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Daughters of the Seven Seas #1
Held Captive
Captain Rina Blackstone is the most notorious female pirate to ever plunder the Seven Seas and the fiercest captain to ever sail the Atlantic. But one thing she has never been able to handle well is change. When one merchant ship raid takes a wrong turn and results in her capture, Rina has to escape before all the control she’s worked so hard to obtain falters.Xavier Bennet was commissioned seven years ago to find the Duke of Rothsford’s long lost daughter. Those seven years have passed without a trace of the woman except for the one letter he believes will lead him to her. When Xavier’s ship, the Jessica, finally crosses paths with the Rina, it’s all he can do to hope that somehow, someway, he’ll be able to find Lady Catherina and return her to her parents. Except the pirate captain he finds certainly surpasses his expectations and brings the one thing he cannot trouble.
Lies. That’s all that spews from Xavier Bennet’s lips. Lies. And Rina is determined not to listen, not to believe. Only to wiggle her way out of his clutches before all the pieces come together and reveal exactly what she doesn’t want… the truth.
Lies. That’s all that spews from Xavier Bennet’s lips. Lies. And Rina is determined not to listen, not to believe. Only to wiggle her way out of his clutches before all the pieces come together and reveal exactly what she doesn’t want… the truth.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2019
21 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Grace A. Johnson
14 books401 followersGrace A. Johnson is a Christian indie authoress with a passion for crafting authentic and edifying stories to inspire readers and glorify God. Since 2019, she’s released several novels, short stories, and a devotional. She’s also a marketer and editor who loves helping young authors through her editing business S&J Editors and her small publishing company Sky’s the Limit Press. You can join her growing community of Kingdom-minded readers and writers on her blog Of Blades & Thorns and her podcast Spirit & Script!
For a free e-copy of the novel that made her an author, which she published at age thirteen, subscribe to her newsletter!
For a free e-copy of the novel that made her an author, which she published at age thirteen, subscribe to her newsletter!
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April 10, 2024✨ PROGRESS REPORT | APRIL 2024 ✨
Held Captive just celebrated five years, and I'm back with another update on the upcoming revised & republished version!
I'm still in the process of reworking the plot, answering questions (I have a whole list of 'em) that were never addressed in the original version, and redeveloping characters (mainly Xavier 😅). I've been more or less deconstructing the story and refashioning it from the inside. Much will remain the same, yes, but still so much will change. I'm also having to do the research I didn't do the first time around and figure out how my story fits into the religious and political conflicts in England at the time. All that good stuff.
Considering how long this process will be, I wanted to get something together so that I could directly update & share with those of y'all who are anxiously anticipating the re-release! So, if you'd like to stay in the loop, give feedback on the story, read sneak peeks, & more, I invite you to subscribe to my updates list!
For all of y'all who have read & loved or read & hated Held Captive, I would love your input on how I can make it better! I have a little form with a few questions that cover some of the most controversial elements of this story. Whether you hated HC or loved it, your feedback and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated as I begin recreating this story in a way that's so much better than my twelve-year-old self would've ever dreamed!
To all of y'all, those who've been with me since the first of the last five years & those who've just discovered me, thank you. I am beyond grateful for all your love & support!! 💕
Held Captive just celebrated five years, and I'm back with another update on the upcoming revised & republished version!
I'm still in the process of reworking the plot, answering questions (I have a whole list of 'em) that were never addressed in the original version, and redeveloping characters (mainly Xavier 😅). I've been more or less deconstructing the story and refashioning it from the inside. Much will remain the same, yes, but still so much will change. I'm also having to do the research I didn't do the first time around and figure out how my story fits into the religious and political conflicts in England at the time. All that good stuff.
Considering how long this process will be, I wanted to get something together so that I could directly update & share with those of y'all who are anxiously anticipating the re-release! So, if you'd like to stay in the loop, give feedback on the story, read sneak peeks, & more, I invite you to subscribe to my updates list!
For all of y'all who have read & loved or read & hated Held Captive, I would love your input on how I can make it better! I have a little form with a few questions that cover some of the most controversial elements of this story. Whether you hated HC or loved it, your feedback and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated as I begin recreating this story in a way that's so much better than my twelve-year-old self would've ever dreamed!
To all of y'all, those who've been with me since the first of the last five years & those who've just discovered me, thank you. I am beyond grateful for all your love & support!! 💕
August 27, 2021
There are some books that you just wanna cry when you make it to the end because it's over too soon...
Yeah, this is one of them. :)
Okay, so lemme go ahead and state what I'm sure a lot of y'all are thinking. Obviously, since Grace Johnson is one of my bestie author friends, that means that's the only reason why I enjoyed this book, and if she wasn't then it'd be like a three-star rating or something. Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and say that's completely wrong!!!!! AND to prove that I'm not just saying all of this, I'm going to give y'all the FULL review. Normally, I omit a few things from my review, like things I didn't like that were completely personal preference, cuz, well, it was a personal preference. But I'm gonna try to give y'all all of my thoughts, so you know I AM NOT FAKING HOW AWESOME THIS BOOK IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, I was given this book by the author, but it wasn't really in exchange for an honest review. It was just cuz I wanted to read the book and the author is a really nice and amazing person!!! So dunno if I'm still supposed to say that, but I thought I would just make sure we're all clear.
Okay, let's get this review started!!!!!!! I am so ready for this!!
CHARACTERS:
XAVIER IS AMAZING, FANTASTIC, AND TOTALLY MAH BOY AND THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buuuut since I'm sure some of y'all are wanting more than that, let's talk about Rina. Aaahh she was such a uniquely well-developed character that I could just feel for and connect with! And if y'all know me, you know I LOVE stories with unique characters!!! And for all of y'all who are wanting strong heroine in stories, then look no further! Her whole journey was so real and emotional and kept me clinging to the page. I was cheering for her every second. And obviously, I adored Xavier, too!!! He was so much fun and I was ALWAYS getting really excited whenever we entered his POV. I MEAN HOW COULD YOU NOT???????
PLOT:
Aaahh, okay, so lemme just go ahead and say, I'm a REALLY picky person when it comes to plots. Growing up as a reluctant reader, the plot HAD to hook me, or else I wouldn't finish the book. Well, obviously, that has changed, but I'm still a bit... picky, you could say when it comes to the plot areas. And I told y'all I would give you all my thoughts in this review... So when we started, I'm gonna be honest, I was kinda bored in the first two chapters, but that's completely normal and if I didn't omit things from my usual reviews, you'd be hearing that come up a lot. Seriously, few books hook me from page one!! BUT I say all of this to say, DO NOT STOP READING. Because I think by chapter three or something I WAS SO HOOKED, and that is actually REALLY early for a story to hook me! Like I was just drawn into the story and the world and I didn't want to put it down. Like if I could go live in their world, I WOULD! I remembered actually missing the story when I couldn't go read it, which is not a norm for me, so FANTABULOUS job to the author!!!! *cheers* AND CAN'T WE JUST TALK ABOUT THAT ENDING??????!!!!! Like, you can't just let me dangle from a cliffhanger like that. Thankfully, I got book two, cuz I'm not sure how I would've survived. XD And the plot twists... I don't think I ever saw any of them coming!!
WRITING PROSE:
Alrighty, THIS right here HAS to be my favorite part of the story!!! GRACE JOHNSON HAS THE MOST GORGEOUS WRITING PROSE AND I AM SO JEALOUS OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, like, it just FIT. So perfectly. It's almost like she was born to write this book. And what I really loved about it was how the way the characters thought and spoke just added a deeper level to the world building because it was SO perfect for the time period. And it just drew me in, like I remember practically holding my breath as I read because... something about the words... I could just feel everything so perfectly. Does any of that even make sense? Eh, I have no idea, but if you don't understand, then just grab yourself a copy of this book and it'll make total sense!!!!!
ROMANCE:
To start right off, I really loved the arc of the romance, and Rina and Xavier are SO adorable together. And it was really sweet and charming. However, there were times when I felt like it was a teensy bit... I don't know the word I'm looking for. Too much? BUT this is probably normal for the genre and audience it was written for. I don't really read adult novels, so I can't compare. But I wanted to put that in there as a heads up to my younger readers. This might be a book you wanna wait on until you're a teensy bit older. Outside of that, I could squeal and fangirl over Rina and Xavier for the rest of my life!!!!!! I NEED MORE OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CHRISTIAN ELEMENTS:
Wait, remember when I said the writing prose was my favorite part? Yeah, I take that back. It's tied for the Christian message. Aaaahh, I mean, this message... this story... GUYS, I HAVE NO WORDS FOR HOW BEAUTIFUL IT WAS!!!!!!!!! I don't think I can even properly describe in words what this story has done to me. I was just sooooo drawn in... and the message was just so perfectly done, I wish I could shove this book into the world's hands. It's not one of those stories/messages that you either forget once the book is close or maybe you remember it for a day or a week or so and then eventually it becomes just another story. No, this is a message that stays with you, one that lasts. (Okay, especially the sequel's message. I'm kinda meshing the two stories together right now... but just read them both. XD) If you don't read this book for anything else, then read it for this!!!! :)
DISLIKES?
Uhhhh WHERE'S MY BABY JULIUS IN ALL OF THIS?????? XD
OVERALL:
So, while I do still wanna give that heads up about the romance to my young readers, this story was just beautiful and I HIGHLY recommend it. Especially to our older Christian teens and adults. Whether you're coming for the swashbuckling pirate story, the heart-grabbing message, or for my boy, Xavier, this is sure to be a tale that will rival any of those told on the high seas. Hoist the anchor and dive in!
Yeah, this is one of them. :)
Okay, so lemme go ahead and state what I'm sure a lot of y'all are thinking. Obviously, since Grace Johnson is one of my bestie author friends, that means that's the only reason why I enjoyed this book, and if she wasn't then it'd be like a three-star rating or something. Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and say that's completely wrong!!!!! AND to prove that I'm not just saying all of this, I'm going to give y'all the FULL review. Normally, I omit a few things from my review, like things I didn't like that were completely personal preference, cuz, well, it was a personal preference. But I'm gonna try to give y'all all of my thoughts, so you know I AM NOT FAKING HOW AWESOME THIS BOOK IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, I was given this book by the author, but it wasn't really in exchange for an honest review. It was just cuz I wanted to read the book and the author is a really nice and amazing person!!! So dunno if I'm still supposed to say that, but I thought I would just make sure we're all clear.
Okay, let's get this review started!!!!!!! I am so ready for this!!
CHARACTERS:
XAVIER IS AMAZING, FANTASTIC, AND TOTALLY MAH BOY AND THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Buuuut since I'm sure some of y'all are wanting more than that, let's talk about Rina. Aaahh she was such a uniquely well-developed character that I could just feel for and connect with! And if y'all know me, you know I LOVE stories with unique characters!!! And for all of y'all who are wanting strong heroine in stories, then look no further! Her whole journey was so real and emotional and kept me clinging to the page. I was cheering for her every second. And obviously, I adored Xavier, too!!! He was so much fun and I was ALWAYS getting really excited whenever we entered his POV. I MEAN HOW COULD YOU NOT???????
PLOT:
Aaahh, okay, so lemme just go ahead and say, I'm a REALLY picky person when it comes to plots. Growing up as a reluctant reader, the plot HAD to hook me, or else I wouldn't finish the book. Well, obviously, that has changed, but I'm still a bit... picky, you could say when it comes to the plot areas. And I told y'all I would give you all my thoughts in this review... So when we started, I'm gonna be honest, I was kinda bored in the first two chapters, but that's completely normal and if I didn't omit things from my usual reviews, you'd be hearing that come up a lot. Seriously, few books hook me from page one!! BUT I say all of this to say, DO NOT STOP READING. Because I think by chapter three or something I WAS SO HOOKED, and that is actually REALLY early for a story to hook me! Like I was just drawn into the story and the world and I didn't want to put it down. Like if I could go live in their world, I WOULD! I remembered actually missing the story when I couldn't go read it, which is not a norm for me, so FANTABULOUS job to the author!!!! *cheers* AND CAN'T WE JUST TALK ABOUT THAT ENDING??????!!!!! Like, you can't just let me dangle from a cliffhanger like that. Thankfully, I got book two, cuz I'm not sure how I would've survived. XD And the plot twists... I don't think I ever saw any of them coming!!
WRITING PROSE:
Alrighty, THIS right here HAS to be my favorite part of the story!!! GRACE JOHNSON HAS THE MOST GORGEOUS WRITING PROSE AND I AM SO JEALOUS OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, like, it just FIT. So perfectly. It's almost like she was born to write this book. And what I really loved about it was how the way the characters thought and spoke just added a deeper level to the world building because it was SO perfect for the time period. And it just drew me in, like I remember practically holding my breath as I read because... something about the words... I could just feel everything so perfectly. Does any of that even make sense? Eh, I have no idea, but if you don't understand, then just grab yourself a copy of this book and it'll make total sense!!!!!
ROMANCE:
To start right off, I really loved the arc of the romance, and Rina and Xavier are SO adorable together. And it was really sweet and charming. However, there were times when I felt like it was a teensy bit... I don't know the word I'm looking for. Too much? BUT this is probably normal for the genre and audience it was written for. I don't really read adult novels, so I can't compare. But I wanted to put that in there as a heads up to my younger readers. This might be a book you wanna wait on until you're a teensy bit older. Outside of that, I could squeal and fangirl over Rina and Xavier for the rest of my life!!!!!! I NEED MORE OF THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CHRISTIAN ELEMENTS:
Wait, remember when I said the writing prose was my favorite part? Yeah, I take that back. It's tied for the Christian message. Aaaahh, I mean, this message... this story... GUYS, I HAVE NO WORDS FOR HOW BEAUTIFUL IT WAS!!!!!!!!! I don't think I can even properly describe in words what this story has done to me. I was just sooooo drawn in... and the message was just so perfectly done, I wish I could shove this book into the world's hands. It's not one of those stories/messages that you either forget once the book is close or maybe you remember it for a day or a week or so and then eventually it becomes just another story. No, this is a message that stays with you, one that lasts. (Okay, especially the sequel's message. I'm kinda meshing the two stories together right now... but just read them both. XD) If you don't read this book for anything else, then read it for this!!!! :)
DISLIKES?
Uhhhh WHERE'S MY BABY JULIUS IN ALL OF THIS?????? XD
OVERALL:
So, while I do still wanna give that heads up about the romance to my young readers, this story was just beautiful and I HIGHLY recommend it. Especially to our older Christian teens and adults. Whether you're coming for the swashbuckling pirate story, the heart-grabbing message, or for my boy, Xavier, this is sure to be a tale that will rival any of those told on the high seas. Hoist the anchor and dive in!
June 11, 2021
Characters: I loved the characters in this book! They might've been my favorite part. Rina was unlike most Christian fiction ladies. In fact, she was a lady pirate--complete with an eye patch, gold tooth, and crazy skills with a cutlass. Plus, she had some great comebacks in her conversations with Xavier. Speaking of Xavier ... even though he didn't get as much page time as Rina, I loved how he was always so willing to share his faith with her. And he was always around when she needed some comfort. Plus, I really liked all the side characters. Unlike in most Christian fiction, both Rina's and Xavier's parents were nice, likable people. They added so much to the plot! And, of course, Rina's crew members... I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in the second book!
Language: Clean. Plenty of pirate slang, though. :) Such as "blast it to the moon and back." I found that one pretty funny for some reason. There was also one sentence where it was hard for me to tell if Jesus' name was a prayer or an exclamation.
Morals: This book had themes of redemption (yes, it was beautiful), God's love, mercy, family, forgiveness, and many more. I really liked how Xavier started off his Gospel presentation to Rina with Creation, and that Creation/God as Creator was emphasized. And when Rina got saved... It was beautiful! I loved how happy she was afterward and how she told everyone what God had done for her. Her baptism was also a beautiful scene, but I do wish a little more emphasis had been placed on baptism being a symbol.
Plot: This one kept me flipping pages (actually scrolling down my computer screen). This book had plenty of action, romance, suspense, great conversations, and plot twists. And, of course, it ended on a cliffhanger!
Romance: Clean. Just a few kisses. I'm a non-romantic, so some of the romance was a little much for me. :) Xavier and Rina (in one scene especially) put themselves in some very unwise situations. Even though nothing happened, I wish they'd put a little more thought into avoiding temptations and dangerous situations. And I also wish Xavier hadn't allowed himself to fall in love with Rina when she wasn't yet a Christian.
Writing: Grace Johnson is a great writer! She does character emotions and descriptions so well, yet at the same time, she keeps the plot moving. And the characters' dialogue read like it could've been from back then. But not in a way that made it hard to read. :)
Overall: Held Captive was a highly entertaining book, and I'm looking forward to reading the second book. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy Christian fiction, historical romance, and pirate stories :)
I received this book from the author.
Language: Clean. Plenty of pirate slang, though. :) Such as "blast it to the moon and back." I found that one pretty funny for some reason. There was also one sentence where it was hard for me to tell if Jesus' name was a prayer or an exclamation.
Morals: This book had themes of redemption (yes, it was beautiful), God's love, mercy, family, forgiveness, and many more. I really liked how Xavier started off his Gospel presentation to Rina with Creation, and that Creation/God as Creator was emphasized. And when Rina got saved... It was beautiful! I loved how happy she was afterward and how she told everyone what God had done for her. Her baptism was also a beautiful scene, but I do wish a little more emphasis had been placed on baptism being a symbol.
Plot: This one kept me flipping pages (actually scrolling down my computer screen). This book had plenty of action, romance, suspense, great conversations, and plot twists. And, of course, it ended on a cliffhanger!
Romance: Clean. Just a few kisses. I'm a non-romantic, so some of the romance was a little much for me. :) Xavier and Rina (in one scene especially) put themselves in some very unwise situations. Even though nothing happened, I wish they'd put a little more thought into avoiding temptations and dangerous situations. And I also wish Xavier hadn't allowed himself to fall in love with Rina when she wasn't yet a Christian.
Writing: Grace Johnson is a great writer! She does character emotions and descriptions so well, yet at the same time, she keeps the plot moving. And the characters' dialogue read like it could've been from back then. But not in a way that made it hard to read. :)
Overall: Held Captive was a highly entertaining book, and I'm looking forward to reading the second book. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy Christian fiction, historical romance, and pirate stories :)
I received this book from the author.
December 26, 2021
I loved the ending! This was a really good book. The romance was a little more than what I'm used to reading and thus made me a little uncomfortable in some spots but it wasn't anything bad. It was very clean romance wise I just, apparently read more books with flavors of romance and not full blown...lol...
I loved the obvious struggles of Rina and Xavier was a great character (love his name!) The arch of the story was beautiful and all the little were really good!
I really liked the story, I'll be reading the next one for sure!
I did notice a few little typos nothing glaring or that would make me stop reading. And nothing that was hard to understand because of the typo, it mainly just missing small words like to or do or the here and there but not many at all, and like I said they didn't both me at all!
Circling back around, I loved the arch of the story! The background, the pirates, the ending! Yeah, I was really happy with the book overall!
~Kayti
I loved the obvious struggles of Rina and Xavier was a great character (love his name!) The arch of the story was beautiful and all the little were really good!
I really liked the story, I'll be reading the next one for sure!
I did notice a few little typos nothing glaring or that would make me stop reading. And nothing that was hard to understand because of the typo, it mainly just missing small words like to or do or the here and there but not many at all, and like I said they didn't both me at all!
Circling back around, I loved the arch of the story! The background, the pirates, the ending! Yeah, I was really happy with the book overall!
~Kayti
June 19, 2021
4.5 stars
Ah, this was such a fun read! Rina kept cracking me up - I really lost it when she pulled out the bottle of rum like any good pirate and took a couple (or maybe more) swigs. She was truly a memorable character in so many ways! She was not this small, delicate woman like most Christian fiction heroines are. Nope, this girl was a pirate through and through! She was definitely my favorite character, but Xavier was also a good character opposite of her. His sense of humor won him some points there, and he was the type of guy to get along well with Rina. Not everyone can fall in love with a lady pirate, mind you - those are special sorts.
The plot of this book is not overly complicated, but that doesn't mean in any way that it was boring or predictable. There were several surprises along the way! Even when there wasn't action happening, the plot moved along as you found out more and more about Rina's true identity and the consequences of that discovery. My favorite part of the plot was Rina's character arc. She started as this wild pirate woman, and you'll just have to read the book to find out what she becomes!
One small thing I would have liked to see different would be Rina and Xavier's relationship. Nothing inappropriate happened between them, but they were very often in compromising situations. (Again, nothing immodest happened, but I wouldn't recommend putting oneself in these positions.) Also, the Lord's Name was used once in a way that could be taken as a swear. However, I believe Xavier was the one who said it, so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he was praying. Overall, though, this book was a clean read!
My absolute favorite part of this book was the duality between Rina's discovery of her (spoiler here) noble birth and her salvation. She became something new and wealthy and beautiful, not because of who she was, but because of her father's love in sending someone to seek her out and bring her home. This was just a beautiful, outward, almost-allegorical story of how the Lord saves us. Rina was first shown her family's redemptive love, then she came to know the Lord, Who does all of that in a far better way than any man can fully show or describe!
My hat's off to the authoress, and I am so impressed by the quality of her work at such a young age. I can't wait to see where she goes from here. She preached the Gospel through words and through the story arc itself, and I absolutely love that. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment of Rina and Xavier's story!
(Thanks to the author for a free copy of this book!)
Ah, this was such a fun read! Rina kept cracking me up - I really lost it when she pulled out the bottle of rum like any good pirate and took a couple (or maybe more) swigs. She was truly a memorable character in so many ways! She was not this small, delicate woman like most Christian fiction heroines are. Nope, this girl was a pirate through and through! She was definitely my favorite character, but Xavier was also a good character opposite of her. His sense of humor won him some points there, and he was the type of guy to get along well with Rina. Not everyone can fall in love with a lady pirate, mind you - those are special sorts.
The plot of this book is not overly complicated, but that doesn't mean in any way that it was boring or predictable. There were several surprises along the way! Even when there wasn't action happening, the plot moved along as you found out more and more about Rina's true identity and the consequences of that discovery. My favorite part of the plot was Rina's character arc. She started as this wild pirate woman, and you'll just have to read the book to find out what she becomes!
One small thing I would have liked to see different would be Rina and Xavier's relationship. Nothing inappropriate happened between them, but they were very often in compromising situations. (Again, nothing immodest happened, but I wouldn't recommend putting oneself in these positions.) Also, the Lord's Name was used once in a way that could be taken as a swear. However, I believe Xavier was the one who said it, so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he was praying. Overall, though, this book was a clean read!
My absolute favorite part of this book was the duality between Rina's discovery of her (spoiler here) noble birth and her salvation. She became something new and wealthy and beautiful, not because of who she was, but because of her father's love in sending someone to seek her out and bring her home. This was just a beautiful, outward, almost-allegorical story of how the Lord saves us. Rina was first shown her family's redemptive love, then she came to know the Lord, Who does all of that in a far better way than any man can fully show or describe!
My hat's off to the authoress, and I am so impressed by the quality of her work at such a young age. I can't wait to see where she goes from here. She preached the Gospel through words and through the story arc itself, and I absolutely love that. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment of Rina and Xavier's story!
(Thanks to the author for a free copy of this book!)
March 29, 2023
Arggg ...
I was so excited to read this book. Pirates and romance? Yes please!
But . . . as I got into it . . . there were just things that bugged me.
THINGS I LIKED:
The pirate angle. That was super cool to see, as I love pirates and am always up for a book about them! I also liked Xavier's faith. That was really cool to see, and hear him witnessing to Rhina.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
*Ahem*
Okay, this may seem minor and more like a pet peeve of mine, but there were so. Many. Stinkin'. Conjunctions. Like, really. I saw up to four 'and's in one sentence, and that was little hard for my brain to get over. And also, all the kissing. Like, really? Is it all really necessary? I didn't think so. And also the format of the book messed with my eyes and my brain a little, but that's nothing on the story itself.
PLOT:
I . . . honestly guessed most of what happened from the back cover and first chapter. And as much as I hate giving bad reviews and stuff . . . it was a little . . . boring. I honestly felt like most of the chapters were just repeats of the previous chapters with a little more action in them than before. I might've gotten better towards the end, but that kind of hung me up. Like, a lot.
CHARACTERS:
Probably my favorite part of the book, the characters. Xavier was really cool, and Rhina was pretty awesome.
ROMANCE:
Ahhh, yes. The romance. I've never been in a romantic relationship, so I may not have room to speak, but I have read quite a few books by women who are married, and . . . the romance in this book just wasn't working for me. It felt almost forced. And all the kissing! I think the kiss scene in a romance is one of the sweetest parts of a whole book, and when you literally make the characters kiss in every other scene, it takes away from the "magic" of the first kiss scene. And there was just too much noticing certain things on the other person and wanting to kiss and sitting on the other persons lap. 🤢 Sorry, but no. I just can't.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
I didn't get very far in so I can't give full CWs, but from what I did read . . . just, mostly the romance.
AGE RANGE:
I don't feel like it would be fair for me to give an age range because I didn't read it fully, so I'm just gonna skip this.
I feel really bad giving such a negative review and DNFing this book, I really do. Because I was so excited to read this! But . . . there was just too much stuff that hung me up and too many obstacles for my brain to trip over. This is seriously nothing against Grace. I did like her writing style most of the time, and think she's a super sweet person in real life. But this book . . . it just wasn't for me. 3
I was so excited to read this book. Pirates and romance? Yes please!
But . . . as I got into it . . . there were just things that bugged me.
THINGS I LIKED:
The pirate angle. That was super cool to see, as I love pirates and am always up for a book about them! I also liked Xavier's faith. That was really cool to see, and hear him witnessing to Rhina.
THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
*Ahem*
Okay, this may seem minor and more like a pet peeve of mine, but there were so. Many. Stinkin'. Conjunctions. Like, really. I saw up to four 'and's in one sentence, and that was little hard for my brain to get over. And also, all the kissing. Like, really? Is it all really necessary? I didn't think so. And also the format of the book messed with my eyes and my brain a little, but that's nothing on the story itself.
PLOT:
I . . . honestly guessed most of what happened from the back cover and first chapter. And as much as I hate giving bad reviews and stuff . . . it was a little . . . boring. I honestly felt like most of the chapters were just repeats of the previous chapters with a little more action in them than before. I might've gotten better towards the end, but that kind of hung me up. Like, a lot.
CHARACTERS:
Probably my favorite part of the book, the characters. Xavier was really cool, and Rhina was pretty awesome.
ROMANCE:
Ahhh, yes. The romance. I've never been in a romantic relationship, so I may not have room to speak, but I have read quite a few books by women who are married, and . . . the romance in this book just wasn't working for me. It felt almost forced. And all the kissing! I think the kiss scene in a romance is one of the sweetest parts of a whole book, and when you literally make the characters kiss in every other scene, it takes away from the "magic" of the first kiss scene. And there was just too much noticing certain things on the other person and wanting to kiss and sitting on the other persons lap. 🤢 Sorry, but no. I just can't.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
I didn't get very far in so I can't give full CWs, but from what I did read . . . just, mostly the romance.
AGE RANGE:
I don't feel like it would be fair for me to give an age range because I didn't read it fully, so I'm just gonna skip this.
I feel really bad giving such a negative review and DNFing this book, I really do. Because I was so excited to read this! But . . . there was just too much stuff that hung me up and too many obstacles for my brain to trip over. This is seriously nothing against Grace. I did like her writing style most of the time, and think she's a super sweet person in real life. But this book . . . it just wasn't for me. 3
October 10, 2021
Grace A. Johnson is a creative talent to behold. Her whirlwind of words swirled a swashbuckling tale of pirates and scallawags, Lords and Ladies, and ships and manor homes. Danger, mystery, and drama combined with comedic banter make this story very engaging. The best part is seeing the grace and salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ, turning a life around. What a true blessing!! I highly recommend Held Captive (Daughters of the Seven Seas).
May 1, 2023
Amazing characters, twisting plot, interesting hate-to-love romance, and lively, immersive writing. It took a bit of a while to read this (NOT the book's fault though, I just have many books I'm in the middle of reading plus limited time, etc.), but that never ruined the reading experience for me. When I came back to it, it felt so cozy, the characters like old friends. (And in case you didn't know, that's a wonderful feeling.) The main theme that I came away with was that of Christ's forgiveness. Help Captive is an unapologetically Christian novel, and I LOVED that. Now, to get a bit more in-depth...
CHARACTERS
Rina is so salty and fiery!! Seriously, I loved her. Her internal conflict came through strong and clear, and I thought her (SLIGHT SPOILER) slow conversion felt so realistic and believable. All along, she knew she was a sinner, she just couldn't accept that she could be forgiven. (SLIGHT SPOILER END)
Xavier. First of all, that name is so cool and memorable, plus it really fit him! Our boy Xavier was charming, roguish, but more of a balanced and at-peace character than Rina because of his faith (he was a Christian, unlike Rina). I always loved seeing events unfold through his POV. Also, I loved his constant desire to show Rina how all she had to do was accept Jesus's forgiveness.
I've also got to shout out Xavier's family! I LOVED them, especially when Rina met them.
WRITING STYLE
I'd describe the writing as lively and immersive and vivacious - never stale, and I think what helped with that was how it was in the first person, and thus everything needed to be filtered through the respective characters' perspectives; if it hadn't been, there would have been info/backstory passages I'd have skipped over. The characters' voices were strong and really colored everything in a unique way - and I could see the distinctions between each characters' voice too.
PLOT
For some reason, whenever I come to this section, I think back to whether I predicated any plot twists. Well, I rarely seem to remember thinking about what would happen next in the story; I'm always fixated on what just happened. So, was the plot predictable? Not necessarily. I saw a few things coming but the story kept the suspense up the entire way through for me.
And ahh that cliffhanger at the end!!!
ROMANCE
Okay, I really liked the dynamic of Xavier and Rina's romance, how it started on one side with hate and interest on the other. That makes for some captivating, explosive conflict that reels you in and keeps you turning pages to discover HOW it will work out. I love how they influenced each other and prompted each other to grow - especially on Rina's side!
THEMES
Jesus's forgiveness was a powerful theme of this book. Rina's character arc PERFECTLY reinforced this theme and really showed it. And can I just say, I got chills at the baptism scene. 😭
OTHER THINGS
There was a childish tinge to some of the characters' voices, but I'm not taking a star off this review because of that SINCE the author was young when she wrote it; on the contrary, I was amazed by how good it was considering that. (Was that last part grammatically correct? *shrugs* I don't know. 😂)
OVERALL
This was VERY enjoyable to read, and again, I was so impressed with its overall quality seeing that the author was about twelve when she wrote it! That is just so impressive. (One more thing: I loved the different fonts for each character's POV. I've yet to see a published book with that feature - though I've done that a few times with my WIPs and loved how much it helps with characterization - so that was unique and pretty brilliant, if I do say so myself. XD) Brimming with adventure and suspense, this is a tale that will hold you captive until its final pages.😭😂
CHARACTERS
Rina is so salty and fiery!! Seriously, I loved her. Her internal conflict came through strong and clear, and I thought her (SLIGHT SPOILER) slow conversion felt so realistic and believable. All along, she knew she was a sinner, she just couldn't accept that she could be forgiven. (SLIGHT SPOILER END)
Xavier. First of all, that name is so cool and memorable, plus it really fit him! Our boy Xavier was charming, roguish, but more of a balanced and at-peace character than Rina because of his faith (he was a Christian, unlike Rina). I always loved seeing events unfold through his POV. Also, I loved his constant desire to show Rina how all she had to do was accept Jesus's forgiveness.
I've also got to shout out Xavier's family! I LOVED them, especially when Rina met them.
WRITING STYLE
I'd describe the writing as lively and immersive and vivacious - never stale, and I think what helped with that was how it was in the first person, and thus everything needed to be filtered through the respective characters' perspectives; if it hadn't been, there would have been info/backstory passages I'd have skipped over. The characters' voices were strong and really colored everything in a unique way - and I could see the distinctions between each characters' voice too.
PLOT
For some reason, whenever I come to this section, I think back to whether I predicated any plot twists. Well, I rarely seem to remember thinking about what would happen next in the story; I'm always fixated on what just happened. So, was the plot predictable? Not necessarily. I saw a few things coming but the story kept the suspense up the entire way through for me.
And ahh that cliffhanger at the end!!!
ROMANCE
Okay, I really liked the dynamic of Xavier and Rina's romance, how it started on one side with hate and interest on the other. That makes for some captivating, explosive conflict that reels you in and keeps you turning pages to discover HOW it will work out. I love how they influenced each other and prompted each other to grow - especially on Rina's side!
THEMES
Jesus's forgiveness was a powerful theme of this book. Rina's character arc PERFECTLY reinforced this theme and really showed it. And can I just say, I got chills at the baptism scene. 😭
OTHER THINGS
There was a childish tinge to some of the characters' voices, but I'm not taking a star off this review because of that SINCE the author was young when she wrote it; on the contrary, I was amazed by how good it was considering that. (Was that last part grammatically correct? *shrugs* I don't know. 😂)
OVERALL
This was VERY enjoyable to read, and again, I was so impressed with its overall quality seeing that the author was about twelve when she wrote it! That is just so impressive. (One more thing: I loved the different fonts for each character's POV. I've yet to see a published book with that feature - though I've done that a few times with my WIPs and loved how much it helps with characterization - so that was unique and pretty brilliant, if I do say so myself. XD) Brimming with adventure and suspense, this is a tale that will hold you captive until its final pages.😭😂
April 19, 2023
Held Captive, by Grace A. Johnson
About the Book:
Rina has had a rough life. But she rather enjoys the roughness. After all, being a pirate gives you much more freedom than any other position. Raiding, pillaging, drinking, the liberty to do as she pleases!
But when she comes face to face with the handsome Xavier and his outlandish claims, she finds herself angry, confused, and full of questions. Who was her real father? Captain Blackstone? Or this rich lord Xavier keeps telling her about? And what about the ridiculous God Xavier keeps talking about? Surely he doesn’t care about an ornery pirate like her.
But Rina will soon come to realize that things are very different from what she’d been told. And she isn’t who she thought she was.
Favourite Quotes:
“How, Captain Bennet, can a pirate love?”
“The same way all humans love: with their heart. A criminal is no more incapable of love than you are. God loved Maverick Blackstone just as much as He loves you. And if God can love all people, no matter how evil, then why shouldn’t we?”
~ Chapter 16, page 173
“I don’t know, Rina. I just, well… I suppose that since God has forgiven all of us our sins, then Mother and Father knew they should bestow the same mercy and grace on me.”
~ Chapter 17, page 180
What I liked:
Grace didn’t sugar coat the life or ways of a pirate. True, there was no crude or explicit wording as to the lifestyle of a pirate. But you could still see and feel the gritty detail and reality of their life. And it was amazing. It makes me want to further research about pirates, to be brutally honest with you guys.
Xavier was just fantastic! I loved that he was such a gentleman but was also a bit of a rogue. He never behaved horribly, although he did deserve a few, ahem, smacks and punches at times. He was just… ahh, he was great.
Rina, too, was an amazing character. Her backstory was stunning in bringing to light her situation in years past to who she is in the present of this tale. It helped me understand her more than I had anticipated, and it was great to see the why and how of her actions through the sharing of her past.
The element of faith was absolutely fabulous. Some might find it too preachy, but I found a lot of it helping me understand my own faith and past. I’m not proud of the things I’ve done, and regrets are heavy on my heart.
But what Xavier shared throughout the story (and especially in chapter 17) actually helped me realize that carrying the regrets and letting it haunt you doesn’t do anyone good. And to let it go and give it to God… I needed to read this when I did, and I can only thank the Lord that He prodded me to read this when I did (despite the fact that I have many other books in my currently reading basket).
What I disliked:
I wouldn’t necessarily say I disliked the romance; I certainly wasn’t expecting that much of it is all. I can kinda see where Grace found her inspiration like Jody Hedlund, Becky Wade, and a few others. At times it was kind of annoying, and I wasn’t sure how I liked Xavier and Rina’s attitudes half the time. They were just a bit childish and could have behaved better at times.
Also, the behaviours of Xavier and Rina. I understand that as a writer you have the room for more creative license, but I’m pretty sure a lot of what went on in Held Captive probably wasn’t socially possible at the time. Again, I didn’t dislike that; I actually quite enjoyed it. It just probably wasn’t all that accurate for the time.
The exclamations… umm, I’m not sure what my standpoint on that one is, either. I mean, there was no cussing, which earns a big, shiny star from me. But the replacements, I don’t know what I think about them. I’m all for saying different things in order to keep from swearing, like old school terms and words that make people raise their eyebrows at my geekiness (‘Jings, mate!’ is my most common phrase, alongside ‘oi!’). However, the few words that came up, uh… yea, not sure they are my favourite. But again, creative license.
Overall standpoint of HC:
Held Captive was an awesome read. I started reading it last weekend Saturday and ended up finishing it a couple hours later around midnight. It was one of the best things I’ve ever read and I’m so glad I was able to read it.
Grace, you have such an incredible talent and all I can say is, don’t stop! You’ve encouraged me to keep up my own writing dreams and goals, and you’ve inspired me with your ability and bravery to write and publish before even reaching adulthood. That, girl, is incredible!
*Everything expressed in this book review is based on my own thoughts. I don’t mean to offend anyone, only share what God places on my heart.*
**Also, thank you, Grace, for sending me a free copy!! I believe ye ‘ave me hooked, matey!! I’ll be waiting eagerly for the next adventure!**
October 29, 2021 Written by Abbigail R. B.
About the Book:
Rina has had a rough life. But she rather enjoys the roughness. After all, being a pirate gives you much more freedom than any other position. Raiding, pillaging, drinking, the liberty to do as she pleases!
But when she comes face to face with the handsome Xavier and his outlandish claims, she finds herself angry, confused, and full of questions. Who was her real father? Captain Blackstone? Or this rich lord Xavier keeps telling her about? And what about the ridiculous God Xavier keeps talking about? Surely he doesn’t care about an ornery pirate like her.
But Rina will soon come to realize that things are very different from what she’d been told. And she isn’t who she thought she was.
Favourite Quotes:
“How, Captain Bennet, can a pirate love?”
“The same way all humans love: with their heart. A criminal is no more incapable of love than you are. God loved Maverick Blackstone just as much as He loves you. And if God can love all people, no matter how evil, then why shouldn’t we?”
~ Chapter 16, page 173
“I don’t know, Rina. I just, well… I suppose that since God has forgiven all of us our sins, then Mother and Father knew they should bestow the same mercy and grace on me.”
~ Chapter 17, page 180
What I liked:
Grace didn’t sugar coat the life or ways of a pirate. True, there was no crude or explicit wording as to the lifestyle of a pirate. But you could still see and feel the gritty detail and reality of their life. And it was amazing. It makes me want to further research about pirates, to be brutally honest with you guys.
Xavier was just fantastic! I loved that he was such a gentleman but was also a bit of a rogue. He never behaved horribly, although he did deserve a few, ahem, smacks and punches at times. He was just… ahh, he was great.
Rina, too, was an amazing character. Her backstory was stunning in bringing to light her situation in years past to who she is in the present of this tale. It helped me understand her more than I had anticipated, and it was great to see the why and how of her actions through the sharing of her past.
The element of faith was absolutely fabulous. Some might find it too preachy, but I found a lot of it helping me understand my own faith and past. I’m not proud of the things I’ve done, and regrets are heavy on my heart.
But what Xavier shared throughout the story (and especially in chapter 17) actually helped me realize that carrying the regrets and letting it haunt you doesn’t do anyone good. And to let it go and give it to God… I needed to read this when I did, and I can only thank the Lord that He prodded me to read this when I did (despite the fact that I have many other books in my currently reading basket).
What I disliked:
I wouldn’t necessarily say I disliked the romance; I certainly wasn’t expecting that much of it is all. I can kinda see where Grace found her inspiration like Jody Hedlund, Becky Wade, and a few others. At times it was kind of annoying, and I wasn’t sure how I liked Xavier and Rina’s attitudes half the time. They were just a bit childish and could have behaved better at times.
Also, the behaviours of Xavier and Rina. I understand that as a writer you have the room for more creative license, but I’m pretty sure a lot of what went on in Held Captive probably wasn’t socially possible at the time. Again, I didn’t dislike that; I actually quite enjoyed it. It just probably wasn’t all that accurate for the time.
The exclamations… umm, I’m not sure what my standpoint on that one is, either. I mean, there was no cussing, which earns a big, shiny star from me. But the replacements, I don’t know what I think about them. I’m all for saying different things in order to keep from swearing, like old school terms and words that make people raise their eyebrows at my geekiness (‘Jings, mate!’ is my most common phrase, alongside ‘oi!’). However, the few words that came up, uh… yea, not sure they are my favourite. But again, creative license.
Overall standpoint of HC:
Held Captive was an awesome read. I started reading it last weekend Saturday and ended up finishing it a couple hours later around midnight. It was one of the best things I’ve ever read and I’m so glad I was able to read it.
Grace, you have such an incredible talent and all I can say is, don’t stop! You’ve encouraged me to keep up my own writing dreams and goals, and you’ve inspired me with your ability and bravery to write and publish before even reaching adulthood. That, girl, is incredible!
*Everything expressed in this book review is based on my own thoughts. I don’t mean to offend anyone, only share what God places on my heart.*
**Also, thank you, Grace, for sending me a free copy!! I believe ye ‘ave me hooked, matey!! I’ll be waiting eagerly for the next adventure!**
October 29, 2021 Written by Abbigail R. B.
November 25, 2025
Eee, I just loved this book!!!!! 😀 The plot—GENIUS!!! And the characters—FANTASTIC!!! I especially LOVE Rina’s character! She was fierce and bold. And I also loved that, yeah, she was a sinner, but she recognized that she sinned and did things wrong. We see her struggle with guilt, even though she continues on acting like any ole pirate. (I mean, after all, she’s not perfect, and she’s just learning about Jesus.) Which brings me to my next thing: I loved the Christian elements in this book!!! Throughout the story, people tell Rina about God’s love and forgiveness. (So, whether or not this “lady pirate” receives Jesus, you’ll have to read the book to find out. *wink wink*)
As far as content goes, Rina was drunk in a couple of scenes. She stumbled a bit in her walking, and it described her words being slurred, but nothing in too much detail. Also, there was one particular scene near the end where Xavier and Rina are together in a certain situation. Nothing bad happened. The scene just bothered me a bit is all.
For the language, no cuss word (Thank you, Grace!). The words “blast,” and “dash it” were used a lot, and Rina would often call Xavier “daft.” (Poor Xavier.😢)
Other things I loved about this book: Xavier did make me laugh quite a bit!! And I found it hilarious when Xavier captured Rina!! I’m sure he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. XD And I loved that Xavier was a witness to Rina! Also, I loved the whole plotline where Rina’s bloodline isn’t what she had always thought it was! It was carried out in the most brilliant way!!! I CAN NOT WAIT to read the next book!!!!!!! 😀
As far as content goes, Rina was drunk in a couple of scenes. She stumbled a bit in her walking, and it described her words being slurred, but nothing in too much detail. Also, there was one particular scene near the end where Xavier and Rina are together in a certain situation. Nothing bad happened. The scene just bothered me a bit is all.
For the language, no cuss word (Thank you, Grace!). The words “blast,” and “dash it” were used a lot, and Rina would often call Xavier “daft.” (Poor Xavier.😢)
Other things I loved about this book: Xavier did make me laugh quite a bit!! And I found it hilarious when Xavier captured Rina!! I’m sure he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. XD And I loved that Xavier was a witness to Rina! Also, I loved the whole plotline where Rina’s bloodline isn’t what she had always thought it was! It was carried out in the most brilliant way!!! I CAN NOT WAIT to read the next book!!!!!!! 😀
June 1, 2022
Exciting, fun read!
This is my first pirate romance (go figure), and it did not disappoint. It was full of action, adventure, romance, and a faith arc that was surprisingly deep when I found out the age of the author.
Now don't you go putting words in my mouth. I'm not saying this was a good book for a teen author. I'm saying this was a good book. Full stop. It was fun, had laugh out loud humor, a great cast of characters, and was well developed.
The only thing I dinged a star for was some extra editing that the author has already said she wants to take on. I will say that I am VERY sensitive to editing mistakes though (I legitimately DNF books if they are poorly edited), and it wasn't over the top.
I can't speak to the historical accuracy because, as I said, this was my first pirate romance, so I don't have a good grasp on the language or the equipment pirates would have used.
So if you can overlook a small editing error here and there and like an action/adventure packed romance, give this one a try.
This is *relatively* clean (some violence and references to killing, drinking, etc...but come on. They're pirates). Romance has only kissing. Strong Christian component.
This is my first pirate romance (go figure), and it did not disappoint. It was full of action, adventure, romance, and a faith arc that was surprisingly deep when I found out the age of the author.
Now don't you go putting words in my mouth. I'm not saying this was a good book for a teen author. I'm saying this was a good book. Full stop. It was fun, had laugh out loud humor, a great cast of characters, and was well developed.
The only thing I dinged a star for was some extra editing that the author has already said she wants to take on. I will say that I am VERY sensitive to editing mistakes though (I legitimately DNF books if they are poorly edited), and it wasn't over the top.
I can't speak to the historical accuracy because, as I said, this was my first pirate romance, so I don't have a good grasp on the language or the equipment pirates would have used.
So if you can overlook a small editing error here and there and like an action/adventure packed romance, give this one a try.
This is *relatively* clean (some violence and references to killing, drinking, etc...but come on. They're pirates). Romance has only kissing. Strong Christian component.
June 29, 2021
I LOVED this book!!! It was so fun to read! (I'm into pirates now, so I picked this book up!) Xavier reminded me of Keefe at times. XD The romance was great but at times I thought it was a little too much for a Christian... Over all, wonderful book!!!
Can't wait to read book 2!
Can't wait to read book 2!
Read
November 28, 2022Not planning on rating/officially reviewing since the author is doing a rewrite, but I wanted to read the earlier version, too, to see what all is up and so (maybe? if I become rich lol?) I can read the other two sooner rather than later!
March 5, 2021
Oh, man, I loved this one! The writing was so excellent and clear. I could imagine everything that was being described, and oh my goodness, I could feel every feeling of the characters. The number of times I got the chills while reading this book? PFT. Can't count, sorry. I don't remember ever reading a book based on pirates (at least ones I liked), so this novel was different for me. I found the characters, mostly Rina, very unique.
Rina is a fierce pirate, brave, and confident. I loved journeying with her throughout the book and seeing her grow and discover as she narrates the story. I also really appreciate how realistic this book was, specifically with Rina being a pirate and all its messy business. There was no sugar coating, that's for sure. And the romance! Although not my favorite, the romance got me squealing with delight. At first, I was seriously contemplating how on EARTH Rina and Xavier would get together. Yet, it made their story even more exciting to discover!
This book is a lovely story of Rina's road to redemption and a story of love, forgiveness, and grace. Ahhhh!! I'm excited to read more of the series!
Rina is a fierce pirate, brave, and confident. I loved journeying with her throughout the book and seeing her grow and discover as she narrates the story. I also really appreciate how realistic this book was, specifically with Rina being a pirate and all its messy business. There was no sugar coating, that's for sure. And the romance! Although not my favorite, the romance got me squealing with delight. At first, I was seriously contemplating how on EARTH Rina and Xavier would get together. Yet, it made their story even more exciting to discover!
This book is a lovely story of Rina's road to redemption and a story of love, forgiveness, and grace. Ahhhh!! I'm excited to read more of the series!
September 2, 2022
I fully loved this book!
The immersive first-person narrative along with a captivating storyline and characters with a good touch of romance had me from start to finish! I loved the dynamic of the various characters whose backstories unwind at just the right pace for me. Keeping suspense but not waiting too long to reveal it either. The humor as well particularly Rina's was really great.
The themes of God's love, forgiveness, and redemption ring through the book as a whole. Seeing the journey of faith for so many characters also made it so beautiful to read.
The immersive first-person narrative along with a captivating storyline and characters with a good touch of romance had me from start to finish! I loved the dynamic of the various characters whose backstories unwind at just the right pace for me. Keeping suspense but not waiting too long to reveal it either. The humor as well particularly Rina's was really great.
The themes of God's love, forgiveness, and redemption ring through the book as a whole. Seeing the journey of faith for so many characters also made it so beautiful to read.
Read
May 19, 2021If I were to rate this in comparison to most things written by thirteen year olds, it would be a 4-5 star rating. I was really impressed with how well written this piece was, and how good the premise was.
However, if I were to view it simply as a book, and not take the author's age and experience into consideration, it's staying around 3 stars. I'm rating and reviewing it based off of that approach, because when selecting a book to read, readers seldom make that decision based off of the author.
I'm going to go down this with a con every other pro, because a lot of them go hand-in-hand despite having opposite reactions, and then summing it up at the end.
Pro: Great plot and premise
The premise of the book was really good. The blurb, although it doesn't paint the book as something that it isn't, doesn't do it justice. This is a tale of romance and redemption, of honor and piracy, of loyalty of various sorts, and of characters with great contrast to one another.
The plot took some cliches and used them well, putting a spin on a lot of things so that while they were still predictable, they were made interesting.
Con: Execution
As I said, the plot and premise of this book is really very good, renewing cliches and putting a spin on expectations in an interesting though not starkly different way.
However, the execution of it wasn't preferable. The pros and cons to come in this list dive deeper into that, so I'm going to just leave this con at that and expand on what I mean in a moment.
Pro: Pacing
The pacing for this book was pretty good. Though some elements did tend to drag on, I still was able to read large chunks of the book at a time and not feel like I didn't get anywhere, story-wise, because the way it was written kept me going even if the story wasn't always moving at the pace I'd prefer.
Con: Everything seemed rushed
This may seem contradictory to the pro I just mentioned. However, the former pro was specifically referring to the style of writing. This con is referring to the story itself.
To avoid spoilers I won't be going into details about the rushed things, but to summarize it, it is a common thing in this book for characters to adjust to things and situations very quickly when realistically, they probably wouldn't (I say "probably" because there is the fact that every human is a different individual and handles things accordingly; still, the rush pulled me out of the story very often).
Pro: The romance concept
Expanding on what I said earlier about the premise and plot being really good, the concept of the romance was good as well. I don't know if it is considered a spoiler to say who the romance is between, as it begins fairly early on, but in case you'd rather not know going into it skip to the next pro.
The romance between a pirate captain and an honorable, Christian man was a concept that I found to be wonderful. She's a literal criminal, he's a respected man, she's stubborn but with a good heart, he's stubborn but with a good heart, she's immoral, he's a Christian, and so on. It has the makings of a very interesting dynamic.
Con: The romance execution
Though the concept of the romance was good, the execution was disappointing. Though it is important to keep in mind that this book is historical fiction, and that during the 1600s it wasn't unheard of for people to become an item after knowing each other for a short amount of time, the context of this specific romance is also important to consider.
Such as...
- The man captured the woman, *who was a notorious and dangerous pirate
- The woman wants to escape the man, who is an honorable man and servant of the duke
- The woman has a "heart of stone"
These things would put an immediate romantic attachment towards the back of the mind, if it were there at all. In addition to that, the man in question is a Christian, and the majority of the relationship is physical, the specific nature of which would not be acceptable for an honorable and Christian man of that timeframe.
With that in mind, the relationship came off as very lust-based. If it had been balanced out with non-physical chemistry and letting the two interact in less extreme ways as they usually do, that'd be one thing. But it didn't have that. The times where they did just talk together, it either led to more conflict or it resulted in an emotional breakdown, and neither of those are the makings of a ship-able romance for me.
And as a Christian, the way Xavier (the man in question) behaved for the most part isn't how I would want someone to be introduced to my religion. I can understand Rina being likely to think of, to pursue and to give in to lust, but from a Christian man - especially of the time frame - not so much.
*Not going into spoilers, but there is something that makes it understandable why he wouldn't be particularly against a relationship with a pirate, but when you capture someone who has made a career off of killing and plundering, romance shouldn't be the first or even second place that your mind goes to.
Pro: Narration, prose, and style
Like I said in the last pro, the writing style kept me moving in the story. The writing style is also the biggest pro I can think of. It was really very well done, the narration, the distinction in the characters' narrations due to their thought processes, the prose, the descriptions, basically everything to do with the actual word-on-paper aspect was great.
There really weren't a lot of reused phrases that I can remember (I did not once read the infamous "she/he released a breath she/he didn't realize she/he was holding" line that readers these days so vehemently hate), but there was an overuse of the word "twas". Not the general Shakespearian language (though that was in other parts of the book every now and then), but just "twas", as well as "aye."
Other than that, prose, writing style, narration - it was all excellent.
------------------
I'm going to leave the list on that pro.
I didn't hate or love this book. It was okay for what it was, and while there were times where characters seemed rather immature and hasty in reactions in multiple ways, and there were also a few minor historical inaccuracies, the general story is okay, especially if you really focus on what it's trying to convey.
And for a thirteen year old, Held Captive is very impressive. In the world of general literature, it's okay. It's an easy and quick read with good motives and a good premise, and there were quite a few parts and elements that I really enjoyed.
So, Held Captive gets three stars, and I look forward to reading Grace A. Johnson's more recent work, too.
If you're curious about this book and you're not sure if you'll like it or not, I'd say go ahead and read it. You don't really lose anything from it, and you might really enjoy it.
However, if I were to view it simply as a book, and not take the author's age and experience into consideration, it's staying around 3 stars. I'm rating and reviewing it based off of that approach, because when selecting a book to read, readers seldom make that decision based off of the author.
I'm going to go down this with a con every other pro, because a lot of them go hand-in-hand despite having opposite reactions, and then summing it up at the end.
Pro: Great plot and premise
The premise of the book was really good. The blurb, although it doesn't paint the book as something that it isn't, doesn't do it justice. This is a tale of romance and redemption, of honor and piracy, of loyalty of various sorts, and of characters with great contrast to one another.
The plot took some cliches and used them well, putting a spin on a lot of things so that while they were still predictable, they were made interesting.
Con: Execution
As I said, the plot and premise of this book is really very good, renewing cliches and putting a spin on expectations in an interesting though not starkly different way.
However, the execution of it wasn't preferable. The pros and cons to come in this list dive deeper into that, so I'm going to just leave this con at that and expand on what I mean in a moment.
Pro: Pacing
The pacing for this book was pretty good. Though some elements did tend to drag on, I still was able to read large chunks of the book at a time and not feel like I didn't get anywhere, story-wise, because the way it was written kept me going even if the story wasn't always moving at the pace I'd prefer.
Con: Everything seemed rushed
This may seem contradictory to the pro I just mentioned. However, the former pro was specifically referring to the style of writing. This con is referring to the story itself.
To avoid spoilers I won't be going into details about the rushed things, but to summarize it, it is a common thing in this book for characters to adjust to things and situations very quickly when realistically, they probably wouldn't (I say "probably" because there is the fact that every human is a different individual and handles things accordingly; still, the rush pulled me out of the story very often).
Pro: The romance concept
Expanding on what I said earlier about the premise and plot being really good, the concept of the romance was good as well. I don't know if it is considered a spoiler to say who the romance is between, as it begins fairly early on, but in case you'd rather not know going into it skip to the next pro.
The romance between a pirate captain and an honorable, Christian man was a concept that I found to be wonderful. She's a literal criminal, he's a respected man, she's stubborn but with a good heart, he's stubborn but with a good heart, she's immoral, he's a Christian, and so on. It has the makings of a very interesting dynamic.
Con: The romance execution
Though the concept of the romance was good, the execution was disappointing. Though it is important to keep in mind that this book is historical fiction, and that during the 1600s it wasn't unheard of for people to become an item after knowing each other for a short amount of time, the context of this specific romance is also important to consider.
Such as...
- The man captured the woman, *who was a notorious and dangerous pirate
- The woman wants to escape the man, who is an honorable man and servant of the duke
- The woman has a "heart of stone"
These things would put an immediate romantic attachment towards the back of the mind, if it were there at all. In addition to that, the man in question is a Christian, and the majority of the relationship is physical, the specific nature of which would not be acceptable for an honorable and Christian man of that timeframe.
With that in mind, the relationship came off as very lust-based. If it had been balanced out with non-physical chemistry and letting the two interact in less extreme ways as they usually do, that'd be one thing. But it didn't have that. The times where they did just talk together, it either led to more conflict or it resulted in an emotional breakdown, and neither of those are the makings of a ship-able romance for me.
And as a Christian, the way Xavier (the man in question) behaved for the most part isn't how I would want someone to be introduced to my religion. I can understand Rina being likely to think of, to pursue and to give in to lust, but from a Christian man - especially of the time frame - not so much.
*Not going into spoilers, but there is something that makes it understandable why he wouldn't be particularly against a relationship with a pirate, but when you capture someone who has made a career off of killing and plundering, romance shouldn't be the first or even second place that your mind goes to.
Pro: Narration, prose, and style
Like I said in the last pro, the writing style kept me moving in the story. The writing style is also the biggest pro I can think of. It was really very well done, the narration, the distinction in the characters' narrations due to their thought processes, the prose, the descriptions, basically everything to do with the actual word-on-paper aspect was great.
There really weren't a lot of reused phrases that I can remember (I did not once read the infamous "she/he released a breath she/he didn't realize she/he was holding" line that readers these days so vehemently hate), but there was an overuse of the word "twas". Not the general Shakespearian language (though that was in other parts of the book every now and then), but just "twas", as well as "aye."
Other than that, prose, writing style, narration - it was all excellent.
------------------
I'm going to leave the list on that pro.
I didn't hate or love this book. It was okay for what it was, and while there were times where characters seemed rather immature and hasty in reactions in multiple ways, and there were also a few minor historical inaccuracies, the general story is okay, especially if you really focus on what it's trying to convey.
And for a thirteen year old, Held Captive is very impressive. In the world of general literature, it's okay. It's an easy and quick read with good motives and a good premise, and there were quite a few parts and elements that I really enjoyed.
So, Held Captive gets three stars, and I look forward to reading Grace A. Johnson's more recent work, too.
If you're curious about this book and you're not sure if you'll like it or not, I'd say go ahead and read it. You don't really lose anything from it, and you might really enjoy it.
April 18, 2022
I picked this up as a freebie, intrigued about a Christian book protraying pirates, but it unfortunately fell completely flat for me, for several reasons.
- The hero is one minute a devout christian man who wants Rina to see the Light, and the next a shameless flirt that steps into her room to comfort her in the night and even once spent the night in her room because of a nightmare. Not my idea of a devout Christian man. And Xavier never feels badly that he kisses her! He never acts like holding her in his arms, kissing her, or being in her room, is a bad thing. Just no.
- Xavier's niece and sister-in-law;s story is barely explained and sounds really confusing. Also, the niece is about 2-3/4, while the mother is 19, which means she had the child at 15-17, which would seem unusual. David and Jonathan's "feud" is only mentioned in passing as well.
- Rina was taken as a baby, but she can remember her mother singing to her and other memories from babyhood, which is a trope that I consider extremely far-fetched. Yes, we can sometimes remember things from childhood, but so clearly, and from babyhood... it just doesn't seem logical to me! Also, her eyes are always green and then suddenly change to turquoise towards the end of the book, which changed her entire character for me and was pretty confusing. She was crying, so perhaps her eyes changed colour when she cried?
- Everything happened so quickly! She's kidnapped, and a month later they are back in England. The day after that, she goes to her parents and immediately starts living with them and feels mostly accepted. A week or so after she arrives she
- The touching and kissing was just to much. And pirate or no pirate, Xavier, as a gentleman and a Christian, should not have acted that way. I truly did not need to imagine what it was like to be in Xavier's arms and feel his kisses. Thanks, but no thanks. Also, Rina swears that she is innocent, and no man was allowed to look at her in a lustful way or he would be killed, but relishes the idea of kisses?
- As another reviewer said else said, the Christianity felt super modern. While the Gospel stayed the same, the way they talked of it, and acted of it, did not feel accurate to me.
- There was some language, even from the "Christian" hero. Dunce was popular, but the Christian hero once swore, and even said "Lord Jesus" as an expression of disappointment/pity, which felt a little flippant to me.
Now, while I may not have enjoyed the majority of the story, I must say I did enjoy the writing itself. It was well-written and easy to read (and having grown up on classics and old books, I have to say it sounded quite well-done and old-fashion-y to me. Sometimes the formatting was off, but I think that was because I had a kindle copy.
The Gospel was really well said and well presented, which I really appreciated.
- The hero is one minute a devout christian man who wants Rina to see the Light, and the next a shameless flirt that steps into her room to comfort her in the night and even once spent the night in her room because of a nightmare. Not my idea of a devout Christian man. And Xavier never feels badly that he kisses her! He never acts like holding her in his arms, kissing her, or being in her room, is a bad thing. Just no.
- Xavier's niece and sister-in-law;s story is barely explained and sounds really confusing. Also, the niece is about 2-3/4, while the mother is 19, which means she had the child at 15-17, which would seem unusual. David and Jonathan's "feud" is only mentioned in passing as well.
- Rina was taken as a baby, but she can remember her mother singing to her and other memories from babyhood, which is a trope that I consider extremely far-fetched. Yes, we can sometimes remember things from childhood, but so clearly, and from babyhood... it just doesn't seem logical to me! Also, her eyes are always green and then suddenly change to turquoise towards the end of the book, which changed her entire character for me and was pretty confusing. She was crying, so perhaps her eyes changed colour when she cried?
- Everything happened so quickly! She's kidnapped, and a month later they are back in England. The day after that, she goes to her parents and immediately starts living with them and feels mostly accepted. A week or so after she arrives she
- The touching and kissing was just to much. And pirate or no pirate, Xavier, as a gentleman and a Christian, should not have acted that way. I truly did not need to imagine what it was like to be in Xavier's arms and feel his kisses. Thanks, but no thanks. Also, Rina swears that she is innocent, and no man was allowed to look at her in a lustful way or he would be killed, but relishes the idea of kisses?
- As another reviewer said else said, the Christianity felt super modern. While the Gospel stayed the same, the way they talked of it, and acted of it, did not feel accurate to me.
- There was some language, even from the "Christian" hero. Dunce was popular, but the Christian hero once swore, and even said "Lord Jesus" as an expression of disappointment/pity, which felt a little flippant to me.
Now, while I may not have enjoyed the majority of the story, I must say I did enjoy the writing itself. It was well-written and easy to read (and having grown up on classics and old books, I have to say it sounded quite well-done and old-fashion-y to me. Sometimes the formatting was off, but I think that was because I had a kindle copy.
The Gospel was really well said and well presented, which I really appreciated.
October 3, 2020
Alright. Review time. *fastens seatbelt*
So.
#1. First off, this book has pirates. I don't think that's a spoiler if you read the blurb, but these aren't Hook Disney style pirates. They're real pirates, who engage in actual piracy. I'm not being squeamish here, I love realism, so having an author talk about pirates as the murderous, hardened lot they actually were was appreciated. Which leads me to one of the other things I appreciated about this book.
#2. There is a lovely arc of forgiveness and grace echoing through it. Johnson treats both the uncivilized Rina and her over-civilized estranged parents with an equally humane and realistic brush. Rina, especially, has to struggle through the mine-field of self loathing that comes from grappling with her own sins, and it rings true.
#3. This was written when the author was twelve. *bends to crank jaw back up to face* Talk about starting with a bang. Not many twelve year olds I know have the drive to finish something this long, much less have the ability and understanding to make it this deep.
To be absolutely, unflinchingly honest, that was why I rated this four stars instead of three. There is talent here. Real talent, and (Notice of Upcoming Great Whopping Caveat) I haven't read the rest of Johnson's later books in this series, so I haven't gotten a real feel for her style yet, but... in this book there are also a few flaws (that I feel guilty for pointing out since, if I were holding it up against other twelve year old examples, Held Captive would look like a swan among rocks.)
I won't belabor those flaws here because Ms. Johnson has mentioned the fact that she will be editing this story in the future. No sense in sticking this review to things that will hopefully get tightened up or changed and become non-issues later.
I enjoyed this story, and heartily recommend this author to those who like works with strong, capable female protagonists, and themes of salvation and the ability to forgive – not just each other, but ourselves, too.
So.
#1. First off, this book has pirates. I don't think that's a spoiler if you read the blurb, but these aren't Hook Disney style pirates. They're real pirates, who engage in actual piracy. I'm not being squeamish here, I love realism, so having an author talk about pirates as the murderous, hardened lot they actually were was appreciated. Which leads me to one of the other things I appreciated about this book.
#2. There is a lovely arc of forgiveness and grace echoing through it. Johnson treats both the uncivilized Rina and her over-civilized estranged parents with an equally humane and realistic brush. Rina, especially, has to struggle through the mine-field of self loathing that comes from grappling with her own sins, and it rings true.
#3. This was written when the author was twelve. *bends to crank jaw back up to face* Talk about starting with a bang. Not many twelve year olds I know have the drive to finish something this long, much less have the ability and understanding to make it this deep.
To be absolutely, unflinchingly honest, that was why I rated this four stars instead of three. There is talent here. Real talent, and (Notice of Upcoming Great Whopping Caveat) I haven't read the rest of Johnson's later books in this series, so I haven't gotten a real feel for her style yet, but... in this book there are also a few flaws (that I feel guilty for pointing out since, if I were holding it up against other twelve year old examples, Held Captive would look like a swan among rocks.)
I won't belabor those flaws here because Ms. Johnson has mentioned the fact that she will be editing this story in the future. No sense in sticking this review to things that will hopefully get tightened up or changed and become non-issues later.
I enjoyed this story, and heartily recommend this author to those who like works with strong, capable female protagonists, and themes of salvation and the ability to forgive – not just each other, but ourselves, too.
January 28, 2023
I liked the gospel messages, the scriptures, the application of scriptures, and the struggle with feelings of unworthiness
Well, it's God's love and what He did....
it's not that we deserve His grace and salvation, we are all sinners.
I liked all the characters very much.
There were a few editing mistakes,but that doesn't really bother me.
I was just a wee, tad, little, itsy bitsy, uneasy with some of the romance,
nothing terrible, but, maybe a smidgen less would have worked better for me.
Really, I loved it!
My only really issue was the ending....it was a 'little' bit of a cliff hanger!
I really find that upsetting when any author does that.
This was not nearly as bad as some authors do.
But here are some of the reasons why it is annoying:
If I loved the novel, I would in fact read the next in the series...
a cliff hanger is not an incentive for me to read the next in the series.
Plus, sometimes authors allow the first novel to be free and charge for the next...
I honestly cannot buy very many books ( almost 78 with a very small SS income...period, with no other source of income.)
So I, personally, would like all books in a series to actually,
be a stand alone.
I already knew, what some of the issues for the next in the series would be!
So no need for a cliff hanger...
And....sometimes it takes the author ( LOL) forever and a day,
to write the next in the series,
so living you ( I mean me)
hanging on the edge of a cliff for a year,
is kinda of mean........ in my 'book'!
Okay enough of my ranting...t
his author's cliff was not 'that' high or deep...
it's just an accumulation of recent cliffs,
and she just happened to be in my sword's sight matey!
I totally recommend this author, and will read the next in the series!
I even cried several times, in some of the spots of this novel, she is so good!
Well, it's God's love and what He did....
it's not that we deserve His grace and salvation, we are all sinners.
I liked all the characters very much.
There were a few editing mistakes,but that doesn't really bother me.
I was just a wee, tad, little, itsy bitsy, uneasy with some of the romance,
nothing terrible, but, maybe a smidgen less would have worked better for me.
Really, I loved it!
My only really issue was the ending....it was a 'little' bit of a cliff hanger!
I really find that upsetting when any author does that.
This was not nearly as bad as some authors do.
But here are some of the reasons why it is annoying:
If I loved the novel, I would in fact read the next in the series...
a cliff hanger is not an incentive for me to read the next in the series.
Plus, sometimes authors allow the first novel to be free and charge for the next...
I honestly cannot buy very many books ( almost 78 with a very small SS income...period, with no other source of income.)
So I, personally, would like all books in a series to actually,
be a stand alone.
I already knew, what some of the issues for the next in the series would be!
So no need for a cliff hanger...
And....sometimes it takes the author ( LOL) forever and a day,
to write the next in the series,
so living you ( I mean me)
hanging on the edge of a cliff for a year,
is kinda of mean........ in my 'book'!
Okay enough of my ranting...t
his author's cliff was not 'that' high or deep...
it's just an accumulation of recent cliffs,
and she just happened to be in my sword's sight matey!
I totally recommend this author, and will read the next in the series!
I even cried several times, in some of the spots of this novel, she is so good!
Read
March 7, 2022Many thanks to Grace A. Johnson for providing me with a copy of her book!
Like I get that pirates were (and are) objectively terrible people. I don't want to be a pirate you know, I want to be a
So imagine my absolute delight to find this story featuring a woman pirate holding her own SHE'S HOLDING HER OWN, PEOPLE.
Every time Rina mourned her father, and longed for someone to look on her with the love that he had, I got Inordinately excited. I could feel the foreshadowing, and I was living for it.
The entire Bennet family was my favorite thing. Jessica Bennet was indeed the bomb.com. Part two was really when the story kicked off for me - I loved the family, I liked that she was getting answers for some of her fears and confusion, and I loved that they all knew what she was and weren't afraid of her. Prior to that, I wasn't sure that I entirely got A) why she was so quickly okay with embracing and kissing Xavier. It felt like it happened too fast (although she kind of wonders this too, so it's not entirely out of the blue) or B) why she hadn't been in relationships in the past. I just wasn't sure why the line would be drawn there when otherwise she's super pirate-y. After part two, I felt like the way her thought processes had been built up made a lot of sense, so when she turns to Xavier for support it was realistic. She'd had the rug pulled out from under her and then was told that it was never her rug in the first place (what a great rug simile), but she'd also been consistently met with genuine love and mercy. Xavier mentions several times that she seems to be at the edge of something, and I think part two really landed.
No pun intended.
*nerd sounds* Speaking of land though, I like that as Rina moves from an unbelieving sinner who doesn't believe in love out loud (and I'm not just talking about romantic love) to a daughter faced with the truth of her belovedness in spite of her past, she makes a parallel movement from sea to land. This is noted more explicitly at one point, how land is solid and sure and she's starting to wonder if love can be like that too. *Inordinate excitement*
*I got to see Uncharted yesterday, so I'm living the life right now with all this pirate content.
**CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH GRACE YOU'D GET, BEING BAPTISED AND MARRIED IN THE SAME DAY?? Wild, man. So much grace. *sigh*
Like I get that pirates were (and are) objectively terrible people. I don't want to be a pirate you know, I want to be a
So imagine my absolute delight to find this story featuring a woman pirate holding her own SHE'S HOLDING HER OWN, PEOPLE.
Every time Rina mourned her father, and longed for someone to look on her with the love that he had, I got Inordinately excited. I could feel the foreshadowing, and I was living for it.
The entire Bennet family was my favorite thing. Jessica Bennet was indeed the bomb.com. Part two was really when the story kicked off for me - I loved the family, I liked that she was getting answers for some of her fears and confusion, and I loved that they all knew what she was and weren't afraid of her. Prior to that, I wasn't sure that I entirely got A) why she was so quickly okay with embracing and kissing Xavier. It felt like it happened too fast (although she kind of wonders this too, so it's not entirely out of the blue) or B) why she hadn't been in relationships in the past. I just wasn't sure why the line would be drawn there when otherwise she's super pirate-y. After part two, I felt like the way her thought processes had been built up made a lot of sense, so when she turns to Xavier for support it was realistic. She'd had the rug pulled out from under her and then was told that it was never her rug in the first place (what a great rug simile), but she'd also been consistently met with genuine love and mercy. Xavier mentions several times that she seems to be at the edge of something, and I think part two really landed.
No pun intended.
*nerd sounds* Speaking of land though, I like that as Rina moves from an unbelieving sinner who doesn't believe in love out loud (and I'm not just talking about romantic love) to a daughter faced with the truth of her belovedness in spite of her past, she makes a parallel movement from sea to land. This is noted more explicitly at one point, how land is solid and sure and she's starting to wonder if love can be like that too. *Inordinate excitement*
*I got to see Uncharted yesterday, so I'm living the life right now with all this pirate content.
**CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH GRACE YOU'D GET, BEING BAPTISED AND MARRIED IN THE SAME DAY?? Wild, man. So much grace. *sigh*
February 21, 2022
*I received a PDF copy from the author but was in no way urged to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
After reading so many awesome reviews for the book and then checking out the book bio for myself, I was pumped to read it. Pirates, adventure, solid Christian themes, a dash of clean romance- I was sold. Unfortunately, it took me far longer to finish than I expected and after setting it aside for too long, a restart was in order.
Since this story is mostly character driven, I'll start with them. I believe Grace did a fantastic job crafting such a cast of players. Rina was certainty rough around the edges, brave, daring and...dare I say it... sentimental and caring. I would have enjoyed seeing more time spent at sea with her crew but I understand that the book would have been too lengthily. Xavier was alright but I didn't really care for him much. The Bennet family was so sweet and as for Rina's folks, they were the perfect example of unconditional love. I really wanted to see more of Wilde and Julius! Their brief scene wasn't enough in my opinion.
The overall plot was an exciting one and the mystery surrounding Rina's heritage was a nice touch. For me the story really picked up when Rina met her family. From having a bit of fun terrorizing/shocking the nobility (pure gold by the way) to Rina's spiritual battle. The romance between Rina and Xavier- like I said I didn't really care for him so it was hard for me to cheer on their budding relationship. The romance was a little more than I tend to read but everything was kept clean.
There was great Christian content. Salvation/redemption, second chances and forgiveness. I could tell the author really wanted the Gospel shared and she did it in a way that was meaningful and relatable. A lot of people believe they sinned too much, gone too far for God to forgive them and this is exactly how Rina felt.
Overall- I very much enjoyed reading this and recommend it if you like pirate stories (clean pirate stories) I'm most intrigued to see what awaits in book 2. Especially after that cliffhanger!
Special thanks to the author for sending me a copy!
After reading so many awesome reviews for the book and then checking out the book bio for myself, I was pumped to read it. Pirates, adventure, solid Christian themes, a dash of clean romance- I was sold. Unfortunately, it took me far longer to finish than I expected and after setting it aside for too long, a restart was in order.
Since this story is mostly character driven, I'll start with them. I believe Grace did a fantastic job crafting such a cast of players. Rina was certainty rough around the edges, brave, daring and...dare I say it... sentimental and caring. I would have enjoyed seeing more time spent at sea with her crew but I understand that the book would have been too lengthily. Xavier was alright but I didn't really care for him much. The Bennet family was so sweet and as for Rina's folks, they were the perfect example of unconditional love. I really wanted to see more of Wilde and Julius! Their brief scene wasn't enough in my opinion.
The overall plot was an exciting one and the mystery surrounding Rina's heritage was a nice touch. For me the story really picked up when Rina met her family. From having a bit of fun terrorizing/shocking the nobility (pure gold by the way) to Rina's spiritual battle. The romance between Rina and Xavier- like I said I didn't really care for him so it was hard for me to cheer on their budding relationship. The romance was a little more than I tend to read but everything was kept clean.
There was great Christian content. Salvation/redemption, second chances and forgiveness. I could tell the author really wanted the Gospel shared and she did it in a way that was meaningful and relatable. A lot of people believe they sinned too much, gone too far for God to forgive them and this is exactly how Rina felt.
Overall- I very much enjoyed reading this and recommend it if you like pirate stories (clean pirate stories) I'm most intrigued to see what awaits in book 2. Especially after that cliffhanger!
Special thanks to the author for sending me a copy!
October 18, 2023
Great pirate read! I loved how the author incorporated the moral theme of how our actions do not define us, but how God sees us is what really defines us.
July 1, 2022
I had the great pleasure to be given a digital copy of this delightful novel from the sweet author herself, and I was blown away!!
I have to say I am not a pirate/swashbuckling reader, but if they were all like Held Captive, I could pick up this genre more often!
The author penned an adventurous, pirate-y story (yeah, there is talk of killing, bloodshed, and drinking rum, but it's only being realistic and I didn't feel it was too much) with intrigue, sweet romance, beautiful redemption, and touching elements of faith. Once I got into the era and setting since I'm not used to pirate reads, I was completely immersed in this book and felt like I was there and knew the characters personally.
Rina and Xavier are unforgettable! I loved how Rina would go from being mad at Xavier to loving him so quickly. It was so true to her personality. And Xavier. Ah. Talk about swoonworthy hero who loves the Lord and wants to help a lost and hurting woman, who wrestles with nightmares, forgiveness, and understanding God and grace. Rina's parents were precious too, and the relationship that develops there was sweet to see unfold...and the salvation experience. Oh!
I devoured the last 2-1/2 hours of this book in only 1-1/2 hours. Haha! I was tapping to turn pages so fast. And that ending. Ahhh! Talk about the worst cliffhanger ever! I'm still losing sleep over that one. Haha! I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. Her love for the Lord shines through in her writing. There were times where I would read something so beautiful I'd just have to pause a moment and re-read it and let it soak in. I wish I would have marked them to share!!
I give this 5 stars and definitely recommend it. The review is my honest opinion.
I have to say I am not a pirate/swashbuckling reader, but if they were all like Held Captive, I could pick up this genre more often!
The author penned an adventurous, pirate-y story (yeah, there is talk of killing, bloodshed, and drinking rum, but it's only being realistic and I didn't feel it was too much) with intrigue, sweet romance, beautiful redemption, and touching elements of faith. Once I got into the era and setting since I'm not used to pirate reads, I was completely immersed in this book and felt like I was there and knew the characters personally.
Rina and Xavier are unforgettable! I loved how Rina would go from being mad at Xavier to loving him so quickly. It was so true to her personality. And Xavier. Ah. Talk about swoonworthy hero who loves the Lord and wants to help a lost and hurting woman, who wrestles with nightmares, forgiveness, and understanding God and grace. Rina's parents were precious too, and the relationship that develops there was sweet to see unfold...and the salvation experience. Oh!
I devoured the last 2-1/2 hours of this book in only 1-1/2 hours. Haha! I was tapping to turn pages so fast. And that ending. Ahhh! Talk about the worst cliffhanger ever! I'm still losing sleep over that one. Haha! I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. Her love for the Lord shines through in her writing. There were times where I would read something so beautiful I'd just have to pause a moment and re-read it and let it soak in. I wish I would have marked them to share!!
I give this 5 stars and definitely recommend it. The review is my honest opinion.
May 25, 2022
Okay so can we just point out that this amazing authoress was TWELVE when she wrote this. Knowing this before I began and expecting something a little below par, I was completely blown away by the plot and the actual writing. I really liked the accents that Miss Johnson kept going throughout the book, as well as the character development; the pirate theme is well used and infuses the entire novel and forwarded Rina's journey of self-discovery. However the storyline did seem a little cheesy and cliché to me, and this kept me from really feeling a deep connection to the characters. I loved how Rina wrestles with her salvation, I think that part of this book was well planned out and was realistic, the only thing that I kinda wish wasn't there (just because this is a Christian novel and I wasn't quite expecting it) was the strong romance: it was a little over the top in my opinion, which I have to be fair is not a fan of romance. But for the most part I enjoyed this book! I can't wait to see what other amazing works this superb author will come out with!!
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2020
I'm not a pirate person, never really have been, but I really and truly enjoyed this book. The hardest part I had was at the beginning, piecing together who was who, wondering who my narrator was at first, and getting accustomed to the character jumps from chapter to chapter. I didn't start getting into the book until perhaps the third chapter. Yet afterwards I was sucked into the story all the way until the end. And while I stumbled through some of the prose at places, other times I found myself laughing out loud at certain comical turns of phrases that hit me just right. The author did a wonderful job of showing the humanness of Rina. This turned out to be a unique read for me - I greatly appreciated how it was not all excitement and adventure, but delved into far deeper issues of the heart such as guilt, fear, and love. I am highly impressed with this debut novel from a young author, and I truly look forward to reading more of her work.
January 3, 2021
This is the 1st book I've read written by Grace Johnson; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
December 3, 2022
Totally different inspiring story!
Rina is the captain of a ship set in the 1860's. She is a pirate and knows how to use her sword. Very interesting tale of how she comes full circle to finding out that she is really the daughter of a duke. Very good descriptions!
Rina is the captain of a ship set in the 1860's. She is a pirate and knows how to use her sword. Very interesting tale of how she comes full circle to finding out that she is really the daughter of a duke. Very good descriptions!
November 1, 2021
This is of course entirely conditional, and therefore probably isn't a good way to start a review, but when I realized the author had written this when she was twelve, I was highly impressed. Impressed with the level of consciousness regarding plot structure, descriptive details, historical setting, and yes, even spiritual matters. No, everything was not great about the book, and there were certain parts I can only contribute to the naiveté of the author. Nevertheless, it's a great introduction to a young author--she will only improve.
Setting: The sea (and later London), 1683. In some ways the historical setting was duly noted--the rough language of the pirate characters, the novelty of a woman captain (which honestly wasn't as emphasized as it probably could have been), and Rina's lack of education. Also done well was Rina's perspective of herself--that is, how society would view her as a completely despicable person, and she's not worth love.
However, in some places the setting--and basic human nature--was completely forgotten. The modern Christian attitude of everyone, not only Xavier but also his and her parents, was really out of place. Despite the never-changing truths of God's Word and the nature of salvation, the way people referred to them and treated them were different. Xavier's family was done fairly well--and ooh, there's some intrigue and drama!--but a duke would be highly unlikely to embrace a criminal daughter--and an initially unrepentant one--so easily. Right or wrong, there would be a reputation to uphold, and the amount of gossip (at least) arising from such a situation would be pressure for even the strongest Christian. At least, I don't think the duke would want her to attend some highly public event.
In regard to basic human nature: the consideration of Rina's physical appearance as beautiful. Yes, I think it's appropriate for Xavier to think her attractive. However, let's look at the facts: Rina was terribly scarred, and sometimes, at least, wore an eyepatch. Not an issue for someone who knew her well enough on the inside, but certainly a (negative) curiosity for anyone else.
Other historical inaccuracies included the liberal use of Christian names, the public display of affection between married and unmarried alike, and the recurrent waltzing of Xavier into Rina's bedchamber.
Characters: Rina herself was many times annoying; that in and of itself isn't remarkable, because heroines can easily bug me. Especially when embarking on a decidedly manly occupation (to say nothing of the illicit nature of the occupation). But her personality and character arc did excessively ebb and flow. I got tired of her "thinking" of Xavier as odious, particularly once the kisses starting piling up. I just didn't believe it anymore. Her character arc wasn't bad, although her decision to stay on land was a bit rushed--but I don't actually blame that on her, but rather her parents' unrealistic actions. But I've already mentioned that.
Xavier would have been your classic great Christian man who's also the romantic hero. He fell a bit flat for me, though, because his character swung like a pendulum from the flirtatious, smirking type who was legitimately abrasive to Rina (and it was, of course, appropriate for Rina to be irritated in that ungodly situation) to a deeply (modernly) spiritual man who wanted nothing more than for Rina to find God. And in the middle he was just someone who fell in love with her. (Honestly, there was no reason--and certainly not a godly prompting--for him to fall in love with her. And no, "They have to love each other because this is a romance" doesn't count.)
Plot: The plot had a lot of excellent aspects, at least theoretically. Xavier's duty was portrayed quite well, as were several of the inner struggles Rina faced. There was quite a bit of action, and though the focus changed very abruptly at one point, it was generally a well-paced story. I was a little disappointed that Rina wanted to go back to the sea. But I guess that's just me and my traditional values. *cough*
Another positive plot point was that Rina's pirate crew was not forgotten. I enjoyed having them reappear, and that part resolved--although it would have been nice had the baby played a greater role in the conclusion.
Writing: This is probably the simplest representation of the entire book: great theoretically, showing great promise in terms of the author's ability, but at the same time ... detrimental to the whole reading experience. Let's start with the good: lots of colorful descriptions, a good balance between dialogue and thoughts combined with subconscious experiences and feelings. Unfortunately, the first-person POV was problematic. In the beginning, I was marveling at the way the narration *surely* seemed like a female's POV. But no, of course it wouldn't be, because the character is the captain of a ship, and so on.
Then I was greatly confused about what I later realized was a POV change. I did realize the difference between male and female perspectives, thankfully, but I always had to be hyper-aware of all future changes. It was just too hard to keep track of the first-person perspectives. Also, I'm sure that the atrocious formatting I suffered didn't help (but I'm critiquing the content, not the presentation).
Faith Content: As I already mentioned, the characters' faith was modern, but it was also honest and all-encompassing. The gospel message was clearly presented, and was a great response to Rina's worldview. Also already mentioned were the rather frequent unwise (and downright ungodly) positions Xavier found himself in. I will again attribute that to the author's youth, and assume that the rewrite will find Xavier acting more like his upright behavior portrayed elsewhere in the book.
Setting: The sea (and later London), 1683. In some ways the historical setting was duly noted--the rough language of the pirate characters, the novelty of a woman captain (which honestly wasn't as emphasized as it probably could have been), and Rina's lack of education. Also done well was Rina's perspective of herself--that is, how society would view her as a completely despicable person, and she's not worth love.
However, in some places the setting--and basic human nature--was completely forgotten. The modern Christian attitude of everyone, not only Xavier but also his and her parents, was really out of place. Despite the never-changing truths of God's Word and the nature of salvation, the way people referred to them and treated them were different. Xavier's family was done fairly well--and ooh, there's some intrigue and drama!--but a duke would be highly unlikely to embrace a criminal daughter--and an initially unrepentant one--so easily. Right or wrong, there would be a reputation to uphold, and the amount of gossip (at least) arising from such a situation would be pressure for even the strongest Christian. At least, I don't think the duke would want her to attend some highly public event.
In regard to basic human nature: the consideration of Rina's physical appearance as beautiful. Yes, I think it's appropriate for Xavier to think her attractive. However, let's look at the facts: Rina was terribly scarred, and sometimes, at least, wore an eyepatch. Not an issue for someone who knew her well enough on the inside, but certainly a (negative) curiosity for anyone else.
Other historical inaccuracies included the liberal use of Christian names, the public display of affection between married and unmarried alike, and the recurrent waltzing of Xavier into Rina's bedchamber.
Characters: Rina herself was many times annoying; that in and of itself isn't remarkable, because heroines can easily bug me. Especially when embarking on a decidedly manly occupation (to say nothing of the illicit nature of the occupation). But her personality and character arc did excessively ebb and flow. I got tired of her "thinking" of Xavier as odious, particularly once the kisses starting piling up. I just didn't believe it anymore. Her character arc wasn't bad, although her decision to stay on land was a bit rushed--but I don't actually blame that on her, but rather her parents' unrealistic actions. But I've already mentioned that.
Xavier would have been your classic great Christian man who's also the romantic hero. He fell a bit flat for me, though, because his character swung like a pendulum from the flirtatious, smirking type who was legitimately abrasive to Rina (and it was, of course, appropriate for Rina to be irritated in that ungodly situation) to a deeply (modernly) spiritual man who wanted nothing more than for Rina to find God. And in the middle he was just someone who fell in love with her. (Honestly, there was no reason--and certainly not a godly prompting--for him to fall in love with her. And no, "They have to love each other because this is a romance" doesn't count.)
Plot: The plot had a lot of excellent aspects, at least theoretically. Xavier's duty was portrayed quite well, as were several of the inner struggles Rina faced. There was quite a bit of action, and though the focus changed very abruptly at one point, it was generally a well-paced story. I was a little disappointed that Rina wanted to go back to the sea. But I guess that's just me and my traditional values. *cough*
Another positive plot point was that Rina's pirate crew was not forgotten. I enjoyed having them reappear, and that part resolved--although it would have been nice had the baby played a greater role in the conclusion.
Writing: This is probably the simplest representation of the entire book: great theoretically, showing great promise in terms of the author's ability, but at the same time ... detrimental to the whole reading experience. Let's start with the good: lots of colorful descriptions, a good balance between dialogue and thoughts combined with subconscious experiences and feelings. Unfortunately, the first-person POV was problematic. In the beginning, I was marveling at the way the narration *surely* seemed like a female's POV. But no, of course it wouldn't be, because the character is the captain of a ship, and so on.
Then I was greatly confused about what I later realized was a POV change. I did realize the difference between male and female perspectives, thankfully, but I always had to be hyper-aware of all future changes. It was just too hard to keep track of the first-person perspectives. Also, I'm sure that the atrocious formatting I suffered didn't help (but I'm critiquing the content, not the presentation).
Faith Content: As I already mentioned, the characters' faith was modern, but it was also honest and all-encompassing. The gospel message was clearly presented, and was a great response to Rina's worldview. Also already mentioned were the rather frequent unwise (and downright ungodly) positions Xavier found himself in. I will again attribute that to the author's youth, and assume that the rewrite will find Xavier acting more like his upright behavior portrayed elsewhere in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2024
I finally finished, and I loved it!
Oh my goodness! .....I have like no words for how cute and good this was, butttt I do have a review for it!
Let's get into it!
This was so cute and beautiful! Rina and Xavier were so cute, and I just loved their relationship.
Xavier was so good to her and made me smile so many times! There were so many plot twists and adventures! Five stars all the way! This did take a little while to read, but I still loved every moment!! I read this everywhere.
🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍
I loved the Pirates and everything of this book!! ;)🥹
Because i love Pirates and stuff, this was so cool and cute!!
Xavier and his brothers were amazing. I love siblings in books and them loving each other.
Xavier's mother is wonderful! I love how they have an amazing relationship!
The cover is so beautiful! It looks wonderful and just fantastic!
Plot twist at Chapter 14! Was not expecting that!
❤️
She got saved and baptized! Proof God can save anyone!💕
Hehehe, the end was perfect! I absolutely love them!!!!! Also, is that cliffhanger?!? Perfect way to end the book! It leaves you on edge!
How do you put words into how good this was?
I'm sad it took me this long to read this.
~Quotes I love~
"Come now, there are many more people who would love to meet my fierce little pirate."
"Not a toe, Unca Zay. Pwince Percival was a fwog."
I very much enjoyed this! Sorry for the long and chaotic review, and I'm not very good at organizing my thoughts on things. Thank you for taking the time to read this! 🫶🏻
Oh my goodness! .....I have like no words for how cute and good this was, butttt I do have a review for it!
Let's get into it!
This was so cute and beautiful! Rina and Xavier were so cute, and I just loved their relationship.
Xavier was so good to her and made me smile so many times! There were so many plot twists and adventures! Five stars all the way! This did take a little while to read, but I still loved every moment!! I read this everywhere.
🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍🥰😍
I loved the Pirates and everything of this book!! ;)🥹
Because i love Pirates and stuff, this was so cool and cute!!
Xavier and his brothers were amazing. I love siblings in books and them loving each other.
Xavier's mother is wonderful! I love how they have an amazing relationship!
The cover is so beautiful! It looks wonderful and just fantastic!
Plot twist at Chapter 14! Was not expecting that!
❤️
She got saved and baptized! Proof God can save anyone!💕
Hehehe, the end was perfect! I absolutely love them!!!!! Also, is that cliffhanger?!? Perfect way to end the book! It leaves you on edge!
How do you put words into how good this was?
I'm sad it took me this long to read this.
~Quotes I love~
"Come now, there are many more people who would love to meet my fierce little pirate."
"Not a toe, Unca Zay. Pwince Percival was a fwog."
I very much enjoyed this! Sorry for the long and chaotic review, and I'm not very good at organizing my thoughts on things. Thank you for taking the time to read this! 🫶🏻
January 3, 2021
Although it took me a bit to actually read this book, I did enjoy it. My biggest complaint about it is that it often didn't "show" the situation and did a lot more telling. Some of the characterization was a bit unsteady, but overall it was a compelling story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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