The Pirate Queen

If you love historical fiction, this will be my fall recommendation for you! Who can resist a Merida-esque protagonist but on the high seas? From the time she could walk, Grace O’Malley has yearned to be with her father, a sea captain and powerful chieftain, out on the water. From the first time her father allowed it, it was easy to see that this was her destiny, but in sixteenth-century Ireland, her only job was to marry well, secure a strong alliance for her family, and bear children. She is in love with another, but due to his lack of status, the union is impossible, and she is married off against her will to a brutal man.

Fear not, though, my mermaids; Grace never loses her fiery spirit, and as she does the expected, having children and running her household, she is slowly gaining favor among her husband’s people. The unthinkable happens, allowing her to return to sea, fight off the greedy English, and defend her land, her people, and her ships, earning her the name “Pirate Queen.”

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