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Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary 'Jacky' Faber, Ship's Boy (Bloody Jack Adventures, 1) Paperback – Picture Book, June 10, 2010

by L. A. Meyer (Author)

4.7 593 ratings

Book 1 of 12: Bloody Jack Adventures

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Life as a ship's boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and respected sailor as the crew pursues pirates on the high seas.
There's only one problem: Jacky is a girl. And she will have to use every bit of her spirit, wit, and courage to keep the crew from discovering her secret. This could be the adventure of her life--if only she doesn't get caught. . . .

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Editorial Reviews

Review

* “A rattling good read.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review * “Although many fictional heroines have sailed in disguise before Jacky Faber, her coarse, cheeky street voice and naïve but observant take on shipboard life set her apart.” —The Bulletin, starred review “Marvelous. . . . A first-rate read.” —Kirkus Reviews A Booklist Editors’ Choice A Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book A Junior Library Guild Selection A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age —

About the Author

L. A. Meyer (1942–2014) was the acclaimed writer of the Bloody Jack Adventure series, which follows the exploits of an impetuous heroine who has fought her way up from the squalid streets of London to become an adventurer of the highest order. Mr. Meyer was an art teacher, an illustrator, a designer, a naval officer, and a gallery owner. All of those experiences helped him in the writing of his curious tales of the beloved Jacky Faber. Visit www.jackyfaber.com for more information on the author and his books.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

PART I
An Orphan, Cast Out in the Storm,
Body and Soul Most Lightly Connected,
A Tiny Spark on the Winds of Chance Borne,
To the Fancies of Fortune Subjected.

Chapter 1
Rooster Charlie allows as how today he's goin' to see Dr. Graves himself, the bloke what sends Muck around to pick up dead orphans for the di-seck-shun and for the good of science and all, to see if Charlie his ownself can get paid for his body before he goes croakers so's he can have the pleasure of it himself, like.
Me and the others laugh and jeer and say, "Charlie, you ain't got the bollocks. He'll prolly open you up right there, without so much as a by-your-leave." But Charlie, he hikes up his pants and gives his vest a pat and off he goes to sell his body. The pat is for his shiv, which he keeps tucked next to his ribs.
I've been with Charlie and the gang for four, maybe five, years since That Dark Day when me world was changed forever, but I can't be sure, the seasons run into each other so-we shivers and dies of the cold in the winter and sweats and dies of the pestilence in the summer, so it's all one. It's been close a couple of times, but I ain't dead yet.
We begs mostly, please Mum please Mum please Mum, over and over and we steals a bit and we gets by, just. There's only six of us right now 'cause Emily died last winter. I woke up next to her stiff body in the morning in our kip and I took her shift, which is too big but which I wears over me other shift, that givin' me two things I own besides me immortal soul. We tried takin' poor naked dead Emily down to the river and floatin' her off with the proper words and all, but she's stiff and hard to move and Muck caught us at it and stole her away. He gives us a curse for tryin' to get her away and for takin' her shift, too, that which he could have sold to the ragman.
Charlie is the leader of our gang and is called the Rooster 'cause his last name is Brewster, and him being such a cocky little banty, it seems natural, like. He's small, but he's smart and quick. Charlie's hair is straight and red and hangs to one side like a cock's comb. He's got britches that were once white and a once-white shirt and a bright blue vest over that, and he looks right fine, he does. A flash cove is our Rooster Charlie.
Besides him there's Polly and Judy and Nancy, and Hugh the Grand, him what is big and strong like an ox but what is a bit slow in the head. Charlie is fond of pattin' him on his broad back and sayin', "Our Hughie is our muscle and our tower of strength in this world of strife and trouble," and every time he does it, Hughie blushes all red and rocks his head side to side and grins his big dumb grin in his gladness. Charlie takes care of us, and with his cheek and his bravado and his shiv and our Hughie, the other gangs keep their distance.
Since I'm the smallest, I get called Little Mary, even though I ain't near to bein' the youngest no more.
The gang is always changin', as we loses some and we brings some in. Like the girl what stole me clothes before, whose name is Betty, was stole herself awhile back as two of the women from Missus Tuttle's lit upon our little band to find a replacement for their servant girl who had died. They picked Betty and allowed as they was gonna make a fine lady out of her, Isn't that right, Bessie, just like us. So they takes our Betty off, and Charlie says that he'll give it two days and then he'd go see her and if she wanted to come back, he'd steal her back, but after the two days he goes to see, and, no, she didn't want t' come back, she wanted to stay and be a fine lady. And I din't get me clothes back, either, even though they prolly would still have fit.
"Whyn't all us girls go off to Missus Tuttle's to be fine ladies," says I, thinkin' maybe there'd be food there and beds and stuff, but then Charlie tells me to shut my silly girly gob, as what do I know about anything in the world. Then he tells us what goes on at Missus Tuttle's, but I don't believe him, not for a minute. Disgustin', it is. "Such a mind you have, Charlie, to be thinkin' of such."
"Mary, bless you, you'll find out soon enough," says Charlie.
Our kip is up under the Blackfriars Bridge, just where the bridge meets the road real sharp so there's a cave under there, like. We got some straw from the stables on the sly, a little bit at a time, so at night we all burrows in and sleeps in a pile for warmth and comfort. When it rains, trickles of water come down through the black stones, but we knows where they'll be comin' now, so we keeps away. Can't keep away the damp from the river, though. I think that's what took Emily off, the damp and cold from the river. In the night the lights from the city lamps bounce off the waves, and on foggy nights horns sound low and mournful back and forth. It's ships makin' their way to someplace else, and I want to be going somewheres else, too.
Other gangs would like to have our kip, but with Hugh the Grand shakin' his big fists and bellowin' and Charlie wavin' his shiv and the rest of us throwin' rocks, we manages to chase them off and keep our home, at least for the time bein'.
At night, when we're all in a pile, we talks and makes up stories about what we're goin' to be if we grows up. Like Charlie says, he'll be a soldier and all and trade his shiv for a great gleamin' sword and fine red uniform and won't all the fine ladies love him and we girls all says we loves him right now but he says that don't count, us bein' worthless drabs and all and he gets jabbed in the ribs for his cheek.
Hughie allows as how he'd like to be a horse handler 'cause horse handlers have to be big and strong, which he is, and he likes horses and even likes the smell of 'em. We all hold our noses and say phew, but he don't care, he likes 'em, is all. There's lots of horses here in Cheapside 'cause of all the markets and fairs.
Judy's of a practical turn of mind, too, as she wants to go into service and be a maid for a fine lady, but first she's got to get big enough to be useful to some such fine lady and not just eat her out of house and home. Polly, she just wants to marry a good man and raise up babies. Nancy says she wants to get married, too, and maybe she and her man would have a tavern where there'd be lots of good things to eat and drink, but they'd keep scum like Muck out, it bein' a respectable place, like.
I say I want to be the captain of a fine ship and sail around the world and see the Cathay Cat and the Bengal Rat and gaze upon the Kangaroo, which is what I heard some sailors singin' about over at Benbow's Tavern one day and it sounded right fine to me, them all happy and singin' and carefree, it seemed. I'll get rich and famous and spend all me money takin' care of poor miserable orphans, and I get handfuls of straw thrown at me for me sentiments.
'Cut out the middleman!' says I to the worthy doctor. 'Pay me now only half what ye'd be payin' Muck for me earthly remains and I promises to come and lie down on yer doorstep every time I feels sick and liable to die. I'd even carry a note to the effect that if I perished somewheres else, my body was to be delivered to the Honorable Doctor without delay!'" says Charlie, having returned from the anatomist's full of gruesome stories of bloody tables and knives and things put up in jars.
"And Muck himself is there ascowlin' at the notion of his bein' cut out of the bargain, but the doctor says no, it was against his ethics to conduct negotiations with a live body, even though he was sure I was possessed of an admirable spleen."
We're all gigglin' and snortin', and Charlie goes on with, "I owns I got a right fine spleen and if Your Honor would pay me now, I'd be sure to keep it in special prime condition for his later use and joy. Massage it up twice a week to keep it nice and soft and all." Charlie shakes his head sadly, swinging his red mop.
"His Honor would have none of it, and he has Muck put his foul hands on me to toss me out, spleen and all."
"And for that," says Charlie, "I resolves to abuse me spleen most terrible."
We all gets a howl out of Charlie's prancin' around and telling of the stomachs that are blown up and dried like the blowfish we see in the fish market, and other guts tanned and pickled and preserved. But then he tells of seeing a baby's hand floating in some juice and that shuts up my laughing right quick.
I knows me sister Penny is put up in jars, and I suspects that someday I will be, too.

Copyright © 2002 by L. A. Meyer

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work
should be mailed to the following address: Permissions Department,
Harcourt, Inc., 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida 32887-6777.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarion Books; Second edition (June 10, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 015205085X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0152050856
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 years and up
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1120L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.81 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #110,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 593 ratings

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L. A. Meyer

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L. A. MEYER is the author of Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber, Ship's Boy. He also has been a designer and an art teacher, and is currently the curator and exhibitor at the Clair de Loon Gallery near his home in Corea, Maine.

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Customers find the book engaging and fun. They appreciate the well-developed characters and realistic heroine. The writing quality is praised as excellent, with an accent that enhances the story. Readers describe the book as appealing to both teens and adults. The humor is described as witty and charming, with moments of sadness and longing.

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Adventure Story quality Character development Writing quality Appeal to all ages Humor Series quality Read speed

55 customers mention "Adventure"55 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the adventure in the book. They find it fun and interesting, with lots of excitement, suspense, and action. The historical settings and interactions are also appreciated by readers.

"...Each one gets better, and each book has all the humor, suspense, adventure, great characters, that you could want...." Read more

"...You'll laugh and cry and fall in love with the amazing and outrageous Jacky Faber, and best of all, there's lots more books in the series and you..." Read more

"...am still deciding if I want to go on with the series, but the first book is great fun." Read more

"...Yet the worlds Jacky inhabits are real. Her history is fiction, but only in its details; the broader picture Meyer paints reveals a true image of..." Read more

39 customers mention "Story quality"39 positive0 negative

Customers find the story exciting and immersive. They say it's a wonderful story for young people and older persons with young hearts. The plot has suspense, adventure, drama, action scenes, wit, charm, sadness, and longing. It's an amazing mix of love, comedy, adventure, and drama that is believable and historically accurate.

"...Each one gets better, and each book has all the humor, suspense, adventure, great characters, that you could want...." Read more

"...Mr. Meyer's research has led him to a flavorful look at life on the streets of London in the mid-eighteenth century and then on and below the decks..." Read more

"...Yet the worlds Jacky inhabits are real...." Read more

"...It is full of wit, charm, sadness, and longing. The characters are dynamic, complex and delicious...." Read more

31 customers mention "Character development"31 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters and their voices. They find the heroine realistic and lovable. The author does a great job of capturing each character's distinct personality. The language fits the character's education and speech. Jacky Faber is described as the best female heroine in decades.

"...better, and each book has all the humor, suspense, adventure, great characters, that you could want...." Read more

"...Ms. Kellgren does a pitch-perfect job of capturing all the different characters, giving each a distinct, memorable voice and nailing the accents..." Read more

"...It is full of wit, charm, sadness, and longing. The characters are dynamic, complex and delicious...." Read more

"...Little Mary is a tough survivor who manages to beat all the odds despite the lack of resources that we consider essential for life...." Read more

29 customers mention "Writing quality"25 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They praise the narration, character development, editing, and use of present tense and heavily accented word style. The author accurately describes life around 1800 in vernacular slang.

"...The characters she meets on the boat are all well written, the description of the naval ship and terminology is neat, there's actually quite a bit..." Read more

"...The author accurately and comprehensively describes life circa 1800- fascinating, but totally inappropriate for children.)..." Read more

"...He has bestowed upon his heroine a distinctive voice, which adds a layer of pleasure to the proceedings...." Read more

"...I can’t say enough about how brilliantly this book is written. It is full of wit, charm, sadness, and longing...." Read more

18 customers mention "Appeal to all ages"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book appealing to both teens and adults. They say it's a great book for young people and those with young hearts. The content is mature enough for adults, and the story is inspirational for young girls.

"...Even though Jackie is a teenager, she's quite mature in her outlook on life and adults certainly won't feel they're reading a book written for young..." Read more

"...I recommend this book to everyone, young and old. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series." Read more

"...This story should appeal to anyone of any age who enjoys reading about adventure, life during a different time period, or life aboard a ship with..." Read more

"...I totally love them! Even though these books were written with young adults in mind, at 50+ years ago I still loved them...." Read more

17 customers mention "Humor"16 positive1 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor and charm. They find it interesting, with a mix of sadness and longing that keeps them guessing. The book is described as well-written and realistic, with witty moments and emotional depth.

"...Each one gets better, and each book has all the humor, suspense, adventure, great characters, that you could want...." Read more

"...I can’t say enough about how brilliantly this book is written. It is full of wit, charm, sadness, and longing...." Read more

"...It was both entertaining and suspenseful. Interesting and humorous...." Read more

"...The books are full of adventure, drama, humor, and just plain fun." Read more

11 customers mention "Series quality"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book and series. They find it unique and great for all ages. The series is described as a hit movie franchise waiting to be made, with many more books in the series.

"...and outrageous Jacky Faber, and best of all, there's lots more books in the series and you haven't even gotten to the best ones yet...." Read more

"...This is a great beginning to a great series. Even as an adult, i enjoyed this book." Read more

"...that SOMEONE in Hollywood is paying attention because this is a hit movie franchise waiting to be made...." Read more

"This is an amazing beginning to a wonderful series...." Read more

9 customers mention "Read speed"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and easy to read. They appreciate the fast-paced storyline, quick wit, and realistic storytelling.

"...Jacky's character is great. She's funny, quick-witted, and very clever...." Read more

"...I read this book very fast as it was just as hard to put down today that I remember it was a decade ago...." Read more

"...heavily accented word style make Mary/Jack's experiences fresh and immediate...." Read more

"This was a fast, fun read. I thought the author did a good job of keeping this reader's attention...." Read more

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drdoug99
One of my new favorites series of books
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2010
Verified Purchase
I stumbled upon Bloody Jack thanks to Amazon's $5 dollar bargain book sale. Reading the description it sounded like a good read for 5 bucks, and I'm glad I bought it.

Mary Faber starts out as a penniless orphan forced to beg on the streets of London, and naturally wants to find a better way to live. Being a child of the streets, she's used to basically surviving any way she can, so when she sees an opportunity to join the ship's crew of the HMS Dolphin, she takes it. Of course, there's only one problem. That is of course, Mary Faber is a girl, and girls can't join a ship's crew. So she cuts her hair, dons some boy's clothing, and manages to be selected as a lucky ship's boy, using the name "Jacky" Faber.

In the book, she has to come with ways to continually hide her true identity as a girl, which is not always easy while performing her duties on the ship, as you can imagine. Also as time goes on, she develops an attraction to one of the ship's boy's, that makes things very complicated.

Jacky's character is great. She's funny, quick-witted, and very clever. Many times throughout the book you will be laughing at her antics, and genuinely worried for her well being as she gets into trouble....but Jacky, being resourceful and generally like-able by all who come across her, manages to get out of some tough spots.

The characters she meets on the boat are all well written, the description of the naval ship and terminology is neat, there's actually quite a bit of a history lesson as you read too.

But after reading this book I was so impressed that I bought the whole series of books, and just finished the 6th book. Each one gets better, and each book has all the humor, suspense, adventure, great characters, that you could want.

I read everything from pure fantasy/sci-fi, mystery, thrillers, biographies, horror, etc. If you like adventure, action, humor, drama, this book and all the rest in the series has it in spades. I really can't recommend it enough.

________________Side note about parental concern__________________

I'm surprised at how many books out there are labeled for "Young Adult", this series being one of them. I'm 28, and I was a little surprised at the content I was reading, being that I had read that this book is recommended for 6th to 8th grade. The Harry Potter books for example, are much more kid friendly in my opinion. There are very adult themes here that anyone under 14 years old I would say might be a bit uncomfortable or not understand exactly what the author is inferring. The books actually get a bit more lewd and racy as Jacky gets older throughout the series too, which I think is fine, but be cautioned for the younger readers out there.

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mac
One of my all time favorite books
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2013
Verified Purchase
Bloody Jack is one of my favorite books and is endlessly re-readable. Jacky has one hair-raising adventure after another, often followed by narrow escapes as she travels (or flees with the law at her heels) from one place to another. This series gets even better from book to book as Jacky goes from street urchin, to sailor, to "Fine Lady in Training" to pirate, to pioneer, etc. Jacky will try her hand at anything, sometimes disastrously, often hilariously and she never fails to find both trouble and adventure.

If you haven't read Bloody Jack do so immediately. You'll laugh and cry and fall in love with the amazing and outrageous Jacky Faber, and best of all, there's lots more books in the series and you haven't even gotten to the best ones yet.

Even though Jackie is a teenager, she's quite mature in her outlook on life and adults certainly won't feel they're reading a book written for young readers. (I was astounded to find this book in one library's children's section, most definitely misplaced. The author accurately and comprehensively describes life circa 1800- fascinating, but totally inappropriate for children.)

What's best about these books is Jackie herself: her irrepressible exuberance and excess of curiosity invariably land her in hot water, but her quick wits and never-say-die attitude, even in the face of seemingly impossible odds, usually manage to carry her through.

The author does a marvellous job of bringing the early 19 century alive, and the stories are filled with a wealth of period detail of every sort: the dress, food, music, customs, etc., of many different countries and cultures. Jacky's adventures provide the author with the opportunity to explore numerous historic events and the lives of people both great and small.

Jacky is no Pollyanna stumbling from one disaster to the next and ever in need of rescue, nor is she a MarySue of limitless resources ready to triumph over every adversity without mussing her flawless coiffure. She makes mistakes, gets herself in trouble even when she should know better then lies or runs away; she whines and gets depressed when things don't go her way, is an unrepentant flirt, a thief and a show-off, and frequently confesses to suffering from numerous moral failures because she "wasn't raised up proper-like." But she's also a loyal friend, a natural leader, smart as a whip and a champion of the downtrodden. She is a true heroine who is genuinely outraged at injustice and won't hesitate to throw her small self at overwhelming odds in defense of her chosen friends and allies. You just can't help cheering for her.

The Audible Audio version of the series, read by the very talented Katherine Kellgren, really brings Jacky to life. Ms. Kellgren does a pitch-perfect job of capturing all the different characters, giving each a distinct, memorable voice and nailing the accents perfectly. A wealth of period music brings yet another very enjoyable dimension to the audiobooks.

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Alliesdad
There are pirates to defeat and love to be found
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2015
Verified Purchase
While I strongly suspect the author wrote these as YA books, I did not approach this, the first of about a dozen Jacky Faber adventures, with that in mind. I am sure for some parents Jacky may seem just a little racy. She (spoiler alert) retains her virginity in spite of a shipmate who hankers after the boys on the ship and a fellow "ship's boy" with whom she develops a lusty romance. Mr. Meyer's research has led him to a flavorful look at life on the streets of London in the mid-eighteenth century and then on and below the decks of one of His Majesty's ships of war. Jacky indulges in what she calls "The Deception," being a girl in a man's world. Mr. Meyer moves his story with dispatch and has plenty of suspense along the way. There are pirates to defeat and love to be found. He has bestowed upon his heroine a distinctive voice, which adds a layer of pleasure to the proceedings. I am still deciding if I want to go on with the series, but the first book is great fun.

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Sebastian Ziemer
Gutes Buch, aber:
Reviewed in Germany on November 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
Ich würde dem Buch gerne 5 Sterne geben, da es sehr gut geschrieben ist, eine interessante Story erzählt und der Autor anscheinend viele Nachforschungen angestellt hat. Leider besteht ca. 16% des Buches aus einem "freien Sample" für das nächste Buch :(

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Cheryl Weippert
very enjoyable
Reviewed in Canada on March 26, 2015
Verified Purchase
Bloody Jack was a fun adventure. I enjoyed the misadventures that Jacky was always getting into, and I liked how she was smart and intuitive.
I would recommend this to my daughter and any of my friends who enjoy women involved in adventure.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series

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Kajsa Lancaster
Fun, engaging, exciting and very well written!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2016
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I loved this book from beginning to end. The dialect took a couple of pages to get into, but then I was totally sold and even started speaking like Jacky myself! It is a fun and engaging adventure tale that will take you right back to that time and place, and the exciting world of salty sea sailors! And Jacky is a lovely character whom you will root for all the way.

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S Pearce
10/10 Read this book! You won't regret it!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 10, 2017
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I adore this series of books! First reading the whole series when I was a teen, and rereading them now! Great inspiration and Jackie is an excellent role model for all those women making their own way in life.

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Elaina
Love these books
Reviewed in Canada on December 30, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is an amazing series. I read them when I was thirteen and now that I have money of my own I've bought them all and catching up on the three that have come out that I lost track of. Also got my boyfriend into them. Were both in love with jacky.

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Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary 'Jacky' Faber, Ship's Boy (Bloody Jack Adventures, 1) Paperback – Picture Book, June 10, 2010

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Bloody Jack Faber aka Mary 'Jacky' Faber, Ship's Boy

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5.0 out of 5 stars One of my new favorites series of books

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all time favorite books

4.0 out of 5 stars There are pirates to defeat and love to be found

Top reviews from other countries

4.0 out of 5 stars Gutes Buch, aber:

5.0 out of 5 stars very enjoyable

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, engaging, exciting and very well written!

5.0 out of 5 stars 10/10 Read this book! You won't regret it!

5.0 out of 5 stars Love these books

One of my new favorites series of books

One of my all time favorite books

There are pirates to defeat and love to be found

Gutes Buch, aber:

very enjoyable

Fun, engaging, exciting and very well written!

10/10 Read this book! You won't regret it!

Love these books