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The Pirate's Crimson Blade
Not yet published
Expected 29 Nov 26Magic-dealing pirates are the fools of the sea, for they deal their wares under the watchful eyes of the gods and follow their hearts, even to the bitter end.
Farrah is a feared pirate and captain of a mainly female, eclectic crew. But now, she's lost her eye to a volcano in exchange for a magic-imbued sword, a god has doomed her ship, and her ex is relentlessly chasing her to punish her for freeing the seer from his cell. But her luck turns when she steals the Blue Abyss and imprisons its captain, Antorn, a magic-dealing pirate who is definitely *not* the most handsome man she's ever seen.
He's hiding secrets.
But so is she.
They need to learn to trust each other. Even if their relationship starts with imprisonment. Because her ex will find them. And he wants three things:
Her ship, her weapons, and a seer - and if not a seer, he wants her.
And with an army of nefarious pirates and a powerful mother who covets the rarest, most dangerous magic across the lands, her ex intends to collect.
Farrah is a feared pirate and captain of a mainly female, eclectic crew. But now, she's lost her eye to a volcano in exchange for a magic-imbued sword, a god has doomed her ship, and her ex is relentlessly chasing her to punish her for freeing the seer from his cell. But her luck turns when she steals the Blue Abyss and imprisons its captain, Antorn, a magic-dealing pirate who is definitely *not* the most handsome man she's ever seen.
He's hiding secrets.
But so is she.
They need to learn to trust each other. Even if their relationship starts with imprisonment. Because her ex will find them. And he wants three things:
Her ship, her weapons, and a seer - and if not a seer, he wants her.
And with an army of nefarious pirates and a powerful mother who covets the rarest, most dangerous magic across the lands, her ex intends to collect.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 29, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 6, 2026
I received a free copy of this book as an ARC. Thank you to the author who shared it with me.
In general, I liked this book. It was an easy read and very fast-paced, which made things exciting and quick to get through. The writing itself was good, too, which helped.
That said, there were a few huge points for me that made it... disappointing? I was really excited to pick this up as I love pirates and pirate romps, especially in romantasy (my favorite genre). But I found the FMC (Farrah) to be infuriating by a certain point, and it was lacking some emotional depth that I think would have really helped. Also some things I think appear in the wrong order? And made it really confusing.
Some examples that I noted during my read:
1. Farrah says "Augustus is right" in Chapter 4, but we don't know who Augustus is (he isn't mentioned at all on page thus far) and don't know what his guess is (about the storm? But there hasn't been a storm at this point) so it was confusing to me. It could be that I missed it, but I checked just now before writing this and didn't see anything again.
2. Lila is introduced while getting injured during a storm, and I think we're supposed to feel Farrah's fear when she's in trouble, but she is never mentioned before this. We meet Lila for the first time while she's in peril, so it kind of felt like, "Who? Oh. Okay." so that didn't hit for me.
3. After she takes Antorn's ship and locks him up, he appears at night with a knife to her throat and she thinks it's a dream. Wakes up the next day, he's still in the hold. She's rightfully confused and paranoid about this. When she finally decides to let him out, he says "no need" and pops the lock himself, aka he could always get out and thus, her dream was real. I thought we'd touch on this emotionally/conversationally, but ... the scene literally stops. It ends there. And it's never brought up again iirc, except for maybe one passing line? This is what I meant by missing the emotion to it - it would be perfect fodder for her "I can't trust this guy" schtick.
4. It makes sense because of Marda, but it isn't even "miscommunication" to a point, it's just lack of communication and it's very annoying. Farrah ignores literally everything, while knowing she likes Antorn, and treats him terribly because of it? Like, very hot and cold. At one point, she just doesn't want to have a conversation, so she shoulder-checks him? Getting off the boat? It's very strange (and a bit juvenile). This was around 60% too, so in my notes, I wrote "come on lol." You could argue she's hurt and has an avoidant personality, but it's part of the lack of emotional depth thing I mentioned earlier, I think, that didn't work for me.
5. Okay, I want to talk about the whole "matriarch" thing. We're told before going that, since killing the other flesh-dealers needs to be "steathy", Antorn, Daphne, and Will go to kill one off-page. Then, the last and third (the Matriarch), Farrah insists on going alone (which is already wild to me but she has her reasons, so I understood), but then her internal monologue says things like, "hers would be the only life lost." Except she JUST let the others go kill that second person on their own? Okay. THEN we're told the Matriarch has a ton of rare trinkets, she's strong, she's brutal, she's dangerous, she isn't to be messed up unprepared. So what does Farrah do? ... She goes and knocks on the door. Yes. You read that right. She walks up to the MATRIARCH'S DOOR and KNOCKS to announce herself. I will say, the Matriarch has an all-seeing eye and likely knew Farrah was there anyway, but that is an INSANE decision. There is 0 logic there. And then Farrah, in her internal monologue, says something akin to, "Being tortured by the Matriarch wasn't exactly how she planned to start the day." Girl what were you EXPECTING? YOU KNOCKED ON THE DOOR! I think that scene in general was very well-written and kept me on the edge of my toes, but the whole lead up lost me because it was completely ridiculous imo. It wasn't "strong", which I think the author wanted us to think/believe, it was just really bone-headed, lol. Then she gets back only because Antorn swam through Leviathan-infested waters to save her life and she still tells him nothing at like 65-70%, leading to more lack of communication (and the smut).
6. We learned nothing about Antorn's motivations really? He says he wants to kill a god and then... nothing happens with that. The end, he promises Farrah to the seer (Heidi) and... the solution is "we just won't go back to the island." I don't think that's how it works? And i'm pretty sure Antorn didn't tell her he bargained her life to save her... I might have missed it though, to be fair. I THINK this might be touched on in future books, but the next is another POV and a different story (though Antorn/Farrah are in it) so I'm not sure.
All that said, I gave it a 3.25 because I enjoyed it enough and I can see why it would hit for others. It's got strong female friendship, spicy romance, high stakes, fast pace, and lots of death/mayhem. I just personally think it needed another dev edit to really make it all come together/shine.
In general, I liked this book. It was an easy read and very fast-paced, which made things exciting and quick to get through. The writing itself was good, too, which helped.
That said, there were a few huge points for me that made it... disappointing? I was really excited to pick this up as I love pirates and pirate romps, especially in romantasy (my favorite genre). But I found the FMC (Farrah) to be infuriating by a certain point, and it was lacking some emotional depth that I think would have really helped. Also some things I think appear in the wrong order? And made it really confusing.
Some examples that I noted during my read:
1. Farrah says "Augustus is right" in Chapter 4, but we don't know who Augustus is (he isn't mentioned at all on page thus far) and don't know what his guess is (about the storm? But there hasn't been a storm at this point) so it was confusing to me. It could be that I missed it, but I checked just now before writing this and didn't see anything again.
2. Lila is introduced while getting injured during a storm, and I think we're supposed to feel Farrah's fear when she's in trouble, but she is never mentioned before this. We meet Lila for the first time while she's in peril, so it kind of felt like, "Who? Oh. Okay." so that didn't hit for me.
3. After she takes Antorn's ship and locks him up, he appears at night with a knife to her throat and she thinks it's a dream. Wakes up the next day, he's still in the hold. She's rightfully confused and paranoid about this. When she finally decides to let him out, he says "no need" and pops the lock himself, aka he could always get out and thus, her dream was real. I thought we'd touch on this emotionally/conversationally, but ... the scene literally stops. It ends there. And it's never brought up again iirc, except for maybe one passing line? This is what I meant by missing the emotion to it - it would be perfect fodder for her "I can't trust this guy" schtick.
4. It makes sense because of Marda, but it isn't even "miscommunication" to a point, it's just lack of communication and it's very annoying. Farrah ignores literally everything, while knowing she likes Antorn, and treats him terribly because of it? Like, very hot and cold. At one point, she just doesn't want to have a conversation, so she shoulder-checks him? Getting off the boat? It's very strange (and a bit juvenile). This was around 60% too, so in my notes, I wrote "come on lol." You could argue she's hurt and has an avoidant personality, but it's part of the lack of emotional depth thing I mentioned earlier, I think, that didn't work for me.
5. Okay, I want to talk about the whole "matriarch" thing. We're told before going that, since killing the other flesh-dealers needs to be "steathy", Antorn, Daphne, and Will go to kill one off-page. Then, the last and third (the Matriarch), Farrah insists on going alone (which is already wild to me but she has her reasons, so I understood), but then her internal monologue says things like, "hers would be the only life lost." Except she JUST let the others go kill that second person on their own? Okay. THEN we're told the Matriarch has a ton of rare trinkets, she's strong, she's brutal, she's dangerous, she isn't to be messed up unprepared. So what does Farrah do? ... She goes and knocks on the door. Yes. You read that right. She walks up to the MATRIARCH'S DOOR and KNOCKS to announce herself. I will say, the Matriarch has an all-seeing eye and likely knew Farrah was there anyway, but that is an INSANE decision. There is 0 logic there. And then Farrah, in her internal monologue, says something akin to, "Being tortured by the Matriarch wasn't exactly how she planned to start the day." Girl what were you EXPECTING? YOU KNOCKED ON THE DOOR! I think that scene in general was very well-written and kept me on the edge of my toes, but the whole lead up lost me because it was completely ridiculous imo. It wasn't "strong", which I think the author wanted us to think/believe, it was just really bone-headed, lol. Then she gets back only because Antorn swam through Leviathan-infested waters to save her life and she still tells him nothing at like 65-70%, leading to more lack of communication (and the smut).
6. We learned nothing about Antorn's motivations really? He says he wants to kill a god and then... nothing happens with that. The end, he promises Farrah to the seer (Heidi) and... the solution is "we just won't go back to the island." I don't think that's how it works? And i'm pretty sure Antorn didn't tell her he bargained her life to save her... I might have missed it though, to be fair. I THINK this might be touched on in future books, but the next is another POV and a different story (though Antorn/Farrah are in it) so I'm not sure.
All that said, I gave it a 3.25 because I enjoyed it enough and I can see why it would hit for others. It's got strong female friendship, spicy romance, high stakes, fast pace, and lots of death/mayhem. I just personally think it needed another dev edit to really make it all come together/shine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2026
Thank you to Katherine Clark, Katherine Clark Novels, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. I really appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book.
Rating: 3.25/5 ⭐
The Pirate’s Crimson Blade had so many elements that immediately appealed to me: pirates, dangerous magic, morally grey characters, a mostly female crew and a romance built around two people who absolutely should not trust each other. Farrah is a feared pirate captain who has already lost an eye in exchange for a magical sword, while Antorn is the magic-dealing captain she ends up taking prisoner after stealing his ship.
I liked Farrah she was allowed to be ruthless, impulsive and occasionally difficult rather than being softened into a more traditionally likeable heroine. She genuinely feels like someone capable of commanding a pirate crew, and her relationships with the people around her were often more interesting to me than the romance itself.
I also enjoyed the concept of magic being tied to the gods and the idea that using or trading it can have consequences. There are cursed ships, magical weapons, seers and characters willing to do terrible things to get access to rare powers, which gives the world a lot of potential.
Where I struggled more was with the amount happening at once. This is very much a plot-forward romantasy, and sometimes it felt almost too eager to move on to the next danger, revelation or confrontation. I would have liked more time to understand certain aspects of the world and to sit with the characters before another problem appeared.
Farrah and Antorn had chemistry, particularly because their relationship begins in such an antagonistic situation, but I wasn’t completely sold on every stage of their emotional development. I enjoyed their mistrust and the moments when they were trying to work out whether the other person was lying, yet I wanted more gradual development before some of the romantic beats.
The villainous side of the story was interesting, especially with Farrah’s ex pursuing her and the larger threat surrounding dangerous magic, but at times there were so many competing motivations that the story became slightly crowded.
Still, there is a lot to enjoy here. The pirate atmosphere is fun, Farrah is a strong protagonist, the crew gives the story personality and the combination of gods, magic and morally grey characters kept me curious.
I liked this more for its adventure and its heroine than for the romance itself, but it was still an entertaining read with some genuinely imaginative ideas.
Rating: 3.25/5 ⭐
The Pirate’s Crimson Blade had so many elements that immediately appealed to me: pirates, dangerous magic, morally grey characters, a mostly female crew and a romance built around two people who absolutely should not trust each other. Farrah is a feared pirate captain who has already lost an eye in exchange for a magical sword, while Antorn is the magic-dealing captain she ends up taking prisoner after stealing his ship.
I liked Farrah she was allowed to be ruthless, impulsive and occasionally difficult rather than being softened into a more traditionally likeable heroine. She genuinely feels like someone capable of commanding a pirate crew, and her relationships with the people around her were often more interesting to me than the romance itself.
I also enjoyed the concept of magic being tied to the gods and the idea that using or trading it can have consequences. There are cursed ships, magical weapons, seers and characters willing to do terrible things to get access to rare powers, which gives the world a lot of potential.
Where I struggled more was with the amount happening at once. This is very much a plot-forward romantasy, and sometimes it felt almost too eager to move on to the next danger, revelation or confrontation. I would have liked more time to understand certain aspects of the world and to sit with the characters before another problem appeared.
Farrah and Antorn had chemistry, particularly because their relationship begins in such an antagonistic situation, but I wasn’t completely sold on every stage of their emotional development. I enjoyed their mistrust and the moments when they were trying to work out whether the other person was lying, yet I wanted more gradual development before some of the romantic beats.
The villainous side of the story was interesting, especially with Farrah’s ex pursuing her and the larger threat surrounding dangerous magic, but at times there were so many competing motivations that the story became slightly crowded.
Still, there is a lot to enjoy here. The pirate atmosphere is fun, Farrah is a strong protagonist, the crew gives the story personality and the combination of gods, magic and morally grey characters kept me curious.
I liked this more for its adventure and its heroine than for the romance itself, but it was still an entertaining read with some genuinely imaginative ideas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Pirate’s Crimson Blade was exactly the kind of chaotic fantasy adventure I needed. Give me pirates, magic, sword fights, morally gray characters, feminine rage, and a badass female captain, and I am immediately invested. I absolutely loved Farrah. She is ruthless, stubborn, impulsive, and completely unapologetic about who she is. I especially loved her relationship with her mostly female crew because their friendships felt genuine, and I became just as invested in them as I was in Farrah. Antorn was also such a fun match for her. Their relationship starts with Farrah literally imprisoning him, so the mistrust and tension were immediate. I loved watching that gradually shift into chemistry and something much deeper. Their romance felt earned, and the spice was a very welcome bonus. The magic and mythology were another highlight for me. I loved the connection between magic and the gods, along with the cursed ships, magical weapons, seers, and dangerous people willing to do anything for power. There was a LOT happening, but I honestly never felt bored. The twists kept me guessing, the characters kept me invested, and I had such a fun time with this adventure.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Pirates Crimson Blade ARC review
Where do I begin?!
This book completely and utterly filled my cup for some of the things I needed most in a book. Pirates, sword fighting, BLOOD LUST, feminine rage and hardarsery (it’s a word, ok!) ohhh yeah…get in my eyeballs!
For lovers of magic, mutiny and morally grey FCM and MMC. This one is for you!
I loved getting to know not only the main characters, but also the mismatched odd bunch crew members. The female friendship bonds were amazing.
There were some shock moments that kept me on my toes, and even a couple of small not at all embarrassing hissy fits thrown by myself.
What I also really loved that it wraps up nicely and CAN be read as a standalone (which I obviously need more) …but the option is there for those of you who have commitment issues.
A little bit of spice, and a very big bit nice plot that is clearly going places. If you don’t believe me, pre order and read it for yourself! Releasing 29/11 and will be available on KU!
4.5 starts any day of the week
Where do I begin?!
This book completely and utterly filled my cup for some of the things I needed most in a book. Pirates, sword fighting, BLOOD LUST, feminine rage and hardarsery (it’s a word, ok!) ohhh yeah…get in my eyeballs!
For lovers of magic, mutiny and morally grey FCM and MMC. This one is for you!
I loved getting to know not only the main characters, but also the mismatched odd bunch crew members. The female friendship bonds were amazing.
There were some shock moments that kept me on my toes, and even a couple of small not at all embarrassing hissy fits thrown by myself.
What I also really loved that it wraps up nicely and CAN be read as a standalone (which I obviously need more) …but the option is there for those of you who have commitment issues.
A little bit of spice, and a very big bit nice plot that is clearly going places. If you don’t believe me, pre order and read it for yourself! Releasing 29/11 and will be available on KU!
4.5 starts any day of the week
Review of advance copy received from Author
I’m so happy to have been an ARC reader! This book was such a good read! It held my attention the entire time! I didn’t want to put it down!! And when I did (because life), I thought about it constantly—as if the characters might change before I could pick it back up! There was NEVER a dull moment! The FMC is badass! Her voice was authentic, and I love her! The entire crew felt so authentic too, and the friendships between them were shown so perfectly. Every relationship felt natural, and you could really believe these people cared about each other. Ooo, the chemistry between Antorn and Farrah was perfection! The romance was spicy, but extremely well done. It didn’t feel like it came out of nowhere; it felt earned and necessary! It really deepened the characters. If you love a book with an epic twist, emotion, and heart, this is the book for you! Katherine is an amazing writer. She tells a good story! The ending was so good, I didn’t want it to end! I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next! I definitely recommend this book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
So happy to have received an ARC of this book from the author! I devoured it in two days. It was great to read a romantasy book not about fae or mates but instead about pirates. The romance was steamy but the primary focus was the kick ass fmc who is also a pirate captain. The mmc is obsessed with her essentially the whole time which is always a trope I enjoy. I definitely recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was completely swept up in this fantasy adventure filled with ruthless pirates, dangerous magic, revenge, and complicated relationships. Farrah is the kind of protagonist who makes a story memorable, and I loved that she was just as reckless and stubborn as she was fierce and capable. She makes questionable decisions, throws herself into situations that could get her killed, and somehow finds a way to survive the chaos she creates. Her flaws made her feel believable, and I was especially drawn to the bond she shares with her crew. Their banter, loyalty, and willingness to stand beside one another brought such a wonderful found family element to the story. The world itself was another standout, with enchanted objects that demand a price, fascinating mythology, and plenty of brutal action. I appreciated how the magic added genuine consequences and danger rather than simply making the characters more powerful. Between the revenge driven plot, unpredictable encounters, and intense fight scenes, there was always something happening to keep me interested. I also loved how the story balanced its darker moments with humor and entertaining character interactions, making this a thoroughly enjoyable adventure from beginning to end.
The relationship between Farrah and Antorn was another aspect I enjoyed, especially because neither of them makes trusting the other particularly easy. Their clashing personalities create plenty of tension, and I liked seeing their connection develop as they navigated their own struggles and learned to let their guard down. The romance brings some wonderfully spicy moments, but it also adds emotional depth to the characters rather than distracting from the main storyline. That said, the fantasy and action are compelling enough to stand on their own, which made the overall experience even better. I did find myself wishing certain parts of the world had been explored in greater detail, but that never stopped me from enjoying the adventure as a whole. The twists were a highlight, and the ending left me eager to discover what happens next. Between the fearless heroine, the chaotic pirate crew, the intriguing magic system, and the delicious tension between the main characters, there is plenty here to love. If you enjoy fantasy with morally complicated characters, found family, enemies to lovers romance, and high stakes adventures, I would absolutely recommend giving this one a chance. I had a wonderful time reading it and would gladly join Farrah and her crew for another voyage!
The relationship between Farrah and Antorn was another aspect I enjoyed, especially because neither of them makes trusting the other particularly easy. Their clashing personalities create plenty of tension, and I liked seeing their connection develop as they navigated their own struggles and learned to let their guard down. The romance brings some wonderfully spicy moments, but it also adds emotional depth to the characters rather than distracting from the main storyline. That said, the fantasy and action are compelling enough to stand on their own, which made the overall experience even better. I did find myself wishing certain parts of the world had been explored in greater detail, but that never stopped me from enjoying the adventure as a whole. The twists were a highlight, and the ending left me eager to discover what happens next. Between the fearless heroine, the chaotic pirate crew, the intriguing magic system, and the delicious tension between the main characters, there is plenty here to love. If you enjoy fantasy with morally complicated characters, found family, enemies to lovers romance, and high stakes adventures, I would absolutely recommend giving this one a chance. I had a wonderful time reading it and would gladly join Farrah and her crew for another voyage!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Katherine Clark for giving me the opportunity to receive an advanced reader copy of her book, The Pirate's Crimson Blade. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Pirate's Crimson Blade is set in an unnamed fictional fantasy world and follows the adventures of Farrah, the captain of a mostly-female pirate crew, as she exacts revenge on her former lover, an infamous slave trader named Marda.
The story sucked me in immediately, as we follow Farrah while she single-handedly slaughters a horde of zombie pirates, then scales a volcano, all to gain a magically-imbued sword. In a tongue-in-cheek nod to traditional pirate cliches, Farrah loses an eye in the process, though it's ripped out by a magical bird and sacrificed to the volcano as payment for her magic sword.
This sequence of events really sets the tone for the rest of the book, which sees Farrah constantly charging – usually single-handedly – into danger, without a plan or a thought for the consequences. She gets by thanks to her skill as a pirate / fighter and a host of magically-imbued objects called trinkets.
Clark manages to avoid falling into the trap of overly-simplistic writing that many romantasy writers succumb to, and I would argue that her book is more fantasy with a romance subplot, as the book could easily stand alone without that element.
She has left just enough breadcrumbs throughout the storyline so as to keep us begging for the next installment, if only to find out more about Antorn, Farrah's new lover and vice captain, and his mysterious past.
If you loved Captain Elizabeth Swan-Turner from Pirates of the Carribean and always wondered what it would be like if she was a badass who sailed the seas, freeing slaves and slaughtering slave masters, you'll love this book.
The Pirate's Crimson Blade is set in an unnamed fictional fantasy world and follows the adventures of Farrah, the captain of a mostly-female pirate crew, as she exacts revenge on her former lover, an infamous slave trader named Marda.
The story sucked me in immediately, as we follow Farrah while she single-handedly slaughters a horde of zombie pirates, then scales a volcano, all to gain a magically-imbued sword. In a tongue-in-cheek nod to traditional pirate cliches, Farrah loses an eye in the process, though it's ripped out by a magical bird and sacrificed to the volcano as payment for her magic sword.
This sequence of events really sets the tone for the rest of the book, which sees Farrah constantly charging – usually single-handedly – into danger, without a plan or a thought for the consequences. She gets by thanks to her skill as a pirate / fighter and a host of magically-imbued objects called trinkets.
Clark manages to avoid falling into the trap of overly-simplistic writing that many romantasy writers succumb to, and I would argue that her book is more fantasy with a romance subplot, as the book could easily stand alone without that element.
She has left just enough breadcrumbs throughout the storyline so as to keep us begging for the next installment, if only to find out more about Antorn, Farrah's new lover and vice captain, and his mysterious past.
If you loved Captain Elizabeth Swan-Turner from Pirates of the Carribean and always wondered what it would be like if she was a badass who sailed the seas, freeing slaves and slaughtering slave masters, you'll love this book.
October 15, 2026
Thank you for the opportunity to be gifted an e-ARC of The Pirates Crimson Blade, and I am providing an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I was cackling like a skeskie on more than one occasion, but it also delivering emotional moments of heartbreak and rage.
For anyone looking for a book featuring an unruly pirate crew with a "stab tab," witty banter, a found family trope, slow-burn romance, enemies to lovers and a complex magic system where everything comes at a cost, this is a must-read.
I loved the character dynamics, especially the antagonistic relationship between Farrah and Antorn. Farrah is an unbreakable, slightly unhinged, one-eyed pirate with trust issues who navigates an unforgiving world by the seat of her pants. Antorn is a physically imposing, steadfast force willing to burn to protect her. I appreciated that neither character fit into traditional boxes, and watching them work through their traumas to learn to trust and survive was wonderful to see.
My only small piece of feedback is that I was hoping to see the Kraken or the merfolk make an appearance, rather than alluding to their presence. While I know it is impossible to fit everything into one book, the fantasy nerd in me couldn't help but wish for them!
Finally, that plot twist at the end completely caught me off guard—well played! I am truly looking forward to your future books.
For anyone looking for a book featuring an unruly pirate crew with a "stab tab," witty banter, a found family trope, slow-burn romance, enemies to lovers and a complex magic system where everything comes at a cost, this is a must-read.
I loved the character dynamics, especially the antagonistic relationship between Farrah and Antorn. Farrah is an unbreakable, slightly unhinged, one-eyed pirate with trust issues who navigates an unforgiving world by the seat of her pants. Antorn is a physically imposing, steadfast force willing to burn to protect her. I appreciated that neither character fit into traditional boxes, and watching them work through their traumas to learn to trust and survive was wonderful to see.
My only small piece of feedback is that I was hoping to see the Kraken or the merfolk make an appearance, rather than alluding to their presence. While I know it is impossible to fit everything into one book, the fantasy nerd in me couldn't help but wish for them!
Finally, that plot twist at the end completely caught me off guard—well played! I am truly looking forward to your future books.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advance review copy for free and leaving this review voluntarily.
I really enjoyed her journey up the volcano and would have loved for that part to be a bit longer. Maybe a treasure map they could have followed with traps along the way.
Farrah is an amazing MFC and loved her journey as a pirate captain. She is vicious to the people who do her wrong.
“ I will first take your balls, then your penis. I will chop them in a stew and garnish it with your pubic hair, and hand feed it to you before slitting your throat. Do I make myself clear?”
If I’m honest I didn’t feel connected to the relationship between her and Anton. I kind of wanted him to fight for the ship a bit more. He just kind of let her do whatever she wanted to get her to trust him.
I also didn’t feel totally connected to the world. Could have done with staying in one place for a bit to try and build where they are.
There was a Kraken and they just went around it? Could have been a battle or something?
I also feel like the build up with Marda could have been longer. It was like they got together once and then suddenly killing each other. Then spent the whole book chasing her. At one point I thought maybe he still wanted her.
I really enjoyed her journey up the volcano and would have loved for that part to be a bit longer. Maybe a treasure map they could have followed with traps along the way.
Farrah is an amazing MFC and loved her journey as a pirate captain. She is vicious to the people who do her wrong.
“ I will first take your balls, then your penis. I will chop them in a stew and garnish it with your pubic hair, and hand feed it to you before slitting your throat. Do I make myself clear?”
If I’m honest I didn’t feel connected to the relationship between her and Anton. I kind of wanted him to fight for the ship a bit more. He just kind of let her do whatever she wanted to get her to trust him.
I also didn’t feel totally connected to the world. Could have done with staying in one place for a bit to try and build where they are.
There was a Kraken and they just went around it? Could have been a battle or something?
I also feel like the build up with Marda could have been longer. It was like they got together once and then suddenly killing each other. Then spent the whole book chasing her. At one point I thought maybe he still wanted her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Wow, wow, wow! I absolutely loved this book, not only because it features a female main character who is a pirate, but also because it is filled with magic, love, and spice. I wanted to keep this review relatively short because I don't want to spoil anything—as a pirate fan, you simply must experience this story for yourself!
I read it on my iPad, which is why it took me a little longer, but if I had owned a physical copy, I would have read it in one single sitting. The story starts right in the middle of the action and grips you from the very beginning. Please note that there are some rather brutal scenes, so if you don't like blood and death, this might not be for you.
I truly loved the character development and the way the world-building unfolds naturally as you read, allowing you to understand more and more with every page. I cannot wait to read the second book because I am so curious to see how the story continues!
If you like pirates (especially female pirates), epic fights, magic, romance, and a slightly darker tone, read it. You won't regret it!
Wow, wow, wow! I absolutely loved this book, not only because it features a female main character who is a pirate, but also because it is filled with magic, love, and spice. I wanted to keep this review relatively short because I don't want to spoil anything—as a pirate fan, you simply must experience this story for yourself!
I read it on my iPad, which is why it took me a little longer, but if I had owned a physical copy, I would have read it in one single sitting. The story starts right in the middle of the action and grips you from the very beginning. Please note that there are some rather brutal scenes, so if you don't like blood and death, this might not be for you.
I truly loved the character development and the way the world-building unfolds naturally as you read, allowing you to understand more and more with every page. I cannot wait to read the second book because I am so curious to see how the story continues!
If you like pirates (especially female pirates), epic fights, magic, romance, and a slightly darker tone, read it. You won't regret it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me early access to this arc!
We are following our FMC Farrah as she tries to stay alive in a world with imbued magical items, a murderous ex, and a crew, half of which she stole from another captain! And the whole this was a joy to read!
Farrah is unlike any FMC I have read before. Her way of staying strong and yet still not always knowing how to handle situations felt very real to me. I loved how she wasn't perfect, how some of her reactions weren't what I was expecting.
My only complaint. I didn't really understand the romance. It was there, in the background maybe? But I just didn't get that, giggling and kicking my feet reaction. Now don't get me wrong, Antorn our MC definitely has his moments, I'm just not sure how we got there.
Can't wait to read more from Katherine Clark though!! <3
We are following our FMC Farrah as she tries to stay alive in a world with imbued magical items, a murderous ex, and a crew, half of which she stole from another captain! And the whole this was a joy to read!
Farrah is unlike any FMC I have read before. Her way of staying strong and yet still not always knowing how to handle situations felt very real to me. I loved how she wasn't perfect, how some of her reactions weren't what I was expecting.
My only complaint. I didn't really understand the romance. It was there, in the background maybe? But I just didn't get that, giggling and kicking my feet reaction. Now don't get me wrong, Antorn our MC definitely has his moments, I'm just not sure how we got there.
Can't wait to read more from Katherine Clark though!! <3
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had the great pleasure to arc read The Pirate’s Crimson Blade by Katherine Clark and am leaving this review voluntarily. It is a high stakes, sea worthy adventure for anyone who loves magic, pirates, violence, and witty banter. This enemies to lovers, captive to captain’s dashing partner in danger, kept me on my toes from start to finish. Farrah’s stubborn but loyal, and deliciously wild choices made her the perfect pirate FMC to dive into this romantasy. Definitely put it on your TBR list if you want to gasp, swoon, and cackle while you read. The Pirate’s Crimson Blade releases November 29th. 🖤
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