BBNYA Finalist Spotlight: The Revenge of Captain Vessia by Leslie Allen

One of the things I enjoy most about the Book Bloggers' Novel of the Year Award is discovering indie titles that take bold risks — with genre, with character, and with tone. The Revenge of Captain Vessia by Leslie Allen is one of those books.

This novel placed 17th overall in the 2025 BBNYA competition, earning finalist recognition in a year that saw an expanded finalist list and a particularly competitive field.

About the Book Bloggers' Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA)

BBNYA is an annual competition where book bloggers from around the world read, score, and champion novels written by indie authors. The process culminates in a shortlist of finalists and one overall winner — making BBNYA a unique, reader-focused recognition within the indie publishing community.

You can learn more about the award at the BBNYA website or follow along on X/Twitter at @BBNYA_Official.

All About The Revenge of Captain Vessia

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQIA2+
Age Category: Adult
Length: 449 pages
Published: October 4, 2024

Claire Vessia has been sentenced to death.

The last survivor of a captured would-be pirate crew, she is blamed for crimes she did not commit. Facing execution with grim resolve, her fate shifts when a highborn woman offers her escape — at the cost of her own blood.

Betrayed, hanged, and buried at sea, Claire rises again as a Vampyri — an undead creature driven by hunger and confusion. As she begins to understand what's been done to her, she swears vengeance against the woman who turned her, the nation that condemned her, and the navy whose flag marked her death.

Her path is clear: hunt them all.

But when her chance for revenge comes in the form of her maker's child, Claire must confront a harder question — how far justice can go before it becomes something else entirely.

BBNYA Finalist Recognition

Placing as a 2025 BBNYA finalist, The Revenge of Captain Vessia stood out among hundreds of entries for its layered character work, dark fantasy elements, and emotionally driven stakes.

The novel's blend of vengeance, identity, and moral consequence resonated strongly with readers and judges alike, securing its place in the final rankings during a year of especially fierce competition.

Meet the Author

Leslie Allen is a librarian, sailor, amateur astronomer, and world traveler who somehow found herself back home in small-town Nova Scotia.

She is often simultaneously plotting her next tattoo, sipping white hot chocolate, and orchestrating the downfall of her characters. Leslie devours stories in every medium available to her, with a particular love for movies and video games — and a persistent frustration that they never quite go far enough.

You can find Leslie online atleslieallen.com and on Bluesky at @cozywitch.

Where to Buy

View on Amazon

Closing Notes

If you enjoy discovering indie books with sharp stakes, high emotion, and a darker edge to their fantasy worldbuilding, BBNYA finalists are a great place to browse. The Revenge of Captain Vessia earned finalist recognition in 2025 for a reason — it's bold, unapologetic, and built around a central question that sticks: what does justice become when survival turns into vengeance?

If you have read this one (or if it's on your TBR), tell me: do you gravitate more toward pirate-adjacent adventures, vampire lore, or morally complicated revenge stories?

If you missed any of my BBNYA Semi-Finalist spotlights, you can find them here.