All the Stars and Teeth

Grace, Adalyn. All the Stars and Teeth. Book 1  of the All the Stars and Teeth series. 2020. 373p. 744 mins. ISBN 9781250307781. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Amora Montara is the first daughter and princess of the King of Visidia. Her family masters the magic of souls, and Amora and she has spent her whole life preparing to ascend the throne as the High Animancer. In this role, she will rule the islands that comprise Visidia with fairness, judging each soul on its merits. Each island is known for one type of magic, and all work together for the greater glory of Visidia.

However, not all is as it seems. The kingdom is plagued by a rebellion that seeks to overthrow the monarchy. An entire island has been laid waste, its population now starving. When Amora fails the test designed to demonstrate that she masters the complicated soul magic, her life is immediately in danger. Her father has no choice but to imprison her until the royal council can determine what to do with her. Rescued by a handsome pirate named Bastian, and accompanied by Ferrick, her fiancee and magic healer, they depart Visidia. Bastian explains that a strange magic is at work in the rebellion, where people are wielding multiple kinds of magic instead of being limited to one. 

In order to regain her name and the right to rule the kingdom, Amora sets off to stop the rebellion, only to learn that there are far more powerful secrets out in the world she was never allowed to visit ...

Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber

 Meyer, L.A. Under the Jolly Roger: Being an Account of the Further Nautical Adventures of Jacky Faber. Book 3 of the Bloody Jack series. 2005. 518p. ISBN 9780152053451. Available at FIC MEY on the library shelves. 

Jacky Faber's stay at the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls in Boston was rocky, to say the least, and following her tale in The Curse of the Blue Tattoo, Jacky decides to head back to London and see if she can reunite with the love of her life, Jaimy. First, she must secure passage on a ship leaving Boston and heading back to Britain. She signs on to the Pequod, a whaling ship, where she will serve as a cook's helper, a lady companion for the captain's wife, who is also aboard, and a teacher for their child.

Arriving in London without too much trouble, Jacky is told by Jaimy's family that the young man wants nothing to do with her. A maid informs her that this is a lie, however, and sets to find Jaimy who left for the race track. She reconnects with her old haunts, and finds that Judy, one of the children from her former gang has been forcibly impressed as a washgirl, so Jacky rescues her. At the race track, she sees Jaimy hanging out with a girl, and being hot tempered, Jacky storms off in a huff before Jaimy could tell her the girl was his cousin. 

Jacky is soon captured herself and brought by force onboard the HMS Wolverine to serve as a ship's boy. She reveals she's a girl, hoping she will be put back on land, but the captain decides he will have his way with her. Jacky joins the ship's crew and regains her midshipman's title, but soon finds herself confronted by the captain, who suddenly dies of a heart attack. Finding herself in charge of the ship, Jacky decides to continue waging England's blockade of Continental Europe. Now in command of a ship of the line, Jacky Faber is just getting started!

Beyond the Bright Sea

Wolk, Lauren. Beyond the Bright Sea. 2017. 283p. ISBN 978-1-101-99-485-6. Available at FIC WOL on the library shelves.

Placed in a boat shortly after her birth, the baby girl was cast at sea. When found by a solitary man living on a small island off the larger island of Cuttyhunk, which is part of the Elizabeth chain of islands, the girl was named Crow. She not only survived in Osh’s gentle hands, but thrived and became an inquisitive girl.

At 12, Crow has spent her entire life on their island, living in a makeshift house but not wanting for anything. Everyone on Cuttyhunk assumes she came from Pekinese, Massachusett’s only leper colony, and treat her as a leper even though she has no symptoms. Crow has always been curious about where she came from, but both Osh and her other friend, Miss Maggie, who lives across the sandbar from them, has told her not to look into her past too closely as surely nothing good will come of it.

When Crow begins digging, however, she comes upon a dangerous mystery that involves a treasure left behind by the famous pirate Captain Kidd. Others are also searching the treasure, however, and as Crow seeks to unravel her past it throws the present into turmoil, with Osh, the father who is not her father, concerned that their relationship might change if she discovers who she truly is. But as she explores the dangerous past of the leper colony, Crow realizes that home and family are what you make of it, and not what others tell you they ought to be.

Beautifully written, Crow’s story will be appreciated by readers who enjoy a light mystery and those who like historical fiction.

The Danger Gang and the Pirates of Borneo!

Bramucci, Stephen. The Danger Gang and the Pirates of Borneo! 2017. 378p. ISBN 978-1-61963-692-7. Available at FIC BRA on the library shelves.

Eleven-year-old Ronald Zupan’s parents are adventurers who have travelled the world in search of artefacts and other precious items. On their long trips away, they entrust Ronald’s wellbeing to Thomas Halladay, their butler, whom Ronald calls Jeeves because all good butlers should bear that name. They have always promised to be back for his birthday, however, no matter where in the world or how busy they are. But today, on his twelfth birthday, Ronald discovers with stupefaction that his parents are, in fact, not here. Something bad must have befallen them.

When the doorbell rings and men from the FIB, the Foreign Item Battalion, begin securing the premises, Ronald knows something bad has happened for sure, for the FIB works for the Liars’ Club, the most cutthroat and outlandish group of villains ever to exist. Led by Zeetan Z, the worst of the worst, this group must be involved with his parents’ disappearance.

Escaping the Zupan mansion with Jeeves and with Charlie, his pet king cobra, who is fond of biting Jeeves, Ronald makes his way to the only ally he can think of recruiting for a daring-do adventure of rescuing his parents at the last scene where they were spotted, Borneo. He goes to Julianne Sato’s house. She is the sword fighter who defeated him at the last sword tournament, preventing him from acquiring his third annual trophy in a row. She readily agrees to help him rescue his parents, though with the condition that she is a full partner in this adventure and not a sidekick like Jeeves and Charlie.

The four of them soon find themselves on a Zupan plane heading to Borneo, where they will face untold adventures, all with the hope that Ronald’s parents are still alive. Can this merry band manage to evade the obstacles and enemies in their path before it is too late?

Gasparilla’s Gold

Markle, Sandra. Gasparilla’s Gold. 2016. 193p. ISBN 978-1-943431-19-9. Available at FIC MAR on the library shelves.

Twelve-year-old Gus lost his older brother Daniel during a flash flood at camp. Gus had returned to the tent to grab his grandfather’s guitar, and got caught in the rapidly rising waters. Daniel came back and saved him, but in the process disappeared under after being hit by debris. Gus has blamed himself for his death ever since. His father has now taken another job and his moving himself and Gus from New York City to Seattle. But while he searches for an apartment, he is sending Gus to spend the summer with his sister on Pine Island, Florida. Aunt Willie runs Wahkullah, an unofficial animal shelter where injured animals are rehabilitated before being released into the wild.

Gus is opposed to go on this trip. His father thinks it’s for the best, and maybe Gus will be able to snap out of his feelings of guilt. Welcomed by Wipllie, Gus soon meets Fiona, the girl next door who has been helping Willie take care of the animals, and Coop, a grizzled grant of a man who used to design movie sets in Hollywood before being  an accident that ended his career. Scared by rain, as it reminds him of the nit Daniel dies, Gus vows he will not spend an extra day on Pine Island, and he contacts his father to plead with him. Soon, though, Gus changes his mind about leaving. First, there are all of the animals to care for. Then, the is also interested in Fiona. But most of all, Gus and Fiona have to work together to find the treasure of the  legendary pirate Gasparilla, rumored to be buried on the island. Armed with a treasure map, the two of them must find the treasure before the Pinders, the resident family bullies, discover it. With bills mounting for the shelter and the loss of Willie’s grant to study wild Florida Panthers, Gus and Fiona work with Coop to find the most likely places.

But when they stumble upon a mother panther and her cub, everything changes. If they can bring proof that the panthers are back on Pine Island, Willie can have her grant back and the shelter’s survival is assured. The Pinders, who run cattle, have other ideas, however, and want the panthers killed before their presence can be confirmed. Can Gus manage to work through his grief over Daniel’s death to save the panthers and the shelter?

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Avi. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. 1990. 215p. 387 mins. Available at FIC AVI on the library shelves and as an audiobook from Overdrive.

At age six, Charlotte Doyle and her family traveled to England when her father, a manager of a shipping company, was transferred to the British office. Seven years later, her father is promoted to the company’s board. The Doyles have to move back to Providence, Rhode Island. Charlotte’s mother, father and her two siblings departed early, but Charlotte remained behind at Barrington School for Better Girls, her exclusive girl’s school so she could finish the year. With an Atlantic crossing that could last anywhere from one to two months, her father thought it best to let Charlotte cross during the summer, so she would not lose any schooling time.

Accompanied by Mr. Grummage from school to the ship, Charlotte expects there will be two families aboard along with small children, so she should not lack in proper company. At the ship, however, Charlotte discovers that the other families will not be on board as planned. Mr. Grummage refuses to allow Charlotte to change her plans, so she boards the ship as the only female.

Aboard the Seahawk, Charlotte realizes quickly that the crew does not get along with the Captain. Her first night aboard she meets Zachariah, an old black sailor who warns her that Captain Jaggery is violent and murderous. He gives her a small dirk for protection. Hoping to get off the ship, Charlotte awakens the next morning to find that the Seahawk has already sailed. She meets Captain Jaggery, who appears gentlemanly and wise. He tells her to report to him anything strange happening aboard the ship, and he mentions that the crew is lazy and must be guided by an iron fist.

As the days progress, the tension builds up aboard the ship, with the Captain, the only one who has access to weapons, on one side, and the crew on the other. Charlotte faces a difficult choice. She can abide by the Captain’s request and support him, as her station in life and her education warrants, or she can side with the crew, as justice and right requires. Whichever she chooses, her decision will have deadly consequences.

For a lighter treatment of a girl joining a ship in the early 1800s, take a look at Jacky Faber’s adventures in Bloody Jack.

The Outcasts

Flanagan, John. The Outcasts. Book 1 of the Brotherband Chronicles series. 2012. 434p. ISBN 0-14-242194-4. Available at FIC FLA on the library shelves.

Skandians love the sea, and boys are trained from a young age to become the most fearsome mariners in the world. But even in tight-knit communities, there are always outsiders and outcasts. Hal’s mother was an Araluen who was captured and served as a slave before being granted her freedom. His father, Mikkel, was one of the most fearsome Skandian warrior but he was killed in a raid when Hal was very young. At death’s door, Mikkel got Thorn, his best friend, to promise to care for his boy. Though Thorn suffered his own accident and felled in despair and drink, he eventually came around and fulfilled his promise to Mikkel.

Hal is industrious and is always working on new inventions. He even purchases his own ship, the Heron, and designs a revolutionary set of sails that increase the ship’s speed and maneuverability. His friend Stig also has problems. His father stole from his wolfship before leaving, and the stigma has marked him as an undesirable by association.

Now it’s Brotherhood training, and all the boys of the village are called upon to participate in activities designed to test their endurance, agility, and ability to work together as a group. Hal, Stig, and the other village outcasts end up grouped together, and now they must learn to work as a unit so they can win and join the wolfship of their choice. But in this competition, not everyone is playing fair …

This companion story to the Ranger’s Apprentice will be appreciated by fans who love the world John Flanagan designed.

The Real Pirates of the Caribbean

Woodard, Colin. The Real Pirates of the Caribbean. 2011. 24p. ISBN 2940012921963. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

You know all the names that entered into legend: Black Beard; Calico Jack Rackham; Mary Read and Anne Bonny; Charles Vanes. But what led them to enter piracy? This short book discusses the reasons why many were willing to seek a life under the black flag instead of legitimate work, from the War of Succession taking place in Great Britain to a global recession that led to a collapse of sailor wages, from a parity of armaments between royal navies and merchant ships to the interests of American colonies to acquire plundered goods for cheap.

This short book describes the British Royal Navy’s inability to combat the rise of piracy in the early 1710s, and it being outclassed by pirates at the height of the black flag in 1715-6. Finally, the Navy was able to restore order, but less because it actively did so than because economic conditions improved enough to remove the threat of piracy.

An impressive amount of information, this book will delight those who love to read about pirates and historical events.

Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady

Meyer, L.A. Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady. 2004. 488p. ISBN 0-15-205115-5. FIC MEY on the library shelves.

As an orphan Mary “Jacky” Faber headed out to sea as a ship’s boy on the HMS Dolphin. But during an extended cruise Jacky’s gender was finally discovered, and she was forced to land in Boston. There she was enrolled at the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls.

Now that school is in session, Jacky’s experiencing the toughest battle of her life: living among pampered and educated young ladies. Her previous life as a sailor and as an orphan did not prepare her for the obstacles and anger she has to face on a daily basis, and, to top it all off, she really misses Jaimy Fletcher, who remained on board the Dolphin.

Jacky’s off to a poor start, as her classes are harder than she expected, and she is criticized for everything by her teachers, from her manner of speech to the way she behaves at the table. Worse yet, every time she leaves the school to explore the city and find a little entertainment she lands in trouble. And, of course, how can she possibly explain her blue anchor tattoo that all members of the Brotherhood got during their cruise in Bloody Jack?

With the old puritan priest on the lookout for any sign of witchcraft, and with Jacky’s reputation already tarnished from her life on a ship, she will need more than luck to survive becoming a lady, but in the meantime Boston may never see an uneventful day again!

Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, Ship’s Boy

Meyer, L.A. Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, Ship’s Boy. 2002. 278p. ISBN 0-15-216731-5. FIC MEY on the library shelves and available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Following the death of her parents, little Mary Faber lived underneath the Blackfriar bridge in London’s Cheapside where she learned to deceive and steal in order to survive with other orphaned children in the Charlie Rooster’s gang. But when Charlie is stabbed and killed, the gang falls apart and Mary realizes it’s time to leave before life becomes too dangerous.

She heads down to the dock, and quickly finds employment aboard one of his Majesty’s Royal Navy ship, the HMS Dolphin. To secure her position, however, she has to lie and pretend to be a boy, which for a 12 year old girl is no small feat.

On board ship, she meets James Fletcher, another ship’s boy destined to be an officer. They strike a quick friendship, and, along with the other boys on board, form the Brotherhood. Now going by the name Jacky, she becomes a skilled sailor and participates in several naval engagements. But as time passes, Jacky’s hiding of her gender is becoming more and more of an issue. She will need to use all of her wits to avoid discovery, for once she is revealed as a girl, she will surely be put ashore. At the same time, she’s in love with Jaimy but, as a boy, can’t express those feelings.

Follow Jacky’s high-seas adventures as she attempts to remain one step ahead of everyone in this swash-buckling and riotous book. Jacky's adventures continue in The Curse of the Blue Tattoo. For a more serious look at a girl alone aboard a ship in the early 1800s, read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.