Tag: indie author

ARC Book Review: Call of the Loon by K. Sinko

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 286 pages
Author: K. Sinko
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: June 5th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s 2020. Tea Richards sold off all of her apartment furniture and watched her master’s graduation on Zoom, with no future job prospects and nowhere to go. Her mother is on the front lines working at hospitals to fight the disease, so going home to New Jersey wouldn’t be safe. Instead, her mother suggests joining her grandparents at their cabin up at Silver Falls in Minnesota for the summer, a place she has avoided since her last visit when she was eighteen. It’s the only choice she has, even if it forces her to finally face her grief. But at least there’s open air, blue skies, golden sunsets, and less people she’ll have to deal with.

Until the boy next door knocks on the screen door.

Archer Vincent has spent every summer at the lake helping his family run Wild Pines Resort, and this year is his first as the resort’s manager. But throw a global pandemic into the mix, and nothing seems to be going to plan. Especially now that Tea Richards is back for the summer, and even though he hasn’t seen her in years, his boyhood crush on her remains. Despite his best made plans to keep everyone at the resort safe, Archer can’t help breaking his own rules over and over again, all so he can get one step closer to the girl that got away.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

SUMMERTIME LOVE.

I loved how much this felt like SUMMER. It really made me want to run off and find a lake and sailboat to enjoy a hot day on the water. I love when a book can bring out such beautiful and engaging setting.

Having dual POV is always a bonus for me and I loved getting both Archer and Tea’s thoughts and mannerisms. I liked the instant rekindling of chemistry they had upon seeing each other and that they finally communicated a bit to be able to most forward from the past. I don’t love flashback chapters so it was great not to have those in this second chance romance. I felt like I still got the information I needed and it made the pacing much more smooth.

I just don’t think I was quite ready for a pandemic romance though. I don’t feel far enough removed from those years to be able to read about them. I do think the author wrote those aspects with care and mindfulness so that’s not an issue at all.

I love having heated closed door authors to read and K. Sinko continues to be a favorite. I always look forward to her characters, romance, and storylines.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: mild – moderate
  • Romance: vague/low explicit fade to black
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings; COVID pandemic, loss of a parent (recounted)

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: May 2025

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May was a rough one y’all. Almost gave a book one star and had THREE two star books which is generally underheard of for me. Two were new to me authors so at least I tried some new authors??

Some of these reviews are already out and others will be out in the future!

  • Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate #1) by LJ Andrews
  • [ARC] The Enemy’s Daughter by Melissa Poett
  • What If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon
  • To Steal from Thieves (Thieves & Kings #1) by M.K. Lobb
  • Watch Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #1) by Tahereh Mafi
  • The Things We Water by Mariana Zapata
  • [ARC/ALC] Cruel is the Light (Cruel is the Light #1) by Sophie Clark
  • Silver Elite (Silver Elite #1) by Dani Francis
  • As You Ice It (Appies #7) by Emma St. Clair
  • [ALC] Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli
  • Even if It Hurts (Huntley Square #1) by Molly Barlowe
  • [ARC/ALC] The Knight and the Moth (The Stonewater Kingdom #1) by Rachel Gillig
  • [ARC/ALC] Rules for Ruin (The Crinoline Academy #1) by Mimi Matthews
  • [Short Story] The Six Deaths of the Saint (Into Shadow #3) by Alix E. Harrow
  • The Geographer’s Guide to Romance (Love’s Academic #2) by India Holton
  • The Long Way Home (Magnolia Parks Universe #3) by Jessa Hastings
  • A Curse Carved in Bone (Saga of the Unfated #2) by Danielle L. Jensen
  • The Q by Beth Brower
  • [ARC] The Friendship Fling by Georgia Stone
  • A Guarded Heart by Heidi Kimball
  • All We Lost Was Everything by Heidi Kimball
  • Enchanted Kingdom (Enchanted Kingdom #1) by Tricia Wentworth
  • [ARC/ALC] The Beautiful Maddening by Shea Ernshaw
  • Scot and Bothered by Alexandra Kiley
  • Rewind it Back (Windy City #5) by Liz Tomforde
  • Love Sick by Deidra Duncan
  • Caught Stealing (Southern Sports Sweethearts #1) by M.J. Padgett
  • [ARC/ALC] A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim
  • Can’t Get Enough (Skyland #3) by Kennedy Ryan
  • [ARC] The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater
  • [ARC] Call of the Loon by K. Sinko
  • The Floating World (The Floating World #1) by Axie Oh
  • It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

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Book Review: The Things We Water by Mariana Zapata

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Rating: ★★★★.25
Audience: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: 717 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 2nd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Once upon a time, a girl found a magical puppy, and her life was never the same again.

Nina Popoca needs help.

So, so much of it.

The only place she can find that help is on a sprawling ranch in Colorado. A place hiding more than a community filled with magical creatures trying to live their lives in safety and in peace. A village that might hold the answers to questions she’s had her entire life.

And if that ranch is owned by her best friend’s hunky cousin?

…there are worse things in the world than having to live right by Henri Blackrock.

SHE DID IT.

I would absolutely read more paranormal romances from MZ. I loved this one!

My one little issue is the length. I really felt it this time around. The 720 pages could have been tightened up a bit but otherwise it’s a fantastic book.

I adored Henri and Nina. They are some beautiful souls. Spark fueled banter, chemistry for days and all of these soft tender moments that brought the connections between them. AND THE JEALOUS MOMENTS? Gosh those send me every dang time y’all. A perfectly well placed possessive scene? GIVE IT TO ME ALWAYS.

I loved seeing all of the different mythical creatures (of which I will not mention any, go read it!!). They all added a little something to the story and the setting. There’s also a big theme surrounding motherhood and that got me in the feels a few times. Wanting to do right by your children and making those hard but loving decisions to give them everything you can. It delivers a beautiful and impactful novel.

Now I’ll just be sitting here waiting for the next MZ release.

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Violence: mild

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Book Review: The Escape Plan (Only Magic in the Building) by Katie Bailey

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
Length: 310 pages
Author: Katie Bailey
Publisher: Eleventh Avenue Publishing
Release Date: April 23rd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When there’s no escaping the plans life has for you…

Beckett McCarthy’s beloved Gran always taught him to find magic in mundane, everyday things. But since she died, he no longer feels any magic.

In fact, he feels nothing at all.

So, when he has an opportunity to spend a summer abroad in Serendipity Springs, he’s expecting little more than a change in scenery.

Until Keeley Roberts—quite literally—falls into his life.

From their first chaotic encounter in a stuck elevator, Beckett and Keeley can’t seem to stay apart.

Not that Becks is complaining. He’s enchanted by his beautiful, feisty new neighbor; drawn to her in a way he can’t explain… until they discover an invisible string that’s been connecting them all this time.

It’s as if fate itself has conspired to bring them together.

But with Beckett soon returning to Ireland and Keeley’s dream job hanging by a thread, is fate enough to keep their love alive… or will they need a little magic?

SEND ME TO IRELAND.

I enjoyed this book so much. I thought it was a good wrap-up to the series (and can still totally be read alone, the epilogue in this one just highlights the previous couples a little).

I loved the magical realism aspect. I thought it was subtle and made the moment just right. All of the times they ended up locked in together caused an incredible amount of chemistry and connection to form. It was swoony and heated and I think Katie Bailey has some of the best kissing scenes around.

The journey was good and I looooved Beckett and his family. A rambunctious bunch who loved so big and I appreciated how they helped Beckett realize he needed to start living his life for him. And I loved Keeley’s arc too. She is spunky and fun and learned to let go of some past hurt to have a fulfilling relationship with Beckett.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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