Capitana

Capitana #1

by Cassandra James

A captivating and swashbuckling romantasy for fans of DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING and TO KILL A KINGDOM.

Ximena Reale is certain of one thing: the only good pirate is a dead one.

Ximena has spent her life training to become one of the black-cloaked cazadores, seafaring hunters who capture the pirates pillaging the Luzan Empire. But although Ximena is the top candidate at la academia, that will not be enough for a daughter of the notorious Reales - pirate captains who were executed for their crimes against the Empire.

So when Gasparilla, the most infamous pirate in Luza's history, attacks the capital, Ximena offers to catch him in exchange for being named a cazadora. The Empire accepts, on one condition: she must compete for her cloak against Dante de León, the pompous and infuriating son of the High Minister.

Knowing this is her chance to prove herself once and for all, Ximena must set out on a dangerous quest across the archipelago to hunt Gasparilla. But no matter how far she sails, her family's pirate legacy continues to haunt her, and she soon has to question the very laws she's always fought to uphold . . .

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Pirates, Romance, Romantasy, Adventure, Young Adult Fantasy

403 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2025

About the author

Cassandra James grew up in a mixed immigrant family with a penchant for storytelling, so becoming a writer was almost inevitable. She recently graduated from Princeton University with a degree in English focusing on Creative Writing. After solo-traveling the world for several months, she finally landed in Orlando, Florida, where she spends her time cooking Colombian food, obsessing over Broadway musicals, and occasionally swashbuckling.

Her debut novel, CAPITANA, will be released by HarperCollins/Quill Tree and Bonnier/Hot Key Books in 2025, followed by a sequel in 2026.

Instagram: @authorznote

Reviews

[noorii ✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a copy for a review.

My earlier review was removed by GR because it focused on the author and not the book itself. I will not rehash the arguments here, but feel free to look up this author’s views if you’re interested in learning more about them.

I hated this book. The writing is terrible, reminiscent of a college student working on their first creative assignment, or perhaps a hateful article for their university’s newspaper.

The plot is unoriginal at best, trite at worst.

Don’t waste your time or your money on this book.

[Karis · Rating 1 out of 5]

~~Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!~~

So, according to various people online, James is a zi0n!st, pro next-electorally-elected-president/convicted felon, and has opinions regarding autonomy rights that aren't pro-women's rights. Forgive me for the censors, but if Goodreads is taking down reviews with certain words, I want to be careful, but I don't want to skirt around this, either. I tried to look into these claims myself, but the her direct opinion articles and the pics she took in a certain country have been scrubbed off the base web. I wish I knew about these things before I grabbed the ARC. No wonder it was free without request.

Regardless, I only continued because I was curious. If James is who people say she is, then what is she doing writing a book about the evils of imperialism and colonialism? How can an author write a story about a protagonist learning the errors of the mindset instilled by an empire while believing in what she does? These types of questions run through my head every time I see/hear about American conservatives loving/supporting a piece of media whose themes and messages directly contradict their own values down to the core? It's like seeing the aforementioned convicted felon unironically attend a Green Day concert. In the wise words of Billy Joe Armstrong, "What the f**k are you doing here, dude?"

So, I did not read this to support the author. If anything, I'm read this to spite her, if what was said about her is true. I read this in an attempt to sedate the curiosity I had over this walking contradiction. In the end, I just got a painfully generic fantasy read.

The entire story reads like an Ivy League grad's first draft, which I suspect it is, given that James got the book deal before she graduated Princeton. The book is based on the premise that not everything is as black and white as it seems, but the worldbuilding fails to reflect that. It's obvious from the get-go that the empire is bad, with their divine worship of the laws created by their first ruler 200 years before the story, handing out punishments/killings to criminals and citizens like candy, and the rigid rankings in the school that enforce obedience without question to the top from the bottom. But the pirates, the supposed good guys, aren't much better. Sure, we're told they're heroes and saviors to a lot of people in this world, but on Gasparilla's little pirate island, the one that claims to be a democracy to oppose the empire, the legendary captain literally ordered an imprisonment and no one could object to it because he was clearly in charge. Both sides suck in this book. The cazadores are authoritarian, fanatic hypocrites, and the pirates are anarchist, stereotypical depictions of pirates who are barbarian hypocrites. There is no one to root for in this book.

Speaking of not rooting for anyone, Ximena also sucks. I understand the point of the story is for her to go from aforementioned authoritarian fanatic to a pirate through learning not everything isn't what it seems, but she's too damn one-dimensional for that. For most of the book, her thoughts primarily revolve around following the rules, refusing to engage in social behaviors because she hates friendships, and obsessing over Gasparilla, which is initially looked down on by her admiral until she's inevitably proven right. She's not badass, nor terribly sympathetic, even though she was manipulated as a kid to betray her parents, and her character arc, despite its obvious trajectory, was so clunky and unnatural. Her motivation was purely because she couldn't live with the fact she sent her sister, who was Gasparilla, to death all so she could become a full-time cop. You should have grown a conscious before you winningly sent her to her death, Xi!, and all the sudden she changed for the better. She patched things up with her only friend, kissed the boy, and rode off into the sunset to become a pirate in the span of two chapters. God, this girl was just so frustratingly boring

The hate-to-love romance with Dante was so awful. God, I genuinely hate Dante, because he's another troubled, alcoholic rich boy who bullies Ximena but somehow falls in love with her?? I do not understand what flipped in his brain between the beginning and the end, because he spent so much of this book messing with her so they could spend time together?? They have no chemistry! Ximena spends so much time thinking how much she hates him and how she should turn him in for the treasonous things he constantly says to her, but she doesn't! Again, the hate to love switches in the last couple chapters, and I just hated this relationship so much.

Politics aside, I will implore you: Don't read this book. I did this whole review just to save anyone slightly interested in this book from it. Put that support into other debut authors who need it more. And remember: Always be informed of the person/group behind the media you consume.

[Kelsey Rhodes · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is what is coming from Princeton grads these day? Ouch.

I’d say the plot was bad, but there wasn’t a plot. It was weak ideas strung together in a way only a useless lemming about to jump off a cliff could enjoy. Every character was irredeemable and it felt like underlying personal beliefs and values fed the writing in a way that was honestly gross and had me glaring at my kindle while reading. The only even slightly redeeming thing is that the cover art is decent. Wouldn’t touch this book, or author’s works, with a ten foot pole in the future.

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Update (2/4/2025): Capitana is officially published and unfortunately out in the world today. Normally, I would say happy release day but I legitimately cannot bring myself to say something like that about a book I hated this much and written by an author I can't in good faith support. Consider this update my message to tell you NOT to pick this book up.

(I also apologize in advance for the extremely long review; this is probably one of the longest ones I've written to date. There is A LOT that needs to be said to justify this rating considering it is an ARC and I'm going to do my due diligence to write an honest review. I don't rate a ton of books 1-star, but I think this is the only book I've read so far EVER that deserves a negative rating. Unfortunately, that's not possible so 1 star it is.)
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

"You know, I don't think I've ever met anyone as infuriating as you are. And that's saying something, considering I was raised by my mother." ~Dante de León

Nope. Just...nope. At first, I was shocked to see the ratings before I started the ARC considering it had such an interesting premise at first glance. Seeing anything where the average rating is sitting around 3.0 stars is a shock for me considering most of the books I read and rate end up around the 3.5 average at least overall. After finishing Capitana, I can see why the ratings were so low, and there's more about that towards the end of my review.

I didn't think that I would read a book and get so angry at a fictional character because I don't get emotionally attached to characters like that, but I was proven otherwise when I read Capitana. I legitimately don't think I've hated a character more than I hate Ximena Reale, and she's literally a FICTIONAL 17-year-old. Like, if she was an actual person I would probably try to fight her. I don't care that she knows how to use a sword and could probably definitely kill me in a fight, I just want the satisfaction of punching her in the face and taking out her other (and only good and functioning) eye.

I normally would not summarize the synopsis of a book in a review because it's public information available to everyone, but I will for this review because it provides context for why I hate Ximena as a character.

↳ Basically, Ximena is in school to become a cazadora, aka a cop or whatever equivalent law enforcement personnel you have in mind. Her job is to get good grades and pass an exam so she can officially be a cazadora. It's her entire personality and her dream since she was little. She's memorized every line and detail of the law because if you follow the law, "the law will protect you." Cazadors and cazadoras enforce the law, so she studies hard to prove to herself and her classmates that she belongs at the school despite her parents who were former cazadors turned pirates but got executed for betraying their empire. When there are rumors that an infamous pirate named Gasparilla is going to attack the Luzan Empire, Ximena is allowed to go on a journey to find and capture the pirate. If she is successful, she earns her rank as a cazadora. The only problem standing between her and her lifelong dream is her fellow classmate, Dante de León, who is also chosen to go on the journey and could get his rank as a cazador instead of her.

Ximena...ugh. Just....I don't even know where to start with her. She's so stubborn and set in her ways that it was infuriating to read the story. She was stubborn to the point where she had this superiority complex about her and a "holier than thou" attitude. Sure, her classmates think less of her because her parents were convicted criminals who betrayed everything that the cazadors stood for (law and order), so I get that she sort of has an "I have to prove them wrong" attitude. But I also believe there's a fine line between wanting to prove people wrong and proving people wrong but then you're an asshole and have a god complex because of it. Ximena fell in the latter part for me.

For a VAST majority of the story, and when I mean vast I mean probably about 80-90% of the story--and I am serious about this, this is not an exaggeration whatsoever--she is defending everything about the cazadors to her last dying breath. They can literally do no wrong, even after she's presented with proof MULTIPLE TIMES that they're horrible people and not these perfect, law-abiding citizens doing their best to maintain law and order and serve their queen. (I'm not going to go into what exactly those things are, but you can probably take some semi-educated guesses based on the context we're given about the job of a cazador so far.)

She's a major stickler for the rules and follows them blindly. She doesn't allow herself to have fun or indulge in fancy parties or meals (because there's always something else better she can do), she doesn't make friends (because she's better than everyone else and doesn't have the time or energy for emotional, intimate relationships like that, duh), and every other line that comes out of her mouth is either her quoting the law, blindly following the demands of her superiors, or her singing the praises of the cazadors and how they can do no wrong and how it's her dream to become one. She's what people in my pharmacy class would call a "gunner," or someone who will do anything and sabotage anyone to get to the top and get what they want in an academic setting. Her character was so one-dimensional and she had no character growth or development whatsoever. I swear, if I took a shot for every time anyone mentioned how important it is to follow the rules in this story because iF yOu FoLlOw ThE lAw, tHe LaW wIlL pRoTeCt YoU, I'd be dead from alcohol poisoning now.

As for Dante, while he was mostly a rich, drunk, nepo baby frat boy for the majority of the story, he was quite literally the only reasonable person with more than 2 brain cells in his intoxicated, drunken brain aside from Pía, but she practically has a photographic memory and is pretty intelligent on her own already. I honestly enjoyed reading about Dante and Pía more than Ximena. I feel like Cassandra James made all of her characters one-dimensional generally speaking, but I would've loved to read more about Dante considering his rocky relationship with his mom and how he feels about the cazadors.

I also don't know why this was marketed as a "riveting romantasy" because Dante and Ximena's chemistry is like the limit in that calculus problem in Mean Girls- nonexistent. Now that I'm thinking about it, I can't even say it was a slow-burn romance. The chemistry was not in the room with us. Hell, I had more chemistry with my review book for my pharmacist licensing exam than Ximena and Dante did the entire story; at least my review book made me FEEL something, even if that "something" was mostly anxiety and made me cry a few times studying. They spend the majority of the book either avoiding each other, not having any sort of defining on-page interactions where I can see and feel the sparks fly between them, or it's Ximena wanting to kill him and I don't mean that in a joking way. I think they--they meaning the publishing team/marketing team--tried to say this was a romantasy to pull more readers in since that's what's trendy these days, but it's honestly so misleading to market it as one when the romance is barely in the story and wouldn't have changed the plot if any trace of it was removed entirely.

(Update: now that I'm reading the Goodreads synopsis of the book again, I realized that NOTHING the book was advertised as came to fruition in the story. "Complex characters?" Nope, they were all one-dimensional and there was no character growth from anyone, in my opinion. "Sizzling romantic chemistry?" Sure, if you count Ximena thinking about the ways she can kill Dante counts as "sizzling." "Page-turning action?" Yeah, the only page-turning action I got was me swiping through the eARC to finish the book because I wanted it to be over as quickly as possible.)

I will admit that the plot twist at the end was pretty interesting and the book ended on a cliffhanger. This is set to be a duology, but I won't be picking up the next book for 2 reasons:

1. Author controversy: I think my Goodreads timeline might be a little screwed up with the timeline of when I added this book to my TBR, but I remember adding it sometime in 2022-2023 when there wasn't even a cover and all we knew was the title, author's name, and that it was a debut novel. There might've been a little blurb on what the book was pitched as to the publishing company and that was about it. At first glance, it didn't seem like a horrible premise, but then I started reading and it all went downhill from there. I've skimmed the other reviews and I've seen people say that Goodreads has taken their reviews down that supposedly attack the author and that's when I found out more about the author's political views and personal opinions. While I understand that reviews are meant to be about the book itself, I cannot in good faith write a review about a book and not mention that it was written by an author that I've discovered is more controversial than I thought. I'm going to keep it at that and encourage you to look through the other reviews that have links posted to some articles the author wrote before this book for Princeton, her alma mater. I do believe to an extent that art imitates life, and at least to me, you can tell that a lot of the author's sentiments and opinions on recent major real-world-specific topics were reflected in this story.

2. The writing style and story overall: I tend to give debut authors grace when writing a review for their first-ever book. I like to give them the benefit of the doubt and understand that an author isn't going to get their ideal writing style down pat in their first book. Any author can only improve from there. However, for an author who graduated from an Ivy League university with an English degree that concentrated in creative writing no less, this felt and read as if a high schooler could've written it if they tried enough. All the characters felt one dimensional, the dialogue was the same quotes, phrases, and ideas over and over again, and I felt like the book did not need to be 400 pages for what it was.

TL;DR? Simply put, save your time and your energy by not reading this. At least the cover looks nice.

1 star (and that's being generous)
--
Trigger warnings: death of family members, murder (both actual murder and attempted murder), colonialism, physical assault, genocide, public executions

[Kathryn S (Metaphors and Miscellanea) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Listen, I'm not usually one to tear a book to pieces, but aside from the basic premise, I'm struggling to think of anything this book did well.

In short, my issues with it were:
- insufferable and inconsistent characters
- desperately needed sensitivity readers for the disability rep (one-eyed MC), fat-shaming, implicit racism (specifically anti-Black), and a side character who was autistic-coded and constantly mocked for it
- a plot that didn't make sense, with so many logic leaps and/or things that were way too convenient, and plot twists that were not properly set up
- random little things like descriptions of swimming that don't track AT ALL with how people move in water
- a distinct sense that the Spanish language throughout was being used just for vibes/not thoughtfully integrated
- elements of the worldbuilding that reflect the author's ultra-conservative views in an annoying/disappointing way
- while we're at it: poor worldbuilding and political development. Which isn't always an issue, but it is for a book that's supposed to be anti-imperialist/making a political statement

A full review, with quotes and analysis on each of these, is currently on my blog. At some point, I may copy it over here, but honestly, Goodreads formatting is annoying to deal with, so it may take me a while.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edit-> read through the other reviews before deciding to read.

I stayed up all night reading this (one sitting).
Anything pirates is always a yes for me, but this book had an academic rivalry, reluctant to work together characters (we love to see the tension) and a high stakes adventure.

You will love Dante de Leon and the ending will leave you craving more piracy, more pirate hunters and more sword fighting.

[Meishuu · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 10%

This is it. The worst book the IC team has picked. Besides the author’s awful reputation, the book is a written mess of clichés and sprinkled Spanish words and phrases to make it seem “exotic”.

This is obviously based on the myth of José Gaspar who was not Latino but Spaniard (and we don’t even know if he existed he most likely didn’t ). But it makes sense, since he’s a myth in Florida and the author grew up there.

I judge anyone who likes this.

Edit: been going over the Spanish in this and it's worse than I thought. May pick at it later.

[angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

won this arc in an arc giveaway bundle.

i did not enjoy this book for a plethora of reasons. the writing, the storytelling, the characters.

i also believe that the stories and worlds that authors build are a reflection of their beliefs and understanding of the world. if anyone's interested in reading a sample of the authors writing to get a sense of why i didn't like the writing in capitana, check out these Op-eds by the author:

https://www.theprincetontory.com/pro-...

https://www.theprincetontory.com/poli...

https://www.theprincetontory.com/vote...



just to re-iterate, this review is based on the book capitana. im just contextualizing my review for other gr users to get a sense of the author's writing because the book isn't out yet. 🙂‍↕️

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edited to add: I wasn’t aware of the controversy surrounding the author before reading and reviewing this book, and I do not condone her political beliefs. The below is my original review focusing on the book itself.

If you enjoy slow-burning YA fantasy and pirate books, Capitana may be for you. I happen to love nautical fantasies, so this pirate-hunter academy story is right up my alley.

Ximena, the FMC, is a stone-cold, kick-butt heroine. It’s rare to find heroines like her. She’s tough as nails, a hard worker, and not apologetic. I love her stubbornness and dedication.

I really like the book and its world, but it would have been even better with stronger execution. Weak points for me include the romance - I don’t really understand the MMC’s past actions, and I don’t feel any chemistry or believe love is there. The big reveal is also a head scratcher; I just do not get the logic of how it is possible.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Róisín · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good-the opening line HOOKED! Please read when it comes out on the 4th of February 2025.

[Emma Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is proof that you can get a degree in creative writing and still lack the skill to tell a good story

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to support a book on piracy from a debut author. Unfortunately, Capitana’s writing style falls into the common pitfalls of early writing, chiefly overwrought prose and heavy-handed metaphors (and, in this case, especially nautical-themed similes, which heightened the cheesiness). I also became aware of the author’s alarmingly ultra-conservative politics after I received an ARC, which soured my reading experience because the story so clearly reflects her stances. It is exceedingly strange to read a pirate story that aligns with the imperial powers rather than the roguish romance of piracy. I couldn’t finish, enjoy, or endorse this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[chelsea reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

capitana was a bit of a wild ride. i really enjoyed the first 30% of this book, however i found it went downhill from there.

ximena made me want to bash my head against a wall. she’s so stubborn to the point of making horrible decisions, i just wanted to slap the girl. she started out as unique and different but it soon became irritating and annoying.

the romance was also …. not there? the author tried but it didn’t flow at all and it wasn’t believable. they went from nothing to love confessions, although nothing gave any hints or clues for that character having this undying love, so it just came off as weird and not developed at all. (which is strange considering how much i actually enjoyed the love interest).

while ximena went from someone i liked to someone i hated, Marquesa (her sister) went the opposite. i really couldn’t be bothered with her in the beginning but towards the end she did a full 180 and i was rooting for her.

pía was a bit of a difficult one. the whole book was ximena abusing her friendship and taking advantage of her kindness. pía really deserved better. ximena deserves to be punished for how horribly she treated everyone in this book.

my main reason i picked this book up is because of the pirate vibes, but the writing was underwhelming.

I’m honestly not sure how to rate capitana. generally, this will be about a 2.5-3 star. but based off the info below, it’s worth more of a 1 star.

it’s also worth noting that the author is a zionist and a conservative and these ideologies are reflected in the characters. it’s entirely up to you, as a reader, if you want to support an author like this.

some links that you might find useful:

The Princeton Tory - Pro Israel Student Perspectives and Reflections

The Princeton Tory - Cassandra James search

The Princeton Tory - The Creation of a Space for Conservative Women

[Rachael Abrams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just so much fun! I loved the pirate theme and it was full of adventures from beginning to end.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

*I’d also like to address the review bombing taking place on this page. To viciously malign the author because of her personal and political opinions is wrong. Reviews should be solely about the book itself and many of the negative reviews are written by people who chose to dnf or not read it at all but only want to hurt the author.

[Your local cryptid · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reads almost like a creative writing assignment in college about Cheetos masquerading as human beings who have no empathy for anybody they encounter or a hateful university newspaper article with terrible prose. I would only use this book as compost to make fertilizer and manure for my olive trees or a napkin to hold my slices of watermelon. Hope that helps.

[Story Eater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hate pirate books. Still want to read this one.

Oh my beautiful book collection this was the least boring pirate book I've ever read.

I don’t exaggerate when I assert that I HATE pirate books.  Loathe them.  Mostly, it’s the setting.  If I’m on a boat and the water isn’t glass slick, I’m seasick.  Plus, a book setting confined to a ship for a whole novel is a total snooze fest.  HOWEVER.  I loved Capitana.  It was an action-packed thrill ride around the sea with fantastical world building and magical storms.  If you like seafaring adventure stories akin to One Piece and Voyage of the Dawn Treader, you’ll probably love this one.  As a bonus, it is one of very few—very few—YA books from the general B5 market (though it’s indie in the UK) that DOES NOT have adult content in it.  No explicit language.  No sexual content—implied, explicit, suggestive, or otherwise.  If you’re on the fence about this one, just pick it up and give it a try.  If you don’t like it, fine.  If you don’t pick it up and start it to find out for yourself, you’ll never be able to say for sure.

My profuse thanks to the author, Quill Tree Books, and HarperCollins publishers via NetGalley for the DRC, for which I willingly gave my honest review.

Blog / Instagram / BookBub

[Grace (alatteofliterature) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark academia at a pirate academy? Sign me up.

Ximena is out to restore her family’s honor through the academy, hunting pirates and top marks with equal zeal. Similarly, I tore through this book excitedly and finished it in just a few days.

A nearly perfect YA pirate story, I found myself shocked and confused by twists in the plot, but found myself cheering on the main character the entire way.

This is the first in a duology publishing 2/4/25, and I’m so excited to read the next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books/ Quill Tree Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Rmplift, Rachel Phillips · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just like the book First Tide. The book lacked organization, plot, and nothing seemed to relate and contribute to whatever the point of the book was.

[Minti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Minti reading (slash trying to read) this book so you don't have to.
Seriously, dont. It's not worth the time. I only managed a few chapters because I am on vacation and had nothing better to do (thats a lie, but I will live).

First of all, I did manage to finish 7 chapters / up to page 152. And then I skipped to the end, because nothing made me think I should power through more of that. DNF after ch. 7

Characters:
Ximena, our MC with the most special name, is absolutely insufferable, so full of herself and so so so special. Shes Not Like Other Girls (or Candidates, if you like). She managed to push through an 8 year program in half the time. Not a quick run through the last year, no, she did 8 years of training in 4. So special! But she has to be, because you know, her parents were pirates and were executed, so she has to Prove Herself (tm) that she is Not Like Her Parents (TM). (At 17!)
She is also a freaking bitch bully to her little sister who is sickly with asthma and who is stuck at the academy, sorry, La Academia, with her older sister, because apparently thats the only way to make up for her parents crimes.
Dante is the no-good-son/nepo baby of the current high minister and he's drunk and insufferably arrogant and an idiot. I guess they will end up together and it will turn out he loved her from the beginning. (Spoilers: yes)
Marquesa is the cute sick lil sister, and Pia is an archivist in training with a great memory, who Ximena also treats like shit. (Marquesa turns out to be a pirate queen? captain? in disguise, and idk how that happened, but good for her). So that's our characters. Cool.
(At the end, Pia forgives Ximena like it was nothing? The General gets exectuted for something??? And Dante has to hunt down the love of his live, Ximena. Reminds me of like 274602 other books).

The writing feels very clunky and immature. The random spanish on what feels like every second paragraph was a cute quirk at first, but if I had a dollar for every time I had to read "de la preparacion surge la perfeccion" I'd have 4 dollars, which isnt a lot, but too much for 7 chapters of a pirate book.
The interjection of spanish words and phrases reminded me of cute random japanese phrases in fanfic. Which we do at 15, not 20. And especially not in published books, when the spanish does not have any sort of special significant value. Why do we need "Si, Senor" when "Yes, sir" could have been used instead? Pet names - sure, fair game.

Which brings me to ... pirates. So many things seem like they were plucked 1:1 from the POTC movies. The hanging of a pirate as the first thing, the bombing of the academy, sorry, academia, walls at night, the burning ship in the cove, the raid on the city, the kidnapping of a rich person, negotiating with pirates. The pirate hideout on Skull Island... could have been a lil bit less obvious in the copying inspiration.
And I dont even need to touch on the author's personal / political views, because not reading this book or other works by this author is definitely not a hardship of any kind. Save your nerves and money and read basically anything else. Or rewatch Pirates of the Caribbean.

1 star is still too much for this book, and I feel so sorry a wonderful Illumicrate design and spot in their subscription has been wasted on this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!

𝘊𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘢 is an enthralling, fast-paced YA fantasy with a strong female heroine, intriguing male rival, and intelligent archivist friend! I was hooked from the first line, and while I had an idea where the story was going the entire time, I still enjoyed the ride. I'm already anxiously waiting for the sequel!

[Black Ink Riot · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was steeped in pretentiousness, delusions of grandeur, and not so veiled Alt-Reich propaganda.

If you mistakenly purchased this, light it on fire to preserve your sanity

[Cat Carstairs]

Give me all the female pirate books

(Also the font for this title looks exactly like Caraval, which is why it caught my eye)

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for YA pirate stories ever since Daughter of the Pirate King and as soon as I saw this debut was coming out next year, I knew I had to pick it up. I was so excited to read it early!

This book follows Ximena, the daughter of pirates, who is trying to get past the scandal and stigma of having pirates for parents by becoming a legendary pirate hunter.

I really enjoyed Ximena as a character. She has a lot stacked against her with her past and really is not treated well by those around her. Still, she doesn’t wallow or feel sorry for herself. She just does what needs to be done without complaint. I couldn’t help but feel for her and root for her.

The story had a lot of twists and turns and I basically flew through it. The book also had an easy writing style which I appreciated. I also liked the Spanish phrases throughout which enabled me to practice my Spanish and that is something I’m always excited to come across in the books I read. (I know that’s a minor thing but I wanted to mention it.)

As far as the romance goes, it wasn’t my favorite, but I did enjoy their banter together. He was an interesting character and I liked getting to know and understand him.

I will say that I suspected the plot twist, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. I liked seeing it come together.

It ended on a very interesting note and I will definitely be picking up the sequel as this is the first book in a duology. Overall I was very impressed with this debut. I really enjoyed this one.

[Ellie Bartlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thank you to Cassandra James, NetGalley, and the publisher, HarperCollins, for the free e-copy!

Age rating: 12+

Perfect for fans of: Daughter of the Pirate King and To Kill A Kingdom.

First of all, I would like to recommend this book to sea-loving individuals seeking a story of pirates and pirate hunters alike, portrayed in a new way. A Latina academy for pirate-hunters is an absolutely intriguing prospect, and I greatly enjoyed this aspect of the story. Never before had I heard of something like this, and my curiosity was piqued from the first page.
Is this a deep or emotional read? No, but while it won’t pull on your heartstrings, it will pull you out of a reading slump, if that’s your predicament. Not too long and evenly-paced, with plenty of action and snappy banter, this is a book to pick up when you aren’t sure what to read. The biggest problems present were the plot holes and inconsistencies that were briefly interspersed throughout (which were, admittedly, enough to denote it by half a a star). Still, it was worth it to see what happened to Ximena, Dante, and Pía in the end
In summary, not my favorite read, but a quick, easy, and enjoyable one. If a sequel follows, I will be found reading it!
Happy reading!

[Rubi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The world building was pretty good. The plot was decent. I was never bored but....I also didn't like either MCs. Ximena was too..... "I do as I'm told not questions asked" which is dangerous to be when in positions of power. Dante....was a hypocrite. He looked down on Ximena for following the rules and not seeing what was going on around her. Yet, he used his position to cheat and wiggle his was out of everything. He supposedly was against everything his mother did but didn't stop him for using his family to get away with things and hurting others.
By the time they went on their trip to find their villain, Ximena kept to her stubborn ways of thinking and just when Dante was starting to be likable....it got ruined again.
Was disappointed to realize i didn't really care about the MCs. Turning leaf during the last chapter didn't take away the distaste for their behaviors throughout the entire book and their willingness to sacrifice others who didn't view the world the same as they did 🤷‍♀️

[Sara Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swashbuckling fun!

Ximena Reale is the star student of La Academia, the elite school in which top students train to become cazadores, Pirate Hunters. There’s just one problem. Ximena’s parents were famous cazadores who turned pirates and betrayed the empire. As she struggles with escaping the shame of her parents executions and her notorious rivalry with the son of the High Minister Dante, Ximena discovers that the pirates have banded together under the possibly reincarnated Gasparilla, scourge of the Empire and perhaps the most famous pirate who ever lived. If she can survive necromancers, sea serpents, an army of pirates who want her dead, a magical hurricane, and being stuck on a ship with Dante, to capture Gasparilla she can prove her loyalty to the Empire and earn herself the Cazadora status she has always dreamed of!


Ximena is such a relatable character: the undersog with something to prove, especially when the odds are all stacked against her. Brave, intelligent, and unfailingly loyal to the law, she is perhaps the model student at La Academia. Except she has no friends, her sister is failing out of the school, and her rival has everything handed to him on a golden platter, despite not having to work for it.

The adventure starts off fast and the momentum never slows down. As soon as Ximena and Pia doscover a pattern among the pirate attacks it kicks off ala Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl and keeps on rolling through one life-threatening scenario after another. Some of the challenges were things I never would’ve expected either, but lent a sense of fun and mystery to the adventure.

I wanted a bit more romance, even though it was meant to be a sub-plot. It was a little one sided. Dante definitely had been crushing a long, long time but sadly for him Ximena is oblivious to his pig-tail pulling for a good 80% of the book. I am guessing the romance will have a bigger part in book two (after that ending there will be a sequel for sure!).

I guessed the twist on Gasparilla’s identity pretty early on, although it would’ve been another cool magical element if Gasparilla had been a reincarnated pirate or even a reanimated corpse (too much like POTC maybe for copyright infringement?). Either way it was good to see Ximena open her eyes and become the person everyone always saw the potential for. I am excited to see more of her character growth in the sequel.

Overall a fast-paced and fun adventure with just the right amount of danger, pirates, friendship, and mystery to keep you enthralled throughout the journey!

[Leah Willemsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capitana was an absolute blast—if you’re in the mood for nonstop adventure with Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, this is the book to grab. There’s never a dull moment, and the pacing is chef’s kiss. Between pirate attacks, daring escapades, and legendary figures returning from the dead, I was hooked from start to finish.

Ximena is a relatable underdog: smart, determined, and brave to a fault, but burdened by her family’s pirate legacy. Her time at La Academia is far from easy—she keeps people at arm’s length, her sister is struggling, and her rival, Dante, seems to have everything handed to him. Her grit shines through, even when her unwavering loyalty to the crown makes her almost insufferable—a flaw that’s intentional and essential to her growth.

Speaking of rivals… Dante is an intriguing counterpart. Their dynamic crackles with tension, snappy banter, and a slow-burn romance (currently one-sided, with Dante pining). He’s grumpy at first, and not immediately likeable, but I’m hoping the sequel will peel back more of his layers and redeem some of his earlier behaviors.

What sets Capitana apart from other pirate books is its perspective. Instead of romanticizing pirates outright, it begins with the Cazadores—law-abiding loyalists—highlighting the systemic injustices that spark rebellion. I love that the sequel will flip to the pirates’ POV, promising even more depth and nuance.

If I had one gripe, it’s that Ximena’s growth could’ve hit harder by the end. I wanted her realizations to dig deeper, though the conclusion left me eager for more—in the best way. It’s clear the next book will push Ximena further into the complexities of rebellion versus loyalty.

Capitana delivers exactly what it promises: pirates, rivals-to-lovers slow burns, and relentless high-stakes adventure. It’s a great ride, and I can’t wait to see where Ximena’s journey takes us next.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was browsing NetGalley when I found that this book had been made available for a limited time, so I grabbed it. I am so glad I did. This book was amazing! I wasn't sure what to expect as I hadn't read much about it before reading it, but I devoured it. It was very propulsive and had a great beginning. There was so much adventure and swashbuckling! I felt as though I was on the ride Pirates of the Caribbean but with a better plotline. The characters are also so well written and easily loveable. I loved Ximena and her tenacity to follow her dreams and what she believes in. I do wonder if some of her fault other readers would find annoying, but to me I appreciated her growth as a character.
One of two notes notes I would let readers know is that there is a lot of Spanish in this book. I thought it was great since it added to the authenticity, but I definitely had to use my translator a few times.
Note number two is that this was very mild on the romance scale. It was a slow burn, glacial even and there were no spicy scenes. I appreciated it because of how the story unfolded.
All in all, this was a great read. I plan on buying a paper copy when it comes out and highly anticipate the sequel.

[Skye · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars ⭐️
Let it sink in that this author got an English degree focusing on creative writing at Princeton and she still wrote this piece of shit

[Améry Lavaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cela faisait longtemps que je n’avais pas écris une review mais pour cette lecture je vais le faire !

J’ai pris ce livre un peu au hasard chez ma libraire préférée ! J’ai d’abord craqué pour la couverture qui est très belle et en lisant la quatrième, je me suis dit que ce serait parfait pour l’été, allez je l’embarque…et j’ai tellement bien fait !

Le rythme est soutenu comme je l’attends d’un roman d’aventures. Cela rend la lecture très fluide et on ne s’ennuie absolument pas.

J’ai beaucoup aimé les valeurs abordées dans ce livre : famille, amitié, justice. Les personnages sont justes, vrais et imparfaits et cela fait du bien car…personne n’est parfait.

On trouve un ennemy to lover très bien dosé et très bien fait. Pour moi qui ne suis plus une grande adepte des romances, c’était parfait.

Il est très facile de s’imaginer l’univers et c’est assez étonnant car bien qu’on trouve peu d’éléments descriptifs dans la lecture, celles-ci sont pleines de vie et de couleur.

Gros coup de cœur pour cette lecture sous fond de Pirates des Caraïbes au féminin. J’ai hâte d’avoir la suite !