Pirate Princess
Pirate Princess #1
Catherine Banks
Release Date: November 2, 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
As the daughter of the Pirate King, Tilia Swanson has an unusual upbringing learning skills that aren’t often available for women. As the heir apparent for the Kingdom of Crilan, her skills set her apart as she is trained by the best in the land and taught to harness her magic. However, piracy is in her blood, and draws danger to Tilia in the way that treasure draws pirates. Some treasures are more valuable than others. Will this lesson be learned in time or will the betrayal of those around her be her undoing?
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Sometimes a girl just needs to read a book with a strong female character and a fun fantasy twist that is both exciting and daring. Pirate Princess is a fantastic young adult story that will appeal to readers both young and old. This story has a fantastic set of people and exciting adventures that will take you on a ride that you did not see coming.
This book has everything I expected and more. Tilia is a fantastic young adult heroine. She is smart, resourceful, and kind. She is a young woman who embraces who she is and learns to be true to herself, no matter the cost. Tilia has a strong female role that is a great example of a fierce warrior and beautiful princess. I loved how she pushed against the stereotypical norms of society in her world and was loved and supported by those around her. Tilia’s character is what makes this story so great. She is a girl seeking adventure and learning to step into her role in life. I loved watching her experience life and grow into a young woman. In this book we see her fall in love and embrace her magical abilities and fighting skills. We see her learn to balance every part of who she is and learn to thrive in that role.
I loved the excitement of the pirate realm and the world this book presents in general. There is danger, intrigue, and magic. When you roll all those aspects into one, you are bound to have an exciting tale of adventure. This book took several twists and turns I did not anticipate, giving the reader more than they expected. I loved how Catherine takes the world we dive into and makes it tangible. You see the realities of a girl growing up and her excitement for what is next. When that is coupled with magic and pirates, you know that there is going to be some exciting themes to enjoy.
Another aspect I loved of this story is the community around Tilia. Every person that we meet in this story is significant. They all weave in and out of Tilia’s story, enlightening the reader on more of her who she is and explaining the way that she reacts. I loved her Aunt and Uncle and Faxon. These three are so important in her life and to see them interact and have fun was heartwarming. I love getting to meet the different pirates and friends Tilia comes into contact with. Each encounter adds depth to the story and many times allows for a new direction in the story. There are plot twists you expect and some that you will not see coming.
Pirate Princess is a daring young adult story of a young woman who is growing into her rightful place in the world. Tilia is fierce and lovable, surrounding herself with characters that enhance her life. This story is not short on exciting destinations and stories of old, all of which create a book that will grab your attention. I am excited to see more of Tilia, Finn, Captain Rocco, and all the royalty of the land in future stories from Catherine Banks!
“You aren’t going to force me into an arranged marriage, are you?” I asked them.
Esmeralda looked like I had smacked her. “Of course not!”
“We haven’t done arranged marriages in a century,” Jared said.
I exhaled. “Well, my dad wasn’t sure and told me to be prepared just in case.”
“Does your dad do arranged marriages?” Esmeralda asked.
I shook my head. “No.”
“Well you don’t have to worry about that,” Jared said, “We aren’t going to force you to do anything.”
“Except not be a pirate,” I fake pouted.
Esmeralda laughed. “Except that.”
“Well, I guess I’m okay with that. Most pirates don’t have very long careers anyways,” I said.
“Speaking of marriage,” Esmeralda said, moving her horse closer to mine. “Technically we are supposed to have a ball for your seventeenth birthday so that all of the available men can come so you can start looking for a suitor.”
“WHAT?” I asked in an almost scream.
“You don’t want a boyfriend?” Faxon asked.
I blushed and said, “I just didn’t know it was a formal thing and, uh, hadn’t really thought about it yet.” That was a lie. I thought about boys like every teenage girl did, but my options were slim at the Capitol.
“Well, it’s a tradition and I thought I would let you know now that we’ll be having it while we are in Markleville,” Esmeralda said.
“I don’t have a dress,” I said, hoping that would cancel the plans until we returned home, “I didn’t bring one.”
“That’s fine. I will have one made for you,” Jared offered.
How generous. Ugh. “But if I find a guy I like in Markleville, I won’t even be able to see him when we return to the Capitol,” I said.
“That is where the true romance is supposed to begin,” Esmeralda said with a smile. “They have to try to keep you interested with letters and poems and gifts.”
“It’s very tedious,” Jared said.
“Only because you had to find others to write poems for you,” Faxon said.
“I knew you didn’t write that poem!” Esmeralda said with a triumphant shout.
“I’m going to skin you, Faxon,” Jared growled.
“It’s time she learned the truth,” Faxon said.
“I already knew,” Esmeralda said, “I just never had confirmation.”
“How did you know?” Jared asked.
“You haven’t written me a poem once since then. Every other guy who wrote me a poem continued to write them, not just one,” she said honestly.
“Who else wrote you poems?” Jared asked with crossed arms jealously.
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to this,” I muttered.
Griffin laughed.
“Not every man is like him,” Faxon said defensively.
“I can’t believe you helped him,” Esmeralda said.
“I’m a good friend,” he said with a shrug, “it’s a curse.”
To celebrate the virtual tour for the Pirate Princess, Catherine and Tasty Tours are hosting a giveaway! Enter this RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY for your chance to win one of two $10 Amazon GiftCards! Simply follow the instructions listed and you will be entered for your chance to win. Don’t miss out. Good luck!
Catherine Banks is the author of the Artemis Lupine Series, Little Death Bringer Series, Ciara Steele Novella Series, and the novel Daughter of Lions. She began writing fiction stories when she was only four years old and finished her first full length novel at the age of fifteen.
Catherine is a Northern California native and has lived within a twenty mile radius her entire life. She plans to travel to as many places as possible in her thirties to make up for her lack of traveling experience. She is married to her soulmate and best friend, Avery, who blessed her with two amazing children. After her full time job she reads books, plays video games, and watches a lot of anime shows and movies with her family to relax.
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