Month: April 2022

Shari’s Life: Charity Shop Gets

~ sharisakurai ~ 2 Comments

Shari's Life

Today I met up with my sister and nephew and we went into town to do some charity shop shopping, which is so much fun as you never know what kind of great bargains you’re going to find!

image0My sister got a lot of clothes including this brand new dress that was from River Island originally and some brand new sandals that were originally from New Look!

I found some great bargains too! I got a writing set for £1.50 and a book for 50p that looks completely brand new as well! image2

I really enjoyed our charity shop shopping. Its so great for finding a bargain and we’re giving to a good cause too!

Shari’s Life: Getting fit and Holiday 2022!

~ sharisakurai ~ 1 Comment

Shari's Life

I think I mentioned a little (long!) time ago, I am trying to diversify my blog content. One aspect of this is a little look into my life. Hopefully this is something that will be of interest and provide some insight into who exactly Shari Sakurai is!

One goal I have had for a while now is trying to get fitter so me and my sister have joined the local gym! We have been going for a little while now and we are both really enjoying it. My favourite equipment is the cross-trainer and the treadmill. I liked the treadmill so much I bought one for home so I could use it on non-gym days. I’m already starting to see some of my work pay off as I have a drawer of clothes that don’t fit, so every couple of weeks I try them all on and usually I can move at least one item back into wearing rotation!

Me and my sister have also booked a holiday! I haven’t had a holiday since Japan in 2015 so I am long overdue and keen to start travelling again now that it is possible! We are going to Iceland! I am so excited as its a country that I have always wanted to visit! We are going for a few days in August and I will definitely take loads of pictures to share with you all!

Release Blitz and Review: Ambiguous by Leslie McAdam

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RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Ambiguous

Author and Publisher: Leslie McAdam

Cover Artist: Black Jazz Designs

Release Date: April 13, 2022

Genre: Contemporary m/m romance

Tropes: Rock star, forbidden love, opposites attract, lawyer/politics, fake relationship (with a twist)

Themes: Coming out, being true to yourself

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 75 000 words

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Love is for other people, not for me.

At least that’s what I believed, until I met him.

Julian Hill.

The most famous rock star on the planet. A music god with untidy hair and the voice of an angel.

I’ll never be anything but out, and he has very good reasons to stay in the closet.

After all, every move he makes is dissected, critiqued, and posted on social media, so he just wants a little privacy.

I understand that. Truly.

But no one makes me feel the way he does, and I’m pretty sure he has feelings for me as well.

Which is inconvenient since his record label hired me to sue him.

I should’ve sorted things out before I kissed him.

Oops.

Ambiguous is a forbidden mm rock star romance about a fashion-forward singer who hates labels of all kinds (except for clothing), a dapper attorney who already has a (fake) boyfriend for a very good reason, and the possibility of love saving the day.

Continue reading “Release Blitz and Review: Ambiguous by Leslie McAdam” →

Shari Reviews Stuff: The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

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Travelling Cat 1

Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the front seat of his silver van. Satoru is keen to visit three old friends from his youth, though Nana doesn’t know why and Satoru won’t say.

Set against the backdrop of Japan’s changing seasons and narrated with a rare gentleness and humour, Nana’s story explores the wonder and thrill of life’s unexpected detours. It is about the value of friendship and solitude, and knowing when to give and when to take.

At the heart of this book is a powerful message about the importance of kindness. It shows, above all, how acts of love, both great and small, can transform our lives.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Travelling-Cat-Chronicles-Hiro-Arikawa/dp/0857524194

I purchased this book a couple of weeks ago and whilst I have not read it yet, I wanted to do a review just on the beauty of the artwork alone. I have not seen a cover this pretty in a long time. It’s matte and the cat is embossed so when you rub your fingers over it, it feels like it is literally jumping out of the cover at you.

Travelling Cat 2
This also totally proves a point (if it needed proving) that covers sell books. It was the cover art that caught my eye amongst the other books on display. Of course, the summary made me want to purchase it even more but without this beautiful design it may not have stood out as it did. Once I have read it, I will also be giving my thoughts on the book itself, but I just had to share this amazing cover with you!

Disclaimer: These are my own thoughts on the above cover artwork, and I have not been asked or paid by the publisher / author to provide a review.

Book Review: Cursed by Jackie Keswick

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Cursed

Two friends. Two worlds. A selfish desire that threatens them both.

Raijin killed a witch and found himself cursed.

Sandro went to Raijin’s aid and became an assassin’s target.

Neither expected that they would trigger the biggest upheaval their world had seen in a thousand years.

And that it needed the love between them to lift the curse.

Cursed, the second book in the Balance of Magic series, is a slow-burn m/m fantasy romance featuring friends-to-lovers who become soulmates, irate death gods, curses, inept, narcissistic politicians, curious, compassionate witches, and a found family.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Goodreads: Cursed by Jackie Keswick

Review

Rating: 5 stars

*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

Cursed is the second book in the A Balance of Magic series. Picking up where the first book left off, we find Raijin trying to make sense of the events and their aftermath, as well as being appointed the new hunter for the Yamakage Clan.

Sandro is an orphan born into the Lugano Clan, but ostracised for reasons unknown to him after his parents’ death. Instead, he is raised in the Custodia, always wondering the truth of his past. When Raijin arrives at the Custodia, he is partnered with Sandro and the two quickly form a close friendship, which eventually turns into something more. Together they face demons and witches, whilst both trying to unravel secrets from their pasts.

I really enjoyed reading the second instalment to the series. It expanded greatly on the world created in the first novel. I loved how the author wove different mythologies and cultures together to create something truly unique. The characters of Raijin and Sandro were very different from each other. Raijin’s self-assurance contrasts against Sandro’s inverted nature, but the two just work perfectly together despite being opposites. I was also glad to see the inclusion of Rakurai and Tenzen from book one in the series, and I cannot wait to see what will happen next!