best and has quite the secret tucked away.

Alosa is QUEEN. I had that impression from the very first chapter. She's endured a lot in her life but came out stronger than ever and won't let a bunch of enemy pirates stand in the way of achieving her goal. I loved her snarky comments and resilience. She isn't the kind of girl you want to cross but she's not uncaring and cold either. There's a survivor in there that will do what it takes but she isn't all about the plundering and killing. Plus, I thoroughly enjoyed shipping her with a certain first mate.

Hah. Shipping.

Yes, I went there.

Because Riden reminded me a bit of Will Turner with his honorable pirate persona and that was enough to start the swooning. He and Alosa have such an entertaining dynamic. Nothing ever felt forced and their chemistry jumped off the page. I mean, if I thought I could win I would totally fight Alosa for him.

But Daughter of the Pirate King doesn't focus on the romance. It's definitely there in the works (and I love shipping characters so I honed in on that like no other) but it's not the primary plot and I loved that. This book is about the adventure, the hunt for the elusive map that could lead Alosa and her father to the ultimate treasure. And she'll do whatever it takes to find it, from sneaking around the enemy ship to seducing a pirate or two.

Her escapades to get this map were hilarious. How she always confused the crew, going out of her way to seem like an unhappy prisoner. Alosa is clever. Probably too clever for her own good. But it made the book all the more entertaining.

Also the magical element added in later on was excellent and I need more.

The thing is, there's something about this book that made it hard to put down. Every time I did to go do something else, its siren song pulled me back in. I couldn't stop reading if I tried. Levenseller's writing is just plain fun. It's quick and witty, striking a balance between a romping adventure and smooth storytelling. While there was less focus on world-building, I didn't mind because most of the story is spent on a ship and I have a feeling that more is to come in the next book (at least I hope so).

For my pirate fans out there, make sure you get a copy of this one because you do NOT want to miss out. Alosa is the badass we all wish we could be and she is sure to take you on a wild ride in Daughter of the Pirate King.

4.5 Stars!
Daughter of the Pirate King is a swashbuckling adventure about Alosa, a pirate princess. Her father is the king of the pirate world and Alosa is always trying to make him proud. Her latest mission involves stealing a treasure map from a rival pirate family, but to do this she must stage her own kidnapping. This book involves lots of adventure, romance and plenty of twists!

I really enjoyed reading this story! It was fast-paced enough that I wanted to keep reading every time I put it down. It ended up taking me five days to read but I likely would have read it in one sitting if it wasn’t for adulting responsibilities! The characters were fun and interesting and I especially loved Alosa; she was the type of fierce, strong, and brave character I love reading about. Additionally, the plot twists were fantastic! They happened at perfect points in the story and kept me completely interested. This book was everything I wanted out of a good pirate story and I hope there will be more!

I got this book from NetGalley to review. I ended up enjoying this book a lot more than I thought I was going to. It's a fun read that's action packed and full of witty banter. I am usually not a huge fan of "pirate" books, but this one was engaging and had a great blend of action, adventure, mystery, and romance.

This book was just a ton of fun to read. Alosa is such a witty and snappy heroine that is super confident and has the skills to match the bluster. I enjoyed reading about her a ton.

The storyline is a mix of predictable and unpredictable elements. I loved the whole storyline about Alosa trying to steal a map to find a secret island of treasure. At first this seems straightforward, but as the story continues there are a lot of twists and turns and betrayals.

The romance between Alosa and the first mate on the enemy ship is a bit predictable; but it is also ends up being complicated and sweet. The witty dialogue throughout is what really makes this book shine; it’s just so much fun!

The story is fast-paced and full of action and adventure. The writing flows nicely and is easy to read. This was one of those books that I had a very hard time putting down; I just really needed to know how things wrapped up!

This is the first book in a series so….while the book stops at a good spot not everything is wrapped up neatly.

Overall this was an awesome book that totally surprised me with how much I loved it. I always love books that have a good balance between world-building, mystery, action, adventure, and romance. This book is perfectly balanced and well written; there is also a lot of humor which makes it super fun to read! I will definitely continue on with the series. I would recommend to YA fantasy fans who enjoy action and adventure with their romance.

Unfortunately, this felt like an unpolished first draft that was rushed through production. The writing is juvenile, the voice of the book swings madly from being far too casual to having the occasional "old timey" word thrown in for an attempt at authenticism.
Alosa is a thinly painted character and a great deal of her is given through grand swathes of uncomfortable exposition dialogue. There's a whole lot of telling, and to be honest the tone of the book came across as condescending because everything was told to the reader as if they couldn't figure out anything for themselves.
A lot of this book just didn't work for me, unfortunately.

I have a strange love of pirates, ever since I was a kid and watched Captain Blood. So the idea of a book of a girl pirate, my secret dream, is definitely right up my alley. I loved the adventure and piracy of The Pirate King’s Daughter.

The book captures what I love best about old pirate movies. Not only are they full of adventure but also have a lot of witty dialogue. At times Alosa is quite humorous, especially when she banters with Riden. It gave the book a little bit more of a light heartedness that I enjoyed.

Alosa is a spirited, fierce and quick witted. She has been trained by her father to be ruthless and tuck her emotions away. Although she doesn’t follow this all the time, she has great affection for her hand picked crew. Which predominantly consists of women. She is also very observant and she rewards kindness. She is by far a force to be reckoned. She does greatly seek her father’s approval which can sometimes dictate her actions.

Alosa’s romance with Riden is a slow burn. They are adversaries, friends and then teetering on something more. Riden is loyal to his brother, through thick and thin. It’s admirable and stems from what had happened in their past. I like how he challenges Alosa in ways she did not expect and that he chooses to use his wit rather than sword to get the information he needs.

I really enjoyed the plot. There were interesting aspects that you didn’t always see coming. At first you think of the world being confined to the one boat but as things unravel it because bigger than that.

Like I stated earlier I love a good pirate novel and add a female pirate, you’ve got an enjoyable tale. I can’t wait to see how the story continues and if you are looking for something when a strong lead and fun adventure. I can say this is the story for you.

This earned every one of those five stars - it's the pirate book I never knew I needed. One of the best fantasy debut novels I've read in a while.

I've seen Alosa called a "Lady Jack Sparrow" - but I actually think she's what Elizabeth Swan would have become had she been born to a pirate king instead of the governor. She's smart, capable, ruthless - and still feminine, even amongst a bunch of pirates.

And her chemistry with Riden, well... say hello to your newest ship. (That meets on a ship. I know. The puns.) They're on opposite sides, and the hate-to-love is real with this one. It gives room to some excellent banter.

I'm definitely getting my hands on a hardcopy of this one. I'll want to read this again.

More RTC a bit closer to publication.

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: ALL THE STARS! I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK HARD! A feisty, quick-witted kick-ass pirate captain heroine pitted against a rival pirate captain's first mate set in a world of sea monsters and pirate treachery made this book one heck of an adventurous ride. I would have read this all in one sitting had I lost the ability to keep my eyes open at 2AM, but I jumped back on it as soon as I woke up. Shipper feels, y'all!


♥ Review: Don't let that cover fool you, this is no middle grade book. These pirates may be older teens closing in on adulthood, but don't count them out. They're just as brutal and savage as any adult has the right to be. That said, the author did an incredible job of balancing out the dirty work of a pirate with the fun banter and quick wit of our kick-ass heroine and her would-be enemy, the first mate from a rival pirate ship. Alosa is everything I love about complicated girls; one minute she's shoving her sword in someone while the next she's worrying about the state of her clothes and the safety of the girls aboard her all female ship. (Yep, you heard me, ALL FEMALE SHIP! #LikeAGirl I can't wait to get to know the girls more in the sequel when she's finally back aboard and captaining again.) But no one presses her buttons quite like Riden. He matches her skill for skill, brains for brains, something she hasn't come across in maybe all her life aside from her father, the Pirate King. Because of this, there's always a steady dose of delicious banter and definite tension between these two and I could not get enough.

Aside from these two amazing characters giving me all the shippy feels, there's definitely epic adventures, a couple of twisty surprises (that actually managed to catch me off-guard) including a bit of siren lore, and some pretty stellar storytelling to be found in these pages. I'm recommending the hell out of this and I need the next book ASAFP.

♥ Teaser Quote: The banter between Alosa and Riden! The dialogue of the crew! Alosa's sharp tongue! So many quotes to choose from, yet so little time! I think I'll let you experience all the better ones on your own reading experience.
Either way, I still don't know what to make of Riden.
Doesn't matter at the moment, anyway. I have a more pressing problem. Riden assumes I will try to escape this ship in some way. He already suspects me of being up to something. Of being more than just a prisoner on this ship. He knows I'm hiding something.
Which means if I'm to keep up appearances, I'll have to escape the ship.
Then get caught on purpose.
Oh, the ridiculous things one has to do when one is a pirate.
– quote taken from the eARC of Daughter of a Pirate King at 26%


♥ Rec It? Oh absolutely! I laughed, I fell in love, and I definitely want more. More of this ruthless world, more of these characters–both the lovable and the hateful and all the ones in-between, and definitely more of the kisses shared between Alosa and Riden. The wait for the sequel is going to be painful, and I'm definitely putting Levenseller on my list of authors to watch because her writing was spectacular and kept me one-hundred-percent engaged. I need more!

♥ A very special thanks to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.

When I went looking for new books on NetGalley some time ago, this book automatically caught my eye. Daughter Of The Pirate King! This title immediately brings forth notions of danger, intrigue, adventure, and perhaps even some romance. I was not disappointed. This book had all of this and more.

What I Liked:
Narrative Style:
This book is told in the first person. I often do not like this style but it really works in this book. The voice of the narrator, Alosa (the pirate princess), is so revealing throughout the story in what she says, and doesn't say. You get that she has a complicated relationship with her father, the Pirate King, without her having to spell it out.

Characters:
Alosa:
Alosa is a fun, spirited character who I wouldn't mind hanging out with. She would be fun, but also have your back in a bar fight. I liked that as the story progresses, Alosa makes mistakes, and develops as a person as she meets her match in Riden.

Riden:
Riden is the first mate of the ship that has kidnapped Alosa and is holding her for ransom. He is fiercely loyal to his brother the ruthless Captain Draxon. But while he enjoys the plundering of being a pirate, he has mixed feelings about all the murdering and torturing that goes along with the job.


What I Was Mixed About:
Pacing:
The book started in an exciting way with the kidnapping of Alosa. But then was weighed down by the long, meandering battle of wits between Alosa and Riden. It's pretty obvious from the start that they are attracted to each other. But each one is too proud to give in to their feelings. There were just too many scenes of Alosa escaping, getting captured, and then trying to prove how tough she was. It took me a long time to get through the first half of the book and I almost DFN'd it.

But then, the story picks up (at almost exactly the halfway point) when a startling fact about Alosa comes to light. I don't believe in doing spoilers, so I can't say what this is. But I will say that the rest of the book is focused on this and it made it so that I could not stop reading!

What I Didn't Like:
Ending:
One of my pet peeves in books is when a book is trying to become a series, and so has an abrupt ending. There were several loose ends and obvious hooks to the story meant to ensnare the reader into snatching up book two as soon as possible. And it worked! I WILL be doing this, but I didn't like such manipulation.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Book One of the Daughter of the Pirate King series
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: February 28, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

A 17-year-old pirate captain intentionally allows herself to get captured by enemy pirates in this thrilling YA adventure.

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.

Debut author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling YA pirate tale.

What I Liked:

This was a really fun and entertaining read - exactly what I would hope for, from a story with pirates. Anytime you drop the word "pirate" in the title or synopsis, I'm going to except swashbuckling adventure, clever scheming, and a good dose of sneak thievery. I was not disappointed by this book!

Alosa is the daughter of the pirate king Kalligan. She's his only child (the only one he's claimed), which makes her very valuable. What people don't know is that she isn't a spoiled and pampered pirate princess - she is a cunning and dangerous pirate. When her father sends her on a mission to retrieve a part of a map, Alosa's plan is get captured willingly by a young pirate lord and search their ship for the piece of the map that the former pirate lord of that ship had. The captain, Draxen, is every bit as cruel and ruthless as his father was. But Alosa doesn't expect to be distracted by the captain's first mate and younger brother, Riden. Finding the piece of the map isn't going to be the difficult part of the task - getting around Riden will be.

From the start, this book set the tone of adventure and humor. Getting captured (willingly) might seem like gloom and doom, but Alosa is so entertaining. She is taken prisoner and her crew is freed. From the start, Alosa proves to be a handful. She is brazen and smart-mouthed, and she is feisty. She's spirited and unafraid to keep trying. She has a plan and she doesn't let obstacles get in her way of finding the map.

Much of the first half of the book is about Alosa's search for the map without getting caught. She is placed in the brig, but she cleverly lets herself out of the prison at night to search the ship. But she is caught several times by Riden, the first mate. He is very suspicious of her, but he finds her entertaining and hot-tempered. Between him and the captain, he is more merciful, but he makes it very difficult for her to search the ship at will.

I adored Alosa! She is so spirited and she is a fighter. She has been hardened by her father's tutelage, and she proves herself to be a capable and clever pirate, over and over. She's a fierce and wonderful heroine, and she relies on no one to save her but herself. This book has a light and fun current to it, but it's also incredibly empowering and feminist in a subtle way.

I also really liked Riden. We can see that Draxen, his older brother and captain of the ship that, is greedy and ruthless pirate. But Riden is much more merciful and wicked, with a conscious and a clever brain. He is very observant and learns a lot about Alosa by watching her and observing her. I like how he understands and reads her so well, even after only weeks of knowing her.

Initially I thought the romance would be weird, because how on earth would Alosa fall for a pirate that took part of her capture. But Alosa and Riden sort of become friends. Almost every time she let herself out of the brig, he catches her, which leads to some sort of hilarious back-and-forth banter. He visits her in the brig and talks to her - the purpose being to extract information about the pirate king from her - but they each learn a lot about each other. And there is a lot of banter and bicker, especially on Alosa's part. As the story goes on, it's clear that at least in terms of their relationship, it's less of prisoner-captor, and something else. Riden begins to help Alosa, both directly and indirectly.

It was adorable, watching them fall for each other. The chemistry between them is suuuuuuper swoony, fan-yourself-worthy, and tangible. Every time the scene included the two of them, I started to expect two things: banter, and serious tension. I was almost never disappointed, especially as the story went on. Whew!

But I liked that the author didn't develop the romance too quickly. Neither character is at the "I-love-you" stage. Both have pretty strong feelings for each other, and there are a few makeout scenes, but their relationship doesn't progress too quickly and it doesn't get too heavy. Yet? There is another book to follow this one.

There are several twists and turns to the story! You think it's just about Alosa finding a map piece for her father? Nope! I can't say more because of spoilers, but we learn key things about Alosa, and another pirate lord, and Riden and Draxen, as the story progresses.

The ending is pretty good, in terms of how it wraps up. There isn't a cliffhanger, but it is clear that the story must (should) continue. I think this is a two-book series, which sounds good to me! I love the duology trend in YA publishing these days.

What I Did Not Like:

I don't have any specific dislikes, though I suppose I would have loved for this story to keep going! The end was a little bit abrupt. Hopefully book two picks up exactly where book one finishes.

Would I Recommend It:

I'd recommend this book! It's not an omg-new-favorite, but it's really enjoyable and definitely not disappointing. I wanted a fun, entertaining pirate-based story and I got exactly that (and a little more). I really liked the strong female protagonist and the clever and charming male protagonist, and the story was very entertaining. If you're looking for a captivating adventure on the sea, look no further!

Rating:

4 stars. I am looking forward to reading the second book! I'm hoping for more "pirate stuff", especially concerning Alosa's father, more swoon (kissing! more kissing!), and more sticky situations for Alosa to clever wriggle out of. Levenseller is an author whose books I will be keeping an eye out for in the future!

This story was just pure FUN. In a way reminding me of how I feel watching the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Daughter of the Private King asks readers to suspend some beliefs, reality, and historical accuracy for a while and just come along for the ride. The hijinks, double-crossing, swashbuckling, and, not going to lie, some swooning, came together in a way that kept me turning pages and left me with a smile on my face and eager to know where this story continues. Can't wait for book two and I'll be purchasing this one for my school's library.

As soon as I sniffed out the possibility of a romance I was hooked! Some witty and endearing characters. At times the story stalled a bit and lacked momentum but it was still a fun read. Will definitely carry on the series.

Daughter of the Pirate King is getting a lot of praise and I'm so disappointed that I didn't love it as much as the majority seems to. I mean, there are pirates! And a lady pirate, at that. Alas, the fact that main character Alosa is a competent and able-bodied pirate was not enough to counter what I felt to be a contrived romance and my own disappointment that this is yet another YA book that can't stand alone.

Alosa organizes her own kidnapping to a rival pirates ship in order to find a map for her father, the king of all the pirates. Alosa's plan goes awry and its further complicated by her (predictable) feelings for the ship's first mate, Riden. Okay, so romance is expected in YA, but for me, it was like I had read this already. The romance didn't really offer anything new and is something that you've read before if you read a lot of YA fantasy. Without the addition of pirates, of which there are few in YA, I don't think I would have kept reading about Alosa and her tepid romance with Riden. There wasn't really anything wrong with the romance, it just ended up being kind of boring for me.

So, Daughter of the Pirate King is a fun adventure tale that will definitely find it's audience. The pirate hook is unique and the writing is crisp; however, those who read widely in the YA arena may be disappointed.

Looking for a book that is full of surprises and hard to put down? Pick this one up. This was really a fun read. Likeable characters even though most of them are blood thirsty pirates without a conscience. The story was face paced and kept me completed captivated and wanting to know what happens next. In fact, after reading the last sentence I still feel that way. Hopefully the next book will be available soon!

Let me just preface this review by saying - I absolutely adored this book!
Though I'm not a fan of reading on my kindle, I made an exception for this beauty. Tricia Levenseller did an excellent job weaving together fantasy and the world of pirates. I love that she created an entirely fictional world for this story, and the characters effortlessly come to life under the deft strokes of Levenseller's pen.
I am also typically a fan of longer novels, but Levenseller leaves the door open at the end of this book, paving the way to a sequel filled with world-building, fantasy and pirate hi-jinks. I was a bit worried when I saw the low page count, but Levenseller fit in the perfect amount of romance, fantasy and suspense, which makes me especially eager for the sequel.
The MC, Alosa, is a character I think readers will LOVE! She's a badass, entirely realistic considering her circumstances, and equal amounts roguish and compassionate. I especially loved her friendships with the female crew members, and I can't wait to read more about them in the sequel! Though the main plot twist surrounding Alosa didn't surprise me, I enjoyed the additional twist as it added just the right amount of fantasy to the story.
Overall, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good adventure, with daring MC's and a healthy dash of romance!

Why is it that pirate stories always suck? This is devoid of detail, description, world building, you name it. It's so flat and basic I can't stand it.

I am definitely not a super picky reader, keep that in mind when you read pretty much any of my reviews. Also, I'm apologizing in advance. This book has put me in a book hangover and I can't do anything other than praise it.

Short edition of the review: Basically, I read this book in under a day. I could NOT put it down. I prefer to drag out books over a few days or a week or so and I could not even force myself to do that. The only problem I have with having finished this book is that I now have to wait a longer time for the sequel to release, unless I get an ARC of book two. Even then I probably have a good year before I'll get my hands on the sequel. On the plus side I can definitely see myself rereading Daughter of the Pirate King multiple times.

I LOVED this book, I requested it from netgalley and I was VERY excited when I was accepted to read this. I was very excited when I read the synopsis.

Alosa is such a great character. She can kick your butt and she likes to look good while doing it! The chemistry between her and Riden is obvious from the beginning and the author did a great job making a OTP that I could definitely ship! I really needed a great book that didn't hurt my heart. After all of the Sarah J Maas and Morgan Rhodes books I've read in the last year it was so nice to read a book where I didn't want to bawl my eyes out. I got worried a few times, but there wasn't a huge cliffhanger ending where a favorite character may or may not be dead or dying (*cough cough* Morgan & Sarah). This book was fast paced and interesting the entire time. I was not bored for even a moment. READ THIS BOOK!

Let's talk about what I liked to begin:
Bad*** female character: Check
Slow Burn kind of forbidden romance: Check
Events I didn't see coming: Check
Pirates: Check

What didn't I like:
Absolutely nothing. At first I didn't like the cover, but I even like that too.

I really wish I had a physical copy of this book so I could take better photos of it and push it on my bookstagram followers!

3.5/5

Pirates don't seem to be all that common in YA for some reason, and especially not ones featuring lady pirates, which is a real bummer if you ask me. I loved the idea of Daughter of the Pirate King and I picked it up while I was looking for an adventurous story with a badass lead. It certainly delivered on that front and I had a lot of fun reading the book.

I will say that the characters aren't all that exceptional. In fact, I found them to be very cookie-cutter fantasy characters, but they are still engaging enough to make the book readable. The heroine, Alosa, was as fiery as her hair, with a sharp mouth and an equally ruthless personality. She's not afraid to shed some blood and get into sword fights with men twice her size and I loved being inside her head. There were times when I did wish she would be a bit more careful and not jump into deadly situations, for her own safety, but the girl knew how to handle herself. I wasn't sure what to make of Riden, the first mate of the pirate who kidnaps Alosa, but he charmed my pants off as the story progressed. It was hard to gauge his motivations and true feelings, but he slowly let those come to the surface as he got closer to Alosa. He was genuine, sweet and very loyal, but also not afraid to take the lead when it was important. The romance between Riden and Alosa will appeal to all those who enjoy good quippy banter between their love interests. I loved the scenes between these two, because they made me both laugh and swoon. They were quite the entertaining duo, especially with Alosa constantly trying to get a rise out of him.

The plot was everything that I thought it would be. I will say that I wish there was more of a sense of urgency to the story. Even when the characters were in extreme danger, I didn't FEEL like they were truly about to lose their lives. I think that had to do with some pacing issues. I expected more twists and more villains to keep me flipping through the pages. Alosa is no ordinary pirate as you may have expected and there were some revelations made about her in Daughter of the Pirate King that had me intrigued, but I didn't think they were as fleshed-out as they could have been. We'll probably learn more in the sequel and I'm looking forward to it. Another thing I'm excited about for in the sequel to this book is Alosa's predominantly female crew. They didn't get much spotlight here since she is away from the due to being held captive by Riden's brother, but the glimpses we got of them are promising.

All in all, Daughter of the Pirate King was a fun book, that's worth the read if you're looking for a straightforward pirate story with a dash of swoony romance and some action.