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Tides of Mutiny
Lane Garrow has a secret—one that could get her killed.
In a world where female sailors are executed, sixteen-year-old Lane’s dream of being a ship’s captain seems impossible. Sea life is all she knows, and she wouldn’t give it up for anything, even if it means she has to hide as a captain’s boy to avoid being killed. But Lane’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble when an old pirate enemy comes after her father. And she begins hearing rumors that her father was once a pirate as well.
Lane doesn’t want to believe her father could have a dark past, but she can’t help questioning everything she’s known. After all, Lane’s life at sea is built on lies—why couldn’t her father’s be, too?
Then a mysterious prince shows up, and Lane finds her very survival tied to a boy who could destroy everything. With pirates, betrayal, and death threatening Lane and those she loves, she must now decide between the future she always expected and a prince with an unknown agenda who she finds herself falling for. Lane must either protect herself and find a way to live her dream, or risk everything for a world where her very existence is a death sentence.
Maybe there’s a third option. After all, she’s never played by the rules before. Why start now?
In a world where female sailors are executed, sixteen-year-old Lane’s dream of being a ship’s captain seems impossible. Sea life is all she knows, and she wouldn’t give it up for anything, even if it means she has to hide as a captain’s boy to avoid being killed. But Lane’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble when an old pirate enemy comes after her father. And she begins hearing rumors that her father was once a pirate as well.
Lane doesn’t want to believe her father could have a dark past, but she can’t help questioning everything she’s known. After all, Lane’s life at sea is built on lies—why couldn’t her father’s be, too?
Then a mysterious prince shows up, and Lane finds her very survival tied to a boy who could destroy everything. With pirates, betrayal, and death threatening Lane and those she loves, she must now decide between the future she always expected and a prince with an unknown agenda who she finds herself falling for. Lane must either protect herself and find a way to live her dream, or risk everything for a world where her very existence is a death sentence.
Maybe there’s a third option. After all, she’s never played by the rules before. Why start now?
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2021
31 people are currently reading
4285 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Rode
23 books205 followersRebecca is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of TIDES OF MUTINY (Little, Brown Book for Young Readers). Her previously published work includes the dystopian Numbers Game trilogy and the Ember series for fans of Firefly and The Mandalorian. She has also published an inspirational nonfiction book for moms (How to Have Peace When You're Falling to Pieces) and a number of online newspaper and magazine articles. It's her books about fierce teens smashing societal barriers, however, that she enjoys writing the most.
Rebecca and her husband are raising their family in the Rocky Mountains. She has two cats, a ridiculous number of books, and an odd assortment of book-related socks. She is represented by Kelly Peterson at Rees Literary.
Rebecca and her husband are raising their family in the Rocky Mountains. She has two cats, a ridiculous number of books, and an odd assortment of book-related socks. She is represented by Kelly Peterson at Rees Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
February 24, 2023
✅ Pirates
✅ Women empowerment story
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Characters
✅🆗 Betrayals
🆗 Plot
🆗 Romance (almost insta-love)
🆗 Overconfidence of the MC
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: mild torture, death, and some gore.
Laney Garrow has spent the last decade on her father's ship, disguised as a young boy. In a world where female sailors are arrested and hanged, she cannot let anyone discover her true identity. When a notorious pirate comes after her father, Laney starts to realize that there is more to her father than she thought and that he is definitely keeping secrets from her. At the same time, she allows a mysterious man that has a very important mission to travel on their ship, but everything becomes even more complicated when Laney starts to be attracted to this mysterious man.
The pace is okay, it's fast enough to keep us interested in the book, but at the same time, it feels as if the first part of the plot takes up 80% of the book, and then there are too many things crammed and rushed in the last 20%.
There are Four lands in the North, but there are not a lot of details on the different nations, so it was hard to tell them apart, and hard to really get invested in the political aspect of the plot because of this lack of details. There is political scheming, spying, and double-crossing in the book, but it appeared only in the last third and it was all secondary to the romantic aspect of the book, and Laney’s quest to find her place in the world. There are some "shocking" revelations that were not that shocking at all because there was just no build-up leading to them. They just came out of nowhere and almost felt disjointed from the main plot at times.
There is definitely a strong pirate vibe in this book, and I loved all the details about the daily routine on The Majesty. This book has a good immersive quality when it comes to life at sea.
I have to say though that the whole "Aye" and "Nay" got annoying after a while. The vocabulary and dialogues did not really feel that old-fashioned or pirate-y, except for those two words that they kept throwing around.
The fact that everyone let Laney save the day with her last-minute plan, even though they didn't really know her and had no reason to trust her, that Laney managed to execute her last-minute plan without a hitch and was even sassy about it screamed over-confidence (especially considering that she's only 16 and she's never interacted with royalty or act like a woman before) and it did annoy me. She was also willing to sacrifice herself for Aden and his family even if she'd known him for a few weeks only, so it gave her relationship with Aden an insta-love quality that I am not a fan of. It also did not really fit with the character we saw in the first part of the book.
Laney felt quite juvenile at times. She reminded me more of a 14 years old teen than a 16 years old almost-young-adult. She was overconfident and thought that she knew everything and was owed every detail and secret about her father's life. She is not a bad character, but as an adult, I struggled to connect with her, and she had me rolling my eyes a few times.
Yeah, no. Not really. Not if you're 16 years old and have never been in love. Not if it's with a boy you've just met, and clearly have no possible future with.
The (very predictable) romance was so-so. It was not exactly an insta-love, but it was close to it. I did not feel any connection or chemistry between Laney and Aden. It all just felt like a mix of physical attraction and excitement because it was the first time Laney had been treated like a woman, and it was the first time a man had shown interest in her. So for me, it really appeared to be more of an infatuation than real love. Actually, I felt a lack of connection between almost every character, so whatever happened to them had little impact on me.
**On a side note... Laney has been wearing chest bindings every single day of her life for the past few years until she lost her bindings in the sea. A little later, she was walking around, with a wet shirt, without any bindings, and all I could focus on is how uncomfortable it must be! She didn't seem to care one bit, but I couldn't get over the fact that she was walking around with a wet shirt and no bindings, and was not bothered AT ALL by it.
I think this book would be better suited for younger readers, and would most probably be more appreciated by them. As a 27 yo adult, I thought that the romance was a little forced, the dialogues were stilted at times, the main character felt juvenile, and the overall writing was a little too simplistic.
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✅ Women empowerment story
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Characters
✅🆗 Betrayals
🆗 Plot
🆗 Romance (almost insta-love)
🆗 Overconfidence of the MC
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: mild torture, death, and some gore.
Everything about my life was wrong. A sea captain, a proper lady, and a daughter dressed as a boy. Ours was a family fashioned as a joke.
Laney Garrow has spent the last decade on her father's ship, disguised as a young boy. In a world where female sailors are arrested and hanged, she cannot let anyone discover her true identity. When a notorious pirate comes after her father, Laney starts to realize that there is more to her father than she thought and that he is definitely keeping secrets from her. At the same time, she allows a mysterious man that has a very important mission to travel on their ship, but everything becomes even more complicated when Laney starts to be attracted to this mysterious man.
The pace is okay, it's fast enough to keep us interested in the book, but at the same time, it feels as if the first part of the plot takes up 80% of the book, and then there are too many things crammed and rushed in the last 20%.
There are Four lands in the North, but there are not a lot of details on the different nations, so it was hard to tell them apart, and hard to really get invested in the political aspect of the plot because of this lack of details. There is political scheming, spying, and double-crossing in the book, but it appeared only in the last third and it was all secondary to the romantic aspect of the book, and Laney’s quest to find her place in the world. There are some "shocking" revelations that were not that shocking at all because there was just no build-up leading to them. They just came out of nowhere and almost felt disjointed from the main plot at times.
There is definitely a strong pirate vibe in this book, and I loved all the details about the daily routine on The Majesty. This book has a good immersive quality when it comes to life at sea.
I have to say though that the whole "Aye" and "Nay" got annoying after a while. The vocabulary and dialogues did not really feel that old-fashioned or pirate-y, except for those two words that they kept throwing around.
Kemp’s favorite currency was lies and his greatest weapon truth.
The fact that everyone let Laney save the day with her last-minute plan, even though they didn't really know her and had no reason to trust her, that Laney managed to execute her last-minute plan without a hitch and was even sassy about it screamed over-confidence (especially considering that she's only 16 and she's never interacted with royalty or act like a woman before) and it did annoy me. She was also willing to sacrifice herself for Aden and his family even if she'd known him for a few weeks only, so it gave her relationship with Aden an insta-love quality that I am not a fan of. It also did not really fit with the character we saw in the first part of the book.
“We all make ripples in the world, Lane. Some ripples die off, while others turn into waves that topple cities.”
Laney felt quite juvenile at times. She reminded me more of a 14 years old teen than a 16 years old almost-young-adult. She was overconfident and thought that she knew everything and was owed every detail and secret about her father's life. She is not a bad character, but as an adult, I struggled to connect with her, and she had me rolling my eyes a few times.
Some kisses were worth risking your life for.
Yeah, no. Not really. Not if you're 16 years old and have never been in love. Not if it's with a boy you've just met, and clearly have no possible future with.
The (very predictable) romance was so-so. It was not exactly an insta-love, but it was close to it. I did not feel any connection or chemistry between Laney and Aden. It all just felt like a mix of physical attraction and excitement because it was the first time Laney had been treated like a woman, and it was the first time a man had shown interest in her. So for me, it really appeared to be more of an infatuation than real love. Actually, I felt a lack of connection between almost every character, so whatever happened to them had little impact on me.
**On a side note... Laney has been wearing chest bindings every single day of her life for the past few years until she lost her bindings in the sea. A little later, she was walking around, with a wet shirt, without any bindings, and all I could focus on is how uncomfortable it must be! She didn't seem to care one bit, but I couldn't get over the fact that she was walking around with a wet shirt and no bindings, and was not bothered AT ALL by it.
I think this book would be better suited for younger readers, and would most probably be more appreciated by them. As a 27 yo adult, I thought that the romance was a little forced, the dialogues were stilted at times, the main character felt juvenile, and the overall writing was a little too simplistic.
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September 11, 2021
Daughter of The Pirate King: Don't you say it.
Daughter of The Pirate King: Don't you dare say it, Booksy.
Daughter of The Pirate King: I swear to every sea creature if you say it-
Me: Well-
Daughter of The Pirate King: You better be thinking it through...
Daughter of The Pirate King: Wouldn't want you to drown or anything...
Me: Okay, FINE.
Daughter of The Pirate King: See? That wasn't so difficult-
Me: This book surpassed you.
Daughter of The Pirate King:....
Daughter of The Pirate King: Oh, I see how it is.
I am terrified, as of now.
Daughter of The Pirate King: Don't you dare say it, Booksy.
Daughter of The Pirate King: I swear to every sea creature if you say it-
Me: Well-
Daughter of The Pirate King: You better be thinking it through...
Daughter of The Pirate King: Wouldn't want you to drown or anything...
Me: Okay, FINE.
Daughter of The Pirate King: See? That wasn't so difficult-
Me: This book surpassed you.
Daughter of The Pirate King:....
Daughter of The Pirate King: Oh, I see how it is.
I am terrified, as of now.
April 29, 2022
Rating ~3.5
For fans of Daughter of the Pirate King, I think I found your next read.
(Review to come?)
For fans of Daughter of the Pirate King, I think I found your next read.
(Review to come?)
January 7, 2025
This was a fun and fast-paced swash buckling tale. I appreciate the overall consistency in writing, pacing, action, and character development. The story did slow down a bit at the end, but I found myself inspired by the ateong female lead. I love a good pirate story! A solid 4 stars, matey. I will be looking into the other works of this author.
April 22, 2021
A fun, gripping story, packed with action, lore and romance. Tides of Mutiny will carry you on the adventure of a lifetime.
January 19, 2022
While the story feels more like a 4/4.5, my enjoyment for this book is definitely a 5.
Rebecca Rode didn't necessarily do anything new here. This is a beautiful YA pirate book about a girl striving to be a sailor in a world that executes female sailors. She runs into the prince (surprise, surprise) and they team up against horrible odds to make the world right. It's the same story I've read over and over again, yet Rode did it in a way that I haven't read for a while. This felt so fresh and new...I absolutely loved every piece of it.
If you're looking for pirates and ships and light fantasy worlds, then this novel is for you.
Rebecca Rode didn't necessarily do anything new here. This is a beautiful YA pirate book about a girl striving to be a sailor in a world that executes female sailors. She runs into the prince (surprise, surprise) and they team up against horrible odds to make the world right. It's the same story I've read over and over again, yet Rode did it in a way that I haven't read for a while. This felt so fresh and new...I absolutely loved every piece of it.
If you're looking for pirates and ships and light fantasy worlds, then this novel is for you.
March 16, 2022
going-through-my-huge-pile-of-books-despite-being-mostly-ya-so-i-can-buy-more book nine
slightly rushed.
so-so romance.
good ending.
the book was good but the pace was wrong:
the first part of the story took about 80%...
... yet a shit ton of stuff happened in the second part.
the book easily deserved a couple more hundred pages and more development in general.
but also pirates.
ps: i have not read daughter of the pirate king (yet). the book is either in a box or resting in a messy pile of books.
slightly rushed.
so-so romance.
good ending.
the book was good but the pace was wrong:
the first part of the story took about 80%...
... yet a shit ton of stuff happened in the second part.
the book easily deserved a couple more hundred pages and more development in general.
but also pirates.
ps: i have not read daughter of the pirate king (yet). the book is either in a box or resting in a messy pile of books.
June 21, 2023
Maybe I would have liked this more if I hadn’t read it during a slump? I felt like the story was good, but ultimately it was mostly middle of the road for me.
December 12, 2023
This was... not terrible. But it wasn't terribly good either. I think that all the great ideas were there, they just could've been executed in a better way. To start with, I wasn't the biggest fan of how the book was plotted. There were a few times where I felt like an action scene was needed to move the story along but instead the author chose to have the characters go to bed, or regroup to talk things over. The first 3/4 and last 1/4 felt like two completely different books, with almost all the action and development happening in that last quarter. For example, page 303 of 385 gives us a little rundown of everything Lane still needs to accomplish before the end of the book, including discovering the state of the government, organizing a rebellion, sneaking into the palace and rescuing the love interest’s family, all in the span of 80 pages?? And I’m just there thinking, what have I read about up until this point that was even remotely interesting or important? My point being, the action could definitely have been better distributed across the whole of the book instead of being isolated to the end.
I was also confused for most of the book about who was a sailor/merchant vs. who was a pirate and what their different political affiliations were. I'm not really sure if I have a favorite "love trope,” but I think I've just discovered one that I’m not the biggest fan of. Or maybe it was just this book, either way, I did not buy into the insta-love between Lane and Aden. Again, I think part of it was the pacing because their “romance” just seemed all over the place. One minute they were head over heels in love and ready to burn down the world for each other, the next Lane was ready to up and leave him without a second thought. Overall, though I did enjoy the last quarter of the book when the action started to pick up, it wasn’t enough to save this book as a whole. I’d recommend this to younger teens who are maybe just getting started with fantasy, otherwise I’d probably give it a skip. Happy Reading :)
I was also confused for most of the book about who was a sailor/merchant vs. who was a pirate and what their different political affiliations were. I'm not really sure if I have a favorite "love trope,” but I think I've just discovered one that I’m not the biggest fan of. Or maybe it was just this book, either way, I did not buy into the insta-love between Lane and Aden. Again, I think part of it was the pacing because their “romance” just seemed all over the place. One minute they were head over heels in love and ready to burn down the world for each other, the next Lane was ready to up and leave him without a second thought. Overall, though I did enjoy the last quarter of the book when the action started to pick up, it wasn’t enough to save this book as a whole. I’d recommend this to younger teens who are maybe just getting started with fantasy, otherwise I’d probably give it a skip. Happy Reading :)
May 4, 2021
This book was received as an ARC from Jimmy Patterson in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I could not have enjoyed this book anymore than I do right now. Lane's backstory was so inspiring destined to be a ship captain but the land executes female captains that she will stop at nothing even if it means becoming a boy. The enter the prince and the motives he has within him. Lane ends up falling in love with him, left with a choice. Fulfill her dreams as a ship captain, or fall for the prince and protect the ones she loves. It was a read full of drama and adventure that our teen book club will love from beginning to end.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I could not have enjoyed this book anymore than I do right now. Lane's backstory was so inspiring destined to be a ship captain but the land executes female captains that she will stop at nothing even if it means becoming a boy. The enter the prince and the motives he has within him. Lane ends up falling in love with him, left with a choice. Fulfill her dreams as a ship captain, or fall for the prince and protect the ones she loves. It was a read full of drama and adventure that our teen book club will love from beginning to end.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
September 2, 2023
This was an amazing read I loved everything about it from the characters to the story there was never a dull moment it was fast paced and had a wonderful romance and ending. I loved the characters so much especially Lane and Aden they had great chemistry the romance built at just the right pace not too slow or too fast. I loved Lane for strength of character for her actual strength as well she is a girl that has to hide because of a law after something awful happened so female sailor are persecuted because of it. She is a great character willing to do so much for those she loves I also loved how Aden developed how some things happened but they still got their happy ever after. The plot was really great it starts with Lane telling of how female sailors are outlawed and executed it caught so she hides on her Father's ship things happen she makes a deal with Aden so they go back to the ship. Other things happen there is a duel after that mutiny happens so they get caught and then get separated. After awhile Lane finds Aden so they go to save his kingdom and his family many things are found out there is finally a happy ending loved it so much.
December 13, 2021
Actual rating 3.5
What I liked:
-) the axesssss. I wanted moreee. They’re awesomee
-) it was pretty clean and quite safe content-wise. Huge appreciation for that. (Except on the gore front, but that doesnt bother me much in general (to an extent, lol).)
-) Credit to the gore actually: on a plot level there were a couple instances a death or near-death got an audible gasp out of me, so points for impact.
-) the general pirate aesthetic was amazing and satisfied all my pirate-loving heart’s desires. (Though do be warned this book is not centred on pirates per se, but general sailors. (However the sea aesthetic is still excellent.))
-) the cover art is gorgeous
-) loveddddd the Majesty symbolism tie-up near the end. (Page 359) I do love me some good symbolism.
-) Marina is lovely (to expound would be to spoil)
-) small thing but I also liked the names in Rode’s worldbuilding. Aesthetically pleasing
-) Barrie
-) Captain Dayorn
What I had trouble with:
-) the prose I think would be better suited to younger teens. I found it simple (though not necessarily ill-crafted) and the dialogue at times felt forced. Nothing wrong with simple prose, but I’m a reader who prefers it more intentional and poignant. Very accessible for younger readers though (I still would say teens because of the gore/violence level) and I imagine it would largely disappear for them, and allow them to get more into the story. So this is just a preference thing.
-) Laney’s character didn’t especially feel 16 years old. I would imagine her as 14 or 13. This is again the ‘geared to younger readers’ thing - in this way I’m not the best reader for this book.
-) the major reveals seemed a little disjointed, like there wasn’t much setup to them. This is kinda a neutral thing, because I didn’t think ‘woah whiplash that’s out of the blue’ but I also didn’t think ‘woahh that makes so much sensee’. It was in between, a ‘huh. That’s cool.’ (Also I guessed in part a few of them shortly before they were officially revealed, so there wasn’t zero foreshadowing, but it didn’t seem entirely integrated in the whole of the story. Like Rode was trying too hard to keep secrets.) (Note: This actually probably something I could improve upon myself in my own writing.) (Note 2: I wonder if it would be better upon a reread.)
-) about two-thirds of the way through the book, after The Major Disaster (trademark), I had a hard time reading on because the book (necessarily) hit a lull in terms of plot intensity. I don’t think this is a fault of the structure, but busy life plus a slow section kept me from it for a while. Something to be aware of, and also probably impacts my retention of all the unresolved plot threads. In that way I was not the most well-behaved reader, lol.
-) I do appreciate how Laney thought in terms of ships and her comparisons and evaluations are centred around that, but I found it distracting for some reason.
-) this is a nitpick but there was one inconsistency with a character’s deafness and it pulled me out of the story a bit. (Bottom of page 345 of anyone’s curious)
In sum: Overall enjoyable. I wasn’t over-the-moon about it, but it was solid. (Again this is in part due to me being not the best reader for this book.) I own the book, and I’m not upset about the purchase. It looks nice on my bookshelf and I’m satisfied with the story overall.
What I liked:
-) the axesssss. I wanted moreee. They’re awesomee
-) it was pretty clean and quite safe content-wise. Huge appreciation for that. (Except on the gore front, but that doesnt bother me much in general (to an extent, lol).)
-) Credit to the gore actually: on a plot level there were a couple instances a death or near-death got an audible gasp out of me, so points for impact.
-) the general pirate aesthetic was amazing and satisfied all my pirate-loving heart’s desires. (Though do be warned this book is not centred on pirates per se, but general sailors. (However the sea aesthetic is still excellent.))
-) the cover art is gorgeous
-) loveddddd the Majesty symbolism tie-up near the end. (Page 359) I do love me some good symbolism.
-) Marina is lovely (to expound would be to spoil)
-) small thing but I also liked the names in Rode’s worldbuilding. Aesthetically pleasing
-) Barrie
-) Captain Dayorn
What I had trouble with:
-) the prose I think would be better suited to younger teens. I found it simple (though not necessarily ill-crafted) and the dialogue at times felt forced. Nothing wrong with simple prose, but I’m a reader who prefers it more intentional and poignant. Very accessible for younger readers though (I still would say teens because of the gore/violence level) and I imagine it would largely disappear for them, and allow them to get more into the story. So this is just a preference thing.
-) Laney’s character didn’t especially feel 16 years old. I would imagine her as 14 or 13. This is again the ‘geared to younger readers’ thing - in this way I’m not the best reader for this book.
-) the major reveals seemed a little disjointed, like there wasn’t much setup to them. This is kinda a neutral thing, because I didn’t think ‘woah whiplash that’s out of the blue’ but I also didn’t think ‘woahh that makes so much sensee’. It was in between, a ‘huh. That’s cool.’ (Also I guessed in part a few of them shortly before they were officially revealed, so there wasn’t zero foreshadowing, but it didn’t seem entirely integrated in the whole of the story. Like Rode was trying too hard to keep secrets.) (Note: This actually probably something I could improve upon myself in my own writing.) (Note 2: I wonder if it would be better upon a reread.)
-) about two-thirds of the way through the book, after The Major Disaster (trademark), I had a hard time reading on because the book (necessarily) hit a lull in terms of plot intensity. I don’t think this is a fault of the structure, but busy life plus a slow section kept me from it for a while. Something to be aware of, and also probably impacts my retention of all the unresolved plot threads. In that way I was not the most well-behaved reader, lol.
-) I do appreciate how Laney thought in terms of ships and her comparisons and evaluations are centred around that, but I found it distracting for some reason.
-) this is a nitpick but there was one inconsistency with a character’s deafness and it pulled me out of the story a bit. (Bottom of page 345 of anyone’s curious)
In sum: Overall enjoyable. I wasn’t over-the-moon about it, but it was solid. (Again this is in part due to me being not the best reader for this book.) I own the book, and I’m not upset about the purchase. It looks nice on my bookshelf and I’m satisfied with the story overall.
December 1, 2021
I’m a girl, the author is a girl, a majority of the readers will be girls, and yet, AND YET! You’re telling me that this author decided to not only mention Lane wearing a chest binding, but then ALSO mention her walking without one...in the rain...with only shirt...
You see where the problem is right? I’m not alone in this? I’m not the only who thought about how it would be COLD and that her shirt would stick to her skin and EVERYTHING would be really clear to see.
*shudders* I’m sorry, as a girl I literally couldn’t stop thinking how exposed Lane would feel after years of never going without a chest binding. And then to just walk around willy nilly? Nah, that is not working for me.
On a different note, the whole Nay and Aye got really tiring. Especially since more of the dialogue didn’t feel all that old fashioned. So the nay and ayes felt kinda jarring.
This will sound ironic but the main problem with pirate books is they take place too much on the ocean. It means that not a lot happens.
But yes, the book did pick up halfway through so that was something. But it was slow. It was so slow I read within 12 hours and I still felt like it was too slow.
I did like the first line.
The characters weren’t too bad but I felt a lack of connection to all the side characters and so what happened had little impact.
It was a solid 2.5 stars book.
You see where the problem is right? I’m not alone in this? I’m not the only who thought about how it would be COLD and that her shirt would stick to her skin and EVERYTHING would be really clear to see.
*shudders* I’m sorry, as a girl I literally couldn’t stop thinking how exposed Lane would feel after years of never going without a chest binding. And then to just walk around willy nilly? Nah, that is not working for me.
On a different note, the whole Nay and Aye got really tiring. Especially since more of the dialogue didn’t feel all that old fashioned. So the nay and ayes felt kinda jarring.
This will sound ironic but the main problem with pirate books is they take place too much on the ocean. It means that not a lot happens.
But yes, the book did pick up halfway through so that was something. But it was slow. It was so slow I read within 12 hours and I still felt like it was too slow.
I did like the first line.
The characters weren’t too bad but I felt a lack of connection to all the side characters and so what happened had little impact.
It was a solid 2.5 stars book.
November 24, 2021
3.5 stars, rounded up because I just really enjoy YA pirate books.
This was a high stakes pirate adventure, and it was a lot of fun. I did find the romance somewhat lackluster, and there was definitely some instalove (at least on her end), but the story was great. There were a lot of exciting pirate battles and the body count was surprisingly high for YA. I will say the ending did leave some things unresolved, but on the whole I really enjoyed this one. I would definitely recommend it if you’re into books about pirates.
This was a high stakes pirate adventure, and it was a lot of fun. I did find the romance somewhat lackluster, and there was definitely some instalove (at least on her end), but the story was great. There were a lot of exciting pirate battles and the body count was surprisingly high for YA. I will say the ending did leave some things unresolved, but on the whole I really enjoyed this one. I would definitely recommend it if you’re into books about pirates.
August 21, 2025
3.5⭐️
I read this after I read Daughter of the Pirate King, and contrary to what other people may think, this book was NOT better than DotPK. Way too rushed, insta-lovey, and confusing. Laney wasn’t the most likable FMC. Aden wasn’t the most likable MMC. Decent read, but nothing to be thrilled about.
I read this after I read Daughter of the Pirate King, and contrary to what other people may think, this book was NOT better than DotPK. Way too rushed, insta-lovey, and confusing. Laney wasn’t the most likable FMC. Aden wasn’t the most likable MMC. Decent read, but nothing to be thrilled about.
June 17, 2025
If you like daughter of a pirate king (which I loved) I would definitely recommend this. The author did a really good job with the characters and the story development and I will probably come reread it in a year.
January 7, 2022
Ever since I finished watching "Pirates of the Caribbean" I've been craving a pirate adventure and boy did this book deliver! I honestly don't even have words. "Tides of Mutiny" is absolutely everything one could want for an adventure on the high seas: daring sword fights, secrets, double crossing pirates, running princes, badie sailor girls. It was perfection 😍. And the ending!?!! Ahhh, I can't get over it.
I need to know tho......WHERE'S BOOK TWO?!? I need it, like, NOW!! I sure hope Rode is planning on making a sequel because I have by no means had enough of Aden and Laney.
**
OVERVIEW
"Lane Garrow has a secret—one that could get her killed.
In a world where female sailors are executed, sixteen-year-old Lane’s dream of being a ship’s captain seems impossible. Sea life is all she knows, and she wouldn’t give it up for anything, even if it means she has to hide as a captain’s boy to avoid being killed. But Lane’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble when an old pirate enemy comes after her father. And she begins hearing rumors that her father was once a pirate as well.
Lane doesn’t want to believe her father could have a dark past, but she can’t help questioning everything she’s known. After all, Lane’s life at sea is built on lies—why couldn’t her father’s be, too?
Then a mysterious prince shows up, and Lane finds her very survival tied to a boy who could destroy everything. With pirates, betrayal, and death threatening Lane and those she loves, she must now decide between the future she always expected and a prince with an unknown agenda who she finds herself falling for. Lane must either protect herself and find a way to live her dream, or risk everything for a world where her very existence is a death sentence.
Maybe there’s a third option. After all, she’s never played by the rules before. Why start now?"
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Good examples honor and loyalty. Positive messages of taking pride in who you are and standing strong.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Mentions of spirits.
VIOLENCE
Several sword fights. Descriptions of pain and blood. Lots of death (semi-detailed). Injuries. Mentions of slaves. The Right of Steel is a duel to the death. Pirates attack. A girl seeks vengeance for her father's death. A girl is smacked across the face multiple times. Mentions of beatings. A boy is whipped (semi-detailed).
SEXUAL CONTENT
Noticing, touching and holding (not inappropriate). Two passionate kisses. Several other kisses. Mentions of men's bare tops. Laney has to pretend to be a boy so she isn't killed. A few make sexualized comments.
LANGUAGE
Very clean, I was pleasantly surprised. Mentions of cursing (nothing said). One person says "son of a --" but then stops and corrects himself.
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
Mentions of drunks.
OTHER NOTES
Great story! If you're craving a pirate adventure I'd highly recommend this one!! Recommended 13+ for violence.
**
~Happy Reading~
I need to know tho......WHERE'S BOOK TWO?!? I need it, like, NOW!! I sure hope Rode is planning on making a sequel because I have by no means had enough of Aden and Laney.
**
OVERVIEW
"Lane Garrow has a secret—one that could get her killed.
In a world where female sailors are executed, sixteen-year-old Lane’s dream of being a ship’s captain seems impossible. Sea life is all she knows, and she wouldn’t give it up for anything, even if it means she has to hide as a captain’s boy to avoid being killed. But Lane’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble when an old pirate enemy comes after her father. And she begins hearing rumors that her father was once a pirate as well.
Lane doesn’t want to believe her father could have a dark past, but she can’t help questioning everything she’s known. After all, Lane’s life at sea is built on lies—why couldn’t her father’s be, too?
Then a mysterious prince shows up, and Lane finds her very survival tied to a boy who could destroy everything. With pirates, betrayal, and death threatening Lane and those she loves, she must now decide between the future she always expected and a prince with an unknown agenda who she finds herself falling for. Lane must either protect herself and find a way to live her dream, or risk everything for a world where her very existence is a death sentence.
Maybe there’s a third option. After all, she’s never played by the rules before. Why start now?"
POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Good examples honor and loyalty. Positive messages of taking pride in who you are and standing strong.
SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
Mentions of spirits.
VIOLENCE
Several sword fights. Descriptions of pain and blood. Lots of death (semi-detailed). Injuries. Mentions of slaves. The Right of Steel is a duel to the death. Pirates attack. A girl seeks vengeance for her father's death. A girl is smacked across the face multiple times. Mentions of beatings. A boy is whipped (semi-detailed).
SEXUAL CONTENT
Noticing, touching and holding (not inappropriate). Two passionate kisses. Several other kisses. Mentions of men's bare tops. Laney has to pretend to be a boy so she isn't killed. A few make sexualized comments.
LANGUAGE
Very clean, I was pleasantly surprised. Mentions of cursing (nothing said). One person says "son of a --" but then stops and corrects himself.
DRUGS/ALCOHOL
Mentions of drunks.
OTHER NOTES
Great story! If you're craving a pirate adventure I'd highly recommend this one!! Recommended 13+ for violence.
**
~Happy Reading~
October 5, 2021
This was perfect. Strong leading female character who stays true to herself. Adventure. Pirates. Deception. And I will say that it kept me guessing for a good chunk of the book on where exactly the author was headed. I think this stands alone quite well by itself, but if there were to be a second book in the future set in this world I would be over the moon to read it.
There are only a few small things that I have questions about after finishing it, and maybe one small nit-pick, but overall I would highly recommend this book!
There are only a few small things that I have questions about after finishing it, and maybe one small nit-pick, but overall I would highly recommend this book!
January 25, 2022
I prefer sea to land so I didn’t enjoy the last 1/2 of the book as much as the beginning.
3.5 Stars
Content: fighting, death, murder, kissing
3.5 Stars
Content: fighting, death, murder, kissing
August 20, 2021
The story had a great start. However, towards the end... The shocking revelation close to the end left a lot to be desired. Great theme but poorly explored.
August 27, 2023
Not going to finish this reread I have seen enough
June 14, 2023
In the wise words of Laney Garrow, "Never underestimate a determined person with a knife."
Tides of Mutiny was a swashbuckling and high stakes read! I enjoyed it far more than Daughter of the Pirate King, and I'm actually glad that this was a LIGHT fantasy (as in, there wasn't TOO much worldbuilding, and it was easy to read/understand; no magic system either). If I had to sum this book up in five words, I'd say: pirate-y, high seas, unputdownable adventure.
Things I liked:
- Pretty clean (some kissing and unfinished cursing) and quite safe content-wise
- Relatable characters (Lane could be annoying at times though)
- High stakes
- Pretty good worldbuilding (touched on history, politics, and differences between realms, especially in regard to women's roles in society)
- Great fight/action scenes (sword-fighting and axes!!!)
- Disability rep (deaf side character)
- Loved the inclusion of sailor's accents with "aye" and "nay"
- Romance between Lane and Aden (even if it was basically insta-love)
- The plot was enjoyable (except for it being almost completely centered around miscommunication), and the pacing was pretty good (though it took until nearly 80% for the TRUE climax to occur)
Things I didn't like as much:
- Wished there was a little bit more worldbuilding (but at the same time, it was refreshing to not read an epic/high fantasy)
- The big twist at the end (felt thrown in versus planned; kind of predictable)
but also not? if that makes sense. Like "huh, cool" instead of "WOW I NEVER SAW THAT COMING" or "Well, obviously")
- The climax was over way too quickly (wanted more difficulty)
- The ending wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be (considering this is a standalone)
- A majority of the dialogue was too formal, considering most of the characters were sailors/pirates
Overall, this was a fun and exciting read. I'd recommend it for fans of Daughter of the Pirate King, Fable, Pirates of the Caribbean, and anything else pirate. However, it is geared towards lower YA (so 10-14), not upper YA.
Tides of Mutiny was a swashbuckling and high stakes read! I enjoyed it far more than Daughter of the Pirate King, and I'm actually glad that this was a LIGHT fantasy (as in, there wasn't TOO much worldbuilding, and it was easy to read/understand; no magic system either). If I had to sum this book up in five words, I'd say: pirate-y, high seas, unputdownable adventure.
Things I liked:
- Pretty clean (some kissing and unfinished cursing) and quite safe content-wise
- Relatable characters (Lane could be annoying at times though)
- High stakes
- Pretty good worldbuilding (touched on history, politics, and differences between realms, especially in regard to women's roles in society)
- Great fight/action scenes (sword-fighting and axes!!!)
- Disability rep (deaf side character)
- Loved the inclusion of sailor's accents with "aye" and "nay"
- Romance between Lane and Aden (even if it was basically insta-love)
- The plot was enjoyable (except for it being almost completely centered around miscommunication), and the pacing was pretty good (though it took until nearly 80% for the TRUE climax to occur)
Things I didn't like as much:
- Wished there was a little bit more worldbuilding (but at the same time, it was refreshing to not read an epic/high fantasy)
- The big twist at the end (felt thrown in versus planned; kind of predictable)
but also not? if that makes sense. Like "huh, cool" instead of "WOW I NEVER SAW THAT COMING" or "Well, obviously")
- The climax was over way too quickly (wanted more difficulty)
- The ending wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be (considering this is a standalone)
- A majority of the dialogue was too formal, considering most of the characters were sailors/pirates
Overall, this was a fun and exciting read. I'd recommend it for fans of Daughter of the Pirate King, Fable, Pirates of the Caribbean, and anything else pirate. However, it is geared towards lower YA (so 10-14), not upper YA.
October 22, 2021
I honestly really enjoyed Tides of Mutiny! This YA adventure with a romance mixed in was just what I wanted for reading as of late.
Lane's a sailor and she loves her life at sea on the Majesty, working under Captain Garrow, her father. There's just one problem: due to fairly recent historical events, women aren't allowed to be sailors in fear that they might be a pirate. In fact, being a women on a ship in general could risk execution. So Lane spends her life as the Captains boy.
Aiden is a boy on a secret mission. He need transport to a neighboring country immediately, and see's his opportunity after spotting Lane, and seeing right through her disguise.
The narration also gets a 4 out of 5 star for me. Caitlin Davies did great at the narration, there were just times I didn't feel like her style fit what I saw with Laney's character. On the other hand, she did a fantastic job when dealing with parts that handled death and loss. It was just some small nuances, but you could hear the sadness she put into a scene and it honestly felt like she was about to stop to cry at any second. And there was one scene that had a repeating phrase and it just felt... real. Like I was in Laney's head. I don't know, but I honestly would say that, even with the style not fitting in my mind, Caitlin Davies was a fantastic pick for narration.
This book had almost everything I love in a book- adventure, mysteries, and romance. I ended up not wanting to put it down and listening when I got the chance. There were some con's with it. I loved that the main character was a badass girl who despite the laws, was adamant about having her life her way. It was a very feminist book, and I love seeing a push for powerful female characters and equality. Sometimes though, movies, tv, and books can get a bit... preachy. It was only towards the end where I started to feel this way. For many, this could've been a great and empowering message, but I'm the kind of person who likes "tell me this without telling me" kind of books. Maybe that's just a me thing, but overall, it didn't affect the overall enjoyment I had for the book.
Another thing that didn't completely fit together for me was the romance and the setting. I loved it, but it also seems almost doomed to fail. They do get a HEA and with this series, I see it staying that way for what the book is. But each character dealt with loads emotional trauma while still having so much focus on each other. Something felt not right about that, maybe that in the real world they might want to grow and work through the trauma before going head first into a relationship, especially as teenagers. But it's a work of fiction and I'm a sucker for a love story, so I still loved seeing the actual romantic parts play out.
(Earl's List Book Club, October)
Lane's a sailor and she loves her life at sea on the Majesty, working under Captain Garrow, her father. There's just one problem: due to fairly recent historical events, women aren't allowed to be sailors in fear that they might be a pirate. In fact, being a women on a ship in general could risk execution. So Lane spends her life as the Captains boy.
Aiden is a boy on a secret mission. He need transport to a neighboring country immediately, and see's his opportunity after spotting Lane, and seeing right through her disguise.
The narration also gets a 4 out of 5 star for me. Caitlin Davies did great at the narration, there were just times I didn't feel like her style fit what I saw with Laney's character. On the other hand, she did a fantastic job when dealing with parts that handled death and loss. It was just some small nuances, but you could hear the sadness she put into a scene and it honestly felt like she was about to stop to cry at any second. And there was one scene that had a repeating phrase and it just felt... real. Like I was in Laney's head. I don't know, but I honestly would say that, even with the style not fitting in my mind, Caitlin Davies was a fantastic pick for narration.
This book had almost everything I love in a book- adventure, mysteries, and romance. I ended up not wanting to put it down and listening when I got the chance. There were some con's with it. I loved that the main character was a badass girl who despite the laws, was adamant about having her life her way. It was a very feminist book, and I love seeing a push for powerful female characters and equality. Sometimes though, movies, tv, and books can get a bit... preachy. It was only towards the end where I started to feel this way. For many, this could've been a great and empowering message, but I'm the kind of person who likes "tell me this without telling me" kind of books. Maybe that's just a me thing, but overall, it didn't affect the overall enjoyment I had for the book.
Another thing that didn't completely fit together for me was the romance and the setting. I loved it, but it also seems almost doomed to fail. They do get a HEA and with this series, I see it staying that way for what the book is. But each character dealt with loads emotional trauma while still having so much focus on each other. Something felt not right about that, maybe that in the real world they might want to grow and work through the trauma before going head first into a relationship, especially as teenagers. But it's a work of fiction and I'm a sucker for a love story, so I still loved seeing the actual romantic parts play out.
(Earl's List Book Club, October)
September 14, 2021
I don't have a lot to say about this one. The romance was pretty predictable and nothing special, which is what usually draws me in--so that wasn't great, but the pirate descriptions and immersion were really well executed. And the main character, even though she took a bit, really grew on me. The opening was very slow and the writing was almost stilted for the first 25%... I really struggled to get in, and then once they got on the sea, everything picked up and it was easy to lose myself in it. It was a great women empowerment story, and once it started it never let up.
A couple issues that bugged me were the cross-dressing plotline without any mention of trans characters, which I didn't love. It wasn't particularly offensive, but it just feels like a tired trope that steals from trans experiences in a way if that makes sense. And there was a deaf character at the end, who I think was done fairly well, but there were a couple moments where she felt like she was side-lined in conversations because of it. It wasn't super bad or anything, just made me feel a little off in a couple scenes.
Overall, a really enjoyable read. The author clearly did her research on sailing and everything because I cannot say enough how immersive that element of the story was, and towards the end, Laney really came into her own. So yeah, this was a fun, different-from-my-usual read.
A couple issues that bugged me were the cross-dressing plotline without any mention of trans characters, which I didn't love. It wasn't particularly offensive, but it just feels like a tired trope that steals from trans experiences in a way if that makes sense. And there was a deaf character at the end, who I think was done fairly well, but there were a couple moments where she felt like she was side-lined in conversations because of it. It wasn't super bad or anything, just made me feel a little off in a couple scenes.
Overall, a really enjoyable read. The author clearly did her research on sailing and everything because I cannot say enough how immersive that element of the story was, and towards the end, Laney really came into her own. So yeah, this was a fun, different-from-my-usual read.
April 30, 2025
“I’d spent my life believing that my femininity was something to hide, something to bury deep inside with shame. It made me different and vulnerable…” (378)
“She deserves to walk with her head high, to take pride in who she is.” (141)
“We all make ripples in the world, Lane. Some ripples die off, while others turn into waves that topple cities.”
I started this book with kinda low expectations but BOY WAS I WRONG. This book had so many elements that I loved. There was great adventure, a sassy protagonist, an ✨EXCELLENT✨ love interest (Aden pls marry me 🙏) and I loved the plot. I enjoyed every moment of this book and read it in less than 24 hours because I was so endorsed. There were also some really great themes about working hard towards your dreams and some empowering quotes about womanhood. This was my first pirate-y book and it was AWESOME! Would recommend to anyone who loves swashbuckling adventure!!! 😉
“She deserves to walk with her head high, to take pride in who she is.” (141)
“We all make ripples in the world, Lane. Some ripples die off, while others turn into waves that topple cities.”
I started this book with kinda low expectations but BOY WAS I WRONG. This book had so many elements that I loved. There was great adventure, a sassy protagonist, an ✨EXCELLENT✨ love interest (Aden pls marry me 🙏) and I loved the plot. I enjoyed every moment of this book and read it in less than 24 hours because I was so endorsed. There were also some really great themes about working hard towards your dreams and some empowering quotes about womanhood. This was my first pirate-y book and it was AWESOME! Would recommend to anyone who loves swashbuckling adventure!!! 😉
December 28, 2021
This book is so cruelly underrated!!!!!!!!
I absolutely loved this.
The first 40 pages were slow but once Lane and her Father’s crew took sail, I was hooked.
There’s so much action, adventure and pining!! 😈😈 Of course, there were some frustrating decisions made by the characters but it’s all in good fun. 😉
I loved that even though this book had so much going on, the author still made time to incorporate sweet and important moments between Aden and Lane. I enjoyed their romance very, very much.
I love a good pirate story and this book is my favorite that I’ve read (sorry, Daughter of the Pirate King!)
Honestly, I can’t think of one thing I didn’t like about this book…except that it ended.
This book currently stands as stand-alone but I’m hoping for a 2nd book that takes off with our characters a few years down the road?? 🤞🍀
I absolutely loved this.
The first 40 pages were slow but once Lane and her Father’s crew took sail, I was hooked.
There’s so much action, adventure and pining!! 😈😈 Of course, there were some frustrating decisions made by the characters but it’s all in good fun. 😉
I loved that even though this book had so much going on, the author still made time to incorporate sweet and important moments between Aden and Lane. I enjoyed their romance very, very much.
I love a good pirate story and this book is my favorite that I’ve read (sorry, Daughter of the Pirate King!)
Honestly, I can’t think of one thing I didn’t like about this book…except that it ended.
This book currently stands as stand-alone but I’m hoping for a 2nd book that takes off with our characters a few years down the road?? 🤞🍀
March 29, 2022
2.5/5⭐️
It wasn’t bad but it rly wasn’t that good.
Lane annoyed me a lot, and I think the love interest was shallow. I found the plot boring. I feel like there were a lot of gaps. Overall I don’t rly have much to say abt the book, which essentially sums it up.
It wasn’t bad but it rly wasn’t that good.
Lane annoyed me a lot, and I think the love interest was shallow. I found the plot boring. I feel like there were a lot of gaps. Overall I don’t rly have much to say abt the book, which essentially sums it up.
April 23, 2022
3/5
I was caught off guard when it said James Paterson but overall it was a nice read. I can never, NEVER get enough of pirates. Ugh it is my kryptonite when it comes to books. I found the characters alright. I wish Lane was explored a little more but I loved Aden
I was caught off guard when it said James Paterson but overall it was a nice read. I can never, NEVER get enough of pirates. Ugh it is my kryptonite when it comes to books. I found the characters alright. I wish Lane was explored a little more but I loved Aden
December 15, 2024
3.7 Stars ⭐️
This book started super slow but it gets a lot better towards the end! It was a great store and some reading good character I just wish it had more action throughout the entire book. I still enjoyed reading this book!
This book started super slow but it gets a lot better towards the end! It was a great store and some reading good character I just wish it had more action throughout the entire book. I still enjoyed reading this book!
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