Tag: indie author

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: June 2022

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Another month of some great reads! Reviews will be out in the coming months. Feel free to comment if you have any questions about the books you see!

Favorites this month: The Stardust Thief, The Inadequate Heir, Daughter of No Worlds, It’s All in How You Fall, The Blood Traitor, Furysong, Empire of Storms, Fire Falling, and Children of Fallen Gods

  • A Lily in Disguise (Wycliffe Family #1) by Jessica Scarlet
  • Song of the Forever Rains (Mousai #1) by E.J. Mellow
  • Unlikely Match by Laura Bradbury
  • Rivals (American Royals #3) by Katharine McGee
  • See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
  • Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
  • [ARC] Beasts of Ruin (Beasts of Prey #2) by Ayanna Gray
  • The Changeup (The Vegas Kings #1) by Emily C. Childs
  • West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras
  • The Stardust Thief (The Sandsea Trilogy #1) by Chelsea Abdullah
  • The Serpent’s Curse (The Last Magician #3) by Lisa Maxwell
  • [Reread] The Inadequate Heir (The Bridge Kingdom #3) by Danielle L. Jensen
  • Twin Crowns (Twin Crowns #1) by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber
  • The Truth about Miss Ashbourne by Joanna Barker
  • All Fired Up by Dylan Newton
  • The Sunken City (The Sunken City #1) by Emma V.R. Noyes
  • Winterlight (Green Rider #7) by Kristen Britain
  • Daughter of No Worlds (The War of Lost Hearts #1) by Carissa Broadbent
  • It’s All in How You Fall by Sarah Henning
  • The Art of Victory (The Donovans #1) by Martha Keyes
  • Together We Burn by Isabel Ibanez
  • [Novella] Maybe Not (Maybe #1.5) by Colleen Hoover
  • Places We’ve Never Been by Kasie West
  • The Blood Traitor (The Prison Healer #3) by Lynette Noni
  • [Novella] The Sweetest Connection (Airport Novellas #3) by Denise Williams
  • Nightfall (Keeper of the Lost Cities #6) by Shannon Messenger
  • [Reread] Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J. Maas
  • On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi
  • [ARC] Furysong (The Aurelian Cycle #3) by Rosaria Munda
  • [ARC] Check Mate (Under Kansas Skies #3) by Leah Brunner
  • [Reread] Fire Falling (Air Awakens #2) by Elise Kova
  • Cover Story by Susan Rigetti
  • Blood Scion (Blood Scion #1) by Deborah Falaye
  • Children of Fallen Gods (The War of Lost Hearts #2) by Carissa Broadbent
  • [ARC] Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty #1) by Alyson Noel

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ARC Book Review: Check Mate (Under Kansas Skies #3) by Leah Brunner

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 300 pages
Author: Leah Brunner
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: July 1st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

How did I find myself sharing a tent with my obnoxious—albeit gorgeous—neighbor, Isabella Romero?

It all started with a stupid bet.

All I had to do in order to win was something unpredictable. (Which my brother thought was impossible for the ever-boring David Windell).

Well, I showed him… by booking a trek in the Andes Mountains to see Machu Picchu.

When the brochure for the expedition mysteriously appeared on my front porch, along with Isabella’s cat who doesn’t have boundaries, it was like fate interceded: I could win the bet while simultaneously getting a vacation from my irritating neighbor.

Two birds, one stone.

Except, it turns out that was Isabella’s brochure… and she booked the same trip.

So here I am, stuck sharing a tent with the woman who drives me crazy—and makes my heart race like never before.

Check Mate is book three in the Under Kansas Skies Series, but can be read as a standalone. Check mate is a dual POV, closed-door romcom. It contains mild language and innuendo.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

THIS WAS SWEET!

Sometimes what you need is a fast paced contemporary romance and I feel like this mostly delivered in that department.

I adored the opposites attract vibes between Isabella and David. It’s not enemies in anyway. Just two people creating some laugh out loud neighborly pranks between each other before realizing how much they actually care about one another. It’s mega sweet and I loved seeing David come out of his shell. This also gave me major wanderlust as someone who is very much like David with a resistance and hesitancy towards big adventures.

Isabella was the perfect balance. I loved that she was a travel blogger and it was a career field I don’t see explored often in the contemporaries I happen to pick up. She has an amazing sense of who she wants to be and standing up to her Mom was the cherry on top.

My issue with a lot of this read was the depth. It is SO FAST that I felt like I was missing something. I wanted deeper explorations of everything. The main characters, side characters, maybe a good sub-plot or two. Anything to increase my connection with the story as whole. I kept feeling like the chapters were cutting off really quickly and moving on to complete new scenes without steady pacing.

This is another good installment to the series though. The conflict was truly natural and not overdrawn and gosh dang it do I love a sappy grand gesture ending. I was grinning hard at those closing scenes.

And I anxiously await getting my hands on the next brother’s story because I know I’m going to love it!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: emotionally manipulation from a parent

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Book Review: Daughter of No Worlds (The War of Lost Hearts #1) by Carissa Broadbent

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 520 pages
Author: Carissa Broadbent
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: January 7th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Her life for freedom. Her blood for love. Her soul for vengeance.

Ripped from a forgotten homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. But the night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life.

Desperate to save the best friend she left behind, Tisaanah journeys to the Orders, the most powerful organization of magic Wielders in the world. But to join their ranks, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome and reclusive fire wielder who despises the Orders.

The Orders’ intentions are cryptic, and Tisaanah must prove herself under the threat of looming war. Even more dangerous are her growing feelings for Maxantarius. The bloody past he wants to forget may be the key to her future… or the downfall of them both.

But Tisaanah will stop at nothing to save those she abandoned. Even if it means gambling in the Orders’ deadly games. Even if it means sacrificing her heart.

Even if it means wielding death itself.

I WANT MORE.

OH yes, I have found a new fantasy series to read!!!!!

This was so good y’all. I have been struggling to find a good book that kept my attention the whole way through and this was that breakthrough. I was into it from the start and loved the path it took.

My only small tidbit is the first part could have been shortened just a bit. I did love that there was actual time for Tisaanah to learn the language, more about her power, and the area she was in. It just felt a little too long initially. But yay for a character who didn’t wake up one day and master everything. We love progression!

MAX. I will protect that man at ALL COSTS. Oh my goodness. He was easily my favorite character and I was stoked when his POV showed up. I am smitten with this multi-layered man who desperately needs a hug. The romance plot between Max and Tisaanah was the perfect kind of slow burn. I loved getting to watch a true connection build between them and it was the SWEETEST. Which was much needed with the themes of the rest of the plot.

It’s a hard read with tough subjects and the pain kept coming. I appreciate that it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. Though I easily was thinking, GIVE ME THE NEXT BOOK. Stay tuned.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: one open door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, slavery, torture, possession, loss of loved ones, battle themes, physical and magical altercations, whipping, near death experiences

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Book Review: Ever After Always (Bergman Brothers #3) by Chloe Liese

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 358 pages
Author: Chloe Liese
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: January 12th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Buckle up for an emotional journey of hijinks, heartache, and a hot slow-burn in this marriage-in-crisis romance about going the distance to make love last.

Aiden

I’ve spent twelve years loving Freya Bergman and twelve lifetimes won’t be enough to give her everything she deserves. She’s my passionate, tender-hearted wife, my best friend, and all I want is to make her happy. But the one thing that will make her happiest is the one thing I’m not sure I can give her: a baby.

With the pressure of providing and planning for a family, my anxiety’s at an all-time high, and I find myself pulling away, terrified to tell my wife how I’m struggling. But when Freya kicks me out, I realize that pulling back has turned into pushing too far. Now it’s the fight of a lifetime to save our marriage.

Freya

I love my cautious, hard-working husband. He’s my partner and best friend, the person I know I can count on most. Until one day I realize the man I married is nowhere to be found. Now Aiden is quiet and withdrawn, and as the months wear on, the pain of our growing distance becomes too much. 

As if weathering marriage counseling wasn’t enough, we’re thrown together for an island getaway to celebrate my parents’ many years of perfect marriage while ours is on the brink of collapse. Despite my meddling siblings and a week in each other’s constant company, this trip somehow gets us working through the trouble in paradise. I just can’t help worrying, when we leave paradise and return to the real world, will trouble find us again?

Ever After Always is a marriage-in-crisis, opposites-attract romance about a sensitive, fierce-loving woman and her resilient husband who has anxiety disorder. Complete with island vacation antics, a sibling prank gone wrong, and a steamy slow burn, this standalone is the third in a series of novels about a Swedish-American family of five brothers, two sisters, and their wild adventures as they each find happily ever after.

DEEPLY FELT.

Third book in the Bergman Brothers [& Sisters] series and I’m still smitten as ever. Another great read that is only further solidifying my love for these characters.

I love that this was a marriage in crisis trope. After reading books like Bromance Book Club, I’m realizing I tend to enjoy this trope! There can be a lot of exploration here and this had many many conversations that I appreciated and resonated with 100x over.

The anxiety rep with Aiden was something I loved most. Even more unique to this story was the discussion of how anxiety affects communication and sex drive. Something I haven’t come across in a romance novel. The love and passion Aiden has for Freya is eternally my favorite. I appreciate any character willing to take a low point in their lives and actually try and do the work to make things better. Through therapy, tough conversations, and learning how to rekindle their intimacy, Freya and Aiden had me devouring this book to see that spark turn into a flame again.

Moving locations to a vacation was a different addition and I think the change of location helped a lot for the plot. Adding a lot more romance and moments where Aiden and Freya could work on themselves and their marriage (and who doesn’t love a tropical location?). There’s clearly a deep love between them and that easily gave me the stamina to see this read through.

There were many things I loved about this read (even if it isn’t my all time favorite of the series). I can’t wait for Axel’s story next!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses to many open door scenes
  • Violence: falling from a cliff, breaking a bone
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parental abandonment, anxiety, alcoholism, poverty recounted

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