Pirates, ships, adventures on stormy seas, facing dangerous beasts in the merciless desert, a taste of the beauty of Morocco, and above all, a band of fearless girls and women out to rule the world.
Intriguing blurb, a gorgeous book cover, and the promise of all the above. What more does a book blogger trapped in her home since the last four months (due to the current pandemic) want?

Without further ado, let us board the Ship of Shadows and see what went right and wrong for me.

Kuzniar’s Ship of Shadows features a breath-taking array of characters. All the characters are brilliantly etched out; each has a distinct voice. I could feel Aleja’s yearn for exploration and her loneliness as she could never assimilate with other girls, nor could her family understand her wholly. I rooted for her the entire time she determinedly strived to gain the crew’s trust.

I felt Captain Quint’s desperation to seek what was hers. I also understood Malika’s thirst for revenge. The rest of the girls do not lag far behind in leaving an impression on me.

Moreover, the Ship itself is a character here – more of a living being to its crew. It is their home. Its quirks, its magic fills their lives as much as it makes it a legend. Kuzniar’s imagination runs wild in creating a ship that is full of magic, books, jewels, and shadows. it made me wistful to be aboard the Ship of Shadows as a crew member; it is so lovingly crafted by the author. Every crew member has a talent of her own, and everyone can explore more of her talent. It is a dream come true for Aleja, who has been told not to toe the line all her life.
Now why it is called a Ship of Shadows, you need to read the book to find out.

Further, the dangers are real here. Well, as real as it can be, if you take magic into account. Krakens, jinns, pirate hunters, quicksand – the book has it all resulting in a swashbuckling tale.

However, the middle of the tale falters a bit. It was like hopping from one adventure to another without taking a breath. I, thus, had a hard time keeping myself immersed in the plot and felt disconnected from the characters.

BUT ….
… the book redeems itself a few chapters later. The pace is still fast, but it does not move at a breakneck speed which allowed me to connect with the my band of women once more. By the end of the book, Frances, Aleja’s best friend, had made a special place in my heart due to her quick wits and jovial nature. The mystery is satisfactorily solved by the end. Other than a minor cliffhanger, the climax neatly wraps up (almost) all the threads in the story, barring the ones which will surely be answered in a sequel.

To conclude, while the Ship of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar is beautifully written with elements of magic, pirates, and adventure, it failed to excite me as much as I wanted to be excited.

The Ship of Shadows is the debut book by Maria Kuzniar and is the newest middle grade pirate masterpiece which will make you want your own swashbuckling adventure.

What if I told you of the most legendary pirate ship ever to cross the seas. A pirate ship so feared, the mere mention of it would send shivers down the very soul of any would-be pirate unfortunate enough to be in its presence. Led by a Captain so fierce, skilled, determined and ferociously clever… and with a crew to match. A crew hand-picked because of their own unique strengths and abilities… Only those deemed worthy are chosen to board the Ship of Shadows and witness its ‘magic’.

Now what if I told you that the Ship of Shadows was crewed by women. The most talented and tenacious crew you can imagine. And you want to know what makes the Ship of Shadows and its crew so effective? It’s a family. That’s right, not only are the crew members chosen because of their skillset but it’s also about their will, their resolve, their intelligence and their temperament. They live together and fight together and understand that the family onboard is just that. And although each member is of course individually competent, they are no doubt stronger when they are together – all with a single goal. Good luck to anyone who gets in their way!

Anyway, at the start of it all we meet Aleja, a young girl who has always dreamt of adventure and one day leaving her hometown to explore the world. But as she finds out, this is not how girls should think and Aleja is often teased for having dreams. Terrible I know! But her desire is such a force that her dreams may come true, and sooner than she thinks. It’s almost as though adventure has come looking for her. One of the things I really like about Aleja is that even though she was laughed at for wanting adventure she prepared for it anyway. She has taught herself different languages… by reading! She is a Spanish speaker and has taught herself English, French and Arabic as well as being a competent climber.

I love the other characters in the book, they’re all sooo good and have their own personalities like for example Griete, the inventor on-board pins her hair up with a spanner. I think that is just an awesome little detail!

I also like Malika, she is the ship’s weapons and combat expert. And make no mistake Malika is absolute nails and deadly with a sword, who isn’t 🤔 but her skills are unmatched. She actually comes across a little hard faced and mean but when you get into it she has a real soft side and loves her pirate family and will do anything to protect them.

The other unsuspecting character in the story is actually the ship itself. As soon as Aleja set eyes upon it she knew that all her thoughts about magic are actually real! It’s almost like the Ship of Shadows is alive, with its own memories and comes with its own friendly cheeky ghost who lives, get this, in a globe! Which can be found in what is just the most wonderful sounding library you can imagine. This ship even grows its own rooms! Aaa the imagination and wonder flowing through this book will make your brain melt.

Of course I must give a shout out to Frances who admittedly I was unsure of at first and lets be honest, a little frustrating as she doesn’t always follow instructions but this is part of what makes her so wonderful. Aleja and Frances form a special friendship due to their shared age and a joint love of cake. France always has cake, I think we should all have a friend like her to randomly appear with cake from seemingly nowhere. I’m now drooling for cake.

Across the oceans and the emotional roller-coaster that is The Ship of Shadows book, you will encounter terrifying creatures, harsh conditions only few would survive, magic, lost cities, pirate hunters, jars of lightning, cake, clues to solve and maps to follow. OH MY GOODNESS get ready for this one folks.

I loved this book so much, and I have no doubt at all that you will too. I can not wait for book 2 and I may have to get some cake when I dive into it. Huge thanks to NetGalley and in particular Phoebe Williams for sending me a copy to review. I really loved it and I think it’s my favourite book I’ve reviewed so far. More please 🙂

I’d like to leave you all with a wonderful quote and one of my favourites from the book…

“When something is immortalized in stories, it gives it an air of enchantment.”

Maria Kuzniar – The Ship of Shadows

The Ship of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar is a fantasy book. Not only that it is a fantasy inhabited by an all female pirate crew and that is what makes it all the more thrilling and fun, an adventure to be on! Before anything else on the book, here is a big thank you to the author, publishers at Puffin Books and my blog host Dave of The Write Reads for my eARC.

As usual let us begin with the cover. I am in love with these bright colours that and the image of the ship visible from a window as if in a distant dream. And that is almost exactly how we plunge into the Aleja's story.

Aleja's heart thirsts for adventure but the only thing that is proving to be a hurdle in her setting off on a journey at high seas is the fact that she is a girl. Aleja is an interesting character who steals away at night to visit the library or just climb and jump across the walls of her city located near the Spanish harbour. But when the fabled vessel called The Ship of Shadows docks at the city's harbour and she gets a chance to board it, Aleja is in for an adventure of a lifetime.

It will take all her knowledge, skills and determination to make friends with the crew on this pirate ship and win their trust, which is manned by women pirates who are all looking for something.

The characters are all extremely well etched out. From our heroine Aleja to second in command Malika, to the captain of the ship Captain Quint and her pet owl. Everyone seems to be a fleshed out person who does not feel like just a far-fetcehd idea from the writer's head. The writing flows and you almost feel like leaving behind your mundane existence, more so in these pandemic-y times, and hit the seas in search of your own Ship.

This brilliant, brave set of women travel together and that was another high point for me in the book. Full of descriptions of the places, from Spain to Morocco, that the crew visits and historical tid-bits are strewn across the entire book, making it a very delightful read for someone looking beyond adventure. Kuzniar's writing promises you to take into a world where magic rule, where danger lurks at every step (or wave) but a trusty sword, or map or a friend is also at an arm's length, ready to save you from imminent danger.

Aimed at middle grade, The Ship of Shadows is an adventure that I highly recommend to everyone, whether or not you are a middle grader or a female.

I was so excited to read this all female pirate fantasy book and I was not disappointed at all. This book was magical, it had strong characters, was so descriptive I could actually sense the terror of when the Kraken arrived AND I loved the race across the ocean to find the treasure and solve the mystery behind the ship.

This is Maria Kuzinar's debut book and oh boy it came with a bang of cannon fire and a lot of pirate swagger. It is a middle grade book but I tell you being an adult I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It had me on the edge of my seat and at times crying out to the characters to watch out!

Aleja is by far the wittiest, cleverest and most adventurous characters I have probably met. Her heart longs for adventure but her being female is restricting her. Aleja not one to sit idly by comes unstuck when she sees some of the nastiest people in her town with counterfeit coins. Her life is literally forfeit and she can only hope to escape. With the help of an unknown female in her streets her life takes a turn for the better. Hiding out of the Ship of Shadows to let the danger pass she somehow becomes part of the crew.  

The whole crew aha get it? is one of my favourites. They all had their own stand out personalities that worked so well to make this book flow swimmingly (I know I can't help the puns). From fighting nefarious forces at sea to being taken captive on land this book definitely saw some action. It added to the magic of the book and made me enjoy it that much more. 

Can I also mention that Frances is up there as well. Her character was another delight in the book. She is the thief and at times gets up to mischief but you know that her heart is in the right place. Also let me just say one other word for Frances - CAKE. She loves a bit of cake and when reading about it it made me hungry for cake as well!  Her love and friendship with Aleja also made her very special in my eyes. 

All the characters had their own uniqueness and strengths. This book and hopefully series is going to go from strength to strength. I can wait to see what other adventures they are going to go on. I loved this book from start to finish. It had my heart pounding - I had so many questions about the Ship of Shadows and its magical elements. I am hoping we are going to find out more in the next book as they are definitely travelling on the high seas.

“Aleja did what she always did when faced with a puzzle: she went to the library.”
— Maria Kuzniar, The Ship of Shadows

Kuzniar’s debut novel is a delightful middle-grade adventure for pirate lovers and little girls who dream big.

Set near a Spanish harbour, Aleja spends her days longing for an adventure at sea. She wants to travel to new lands and witness the magic of the world. And when a mysterious ship comes to port, Aleja finds herself on board and experiencing all the adventures she dreamed about. But with a band of enemies in hot pursuit and a secrets lingering in every corner, Aleja soon finds out that the biggest mysteries may lie in the pirates around her: a wholly female crew.

A gripping tale that delighted me from start to end, and will surely find the hands of young girls who long to hear the call of adventure.

Thank you so much NetGallery and Penguin Random House Children's UK Publisher’s for this early readers copy!

Read. Be happy. Stay safe.

It is such a delight to read a book that completely captures the child-like desire to see the world, to travel, to experience things for the first time and to run away with female pirates who eat cake. This whole story was such a pleasure to read from start to finish.

Aleja is a girl who dreams of adventure. By day, she helps in her family's tavern in Sevilla, Spain. By night she explores the city, stealing books from the library and learning about the great explorers and adventurers of the world. More than anything, she wants to sail away and see it all for herself. Even if girls can't be explorers. 

But when the Ship of Shadows sails into port, she has her chance. Crewed by an all-female band of pirates that bristle with weapons and secrets, Aleja is roped into joining just one adventure on this magical ship ...

I mean, if that rough summary doesn't do it for you, I don't know what does. This is just genuinely delightful, honest and happy writing that makes you so excited for Aleja's adventure, and for whatever comes next!

Aleja has perhaps a little too much 'spinach' - she's pretty good at anything she sets her mind to, and copes remarkably well with the transition from a world where there is no magic, to one where it pours off the bulkheads. But I didn't really mind that. She is also young, and stubborn and sharp and clever. She's the slightly rash heroine you want to follow.

I would have loved to find out more about the backstories and characters of the rest of the crew, bit by bit, but I'm excited to think that there could be an opportunity for that in the future. But we get to know Frances, who can steal anything, climb anything and eat any cake. The galley isn't all hard tack and gruel either - crewed by women from all over Europe, the food represents that too. The first mate is tough and steely, the captain is mysterious but with that maternal air of someone you just want to impress. It's a really delightful balance of characters.

What I LOVED about it this book though was the obvious and very genuine passion for travel. Not just in a 'drop in be a tourist' way but in a very heartfelt and interested way - the descriptions of buildings, culture and food are not just padding, instead they are informative and interesting. There are words and phrases from different languages (French, Arabic, Spanish) that are inserted into the story without feeling like they're being shoe-horned in. I especially liked that Aleja always refers to Seville as Sevilla, rather than by its English name - because she's Spanish! Why wouldn't she?

The ship itself is the most magical, fantastical place. It really is where your imagination can run riot, from libraries to waterfalls to caves to shadows. I would have loved to know more about the why and the how of the magic here. But, just like Aleja, I'm prepared to be delighted and amazed by it. The level of fast-paced creativity and adventure in this book is just outstanding.

It's a little bit Carmen Sandiago and a little bit Tintin and I am ALL FOR THAT.

Can someone find me some young readers that I can gift this book to???

In reality, I'd rate this as 4.5 stars, but I've rounded down to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK Children’s for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and The Write Reads for including me in the blog tour!

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Content warnings: Parental death

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I can’t get over how this is a debut book, I loved it! Pirates? Check. Badass Feminist ladies? Check. Magic? Check. Cake? Check!

I love a good adventure story, and this one ticked all of the boxes for me. Aleja is such a wonderful main character – inquisitive, smart and incredibly determined to get what she wants! I loved her relationship with her brothers and how realistic it was – it was great to see a largely functional sibling dynamic!

I love the entirely female crew of The Ship of Shadows – each character was strong in their own way with their own unique personalities and backstories. I loved seeing this many women in one story who were well written and actually fleshed out – it made the story so much more real for me! Each member of the crew has their own strengths which all worked together to create a really powerful team. I appreciated the disability rep, BIPOC rep and LGBTQ+ rep in the book, and how these characters weren’t treated differently. This book is a fantastic way for kids to experience people from all walks of life being strong, determined and essential for the team to work. Found family stories always make me happy, and this one worked incredibly well as you feel like you’re a part of it too! I laughed along with the banter and felt all of the tension when secrets were being kept and disagreements broke out.

It sounds incredibly trivial, but I really enjoyed seeing a character with glasses who isn’t typically nerdy/geeky, but instead being integral to the team for other reasons. Frances was one of my favourite characters – we share an infinite love of cake and a constant need to push our glasses up!

Maria writes so beautifully and lyrically, which makes the story jump out of the page – I can see this as a film one day! The descriptions are rich and vibrant, making the magic and shadows come to life in front of my eyes. I loved how the magic worked on the ship – it’s such a whimsical idea!

This book is fast paced and action-filled, but doesn’t feel rushed or too crowded. Everything that happens adds to the excitement of the journey! Even during the quite periods of the book had important things happening in them, so I never ended up

I loved everything about this book and it has soared into my top 5 Middle Grade reads of all time! I really hope there are more books to come from Aleja and the rest of the crew, I need to know what happens next! I gave this book 5 stars.

Thank you to Dave at TheWriteReads for allowing me on this blog tour. Thank you to Maria Kuzniar for writing such an AMAZING book. This adventure has been amazing and you can count me in for the next!

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Wow. Just wow! The Ship of Shadows is one heck of an adventure that I hope to share with my children (when I actually have them lol), knowing that it will inspire them to follow their hearts and accomplish whatever they dream of.

I know I’m not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but when I saw the cover for this novel, I knew I absolutely needed to read it. The cover was simply so expressive and colorful, it reminded me of fairy tales. Then I began to read this book. This entire story is a modern fairytale, and I loved it from beginning to end.

Aleja wants to be an adventurer, as many girls do. But everyone in her village says she can’t be one because she’s a girl. When a mysterious ship of legend docks in her town, Aleja knows that this is her chance to go on an adventure? She doesn’t really have a choice in the matter, as a situation makes it necessary for her to go onto the all-female Ship of Shadows and begin an adventure with them.

I think one of my all-time favorite book friendships was Aleja and Frances. Their habit of eating cake and chatting about the goings-on of the ship made for some of my favorite scenes in the entire book. All of the women on the ship had so much character and backstory to them. I won’t tell you much else about those on the ship, as I don’t want to spoil too much of this amazing story for you.

The action scenes reminded me of what I enjoyed about the Percy Jackson series. They weren’t overly gory as to actually disturb middle-grade readers, but they were action-packed with enough minor grossness to engage me as an older reader. In fact, everything about this book reminded me of what I had originally loved about the Percy Jackson series. Aleja did not act younger or older than she was stated to be in this novel (around 12 I believe). I could have seen myself falling in love with this book at twelve years old had it been out. This is a must-have for a middle school / high school library collection.

That is not even beginning to mention all of the representation of different groups in this novel. Even though the book is written in English, Aleja’s primary language is Spanish and she is from Seville, Spain. All the characters on the Ship of Shadows are from different countries and must speak different languages for a variety of reasons throughout the novel. There is also at least one (if not more that I missed) instance of LGBT+ representation.

This book is just a great middle grade read, or read for anyone at any age. My only complaint was that I don’t believe it is a series, I absolutely need more from these characters!

I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.

“Sometimes friends became family too. The family you chose to have when your lives cosied up against each other’s as if you’d always been there.”

Thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads, Puffin Books, and the author for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

We’re all readers here, I assume. You know that feeling when you become so engrossed in a book that everything else ceases to exist except the world of the book? That moment when you forsake basic needs like sleep and food because you don’t want to break your concentration? That’s one of my favorite feelings in the world. So, when I find a book that can make me feel that, I savor it.

The Ship of Shadows is a book to be savored.

We follow a young girl named Aleja, who is growing up in Seville, but dreams of exploring the world. She knows the world is more than just her family’s tavern, where she helps out during the day. She has no way to explore how she wishes to except through the tales she finds in books. And there are no few amount of people telling her that girls can’t be explorers, anyways. Then, one day, a mysterious ship sails into town with an even more mysterious crew. Aleja finds herself whisked away on an adventure she has always dreamed of by a gang of women pirates who need her help in a dangerous task.

Y’all. I’m finding it hard to form the words to tell you how much I loved this book. Because, my goodness, I LOVED THIS BOOK! There are pirates! Badass female pirates! And adventure! And cake! And… and… just… ARGH! *explodes in a cloud of happiness*

*deep breath*

Okay, now that I’ve got that out of my system, perhaps I can talk about The Ship of Shadows more coherently 😅 The thing that I loved first and foremost about this book was the characters. Aleja, fierce and wonderful Aleja, is a perfect protagonist. She’s quick-witted and brave, with a touch of the dreamer and a heart ready for exploration. She has doubts, she has flaws (she’s terrible at spying, for one 😉), and it’s wonderful to watch her grow in the short span of this book. And Aleja is just the icing on the beautifully-crafted character cake! The entire crew of the Ship of Shadows had such dimension and depth that I found myself caring for each and every one of them. I want to steal cake with Frances. I want to have weapons training with Malika. I want to hang out with Captain Quint and pet her owl! I became thoroughly invested in the characters and I was more than a little sad when I had to let them go at the end of the book.

But a book cannot thrive on excellent characters alone. I mean, it can try, but what is a story without a plot? And the plot of this book is as daring and exciting as one would expect from a story populated by pirates! This is a definite page-turner, especially once Aleja has found herself on the Ship of Shadows. There’s just so much happening and you are eager to devour every bit of it! You want to find out the ship’s many secrets as much as Aleja does and you can’t help but wrap yourself up in the central quest. I think the only thing I found lacking about the plot was how abrupt the ending felt. I wanted more, dangit! I was so wrapped up in the story!

Speaking of being wrapped up in the story, the author’s rich and evocative writing style certainly helps to ensnare you. The lush descriptions and the beautiful prose made me feel like I was riding the waves right alongside the crew. And the food descriptions! I have an insatiable sweet tooth (much like Frances) and some of the descriptions of the cakes had me drooling 😋 Maria Kuzniar has a way of crafting a story that makes me so excited to see what she comes out with next!

Final thoughts: This is what every daring tale of pirates and adventure strives to be. It’s fantastical! It’s fun! It’s thrilling! And, in the midst of all this daring-do and swashbuckling, there’s a warm heart to this story that made me fall in love. It’s a beautiful story of friendship and longing and finding where you fit. And there’s cake so… *thumbs up*!

I just found my second 5-star read of the year!! And we’re already in July, so that means something!!! A pirate ship full of FEMALE pirates, the beautiful city of Seville, a young girl who dreams of traveling the world (even though the odds – and her family – are highly against it), a set of deep, interesting, mysterious, multilayered secondary characters – all this and much more is what The Ship of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar offers. I have already finished the ebook I got from Netgalley, but today I also received the beautiful, beautiful paperback and I. Am. Stunned. This cover is amazing. You will find more and more details the more you look at it, and when you look through the cutout, you get a glimpse of the mysterious ship this book is about, and how it sails against the backdrop of the setting sun. The sun is sparkly, glittery, and so is the water, and it’s just WOW!

I loved that our main character Aleja doesn’t let anyone discourage her. She doesn’t really have anybody to share her dreams with (and when she does, she gets bullied or cut off mid-sentence), and yet, she never gives up hope. Aleja longs for adventure, and that’s what she’s after. I was over the moon when then – all of a sudden – Aleja finds that the legendary Ship of Shadows, crewed entirely by female pirates, ends up in the harbour of her city! And not only that, she already experienced a sort-of-adventure with one very important crew member!

I love how this book features such a fearless, kickass, brave set of female characters. They have scars and swords and they fight, and they are what Aleja longs to be. Not only that, the crew is also extremely talented. When Aleja finds herself on a mission she’s always dreamed of, she experiences more adventures she could ever have wished for. There’s danger lurking around every corner, behind every wave, there’s huge kraken and beasts that not even her beloved books have taught Aleja about.

Other than the multifaceted characters, I also loved the descriptions of the places in this beautiful middle grade story. There’s a beautiful map in the front of the book (I’m a sucker for maps in books!!), and Aleja and the crew take us on a great adventure of Spain and northern Africa, and you can see it all before you, you can hear the sounds, smell the smells, see the colours and the people and the animals and the foods, and you wish you could join the crew on the Ship of Shadows.

Amazing, wonderful (in every sense of the word) and very imaginative middle grade you won't want to miss!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for review.
A citrus and gunpowder scented, swashbuckling adventure. Full of magic and intrigue, with a great cast of characters and a heroine in Aleja that everyone can relate to.

Aleja has always dreamed of being an explorer, and travelling to distant magical lands that she has only ever read about.  Despite Aleja feeling sure that this is her destiny, her family insist that girls can't be explorers.  When the Ship of Shadows arrives in the Seville port, Aleja is determined to get a close up look at it.  She sets of a chain of events that leads to her boarding the ship and meeting the band of female pirates that crew the ship.  They're on a hunt for something, and they need Aleja's help.

A book about an all female pirate crew, sailing a magical ship, on a mission to find something that has been lost for many years - what's not to love?!

I got into this story really easily, probably because Aleja reminded me a little of myself as a kid, obsessed with mystery and adventure.  I loved that Aleja didn't give up on her dreams despite everyone telling her no.

The Ship of Shadows is a magical place to be. I would have liked to read more about this fantastic place and how the magic works, and especially about Aleja's little shadow friend.  That said the book isn't lacking in details or anything, and the story felt complete, I'm just someone who loves reading all those extra bits (but have to remember this is a book for younger readers).

There's a wonderful cast of characters who each have their own stories to tell. We don't get to hear all of those stories this time, which is great news because it means there's a good chance of this becoming a series.  There's actually a few things that point to there being more books to come, especially with some of the final revelations.

I really enjoyed reading this, and thing it will be loved by readers young and old alike. Anyone with a strong sense of adventure will find it delightful.

Thanks to NetGalley and  Penguin Random House UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review

I do love a good Middle-Grade adventure, so when I found out about The Ship of Shadows I knew I had to read it ASAP! Also, the fact that it was about pirates just had me wanting to read it even more. So, when I finally got my hands on a copy I dived straight in.

The Ship of Shadows follows Aleja, a young girl whiling away her days in her family’s tavern in Sevilla. Aleja is a dreamer and is often found dreaming of faraway lands and magic that she’s read about in her many books. Aleja longs for an adventure but is told that girls can’t be explorers. Her life is changed however when a ship called The Ship of Shadows sails into Sevilla. The ship wants Aleja and she soon finds herself aboard. Once on the ship, Aleja discovers secrets about the sea that she could have never dreamed of, and finds herself on a mission with the other crew members to find something that could change them forever.

WOW! This book had everything I could want from a middle-grade adventure and more. It has kick-ass female pirates, a thrilling plot, amazing magic and characters that just stuck with me long after I’d finished reading. I can honestly say I was captivated by it and did find it hard to put down at times. When a book does that to me, you know it’s a great one!

Plot-wise, it was well-paced and I didn’t find anything moved too fast or too slow. The adventure you are taken on does leave you utterly absorbed and you are left wanting to know what happens next after each chapter. The magic system within the book is fascinating and the shadows that linger on the ship captured my interest straight away, and I would love to know more if I’m being honest. Additionally, the way the magic is linked to legends and stories, I found to be so unique and the way it was all woven together is commendable. Throughout the book, we are taken to different settings, each one being rich in detail. We went from Sevilla to Tangier to Marrakesh and I felt like I was exploring these cities along with our characters, that’s how thorough the descriptions were and I soaked it all up!

Female pirates? Erm yes, please! I loved each and every one of the pirates we meet onboard The Ship of Shadows and each one had a unique personality trait that I fell in love with. Also, I found the fact that each one was of a different nationality to be very diverse and distinctive to the story. It was fascinating to hear about each of their backgrounds and through this, I felt close to each of them. I applaud Maria for her incredible character creation and development, it’s one of the best I’ve seen in a book this year, for sure.

Aleja, was such a strong, determined character who yes, had her struggles which included deciding whether to stay on the ship as a pirate or go back to her family, but she took it all in her stride and didn’t let it stop her from doing what she thought was right. She’s also brave and curious about the world and her longing for adventure is one of the things that drew me to her. Her love for books and languages also stood out and resonated with me, as I adore those things too. Her friendship with Frances melted my heart, and it was touching to see such a close relationship form within the events of the story. I can’t wait to see how their relationship develops over time in the next book.

The Ship of Shadows was an engrossing, fast-moving, utterly magical read that I will be thinking about for weeks and months to come. It’s one of the best middle-grade books I have read this year and is one that anyone of any age will be mesmerised by.

THIS WAS SO GOOD.

I wasn’t sure during the first chapter or so, since things were still a little rough and ready editing-wise (I put this down to the book being an ARC), but the second the plot properly took off? Oh boy.

This was a book that I genuinely blitzed through in under 24 hours. Without my procrastination skills, it probably would’ve taken about three and a half. It’s a fast-paced read, and the plot doesn’t drag once.

What helps with this is the mystery aspects of the plot – there are secrets kept from Aleja (who is impatient, just like myself and all the other girls out there who just want to know ALL THE THINGS), but it’s always clear that we will get to know them eventually. We just have to keep reading.

(I’ll admit, I did find the climax a little rushed, but I put this down to it being a MG book which HAS to remain pretty pacey. Also the fact that there are kind of two climaxes makes me forgive the fact that the first one felt rushed.)

One thing I also LOVED about the book was the cast. An all-female band of pirates? That is found-family? Including girls and women who are kinda their parents? YES PLEASE.

Aleja is one of the few female leads that I have genuinely ADORED. Being a literature student myself, this has just rekindled my love for everything about languages and codes and just words in general. If I were a little younger, I would SO want to be Aleja.

Not just Aleja though, but all the characters on the ship are wonderful? They’re fleshed out? They all have their own unique talents and personalities? One of my favourite things is how plain DIVERSE the cast is – Kuzniar has really nailed the representation in this book.

I was pleasantly surprised by the focus on Muslim characters, specifically Malika. The fact that she gives the girls a lesson on how to blend in when they dock at Morocco by explaining the culture was just so great to read! This isn’t a book that forces diversity for brownie points, then glosses over every cultural difference between the characters – the author has genuinely done her homework and followed through with it.

In addition to this, WE HAVE A SAME-SEX COUPLE. EXPLICITLY. IT’S CANON. I think I nearly dropped the book in excitement when I found that part out because, with the exception of Rick Riordan, I can’t think of another middle-grade fantasy book that actually gives us a genuine same-sex relationship!?

ALSO, though I’m still not 100% sure, I think we had a canon transgender character too? It may sound weird, but the fact that it’s barely mentioned makes this even better? Like, we have a canon trans characters, but there’s no huge fuss about it, no one squabbles over pronouns or anything. She’s just there, chilling and being a badass.

Needless to say I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL.

This is a great book. I really enjoyed reading this adventure, I never knew what was going to happen next! I really liked Aleja, she starts off really not fitting into her family. I think the family she finds on board the ship of shadows suits her much better.

I loved the ship of shadows itself, a magical, mysterious boat that is a living legend. I particularly like that the crew is all female. I love the shadows that live there too, and I want to find out more about them.

The various settings were well described, without ever feeling like you were just reading description (something I often find rather boring). It was great fun getting a sense of different locations.

The story does unfortunately end on a slight cliffhanger, but don’t let that put you off! I’m really looking forward to reading the next instalment.

This was an exciting adventure, full of fun and mystery. It really feels like the start of a brilliant series.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

The Ship of Shadows is a beautiful, pirate adventure story! It's centred on Aleja, a young girl who wants to go on an adventure- except girls can't be adventurers. So she reads, teaches herself languages and dreams about becoming an adventurer.
Her dreams come true when she is involved in an incident in the market and is rescued by a mysterious woman- Captain Flint. Aleja finds herself on board the magical Ship of Shadows and starts her epic adventure.
I loved the pirate and adventure themes in this book, particularly as the ship is run by an all female crew. However, I do have some criticisms. While the adventure plot lines are fantastic, there are too many in my opinion. For example, the crew find a magical island with loads of treasure, they steal this then run away from another pirate boat, then get attacked by a kraken. I feel that if these plot lines were linked it would make much more sense. For example if that magical island came back to be important, or if the other pirate boat is a key character, this may all be addressed in subsequent books, but it feels disjointed in this one.
I loved the characters, and I want to get to know them better. I can see this series taking us all over the world which is think is fantastic. However, I still feel like the way that Aleja left her family needs to be addressed. She has run away with no word to them- I can understand this if they were nasty, but they're not, so I think she needs to return and explain her adventures to her family.
Overall, I enjoyed this. 3.5*
Thanks to netGalley for giving me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, Dave, at The Write Reads for organizing and inviting me to be a part of this blog tour. Thank you, Penguin Random House, Puffin, and Net Galley, for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Aleja dreams of magic and becoming an explorer and going on adventures like the ones she’s read about in books. Unfortunately, she doesn’t think she’ll ever get to leave Seville because girls can’t become explorers, and she has to help at her family’s tavern. Then one day, adventure comes for her when she finds herself aboard the legendary Ship of Shadows, setting sail across the ocean. What follows is a series of magical moments, dangerous adventures, mysterious puzzles, and events that Aleja thought only existed in books.

This book was absolutely fantastic, and it set the bar high for any future pirate books that I read. This book had basically everything you could ask for, and it was full of adventure, magic, friendship, and cake! The group of girl pirates aboard the Ship of Shadows are all unique and amazingly talented, and I fell in love with all of them while reading.

My favourite thing about this book was the adventure. Between the magical mysteries on the Ship of Shadows, the terrifying creatures the crew encounters, and the secret mission that the crew was on, I was completely hooked on the story. Reading this book brought me back to being in elementary school and being completely enthralled with authors like Cornelia Funke and wanting to go on magical adventures. The adventures in this book were full of twists and turns, and I didn’t find anything to be predictable, which is amazing. The descriptions of the ship and the places they visited were amazing, and it felt like I was a member of the crew, going on the adventure with them.

I also thought that the characters in this book were amazing. I love stories featuring strong female characters, and that’s what this book is about. Aleja is so incredibly smart, and her quick thinking is tremendously beneficial to the crew. Frances is such a fun character, and I love that she loves cakes and all things sweet, and her stealth skills are beyond impressive. Farren, Velka, and Griete are also fantastic, and their unique skill sets make them valuable members of the Ship of Shadows. Captain Quint, Malika, and other senior members of the crew are also fascinating, and I would love to read more about their adventures. I loved the friendship between all of the characters, and how the Ship of Shadows was a family.

The other thing that I loved about this book was that it was about an all-female pirate crew. As I mentioned before, I love stories featuring strong females, and I think they’re important. The characters in this book were all amazing, and they’re all characters that readers can look up to. They go on adventures, they see the world, they learn about different cultures and customs, they have talents, and they boost each other up and support each other.

Overall, this book was fantastic. It was full of adventure, magic, friendship, and cake. It featured strong female characters, and if I had read this when I was ten years old, I would have definitely gone through a major pirate phase. I can’t wait for book two, and I recommend that everyone who likes adventure, friendship, or cake go pick up this book immediately.

This Pirates of the Caribbean meets Indiana Jones adventure was the perfect weekend read and would make a fab present. The cover is STUNNING so I've had to buy a copy for my shelves too!

I don't know where to begin gushing about this book, so I think I'll start with the cover, because oh my goodness, she's STUNNING. The little window on the paperback? *chef's kiss* I know that is absolutely not up to the author, but whoever did design the book deserves a raise.

I was hooked on this book before I've seen the cover, though. A middle grade story full of magic, a literal Ship of Shadows and an all female pirate crew? What could possibly sound more amazing? My expectations were very high and... all of them were met.

Aleja, the protagonist, always wanted to travel the world but she was told girls couldn't be explorers, so she lived out her dreams through reading. Born and raised in Spain, she taught herself how to read and speak English, as well as French and Arabic. And when she got tangled up in a bad business and accused of stealing, she found her refuge on... a pirate ship.
I loved Aleja as a main character. She was smart, bold and adventurous, a perfect protagonist to follow. But what stole my heart was the crew of the ship. Every single one of those ladies were badass, talented and amazing in their own way. I loved that they were unapologetically themselves and challenged all of the gender stereotypes - it's nice seeing that in MG books, as I think it's the influence kids need now more so than ever. If I had to pick a favourite character it would definitely be Frances. We could bond over cake.

The book was so incredibly addictive! I read most of it in one sitting. I'm a sucker for adventure stories that involve quests, especially MG ones as they're usually the most magical. Reading The Ship of Shadows gave me a feeling of nostalgia and I wish it was a book I read as a kid, because I think it's one of those books (like The Storm Keeper's Island) it would be great growing up with. The writing was fantastic, the right amount of descriptive without slowing down the plot. I think the indication of great writing is the fact that I can clearly see what happened in the book as if I watched it as a movie, when I think back on it.

Goodreads does not indicate whether this will be a series although the way the story ended leaves lots of room for expanding. I do hope it becomes a series as I'd love to follow Aleja and the crew on more adventures, visit more places, fight more monsters and learn more about the shadows (which are THE COOLEST and so intriguing).