Magic Marks the Spot: A Middle Grade Pirate Adventure with Magic and a Talking Gargoyle for Children (Ages 8-12) (Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates, 1)

This one was actually a little better than I had hoped. It's about a girl named Hilary, a Naval Admiral's daughter, who doesn't want to go to finishing school--she only wants to be a pirate. Hilary, and her magical talking gargoyle, run away from finishing school to answer an advert looking for freelance pirates for a special mission. Mayhem generally follows, including a situation where Hilary finds some terrible things out about a loved one. She has to make quick decisions, in the end, whether to do the right thing (even though it may be hard on a personal level) or let the loved one carry on with misdeeds. In a land where real pirate treasure is magical ore, not regular gold or jewels, and little of the real treasure remains, bad things are afoot. Hilary and her troupe of friends set out to find the real treasure before the opposition, even though many have tried and failed before.Reading as adult, the plot was a bit thin at times. I had figured out how Miss Pimm must be involved in the larger plot quite early on, but the journey of getting to the end was still fun. Sprinkled through out with humorous excepts from the VNHLP Handbook, Miss Pimm's Guidebook, and newspaper articles, this is a cute and funny read. Themes of friendship pepper the story. I did think when it came down to crunch time concerning the villainous relative, Hilary's choice of making the hard right choice (stopping them) or maybe easier wrong one (letting them carry on) was a bit easily decided. Content-wise, there's not much here for parent's to be concerned about. Some minor pirate oaths, like "Blast!" and such. A tiny bit of romance (nothing overt) runs through a bit of the story. It's a bit silly at times, but it really is rollicking fun. I might be back to visit Hilary and The Gargoyle once book 2 sets sail.

Bummer the series ended. Because we are having a hard time finding a series to catch our attention like these did!

This book was hilarious, exciting and touching all at once. My family all read it together, and we really looked forward to reading time each day. We all loved it! We finished the last of the Harry Potter series over a year ago and really hadn't found anything to fill the void--until the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates came along. My son loved the swashbuckling pirates, the magic, and he laughed out loud routinely as we read. I loved all of this too, and actually got choked up at a few parts that underlined the importance of loyalty to friends and putting other people's needs before your own, and just how good trust and appreciation can feel once they are found. We were so grateful for this gem of a book, and we can't wait for the sequel to come out! When we finished, we had that familiar feeling of "that was great, but now its over". My son immediately said "We can read it again until the next book comes out!" We've since listened to the audio book too, and it was even more magical. We couldn't get enough of it!

Magic Marks the Spot is terrific! It's laugh-out-loud funny, and its heroine, Hilary Westfield, is smart and determined, a fine role model for any girl (or boy, for that matter). This is a book with a tremendous amount of heart. Hilary’s journey from the halls of Miss Pimm’s Finishing School for Delicate Ladies to the deck of the pirate ship, the Pigeon, parallels her determined drive towards independence. “Magic Marks the Spot” is a testament to friendship, loyalty and bravery, served up with boatloads of rollicking good humor. All the characters, from Hilary's hilarious sidekick, the gargoyle, to the sea dogs and scallywags of the High Seas, are crafted with wit and great good humor. Anyone who enjoys uproarious episodes of piratical swash and buckle (and duels on the High Seas with tins of beets) will find “Magic Marks the Spot” to be the treasure trove they’ve been looking for.

I really enjoyed this story. With plots and fun action packed turns,this book is great for tween readers! The characters are absolutely hilarious, and they each have great personalities! I would highly recommend this book. Arrr matey, and good day to you!

Sabrina and I read the first three chapters of this delightful adventure during her holiday break. We each read until we were tired, and then we switched off. Since I live in Florida and she lives in Philly, we finished the book in our own homes on our own Kindles. This book was delicious for both of us.

We loved this so much! It is well written, with clever dialog, great action,and just the right amount of humor.

Carlson is a writer who knows what she's doing. This story is carefully crafted, with three-dimensional characters (LOVE the gargoyle!), lots of suspense, and delightful humor. The premise is original and the writing is skillful. There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot, so even the most astute young readers will stay engaged and surprised. And this is the first book in a series, so I guarantee that your kids will be eagerly awaiting the second installment. A must-read for pirates of all ages!

This book takes the theme of pirates and hidden treasure and mixes it with a dose of magic and etiquette. I suspect this was written with a female audience in mind, but my 3 boys (10-7) loved it. Looking forward to when the next one becomes available on kindle.

Wonderfully read, engaging story for the whole family to enjoy. Made our long car ride go so smoothly! Will be getting the whole series of audiobooks to continue the fun.