The Cask Of Cranglimmering by Dawn Vogel

 

Captain Svetlana Tereshchenko had been one of the country's best pilots before she left the military.  Now she flies a rogue ship, The Silent Monsoon, with a crew of renegades from all over the world and makes her living by her wits.  She still has allies from her days at the academy and in the service but she also has enemies who would like nothing better than to see her behind bars.

When Svetlana hears that one of the legendary whisky casks of Cranglimmering has been stolen, she sees an opportunity.  If she can only find it before all those looking for it, she can use it as a bargaining chip and to make a fortune.  In the process of looking for it, she finds an island which had left the Alliance decades before and a hint of what else the cask would mean.  Can she find it before everyone else?

This is the first of a fantasy trilogy.  It would best be considered young adult as it is simpler than many of the other books in this genre.  Svetlana is an interesting character and her crew each have distinct personalities and backstories.  The book would be considered in the steampunk subgenre of fantasy.  Svetlana is the main character and the story of how she lost an eye and that of her loves is yet to be revealed.  This book is recommended for fantasy readers.