2022 has been a bit of a roller-coaster of a year so I haven’t been able to read (or write!) as much as I would have liked too. However, I have read some amazing books this year and here is a selection of my favourites!
Review
Review
Review
Review
Month: December 2022
New Release Blitz: As Long As Stars Are Above You by Shana Schwarz
Title: As Long As Stars Are Above You
Author: Shana Schwarz
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: 12/27/2022
Heat Level: 2 – Fade to Black Sex
Pairing: Male/Female, Female/Female
Length: 58400
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Contemporary, romance, comedy, family-drama, bisexual, time travel, do-over, fortune teller, London, established couple, tearjerker
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Description
Joey had different dreams when she was in high school, but she thinks she’s built a perfect life. Then her marriage hits the rocks.
When she goes to her high school reunion, a chance encounter with a fortune teller sends Joey back twenty years and she has the chance to live out those teenage dreams.
Joey begins a whole new life with her band camp crush. But are there consequences to taking a different path, and are some things simply meant to be?
Continue reading “New Release Blitz: As Long As Stars Are Above You by Shana Schwarz”
New Look Website!
I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I hosted in my flat for the first time. It was a very fun (and chaotic!) day. Yesterday I had a chilled out Boxing Day. I binged my way through the first season of House of the Dragon, which I loved! I also made a new Instagram for my mini toys and collecting. It’s called Riisan Collectibles!
Today I have been sorting out some bits around my flat and I also re-vamped my website and social media pages. I am pleased at how it turned out. It looks a lot cleaner and it will make it easier for me to inter-change things which is great. I’m hoping to be able to get in a writing day on Friday. Taku and Thane have been waiting for the continuation to their story for way too long! I also have the first scene from Perfect World 4 pictured in my head so I might get that started too!
Release Blitz and Review: Deep Waters by Thom Collins
RELEASE BLITZ
Book Title: Deep Waters
Author: Thom Collins
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Cover Artist: Kelly Martin
Release Date: December 27, 2022
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, thriller and suspense
Tropes: Murder mystery, small town, coastal romance
Themes: Secret lives, seeking justice, danger at sea
Heat Rating: 3 – 4 flames
Length: 61 740 words/ 262 pages
It is a standalone story. The third book in a linked Jagged Shores series but can be read alone.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited
Universal link | Publisher | First For Romance
In search of a story, he found murder and romance.
Blurb
Author Christian Costner is researching material for one of his dark thrillers and Nyemouth seems like the perfect setting for his next book. The small seaside town has witnessed plenty of trouble over the years, and Christian thinks it will provide him with the inspiration he needs.
He hires local tour guide and fisherman Harry Renner to help him explore the coastline for a couple of days. Harry is knowledgeable and mature beyond his twenty-eight years. Handsome too, though Christian thinks Harry is far too young for him..
As the weather worsens, Harry cuts short their first sight-seeing trip. Heading back to shore they spot a figure in distress in the water. A difficult rescue is made far worse when they discover the casualty has a knife wound to his abdomen and dies before they reach the safety of the harbour.
United by the trauma, Christian and Harry find comfort in each other, but when another murder comes to light, they find themselves at the heart of a dangerous mystery and the target of a killer more ruthless than they could ever imagine.
Continue reading “Release Blitz and Review: Deep Waters by Thom Collins”
Merry Christmas!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!
New Release Blitz: These Young Wolves by Glenn Quigley
Title: These Young Wolves
Series: Knights of Blackrabbit, Book One
Author: Glenn Quigley
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: 12/20/2022
Heat Level: 2 – Fade to Black Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 84900
Genre: Historical, LGBTQIA+, Cornish coast, clockpunk, spec fiction, bears, sailors, law enforcement, historical, non-explicit, enemies-to-lovers, crime, redemption, revenge, tattoos
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Description
One year ago, Vince Knight walked away from his role as crime lord of Port Knot. In his absence, the gangs he founded went to war, and frightening new factions have risen from the ashes to tear at the town’s throat like hungry wolves.
Now Vince is back and has taken command of the Watch—working side-by-side with the very people who spent years trying to put him behind bars. Unbeknownst to him, Captain James Godgrave has been given his own team to deal with crime in the town, but while he and Vince share a common goal, they are not allies.
The murder of one of James’s crew puts Vince in a delicate position. Facing pressure from the council, the townsfolk, and the Watch itself, Vince must find the killer because if he doesn’t, James will, and Vince’s tenure as Watch Commander will be the shortest in history.
As Vince and James clash in their public and private lives, Vince starts to understand the damage caused by his abdication as crime lord, James sets about putting down the gangs once and for all, and the mysterious power behind the new factions exacts a terrifying plan that will change Port Knot forever.
Continue reading “New Release Blitz: These Young Wolves by Glenn Quigley”
Shari’s Top 5 – Blind Bags
Welcome to Shari’s Top 5! This is a feature I have created to showcase my personal top 5 of various books, shows, toys, music, films, food, etc, whatever I fancy focusing on for each post really!
For today’s Shari’s Top 5 I have chosen blind bags / boxes / capsules! I just love opening these and never knowing what surprise you will get inside!
5. Squishville
These would be higher up on my list as they are adorable, but I have terrible luck with them! I usually end up getting the same ones over and over or ones that I am not that keen on! However, I was pleased to get Nebula who is pictured!
4. Mini Brands
These minis are so cute! You can get all kinds of mini grocery items as well as displays, a safe and fake money to name a few extras! They can be kind of pricey in stores but at the moment Tesco has them on clubcard deal for £3.75 so I have been stocking up!
3. Recyclings
Recylings are fun pencil toppers that are made of recycled plastic which is a really neat idea! I have really good luck opening these too! I rarely get duplicates and each character comes in two different faces for you to collect!
2. Disney Doorables
I just love these little mini figures from Disney. You can get a variety of Disney characters per series and the blind bags vary in the number of figures you can receive. In the smaller blind bags you can get 2-3 figures. You can weigh the packs in your hand to work out which ones hold 3 but I am so bad at doing it so I usually just grab some at random and hope for the best!
1. Polly Pocket Secret Sands
My current favourite blind boxes to open are the Polly Pocket Secret Sands. I had so many the original Polly Pockets as a child and these just bring back childhood nostalgia and they are so cute too! The sand base for each scene is like kinetic sand so you can place the figures in it without them falling over. I have open two so far and will definitely be buying more in the future!
Shari’s Life: Live stream, birthday and Christmas Plans!
First of all today, I have some exciting news to share with you all! Briony Rose Smith, author of the Moon Girl series, is going to be reading a couple of chapters of Perfect World on her live stream today! Do please check it out if you can!
It was my birthday yesterday, so me, Sarah and Georgie went into town to have lunch at our favourite tapas restaurant and then did a bit of toy hunting! I was able to pick up a few things as well as 2 birthday squish! We had a look round Tesco and Sainsburys, it was insanely busy and not the most enjoyable experience! We then went to B&M and Home Bargains. We picked up a few table decorations for Christmas! I’m hosting for the first time in my flat this year so we wanted to make it extra special! I also found these Jurassic World Dominion mini blind bags for 99p each! I picked up a few as they will go perfectly with the Jurassic World Dinosaur Garden my friends gave me for my birthday!
It’s my last week at work until the New Year this week. I am only working Monday-Wednesday which is great as I will have some time to get ready for the big day! On Thursday we are taking Georgie to the Weald and Downland Museum for their Father Christmas event. This could go either way – yesterday he was greeted by a Santa in the town and he burst into tears ^^;;
On Friday I am having my pre-Christmas sort out! My flat always descends into chaos in December so I want to make sure it is tidy for Christmas Day! Then on Christmas Eve we are going to Portsmouth for the day to do some shopping (and squish hunting!).
I have also made a list of things I want to achieve over the Christmas break. I want to try and overhaul my website and social media to give it a refreshed look for the New Year. I am also going to set up a dedicated Instagram for my toy hunting and collecting. I will still post some reviews on here, but there is much more that I want to showcase and I feel having its own space would be best!
It is the last week now before the big day! I hope everyone is having fun getting ready for it!
Shari Reviews Stuff: Pastel Fluffy Slime and Fashion Fidgets Dolls
I just love collecting fidget toys and thought I would share a quick review of my latest purchases.
First up is this pastel fluffy slime that I bought from the Works (https://www.theworks.co.uk/), in store. The Works is one of my favourite stores for finding fidgets and blind bags and they now have Squishmallows too! I am a bit fussy with slime and I am pleased that I love this fluffy slime! It’s not too sticky and stretches really well. It also produces a good amount of bubbles to pop and the sound is very satisfying! It was £1 so a bargain really!
The second thing I bought is this Fashion Fidget Doll from the Entertainer (https://www.thetoyshop.com/), again in store. I was so happy to see these as I had seen them in toy hunt videos in the US and didn’t realise that they were out here too. They come blind 
boxed but they do have codes on the bottom so you can make a note of them and don’t end up with duplicates. I love the one I got! Her name is Poshi Pia! The little hearts on her cheeks are so cute and I love that you can move the buns on her head around as well as ‘pop’ her skirt! Her skirt can be twirled around too and she also comes with a clip so you can clip her on your bag and take her with you! The dolls are priced at £10 each, a little expensive in my opinion but not enough that I won’t be getting another one!
Disclaimer: These are my own thoughts on the above products, and I have not been asked or paid by the companies to provide a review.
Morgan Brice’s ‘New in 2022–Have You Read Them All?’ Tour
Morgan Brice’s ‘New in 2022–Have You Read Them All?’ Tour
A special book tour to celebrate this year’s new releases by Morgan Brice
- Sins of the Fathers—MM Supernatural Suspense
- No Surrender—An MM Psychic Detective Romance Adventure
- Again: Fox Hollow Zodiac Novel 2–MM Shifter Romance Suspense
- The Devil You Know: MM Supernatural Romance Adventure (ebook and audio release)
- Blink: MM Supernatural Suspense (audio release)
- Huntsman (audio release)
Plus, two holiday novellas
- Crewel Fate ~ Gail Z. Martin in Christmas at Caynham Castle
- Memory and Malice: A Badlands MM Psychic Detective Romance in Ring in the New at Caynham Castle
Continue reading “Morgan Brice’s ‘New in 2022–Have You Read Them All?’ Tour”
Shari Sakurai 