Author: sharisakurai

Shari Sakurai is a British author of paranormal, horror, science fiction and fantasy novels that almost always feature a LGBT protagonist and/or antagonist. She has always loved to write and it is her escape from the sometimes stressful modern life! Aside from writing, Shari enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to (loud!) music, going to rock concerts and learning more about other societies and cultures. Japanese culture is of particular interest to her and she often incorporates Japanese themes and influences into her work. Shari loves a challenge and has taken part and won the National Novel Writing Month challenge ten times!

Review: Songs of Insurrection (Daughter of the Dragon Throne #1) by J.C Kang

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Songs of Insurrection (Daughter of the Dragon Throne #1)

by J.C Kang

Princess Kaiya’s voice could charm a dragon.

Had she lived when the power of music could still summon typhoons and rout armies, perhaps Cathay’s imperial court would see her as more than a singing fool. With alliances to build and ambitious lords to placate, they care more about her marriage prospects than her voice.

Only the handsome Prince Hardeep, a foreign martial mystic, recognizes her potential. Convinced Kaiya will rediscover the legendary but perilous art of invoking magic through music, he suggests her voice, not her marriage, might better serve the realm.

When members of the emperor’s elite spy clan– Kaiya’s childhood friend Tian and his half-elf sidekick (or maybe he’s her sidekick?)– discover mere discontent boiling over into full-scale rebellion, Kaiya must choose. Obediently wedding the depraved ringleader means giving up her music. Confronting him with the growing power of her voice could kill her.

Purchase Link: amazon.com

Songs of Insurrection on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 4 stars

Songs of Insurrection is the first novel in the Daughter of the Dragon Throne series. Its main protagonist, Princess Kaiya, is the somewhat naïve daughter of the Emperor who wants to do more for her country than simply marry an arranged suitor as is expected of her. When she meets a foreign visitor to the palace, Prince Hardeep, he convinces Kaiya that she could use her gift of music to help her nation and together they set off in search of the dragon scale lute in the hopes that Kaiya alone can harness its power.

I loved rich blend of Chinese art and culture, together with a heroine who clearly finds her feet and gets stronger in character as the story progresses. The author took great care in their world-building which quickly immerses the reader with imaginative description and well-crafted dialogue.  The political aspect was very engaging and it would be easy to pity Princess Kaiya’s position, as she herself might, but instead she uses it to her advantage when trying to do her best for her country.

The only thing I would say, which is why I couldn’t give it a full five stars, was that there were a lot of characters and I found myself somewhat confused in places at the switching viewpoints and trying to sort out who everyone was and where their allegiances lay.

However, this aside, Songs of Insurrection is a very well-written and enjoyable fantasy and I would love to read book 2 in the series.

Review: Divulgence (H Narratives #1) by S.J Romero

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Divulgence (H Narratives #1)

by S.J Romero

What if Hell was real? What if it was divided into regions and could be manipulated at the blink of an eye? What if Hell was survival for some and entertainment for others?

Six people wake to find themselves in strange surroundings without food, water, or explanation. Unable to escape, patience is lost and tempers flare as impossible things happen far too often, leading to the only conclusion that makes sense—they must be dead.

H narratives: Divulgence, is the mind-altering epic introduction to an afterlife never imagined, a journey like no other and a disturbing truth—death is not what we thought.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Divulgence (H Narratives #1) on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 3.5 stars

Six complete strangers awaken in a bizarre and frightening place, only to be told that not only are they dead but they are in hell. They are all put through terrifying ordeals at the hands of the torturer Sunesis before being told that they must work together to complete missions for Sunesis and journey through hell.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. The first half I did not enjoy at all and struggled to get through it. There was a lot of graphic violence that I questioned the need for. Reading it made me very uncomfortable and I was very tempted to skip pages in places. However, I persevered with it and once the six protagonists had been dispatched into the lands of hell I found myself starting to enjoy the novel. There was still quite a lot of violence but you also learned more about each character and started to see them forming bonds with each other. I liked how each of them was flawed in some way – it made them much more relatable. The banter between them was amusing and provided a lot of much need comic relief to the horrifying situation that they found themselves in.

I have given Divulgence 3.5 stars because whilst I enjoyed the second part of the novel, the first part made for some very uncomfortable reading. That being said this is a very original novel with a different take on what we imagine hell to be like and I would like to find out what happens to Toby and the others.

Review: The Heaviness of Knowing (The Conscious Dreamer Series #1)

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The Heaviness of Knowing (The Conscious Dreamer Series Book #1)

by Sharolyn G Brown

You can’t unknow the truth.

Roxal has spent her life using her Dream Traveler ability in service to Trebor’s gods, The Keepers. Even after she learns they aren’t all powerful like she was taught, she dutifully continues to manipulate an Earth woman named Lauren to do their bidding. Roxal’s content pretending to be a loyal follower, until her mate’s activities with a rebel faction put both of their lives in jeopardy.

Meanwhile on Earth, Lauren is struggling to find balance at work and at home. To make matters worse, she develops an acute case of insomnia which disrupts her life. While trying to cure her condition, Lauren discovers that not only do aliens exist, but that she’s been in contact with one for most of her life. And that’s just for starters.

Now Lauren’s world is turned upside down. And Roxal has to figure out if she can harness the survival instincts which before told her to hide and use it to now fight for her survival.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

The Heaviness of Knowing on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 5 stars

The Heaviness of Knowing is the first novel in The Conscious Dreamer Series which centres around two main characters. The first, Roxal, is an alien from the planet Trebor who has spent her entire life serving Trebor’s Gods, the Keepers. Roxal is a traveller which means that her task is to connect with a human from Earth and assist her in creating technology that will aid Earth’s development and prevent it befalling the same fate as Trebor. However, Roxal soon learns that everything that she has been brought up to believe is a lie and with her mate, Edo and other resistors, they defy the Keepers and are branded as traitors.

Roxal’s human connection is a girl called Lauren who is under pressure from her Boss to finish the microchip that Roxal has been helping her with in her dreams. Due to their connection, Lauren develops life-threatening insomnia and when seeking help she learns the truth about the company she is working for, her childhood ‘imaginary’ friend Roxy and Trebor’s true intensions towards Earth.

The Heaviness of Knowing is a fantastic science fiction novel. The world-building is excellent, as are the main characters and I struggle to pick a favourite between the two of them. I had wondered if the switching between the two of them might be distracting but it’s certainly not the case at all as the changing perspectives are crucial to the story development and I really enjoyed getting to know the both of them better. There is just the right balance of action and the pace is steady, making this a real page turning. I was disappointed when it end and am really looking forward to reading book 2!

Virtual Book Fair Booth: Shari Sakurai

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Title: Demon’s Blood
Author: Shari Sakurai

Summary: Immortal blood is precious and Kokawa Taku’s makes him especially unique.

After vampire hunters force them to flee Tokyo, Taku and his lover,  Thane, try to make a new life for themselves in England. But three months later Thane is still tormented by nightmares of the fire that almost cost them their lives. This leads to carelessness and the discovery of one of his victims.

When faced with threats from all sides Taku tries his best to protect them although his actions are met with disapproval and anger from Thane. Unknown to his lover, Taku is also struggling to keep hidden the truth of what really happened three months ago.

However, it is only a matter of time before Taku’s past and bloodline catches up with him.

Buy Demon’s Blood for $0.99 from 15th-16th November 2016!

About Shari Sakurai: Shari Sakurai is a British author of paranormal, horror, science fiction and fantasy novels that almost always feature a LGBT protagonist and/or antagonist. She has always loved to write and it is her escape from the sometimes stressful modern life!

Aside from writing, Shari enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to (loud!) music, going to rock concerts and learning more about other societies and cultures. Japanese culture is of particular interest to her and she often incorporates Japanese themes and influences into her work.

Shari loves a challenge and has taken part and won the National Novel Writing Month challenge for the past nine years!

Upcoming Projects: Shari is currently working on the sequel to Demon’s Blood and Book Two of her Perfect World Series.

Scavenger Hunt: 1

Review: The Least (Zombie Ocean #3)

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The Least (Zombie Ocean #3) by Michael John Grist

The zombie apocalypse like you’ve never seen it before.

When the zombie ocean crushes humanity, ex-Olympic athlete Robert ‘Cerulean’ doesn’t stand a chance.
His spine is broken. His mind is broken. He lives in his mother’s basement playing video games all day and all night.
He will save the world.

‘Born on the 4th of July’ meets the zombie apocalypse, packed with gore, twists and a whole lotta love.

A standalone novel that also continues and expands the story begun in The Last and The Lost, Books 1 and 2 of the Zombie Ocean. Burning questions from The Lost will be answered, like:

– Who took Cerulean?
– Where are they going?
– Why?

Purchase Link: amazon.com

The Least on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 4 stars

The Least is the third novel in Michael John Grist’s Zombie Ocean series and tells Robert ‘Cerulean’s’ story; his life before the zombie apocalypse, the aftermath and his journey to find Amo and the other survivors.

After a diving accident leaves him in a wheelchair, Robert has all but given up on life until he meets Amo. Together they help each other heal their mental and physical scars in a virtual world until the zombie apocalypse wipes out most of humanity.  When Robert realises the true nature of the zombie ocean, he starts a journey across America to find Amo and other survivors.

I really enjoyed reading Robert’s story. It fits in well with the zombie ocean universe and provides much anticipated details about Robert’s life before the apocalypse. It also adds a lot to the over-arching story and Robert’s relationships with the other characters, in particular Anna and Amo and I can’t wait to read the next instalment of the series.

Review: Ocean Gods, Roman Blades

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Ocean Gods, Roman Blades by Andrew Knighton

Ancient history meets epic fantasy in an action packed novella of war, magic and one man’s struggle to find himself.

Varus is the fiercest soldier in the Roman legion, and the most undisciplined. Fighting Thracian pirates on the high seas, he faces attacks not just from spears and arrows, but from divine magic. With the enemy closing in, Varus faces a desperate battle for survival, made worse by his own divided instincts. Will Roman blades be strong enough to survive against ocean gods?

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Ocean Gods, Roman Blades on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 4 stars

Ocean Gods, Roman Blades is a historical fantasy novella depicting the life and battles of the legionnaire Varus. Unlike many of his comrades, Varus has a bloodlust that enables him to kill many of his enemies, but also causes him to make mistakes that could one day cost him not just his own life but the lives of his fellow warriors as well. As well as telling the story of his squad’s battle against the Thracian pirates, this novella shows how Varus grows as a warrior and a person.

I really enjoyed this action-packed tale. Clearly the author has taken a great deal of time in his research to ensure as much historical accuracy as possible. Varus’s character developed nicely as the story progressed and the style and quality of the writing was such that you feel quickly immersed in the middle of the action. My only feeling was perhaps the ending occurred a little too abruptly. It is left open for a sequel though which I would look forward to reading.

Review: The Lost

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The Lost (Zombie Ocean #2) by Michael John Grist

7 billion zombies. 1 little girl.

When the zombie apocalypse claims America, only 1 in 10 million survive.
Anna is one of them. She’s 5 years old. She likes banana milkshakes and Alice in Wonderland. She’s alone in a world full of danger that she cannot understand.

Will she survive?

‘Alice in Wonderland’ meets the zombie apocalypse like you’ve never seen it before, packed with gore, twists and the delightfully surreal.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

The Lost on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 5 stars

The Lost is Book Two of Michael John Grist’s Zombie Ocean series and takes the bold step of telling the apocalypse through the eyes of a child.

Anna is only five years old when the apocalypse strikes. Left alone when her father is infected, she follows the cairns that Amo has left in search of him and the other survivors, whilst also determined that one day she will be reunited with her father.

I must admit when I started reading I was sceptical about how this novel was going to work with such a young protagonist and I am pleased to say I was blown away by this excellent read. Grist cleverly likened a lot of Anna’s experiences to the character Alice from Alice in Wonderland and the innocence of her young years was captured perfectly. Anna is a very determined and headstrong heroine, traits that were clear when she was a child and leading to her teenage years. This and her enduring love and wish to be reunited with her father makes her a very well-developed and likeable lead.

On her journey Anna discovers more about the zombies which adds to the overall series and she comes together with many of the other characters and forges her own relationships with them.

This is a fantastic read and I can’t wait to read the third book in the series.

Grandad’s Shop

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Quite a few years ago my Grandad used to own the newsagent ‘Rapsons’ in a street in Chichester, West Sussex called ‘The Hornet’. It has changed hands and uses a few times now since he owned it and up until recently it used to be an Art Gallery. The newest owners are in the process of renovating it. Whilst doing so they uncovered the original 1890s shop sign that had been preserved underneath various newer signs that had been added over the years.

My Dad enjoys researching local history and he uncovered some history about the original shop and its owner.

Continue reading “Grandad’s Shop” →