Review originally posted at The Children's Book and Media Review

Hilary Westfield is now Terror of the Southlands and everything a pirate should be. Well, that’s what she thought anyway until Captain Blacktooth tells her that unless she does something truly piratical—finding a treasure, defeating dueling masters, killing a sea monster, or something along those lines—she will lose her status as a part of the VNHLP. When the Enchantress goes missing, she and her crew decide that they need to do everything they can to rescue her. Along the way they have to compete with incompetent investigators and a mysterious group called the Mutineers whose plans could change their way of life. Between swashbuckling episodes on the high seas and a High Society Ball, Hillary is able to learn more about what it takes to be a pirate.

The second of this series is just as charming as the first. The Gargoyle is as entertain as always, this time working diligently on an autobiography about what an excellent pirate he is. Again the story is told partly through letters, newspaper articles, and other communications between major and minor characters. The letters can be entertaining, but some of the text can be hard to read. The growing friendships between the characters have a lot of good lessons, and Hillary’s determination to be a pirate while not being mean or villainous is inspiring. This book will leave readers exited for the last book in the series, The Buccaneers’ Code. ( )

Even though the third and final book in the series, it does not let you down. It is filled with humor, magic and adventure. This would be a good series for reluctant readers to try. ( )

When a pirate appears at Westfield Hall asking for Hilary Westfield, Terror of the Southlands, and pledging his support to her, she is dumbfounded. Her mother is angry because she has no love for pirates. He explains that he is responding to an ad she placed in the Gazette looking for supporters to her challenge of Captain Blacktooth to the presidency of Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates. Hilary is confused since she placed no such ad. When a second pirate knocks at the front door, Hilary becomes more concerned and agitated.

As it turns out, someone actually did put an ad in the Gazette to force Hilary to decide whether she is indeed going to challenge Captain Blacktooth, the outcome of which is a sea battle, the loser being banished from Augusta forever and forced to live in the Pestilent Home for Foul-Tempered Pirates. The future of Augusta and the use of its magic are at stake.

In this third and last offering in the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series, Caroline Carlson has brought back all of our favorites: the Gargoyle and Eugenia Pimm, to name a few and our not so favorites such as Captain Westfield and Captain Blacktooth. There are usual twists and turns, humor and shivers, in this final offering.

For some reason, I didn't feel like the book lived up to the high standards of the first two books. Still in all, it was enjoyable. If you are looking for a fun book for tweens or if you want to reward your tween self, the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates is a fun series beginning with X Marks the Spot and Terror of the Southlands and ending with The Buccaneers' Code. ( )