Steel by Carrie Vaughn

It was a slender length of rusted steel, tapered to a point at one end and jagged at the other, as if it had broken. A thousand people would step over it and think it trash, but not her.

This was the tip of a rapier.

Sixteen-year-old Jill has fought in dozens of fencing tournaments, but she has never held a sharpened blade. When she finds a corroded sword piece on a Caribbean beach, she is instantly intrigued and pockets it as her own personal treasure.

The broken tip holds secrets, though, and it transports Jill through time to the deck of a pirate ship. Stranded in the past and surrounded by strangers, she is forced to sign on as crew. But a pirate's life is bloody and brief, and as Jill learns about the dark magic that brought her there, she forms a desperate scheme to get home—one that risks everything in a duel to the death with a villainous pirate captain.



Isn't this the most beautiful cover? I love it. Really maybe one of my favorite covers ever.

That said, don't be fooled. The cover is the greatest thing about this book. The story dragged, and there was too much description where none was needed, and too little when it would have been helpful. The "romance" was pretty much non-existent, as was the "really fabulous pirate story."

I am still on my quest to find a awesome YA pirate novel. Romance preferable. Steel, unfortunately, just didn't do it for me. Overall, it was pretty "blah" in my opinion. Anyone have any Pirate-themed suggestions for me?? That aren't bodice-rippers? Help a sister out!!

Happy Reading!