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Hook's Revenge

(Hook's Revenge #1)

Heidi Schulz (Goodreads Author),

John Hendrix (Illustrations)

really liked it 4.00 · Rating details · 1,088 ratings · 272 reviews

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. Wh ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Published September 16th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion

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really liked it 4.00 ·

Rating details

· 1,088 ratings · 272 reviews

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Feb 18, 2014 Erica rated it really liked it

Shelves: daddies-and-daughters, evil-creatures, judging-the-book-by-its-cover, fantasy, women-and-girls, adorable, fairy-tale-adaptation, famous-figures, bffs, orfums

Before I talk about how fun this story is, I have to make two confessions:
1) I have never liked the Peter Pan story (with one exception);
2) I internet-know the author and told her that if I ever met her in person, I would hug her face off and then I did meet her in person last year when she was touring for this very book and I did actually hug her face off. I even have a picture but I'm not going to share it because I don't want you to see how terrified Heidi looks in my vicious embrace because ...more

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Sep 04, 2013 Mel (Daily Prophecy) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fairytales-retellings, favorites, incoming-2014, read-2014, owned-books

http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...

ADORABLE. Delightful. Magnificent. Those are three words that pop up in my head when I think about this book. I want to thank Debby and Daph for the book club meeting, because it pushed me to buy this book despite my book buying ban. This was exactly what I needed.

Jocelyn’s grandfather sends her away to school to make sure she turns into a fine young lady. It doesn’t work out. Jocelyn has always wanted to be a pirate like her feared father Captain Hook. Wh http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2...

ADORABLE. Delightful. Magnificent. Those are three words that pop up in my head when I think about this book. I want to thank Debby and Daph for the book club meeting, because it pushed me to buy this book despite my book buying ban. This was exactly what I needed.

Jocelyn’s grandfather sends her away to school to make sure she turns into a fine young lady. It doesn’t work out. Jocelyn has always wanted to be a pirate like her feared father Captain Hook. When her best friend Roger is send away from school and a mysterious letter from her father arrives, Jocelyn sets sail to Neverland. She must avenge her father’s dead.

"If Ambrose wanted a display of manners, she would give him one. For the next quarter of an hour the girl laughed too loudly, slurped her soup, dribbled gravy in her lap and used her sleeve instead of a napkin."

You cannot stop yourself from falling in love with Jocelyn. This girl is feisty! She is a true rebel and she doesn’t let anyone stop her from becoming the person she wants to be: a pirate. Jocelyn is also a clever and brave girl. You have to admire her confidence and she often made me laugh with her actions. You better not try to tell her what to do, because she will do the exact opposite. I also need to talk about Roger and I have to agree with Debby: I SHIP THEM. Roger is exactly the kind of boy Jocelyn needs. He seeks adventure and he supports her without question. The first time they meet he immediately accepts her role as Captain and they were the cutest thing ever. But I’m happy that they have a friendship for now, it made the story much more realistic.

There are also a couple of other adorable characters. There is Smee, who is a little messed up after losing his Captain and the crazy crew who made me laugh out loud. It was fun to see how they react on Jocelyn and how there is no one questioning her because she is a girl. This book speaks of so much girl-power! Especially in the scenes were Jocelyn meets Peter Pan, who is insufferable. This book also features one of my favorite things: beautiful illustrations.

The next thing that amused me was the sarcastic voice from the storyteller. I think this way to tell Jocelyn’s story would be perfect to read as bed-time story for your kids – and it makes the story feel more grown-up and suited for adults as well. I don’t listen to audiobooks, but this would be great with a good voice actor! I image Tom Hiddleston reading this with his Loki-sass.

"For example, I once read a book about getting rid of unwanted pests. I felt that I was quite the expert, and yet here you sit."

I can’t wait to return to Neverland and see more of the adventures from Jocelyn, Roger and her unique crew! ...more

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Feb 15, 2015 Catherine Doyle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I feel like I don't get to use the word 'Swashbuckling' half enough in real life, which is one of the main reasons I wanted to read this book. Well, that and it looked amazing, which it was, as it turns out.

Jocelyn is the daughter of Captain Hook, but she's not exactly living the high-seas lifestyle - instead she's stuck in a boarding school with a bunch of snooty girls and dreaming of life as a pirate. Then, one day, a message reaches her - her father has been killed by a crocodile, and she is ...more

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Aug 31, 2013 Jen Malone rated it it was amazing

Hooks Revenge tells the story of Jocelyn Hook, daughter of Captain Hook- yes, THAT Captain Hook- who is a not-so-evil-hearted chip off the old block. She is the kind of girl who keeps spiders in her pocket, eschews hair brushes and corsets, and gobbles up adventure novels by the dozen. When a letter from her estranged father arrives, Jocelyn jumps at the chance to ditch finishing school and head "second to the right, straight on til morning." (although her method of transport is a bit more... un ...more

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Apr 25, 2015 Rachel Gunter rated it liked it · review of another edition

Rating - 3.5

This is the second book I've read this month set in Neverland, but they were both really different so it didn't get repetitive. I loved the storyline of Hook having a daughter, and her avenging him by going after the crocodile. I would have liked to see Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, and Tiger Lily a bit more, but it was still enjoyable. I'll definitely read the sequel when it comes out.

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Feb 20, 2015 Kate Ormand added it · review of another edition

Heidi Schulz puts a fun spin on one of the most magical and wondrous fictional lands. I’m a sucker for villains. I really am. So it immediately grabbed my interested at the mention of Captain James Hook! And I loved learning more about him alongside his daughter, Jocelyn, on her quest for revenge.

I liked Jocelyn from the minute she burst on to the page, setting paper boats on fire, swinging a wooden sword, and scouting for enemy ships on the horizon. She’s a dreamer, and an absolute delight. Unf ...more

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Jul 18, 2014 Emmie Mears rated it it was amazing

I felt like a glutton after finishing this book. I'm on deadline and recovering from bronchitis, and somehow this was exactly the best thing for me to read, exactly now, exactly here.

This book is, front to back, a complete and utter delight. I don't read much YA or middle grade at all, but this is a book I wish I could go back in time and hand to a young Emmie, who DESPERATELY wanted a hero like Jocelyn to look up to and emulate. As a child who was always cutting her own hair and looking for the ...more

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Feb 09, 2015 Skip rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Jocelyn Hook is a tomboy, who dreams of following her famous pirate father, Captain James Hook. But, she is sent to a prissy girls school to learn manners, but her behavior and consorting with a young orphan boy gets her expelled. Meanwhile, a letter arrives from her father asking her to slaughter Neverland's famous crocodile, who has killed him so she heads off to adventure. The rag tag group of pirates are funny as are the Lost Boys, but I wanted to punch the narrator repeatedly. So obnoxious.

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Jun 03, 2014 Debby rated it it was amazing

Shelves: bea-2014, debut, debby-books, own-read, covergasm, reviewed, for-review, brb-flailing, series-starter, met-the-author

5 freaking amazing stars

I don't even think I can recall the last time that I've been so utterly freaking delighted about a book - that I loved every minute of it and happily put it on my "everything-i-wanted" shelf on Goodreads. Hook's Revenge, Heidi Schulz's amazing middle grade debut, completely swept me off my feet. I'm head over heels for a book... and a middle grade book at that. You know what, don't even read my review, I can't do this book justice - just go buy this book right now.

...What ...more

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Aug 13, 2014 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, goodreads-first-reads, adventure

Originally published at http://www.logcabinlibrary.blogspot.com/

I absolutely adored Hooks Revenge. It is a very sweet story about a girl that longs for her mother, father and a little adventure in her life. I loved Jocelyn's seemingly look of "wide-eyed innocence," while at the same time she is brandishing swords, carrying spiders in her pocket, and coming to the dinner table with "twigs in her unruly dark curls, muddy knees, and grass stains on the seat of her pants." Jocelyn was such an endear Originally published at http://www.logcabinlibrary.blogspot.com/

I absolutely adored Hooks Revenge. It is a very sweet story about a girl that longs for her mother, father and a little adventure in her life. I loved Jocelyn's seemingly look of "wide-eyed innocence," while at the same time she is brandishing swords, carrying spiders in her pocket, and coming to the dinner table with "twigs in her unruly dark curls, muddy knees, and grass stains on the seat of her pants." Jocelyn was such an endearing character she speaks to you with her willfulness and tomboyish ways. She is also very resourceful when put in a bind. Yet, there was also this softer side to Jocelyn, that was filled with self doubts and a desire to live up to the Hook family name. Jocelyn seemed to struggle over wanting to do what she felt her father expected of her, but also not wanting to fail. Jocelyn really grew throughout the story, she became more confident in herself and started to see what really mattered to her.

While at the finishing school Jocelyn meets Roger. It's like kismet, they both want to be pirates, have adventures, and they spend time together reading books and looking at maps. Roger is the one who helps Jocelyn figure out how to fit in with the expectations at her school by saying "the way I see it is this: When it comes to your lessons. Miss Eliza pipes and you have to dance - but who is to say you can't choose your own steps?" They make for a great team and their friendship shines throughout the story. Plus, the bantering they share is quite humorous.

Schulz defiantly plays homage to Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie in Hooks Revenge. There are plenty of mermaids, Peter Pan, fairies, pirates, and even the dreaded crocodile with his tick-toking clock. But for me, it's the wonderful voice of the unknown narrator who provides the laugh out loud dialogue. There is something comforting in that voice that I just can't put my finger on. Don't get me wrong though, the narrator is kind of cantankerous too, but oh so funny, like this line: "There is no use putting it off any longer; it is time to tell what I know, lest the girl's story die with me. Settle in, I suppose. Do be sure not to touch anything, and for heaven's sake, please don't breathe so loudly. If you're comfortable, I'll pour myself a little drink and begin. If you are not comfortable, I'll begin anyway. Your comfort is of little concern to me." Hook's Revenge is a wonderful story that will easily appeal to boys or girls who are looking for swashbuckling pirates and a little adventure of their own.

Many thanks to the publisher Disney Hyperion, as well as Goodreads for this first reads giveaway. ...more

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Oct 11, 2014 Mehsi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: children-but-also-for-adults, octarine, warning-english-books, cover-love, there-be-pirates, 4-5-twinkling-stars

4.5 stars.

This book was terrific. I finally have a new kick-ass heroine to add to my list! Jocelyn is just a wonderful character. While she is a total tomboy, she also doesn't mind girly things at times.

The book starts off with an introduction and takes place at Jocelyn's grandfather's place, then in the second part of the book we are at a boarding school/finishing school and lastly we are finally in Neverland!

Jocelyn is totally awesome, I really like it when girls kick some ass, and she is rea 4.5 stars.

This book was terrific. I finally have a new kick-ass heroine to add to my list! Jocelyn is just a wonderful character. While she is a total tomboy, she also doesn't mind girly things at times.

The book starts off with an introduction and takes place at Jocelyn's grandfather's place, then in the second part of the book we are at a boarding school/finishing school and lastly we are finally in Neverland!

Jocelyn is totally awesome, I really like it when girls kick some ass, and she is really doing that in this book. But, she is also showing her human side by being afraid, by worrying, by wondering about things. I really loved this and Jocelyn was quite a diverse character.
I loved how she took her heritage and just went to do it. Though she didn't expect all the problems she would encounter.

Problems like several very annoying boys (Lost Boys + Peter Pan), a crocodile that is just a bit too much too handle, cannibals, bad pirates (yes, you also have really bad pirates) and several other things.

It was delightful that most of this book took place in Neverland and how everything felt like it came from the original book. A lot of the things that were mentioned brought me back on a nostalgia trip. Fairy villages, Tiger Lily's village, Lost Boys, Pirates. Of course Peter Pan, just brought me on a nostalgia rage party. Seriously, I never really did like him much. I hated his attitude, how he treated girls/woman (And no I am not a feminist, I just don't like it when boys treat girls like shit), I disliked his lack of responsibility and there are several other instances. I was already glad we barely saw much of Tinkerhell (not a misspelling, this is one of my many names for her).

I do wish we had seen some more of Captain Hook, he is one of my favourite villains. Luckily we still get enough references and also some backstory about him!

The only thing that could make this book more awesome (yes, it is already awesome, but it can always become more awesome), would be if there were illustrations. Now the only illustrations we get are at the chapter beginnings.

I would highly recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a new book about Pirates, Kick-ass girls and a nostalgia trip back to Neverland.

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/ ...more

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Feb 07, 2014 Louise Galveston rated it it was amazing

I'd been looking forward to reading Hook's Revenge from the first time I'd heard of it, and I was certainly not disappointed. In fact, this witty saga about the adventures of Jocelyn Hook (yes, HIS daughter) was every bit as smart and hilarious as I'd expected. What I didn't expect was to shed a few tears over the fate of the heroine, and to be treated to so much beautiful language and description.

This is a lot more than a mere "hardy har har" pirate comedy. This is rich--a real treasure. Althou ...more

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Aug 13, 2014 Crystal | decorating.reader rated it it was amazing

COMPLETELY in love with this book!! It was so cute and SO much fun. I am such a fan of anything to do with Peter Pan and Hook stories and this one did not disappoint! It had a lot of the original characters plus a whole crew of new ones! We even got new fairies!! Can not wait to dive into The Pirate Code!!

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Sep 16, 2014 Nicole Pramik rated it liked it

Shelves: middle-grade, books-reviewed, fantasy

Hook's Revenge, by Heidi Schulz, is the first of two books featuring the same setting and characters. Here, we're introduced to Jocelyn Hook, the one and only daughter of the famed and feared Captain James Hook. Jocelyn really would prefer a pirate's life but her ward wants to turn her into a proper young lady. But Jocelyn won't stand for it. In her quest to defeat the reptile menace that killed her father, Jocelyn heads to Neverland to settle the score. But it turns out a pirate's life is more Hook's Revenge, by Heidi Schulz, is the first of two books featuring the same setting and characters. Here, we're introduced to Jocelyn Hook, the one and only daughter of the famed and feared Captain James Hook. Jocelyn really would prefer a pirate's life but her ward wants to turn her into a proper young lady. But Jocelyn won't stand for it. In her quest to defeat the reptile menace that killed her father, Jocelyn heads to Neverland to settle the score. But it turns out a pirate's life is more than she bargained for.

For starters, how cool is this cover? It just screams fun to me, which was part of the reason why I picked it up. The other reason was that I thought the premise sounded interesting: what if Captain Hook had a daughter who turned out to be a pirate, too? Normally, stories based on pre-existing ideas and characters don't appeal to me, but Hook's Revenge was a pleasant surprise.

Jocelyn Hook is a fun, spunky heroine, and while she's not entirely original in terms of personality, she is memorable and holds her own. She knows what she wants to do in life and has the brains to back up her plans. Granted, and to the author's credit, she doesn't come across as too smart or too mature for her age, so she's convincing as a young girl but definitely not the average young girl next door. She's all cute and innocent to your face but becomes a smart, cheeky, sneaky little lass when your back is turned. (Just wait until she gets her mitts on her sword - then she'll show you who's boss!)

The other characters, some of which are taken from Peter Pan, are also fun and fit in with the story's light-hearted tone. Another aspect I also liked was seeing Peter Pan, who makes a few appearances here, cast in a semi-villainous role. Considering that Jocelyn's father battled Pan, it just makes sense that the boy who wouldn't grow up would be pit against Hook's offspring. The dynamic here between Jocelyn and Peter works and is perfectly believable as it avoids being either too saccharine or too hostile.

Plot-wise, the novel is easy to follow, and while it's not utterly predictable, the way everything flows together is probably what you'd suspect. The early chapters, which relate Jocelyn's time at a young girl's finishing school, are the slowest portions in that the general environs stay fairly static. Granted, this allows for Jocelyn's character to be developed as well as establish her relationship with the boy Roger, but I was kind of wanting to get on with the pirates and away from the snooty schoolgirls.

And speaking of pirates, naturally we meet up with Mr. Smee, who is glad to round up some pirate folk for Jocelyn's voyage to avenge her father's death. These minor characters are bit cartoonish but that's perfectly forgivable. Likewise, we learn a secret about the origin of this low-level crew that is worth not being spoiled. If you're a pirate fiction purest, you probably won't like this book. But rest assured there is still plenty of scurvy behavior, from grog drinking to drunk singing to even loud belching. These gents are kid-friendly but still get into skirmishes, granted it never ends with blood and guts spilled on deck. I suppose some people could argue that kids might get the wrong impression about pirates by reading stories where they're depicted as heroes, but I beg to differ. That's where parents and guardians can step in to set the record straight - story pirates are (usually) okay, real-life pirates, not so much.

Also, I was surprised that the novel didn't end on a cliffhanger, paving the way for the next book. It actually does finish and tbook can stand on its own, so there are no annoying denouements that leave you hanging. Sometimes I don't understand why books need to be part of a series or trilogy and I miss stand-alone novels. So for that, I appreciated the fact that Hook's Revenge is its own tale and that you don't have to rush to read the second book as this one has 99% closure of its story.

To be fair, Hook's Revenge is probably a better fit for independent readers than adults. It isn't one of those annoyingly sappy kids books, thankfully, but I just sense the writing style and overall story would appeal more to kids. On that note, one of the book's major messages is that if you believe in yourself, you can accomplish your goals. That's great but the only slight issue I take with that (and perhaps explaining this might have been a little more than what a kid's book could manage), is that you can do anything you have a talent to do - you can't do everything. Likewise, this message is related to Jocelyn by another character a bit too overtly. But again, taking the target readership into consideration, this is not a criticism. I'm someone who likes to explore deeper meanings as opposed to being openly told what the book's message or theme is. So for kids, this is fine.

Regarding content, this book contains no profanity or suggestive language. As far as violence goes, there are fight scenes as well as some tense moments but they're infrequent and certainly not graphic. Probably the toughest scenes, emotionally-speaking, are when Jocelyn encounters the ghost of a loved one. While it's intended to tug the heartstrings (and it does so in a non-sappy way), very young readers might get scared simply because it involves a ghost or may think that deceased loved ones could communicate with them in like fashion. (But such children might be too young to even want to read this book.) Lastly, this book is also devoid of any sexual content; and while Jocelyn's nighttime meetings with Roger are viewed in a less than innocent light by some characters, nothing even remotely suggestive occurs between them.

Overall, Hook's Revenge is a feather-weight read that is fun for kids and adults, though I sense kids might enjoy it a little more. The novel benefits from a fun main character who is easy to root for as well as a good pace to the plot. Though die-hard pirate fans might deem these Neverland scurvy dogs a little too safe, the majority of readers will like this as a light read. Overall, this was a departure from my usual fare and I was glad I picked it up as it stayed true to its cover's promise of being a colorful romp. ...more

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Dec 10, 2018 Jason rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-to-cass, read-in-2018

If this was a bit shorter then this would have got a higher rating, it is a nice idea for a book but the middle of the story, the coming of age part, drags, so much so that we got distracted and read another book for a break.

It is an interesting story, Captain Hook had a child, she currently goes to a boring school where girls learn to be proper, unfortunately she has too much pirate blood in her to fit in. Eventually she ends up in Neverland she the reader gets to meet new characters and visit ...more

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Aug 05, 2017 Michele Benson rated it liked it

I thought this book was extremely witty and I really enjoyed the descriptive language. "A miasma of overripe fish, gun smoke and unwashed bodies hung in the briny air....For the first time in her life, Jocelyn felt truly at home." This is exactly the kind of book I would have enjoyed reading to my daughter when she was younger. I am looking forward to the next Bee Book.

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Nov 10, 2013 Celeste_pewter rated it really liked it

Who doesn't love a spunky protagonist with a (in)famous father, who's determined to escape the confines of polite society and fulfill her destiny as a famous pirate?

Because that's exactly what you're going to get with Heidi Schulz's incredibly fun debut novel, Hook's Revenge.

Schulz introduces readers to Jocelyn, the daughter (a.k.a. "female offspring") of fiercely renowned pirate Captain James Hook. She's a feisty girl who doesn't fit into the mold of polite society, and spends more time tryin ...more

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Sep 09, 2014 Gina (My Precious Blog) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Gina (My Precious Blog) by: Debby

Shelves: fantasy, fairytale-retellings, middle-grade

Most everyone is familiar with the story of Peter Pan and the nefarious Captain Hook, but I don't think many know Captain Hook had a daughter. Hook's Revenge focuses on the story of Hook's only child, a spirited young gal named Jocelyn Hook. When the story opens, we find the youngster raising the roof at her grandfather's house, where Jocelyn is cared for since a pirates life is no life for a little girl. She's a total tomboy and her grandfather fears she will never be able to find a suitor unle Most everyone is familiar with the story of Peter Pan and the nefarious Captain Hook, but I don't think many know Captain Hook had a daughter. Hook's Revenge focuses on the story of Hook's only child, a spirited young gal named Jocelyn Hook. When the story opens, we find the youngster raising the roof at her grandfather's house, where Jocelyn is cared for since a pirates life is no life for a little girl. She's a total tomboy and her grandfather fears she will never be able to find a suitor unless someone is able to put an end to her shenanigans. So he ships her off to a notorious finishing school. Not long after Jocelyn's arrival she receives a letter from her father stating he has met an untimely death at the teeth of an evil beast, a crocodile. He tells her as his only heir he has nothing really to give her except for a task to avenge his death and kill the croc. Of course, Jocelyn must rise to the challenge and a crazy misadventure begins. Hook's Revenge has a many different settings, at first a boarding school and then the oceans and after that the Netherlands. The story is told from a cantankerous omniscient narrator who is sarcastic and will keep readers laughing. Pacing is moderate and remains steady throughout the book. Jocelyn is a determined girl. She possess spunk, vigor and wits. In the beginning she really just lacks self confidence. I adored watching grow and change into a fierce heroine as the story progressed. Her crew are a jumble of misfits, each with his own quirk. For example we have a blind pirate who really can see, but covers both eyes with eye patches to give him the appearance of being site challenged. Jocelyn's best friend Roger, is present for the first third of the story. He's a kind hearted boy and immediately takes a liking to Jocelyn, even though she's a girl. This is a light entertaining story filled with hilarious misadventures. There are cannibals, fairies, mermaids and even mean girls. One of my favorite aspects of the story was the grumpy narrator. He has some pretty great lines. Another part to this story is its an inspirational read for young girls. It shows them if you believe in yourself, great things can happen. What a fantastic, powerful message. I really enjoyed how the story wrapped up. When I turned the last page I was left with a feeling of contentment. I learned all that I want to about how everything turned out. What was even more exciting is the author left room for a potential sequel. I'd recommend this story to both young readers and adult readers. There is definitely enough substance to this book to entertain both audiences. Its a clean read and I think it would be suitable to both boys and girls since there is quite a bit of adventure and action, especially near the end of the tale. ...more

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Jul 08, 2017 Nikki rated it it was amazing

One of the most fun MG novels I've read!

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May 01, 2015 Orlanda Machado rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, series-duologies-trilogies, books-i-own, free-from-publishers-or-authors, my-paperbacks, read-in-2015

Original Blog Review: http://landamac.weebly.com/blog/revie...

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review

I received this book in exchange for an honest review !

Hook’s Daughter was quite a nice reading, I’m not going to say that I loved it because I didn’t, but I enjoyed it a lot… it is kind of a r ...more

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Apr 03, 2014 Robin Herrera added it

Shelves: debut, middle-grade, fantasy, 2014

What a book! I couldn't wait to read this book ever since I heard about it. With the premise of "Captain Hook's daughter, Jocelyn, journeys to the Neverland to exact revenge on the Crocodile who ate her father," how could you resist?

The humor was evident from the first opening lines. A wickedly funny narrator takes charge of this story, and I found myself laughing every time his passages came up. The other thing that was evident was the inventiveness and pure fun of Jocelyn's adventures, which r ...more

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Jun 12, 2014 Harrison Schwartz rated it it was amazing

I was lucky enough to get Hook’s Revenge as an ARC from BookCon. The actual book comes out on September 16, 2014. It is Heidi Schulz’s debut novel.

This story is about Captain Hook. Not the Captain Hook from Peter Pan. This story is about Captain Hook’s daughter, Jocelyn, and how she escaped from finishing school and battled the dreaded beast that killed her father, The Neverland’s Crocodile. This is cool because I always wanted to know what happened after Peter Pan defeated Captain Hook. By the ...more

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Dec 22, 2013 Gaby rated it it was amazing

Love this adventure so very much. Longer review to come!

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Dec 22, 2016 Michele Knott rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-grade, read-in-2016

I always enjoy stories with plucky characters - the ones you root for because they aren't perfect.

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Jun 29, 2014 Jen (Pop! Goes The Reader) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, middle-grade, fantasy, read-in-2014

Did you find this review helpful? Find more of my reviews at Pop! Goes The Reader!

“There have always been pirates. Why, even as far back as Eve, on the day she was considering whether or not to eat that apple, a pirate was most certainly planning to sail in and take it from her.”

If there’s one thing that twelve-year-old Jocelyn Hook has always dreamt of becoming, it’s a pirate. It does run in her blood, after all. Although she has never met him, Jocelyn’s father is none other than the infamous a ...more

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Mar 09, 2015 Barb Middleton rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, adventure

Heidi Schulz mirrors J.M. Barrie's, "Peter Pan," using a narrator that interrupts the story and gives adult-like comments as a satire on society's views. However, Barrie's narrator satires parenthood, keeping up appearances, and wanting to be special, (to name a few), while Schulz's narrator is light in tone and pokes fun at etiquette, manners, and finishing schools. Peter Pan is a boy that lives in childhood for eternity. Peter staring through the glass window of the nursery listening to Mrs. D Heidi Schulz mirrors J.M. Barrie's, "Peter Pan," using a narrator that interrupts the story and gives adult-like comments as a satire on society's views. However, Barrie's narrator satires parenthood, keeping up appearances, and wanting to be special, (to name a few), while Schulz's narrator is light in tone and pokes fun at etiquette, manners, and finishing schools. Peter Pan is a boy that lives in childhood for eternity. Peter staring through the glass window of the nursery listening to Mrs. Darling tell bedtime stories to her children is a symbol of Barrie's yearning for a romantic or simplistic childhood that doesn't really exist. Heidi Schulz uses Jocelyn Hook as the protagonist who wants to grow up and does throughout the story. There is nothing romantic about her characters. While her plot takes elements from Barrie's classic structure she tries to modernize the politically incorrect parts and create her own piece. It's an ambitious task. She succeeds for the most part in a very clever book.

Captain Hook's daughter Jocelyn is being raised by her grandparents. She's wild and has no manners turning the household into chaos. She's sent to a boarding school where she is rejected and singled out by the head mistress. Unhappy, she makes a friend with a boy her age, Roger, who works in the kitchen. Roger is unfairly fired because the head mistress thinks he and Jocelyn are interested in each other romantically. On the same day that he leaves, Jocelyn receives a posthumous note from her father, Captain Hook, asking her to avenge his death by killing the monstrous crocodile that ate him. She sets off to Neverland and hires an inept pirate crew that is similar to "Peter Pan"; yet, this updated version takes out most of the stereotypes, racism, and sexism while creating characters that do want to grow up. Humor is littered throughout that will have you singing yo-ho and yapping like a pirate.

Barrie portrays Wendy, Tiger Lily, and Tinkerbell as damsels-in-distress that are dependent on Peter to save them. The jealous interactions between the female characters result from them seeing their importance, self-worth, and identities through Peter not within themselves. Wendy plays the stereotyped housewife that won't go on the Lost Boys adventures and is content to feed them, give them medicine, and read them stories. Heidi Schulz presents the exact opposite. Jocelyn is the author of her own adventures and is in the middle of the action. She saves Roger and is the hero of her own story. She is not larger than life at the finishing school, but is in the imaginative world of Neverland. She's not always that likable, but she's a strong person and willing to face her fears of being abandoned, making friends, and failing her father. Neverland not only represents Jocelyn being imaginative, it shows her learning to believe in herself and have the confidence to grow up and be the captain of her own adventures.

The plot takes certain elements from the Peter Pan series but mostly when Jocelyn goes to Neverland. The first part shows Jocelyn feeling trapped in school and wanting adventures. This is the school girl story with the misfit girl being bullied. This is the author's creation that has references to "Peter Pan," such as Roger, jolly chap, who is named after Hook's ship "The Jolly Roger" and the skull and bones pirate flag. Or there is maidservant Gerta that sounds like she'd make a good pirate and the school girl, Nanette, that sounds a bit like Nana the nurse dog in the original. Jocelyn and Peter can't wait to explore the world and plan on having great adventures. They are excited to grow up. It isn't until an enormous raven named, Edgar, flies Jocelyn to Neverland that nods to the classics are seen from mermaids to natives.

When Jocelyn ends up being taken to Neverland, the author has the plot follow elements of Barrie's books although it is completely her own adventure and explores a character doing the opposite of Peter Pan. The book gets more silly here and pokes fun at the classic. Her pirate crew is the 16th best on the island and they pretend that they've lost limbs in a battle. One-armed Jack has two perfectly good arms but pretends he lost the other in an epic fight with enemies on a rival pirate ship. He's so thrilled when the crocodile actually bites it off it takes the violence out of the scene. One-armed Jack yells in joy as his arm disappears that he doesn't have to pretend anymore and can brag all he wants. It made me think of Mr. Darling in Barrie's story who wants to be important and is thrilled when he gets media attention for sleeping in the dog's house as a vigil after he believes Wendy and his two sons have been kidnapped by villains.

Then there is the whole mother business. In Barrie's book, Peter and the Lost Boys want a mother. Captain Hook and his pirates kidnap Wendy because they want a mother. When Jocelyn screams at her crew to pay attention, they respond, "We're sorry, Mother." "Mother? Mother! Which of you dogs dares to call me mother?" She didn't wait for a reply. "I am not your mother. I am your captain, and you would be wise to address me as such." In "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens," Peter gets one wish from the fairy, Queen Mab, and he wishes to see his mother. At the climax, Jocelyn does the same thing but her experience is the opposite of Peters. While Peter's mother has forgotten him, Jocelyn's mother gives wise advice that allows Jocelyn to grow up.

The Cannibals are stereotyped with their choppy English language and desire to be English. There is a bit of colonialism in that the natives want to meet royalty. In an ironic twist Jocelyn teaches them manners and table etiquette. The author pokes fun at the absurdness of how complex eating is for royalty. Critics have cited the cultural insensitivity of Peter Pan toward Natives that are presented as savages. Schulz presents them as idiots as well and while its funny, the humor is at the expense of the indigenous people. It is interesting to examine classic and modern literature as it relates to current cultures. It is easy to see why Huck Finn, for instance, is controversial in its portrayal of African Americans. I found the portrayal of Joe offensive at the end but can see how Twain was imitating the minstrel shows that were acceptable at that time. Here, Barrie is representing commonly held conventions such as presenting Natives as savages or wimpy Victorian women with specific motherly roles in society. I don't like it, but find it interesting from a historical perspective. What I don't like about Schulz's portrayal of the Natives is her poking fun at languages and how people speak. She's actually showing Jocelyn being a dip by shouting at the Natives - a common and annoying trait people do when someone doesn't understand a foreigner attempting to communicate in the native language. What I don't like is making fun of people that speak broken English. Of course, most people laugh at my Chinese (I live in Taiwan) because it is so bad so I know I'm overly sensitive to this. Take it for what it is worth.

Roger has forgotten who he is in Neverland. He can't remember Jocelyn and is stuck in childhood. In the real book Peter Pan wants a kiss from Wendy but never really understands what it is. Schulz uses the same feature in her book except by the end Roger and Jocelyn know exactly what a kiss means and seem to be okay with that. The two want to grow up and move on. They don't want to be stuck like hamsters on an endless wheel-of-childhood.

Peter Pan makes an appearance in this book and is a selfish braggart just like in the original. He takes credit for Jocelyn's actions and is fearlessly cocky. He likes to put himself in danger rather than take the easy way out which is also the same as he was in "Peter Pan." He fights Captain Krueger's pirate crew by joining Jocelyn's crew, but then decides to battle Jocelyn's crew. He isn't going to fight her crew in the same way. That would be too easy. Instead he decides to have the Lost Boys find poison apples to kill them. Peter is playacting one of the stories he's been told called, "Snow White." He just can't separate stories from his reality. Schulz does a terrific job with melding the classic with her own original ideas. Weigh anchor with this fun tale and hit the seas. ...more

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Jul 11, 2017 Karissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-2017

What an adorable read! I love retellings or prequel/sequel to famous fairy tales and whatnot. Many of the Peter Pan-esque books I've read have left me going meh (Unhooked and Tiger Lily come to mind) so it was nice to see that this book was based around Captain Hook (whose backstory someone should write because I would totally read it).

Jocelyn is 12 years old and lives with her grandfather, who wishes she were more ladylike. But Jocelyn idolizes her father, the great and feared Captain James Ho ...more

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Apr 22, 2018 Hayley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: personal-library

Hook's revenge is a fun and exciting book. My two sons, age 7 and 10 at the time of reading, absolutely loved it from beginning to end. Jocelyn is an intriguing and entertaining character, the writing is absolutely hilarious, and it has a really great plot that makes sense for the characters and the universe it is set in. full disclosure I do know the author personally, but that did not influence my love of the book. It only made me love the author more

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Aug 20, 2017 Kim rated it liked it

This is not my usual read, but a book I enjoyed as part of an online book club. A great tale of imagination and adventure. Perfect for any child that loves Peter Pan.

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May 28, 2014 Diamond rated it really liked it

Shelves: children-s, retelling, cutesy, humor, 2014-releases, middle-grade, fae-faeries, adventure, arcs, magic

My complete review (with gifs - on my blog @ Dee's Reads

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

This is the tale of Jocelyn Hook. She's the 13 year old daughter of the infamous Captain Hook, whom she doesn't know. Jocelyn's mother is dead, and her father is obviously busy doing pirate-y plundering and doesn't have any interest in raising a daughter. So that responsibility falls to her grandfather, who is having an incredibly difficult time of it. After many wild encounters and "disgraceful" behaviors, her gran My complete review (with gifs - on my blog @ Dee's Reads

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

This is the tale of Jocelyn Hook. She's the 13 year old daughter of the infamous Captain Hook, whom she doesn't know. Jocelyn's mother is dead, and her father is obviously busy doing pirate-y plundering and doesn't have any interest in raising a daughter. So that responsibility falls to her grandfather, who is having an incredibly difficult time of it. After many wild encounters and "disgraceful" behaviors, her grandfather finally gives up and sends Jocelyn to Miss Eliza Crumb-Bittlecomb's Finishing School for Young Ladies. Jocelyn has a horrible time at the finishing school. Catty girls who are snobby and completely different than her mar her days. Her only friend is the cook's boy, Roger. He loves adventures and they hole up together reading about pirates and ships and dream about having their very own adventure someday. That comes sooner than they might think, but in an altogether different manner that they imagined. When things got really bad at the school, Jocelyn received her first letter from her father. Too bad the letter informed her of his death. He died at the jaws of the Neverland crocodile and details her inheritance in the letter: she is to kill the crocodile and avenge her father's death. With that awful news and the promise of adventure, Jocelyn flies to Neverland.

Jocelyn soon meets my favorite character of Neverland -- SMEE! I was so happy Smee was in this novel. He's just how I pictured him to be from the stories of Barrie and the Disney movie I love so much. Jocelyn entreats Smee to find the best crew available to journey and kill the crocodile. Unfortunately, only a rag-tag crew actually enlists when they find out the Captain is a girl. We have a man who wears two eye patches, a man who puts his arm under his shirt and pretends he only has one arm, and other hilarious would-be pirates with zero experience. But, Smee is happy to be serving under a Hook. Especially one who so reminds him of the late Captain (in more ways than Jocelyn suspects).

This is when the novel really gets good. I just loved how Jocelyn took charge of each situation and went along with the adventure even if it wasn't the adventure she pictured. Roger became one of the Lost Boys (yes, they're in here too!) and unfortunately doesn't remember her at all. Tinkerbell is Peter Pan's annoying fairy, but we don't see much of her or Pan. We do see the fairy court though, and Jocelyn meets one very special fairy prince who I hope gets to reappear in the sequel. I actually loved that we see more of the secondary characters of Peter Pan. We don't meet Wendy and her brothers, but Wendy is alluded to in hysterical ways. I found Captain Hook's side of things to be more interesting, anyway. Tiger Lily and her tribe are only one of the many groups of natives that reside in Neverland. Neverland is always changing, and people from all time periods come and go. It's a really cool concept, and I loved the exploration of that. Ever since Captain Hook died, more and more pirates have been migrating into Neverland, and staking claim. Some are trying to find Captain Hook's lost treasure. But Jocelyn Hook didn't see it in the trunk of what her dad left her. That doesn't stop an evil pirate from trying to capture Jocelyn, though.
Oh, and I can't forget the mermaids. Schultz kept them as vain, snobby, and horrible as always. There is one particular scene that I really liked that included the mermaids. I won't give it away, but if you read the book (you do plan on reading the book, right?!) you'll know which one I mean. ;) I just can't tell you how impressed I was with this story. It's a fantastic debut. I felt like it was authentic with the original story AND the Disney adaptation. I felt like I was getting a new story, and that was important to me. Jocelyn is a lovable, flawed, non-girly character with a lot of moxy. I really really hope there will be a sequel, and I think there could be with how things ended. I found myself surprised, angry, and I even teared up a teeny bit at the end! This book was just so loveable. I recommend this book to: lovers of fairy tales, lovers of Neverland, and strong female characters. I think those of you who aren't usually big on middle-grade will enjoy this novel. It definitely is middle-grade, but it's so enjoyable that if you are in the mood for a really good book that happens to be light and adventurous, you won't do wrong by picking this one up. :tup *I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. -Diamond ...more

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About Heidi Schulz

Heidi Schulz

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NYT bestselling author Heidi Schulzlies to children for fun and profit. She is the author of Hook's Revenge, Hook's Revenge: The Pirate Code, and Giraffes Ruin Everything. Heidi lives in Oregon with her husband, their teen daughter, a terrible little dog, and dozens of dust bunnies.