Sinking Sands

by Monica Boothe

This treasure will be her undoing. So be it. She’s willing to give up everything to find it.

The infamous pirate Captain Will Sands is dead, leaving his 17-year-old daughter Charlie the only person alive who knows about the secret treasure he spent his life hunting. Charlie must not only retake her father’s ship but complete his quest to find the mysterious treasure. But with Will Sands’ death, the trail to the treasure has gone cold. The defiant but roguishly handsome young sailor Charlie holds captive just might have the answers she needs…if only she can get him to talk.

Sinking Sands is a 17th-century swashbuckling adventure filled with mystery, romance, and a splash of magic. Great for readers who like enemies-to-lovers romances and plot twist novels.

Genres: Pirates, Fantasy

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2023

Reviews

[Jennie Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't remember the last time I devoured a book so fast. This was the PERFECT pirate adventure story. Fast paced and action packed, this book had the feel of 1600s without any pretentious stiffness. The dialogue was natural with just the right hint of historical flavor, and the descriptions of the ships and 17th century America made me feel like I was really there.

I'm not usually a fan of female pirates, much less female pirate captains, so it's a testament to Monica's skill at characterization and her command of the period that I fell in love with Charlie right away. Everything from her childhood up to her teenage years on board ship I believed wholeheartedly, and I rooted for her the whole way through.

The strongest point of this book for me was how well executed it was thematically. The wisdom that the pirate captain passes to Charlie drives the entire plot, and it's brought to a beautiful culmination at the end.

[Sanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not enjoy this one as much as the others in the series sadly... but I still can't wait to see what will happen in future stories!

[Kayti Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my very first arc and I thoroughly loved it.

I don't know why I was expecting more fantasy going into this but it's a YA pirate adventure. The main character is a 17 year old girl who spends most of the book trying to be taken seriously and yelling at everyone. To be fair, I don't think many pirates would take a teenage girl who became a ship captain purely out of nepotism seriously so she's not exactly off base there. It wouldn't kill her to work on her poor communication skills and trust issues though. Ultimately, she ended up being very likable. She'd loved her parents and was just trying to live up to their expectations and honor their memories.

The treasure... I don't know what I was expecting, although I did have a few ideas throughout the story, but I did not see that coming. In a good way. By the time I was getting toward the end I was starting to think that the treasure was simply the lessons we learned and the friends we made along the way but.... You know what, no spoilers. Just read it. It's worth it.

I won't spoil the ending either but it definitely sets up for future installments in the series and I, for one, can't wait to see what adventures await.

Now for the things I didn't love. I would have liked a bit more character development from some of the supporting characters. The whole story is told from Charlie's POV and she's pretty self isolated so I understand but I still wish I could have gotten to know Julien and Elliot more.

Speaking of Julien... He speaks French. I do not so I was unprepared for a large portion of the dialog between him and Charlie to be in French. If you're reading on Kindle, be prepared to use the translate feature.

Overall, this was well written and easy to read. There were a couple instances of grammatical errors but nothing major.

My opinion: it wasn't perfect but I loved it and you should definitely read it.

[This · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNF'd this book

I tried so hard to like this book. It was pirates and a young lady captain and was pitched as this amazing hunt for treasure. I made it to about 70% of the book before I called it quits, because at that point I simply hated the main character. She alienated her crew, left her first mate calling him a traitor for questioning her and had more faith in a man she just met who was somehow immediately treasure hungry than the crew she grew up and sailed with.

I kept telling myself if I just held out to the end there would probably be this grand finish and satisfaction of finding the treasure and love and bonding, but she disagrees and puts everyone in danger so much that I just lost interest. Obsession, her parents' legacy and maybe greed were worth enough to get them all captured and risk death.

I stopped when her love interest comes to save her after she thinks he betrayed her. it felt like the turning point of the story and I was on the cusp of seeing it was all worth it but I just didn't even care anymore because the entire journey before was her just ruining ever relationship in her life. No amount of gold can repair all the connections she severed for it in my opinion.

My Star rating -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Anything 3 stars and above is considered good and worth recommending/reading.)
1 ⭐️ - DNF'd the book, did not enjoy it and will not be finishing the book.
2 ⭐️⭐️ - I finished the book but it’s not a book for me and not one I would recommend. It didn’t hold my interest but wasn't bad.
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I finished and enjoyed the book. It’s a good experience, not amazing, but not bad.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Finished and thoroughly enjoyed the book.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I absolutely loved this book, can't stop thinking about it and a must buy.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is truly a swashbuckling journey with an ending I didn't see coming! I don't often read pirate books or even fiction set in this time period (late 17th/early 18th century), but who could resist this cover? The world Boothe creates is rich and convincing, with so many sharp details about ships, sailing, navigation, and even the feel of the sea that completely transport the reader to the deck of the Seahawk. Charlie Sands is the perfect heroine--headstrong and clever, but also naive and stubborn enough to get into exciting trouble--and the tension and drama with her crew and her handsome captive Elliot really build throughout the book. For me, the best part is the end, which took a fascinating turn brilliantly suited to the time and place, leaving open the possibility for more adventure to come.

[Joanna Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written story. Good definition of character and history. Interesting ending. As a reader, even tho it was explained , I still didn’t really connect the divide between Charlotte caring for her crew vs pursuing a mysterious treasure. Seems like she just went off the rails. I feel like she could have made better choices in how she handled both so she could have kept everything she wanted. Maybe this is the authors starting point for Charlottes character development- not sure. Other than that it was a fun read and written in a way you could visualize what was going on.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book because of the pirate atmosphere, and the book didn't disappoint. I really liked the book's flow, especially the action scenes and dialogue. I also really loved the strongness of Charlie, and it felt effortless to root for her in finding the treasure. The ending I think was my favorite part due to the interesting and unexpected twist, (maybe leading to a sequel??). Otherwise, if you are a huge fan of the action-romance genre, or just love a story about a female pirate, then I recommend picking this book up!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was my first pirate fantasy and I loved it! The story followed Pirate FMC Charlie or Charlotte Sands. After her father's passing she inherited his ship, crew, and her family's secret. The secret was about treasure so grand it was worth dying for. The problem is she knows nothing about it or where to find it. Charlie is willing to risk everything to find it. In her pursuit she slowly decends into madness.
The book has romance, friendship, and such a good ending. I highly recommend giving it a read!

[Joey Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because the cover and blurb called to me. I adored Charlie and the setting from the first page and was then hooked and desperate to know more. Boothe has a way of drawing you into the story and making it so that you never want to leave. The many twists and turns along the way kept me guessing, and the hints of something more when it came to the treasure just left you dying to know more. I loved this, and will be reading the rest of the series ASAP. Very much recommended for all who love pirates, treasure and finding your own way.

[Lori Caprio Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author to me and I can tell you she did not disappoint. The story had a storyline that held me captive for hours and the characters left me feeling as though I was introduced to old friends. Ms Boothe swept us into a land of adventure and intrigue, mixed with some romance and plenty of obstacles. I could not put this book down. I have been recommended this book to everyone I know. Well done and now I need to dip into all of her other books.

[Wicked Fox ✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good pirate book, and this is no exception!

I found the setting really interesting—set in the 1600s with a touch of magical elements. Charlie however, was a conflicting character for me. I wasn't (and still am not) certain if I like her character. Sometimes I found myself understanding her struggles but other times left me frustrated with her actions and thoughts.

The ending was quite open-ended. Will we get a sequel? Or will it end it here? I'm left quite confused.

[Charrise Davatos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pace and style and story is amazing. The romance felt real. However one thing I think I would like is a sequel to the story. Because how the crew and charlotte ended ways with them turning their backs on her to survive seems cruel. I loved the characters and plot. The story seems more daughter of the pirate king and fable than all the stars and teeth though.

[R M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kept me reading late into the night!
This swashbuckling adventure captivated my heart! Following Charlie’s story was thrilling and I absolutely loved the journey this took me on! I hope desperately that there will be more adventures in the future! Monica Boothe is an immaculate author with a flare for grabbing ahold of your imagination and taking it for an amazing ride!

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely amazing story and I loved every moment of it. Charlie is a main character that is well written and strong, and her thoughts and actions are well structured. Seeing her feeling with grief helped me a little as well as I am currently grieving, but all that aside, this book was truly amazing! I would love a sequel if possible, or to explore more works by this author!

[Michaela Aurora Teuscher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sinking Sands by Monica Boothe takes you right into the action from page one. It contains all the right elements you’d look for in a pirate’s tale: sailing, cons, friendship, betrayal, and that everlasting search for treasure. In this book you get to see just what one pirate captain is willing to risk to find the ultimate prize.

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! It's such a great read! The adventure just pulled you in right from the start! The first couple pages reel you in and the ride starts from there! I just loved it so much! I wish there were more pages in this book 😍 Talk about a great pirate adventure!

[Delisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was afraid I wouldn’t like it because it started with a high action scene. I like to fall in love with the characters before the action starts. But it won me over. I don’t even like pirate stories. It is a good wholesome story.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good first pirate book. I wish there was more action, but it was pretty good. Charlie is the captain and is on the hunt of a secret treasure. But with the constant threats of being a pirate, she must make decisions that not all her crew believes in.

[Amber Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the Wide Waters novella, I have to round my 3.5 stars up to 4 stars!! Enjoyable read, minus getting frustrated with the main character from time to time!! Would definitely read the sequel if there was one!!

[Ella Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This book was amazing! The Plotwist, The characters, the action. But the reason I have given it 4 1/2 stars is that most of the characters appearances weren’t really described other than Elliot’s eyes. That being said, it was still fun creating their appearances in my head.

[Julia Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, but I noticed several grammatical mistakes. I also felt that it was a tad bit predictable, and the main character was KILLING me throughout the book. I was very aggravated with her decisions, but there was a very good romance and overall I liked it.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book, was gripping and I never wanted to put it down. Definitely reminded me of daughter of the pirate king :)

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF- I couldn't finish this. The vocabulary is very basic and words are reused often one right after the other. Editing would help a lot, like this bit in particular, "Behind him, Old Kelly stood behind him, his pistol smoking and a wry, whiskery smile on his lips. The musketeers behind me had hoisted a white flag, and André's muskets had gone silent. Instead of shooting, my men were clambering up the side of the ship and barreling across to round up all the remaining men aboard." Obviously, one of the usages of "behind him" should be gone, "behind me" should probably be something like "at my back," "Andre's muskets" could be "Andre's guns," and the "remaining men" could be changed to "remaining crew" so that the whole passage has less repetition.

I read at least 40% of the book and there were almost no descriptions of people's appearances except a basic big guy and skinny guy. I have no idea what the main character looks like other than she is female and has hair of some sort. There were lots of descriptions of her clothes, though.

The one feature that WAS described was the love interest's eyes. Unfortunately, they are described again and again in the same way. I got tired of hearing about his "cloudless night" and "midnight" eyes. The darkness of his eyes were referred to SEVEN times before chapter 3. There were also times when she noticed figurative stars in her crew's eyes and her friend's eyes. I'm not sure why this theme is so prevalent.

And lastly, I just don't "buy" a lot of the plot. There is no valid reason why she would share a secret that's been SO heavily guarded all her life with her enemy and not her life-long best friend. I can't see why her crew would follow her. At one point she "smells mutiny" (different levels of insurrection have different smells, apparently) and all she says to change their minds is (paraphrasing) "Good job getting us out of that horrible mess I led you into" and they huzzah in response. Mutiny over.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read an Advance Reading Copy of this book. Please note that this review may contain spoilers.

Adventure, action, angst, romance, and fantasy make up this first book in the Beneath the Black Flag series. Told in first person, Sinking Sands follows the young pirate captain Charlie Sands as she searches for an unknown treasure her parents spent their lives hunting. Her grief after the loss of her father (and mother a few years prior) is constant, a large factor in her decision making. That grief pushes her closer toward both her love interest and what she hopes is the way to the treasure and further from her loyal crew with whom she has spent many years. This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and is left open for new adventures.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received my copy of this book free of charge directly from the author for my honest review. I quite enjoyed this read! Well written, fun and well paced! Would have been 5 stars but for a few minor editing issues. Looking forward to following this author and whatever she gifts readers next.