The Ship of Shadows

Aleja whiles away her days in her family's dusty tavern in Seville, dreaming of distant lands and believing in the kind of magic that she's only ever read about in books. After all, she's always being told that girls can't be explorers.

But her life is changed forever when adventure comes for her in the form of a fabled vessel called the Ship of Shadows. Crewed by a band of ruthless women, with cabin walls dripping with secrets, the ship has sailed right out of a legend. And it wants Aleja.

Once on board its shadowy deck, she begins to realize that the sea holds more secrets than she ever could have imagined. The crew are desperately seeking something, and their path will take them through treacherous waters and force them to confront nightmare creatures and pitch-dark magic. It will take all of Aleja's strength and courage to gain the trust of her fellow pirates - and discover what they are risking everything to find. {goodreads summary}

Today is the first day of the blog tour for The Ship of Shadows! This pirate (and cake!) filled adventure story is gripping from the first page to the last and I was so exited to be asked to take part in this tour. Here are three reasons I loved this story and think you will too:

1. I loved the magic in this story. The shadows, the unexpected rooms, everything was so wonderful.  Young readers will adore this world and be desperate to visit. It's full of surprises and amazement, and felt like a story where anything could happen. There is so much more I want to know about Kuzniar's world and I'm already looking forward to book two. 

2. The settings in The Ship of Shadows were rich and full of details. I'm not sure I could pick a favourite location because they were all so fantastic. They come to life with vivid descriptions, sights and smells, and I would have stepped into the pages if I could.

3. I couldn't possibly end this review without mentioning Kuzniar's brilliant band of pirates. They were all unique and exciting, and readers will be desperate to sign up to join Captain Quint's crew. I particularly loved Frances and her fondness for cake. Aleja's desire for adventure is also contagious. She's a brave, clever and resourceful protagonist. 

I can't wait to discover what adventures this exciting explorers get up to in book two. The Ship of Shadows is not to be missed.