The minute I found out about this book, I wanted it. A pirate fantasy starring a transmasc nonbinary teen who seeks revenge?! It reminded me immediately of Our Flag Means Death! To make matters even more exciting, I also found out that Vico Ortiz, the amazing actor who plays the nonbinary pirate in OFMD, is going to narrate the audiobook. Since OFMD is my current obsession, I took this as a clear sign that I was meant to read this book. And I did. and I loved it!

The Wicked Bargain has everything for me. Good characters, good plot/plot twists, good writing, representation among the characters, intriguing world-building/magic. It’s hard for me not to like this book, especially when I was hooked right from the start.

The writing style here is good, easy to follow. And yet, there’s a subtlety to it that adds to the mystery and the twists in the plot. I also appreciate how it pulls us back from Mar’s perspective and gives us some sort of flashback that is crucial to Mar’s story.

Speaking of Mar, the characters are amazing in this book. They definitely made this story so unique and exciting on its own. Mar is a compelling main character. You can see their grief and doubt, especially at the start of the story. It was nice to see them grow and accept their identity as the story went on. And of course, I loved the genderfluid demon, Dami. I love how confident they are in their skin and how they command the reader’s attention whenever they’re on the page. And Bas, I adored Bas. However, I wanted more of his characterization, maybe to dive a little deeper into his wants and aspirations.

As for the romance, I kind of expected more? But at the same time, I liked the softness and innocence of Bas and Mar’s relationship. They banter around, Bas annoys Mar sometimes, Mar remains unimpressed most of the time. They’re just funny and lovely together. I feel like I wanted to see more of that, more of their little moments together as well as pivotal moments in their relationship.

When it comes to the plot and the world-building, I loved the blend of magical elements and historical inspirations. On one hand you have Mar’s magia and El Diablo and the myth of the forbidden magic. But also, you get to see elements pulled from real life, like Latinx people resisting and fighting the Spanish colonization, and Carribean pirates and their life on the seas.

Though the plot seemed simple, you were easily pulled in and hooked into the story. Suddenly, you find yourself following Mar and the rest of these pirates into raids and shore leaves, demon deals, and bar fights. You’ll want to know what will happen next—if Mar will get the revenge they’re looking for, and if they will finally learn to wield their power. The story just gets better and better as you flip the page.

Overall, this book was a wonderful read, and it surely did not disappoint. And now, I want more stories from this world.