Tricia Levenseller just doesn’t miss when it comes to pirate adventure novels!

Following the events of the “Daughter of the Pirate King” duology, “Vengeance of the Pirate Queen” centers around Sorinda Veshtas, the pirate queen’s assassin. As a newly appointed captain, Sorinda is dispatched on a rescue mission. Unfortunately, her sailing master just so happens to be Kearan Erroth, the one person attuned to her every movement in the shadows. Sadly, it’s near impossible to avoid him on a ship with few hiding places. But when the crew faces the King of the Undersea, a being who can control the dead, Sorinda’s helmsman might be the only one that can save her from becoming an undead queen.

I. Love. Sorinda. Veshtas. I always have ever since reading “Daughter of the Pirate Queen.” Now I love her even more. Levenseller never fails to create strong female characters and Sorinda might just be the fiercest one of all. Her past is revealed in bits and pieces. Once I saw the whole picture I was devastated. Her vengeance for what happened to her family is a driving force in her life and motivated her to become a weapon. At the same time, she is consumed by guilt.

Kearan is the one who helps her realize that she is worthy of life, love, and saving and that it is okay to lean on others. Their romance truly left me a sopping mess. I enjoyed watching Sorinda try to avoid him as much as possible until she could no longer ignore her budding feelings. Watching their squabbles turn into playful banter. Their reluctant love story is a beautiful one as they learn to confide in each other and accept their own flaws.

As a huge fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, I enjoyed how this book pays homage to The Curse of the Black Pearl. I was on the edge of my seat, soaring through each chapter wondering how Sorinda and her crew would defeat an army of the undead. The explosive ending does not disappoint. This swashbuckling adventure fulfilled all of my pirate loving dreams!

Sorinda is accustomed to being a pirate assassin, hiding in the shadows and killing all who threaten her queen, Alosa. But now Alosa needs Sorinda to come out of the shadows and captain a ship in order to find some of her missing spies. Even worse, Kearan - a man that Sorinda helped conquer rum and is now a pain in her butt - is chosen as helmsman. Things take a bad turn when they crash on a frozen land and accidentally wake the King of the Undersea - an immortal with the power to make the dead walk. Can Sorinda and Kearan destroy the threat before it's too late?

Okay yeah, this was pretty great! Vengeance of the Pirate Queen quickly throws you back into a familiar world with familiar characters. This book follows Sorinda's POV as they go on another adventure, with her as Captain! She showed character growth by the end. I loved how fast paced and action packed this story was. There was always something interesting happening. I loved how morally grey so many of the characters were. I mean, pirates. Duh. I definitely recommend this one to fans of The Daughter of the Pirate King duology.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

“You can’t be afraid of the dark when you’re the light keeping the shadows at bay.”

I swear every Tricia Levenseller book I have read has been so good (4 ⭐ and above)! Her YA fantasies include strong young women and supportive love interests and I am here for it!

Sorinda is a pirate assassin with a traumatic past. She prefers to hide in the shadows and keep to herself, but when her Queen appoints her as Captain and sends her out on a rescue mission, Sorinda has to come out of her comfort zone and become a leader. She also has to deal with the helmsman Kearan, a big brute that always seems to see her to her core.


As they head out on this adventure, they encounter magical sea creatures, siren artifacts, and an enemy they did not expect and are not sure how to defeat. While the book starts out a bit slow at first, it picks up in terms of the action and keeps you guessing how it will all end.

“Your smiles are rarer than diamonds and infinitely more precious.”
“Don’t quit piracy to become a poet.”

I have been waiting for Sorinda and Kearan’s story since I read the Daughter of the Pirate King duology and fell in love with them as side characters. This book did not disappoint! I loved everything about their slow burn romance and both their character developments were just *chef’s kiss*.

If you’re a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Mummy, you will love this standalone book!

“You are worthy of saving. You are worthy of life, […] You are good. You are capable. You are worthy of love, Sorinda.”

Things I loved:

⚓ Sirens & magical artifacts
⚓ Adventure & found family
⚓ Slow burn romance
⚓ Alosa & Riden cameos

Well. This was a twisty, turn adventure! I binged the first two books in this world and was SO excited to get this audio for Pirate Queen just before a long road trip. I was all in with sea monsters, the white walkers and Sorinda. We all loved Sorinda and Kearan in the first two books and getting to see their story come together was so much fun. It was like coming into a comfortable world, but with all new games and rules. This is billed as The Mummy meets Pirates of the Caribbean and I am going to level that up with a layer of Game of Thrones. This is fast, fun and perfect for readers of all ages.

{4.25/5}

CW: violence, references to rape, references to suicidal thoughts, trauma

Read as an ARC via NetGalley. Book publishes November 7, 2023.

Apparently, it’s entirely possible to enjoy a spin-off even more than the original content.

It’s been a year since Pirate Queen Alosa established her rule, and assassin Sorinda has spent a good deal of it doling out death on the Queen’s behalf. But when a group of the Queen’s pirates go missing, she sends Sorinda to bring them home. Uncomfortable with being the captain, and even more unhappy about Kearan’s presence as her helmsman, Sorinda sets off to uncharted frozen waters to bring the girls home.

Listen, I know authors are always striving to outdo their last work, to grow and improve as they tell their stories, but this is just ridiculous. How can a spin-off standalone end up so much better than book 1? And can I have more?? Let’s break it down.

The characters: We already know Sorinda and Kearan from books 1 and 2, and honestly I couldn’t be more pleased that Sorinda got her own book. It’s hard to argue with ‘lethal pirate assassin’ being the MC. The fact that we get to see why she is the way she is, and that we get to see her motivations and her driving forces really helps build out her character. Plus, the character growth throughout the book? Delightful. The rest of the crew and the other characters we see along the way add to the rich, colorful life that you would expect a pirate to have, and it’s just a lot of fun.

The setting: One of the biggest complaints I had about book 1 was how limited and kind of flat the environment felt at times. It was extremely limited, and it felt like we didn’t get to see as much as one might have hoped. Book 2 made great strides in remedying this issue, giving us multiple locations and a better grounding point in the main ship. Book 3? Book 3 said ‘hold my sword’ and absolutely *demolished* those issues. The improvement is glorious, and it made the story all the better for it.

Finally, the plot: Is it a pirate adventure? A romance? A paranormal mystery? Yes to all of the above. While you still won’t see me arguing for the series to win ‘most involved/higher level plot of the year’ any time soon, the story itself felt well rounded and thoroughly developed. Where book 1 felt a bit surface level, and book 2’s ending felt rushed, this one finally felt like it hit every marker every time. It’s fast paced, but it didn’t feel like anything got left out. I was engaged the whole time, and the resolution was satisfactory. It’s roughly the same length as the other two books, but it feels like the space was utilized much more effectively.

I still can’t definitively place the series reading level, but I feel comfortable saying this one should stay the NA/Adult realms. There’s a lot of violent death (literally a pirate assassin as the MC; it’s a reasonable thing to expect), but Sorinda’s backstory is also fairly graphic and brutal. The girl’s got some major issues (again, not a surprise), and while I think YA audiences would have no trouble with the reading level, the maturity level is just a bit higher than I would say most should be exposed to. Overall, it’s an excellent book, just not one to go into expecting kittens and rainbows.

All things considered, I’m incredibly pleased to have gotten a chance to read this story early. You could probably read it without having read the other two books, but I would recommend reading them all in order to get the most out of this one. “Vengeance of the Pirate Queen” is out November 7!

Sorinda finally gets her turn!

After a ship carrying Alosa's spies goes missing, Sorinda is sent to captain a rescue mission. She has a wonderful crew, even if she has to take the deplorable Kearan with her. Kearan is the only one who has been in the area where the missing ship was last known to be, and he is the only one of Alosa's crew to have survived the monster targeting sailors who dare sail those waters. For the good of the mission, Sorinda is determined to withstand his presence and rescue the missing pirates.

As they travel farther and farther north, the environment turns against them. And when the crew start to disappear just like on other ships who have been through, Sorinda is determined to save her sailors. Bad events become worse, and the ship is attacked. Can Sorinda and Kearan save their crew and return to the Pirate Queen?

Kearan and Sorinda's slow burn romance is perfect for this story. As Sorinda deals with her inner demons, Kearan is the perfect foil of patience and strength for her. The character development and action of the story is well written, and the descriptions of the world keep the reader well involved in the tale.

A great new addition for those who love Levenseller's previous works, along with fans of Mary Pearson and Robin LaFevers.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book.

Vengeance of the Pirate Queen by Tricia Levenseller is the third installment in the Daughter of the Pirate King series. Sorinda, an assassin and friend of the pirate queen, is tasked with handpicking a crew for a rescue mission. Not only is Sorinda uncomfortable with being captain, but the addition of helmsman Kearan complicates matters because he is drawn to her, which makes her feel awkward and ill at ease. The crew faces dangerous sea creatures and a powerful king who can raise and control the dead.

In the previous novels, Sorinda plays a supporting role, and little is known about her character. In this novel, Levenseller dives into Sorinda's mysterious past. Readers will see her character change throughout the novel from someone who is damaged and feels unworthy of love to a strong woman starting to heal and understand that her past does not define her.

I enjoyed reading this novel. It drew me in from the beginning, and I found the story of Sorinda compelling and suspenseful. I also appreciate that while she is a great assassin, she still makes mistakes and can't always fight her way out of everything—an easy five stars for me.

“Killing is easy. The tricky part is being quiet. Being patient. Waiting for the right moment. That’s what makes me good at my job. Being an assassin is not always about the easy kill. It’s about the best kill.”

4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5) Why do I love a female assassin? And pirates? This was a definite read for me. I mean, look at that cover!

“The only thing deadlier than the Pirate Queen is her assassin.”

I read Daughter of a Pirate King a while back and loved it, so when the new editions came out for the whole series, I knew I needed them. I’m such a sucker! But I have loved or very much enjoyed everything Levenseller has written. She has become and auto-buy author for me. As a side note, this book can be stand-alone. It does not need to be read with the others but it is set in the same world with a few of the same characters.

I love a book that focuses on a ship at sea. There is something magical about it. Sorinda is oddly not tasked with killing someone for her Queen, but to captain a ship for a rescue mission. Sorinda has her doubts and misgivings about why she should do it but her loyalty comes through and she agrees. Unfortunately, Kearan is on the ship too, a man she cannot stand. Being on a ship that long with him is something she dreads.

During their adventure, they spend time on land, they find an ancient cave being guarded and are attacked by a sea creature. The adventure was never short with this story. The sea creature was my favorite as you could see just what type of people they are. And who doesn’t love a life-threatening scene where everyone is fighting for their lives? But the biggest twist came for me with the cave and the ancient king and all that it brought to Sorinda. It felt slightly out of place for the pirate story but it was still entertaining. And what would you know, I actually liked the romance in this one. It was small but well done.

AUDIO REVIEW: Fabulous! Krissi Bohn did a great job of instilling excitement when necessary, disgust at Kearan and terror in many life-threatening or life-changing situations. I love an audio that makes me find things to do so I can keep listening!

Thank you to Feiwel and Friends, NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the copies!

The book releases November 17, 2023.

This was such a charming spin off stand alone to daughter of the pirate king! It was so charming and had a fun plot. f!grumpy/m!grumpy sunshine is such an unexplored trope 🫶🏼

Set in the world of the Daughter of the Pirate King, this one focuses more on Sorinda, an 18-year-old assassin who works for Alosa (the pirate queen).

Although this one has a different protagonist, I’d recommend that you’ve read the other two first! It will just give you the context that will help you out here.

I remember back in 2017 when I first read Daughter of the Pirate King and I was immediately entranced by how unique it was reading a pirate adventure novel at the time. As I revisited this series this year, all the joy and excitement from this series came back to me like it was yesterday. In this new installment, Vengeance of the Pirate Queen follows one of Alosa’s most trusted members and best friend, Sorinda, as she goes on a rescue quest and captains her own ship and crew. Filled with the same romantic tension from Daughter of the Pirate King and a vividly imagined world setting that was expanded from Daughter of the Siren Queen, fans will enjoy the level of internal dialogue and high-octane action as much as I did. I am so thankful to not only Tricia for bringing some of my favorite characters back to life but also to the fans who find delight in how riveting and action-packed this series is. Vengeance of the Pirate Queen is a fantastic addition to the series.

I adore the first two books in this series so I was so excited to be back in this world! Sorinda and Kearan are fantastic layered, often dark characters (I suppose you would be, being a pirate), and I loved their story. It has all the swashbuckling adventure you’d want from a good pirate book, romance, and a run in with a new bad guy who is a little hard to get rid of.

I was so excited to return to the world of Daughter of the Pirate King with Tricia Levenseller's newest, Vengeance of the Pirate Queen. It's been awhile since I read the original duology, and I worried I would be a little lost or confused reading the new book without a reread, but I found it very easy to dive back into the world. The book is incredibly fast-paced and I had no idea what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed watching Sorinda's character grow throughout the course of the book. She was fierce and she was always capable of being a captain, but her confidence grew as the stakes grew higher, making her a character you couldn't help but root for.

I thought the romance felt very natural and organic; I was happy to see it progress the way it did. The supernatural elements of the book fit in with the themes of the earlier books (the sirens), but it was much more creepy this time around. I almost wish there had been more scenes with the villain; the last third of the book was a little rushed to me. But overall, this was a fun read and I was very happy to revisit these characters and their world.

Thank you to Macmillan for providing me with a copy of this book!

I'm going to start off this review by commenting on how clever the title is. Once I realized what "Vengeance" represented, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Sorinda is such a strong and interesting character. I love the development of how Sorinda learns to take on the role of a captain and the author did a really good job showing the more vulnerable side to her throughout the book, despite her creepy love for death (which honestly made me like her more because she just does it so well!). This book reminded me about the familial connections that I adored from the duology. Though we don't get to see much of Alosa and Riden, having Enwen and Kearan bicker was such a refreshing addition. Kearan also understands Sorinda so well and I think that's why they worked together perfectly. The growth in their relationship was one of my favorite things about this story. The first half of the book was fact-paced and full of adventure but once we got to meet the King of the Undersea, I feel like it started to drag just a little. The resolution was also rushed and I couldn't help but expect more. Still, the transformation of the assassin pirate and her crew created such a great adventure and I'm satisfied with how this book ended.

I also feel like I have to mention how much I love Wallov and Roslyn, regardless of how much they were in the book. They're just so cute and wholesome!

Plot wise, this story was great, but it could have been amazing. Character wise, I have no complaints and I love the entire crew so much. I'm really hoping we get Niridia's story!

4/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy!

Daughter of the Pirate King was one of those books I read at the right time and became an all time favorite. Vengeance of the Pirate Queen follows part of Alosa's crew as they search for some missing members. Sorinda, the Pirate queen's assassin, captains her own ship and runs her own crew under the orders of Alosa, and we still get to see some favorite characters from the first 2 books.

This book is definitely Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Mummy with a touch of romance, and I highly recommend if you're into that.

This was great! I loved the original duology (Daughter of the Pirate King & Daughter of the Siren Queen), so I was so excited to see that the story would be continued!

Vengeance of the Pirate Queen follows Sorinda and Kearan. Sorinda, an assassin, is tasked with going North to captain a ship to find a lost ship full of sailors. On the way, we get to see Sorinda's background and watch a budding romance between Sorinda and Kearan. Some of my favorite characters also come along including Enwen and Rosalyn. Enwen is hilarious throughout and Rosalyn is a little ball of fire! This book is action packed! Once Sorinda and the crew get to the North, they discover a long slumbering King of the Undersea and they have to work to stop him from returning.

I think I liked the original 2 books better because I enjoyed the banter between Alosa and Riden. On the other hand, Sorinda is beautifully written as a strong character with great depth. It was great to watch Sorinda grow into her role as captain. This is definitely slow burn.

This is more YA and a pretty easy to follow fantasy setting which is nice!

Thank you to NetGallery and Fiewel and Friends for the eARC!

great book and loved the mystery through out the book. I loved the characters and how they grew through all of their adventures. I enjoyed this book and this author and will check them out again add them to my reading pile.

Myth: 5/5

Sorinda was a great handoff character from Alosa. Where Also is brash and ready to put on a show, Sorinda is reserved, quiet, and would generally rather do her tasks in the dark (her tasks are usually murder, she’s an assassin). I loved her internal dialogue! It was really fun to see her grow as a character throughout the book and face her past and her fears.

Magic: 5/5

Siren magic is still at play in this installment, though it’s not used much. The bigger surprises come as the crew finds the ship they set out after. Expect lots of pirate-y things (a la Pirates of the Caribbean, but in the cold).

Overall: 5/5

Tricia Levenseller is an insta-read for me, and this book was no exception. The storytelling was tight, the characters were captivating, and I enjoyed the ride!

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this YA fantasy novel. Levenseller is a fantastic author and I thoroughly enjoyed this book about Sorinda captaining her own ship and finding herself. While the beginning was slower and the villain didn't appear until much later in the book, I still thought the pacing and plot was very well done. This novel can be read as stand alone but having the pirate background from the first two is very helpful. I suspect this isn't the last one on this series....Enwen or Dimella have a story to share. Definitely a 5 star read!!!!!