Category: book reviews

Review: The Everlast (Book #1 of The Everlast Series) by Jack Kavanagh

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The Everlast (Book #1 of The Everlast Series) by Jack Kavanagh

“You may act for yourself, do as you please, but listen well; act on behalf of others—attempt this and I shall make you pay dearly for it”.

Karakia hears a voice in her head calling her down to the shore. An eight foot angel is waiting for her by the rocks. The angel tells her that the world is about to be overcome by the Mastery—a group of people who have allied themselves with a dark spirit and wish to bring the world into a permanent state of war. Karakia has a difficult decision to make; stay at home with her family or set out against the very people behind this attack. Karakia knows that by confronting the Mastery she is putting her own life in danger, a risk she is willing to take— but will her family be safe? After the fog lifts on the day of the attack, it becomes clear that nothing has changed in the world, except for the people themselves; they can no longer communicate with their angels, they can no longer fly, and there are others coming forward, speaking of a vengeful God and chastisements from heaven.

A thrilling fantasy adventure, full of mystery and suspense—enter the world of angels and dark spirits, where the smallest choice could bring peace or war, life or death.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

The Everlast on Goodreads

Review

Rating: 2.5 stars

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

Karakia is an Aurora, chosen by the angels to confront a dark spirit that is determined to plunge all of humanity into a war. Torn between her love for her family and her desire to fulfil her destiny, Karakia sets out on a dangerous journey to confront the humans whose souls have been poisoned by demons.

I really struggled to rate this novel. The premise I liked and I did enjoy the themes running throughout the story. The novel had a dark tone but scattered within there were glimmers of lightness and hope. Karakia is a likeable protagonist and is an ever-developing character as she embarks on her journey and destiny.

However, the structure of the novel I found very confusing. It was separated into parts narrated by different characters but there was no real consistency or order to them. I struggled to follow it in places and there was also some very strange sentences and phrasing. I couldn’t decide if this was deliberate in an attempt to give the characters a regional dialect, but it only added to my confusion and there were parts I really struggled with.

Taking this into account I can really only give The Everlast 2.5 stars as for me it was somewhat of a laboured read for me.

Blog Tour and Review: The Scarecrow and George C by Mia Kerick

~ sharisakurai ~ 2 Comments

The Scarecrow & George C
Mia Kerick
Publication date: June 3rd 2019
Genres: Contemporary, LGBTQ+, New Adult, Romance

High school senior Van Liss is barely human. He thinks of himself as a scarecrow—ragged and unnerving, stuck, and destined to spend his life cold and alone. If he ever had feelings, they were stomped out long ago by his selfish mother and her lecherous boyfriend. All he’s been left with is bitter contempt, to which he clings.

With a rough exterior long used to keep the world at bay, Van spooks George Curaco, the handsome new frycook at the diner where he works. But George C senses there is more to the untouchable Van and refuses to stop staring, fascinated by his eccentricity. When Van learns that George C is even more cold, alone, and frightened than himself, Van welcomes him to his empty home. And ends up finding his heart.

Their road to trust is rocky and, at times, even dangerous. And looming evil threatens to keep them apart forever.

Fair warning: You may want to strap in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

—

*All proceeds of this book go to charity: True Colors United.
“True Colors United implements innovative solutions to youth homelessness that focus on the unique experiences of LGBTQ young people.”

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Review: Orchestra of Treacheries (The Dragon Songs Saga #2) by J.C. Kang

~ sharisakurai ~ 1 Comment

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Orchestra of Treacheries (The Dragon Songs Saga #2) by J.C. Kang

Kaiya’s voice could charm a dragon.

It’s been two years since she put down a rebellion with the magic of the Dragon Scale Lute. With the instrument destroyed, her musical talents are inconsequential compared to her value as the last unmarried child of the ailing emperor.

Potential suitors see her as a stepping stone. One ruthless cousin would rather step on her gravestone. Not one to get walked over or buried, Kaiya is holding out for the exiled foreign prince who inspired her to sing. The only one who appreciates her abilities more is the world’s last dragon, Avarax, and it’s not because he enjoys a good song.

Conspiracies eat away at the empire from the inside, while aggressive neighbors wait to consume what’s left. Raw and unproven, Kaiya faces tasks worthy of an imperial princess: defuse escalating conflicts between rival lords. Negotiate peace with foreign powers. Vanquish a dragon.

The magic of her voice is untrained. However, as crisis jolts her from a pampered palace life into an adventure of court intrigue and international diplomacy, Kaiya finds mentors in unlikely places. An elf courtier. An ancient healer. A martial arts master. And an evil sorcerer. She’ll need their guidance to survive the final showdown between a girl finding her voice, and a dragon who has no intention of being fooled a second time.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Orchestra of Treacheries on Goodreads

Review

Rating: 4 stars

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

Two years after the events of Dragon Scale Lute, Princess Kaiya has grown in both wisdom and beauty. With potential suitors and threats around every corner, Kaiya finds herself being relied on more and more by her father to try and keep the diplomatic peace between nations. Her father also presses her to choose a husband, not knowing that his daughter is in love with the exiled Prince Hardeep.

An Orchestra of Treacheries delves deeper into the intricate games of the court and the minds of the many different lords vying for power. Sensing the kingdom is weakening, they betray not only the royal family, but each other in order to ascent to the throne themselves. I enjoyed reading from different points of view and how the plots weaved together to shape the direction of the second novel in the series. Kaiya is as strong as ever and what I like most about her character is her resilience and that she very much knows her own mind. She is determined to make her own way but still remaining sensitive to her ailing father’s wishes and her duties.

Book two paves the way for things to come and I really look forward to reading further novels in the series.

Blog Tour and Review: August Prather is Not Dead Yet By Danielle Roux

~ sharisakurai ~ 2 Comments

August Prather is Not Dead Yet
Danielle Roux
Publication date: August 7th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, LGBTQ+, New Adult, Romance

Katherine Garnet is a writer who has never cared much about much, making it awfully difficult to create new content. Despite the fact she has the “edge” of being trans (according to her cis male editor) she is not looking to capitalize on her own personal story. Garnet tries to sneak a peek at her rival, August Prather’s, latest fantasy manuscript about a quest for the elixir of life. While reading, Garnet gets accidentally dragged into a bizarre cross-country road trip that may or may not have a purpose and begins to see parallels in the story of the manuscript and the reality of their journey. Along the way, they encounter a parade of equally troubled individuals, including ghost-hunting priests, a robot magician, a discarded piece of furniture, a runaway teenager, and a Japanese rock star. As Garnet confronts her past, she begins to understand why someone might want to live forever.

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OWS CyCon 2019: Review – Sapience: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories by Alexis Lantgen

~ sharisakurai ~ 1 Comment

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As part of the OWS CyCon 2019 virtual book fair I was lucky to receive a copy of author Alexis Lantgen’s science fiction collection Sapience. Here are my thoughts on this excellent anthology.

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Sapience: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories

by Alexis Lantgen

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What kind of life will we find in the depths of Europa’s oceans? What kind of life will we allow an AI with human level intelligence? The ten stories in Sapience: A Collection of Science Fiction Short Stories explore these questions and many more. 

In the near future, humanity builds a colony on Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter. They tunnel into the ice to explore the dark oceans beneath the moon’s surface, searching for signs of extraterrestrial life. What they find will change them forever, setting humanity on a path to the stars. But the old conflicts and hatreds of Earth are not so easily escaped. Will human colonists on distant planets and moons create a paradise or a horrifying dystopia?

 

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Goodreads: Sapience by Alexis Lantgen

Review

Rating: 5 stars

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

Sapience is a collection of short stories taking place either on Earth or in colonies on other planets. Each story stands alone in its own right, but forms part of the bigger story and themes running through the collection.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sapience. It is an excellent dark science fiction anthology, exploring many different themes throughout including the morally questionable direction that science and technology may take humanity in the future. I think what I loved most about the stories was that as dark as they were, there was very often hope amongst the darkness and the characters had resolve to prevail no matter what difficulties they faced. Each one was beautifully written and are the kinds of tales that will stay with you. My favourites from the collection were Earth is for Earthers and Swan.

Sapience is a short yet powerful read which I cannot recommend enough.

Review: Harkworth Hall by L.S. Johnson

~ sharisakurai ~ 2 Comments

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Harkworth Hall by L.S. Johnson

35510328“Ask him about his wives.”

Caroline Daniels must marry, and marry well. But in her remote corner of England eligible suitors are few and far between, and none hold a candle to her closest friend, Diana Fitzroy.

When Sir Edward Masterson arrives, he seems the answer to Caroline’s financial worries, though she instinctively dislikes the reticent, older merchant. Soon Sir Edward has set his sights on acquiring both Caroline and the decaying Harkworth Hall.

Caroline’s future seems secure, save that his enigmatic secretary hints at a dark secret, and Sir Edward shows an unusual interest in tales of monsters … and the blood in Caroline’s veins.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Goodreads: Harkworth Hall by L.S Johnson

Review

Rating: 5 stars

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

Set in nineteenth century England, only child Caroline Daniels is under pressure to marry to secure her future. When the wealthy Sir Edward Masterson appears to take an interest in her, Caroline is torn between accepting the match or following her instincts that Sir Edward is not all that he seems. Opting to do the later and together with Sir Edward’s secretary Mr Chase, who has a secret of his own, Caroline begins to uncover why Sir Edward has arrived in her remote corner of England and just what his obsession is with the derelict Harkworth Hall.

Harkworth Hall is a very atmospheric, gothic tale. Caroline is a likeable and unconventional heroine who defies the stereo-types of her time. Uncovering the secrets of Harkworth Hall fuel her secret desire for adventure and a life that in her time would normally be out of reach for her. I enjoyed Caroline’s blossoming romance with Chase amongst the mystery and look forward to seeing their unconventional relationship for the times progress further.

The author brought together a wonderful combination of historical and mythological fiction together with a female-female romance to form an intriguing and thrilling tale and I cannot wait to read more of Caroline and Chase’s adventures in the future.

Book Blitz and Review: Escaping Mortality by Sara Dobie Bauer

~ sharisakurai ~ 1 Comment

Title: Escaping Mortality

Series: The Escape Trilogy, Book Three

Author: Sara Dobie Bauer

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: January 28, 2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 33100

Genre: Paranormal, LGBT, bisexual, gay, vampires, polyamorous, British nobility, established couples

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Synopsis

Their ocean journey was successful, and Andrew and Edmund found an Elder just in time. As they wished, Edmund is now a vampire like Andrew. They have eternity together, but first, they must visit Edmund’s ailing mother in the English countryside with their flock of immortals, including the Elder, who has taken an ominous liking to his new creation.

When they arrive at Edmund’s family estate, his sick mother and her loathsome best friend await them. While ducking religious curses, Edmund struggles to harness an unexpected power gifted him by the Elder. Andrew fears for his beloved as Edmund becomes more and more monstrous—but vampires have always been monsters, haven’t they?

A battle is coming, for Edmund’s heart and his soul, and Andrew will lose neither. He escaped island exile and a near tragedy at sea to be with Edmund, the beautiful young sailor he loves. Andrew will do anything to keep Edmund by his side, but his most dangerous adversary may be Edmund himself.

Continue reading “Book Blitz and Review: Escaping Mortality by Sara Dobie Bauer” →

Review: At the Cemetery Gates: Year One by John Brhel and Joseph Sullivan

~ sharisakurai ~ 1 Comment

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At the Cemetery Gates: Year One

by John Brhel and Joseph Sullivan

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A young woman sees an approaching figure in her time-lapse photo project. A small town’s strange illness seems to stem from the local cemetery. Two boys make a grim discovery about death and decay when they sneak into a funeral parlor. AT THE CEMETERY GATES: YEAR ONE is an entertaining and eerie short story collection for fans of the strange, macabre, and supernatural.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Goodreads: At the Cemetery Gates: Year One by John Brhel and Joseph Sullivan

 

Review

Rating: 4 stars

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

At The Cemetery Gates: Year One is a collection of short stories. I love reading horror shorts and this collection did not disappoint. They are very well-written and each very different with their own twists and chills.

It was hard for me to pick favourites as I enjoyed reading them all so much but stand-out ones for me were:

A Dark and Desolate Reoccurrence – seeking shelter from a deadly snowstorm, husband and wife Teddy and Margo inadvertently stumble upon a haunted cabin. Trapped until the storm is over they soon realise that surviving the night is the least of their worries.

A Tale of Palpable Violence – a couple on an isolated road are disturbed by reports of killers on the loose, but their fears are not what you might expect!

An Epistle from the Dead – grieving wife Regina discovers a diary written by her late-husband. Giving into temptation she reads it and learns more about him than perhaps she wanted to know. I don’t want to say too much about this one and risk giving away the brilliant twist at the end!

At the Cemetery Gates: Year One is a dark, quick read that I recommend horror lovers checking out!

Review: A Mighty Rolling Thunder by Kerry Alan Denney

~ sharisakurai ~ 2 Comments

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A Mighty Rolling Thunder by Kerry Alan Denney

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The end of the world is just the beginning of the terror…

Spring, 2024: Two spirit hordes break through from another dimension, and make half the world’s population vanish. The spirits possess the survivors, dividing them into two groups: those who fight to retain their humanity, and marauders who destroy everything in their paths.

Artist Livi DeSilva is fleeing from possessed killers when she meets Conor McLain, a man suffering from amnesia. Outnumbered and outgunned, Livi and Conor team up and fight off homicidal lunatics and ruthless gangs, only to end up cornered by their deadliest foe: billionaire Victor van Danz, a psychopath who commands the new world’s dark forces. Victor craves immortality, and kidnaps Livi. He believes that when he kills Livi in front of her collection of canvases and absorbs her life energy, he will transform into a god.

With only Conor, two amazing dogs, and a band of plucky children to aid her, Livi must harness the power of the spirits inside her and use it to defeat Victor — or die in the clutches of a madman.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Goodreads: A Mighty Rolling Thunder by Kerry Alan Denney

Review

Rating: 4 stars

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

When a mysterious event causes half of the world’s population to vanish and others to become violent due to delusions, artist Livi DeSilva goes on the run with her dog Beauty. Suddenly gifted with the ability to communicate with each other, Livi and Beauty meet Connor and his dog T-Rex as well as a group of orphaned children. Then Livi finds herself the target of power-crazed billionaire Victor van Danz who believes that Livi is the key him achieving immortality.

I really enjoyed reading A Mighty Rolling Thunder. It’s a very well-written novel with immensely likeable main characters and supporting cast. I loved how Livi and Connor could communicate with their dogs. I would love to be able to have that ability with my cat! And that they could deepened the already close bond between them. The villain Victor van Danz was chilling to read. The conclusions that he had come to that were feeding his own power trip and ego were clearly the thoughts of a mad man, but he found them completely logical and acted on them without a thought or care for the consequences.

The mystery behind the disappearances of the population was never fully explained but that added to the read as you were left to make up your own minds. I really like reads like that, which allow you to draw your own conclusions.
I definitely recommend this novel as once you pick up A Mighty Rolling Thunder you won’t want to put it down.