Tag: indie author

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: August 2023

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Is it fall yet? We’ve made it to the end of formal summer and I really would love if the temperature would dip under 100 degrees.

Favorites of August:

  • What the River Knows
  • Check & Mate
  • The Jasad Heir
  • Bring Me Your Midnight
  • Realm Breaker
  • The Blonde Identity
  • Yumi and the NIghtmare Painter
  • Desire or Defense
  • How to Kiss a Movie Star
  • Belladonna
  • Babel
  • A Fate Inked in Blood
  • Just Don’t Fall
  • Foxglove
  • Garden of the Midnights
  • Flirtation or Faceoff
  • But He’s My Grumpy Neighbor
  • Assistant to the Villain

Least favorites:

  • An Empress of Air & Chaos
  • All’s Fair in Love and Christmas
  • The Invisible Hour
  • [ARC] What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez
  • [Gifted] Thief of Sorrows by Kristen M. Long
  • You, with a View by Jessica Joyce
  • [ARC] Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
  • An Empress of Air & Chaos (An Empress #1) by Noelle Rayne
  • The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne #1) by Sara Hashem
  • Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin
  • A City of Flames (A City of Flames #1) by Rina Vasquez
  • This Violent Reckoning (The Curse of the Blessed #2) by Renee Dugan
  • [ARC] All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon
  • Realm Breaker (Realm Breaker #1) by Victoria Aveyard
  • The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter
  • Play Your Part by Kathryn Kincaid
  • Yumi and the Nightmare Painter (Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson
  • [Reread] Desire or Defense (D.C. Eagles #1) by Leah Brunner
  • The Marriage Effect (Washington Wolves #3) by Karla Sorensen
  • [ARC] To Spark a Match (The Matchmakers #2) by Jen Turano
  • [ARC] How to Kiss a Movie Star (Hawthorne Brothers #4) by Jenny Proctor
  • Omen of Ice (Omen of Ice #1) by Jus Accardo
  • Slow Dance in Purgatory (Purgatory #1) by Amy Harmon
  • A Duet with the Siren Duke (Married to Magic #4) by Elise Kova
  • Belladonna (Belladonna #1) by Adalyn Grace
  • Hands Down by Mariana Zapata
  • Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
  • [ARC] A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated #1) by Danielle L. Jensen
  • Prom Night in Purgatory (Purgatory #2) by Amy Harmon
  • [ARC] Betting on You by Lynn Painter
  • One of Us Is Back (One Of Us Is Lying #3) by Karen M. McManus
  • [ARC] Just Don’t Fall (Sweater Weather #1) by Emma St. Clair
  • [Reread] A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab
  • Face the Night by Lani Forbes
  • Heavenly Bodies (Heavenly Bodies #1) by Imani Erriu
  • The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman
  • Foxglove (Belladonna #2) by Adalyn Grace
  • [ARC] Garden of the Midnights by Hannah Linder
  • Heirs of Falcon Point (Falcon Point #0) by Traci Hunter Abramson, Sian Ann Bessey, Paige Edwards and A.L. Sowards
  • [ARC] Flirtation or Faceoff (D.C. Eagles Hockey #2) by Leah Brunner
  • Karma is a Witch (Deadlights Cove #5) by Aimee Vance and B. Perkins
  • House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of the Salt #2) by Erin A. Craig
  • But He’s My Grumpy Neighbor (But He’s a Carter Brother #1) by Annah Conwell
  • Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
  • [ARC] Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone

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ARC Book Review: Flirtation or Faceoff (D.C. Eagles Hockey #2) by Leah Bruner

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 265 pages
Author: Leah Brunner
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: September 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After getting my heart broken, I’ve sworn off athletes forever.

Then my best friend has to go and marry an NHL player, and his teammate, Colby Knight, won’t leave me alone.

Colby is a master at scoring (on and off the ice), and he’s not used to being told no. So he takes my disinterest as an invitation to pursue me even harder. I ignore him… until I realize I can use his expertise to help me get my crush’s attention.

But now that he’s my dating coach, and we’re spending so much time together, I’m growing more and more distracted. I mean, those dimples? Very enticing.

Just when I think he might be more than just a playboy hockey player, a blast from the past comes back and reminds me why I swore off athletes in the first place.

Can I trust Colby, or is he just another jerk who will break my heart?

(This is a dual POV, fade-to-black romance, and can be read as a standalone. This book contains mild language. Trigger warnings: cheating exes.)

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

CLOSED DOOR HOCKEY QUEEN.

I don’t care that we’re only three books into this series (including the prequel!), Leah Brunner is creating the best closed door hockey romance series around.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Colby was absolutely GONE for Noel from the get-go and he was so dang sweet. Good heavens. I loved how much he cared. For Noel, his friends, family and those around him. I loved his passion and commitment. I just loved HIM.

And Noel. I loved her too. I loved how incredibly intelligent and nerdy she was. I loved her character arc too and how she learned to trust and move forward with the things she wanted in life.

The chemistry between Colby and Noel was off the charts. I loved how soft it was, but also sexy. It’s a fiery combination that sets the book A FLAME. I loved the dating lessons, and protective moments. All of the family get together and the seeing my favorite D.C. Eagles again.

This book had it all. I already want to read it again.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: some light – moderate
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: brief physical altercation, cheating ex (recounted)

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Book Review: Rhythm, Chord & Malykhin by Mariana Zapata

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 398 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 21st, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Twenty-six-year-old Gaby Barreto might be a lot of things (loyal, sarcastic, one of the guys and a pain in the butt depending on which family member you ask), but dumb isn’t one of them. When her twin brother invites her to go on tour as his band’s merch girl, she isn’t exactly screaming at the top of her lungs with joy.

With no job opportunities pounding on her door, an ex-boyfriend she would still like to castrate, and no end in sight to moving out of her parents’ house in Dallas… it would be dumb to say no to the chance of a lifetime. Two bands, three continents, one tour. Spending the next ninety-plus days with three beloved idiots and eight complete strangers shouldn’t be a big deal, right?

If only the singer of the headlining band didn’t have tattoos… a great personality… a fantastic body… and if he wasn’t so funny….

Let’s be real: Gaby never had a chance against Sacha Malykhin.

CHALLENGED.

I am trying to read through MZ’s backlist, and unfortunately realizing those aren’t hitting as well for me as her newer stuff. BUT, this book got progressively better and I didn’t mind reading it in the end.

I was turned off by the high level of crass and off-color jokes between the band. I’m sure it was trying to set the stage for how the group interacts and messes around with each other. Yet the found family vibes fell a bit flat with some of the commentary. They did take care of each other when it really counted though and I did appreciate that.

The romance hero was super different from previous books too (nothing bad, just a comment on it). Sacha is a CINNAMON ROLL. I adored how soft he was and how he and Gabby formed a friendship that blossomed into something more.

While the plot held a good forced proximity notion I think it also fell a bit flat. It was simply a band on tour. And then filler pages of random crap they did to continue the story. I do struggle to get on board with actor/musician based books and I think that became apparent here again too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very strong and often
  • Romance: open door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: transmisia, sexism, slut-shaming

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Book Review: Friends Don’t (Fall in Love #1) by Leah Dobrinska

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 280 pages
Author: Leah Dobrinska
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: July 11th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A heartfelt and hilarious romantic comedy, loosely inspired by While You Were Sleeping.

As the oldest of three sisters, Poppy Kasper doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t the glue holding her siblings—and their lives—together. So moving across the country to Cashmere Cove, the hometown of her new boyfriend, is completely out of character. Add in the fact that said boyfriend is leaving for a months-long pro-golf tour, and it’s enough to make Poppy question her sanity. But it’s fine. Everything’s fine. She can still be a good sister from a distance, and she’ll keep the spark in her relationship alive with calls, texts, and old fashioned love notes. See? Fine.

Quiet and serious Mack Bradley is used to playing second fiddle to his famous younger brother, especially since his own reputation was ruined nearly a decade ago. He’s made his peace with his circumstances, but when his brother begs him to show his new girlfriend the Cashmere Cove ropes, and then ups the ante with an even bigger request to stand in as her pen pal, Mack finds himself thrown into the path of the effervescent Poppy Kasper. She’s his foil in every way…she also makes him feel things he’s never felt before.

A summer of pranks, late-night swims, and stargazing finds Poppy and Mack forging an unlikely friendship—one built on laughter and pushing each other to see life in a different light. But when Poppy’s relationship with Mack’s brother unravels, will she leave town? Or is there another reason for her to stay?

After all, friends don’t fall in love…do they?

(Friends Don’t is the first book in the Fall In Love series, which follows three sisters as they find love after moving across the country to the small town of Cashmere Cove, Wisconsin. This is a closed door romcom with plenty of sizzling chemistry and romantic tension, but no spice.)

ADORED.

A highly enjoyable sweet romance y’all. I had such a good time reading it and already adore the set-up and characters and am excited for the next book!

I thought Poppy and Mack’s friends to lovers romance worked well. You could see the chemistry from the start and the banter had me smiling. I looove the way heat was included without spice (it is in the sweet category!). I felt this romance and the connection between them. I was just as desperate as them to get to that first kiss. I also liked the way the third act was handled. It came off as a necessity while allowing for growth and new understandings.

The small town plot was one of my favorites. I loved all of the back country vibes and I absolutely loved that Mack was an electrician. Way to show off a career I don’t think I’ve ever seen in a romance novel. There were a few minor plot / writing quirks that I didn’t jive with, but it didn’t ruin the book in any way for me. This was exactly what I needed and I loved Poppy and Mack’s story!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very little and light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent (recounted), parental abandonment (recounted), cheating (previous relationship)

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