Lately my reading challenge prompts have lead to some reads I didn’t love, but this was a reminder of why I do them—to discover great new authors I wouldn’t have otherwise sought out! This absolute joy of a read blended together fantasy and historical fiction in such a fun way. Nix, her father, and their crew time travel on a pirate ship, and I was fascinated by how Heilig combined fiction with fact. I gained a totally new insight on Victorian-era Hawaii, as the native population was seeing the end of their self governance and American/British forces were gaining more power in the region. Nix was such a lovable main character, and I adored how she peppered in her knowledge of literature and mythology. Truly right up my alley! The ship’s crew was a delightfully diverse found family, a trope I always appreciate. I definitely think I’ll read the sequel!