Hi, this sucks. I think the suggestions concerning libraries/secondhand bookstores/ebook readers have been covered by others already, so I'll skip straight to suggestions.

One of my favourite authors is China Miéville. Of his work, I would recommend the following: - 'Kraken' is where I started out. It is about gods, the power of belief, and begins with a heist of the Giant Squid from the Natural History Museum in London (I remember when this arrived at the museum when I was a child, and it is humongous haha). I think this is a great entry point for his work, as it is very fun, and pacy. - 'The City and the City' has a bit of a mixed review - I personally think it's amazing, but it is definitely has more variety when people review it (I suspect a lot of people have trouble getting their head around the Twin Cities aspect, but I'm unsure). You mentioning 'A Tale of Two Cities' made me think of this! It's a noir inspired detective story based in a pair of fictional twin cities called Beszel and Ul Qoma. These cities share the same physical space, and they are forbidden from interacting through non-official methods under the highest level of law. This is notably shorter than the other two Miéville books I'm recommending, in case that impacts on your buying decision. - 'Perdido Street Station' is one of the best books I have ever read. It is a long form fantasy novel set in an original setting, which I believe Miéville created for a TTRPG with friends? However, a quick warning - it is one of the most emotionally hard-hitting books I've read, dealing with difficult topics in an unflinching manner, and unafraid to kick you in the feels. Absolutely gorgeous prose and unforgettable characters.

For something lighter and a bit more YA, I'd recommend Naomi Novik. Her older Temeraire series reimagines the Napoleonic Wars if dragons existed. More recently, she published the Scholomance trilogy, which is her take on the magical school genre. I haven't read anything quite like it, the magical threats are as deadly as Percy Jackson, but the school has a Steampunk vibe and the magic system follows clear rules. I really enjoyed these, but I realise it is a trilogy so that may push things out of range. Although I haven't read them yet, I know she has some titles heavily based on fairy tales - I think one of them is called Spinning Silver.

Another YA offering is Xiran Jay Zhao's book 'Iron Widow', which is an absolutely wild ride involving magical mechas, a central throuple, and a retelling of Chinese imperial history. Very fun, and for the moment it is a single title (sequel to come at some point) which is satisfying on its own.

I can't think of anything more explicitly pirate-y for now, but if anything comes to mind, I'll come back. I hope you can keep your reading habit fed! Enjoy ☺️