Perfect for fans of The Pirates of the Caribbean!

This starts a little slow as we learn about the Academy and the rivalry between Ximena and Dante. The world building is interesting as it’s forbidden to use magic and so whispers of the revived pirate Gasparilla hint at some treacherous necromancy.

Ximena and her sister both attend the academy under different routes as their parents were sentenced to death for being pirates when they were younger. Ximena has recently been promoted in rank at the academy. So, we learn more about the lessons there and how people view her due to her parents.

When the threats of Gasparilla’s return come to fruition with the capture of the queen, that’s when we get a lot more action. The story picks up in pace as Ximena tries to prove she is more than her parents.

I know from the very first line this was going to be a great book and I'm glad to say, I was right! I was really drawn into this story and though Ximena doesn't make for the most relatable, or even likeable character, it's easy to see why she is who she is and though I wasn't rooting for her, this didn't stop me from enjoying her adventures. That being said, Ximena's character grows and changes as the book progresses and she experiences more of the world and the people around her as she's forced to the seas to chase a dangerous and notorious pirate, Gasparilla.

Dante, Ximena's rival at the academy and her complete opposite, is definitely frustrating. I would have loved to have his point of view included in the book, at least in certain places, as it appears his understanding of Ximena changes, and his own character does as well. This is clearly a book for character growth as well as an interesting plot. I enjoyed following these characters across the sea and into several different kinds of danger. There are truths revealed, and tentative feelings developed, as well as some big twists that I didn't see coming!

Pirate fans, this is one for you! Though our main characters are on the opposing side to the pirates, this book isn't short of action and adventure, rivalries, friendships, betrayals, and some difficult choices to make. I'm looking forward to whatever journey the next book takes us on!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

3.75/5⭐️

Ximena Reale wants nothing more than to be a cazadores and to serve the law for the rest of her life. The only thing that makes it almost impossible for her is the fact that her parents have been hanged 5 years ago for being traitorous pirates that fought against the law. So naturally, Ximena has to work harder, study harder and basically dedicate her life to la academia. Upon her studies, she stumbles over more and more hints that the dead believed pirate lord Gasparilla has come back to take revenge. When the princess is being captured by the pirate lord, it’s in Xemina’s hands to find a way to get her back and with that also finally gain the title of cazadores.

Capitana is very clearly a YA fantasy Novel, which shows in the writing style as well as the plot. I‘m not a major fan of pirate novels, but wanted to give this one a try. I can confirm, it was alright. Ximena is a good main character, that stays true to herself and her believes. She acts in the way of the law, but also considers listening to her conscience when making a tough decision. Dante de Leon is definitely the most entertaining character of the book. Most of the side characters are not as interesting and don’t really contribute to the development of the story.
The plot seemed a bit too common, something that I‘ve read several times before just in a pirate version.
I also found the world building lacking and would have wished for a more complex overview of the Luzan empire.
Altogether, this is an okay debut YA novel by the author.

Thank you Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for providing this e-ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the advance reader copy.

I really wanted to get into this book as I the concept sounded super interesting unfortunately I didn’t care about any of the characters and got around 36% before I decided to DNF.

I found it hard to get into the point of the story and felt that at that point in the book I should have some sense of what and why this was even a story.

I requested this as it was a pick for Illumicrate and I’m happy it I skipped that month..

Unfortunately this wasn’t for me.


*I have just looked into the author and would like to say I do not share their views and have given this review based on the book*

I loved this so much! I’m always looking for pirate fiction and this did not disappoint. I loved Ximena so much and thought that character development mixed with plot was done so well and had a good balance. I can’t wait to get a physical copy and add it to my collection

Ximena is the daughter of pirates who were executed. She is trying to prove herself at la Academia while keeping her sister on the rails.
I just didn't like this book. I kept waiting for it to get started.
I like books with pirates this didn't inspire me at all.
I couldn't take to any of the characters.
Not for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

The truth is written by those in charge. For Ximena Reale the truth has always been that her parents were hung as pirate traitors. She has lived with that truth and one ambition all her life. The ambition to gain the Cazador cloak, a symbol of recognition that will leave her family’s past behind her. She is desperate to catch the famed pirate Gasparilla. Adventure on the high seas beckons, if she can get past Dante de Leon. He is a loathsome, philanderer as far as she is concerned. A lazy good for nothing, but also her competition for the Cazador title. But as I said the truth is controlled by others, and Ximena is about to find the truth might have been written very differently indeed from other’s perspectives. The persecuted, and indeed Dante’s, in particular. The Empire is fighting for survival. Will it or Ximena survive. First in a duology, the second can’t come quick enough after the exciting ending of this book. Thank you to Bonnier Books UK and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Ximena is on her way to becoming a black-cloaked Cazadoro, a pirate hunter. Even though she is a top student she always has to deal with the unfortunate legacy of her parents, hunters who betrayed the empire and turned to piracy, therefore they were executed. Gasparilla, the most notorious pirate in Luzan history is back and she is offered the chance to become Cazadoro if she catches him. But she must compete against Dante, the aggravating son of the High Minister. On her quest, Ximena begins to realize that she may not be in the right after all.

Opening with an execution and the mention of a notorious pirate who might be back from the dead is the way to hook pirate lovers and it worked on me. Let us not forget the protagonist has an eyepatch! And the promise of a pirate revolution. The narrative is colored with a Spanish flair and has a companionable, matter-of-fact tone giving us a great sense of the places, characters and what is going on. There is a lonely but still hopeful quality to this 3rd person POV.

A stickler for the law, Ximena is strict with herself and others, constantly preoccupied with success to the point of being unnecessarily cruel. She is abrupt, a bit calculating and overly confident. You could easily dislike her but you don't. You do get cross with her whereas there are moments you want to strangle her, but you're always on her side. She is disdained or feared, made an outcast through no fault of her own. She genuinely has faith in the mission of the Cazadores and longs to prove herself.

Dante acts like a spoiled rich brat, always in trouble and so much fun. I think he serves as her wake-up call for unseen truths even though he seems to go out of his way to irritate her. One star of this book's rating belongs solely to him. Their antagonism is quite amusing. They share a kinship that is perfectly perceived in the following line of dialogue from Dante: "People judge you for what you are, and they judge me for what I'm not."
Pia is a treasure.

As the story exchanges pirate hunter training drama with thrilling pirate chasing our leads start to shine and so does the action. Action that gave me all the comprehensive and engaging details I needed to feel like I was in the midst of it. The 'just when it is needed' figurative speech hosted creative wordplay resulting in vivid and original imagery. The protagonists' character evolution is slow, oftentimes painfully slow, but it is there.

The book was too busy in some parts. I really appreciate the author's imagination and enthusiasm, but too many things happening at once often take from each individual event and then they aren't presented as fully as they could be. There is nothing wrong with rich action, I just think it needed a little more work. Occasionally things happened that seemed to come out of nowhere, without proper explanation as to how they were feasible. But you cannot deny the entertaining storytelling with a great premise as its foundation. Moreover that marvelous reveal that changes everything we know, a chain reaction that leads to many surprises. I do love surprises.

Presenting the reality of colonialism, showing its injustices, this story champions fighting against social inequality and for freedom. So much happens in this attention-grabbing, cheer-inducing adventure, a present wrapped with legend-like and charm-filled exploits, relentlessly exciting. This is a deeply satisfying, pirate origin story if you will.

It felt like a first draft or a final thesis to a creative writing degree, even if it was a well planned and thought out first draft, I don't think its quite ready to be published for the world. It clearly needed an editor to change some of the common writing pitfalls for new authors, and maybe some more time to spend thinking an what the author truly wanted to convey..

A fuller review can be found on my GR.

I am and always will be drawn to pirate, seafaring stories and was attracted to Capitana for that reason. Throw in a great cover and the attraction of a rivals to lovers romance and a dash of hispanic culture, and you’ve got me!

Targeted at a YA audience, Capitana draws you in to the FMC - Ximena’s tragic backstory amidst a naval academy, where she strives to succeed and in doing so overcomes the past sins of her family. Despite the distraction of Dante, the spoiled ‘Prince’ of the academy, and all that he represents to her.

The story itself takes both MCs away from their academic centre, pulling them into an adventure at sea that brought challenges neither expect, however, despite some plot twists and turns, I wasn’t pulled into their story and struggled with the pacing of the plot and their romance. I appreciate that thus is the first book in a duology, which means there are loose ends and gaps that want filling but, I don’t feel compelled or impatient for it to arrive. I’m not saying this book is awful, it just didn’t hit my sweet spot and for that I’m sad.

Thanks to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Capitana is a rip-roaring, high-seas caper that kept me gripped. Ximena Reale has dreamed of becoming a Cazadora, hunting the pirates that plunder the seas of the Luzan Empire since she was a child. But as the daughter of executed pirates she is hated by her classmates and the minister who will do anything to keep her from her cloak. The only way for Ximena to gain her Cazacor cloak, is to capture the most infamous and dangerous of the Pirates, Gasparilla. Unfortunately, rival student, son of the minister, Dante de Léon stands in her way.

I really enjoyed watching the story unfold and the way Ximena’s character develops and the way that her beliefs and ideas are challenged, although I think there could have been more illustration of the oppression and the deprivation in the archipelago which prevented it from getting that 5th star. I love the relationships between Ximena and Dante and the way his character develops during the hunt for Gasparilla and of course irrepressible Pia who is simply fabulous and so important to Ximena’s development. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book and what Dante and Ximena do after that ending!!!

Cassandra James delivers an action-packed and empowering story in Capitana, a thrilling narrative about a fierce and determined heroine. Set against a vivid, action-filled backdrop, Capitana blends adventure and personal growth as its protagonist navigates challenges and uncovers deep secrets. James’s dynamic writing and the protagonist’s relatability keep the pages turning, while the world-building offers an intriguing mix of culture, politics, and heart-pounding action. Fans of strong female leads and high-stakes adventure will find this an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

Capitana by Cassandra James is a young adult fantasy novel with a strong appeal for younger YA audiences. The story follows Ximena, a determined trainee at La Academia, as she works toward becoming one of the esteemed Cazadores—pirate hunters of the Luzan Empire.

The novel introduces important themes such as colonialism, family, and friendship, offering younger readers a chance to reflect on these complex ideas. However, these themes were not fully explored, leaving the narrative feeling underdeveloped in terms of its deeper message.

The plot had great potential, with its adventurous premise but its underdeveloped execution hurt the book as a whole. While entertaining and filled with action, the story sometimes felt rushed or shallow in critical moments.

Ximena, the protagonist, is relatable as an underdog with something to prove, especially given the challenges stacked against her. However, her character arc felt lazy and underdeveloped.

The romantic subplot between Ximena and Dante adds a touch of tension and had potential but again was underdeveloped and disappointing.

In summary, Capitana offers a fun and adventurous pirate-themed fantasy aimed at younger YA audiences. While it highlights critical themes and delivers an entertaining story, the narrative doesn’t fully capitalize on its potential depth. Readers looking for light-hearted escapism with a dash of swashbuckling adventure may find this a worthwhile read.

This review is focuses on the book alone and is independent of the authors views/the controversy around this author.

I loved the concept and the focus on Spanish heritage and the golden age of piracy and I particularly liked how this came though the dialogue and world building. At first, I thought Ximena was a really interesting character with her eye patch and strict dedication to the law, especially as she descends from pirate traitors. I loved this back story and her need to prove herself amongst the other candidates at the academy. As the story progressed, I felt that Ximena was one note and didn't grow as a character she became flat. The main plot twist involving her sister wasn't supported with any characterisation previously. I didn't understand what the relationship was like between the sisters and their personality or views. Ximena's rival of Dante was interesting and I enjoyed his haughty persona that soon developed into a deeper character with emotions against the empire. He soon becomes stuck between his loyalty and morals, which added another layer of depth. His love for Ximena grew steadily throughout the book, but wasn't reciprocated until the very end. Ximena's sudden change of heart towards Dante was jarring considering her actions throughout the book. The romance element was disappointing and the pacing felt off in placing. I was struggling to continue reading in places and found certain plot points or scene slow and without a focus.

Overall, I liked the world building and the concept but would have liked Ximena to have more of a personality and evolve as a character. The pacing was my biggest issue.

I enjoyed this book. Ximena made for a flawed but interesting FMC as she struggles to come to terms with the fact that the law she's built her whole life around may not be all it seems. I enjoyed her dialogue with Dante, and the reveal at the end was well executed

I sadly no longer have any interest in this book. I've not heard the best reviews and add on the issues with the author I just have no urge to pick this one up.

Sorry!!

I love a good pirate adventure, but unfortunately this wasn't one. The plot was very slow, and it took ages for anything to start happening. The FMC was very annoying and I couldn't stand her. Rating three stars because it picked up a bit later on, but not enough to totally make up for the boring beginning.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I cannot wait to buy this book physically!

I loved and adored the characters, I was able to see such growth in each individual character. My only fault, is that i couldn't quite understand the plot twists, but I'm sure more will be mentioned in the second book, filling in the holes of how it was managed.

The politics, the rivalries, the entire of la academia was just superb. This book had all of thr tropes I love: found family, enemies to lovers, dark academia but pirate hunter style. This book blew me away, it felt like a completely new take on pirate fiction. I can't wait to read the next in the series!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I thought this was fine, if somewhat unoriginal. I was disappointed that although magic was explicitly stated to exist it was practically non-existent in the plot itself. I was also perplexed by the end as neither 'side' was very appealing in terms of their actions. The romance also did not land for me, I think there was much more chemistry with the female side character.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this, Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me.