Book Blast and Review: The Yakuza Path: Blood Stained Tea by Amy Tasukada

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: The Yakuza Path: Blood Stained Tea

Author: Amy Tasukada

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: November 28, 2016

Genre: Gay thriller (NOT ROMANCE)

Tropes: Forbidden love, bad boys, tragic hero

Themes: Mafia

Heat Rating: 1 flame

Length: 350 pages

It is the first book in the series and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links – FREE to read on all platforms

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Kobo | Google Play | Apple Books

Barnes and Noble | Books 2 Read

A bloody past haunts him. A devastating present lures him back…

Blurb

Nao hides from his violent past in the Japanese mob by opening a teahouse in Japan’s cultural center, Kyoto. His past comes flooding back when he discovers a gravely injured man with a tattooed chest, a bloody knife, and a Korean business card.

Saehyun would’ve died if not for Nao’s help. He knows nothing of his savior’s connection with the local mafia, but Saehyun has his own secrets. He commands the Korean mafia, the mortal enemy of Nao’s former syndicate.

As Nao and Saehyun grow closer, so does the strength of the Korean mob. A shocking murder pulls Nao back into a past he’d all but abandoned. War is looming, and Nao must choose between protecting Saehyun or avenging the honor of his old mafia family.

Blood Stained Tea is the first book in the The Yakuza Path series. If you like complex characters, blood-soaked violence, and twists you won’t see coming, then you’ll love Amy Tasukada’s gritty crime masterpiece.

The Yakuza Path Series

BOOK 1 – Blood Stained Tea

BOOK 2 – Better Than Suicide

BOOK 3 – One Thousand Cranes

BOOK 4 – The Deafening Silence

BOOK 5 – Flowers of Flesh and Blood

BOOK 6 – Releasing in November

Continue reading “Book Blast and Review: The Yakuza Path: Blood Stained Tea by Amy Tasukada”

Shari Reviews Stuff: Glitter & Glamours Eternal Sailor Moon Figure

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Purchase Link: https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEODAI-103096

Today I am reviewing the Eternal Sailor Moon Glitter and Glamours figure made by Banpresto. It was a game prize so I ordered it through CD Japan’s Proxy Service. The fees bumped the price up to almost double the listing price, but it was well worth it.

image1This is a beautiful figure and is a lot bigger that I thought she would be! She came in several parts but she was easy to assemble and I did it in under a minute. The detail is amazing and I keep going back over to my cabinet to look at her. The quality is really good for the price too. She’s pretty solid and won’t easily break. There were too versions of this model released in slightly different colours.

I believe there is also a Super Sailor Moon in the same series, that I think I will try to get as well. I love this model so much and she is a beautiful addition to my collection!

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Disclaimer: These are my own thoughts on the above product and I have not been asked or paid by the company to provide a review.

Release Blitz and Review: The Prince and the Ice King by Amanda Meuwissen

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: The Prince and the Ice King

Author: Amanda Meuwissen

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Release Date: August 3, 2021

Genre: Fantasy M/M Romance

Tropes: Fated love, enemies to lovers, cursed, slow burn

Themes: Destiny, fate, redemption, legend, overcoming prejudice

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 300 pages

It can be read alone but is the first book in a series.

This is book 1 of Tales from the Gemstone Kingdoms.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Dreamspinner

Only true love can melt a frozen heart.

Blurb

Every Winter Solstice, the Emerald Kingdom sends the dreaded Ice King a sacrifice—a corrupt soul, a criminal, a deviant, or someone touched by magic. Prince Reardon has always loathed this tradition, partly because he dreams of love with another man instead of a future queen.

Then Reardon’s best friend is discovered as a witch and sent to the Frozen Kingdom as tribute.

Reardon sets out to rescue him, willing to battle and kill the Ice King if that’s what it takes. But nothing could prepare him for what he finds in the Frozen Kingdom—a cursed land filled with magic… and a camaraderie Reardon has never known. Over this strange, warm community presides the enigmatic Ice King himself, a man his subjects call Jack. A man with skin made of ice, whose very touch can stop a beating heart.

A man Reardon finds himself inexplicably drawn to.

Jack doesn’t trust Reardon. But when Reardon begins spending long days with him, vowing to prove himself and break the curse, Jack begins to hope. Can love and forgiveness melt the ice around Jack’s heart?

Continue reading “Release Blitz and Review: The Prince and the Ice King by Amanda Meuwissen”

Release Blitz: Dark Summer by S. J. Coles

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Dark Summer (A sequel to Blood Winter)

Author: S. J. Coles

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Release Date: July 27, 2021

Genres: M/M Romance, Paranormal Romance, Vampire Romance, Thriller

Tropes: Love against the odds, Forbidden Love, love triangle

Themes: Learning to love, healing, facing fears

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 50 247 words/ 204 pages

It is not a standalone story. It is the second book in a series.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Is a human lifetime long enough to learn to love a vampire?

Blurb

A sequel to Blood Winter

Is a human lifetime long enough to learn to love a vampire?

The tumultuous events of the Blood Winter are a fading nightmare, and Alec and Terje are trying to build a life together at Alec’s newly restored ancestral home of Glenroe. There’s just one problem… Terje doesn’t appear to be committed—constantly called away on mysterious errands and seemingly unable to forsake his own kind. Alec begins to wonder if Terje is capable of loving anyone, let alone him.

When an old uni friend Jay Singh, recently out of the closet and looking rather too good to be true, returns to Alec’s life, he becomes more conflicted than ever. Things only escalate when Alec is forced into the social and political issues still surrounding the haemophiles’ tumultuous integration into human society and soon it is more than just his relationship on the line.

Can Alec figure out what kind of future is possible with a vampire—and if it can ever be enough for either of them—before it’s too late?

Continue reading “Release Blitz: Dark Summer by S. J. Coles”

Monthly Reading List

August already! I hope everyone is going to be able to get some time to chill and relax at home  if a vacation away isn’t possible at the moment where you are. I have a week off from work from 9th August and I’m going to go out to a few covid-secure places as well as working on the last of my edits for Perfect World 3! 

Of course, I am also going to be reading and here’s my reading list for this month!

Sympthony of Fates

Kaiya escapes her ordeal at the hands of the Teleri Emperor, only to return to a homeland beset by enemies on all sides, and crumbling from within.

As a teenager, she quelled a rebellion with the Dragon Scale Lute. As a young adult, she vanquished a dragon with the power of her voice.

Now, robbed of her magic by grief, Kaiya must navigate a web of court intrigue to save the realm before it falls. Only she can lay claim to the Dragon Throne on behalf of her unborn sons—whether the father is the lover who perished rescuing her, or the hated enemy who killed him.

In the final story in Kaiya’s saga, she must rally a nation, repel invaders, and prove to the world why her family alone holds the Mandate of Heaven.

 

The Prince and the Ice King

Every Winter Solstice, the Emerald Kingdom sends the dreaded Ice King a sacrifice—a corrupt soul, a criminal, a deviant, or someone touched by magic. Prince Reardon has always loathed this tradition, partly because he dreams of love with another man instead of a future queen.

Then Reardon’s best friend is discovered as a witch and sent to the Frozen Kingdom as tribute.

Reardon sets out to rescue him, willing to battle and kill the Ice King if that’s what it takes. But nothing could prepare him for what he finds in the Frozen Kingdom—a cursed land filled with magic… and a camaraderie Reardon has never known. Over this strange, warm community presides the enigmatic Ice King himself, a man his subjects call Jack. A man with skin made of ice, whose very touch can stop a beating heart.

A man Reardon finds himself inexplicably drawn to.

Jack doesn’t trust Reardon. But when Reardon begins spending long days with him, vowing to prove himself and break the curse, Jack begins to hope. Can love and forgiveness melt the ice around Jack’s heart?

 

Order of the Void

Internet vlogger Jeffery Bailey, attends the funeral of his dead best friend. While at the funeral Jeffery is given a package from his friend’s mother. After looking through the contents of the package, Jeffery learns that it was more than just a simple home invasion that took the life of his friend.

Shari Reviews Stuff: ResinbyGlitzycraft – 1 pound jewellery lucky dip mystery box lucky dip

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Today I have another mystery box review. This time it is some really cute jewellery from ResinbyGlitzycraft! These lucky dips are really good value at £1 each and the postage is very reasonable too! I bought two of these and was very excited for them to arrive. I was not disappointed at all.

image1I received a pair of pretty green earrings and a cute ballerina necklace. The seller also kindly included a couple of extras; a sweet and these adorable stickers as well as a cute thank you card! This was great value for money, and I will be buying more of these in the future!

Purchase Link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/987577767/1-pound-jewellery-lucky-dip-mystery-box

Seller Store: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ResinbyGlitzycraft

Disclaimer: These are my own thoughts on the above product and I have not been asked or paid by the seller to provide a review.

Review: Dark Summer by S.J. Coles

Dark Summer

Is a human lifetime long enough to learn to love a vampire?

The tumultuous events of the Blood Winter are a fading nightmare, and Alec and Terje are trying to build a life together at Alec’s newly restored ancestral home of Glenroe. There’s just one problem… Terje doesn’t appear to be committed—constantly called away on mysterious errands and seemingly unable to forsake his own kind. Alec begins to wonder if Terje is capable of loving anyone, let alone him.

When an old uni friend Jay Singh, recently out of the closet and looking rather too good to be true, returns to Alec’s life, he becomes more conflicted than ever. Things only escalate when Alec is forced into the social and political issues still surrounding the haemophiles’ tumultuous integration into human society and soon it is more than just his relationship on the line.

Can Alec figure out what kind of future is possible with a vampire—and if it can ever be enough for either of them—before it’s too late?

Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of violence, murder, alcohol abuse and blood drinking.

Publisher’s Note: This story is best read as a sequel to Blood Winter.

Purchase: Amazon.com

Goodreads: Dark Summer by S.J. Coles


Review

Rating: 5 stars

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

When I learned that there was going to be a sequel to Blood Winter, I was so excited as it is one of my favourite vampire novels. I couldn’t wait to read Dark Summer and it did not disappoint.

After the events of Blood Winter, Alec and Terje are rebuilding their lives together and away from the political fallout and unrest from the previous novel. Alec is growing frustrated as Terje does not seem to want to commit on the same level that he does, and he is always going away, sometimes for months at a time. When an old university friend comes back into Alec’s life, he finds himself conflicted and in part yearning for a more human relationship. Then he learns that Terje’s former Magister is back and they are both unwillingly thrust into a world that they had sought to escape from.
This sequel has a darker tone than the previous novel, which suits it perfectly given events. It is told from Alec’s point of view, and you can really feel just how conflicted and troubled he is by his inability to understand Terje, and in turn Terje’s difficulty in reading him. For the two of them the relationship presents different complications but what brings them together is the willingness to try. I really love them as a couple and really wanted them to work through their issues.

Much of the novel is about their relationship, but this is interwoven perfectly with Evgeniya’s return. This time the threat that she presents is different and the confrontation forces both Alec and Terje to face their problems head on.

The writing style is raw and powerful, with a dark tone which also has its lighter moments. This and the descriptions crafted the world perfectly and I felt as though I was living the entire novel rather than reading it. The end does wrap up many of the loose ends, but I would love to see a continuation in the future!

Book Blast: The Dead Don’t Lie by Anne Russo

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: The Dead Don’t Lie

Author: Anne Russo

Publisher: JMS Books

Cover Artist: Written Ink Designs

Release Date: 3/13/21

Genres: Contemporary MM Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Action-Adventure

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Slow Burn, Found Families

Themes: Death & Dying, Betrayal, Love & Sacrifice, Family, Guilt & Loss

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 75 000 words/250 pages

This is the first book in a series and features an unresolved ending/cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Apple

Barnes & Noble | Bookstrand | Google Play

Kobo | Scribd | Smashwords

Blurb

While young doctor Adam Morrow resigns himself to an uninformed existence, world-weary assassin Ian Abbott struggles with a life he never asked for. When the two strangers meet by chance, the attraction is immediate. And deadly, as Adam walks in on Ian in the middle of a hit.

The situation spirals out of control once Ian discovers he and Adam share a connection far more profound than either imagined. Shocked by the discovery, Ian makes the hasty decision to kidnap him.

Overnight Adam is torn from his promising career and a family who believes him dead. Things go from bad to worse when he finds himself reunited with a mother he never knew who is now head of a covert and shadowy group of killers for hire. Forced into joining their ranks, with Ian as his reluctant trainer and handler, Adam is given a series of impossible tasks to complete.

To survive, he must fight with everything he has to keep his life, his sanity, and his very soul from being swept up in a violent and chaotic world even as he battles his unwanted and complicated feelings for Ian.

For his part, Ian, a man with dark secrets of his own, has a past he isn’t ready to share with Adam even as the other man worms into his life in more ways than one. The two grow closer and lines blur — between good and evil, friend or foe, enemy or lover. But something, or someone, plots against them, determined to do everything in their power to keep them apart. Even if it means destroying them both.

Trigger Warning: This story contains a brief scene of sexual assault and features an unresolved ending/cliffhanger.

Continue reading “Book Blast: The Dead Don’t Lie by Anne Russo”

Shari Reviews Stuff: LilyandPeonyStore – Mystery Snack Box

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Purchase Link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1018693395/kawaii-cute-mystery-sweet-or-sweet-and

Seller Page: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LilyandPeonyStore

Happy Sunday everyone! I have another stuff review and today it is of one of my favourite kind of purchases. Mystery boxes! I love the thrill of opening a package and having no idea what goodies are inside! I also love Asian snacks so this was a perfect choice for me!

image2I chose the small sweets mystery box and was not disappointed! It arrived super fast and was packed full of so many different and tasty snacks, some that I had never tried before!

The box itself was well packaged and the treats came wrapped it this really pretty tissue paper. Also enclosed was this sweet thank you card! If you’re looking to purchase a mystery snack box, then I would definitely recommend this one!

Disclaimer: These are my own thoughts on the above product and I have not been asked or paid by the seller to provide a review.

 

 

Review: The Dead Don’t Lie (Dead Generations #1) by Anne Russo

The Dead Don't Lie

While young doctor Adam Morrow resigns himself to an uninformed existence, world-weary assassin Ian Abbott struggles with a life he never asked for. When the two strangers meet by chance, the attraction is immediate. And deadly, as Adam walks in on Ian in the middle of a hit.

The situation spirals out of control once Ian discovers he and Adam share a connection far more profound than either imagined. Shocked by the discovery, Ian makes the hasty decision to kidnap him.

Overnight Adam is torn from his promising career and a family who believes him dead. Things go from bad to worse when he finds himself reunited with a mother he never knew who is now head of a covert and shadowy group of killers for hire. Forced into joining their ranks, with Ian as his reluctant trainer and handler, Adam is given a series of impossible tasks to complete.

To survive, he must fight with everything he has to keep his life, his sanity, and his very soul from being swept up in a violent and chaotic world even as he battles his unwanted and complicated feelings for Ian.

For his part, Ian, a man with dark secrets of his own, has a past he isn’t ready to share with Adam even as the other man worms into his life in more ways than one. The two grow closer and lines blur — between good and evil, friend or foe, enemy or lover. But something, or someone, plots against them, determined to do everything in their power to keep them apart. Even if it means destroying them both.

Trigger Warnings: This story contains a brief scene of sexual assault and features an unresolved ending/cliffhanger.

Purchase: Amazon.com

Goodreads: The Dead Don’t Lie (Dead Generations #1) by Anne Russo


Review

Rating: 4 stars

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

When Doctor Adam Morrow stumbles in whilst assassin Ian Abbott is carrying out a hit, both men’s lives change forever. Instead of killing Adam, Ian makes the decision to kidnap him. Forced into training as an assassin, Adam struggles to deal with his new reality as well as his complicated feelings for Ian. Little does he know that Ian has his own secrets. Secrets that may destroy any chance they have of being together.

The Dead Don’t Lie is the first novel in the Dead Generations series. It is a dark, gritty novel filled with suspense, violence and death. The two main characters at first seem to contrast starkly from each other. Adam is kind and compassionate and tends to wear his heart on his sleeve, whilst Ian is cold and ruthless. However, as the story progresses you get to see different sides to both of them. Ian does have feelings and the fleeting moments when these are on display make for very tender scenes between them. Adam possesses an inner strength that he did not know he had, and when he finds it, he becomes much stronger and able to deal with his new world better. To begin with, Adam hates that Ian stole his life from him and is forcing him to become someone that he is not. Ian hates that Adam is awakening emotions in him that he is afraid to confront. Over time the two of them start to become closer, however there is a lot of ‘will they won’t they’ due to external conflicts as well as their own reluctance.

Much of the novel focuses on Adam’s training and his complex relationship with his kidnapper now trainer. However, his new skills are soon put to the test when he finds himself a target of a man who has a score to settle with Ian.

I really enjoyed the dark world of assassins that this first book in series introduced me to. There was plenty of twists and turns as well as action and romance and I look forward to reading further books in the series.