The Pirate Code by Heidi Schulz

Title: The Pirate Code
Author: Heidi Schulz
Series: Hook's Revenge #2
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Source: BEA & eARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review (thanks Disney-Hyperion!!)

Summary from Goodreads:

Fresh off a fearsome encounter with the Neverland crocodile, Jocelyn Hook decides the most practical plan is to hunt down her father's famous fortune. After all, she'll need the gold to fund her adventuring in the future. (And luckily, Hook left her the map.)

But the map proves to be a bit harder to crack than Jocelyn had hoped, and she's convinced that the horrible Peter Pan might be the only one with the answers. Of course, he doesn't really feel like helping her, so Jocelyn takes the only reasonable course of action left to her: she kidnaps his mother. Evie, though, is absolutely thrilled to be taken prisoner, so Jocelyn's daring ploy doesn't have quite the effect she'd planned for.

Along with the problem of her all-too-willing captive, Jocelyn must also contend with Captain Krueger, whose general policy is that no deed is too dastardly when it comes to stealing Hook's treasure. And with the ever-shifting Whens of the Neverland working against her as well, Jocelyn, Evie, Roger, and the rest of the Hook's Revenge crew have their work cut out for them.

In this rambunctious showdown between characters new and old, Jocelyn puts her own brand of pirating to the test in a quest to save her future and those she loves.

Review

Reading Hook’s Revenge might have been the best decision I ever made. At the time, I didn’t really give Middle Grade a chance but I saw some friends sharing quotes from the book on Goodreads and it sounded so much like a ME book that I found a copy and started reading it almost immediately. And OMG it was one of the most entertaining books I have EVER read. Naturally, the sequel was then at the top of my 2015 most wanted list. And I am happy to report that it was every bit as enjoyable as the first book. In fact, I might have even enjoyed it more, if that is possible.

For starters, the narration is simply genius. It’s told in 2nd person by an absolute grump of a man who is both hilarious and unpredictable. It’s so good that I’m not just IN LOVE with this series but I’m OBSESSED with it. Just start reading and you’ll immediately see what I mean and I promise you that you won’t want to put the book down again. It is a delight.

Jocelyn wants nothing more than to be a pirate and go on adventures just like her dear old dad (although in a slightly less fear-inducing way). In Hook’s Revenge, she traveled to Neverland to defeat the crocodile who claimed her father’s life. Now, with that nasty business taken care of, she’s on the hunt for her father’s famed treasure trove. But her journey is fraught with obstacles - the infuriating Peter Pan and his lost boys who are anything but helpful, a couple face offs with the terrifying Captain Krueger, and the unexpected (but not unwelcome) arrival of her Mother from a different When - and more. Not to mention, Jocelyn is still trying to figure out how to be a good Captain at the ripe age of 12. And her crew is made up of the poorest excuses for pirates. They are 100% endearing but 100% dysfunctional. And yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. I loved the dynamic between all of the characters in this story.

I love the unique perspective on Neverland and all of the characters we’ve grown familiar with through other stories. I loved the adventure of it all with its unlimited possibilities. It’s fun, cute, charming, hilarious, exciting and more. This is easily one of my favorite series and a must read!

Hook's Revenge by Heidi Schulz

Title: Hook's Revenge
Author: Heidi Schulz
Series: Hook's Revenge #1
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: September 16, 2014

Summary from Goodreads:

Captain Hook's feisty daughter hits the high seas to avenge her father's death at the jaws of the Neverland crocodile in Heidi Schulz's spirited middle-grade debut.

Twelve-year-old Jocelyn dreams of becoming every bit as daring as her infamous father, Captain James Hook. Her grandfather, on the other hand, intends to see her starched and pressed into a fine society lady. When she's sent to Miss Eliza Crumb-Biddlecomb's Finishing School for Young Ladies, Jocelyn's hopes of following in her father's fearsome footsteps are lost in a heap of dance lessons, white gloves, and way too much pink.

So when Jocelyn receives a letter from her father challenging her to avenge his untimely demise at the jaws of the Neverland crocodile, she doesn't hesitate-here at last is the adventure she has been waiting for. But Jocelyn finds that being a pirate is a bit more difficult than she'd bargained for. As if attempting to defeat the Neverland's most fearsome beast isn't enough to deal with, she's tasked with captaining a crew of woefully untrained pirates, outwitting cannibals wild for English cuisine, and rescuing her best friend from a certain pack of lost children, not to mention that pesky Peter Pan who keeps barging in uninvited.

The crocodile's clock is always ticking in Heidi Schulz's debut novel, a story told by an irascible narrator who is both dazzlingly witty and sharp as a sword. Will Jocelyn find the courage to beat the incessant monster before time runs out?

Review

My first thought upon starting Hook's Revenge, when the very first paragraph made me laugh, was "This is going to be a good time" and my first thought upon finishing this book was "I should read more Middle Grade" and every thought in between was equally as positive and indicative of how much I enjoyed this book.

Jocelyn is the daughter of the infamous Captain Hook and the apple didn't fall far from the tree. She's spirited, unrefined, and up-to-no-good and I say all of that with endearment. She craves adventure and after a brief (yet amusing) stint in finishing school she gets just that when she sets sail for Neverland to avenge her father's death. I loved being back in the Neverland setting and having yet another perspective on all of our favorite characters. This book was full of adventure, wonderful characters, and lots of pirate references. Have I won you over yet?

As if that isn’t enough, the narration is one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. The narrator is not Jocelyn, but some anonymous storyteller that reminded me of David Thorne (if you are familiar with the reference). It was frank, ungracious, and unapologetic and again, I say all of that with endearment. The beginning of every chapter had these little references or tangents that were hilarious and unexpected. Basically, the delivery was delightfully entertaining.

To say that I enjoyed this book immensely would be an understatement. It was everything I didn’t know I needed and I wish I had more of it. Read it!