Blurb: Forced into an abusive marriage and a destiny out of her control, Amethyst of the fae flees to the seas looking for freedom. However, she finds the oceans rough and wild, which leaves her searching for something more.
After discovering life as a merchant is less than what she had hoped, Amethyst wonders if the life of a pirate will fulfill her dreams. Accompanied by her ever-loyal friend and mage, Darien, Amethyst begins to learn what it truly means to be a pirate and what it will take for her to gain what she seeks. Fighting to overcome her past and all manner of cutthroats, she believes taking a ship for herself and becoming a fearsome captain is what will grant her desires. But she also must choose if she will do so at the cost of her dignity. As indications of war rise on the seas and Amethyst finds herself hunted at every turn, she must fight back or else be returned to the very life she escaped.
Review: As a fae princess, Amethyst is forced into a marriage with a vicious and abusive male. She flees from his cruelty with her faithful servant and sets out on her dream to earn her freedom. The way she wants to do this is to become a pirate captain. First she must work her way up the ranks and earn a reputation. Yet will becoming a pirate captain give her the freedom from being ruled she desires or will Amethyst be more restricted than ever?
This was a fantastic start to a fantasy series. Fae, magic, and piracy! There's great world building with the fae's dominancy in the world and all the other hidden races. I loved when one would pop up now and then like phoenixes and griffins. Lots of details about the ships and life at sea. There is no prettiness painted over the brutality of a pirate's life here. It's bloody and tough. Amethyst must do what she needs to do to become what she dreams to be. She has my sympathy from the beginning and I love that she's such a strong and determined female. She never wavers from what she wants. While that is admirable, it also keeps her from growing. Yet this is the first in a series, and hopefully we'll see more growth in her character in the next book. There are a lot of interesting characters she meets, but none are given such depth as she has. There are steamy moments but no romance. I can't wait to see where Amethyst's life takes us next.