El Diablo is in the details in this Latinx pirate fantasy starring a transmasculine nonbinary teen with a mission of revenge, redemption, and revolution--now in paperback! On Mar León de la Rosa's sixteenth birthday, el Diablo comes calling. Mar is a transmasculine nonbinary teen pirate hiding a magical ability to manipulate fire and ice. But their magic isn't enough to reverse a wicked bargain made by their father, and now el Diablo has come to collect his payment: the soul of Mar's father and the entire crew of their ship. When Mar is miraculously rescued by the sole remaining pirate crew in the Caribbean, el Diablo returns to give them a choice: give up their soul to save their father by the harvest moon, or never see him again. The task is impossible--Mar refuses to make a bargain, and there's no way their magic is a match for el Diablo. Then Mar finds the most unlikely allies: Bas, an infuriatingly arrogant and handsome pirate--and the captain's son; and Dami, a gender-fluid demonio whose motives are never quite clear. For the first time in their life, Mar may have the courage to use their magic. It could be their only redemption--or it could mean certain death. "Pirates and romance, dangerous magic and demon curses — this book has it all! THE WICKED BARGAIN is an immersive, vibrant adventure with swashbuckling, secrets and deals with a devil. Come for the epic fantasy adventure in the Caribbean, stay for the diverse cast, romantic tension and heart-warming found family!" — Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys “An entertaining , swashbuckling action story with a truly unique premise.” — Paste Magazine ★ "A swashbuckling tale brimming with sorcery." —Publishers Weekly , starred review ★ “Novoa’s story celebrates identities often othered in our world by representing them as ordinary here. A lineup of Latinx characters, gender-fluid demonio, and slow-burning romance beautifully round off this fantasy.” — Booklist , starred review "This romantic coming-of-age fantasy offers endearing, flawed heroes, an enticing villain, and high emotional stakes. An alluring high-seas adventure. " —Kirkus Reviews " Sets the standard for inclusive, swashbuckling romance ; it’s adventurous, fun, and highly recommended ." —School Library Journal “Pirating adventures with a good amount of fun, magic, demonios, diablos, and gender-affirming experiences make this an easy and entertaining read .” —The Bulletin " A must-read for anyone still obsessed with Our Flag Means Death, Black Sails, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; anyone in desperate need of more gender expansive BIPOC young adult fantasy ; and anyone who wants a rollicking adventure full of magic and mayhem ." —Tor Online Gabe Cole Novoa (he/him) is a Latinx transmasculine author with an MFA in Writing for Children who writes speculative fiction featuring marginalized characters grappling with identity. When he isn't being nerdy at his day job or buried under his TBR pile, you’re likely to find him making heart-eyes at the latest snazzy outfit he wants to add to his wardrobe. Gabe is the author of the Beyond the Red trilogy, written under a former pseudonym. He also runs a popular writing-focused YouTube channel, bookishpixie, and is active on Twitter. @thegabecole Chapter 1 August 3, 1820 Papá says water speaks to those willing to listen. On the night Mar arrived silently in the world, the ocean danced and clapped in time with the roaring thunder and unrelenting rain. Mar’s parents named them after the sea ­because the water had celebrated so fiercely, it nearly sank ­La Catalina when Mar took their first breath. Of course, Mar has no memory of their birth, but they imagine it was probably a night like tonight: dark as ink and so wet that they can barely keep their eyes open against the downpour. Fitting, as today’s their sixteenth birthday. Mar leans against the rail of the crow’s nest, squinting into the storm. The warm rain pelts their face and paints their lips, seeping into their mouth and soaking their clothes until their black linen shirt clings to their brown skin. Thunder like an army running through the tempest rolls through them. The rain is heavy and feels like drumming on their skin; though it’s hard to separate the rain’s embrace from the uneasy magia humming in their bones. Mar presses their hands down their rain-­slick arms, trying to ignore the fact that the edges of their black markings are glowing orange. The “birthmark” weaves over their arms and chest and down their legs like thick, black mazes. At least now Mar is old enough to pretend their markings are tattoos. Mar shakes their head and takes a deep breath. They can argue with their magia later. Leo, the quartermaster, sent them up here to peer through the blurry, endless sheet of rain to the raging waters. La Catalina is supposed to be nearing Isla Mujeres, off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. It’s where Mar