A captivating and swashbuckling romantasy for fans of DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING and TO KILL A KINGDOM.
Ximena Reale is certain of one thing: the only good pirate is a dead one.
Ximena has spent her life training to become one of the black-cloaked cazadores, seafaring hunters who capture the pirates pillaging the Luzan Empire. But although Ximena is the top candidate at la academia, that will not be enough for a daughter of the notorious Reales - pirate captains who were executed for their crimes against the Empire.
So when Gasparilla, the most infamous pirate in Luza's history, attacks the capital, Ximena offers to catch him in exchange for being named a cazadora. The Empire accepts, on one condition: she must compete for her cloak against Dante de León, the pompous and infuriating son of the High Minister.
Knowing this is her chance to prove herself once and for all, Ximena must set out on a dangerous quest across the archipelago to hunt Gasparilla. But no matter how far she sails, her family's pirate legacy continues to haunt her, and she soon has to question the very laws she's always fought to uphold . . .
Ximena Reale is certain of one thing: the only good pirate is a dead one.
Ximena has spent her life training to become one of the black-cloaked cazadores, seafaring hunters who capture the pirates pillaging the Luzan Empire. But although Ximena is the top candidate at la academia, that will not be enough for a daughter of the notorious Reales - pirate captains who were executed for their crimes against the Empire.
So when Gasparilla, the most infamous pirate in Luza's history, attacks the capital, Ximena offers to catch him in exchange for being named a cazadora. The Empire accepts, on one condition: she must compete for her cloak against Dante de León, the pompous and infuriating son of the High Minister.
Knowing this is her chance to prove herself once and for all, Ximena must set out on a dangerous quest across the archipelago to hunt Gasparilla. But no matter how far she sails, her family's pirate legacy continues to haunt her, and she soon has to question the very laws she's always fought to uphold . . .
"James delivers her fast-paced and convincing debut narrative in an accomplished third-person voice. Budding romance and soaring stakes keep the tension simmering through the last page. A shimmering, piratical fantasy with real-world teeth." - Kirkus Reviews
"Enticing. Debut author James employs elucidating prose to craft a rich imaginary world inspired by 18th-century Latin America in this swashbuckling adventure." - Publishers Weekly
"Fast-paced. Readers will cheer as [Ximena] comes to her own conclusions about the Empire's influence. A treacherous, seaworthy tale full of adventure." - School Library Journal
"Fast-paced and brimming with tension, intrigue, and twists, James crafts a vivid setting where murky alliances and questionable motives keep readers guessing. A richly developed, highly driven heroine and a plot full of peril, with themes of courage and resilience lingering long after the last page. A fast-paced adventure set against a backdrop as treacherous as it is mesmerizing." - Booklist
"Enticing. Debut author James employs elucidating prose to craft a rich imaginary world inspired by 18th-century Latin America in this swashbuckling adventure." - Publishers Weekly
"Fast-paced. Readers will cheer as [Ximena] comes to her own conclusions about the Empire's influence. A treacherous, seaworthy tale full of adventure." - School Library Journal
"Fast-paced and brimming with tension, intrigue, and twists, James crafts a vivid setting where murky alliances and questionable motives keep readers guessing. A richly developed, highly driven heroine and a plot full of peril, with themes of courage and resilience lingering long after the last page. A fast-paced adventure set against a backdrop as treacherous as it is mesmerizing." - Booklist