The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye

The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron is the fictionalized story of a real woman who was one of the more successful pirates of the Caribbean in the mid-1600s.

In the tumultuous town of Yáquimo, Santo Domingo, Jacquotte Delahaye is an unknown but up-and-coming shipwright. Her dreams are bold but her ambitions are bound by the confines of her life with her self-seeking French father. When her way of life and the delicate balance of power in the town are threatened, she is forced to flee her home and become a woman on the run along with a motley crew of refugees, including a mysterious young woman named Teresa.

Jacquotte and her band become indentured servants to the infamous Blackhand, a ruthless pirate captain who rules his ship with an iron fist. As they struggle to survive his brutality, Jacquotte finds herself unable to resist Teresa despite their differences. When Blackhand hatches a dangerous scheme to steal a Portuguese shipment of jewels, Jacquotte must rely on her wits, resourcefulness, and friends to survive. But she discovers there is a grander, darker scheme of treachery at play, and she ultimately must decide what price she is willing to pay to secure a better future for them all.

An unforgettable tale told in three parts, The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye is a thrilling, buccaneering escapade filled with siege and battle, and is also a tender exploration of friendship, love, and the search for freedom and home.

Cameron, Briony. (2024). The Ballad of Jacquotte Delehaye. New York: Atria Books.

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (al-Sirafi #1)

The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty is a wonderful pirate adventure set in the twelfth century in the Indian Ocean. 

Amina al-Sarafi is a nakhudha, a pirate and a smuggler. She is a legend who brings fear to sailors and merchants. 

She retired ten years ago. She found a dilapidated house in the jungle and fixed it up for her daughter. Her mother often lives with them and her brother visits when he can. She has a quiet, peaceful life though she does miss the sea. 

When a wealthy woman offers her a huge amount of money to find her kidnapped granddaughter – the daughter of one of al-Sirafi’s crew – she cannot pass up the chance for a quick sail. Afterall, her ship is ready to go. She promises to look for four months for an upfront fee… 

Chakraborty is a great storyteller weaving in right lore to create a reading experience that is fun and adventurous. 

Chakraborty, Shannon. (2023). The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi. New York: Harper Voyager.

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea

The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall is the story of a pirate and an aristocrat falling in love in the midst of a kidnapping.

Lady Evelyn Hasegawa has been betrothed to a man across the sea. It is not uncommon for the upper classes to marry off daughters to secure their fortune. It is, however, so far away that she is unlikely to ever see her family or her city again. But the only person she is likely to miss is her maid.

Evelyn is taking a passenger ship across the sea to meet her husband. As is tradition in these cases, she has packed her belongings into a coffin for transport, signifying her pledge to remain there for her lifetime.

What Evelyn and the other passengers do not know if that their passenger ship is really a pirate ship in disguise. They are all likely to be sold at the end of the voyage.

The pirate Florian does what it takes to survive - including changing their gender presentation to get by on a male only ship. But due to this, they have been assigned to guard the Lady Evelyn to keep her from harm (so her price is higher). 

Tokuda-Hall has written a great fantasy adventure with wonderful, fantastical creatures, budding young love, and pirates! What more could you need. 

Tokuda-Hall, Maggie. (2020). The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea. New York: Candlewick Press.

Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean

Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean: How a Generation of Swashbuckling Jews Carved Out an Empire in the New World in Their Quest for Treasure, Religious Freedom - and Revenge by Edward Kritzler is the history of the Jewish men who traveled with explorers from Europe in the hopes of finding a land where their people could be safe and free.

In the fifteenth century, many Jews fled Spain during the Spanish Inquisition, others become Conversos. At the time, it was not safe for Jews anywhere in Europe - where they were scattered after being expelled from the land of what is now Israel with the destruction of the Second Temple. There were restrictions on where they could live, the type of jobs they could hold (which were often in commerce as the Christians of the time felt the fields were below them), and with whom they could interact. This was true all over Western Europe, creating a kind of loose alliance of people who knew they were the only ones who would look out for each other.

With the explorers of the new world, each ship had a Jewish man aboard - both doing his job and hoping to discover a land where he could move his family to safety.

During this time, the first country to openly welcome Jewish people, Holland, let to the oldest Jewish community in Europe, in Amsterdam. Rabbi Samuel Palanche ran the community as well as being an explorer and pirate who participated in many raids against the Spanish and visits to North and South America.

This book includes great tales of part of Jewish history few know about. Including in places like Jamaica, Barbados, Brazil, and the southern United States. Even the famous savior of New Orleans Lafayette is included. If you are interested in history or pirates, this is a must read.

Kritzler, Edward. (2008). Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean. New York: Anchor Books.

Branded Ann

Branded Ann by Merry Shannon is a pirate romance novel.

Branded Ann is the most feared pirate on the Spanish Main. Her ship, the Ice Queen, is painted completely white and sailors shiver when they see it coming for them. Part of Ann’s ferociousness stems from a cross shaped scar across her otherwise beautiful face.

Violet Watts is traveling to Jamaica with her new husband to start a new life. She had a rough life that she is happy to leave behind with the only man she has ever loved. But a couple of days short of the island, a white ship is spotted on the horizon.

Shannon has written a swashbuckling pirate romance about lesbians on the high seas. This novel is a great beach read.

Shannon, Merry. (2008). Branded Ann. NY: Bold Strokes Books.

The Sea Hawk

The Sea Hawk by Brenda Adcock is a time-traveling pirate adventure.

Dr. Julia Blanchard is a marine archeologist working on the Georgia coast. She and her team are slowing exploring and excavating the ship they are calling the Georgia Peach. She knows it is not the safest plan, but she has to get one more look at the ship. She takes her boat out and anchors to the buoy. But the shadow of another boat looms above as she is diving.

Once her friends realize she is missing, Julia is floating near the marker buoy hoping for a rescue. Unfortunately, a storm is coming in. Rescue boats will not be sent out until it passes. At which point Julia will have been blown away from the sight of the wreck.

Just when Julia is starting to give up hope, a ship come by. When she is brought on board she is sure it is some kind of reenactment. But it soon seems like she is actually back in the 1800s.

Before Julia can get comfortable on her strange rescue ship, that ship is attacked by pirates. Julia is taken captive by a female pirate named Simone Moreau on her ship Le Faucon de Mer. The very ship Julia has been excavating.

Adcock has written a great tale of romance set in two different time periods, perfect for anyone who like stories of swashbuckling female pirates.

Adcock, Brenda. (2008). The Sea Hawk. Nederland, TX: Yellow Rose Books.

A Pirate's Heart

A Pirate’s Heart by Catherine Friend is a lesbian romance for fans of both pirates and librarians!

Librarian Emma Boyd works at a rare book library. She is overworked and has little time for a social life but she know just about everything there is to know about the pirate captain Tomasina Farris who disappeared in 1715.  So when a thief steals a map from her collection she wants to help catch the person who did it – someone who may be searching for Tommy Farris’s lost treasure.

Investigator Randi Marx does not want help from any stuffy librarian. She is a map expert in her own right and works for one of the best private investigation firms in the country. When it is suggested that she and Emma go to the other libraries where there have been map thefts, she is less than thrilled.

Friend has combined two stories – one of Tommy Farris in the height of piracy in the Caribbean – and a chase across the US and a search for a lost treasure. This is great romance story.

Friend, Catherine. (2008). A Pirate’s Heart. Valley Falls, NY: Bold Strokes Books.

Honor Among Enemies (Honor Harrington #6)

Honor Among Enemies by David Weber is the sixth book in his series featuring Honor Harrington - a space captain in the Royal Mantacore Navy.

After a couple of year on Grayson, Honor is asked to rejoin the RMN. She doesn't know that she will be getting a near impossible assignment - set up by two of her political enemies.

Honor will be in charge of a small fleet of converted cargo ships retrofitted to be Q-ships (attack vessels disguised as harmless transport ships). They will be sent to cover a huge area where pirates are raiding merchant ships. The Silesian Confederacy is huge and Honor will be given just a few ships to try to control the problem.

To add insult to injury, Mantacore cannot really spare the crew to fill her ships. They will be made up of people other captains want to get rid of - the screw ups of the RMN.

Weber has created a wonderful science fiction series. Honor is a well-named character whose people would follow anywhere. Any fans of scifi who have not read this series are missing out.

Weber, David. (1996). Honor Among Enemies. New York: BAEN.

The Pirate's Wish (Assassin's Curse #2)

The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke is the second book in her Assassin's Curse series - a curse that was sent in motion when a pirate saved the life of the assassin who was sent to kill her.

Ananna and Naji are linked by a curse, an impossible curse. In order to break it, he has to do three things: he must have the kiss of the woman who loves him; he must hold a princess's starstones, and he must create life out of violence.

Before he can accomplish any of those tasks, he and Ananna must get off of the island they are trapped upon. Their friend Marjani has promised to come back for them, but sailors are superstitious about the island, so it may take some time.

Clarke's second volume of the series features mythical creatures, pirate battles, magic, assassins, friendship and more. It is an adventurous tale of fun!

Clarke, Cassandra Rose. (2013). The Pirate's Wish. New York: Strange Chemistry.

Hostage Three

Hostage Three by Nick Lake is story of a British family being captured by Somali pirates.

Amy is in her last days of high school when her father decides he is going to buy an yacht and sail around the world with his family.

Unfortunately, just as they are all settling into the voyage, the enter the Gulf of Aden - between Yemen and Somaliland - the yacht is captured by a crew of Somali pirates. What follows is captivity on the yacht while the pirates try to negotiate an agreeable price for the hostages.

Lake has written a book that, more than a pirate novel, is the story of a young woman coming to terms with the death of her mother while coming of age. She develops a friendship with one of the pirates and seems fairly unfazed by her captivity. The setting eventually gives her and her father a chance to get to know each other again.

Lake, Nick. (2013). Hostage Three. New York: Bloomsbury.

Boston Jacky (Bloody Jack #11)

Boston Jacky: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Taking Care of Business by L.A. Meyer is the eleventh book in the Bloody Jack series about a wonderful and outrageous young woman whose adventures are a joy to read.

Jacky, being done in Spain - both for British Intelligence and with the studio of Francisco Goya - is sailing for Boston. It has been a while since she was last in Boston - having been sentenced to life in the Australian penal colony, washed away in a typhoon, and presumed dead by many.

Returning to her adopted home of Boston, Jacky must take stock of Faber Shipping Worldwide and check on friends while impatiently awaiting the arrival of her intended, Jaime Fletcher. However, as trouble seems to find her wherever she lands, Jacky has some old enemies to deal with, a changing political climate that has closed her favorite pub, and a Puritanical population that does not like the direction of the plays she puts on at her new theater.

As ever, Jacky Faber is a wonderful character who gets into and out of trouble and delights readers of all ages. This series is definitely in my favorite books of all time!

Meyer, L.A. (2013). Boston Jacky. New York: Harcourt.

The Floating Island (Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme #1)

The Floating Island by Elizabeth Haydon is the first book in the Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme - which tell of the adventures of Charles Magnus Polypheme, known as Ven.

Ven is the youngest son of a Nain shipbuilder. The Nain are a human-like race that usually lives underground, and they are known for their fear of water. But unlike his siblings, Ven has waited for years to be old enough to go out on one of the ships his family builds. But when it is finally his turn to sail the bay and sign off on the inspection, things do not go as planned.

Ven's ship is attacked by Fire Pirates, who never leave anyone alive. Through some quick thinking and high explosives, Ven finds himself floating in the wreckage. What follows includes sea monsters, mermaids, a floating magical island, and once on land, a haunted inn.

The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme are adventure at their best. Haydon has reassembled the journals and filled in the blanks to create a wonderful series that will appeal to all ages.

Haydon, Elizabeth. (2006). The Floating Island. New York: Tom Doherty Associates Books.

Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentlemen Bastards #2)

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch is the second book in his Gentlemen Bastards series about uniquely trained thieves.

Locke Lamora is plotting a new scheme. After fleeing the land of Camorr he has settled, for a time, on the island of Tal Verrar. He has spent the last two years working his way from level to level in the most exclusive casino on the planet - where you must be invited by the owner to move to the next floor.

But now that Locke is getting close to being in position to make his move, he and his friend are kidnapped and taken to the fortress of the Archon. The Archon, who derives his power from the threat of war and is not as popular as he was when the Priori of the city developed his temporary position to fight off pirates, has a job for Locke - and an interesting way to make sure it is carried out.

But can a man who has never been on a ship other than one seasick voyage convince a group of pirates that he is one of them or has Locke met his match in this challenge?

Lynch has created a series that combines fantasy, pirates, thieves, political intrigue, espionage, and more. It is a swashbuckling tale that will have readers tying to guess an outcome that has too many twists to accurately predict. A great read.

Lynch, Scott. (2007). Red Seas Under Red Skies. New York: Bantam.

Shiver Me Timbers!

Shiver Me Timbers! Pirate Poems and Paintings is the latest book of poetry by Douglas Florian, illustrated by Robert Neubecker.

This is a fun and hilarious collection of poems about pirates and the scurvy, rotten ways of pirates. It is definately worth a read.

Florian, Douglas. (2012). Shiver Me Timbers! NY: Simon and Schuster.

Vortex (Cutter Cay #3)

Vortex by Cherry Adair is the third book in her Cutter Cay series about three brothers who search for sunken ships and their treasures.

Logan Cutter is on the trail of a ship that was carrying millions of dollars' worth of emeralds. He has done his research and is sure he is close to finding it off of the coast of Peru. If he is successful, it will be the largest prize any of the brothers have found.

But what Logan pulls out of the water is a woman. Not a mermaid, but a woman who was thrown overboard by pirates - who happen to be her cousins. Dani Rosado's family has known about the ship since it sunk. Their great, great, great ancestor created a map of where the treasure wrecked - carved out of an emerald bowl. But Cutter is going after the wrong ship - the main ship was a decoy and the treasure was on the smaller ship, the Daniela.

Now Dani must get Logan to move 500 miles to the South of where he is searching, keep her cousins from stealing the treasure from him when he finds it, and keep herself from falling for him.

Adair's Cutter Cay series is a must read for fans of romantic suspense, or fans of sea stories. Romance or no, I totally want to live on a boat where I can just swim around all day and have a chef prepare my meals!

Adair, Cherry. (2012). Vortex. New York: St. Martin's Paperbacks.

Bloodline (Sigma Force #8)

Bloodline by James Rollins is the eighth book in his Sigma Force series that began with Sandstorm. Sigma Force is a group with in DARPA made up of elite soldiers with advanced science or technology degrees - the idea being that a small team can go into any situation with knowledge than any other. One of Sigma's main goals is to stop a shadow organization that seems to be behind most major power grabs around the world, known only as the Guild.

The latest mission for Grey Pierce and his team involves the daughter of the President of the United States. Amanda and her husband were sent a letter warning them that their unborn child was in danger. They reacted by traveling halfway around the world on false papers and renting a yacht in the Seychelles. Unfortunately, they are found by Somali pirates.

Sigma must track Amanda into Somalia - a country almost entirely run by bands of pirates - and find her in the jungle. For this special mission, they need to recruit two new team members. Retired Captain Tucker Wayne and his war dog, Kane, are the perfect team to track anything with a scent.

Rollins is a master of the genre that Dan Brown got famous for with the DaVinci Code - but James Rollins is the best in the genre. His books will keep readers on their toes, staying up late due to adrenalin and a need to know what happens next!

Rollins, James. (2012). Bloodline. New York: William Morrow.

Remarkable

Remarkable by Lizzie K. Foley is the story of a remarkable town full of remarkable people. Everyone in town is remarkable in some way...except Jane.

Jane is the daughter of Angelina Mona Linda Doe, the famous architect, and Anderson Brigby Bright Doe III, the famous novelist. Her parents had a grand name picked out for her but when she was born she was ordinary and they named her Jane. Jane is the only student who goes to public school in Remarkable. The other kids all have some remarkable skill or talent that got them into the School for Remarkable Children.

Jane's school year will be anything but ordinary. The Grimlet twins are plotting to get kicked out of Remarkable school so that they can join her in public school. A famous pirate captain, Captain Rojo Herring, has just come to town and appears to be hiding from the three filthy pirates who are looking for him. And having so many pirates in town leads Jane's teacher to throw out the regular curriculum for fifth grade and teach her three students to be good pirates.

Foley has written a humorous story of a quirky town filled with quite an array of characters. This is a must read for anyone looking for a light book - or fifth graders who need to do a book report.

Foley, Lizzie K. (2012). Remarkable. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Immortal War (Vampirates #6)

Immortal War by Justin Somper is the sixth book in his Vampirates series.

Almost a year ago, twins Connor and Grace left the lighthouse they knew as home and set sail in their father's boat. After capsizing in a storm Connor was rescued by pirates from the Pirate Academy. Grace was rescued by the Nocturnal, a ship of Vampirates - vampires who refuse to kill humans for blood.

Now a growing group of rebel Vampirates threaten the seas and those now calling themselves Nocturnals have joint with the Pirate Alliance to fight back. Connor and Grace are at the center of the war and according to a 500 year old prophesy will be the ones who influence the outcome - though one may die in the process.

Somper has created a great series for fans of multiple genres. Vampires and pirates - what more do I need to say! Start the first book, Demons of the Oceans, now.

Somper, Justin. (2012). Immortal War. New York: Simon and Schuster.

The Dust of 100 Dogs

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King is a pirate story with a twist.

Emer Morrisey was born in the mid-1600s in Ireland. After a very eventful, but short life, she was cursed to live the lives of one hundred dogs before she can live another human life. Due to the curse, she will be conscious the whole time while she lives as a dog and longs to become human once again so she can resume her life of piracy - or at least claim the treasure she has buried in Jamaica.

Reborn as a human in 1972, Emer becomes Saffron Adams. She lives in Pennsylvania, much too far from the ocean for her liking. She must bide her time until she can be free of her new parents' house and search for her treasure.

King has created a pirate tale about two lives lived by one woman. The stories are woven together beautifully and sprinkled with the wisdom of dogs. The Dust of 100 Dogs is a must read! It is a great book and will be the most unique book you read this year.

King, AS. (2009). The Dust of 100 Dogs. Woodbury, MN: Flux.

The Sea Wolves (Jack London #2)

The Sea Wolves is the second book in The Secret Journeys of Jack London by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon, illustrated by Greg Ruth. These authors have taken the already fascinating life of Jack London and added a supernatural element, telling stories that read like London's own books.

When Jack had had enough of the Yukon and the Gold Rush, he boarded the same ship, the Umatilla, that took him to Alaska to make his way back to San Francisco. When the ship is attacked by pirates seeking gold, Jack realizes that the pirates are killing people in their beds. Jack yells and challenges one of the pirates to alert other passengers to the danger.

Unfortunately for Jack, after a short fight, he is thrown overboard and ends up on the pirate ship. While the other prisoners from the Umatilla are locked in the hold, Jack has caught the captain's attention as the only passenger to fight back. Though Jack is unsure if he will be kept alive long, he is told the ship needs a cook.

Jack's uneasy time is made worse when he and the only woman on board, Sabine, are locked into a cabin one night. The cabin is the only secure place on the ship during a full moon - because the crew of pirates are all werewolves.

Golden and Lebbon have created an historical supernatural adventure surrounding one of America's heroes - using legend and lore woven in with the facts of London's life. Readers who like the supernatural but are looking for a story with more depth than some of the latest vampire books, look no further.

Golden, Christopher and Tim Lebbon. (2012). The Sea Wolves. New York: Harper.