I’m a young adult fantasy author who’s been in love with pirates since before Pirates of the Caribbean came out…and who then wrote a novel inspired by it. I grew up watching every pirate movie I could and have always wanted to hunt for treasure. I feel my most calm when I’m by the ocean, and I’m a bit of a wanderer myself—having traveled to over 60 countries and to every continent (yes, including Antarctica!). I have a master’s degree in Creative Writing and love sharing my adventures with the world.
By Annie Sullivan
After King Midas’s gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, he relinquished The Touch. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her, and she harbors powers that are getting harder to hide.
Kora spends her days concealed behind gloves and veils until a charming duke arrives. However, their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals the treasures her father needs to survive. Thanks to Kora’s ability to sense gold, she sets sail after it. But she’ll have to go up against pirates, betrayers, and sirens—not to mention treasure seekers who think the golden girl might be worth her weight in gold—or risk losing her father and kingdom forever.
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By Cassandra Rose Clarke
I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope, and this one has it! Pirate Ananna nearly escapes a forced marriage into another pirate clan, but her freedom comes at a cost—an assassin sent to kill her. Hold on to your hats because this book has adventure, romance, curses, and more! You’ll fall in love with the world and the characters as they leap off the pages!
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By Tricia Levenseller
Alosa is the type of pirate I would want to be. She’s got swagger, sword skills, daring, and wit. She deliberately lets herself get captured by her enemies (but will they stay enemies???) in order to search their ship for an ancient map leading to a legendary treasure. However, on her quest to not everything is as it seems—even Alosa herself. I love the twists and turns you take as you explore this robust pirate world!
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By Carrie Vaughn
What’s a pirate story without a little stolen treasure? Well, modern-day Jill doesn’t exactly steal the broken sword piece she finds on the beach, but it certainly is a treasure—one that transports her back in time to the age of pirates. Who hasn’t wanted to be transported to a pirate ship? I know have…and I still do!
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By Melissa Landers
Pirates…in space! Maybe you weren’t expecting space pirates on this list, but they’re just as cool as sea pirates. With a mix of Star Wars and the movie Overboard vibes, this story follows a down-on-her-luck Solara as she bargains for passage to another world and another life. However, some risks are bigger than others. So are some cons. And Solara might just have to team up with the last person she wants to in order to survive. I love the “found family” trope in this one and how you learn there’s more to people than you ever thought.
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By Heidi Schulz, John Hendrix
Okay, I cheated with this one. It’s a Middle-Grade book and not a Young Adult book. But it’s a list about pirates! You should’ve expected a little bit of cheating going on. And I had to include this one because of the voice. It’s told by a narrator who’s as off-putting as he is entertaining. And if that’s not enough, it follows Captain Hook’s daughter on her quest for revenge against Peter Pan. You’ll be hooked right away…get it? Get it??? Hahaha! I’ll be over here laughing at my own jokes (and you should go add these books to your to-be-read piles!)
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