The Wicked Bargain

Ages 12 And Up, Grades 7 And Up

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.

Story Locale:1820's Caribbean

Series Overview: This is a stand-alone YA fantasy. The second book with Gabe publishes the same season (Spring 2024) and is not a sequel to The Wicked Bargain but takes place in the same world.

About the Author

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

Author Residence: Medford, MA

Author Hometown: Boston, MA