Personally, the closest I’d ever want to get to a life of piracy is International Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19th, in case you’re wondering). Still, it doesn’t get more fun than reading about pirates. Pirate stories are full of adventure and romance, not to mention a healthy dose of history. So, yeah, I’d choose a reader’s life over a pirate’s life any day. But I’ve got to admit these historical pirate fiction books make it look pretty exciting. Not glamorous and certainly not easy, but exciting.
Book Riot has covered SFF pirate books and pirate romances, but where are all the historical pirate fiction books? Well, I’ve got some for you right here. Keep reading for that, as well as some exciting new releases.
Bookish Goods
Message in a Bottle Foil Bookmark from Skulls and Succulents
Can you ever really have enough books or bookmarks in your collection? I don’t think so, and neither does this Etsy shop full of gorgeous bookmarks. $8
New Releases
The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames
Release date: July 23, 2024
When an American woman shows up in a small town in Southern Italy in the 1960s after a recent flood, she’s shocked to find an unidentified skeleton. She’s even more shocked that the police aren’t investigating it. So when a local woman asks for her help in determining if the remains are those of her son, Francesca is all too happy to help. But Francesca is an outsider here, unaware of the criminal forces at play. Before the mystery is solved, she might just have to decide between uncovering the truth and staying alive.
Wings to Soar by Tina Athaide
Release date: July 23, 2024
In this historical middle grade novel told in verse, Viva and her family reckon with the terror and heartbreak of becoming refugees when they’re expelled from Uganda in 1972. Just as they’re beginning to find community and friendship in a refugee camp in London, they relocate to a neighborhood where they’re instantly made to feel unwelcome. And until Viva’s dad arrives, they can’t finish their journey to Canada. When hatred surrounds you on every side, how do you find the strength within to keep going? Viva will have to figure out the answer for herself in this strange new life.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Yo ho, yo ho, a reader’s life for me.
The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye by Briony Cameron
Based on the true story of one of the few female pirate captains said to sail in the Caribbean, The Ballad of Jacquotte Delahaye follows a young shipwright forced to go on the run. Now an indentured servant under a ruthless pirate captain, Jacquotte tries to keep herself and her new friends safe under Blackhand’s iron rule. But when she discovers deep-seated treachery at play, she must decide just how far she’s willing to go for the people she loves.
Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig
Shek Yeung didn’t start out as a legendary pirate queen, but when she sees her husband murdered right in front of her, she knows she’ll have to act quickly to retain control. An agreement with her husband’s second-in-command gives her power over half the fleet, but new threats from outside the pirate fleet may be just as dangerous. With the Chinese Emperor determined to rid the South China Sea of pirates and Europeans tired of losing their ships to Shek Yeung’s fleet, she’s still at risk. And this time she has so much more to lose.
Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown
A chef and a pirate captain might seem like an odd couple, but their relationship is at the heart of this historical pirate romp. Owen Wedgwood is a renowned 19th-century chef, but now he’s a captive of the pirate Mad Hannah Mabbot. She’ll spare him—as long as he cooks her delicious meals every week. Soon, much to his chagrin, Wedgwood begins to see the terrifying pirates of Mabbot’s crew as friends in this wild tale of piracy, cooking, and adventure on the high seas.
If you want to talk books, historical or otherwise, you can find me @rachelsbrittain on most social media, including Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy.
