BOOK REVIEW: THE PIRATE PRINCESS by Kary Rader

The Pirate Princess, by Kary Rader
Published May 2014 by Burroughs Publishing

About the Book (from Goodreads):

To gain her freedom, Charlee must seduce the prince. To save the pirate, Prince Petra must win her heart.

BY HONOR ALONE
A handsome war hero, Prince Petra can have his pick of any lady in the kingdom. A man of virtue, he's saved himself for just the right one. But when the corrupt emperor of Isa Vis kidnaps a duke's daughter to force her into an alliance, Petra sacrifices himself—and his dreams of love—to save her. Betrothing himself to the distant captive, he leads a daring rescue across the stormy South Sea.

But The Light has other plans. On the voyage, Petra runs afoul of Charlee. Once a prisoner, now a pirate captain, the sultry siren holds him captive with more than just her sword. And when she offers a seductive wager—if he takes her body before they reach the City of Light, she wins absolution for her crimes—it is all he can do to hold firm. While he has every reason to bring Charlee to justice, he’s also finally found a woman he wants more than honor. And he can no more trust her than he can trust himself.

MY TAKE:

First of all, I don't like the book blurb. At the same time it tells too much and too little. I'm not sure how I would rewrite it, but it doesn't give a truly enticing description of the story.

Because make no mistake. This in an enticing story.

First, you need to read book one of this series to understand the conflicts within this world, the Power of the Light, the Gifts and Implanting... and the sheer goodness and magnetism of Petra. He's an awesome guy, and you don't get his awesomeness at first when you read this story without book one. So go back, read the first book in the series Queen of Jastain. I loved and reviewed it last summer - read my thoughts HERE.

Where the first book was a time-travel romance, however, this one isn't. This is more of a swashbuckling fantasy with pirates versus royalty set firmly in Kary Rader's world of Jastain and its surrounding islands, seas and territories. Which is fine. And I like it. But it's different. Not really in the same style as the first book, which is more a warning than a criticism.

When we first meet Charlee, our erstwhile heroine, she's not a likeable character. In fact, I actively disliked her for a while there, wondering if there might be another heroine lurking somewhere I could root for. But she grows on you. And you do start rooting for her, despite her quirks and insecurities. And there are several twists to the plot that surprised me, even though I thought I had it all figured out.

Would I recommend this for summer reading? If you like swashbuckling pirate tales, strong female characters, and a hint of magic sprinkled over it all, definitely toss this one into your beach bag or load it onto your Kindle.

About the Author:

Kary Rader is a stay-at-home mother of three, avid reader and slave to the characters and worlds inside her head.

Always creative, she’s drawn to stories with fantastical worlds and creatures. With a little bit of magic and divine guidance, there isn’t anything that can’t be accomplished. And it’s the power of words that creates and destroys.

Vanquishing evil and injustice while finding eternal love in the process is all in a day’s work. And with the help of her critique partners and master cartographer imaginary places come to life.

Book Signing TODAY at the Whydah Pirate Museum in Provincetown!

Today is my first official book signing for book 2 in my Mermaids of Cape Cod series! Yes, I'm excited! Oh, and yesh, I'll have copies of the first book on hand for signing and purchase as well!

I'm traveling to P-town, out at the very tip of Cape Cod, to the famous pirate museum. I had two wonderful book signings there last summer and am hoping for a few more this summer!

Museum details and location:

The Whydah Pirate Museum
16 MacMillan Wharf, Box 493
Provincetown, MA 02657

E-Mail: info@whydah.com
Telephone: 508-487-8899
Twitter: @whydahpirates

From the Museum's website:

Commanded by the famed pirate Sam Bellamy, the Whydah was wrecked off Wellfleet in 1717, taking with her the treasures of fifty plundered ships.

According to Cape Cod legend, Bellamy was returning to his lady-love, Maria Hallett, the “Witch of Wellfleet”, when his ship met disaster in one of the worst storms to strike the eastern seaboard.

Only two men of 146 made it to the beach alive, making the Whydah wreck the worst ever on the shores of the Cape.

Bellamy’s loss was history’s gain, however, as the contents of his once-proud flagship represent a unique look into the lives of the pirates, and an unprecedented cross-cultural sampling of treasures from the world of the 18th century.

Discovered by underwater explorer Barry Clifford, this archaeological shipwreck recovery project has been named a National Geographic Society “Special Event”, and our Provincetown Museum is the headquarters for our ongoing underwater archaeological missions.

 Find more info (and photos) at : http://whydah.com/whydah-museum/

#New Release: THE PIRATE PRINCESS by Kary Rader

 

Today I'm thrilled to welcome Kary Rader to my blog for a visit! She has a new book out that I'm excited to dive into - THE PIRATE PRINCESS is the second in her Reign of Light series, and a New Adult fantasy romance.

Kary has a new publisher and a new look, and I totally can't wait to start reading! (Well, I have to wait a few more days as still getting number one son ready to leave for college in 13 days, but who's counting?)

Here's a little about the book:

BY HONOR ALONE
A handsome war hero, Prince Petra can have his pick of any lady in the kingdom. A man of virtue, he's saved himself for just the right one. But when the corrupt emperor of Isa Vis kidnaps a duke's daughter to force her into an alliance, Petra sacrifices himself—and his dreams of love—to save her. Betrothing himself to the distant captive, he leads a daring rescue across the stormy South Sea.

But The Light has other plans. On the voyage, Petra runs afoul of Charlee. Once a prisoner, now a pirate captain, the sultry siren holds him captive with more than just her sword. And when she offers a seductive wager—if he takes her body before they reach the City of Light, she wins absolution for her crimes—it is all he can do to hold firm. While he has every reason to bring Charlee to justice, he’s also finally found a woman he wants more than honor. And he can no more trust her than he can trust himself.

Sounds pretty cool, right? Perfect adventure for reading on the beach! Now here's Kary, to tell us about one of the legends that inspired the adventures in this story.

In my current release from Boroughs Publishing Group, The Pirate Princess, a large portion of the story takes place on the sea. And what is a fantasy seafaring tale without a mythical sea creature?

I wanted a creature that existed in myth and legend, but I didn’t want one everyone has heard of.  So I researched the ranks of fabled sea monsters and modeled mine after one of the more obscure—The Aspidochelone or Asp Turtle.

The Aspidochelone is a vast creature who lures unsuspecting sailors to their deaths by disguising itself as an island. Yes- that’s right! An island. The sailors dock on what looks to be a sandy beach complete with green shrubs and wildlife only to be submerged helplessly into the water while the giant predator comes up beneath them for feeding. The sheer size of the animal can demolish large ships, but it generally works with the stealth of its upper shell masquerading as landfall.

The creature is most often mentioned in medieval writings, but it is also noted in the famed Physiologus, a Greek Text from Alexandria, Egypt in the 2^nd Century. The Asp Turtle is said to be a moralistic representation of Satan who deceives those he wishes to devour.

The scene in The Pirate Princess involving the Aspidochelone is a harrowing adventure for the hero and heroine, and one my kids love me to retell. I hope you’ll check it out.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Kary also sent an excerpt from the book, to further entice you readers....

Excerpt from THE PIRATE PRINCESS by Kary Rader, copyright 2014:

“Your room is here.” She stopped abruptly, and Petra turned to face her. Close enough to touch him, she placed a hot hand on his chests, searing his flesh. “These are fine accommodations.” She gazed into his eyes and traced her bottom lip with her tongue. “But how would you like to spend the night in my cabin, Prince?”

The challenge of their earlier conversation hung in the air, and he was not about to prove himself the sum total of his desire—regardless of how much he longed to. Petra had learned enough of strategy to know this was her power move. He could perhaps make a few bold moves of his own. “Captain, my body wishes for nothing more, but I must decline, for I’m not a man given idly to passion.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Is that right?”

Maintaining her gaze, he nodded. “I have requirements before I could allow myself to…delight in an offer such as yours.”

“I don’t barter for pleasure, Prince. I don’t need to.”

“Nor was I suggesting you should.”

“What are you suggesting then?”

“I suggest nothing. I’m merely stating that if I were to make love to you—or any woman—I would require one thing.”

A smile grazed her lips as if she’d already won a hard-fought battle. “What, then, is your requirement?”

Petra softly captured her face with his hands and peered down into it, unblinking. “Your heart. Your whole heart.”

Her eyes widened; she trembled beneath his fingers even as her face paled. The loud clack of the sword falling to the floor couldn’t distract him. She pulled from his grasp. Turning her back, her voice faltered. “Why would you want that?”

“Because it’s what I would offer in return.” He spun Charlee to face him and pinned her against a cabin door, hands on either side of the wood as he leaned in toward her. The closeness of her presence filled him as if she were a fine, spiced wine. In this moment, he could overpower her, but some heightened sense held him back. He searched the depths of those sparkling emerald eyes for answers that she defied him to find.

Her chest heaved, and her sweet breath touched his face. “That, my sweet prince, is something you will never get.

About the author:

Kary Rader is a part-time Twitter sage, stay-at-home mother of three, and slave to the characters and worlds inside her head. Always creative, she's drawn to stories with fantastical worlds and creatures. With a little bit of magic and divine guidance, there isn't anything that can't be accomplished with words. It's the power of words that creates and destroys. Vanquishing evil and injustice while finding eternal love in the process is all in a day's work. With the help of her critique partners and master cartographer imaginary places come to life.

Author Links:

Website/Blog:  www.karyrader.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaryRader

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/KaryRaderauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6998567.Kary_Rader