Early Reader Review: My Salty Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

My Salty Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows 
Series: Mary #3
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date:  August 20, 2024

 

Format: Hardback

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, New York Times bestselling authors Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows are back with a fantastical, romantical, and piratical historical fantasy remix that marries the story of The Little Mermaid with the life and times of infamous lady pirate Mary Read.

Don't call this mermaid "little"—call her "captain," unless you want to walk the plank.

Mary is in love with the so-called prince of Charles Town, except he doesn't love her back. Which is inconvenient. Since she's a mermaid, being brokenhearted means she'll—poof!—turn into sea-foam.

But instead, Mary finds herself pulled out of the sea and up onto a pirate ship. To survive, she joins them. But Mary isn't willing to just sing the yo-ho-hos. She wants the pirate life, all of it, and she's ready to make a splash . . . by becoming captain. But when Blackbeard dies suddenly, Mary has a chance to become so much more: Pirate King . . . or Queen. She won't let anyone stop her—not Blackbeard's cute son, not her best friend from back under the sea who's having a bit too much fun with his new legs, and certainly not everyone who says she can't be a pirate just because she's a girl.

She may not be the best man for the job, but she'll definitely prove that she's worth her salt.

Review: 

My Salty Mary is #3 in the Mary Series, each book a historical fantasy retelling of a Mary - who might not have had the best ending. These authors are retelling their stories in a creative and fun way.

I have not read the other books in this series, but I will likely be going back for them. My Salty Mary was about pirates, mermaids, treause, and an adventure and folllowed Mary Rea, the infamous pirate. The characters are also popular ones, like Blackbeard's son - Tobias, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny.. and the Littlest mermaid. 

This book was so much fun. The authos made jokes around the pirates life making this story feel both adventourous but also laugh-out load funny. An example was the names: Captain Crunch, captain Morgan Captain Obvious. There were breaks of the 4th wall with notes about modern day technologies as well. 

The soty is told in multiple POV - Mary, Jack, Tobias and that added to the emotional turmiol of the plot - they were all in it for different reasons but in the end they all come together for Mary. The overall story is about Mary winning the Pirate King award - collecting the most treasure and she is determined, and luckily her crew is there for her. It was a fun feel good read and it was lovely to have a pirate book be about friendship and determination rather than spicy time and pillaging. 

Super cute, I loved it. If you like retellings, reimaginings and the Little Mermaid mixed with a little of that playfulness that Pirates of the Caribbean has, this will be a great read for you.