Daughter of the Pirate King

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller, 2017 Feiwel and Friends

     Pirates battle with her crew and kidnap Captain Alosa from her ship. Alosa is the seventeen-year-old captain of a specialized ship with trawls the ocean plundering and pillaging for her father, the Pirate King. This ship is special though and the crew is not Alosa's own, nor is her capture accidental.
     The Pirate King has heard about a legendary treasure map part of it hidden somewhere about the enemy ship Nightfarer and he sends his daughter to retrieve it. The crew of the Nightfarer has no idea what they face in the king's daughter, but the first mate is far too observant for Alosa's liking. Riden is also distractingly attractive and tasked with getting any and all information he can from the pirate princess for his captain.
     Alosa and Riden are pitted against each other in a flirtatious battle of wills and skills. As her timeframe becomes more restricted and her cat-and-mouse dance with Riden becomes about more than secrets and politics Alosa is pitched into the struggler her father fights against rebel pirates.
     Riden isn't above using their mutual attraction against Alosa but the girl has secrets of her own to keep. Alosa is in turns snarky and sassy with the crew and Draxen, Riden's brother and captain, as her search for the map is continually thwarted. Draxen is domineering and expectant of favors Alosa refuses to allow.
     Riden discovers something magical about their captive when he impinges on her search for the missing map piece--something which signals danger to the seafarer. But Alosa's secret siren abilities save them when a third player interrupts Alosa's quest for the map and takes her hostage to learn more about the Pirate King's secret weapon.
     Life as the daughter of the Pirate King is not the typical life of a princess, but it makes Alosa a powerful young woman and a likable character. As she fights to succeed in her mission she finds romance with her captor as she discovers his humanity and clings to her own when her siren nature tries to pull her from herself.
     Daughter of the Pirate King is followed by Daughter of the Siren Queen as Alosa's adventures continue. Levenseller's debut novel introduces a truly human young woman dealing with normal issues in a magical and fantastical setting. Violence and danger pervade this adventure meant for young adult readers.