Max and the Spice Thieves
by John Peragine
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Pub Date Apr 20 2021 | Archive Date Apr 19 2021
Crumblebee Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
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Description
When his mother goes missing, Max Daybreaker’s world is turned upside down. Luckily, a crew of Spice Pirates, led by the mysterious Captain Cinn, help Max on his dangerous mission across the three seas.
Along the way, an unlikely alliance aids in his search—a teenage warrior queen, a three-eyed seer, and an assassin spy.
Their journey takes them through treacherous lands while facing shapeshifting bears, an ancient witch, harpies, and the nightmarish Djinn, who will stop at nothing to enslave the world.
With every new challenge, Max unlocks the secrets of his unsettling past. Powers awaken within, forcing him to question everything he knows.
Is Max who he thinks he is? Only time and destiny will tell…
A Note From the Publisher
Hardback 9781735389646
eBook 978-1-7353896-5-3
Hardback 9781735389646
eBook 978-1-7353896-5-3
Advance Praise
“In John Peragine’s boisterous middle grade fantasy, a boy undertakes an odyssey to reunite with his family.
“Thirteen-year-old Max’s father is missing, and his mother has just been abducted, so he joins Captain Cinn and his pirate crew to work as a cabin boy, and to seek answers with their help. Armed with his rare history book, The Secrets of the Twilight Djinn, Max and Cinn gather motley helpers as they cross challenging terrain. Friendships form while Max learns the truth about his parents, outrunning the Twilight Army and evil djinns that threaten them all.
“The book’s disparate fantasy elements draw from myths, medieval guilds, and an old world spice trade, resulting in characters who sometimes clash, including a witch and her harpies, a sultan, a northern queen, and shape-shifting snow bears. The islands they inhabit are a busy amalgam with painful back stories that unfold through detailed conversations.
“Amid themes of regal power and those who fight it, seafaring scenes set on Captain Cinn’s Saucy Pig steal the show, as does the book’s witty banter, and everyone’s penchant for improvising bumbling, thrilling escape plans that deepen their ties to each other. Throughout, culinary delights underscore how “bland food is a crime”; they are a fun background element. When Max discovers untamed magic within himself, his sudden power helps to steer him closer to his goals. His gradual change from a sheltered farm boy to a brave pirate-in-training comes via brisk episodes that raise enough intriguing questions to spur the next installment of the series.
“With its focus on ragtag, skilled fighters and renegade sentiments, Max and the Spice Thieves is an entertaining island adventure.”
—KAREN RIGBY for Foreword Review JUVENILE FICTION (March / April 2021)
“Max Daybreaker is a simple farm boy, or so he thinks. When his sailor father is presumed dead at sea, he and his mother set out on a search. When Max is separated from his mother even before the journey starts, strange events occur. He joins up with the Spice Pirate Captain Cinn in the quest for his parents. The journey is full of discoveries of new worlds, new truths, secrets, and more. During his quest, Max meets an angry prince, a teenage queen, a seer, a witch queen, spice thieves, harpies, and shape-shifting bears. All of them want to fight against an evil Djinn. What is Max’s role in this journey? Is he really who he thinks he is? More of these questions are answered in the brisk page-turner Max and the Spice Thieves by John Peragine.
"Imagine you are a teenager who knew one life, and suddenly you are thrown into a strange set of circumstances that question who you are. That is exactly what happens to Max Daybreaker in John Peragine’s spellbinding fantasy tale Max and the Spice Thieves. From leading a quiet life on a farm, he turns into the savior of clans and tribes. Max’s journey in search of his parents is captivating. It takes him through the high seas, desert palaces, thick jungles, ice castles, and more. It was a delightful reading experience to join Max on his journey. All his fellow travelers – Captain Cinn, Linzy, Mesha, Timbu, Annalinda – were fascinating in their own way. The story was gripping and left me wanting more. I thoroughly enjoyed this journey with Max and eagerly await his next. 5 Stars”
—Reviewed By Soumya Sreehari for Readers’ Favorite
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781735389639 |
| PRICE | $14.99 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Jen Anne B, Reviewer
Young Max Daybreaker, bored with his humdrum life, dreamt of adventures in far-off ports spurred on by the last book he received from his father two years prior, The Secrets of the Twilight Djinn. His dad had been missing since he left for his latest voyage. Max read and re-read that book, convinced that his father was still alive, and he longed for the impossible – the day he could be a man and go searching for his dad. When Max’s mom wakes him one morning, surprising him with preparations for a journey they will undertake, he thinks she’s finally given in and is willing to travel with Max to find his dad. Though Max is unsure of her reasons or exact plans, she reminds him that his father is gone, but assures him they will be traveling, instead, on a pirate ship to an island where they will be safe – a place called Sanctus.
Before they even make it to the pirate ship, Max becomes separated from his mom, and has to be rescued from a couple of thieves by none other than spice thief, Captain Cinn of the Saucy Pig – the pirate ship they were supposed to travel to Sanctus on. Now, with both parents missing, Max has no choice but to accept the help of this spice pirate to discover what happened to his mom, and to find his dad who has been lost at sea and is presumed dead. Along the way they encounter mysterious creatures, unexpected allies, and gourmet meals prepared by the captain himself using a variety of exotic spices.
This action-packed fantasy adventure will keep preteens and middle grade students on the edge of their seats, fully engaged in the story from beginning to end. Just when the reader thinks that the tension is winding down, another unexpected turn takes the reader in a new direction. Instead of finding answers, Max stumbles upon more questions, each more puzzling than the last. The reader follows Max through each adventure, learning more about the Spice Islands, his parents, and an unknown force that Max never knew existed. While running from the Spice Guild, Max and the pirates of The Saucy Pig, along with other new-found allies, will encounter three-eyed seers, mysterious aquatic creatures, a witch queen, a zombie army and snow bears who can shapeshift into human beings. He quickly recalls all of these fantastical beings from his book, The Secrets of the Twilight Djinn, which becomes more of a guide to survive and maneuver through the many twists and turns of his adventure.
Will Max find his mom in time to save her from the Twilight Army? What is this Midnight Jewel that everyone seems to be after? Is Max’s dad really alive out there somewhere in the Three Seas or on one of the fifty Spice Islands, as he hopes? Are Max’s new-found allies truly friends or are they foes setting him up to fail?
Peragine does an excellent job creating this fantasy world with all of its sights and sounds and smells. I highly recommend Max and the Spice Thieves for the young and the young at heart. Available April 2021 - Preorder your copy today!
__________________
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Max and the Spice Thieves by John Peragine
Young Adult Fiction | Action & Adventure | Pirates
274 pages
Crumblebee Books
L’Oste Vineyard Press
Monique B, Book Trade Professional
Overall, I really loved this book. Reading as an adult, I was still thrown into the magic that is Max and the Spice Thieves. It reminded me of the magical world like that of the Harry Potter novels and caused me to reminisce about staying up all night to finish the newest novel in the series. I could see myself as a middle grade kid doing the same with this series!
It has an overall theme of family, love, friendship and loyalty. When the main character, Max loses his parents, he embarks on an adventure of a lifetime to find them-full of magic, adventure and entertainment. I really loved how the author integrated the magical creatures in the different realms and how they were described to the reader. This action packed adventure will leave you wanting more.
Sarah B, Educator
Max and the Spice Thieves is the first installment of a fast paced adventure perfect for Middle Grade readers. The hero of the story, Max, sets off on his first real adventure after a life of seclusion due to a medical condition, and finds much more than he was looking for as he meets friends, encounters dangers, and learns more about himself along the way. It is easy to see how middle grade readers will identify not only with Max but with many of the cast of characters that are met along the way. With universal themes throughout, this is a thrilling book with something for everyone to enjoy.
Full of magic, mystery, an a world very much unlike our own, Max and the Spice Thieves has thrilling twists around every corner which makes the book hard to put down! The mix of characters - including a pirate captain, a witch queen, an assassin spy, and shape shifting snow bears - are not only like-able, but such fun to be around.
Though this is just the first installment of a series, it ends satisfyingly - with the reader looking for what's to come next!
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