All About Middle Grade Review: Hook's Revenge

Hook's Revenge (Hook's Revenge, 1) by Heidi Schulz, illustrated by John Hendrix, September 16, 2014. 304 pages. Published by Disney-Hyperion. Source: borrowed from library.

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.

First Sentence:

There have always been pirates.

After waiting almost a year to get the chance to read Hook's Revenge I can cross it off my books "I wish to read" list thanks to my library taking my book purchase suggestion. *yay library!!*

I have been thinking over this review, for, well entirely too long!! Hook's Revenge was just so incredible that it has taken me so long to be able to write down my thoughts on it. From the storytelling, character depiction, and overall awesomeness that makes up Heidi Schulz' debut, so, it is no surprise that I am only just now writing this.

I guess you could say that I was sold on this book by the first page and the subsequent pages just sealed the deal. There was just something about the irritable narrator that really pulled me in, so, when the story kicked off with the introduction of Jocelyn and her dream of finding her father, Captain Hook, and being a fearsome pirate, well, you could say it hooked me in. While it was interesting to see why she so wanted to chase after him, it was the mystery surrounding her mother that really intrigued me.

Jocelyn was such an interesting character to read about as there were so many sides to her personality and history. I really liked how at first glance she seemed as just obsessed with pirates and waiting for her father to come find her, followed by her hurt over the loss of her mother. It was really interesting to watch her deal with her feelings for both of them especially as the story surrounding them started to come to light. Ah, from a readers standpoint, the character arc and story development were just excellent!!

With all this work trying to get down my thoughts on Hook's Revenge, I cannot help but get psyched up for the second volume of Jocelyn's adventures! Seriously though, Heidi Schulz has done a wonderful, wonderful job of retelling Peter Pan from the view point of Hook's daughter. I cannot recommend this brilliantly done book enough because her writing and storytelling just pull you in and the characters keep you glued to the page!!

Final Verdict: Hook's Revenge-  Feisty and thirsting for adventure, Jocelyn may get more than she bargained for as she sets out to chase her pirate dreams! This is one thrilling read that you cannot miss out on!!

Hook's Revenge earns

this book was borrowed from my local library. All thoughts are my own.