How to Survive in the Age of Pirates by Crispin Boyer

How to Survive in the Age of Pirates by Crispin Boyer -- 96 pages

This book gives a lot of information about pirates and piracy during the 17th and 18th centuries in the Caribbean.  It is given through the lens of someone from modern day being thrown back in time and having to survive.
I read this book in preparation for the homeschool class.  While I found it gave a lot of information, I did find the premise of a modern person being stuck back in time a little annoying.  Instead of focusing on the pirates' time it would instead give a present-day view of things -- such as when talking about common diseases and how to cure them.  Half of the time it talked about the historical issues and then the other half it talked about the diseases in modern times.  It was a little confusing.  Still, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting more information about pirates.
 

My Salty Mary (The Marys #3) by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand

My Salty Mary (The Marys #3) by Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand-422 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the story of The Little Mermaid if the prince rejected her and married another, but she doesn't turn into sea foam. Instead, she becomes Mary Read, notorious pirate of the 18th Century. "Calico Jack" (John Rackham) and Anne Bonny, notorious pirates in their own right, are also a part of this story. Historically speaking, "Calico Jack" and Anne Bonny may have had a romantic relationship and it is fictionally portrayed here (Jack is half merman, half human in this story). The majority of the story takes place with her experience as a pirate sailing the open seas. Blackbeard's (Edward Teach) fictional son, Tobias Teach, is the navigator on the Ranger, which Mary ends up captaining. There ends up being a Pirate King contest and Mary enters it for complicated reasons. Pop culture references abound that make this such a fun read. I rather enjoyed reading this fictional story about pirates and mermaids and other fantastical creatures.

 

Vengeance of the Pirate Queen by Tricia Levenseller

Vengeance of the Pirate Queen by Tricia Levenseller -- 336 pages

You can’t be afraid of the dark when you’re the monster lurking in the shadows.

As an assassin working for the pirate queen, eighteen-year-old Sorinda is surprised when Alosa’s next task for her is not to kill a new target, but to captain a handpicked crew on a rescue mission. Unfortunately, her sailing master is twenty-year-old Kearan. He may be the best helmsman the pirate queen has, but Sorinda finds him a real pain in the arse. Sadly, there are few places on a ship to hide from an attentive man.

As the crew of the Vengeance faces dangerous waters and deadly sea creatures, they accidentally awaken the King of the Undersea, a being who can control the dead. Their rescue mission quickly turns into a fight to save the world, but first, Sorinda must save herself from becoming an undead queen.

Dark Water Daughter by H.M. Long

 

Dark Water Daughter (The Winter Sea #1) by H.M. Long, 457 p.

"A stormsinger and pirate hunter join forces against a deathless pirate lord in this swashbuckling Jacobean adventure on the high-seas. Launching the Winter Sea series, full of magic, betrayal, redemption and fearsome women, for readers of Adrienne Young, R. J. Barker and Naomi Novik.

Mary Firth is a Stormsinger: a woman whose voice can still hurricanes and shatter armadas. Faced with servitude to pirate lord Silvanus Lirr, Mary offers her skills to his arch-rival in exchange for protection - and, more importantly, his help sending Lirr to a watery grave. But her new ally has a vendetta of his own, and Mary's dreams are dark and full of ghistings, spectral creatures who inhabit the ancient forests of her homeland and the figureheads of ships. 

Samuel Rosser is a disgraced naval officer serving aboard The Hart, an infamous privateer commissioned to bring Lirr to justice. He will stop at nothing to capture Lirr, restore his good name and reclaim the only thing that stands between himself and madness: a talisman stolen by Mary. Finally, driven into the eternal ice at the limits of their world, Mary and Samuel must choose their loyalties and battle forces older and more powerful than the pirates who would make them slaves."--Goodreads blurb

I really liked the fresh story with engrossing world building and not just magic, but storm magic! Great action, storyline, and likeable characters. I am looking forward to more in this series!

Fable by Adrienne Young

Fable by Adrienne Young -- 357 pages

For seventeen-year-old Fable, the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home she has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one, and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father, and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him, and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue, and adventure.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty, 496 p.

"Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul." --Goodreads blurb

Amina al-Sirafi just wants to leave her crazy pirating days behind and live in peace with her family. But when she gets an offer she just can't refuse, she goes on one last adventure to hopefully set her family up for the rest of their lives. But of course, this straightforward assignment to find a lost granddaughter turns into much more than Amina bargained for. Along with old friends and flames, will Amina succeed in her quest, and will she find who she is along the way?

As a huge Chakraborty fan, I was so looking forward to getting my hands on this title. The Daevabad trilogy is some of the best storytelling in the last decade. This story had her tell-tale fun, engaging storytelling, and great dialogue. I did find my mind wandering a bit in this story, and honestly don't have a lot of recollection of most of the details of this book, though I just finished it. I will most likely re-read this to hopefully gain some of the nuance that I know Chakraborty put into it.

 

Pirates Past Noon (Magic Tree House #4) by Mary Pope Osborne

Pirates Past Noon (Magic Tree House #4) by Mary Pope Osborne-67 pages

I read this previously, but I wanted to read it again for the monthly challenge. I enjoy Magic Tree House books and I enjoy stories involving pirates. In this book, Jack and Annie run into Cap'n Bones who is searching for Captain Kidd's lost treasure. They also find out who the mysterious M is (Morgan le Fay).

The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbitt

The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbitt - 290 pages

Mabel Jones has been kidnapped by pirates from a world occupied only by animals.  Now the only way home is to find the lost pieces of "X" that will open a portal back to her home.

I picked this up to listen to after finding out Will Mabbitt had written a chapter book for kids.  He is the author of my favorite picture book of this year -- I Can Only Draw Worms.  This book was hilarious.  It is narrated by Toby Jones who has the perfect tones of sarcasm and over-emoting for the story.  I will definitely be recommending this book for kids to read.

The Berenstain Bears Pirate Adventure by Mike Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears Pirate Adventure by Mike Berenstain-24 pages

I wanted to read this book because I find pirate history/pirates fascinating. In this Berenstain Bears adventure, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear go to the beach and see a shipwreck. They imagine themselves as pirates looking for pirate treasure. This is another enjoyable Berenstain Bears story.

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee, 450 p.

"A year after an accidentally whirlwind grand tour with her brother Monty, Felicity Montague has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.
But then a window of opportunity opens—a doctor she idolizes is marrying an old friend of hers in Germany. Felicity believes if she could meet this man he could change her future, but she has no money of her own to make the trip. Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid.
In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that leads them from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic."

Great second book for this series. Felicity is a smart, strong willed young lady and will not take no for an answer, even in the face of devastation. Monty and Percy make wonderful appearances in this book, and new characters to love as well. I hope this series continues. Listened to this on audiobook and would recommend. 

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, 513 p.

"Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores."

I liked this book much more than I anticipated. It's funny and emotional and you love to love and hate Monty. Lots of great characters in this book, from aristocrats to pirates. The Montague family is one to remember. Couldn't wait to read the next in the series and picked it up right away. Listened to this on audio and would recommend. 

Captain Jack and The Night Pirates by Peter Bently and Helen Oxenbury

Captain Jack and the Pirates by Peter Bently and Helen Oxenbury, 28 pages

Jack, Zach, and Caspar go on a make believe pirate adventure.  A fun read too teach children where their imagination can take them.

The Night Pirates by Peter Harris, 24 pages

The Night Pirates by Peter Harris, 24 pages

This was a really cute children's book about Tom who dreams he is a pirate and runs into a group of girl pirates who are hunting treasure and steal it from the real pirates.

Pirates Vs. Cowboys by Aaron Reynolds and David Barneda

Pirates Vs. Cowboys by Aaron Reynolds and David Barneda, 34 pages

Pirates Vs. Cowboys was a really cute book about pirates and cowboys.  It is really more so about the language each of these groups is distinctively known for.  Simply stated pirates speak like pirates and cowboys speak like cowboys.  Who will translate for them?  Of course the obvious choice to translate is Pegleg Highnoon!

Pirates of The Silver Coast (Three Thieves) by Scott Chandler

Pirates of The Silver Coast (Three Thieves) by Scott Chandler, 92 pages

Pirates of the Silver Coast was a fun and colorful juvenile graphic novel to read, but I was confused by the characters as this is the fifth book in the series.  I highly recommend reading the other books in the series if you can find them first.  However, the book was entertaining as it follows a young girl named Dessa as she searches for the island of Astaroth.  But, when she is overtaken by a pirate ship who is after her map, her plans may have to be changed.

Pirates Love Underpants by Claire Freedman & Ben Cort

Pirates Love Underpants by Claire Freedman & Ben Cort, 24pages

Who wouldn't love golden underpants?  In this children's book, pirates hunt for the gold treasure, but in this case the treasure isn't just gold, it is golden underpants.  Will the pirates find what they are looking for?

The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found by Martin W. Sandler

The Whydah: A Pirate Ship Feared, Wrecked, and Found by Martin W. Sandler - 176 pages

The exciting true story of the captaincy, wreck, and discovery of the Whydah the only pirate ship ever found and the incredible mysteries it revealed.
The 1650s to the 1730s marked the golden age of piracy, when fearsome pirates like Blackbeard ruled the waves, seeking not only treasure but also large and fast ships to carry it. The Whydah was just such a ship, built to ply the Triangular Trade route, which it did until one of the greediest pirates of all, Black Sam Bellamy, commandeered it. Filling the ship to capacity with treasure, Bellamy hoped to retire with his bounty but in 1717 the ship sank in a storm off Cape Cod. For more than two hundred years, the wreck of the Whydah (and the riches that went down with it) eluded treasure seekers, until the ship was finally found in 1984 by marine archaeologists. The artifacts brought up from the ocean floor are priceless, both in value and in the picture they reveal of life in that much-mythologized era, changing much of what we know about pirates."

Scooby-Doo! and the Sunken Ship by James Gelsey

Scooby-Doo! and the Sunken Ship by James Gelsey-57 pages

Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne travel to Sandy Cove to visit Daphne's Aunt Maggie and Uncle Murrary. Soon, they encounter pirate Captain Horace Frye, whose 350th birthday is being celebrated in Sandy Cove to try and keep it running/going. Scooby and the gang are on the case to solve the mystery and save Sandy Cove. I've always enjoyed watching Scooby-Doo! cartoons, so I wanted to read a few short mysteries for this month's challenge and I enjoyed doing so.

Pirates (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #4) by Mary Pope Osborne and Will Osborne

Pirates (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #4) by Mary Pope Osborne and Will Osborne-128 pages (Kindle Edition)

I read Pirates Past Noon, so I wanted to read the companion nonfiction book (I enjoy both fiction and nonfiction). I did learn a couple of things I didn't already know (i.e. Jolly Roger came from a French word for the color red which was the color of early pirate flags), but most of it I already knew. I enjoyed reading this as I do any Magic Tree House book.

Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osborne

Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osborne-67 pages

I have always been fascinated with history and the Golden Age of Piracy. In this book, Jack and Annie are taken to a deserted island where pirates are searching for Captain Kidd's buried treasure. After they make it back home to Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, Jack and Annie meet the mysterious M (Morgan Le Fay, King Arthur's cousin) for the first time. I am enjoying reading/re-reading (I don't remember which ones I read as a kid) this series because it teaches kids history in a fun, interactive way. I am now reading the companion research guide/fact tracker for this book.