Review: Arkadium Rising (Brother’s Keeper #1)

~ sharisakurai ~ 2 Comments

Arkadium Rising

Arkadium Rising (Brother’s Keeper #1) by Glen Krisch

The Arkadium’s time has come. A religious cult intent on setting history back ten thousand years, destroying modern man’s domination of the planet.

Growing up, the Grant brothers were close, but as they reached adolescence they drifted apart, taking opposite paths into adulthood. Straight-laced Jason works for a small town newspaper. Marcus is into drugs, violence, and self-destruction.

Marcus finds salvation and sobriety when he joins the Arkadium and reaches out to his brother, wanting him by his side to record the new prehistoric era, Arkadium’s era. Jason faces a choice, join his brother in the destruction of humanity, or die like one of the millions of innocents who will fall in the Arkadium’s ascent.

Purchase Link: www.amazon.com

Arkadium Rising on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 4 Stars

Arkadium Rising is the first book in the Brother’s Keeper series by Glen Krisch. It is the story of two brothers, one of whom is estranged from the family due to his drug addiction. When the story begins Jason is visited by his brother’s ex-girlfriend, Delaney, who informs him that not only is his brother clean, but that he has found religion. At first Jason is sceptical and despite knowing this he does not want anything to do with Marcus. His mind is changed, however, when the family receive some bad news and Jason leaves with Delaney to bring Marcus home. What Jason hasn’t been told is that Marcus is high up in the hierarchy of Arkadium, a religious cult that intends on bringing an end to life as Jason knows it.

Arkadium Rising is a fast paced and gripping read with a host of interesting and complex characters all with their own desires and beliefs driving them forward to survive in the new world that dramatically unfolds. There was a lot of violence and bloodshed as you would expect. The emotions running throughout the book were unfaltering and the existing (and new) relationships and connections between the characters made it feel very real.

As it is the first in the series the ending is left open, but without detracting from being able to enjoy the novel as a standalone. I very much look forward to reading the second book in the series.

Review: Project Ark

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Project Ark

Project Ark by L.T Gibbons

Fourteen year old Mia McAdams’ world is turned upside down when she finds herself torn from her life on Earth and transplanted onto the planet Usonia – a secret utopic world colonised after the second world war to safeguard the human race.

Submerged into this new reality, Mia quickly falls in love with the glittering planet and its alluring, other-worldly inhabitants. But when the future of Usonia comes under threat, it soon becomes clear that Mia holds the key to its survival.

Purchase Link: www.amazon.com

Project Ark on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 3 Stars

Project Ark tells the story of Mia McAdams who is uprooted from her life on Earth to live on the secretly colonised planet Usonia. The novel shows how Mia adjusts to her new life and the very different way of living on the utopian-like planet.

I really liked the concept of Usonia, the whole new society and way of life, which is greatly different to that on Earth. There were amazing and very creative technological advancements. Project Ark high-lights environmental issues, and I like how it addresses them and also heightens the awareness of climate changes that we face today.

However, for me the pacing and the characterisation of Mia was disappointing. I felt as though it needed more chapters to expand on some areas. I would have liked to see more of Mia’s life before leaving for Usonia and also seen more of an interaction between her, her parents and best friend as I felt that her back-story and relationships were somewhat side-lined. The conflict later in the novel was brought to a rather rapid conclusion and I would have preferred this to play out for a bit longer.

I liked Mia’s character, but found myself wishing for a bit more depth to her. At times her swift adjustment to life on Usonia was frustrating. It felt as though she was now looking down on people from Earth and had forgotten that it wasn’t too long ago that she use to live there and be one of them. Perhaps Mia could have been used to bridge the gap that I felt existed between Usonia and Earth as there is lots that the two planets’ societies could have learned from each other.

Overall I did enjoy reading Project Ark. L .T Gibbons is very talented and has a great imagination. In my opinion it could have been longer and expanded on in some areas but this doesn’t detract from it being a good read.

Review: Mr Ruins

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Mr_Ruins

Mr Ruins (Ruins Sonata #1) by Michael John Grist

Book 1 of the Ruins Sonata trilogy.

Ritry Goligh is a former Arctic marine living in a dystopian, tsunami-wrecked future. He works as a graysmith- a specialist capable of diving the minds of others and implanting or erasing memories. Scarred by the events of the Arctic war, he leads a directionless life of alcohol, violence, and sex, until a man calling himself Mr. Ruins offers him a devil’s bargain- gain a future, but forfeit his soul.

At the same time, a crew of hardened marines rouse in a unique submarine designed to dive through lava within a planet’s molten core. They have no memories except their names, ranks, and a burning urge to complete their mission. Yet none of them know what their mission is, or what the stakes will be if they fail.

Purchase Link: www.amazon.com

Mr Ruin’s on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 5 Stars

Mr Ruins is the first book of the Ruins Sonata trilogy. It tells two stories; the first of one man’s struggle against a terrible evil and the second of a group of marines tasked to complete their mission no matter what.

Ritry Goligh is a broken man. Working as a graysmith he fills his empty life with booze and women. When the story begins he’s weak, seriously flawed and at times a difficult character to like. As the novel progresses and Ritry is struggling to get his life back in order he becomes stronger and very likeable, and definitely I found myself caring for the character and his fate.

Mr Ruins is an excellent antagonist and the perfect adversary for Ritry.  He incorporates everything a villain should be; ruthless, devious, manipulative, charismatic, frightening. You could literally feel the atmosphere of the novel change with every scene that he was in.

Alongside Ritry’s battle against Mr Ruins runs the story of a group of marines who are tasked with completing a mission without any knowledge of their time before it began and what might happen should they fail. At first the two stories seem unconnected but further into the novel how they are interlinked becomes clear.

Mr Ruins is a fantastic and extremely well-written science fiction novel. The plot is engaging, compelling and very cleverly thought out, which kept me guessing right up until the very end. I highly recommend Mr Ruins to lovers of the science fiction genre!

JAPAN NIGHT comes to London, July 2015

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Japan Night Banner

JAPAN NIGHT comes to London, July 2015

10 July

VAMPS

[Alexandros]

Okamoto’s 

11 July

VAMPS

[Alexandros]

Ling tosite sigure

VENUE: Indigo at The 02

JAPAN NIGHT – MOVE WITH THE MUSIC OF JAPAN announces its first London shows taking place on 10 & 11 July bringing the best talent from Japan to us here at Indigo at The O2. The two fabulous shows coincide with Hyper Japan, which will be taking place on the same dates in The 02.

JAPAN NIGHT was initially held in 2014 as the last music event at Kokuritsu Kyogijo (National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo), welcoming leading Japanese artists including L’Arc-en-Ciel with the theme “Move with the music of Japan”. The new show will bring us both fresh and established talent with a strong line-up that will culminate in a performance from the fantastic VAMPS truly not a performance to miss.

“We are proud to be chosen as the promoter of the 1st JAPAN NIGHT in London and we will make sure that this will be a memorable concert for all Japanese music fans in London!” said Rob Hallett, CEO of Robomagic.

Tickets go on sale 9am Friday 10 April and are available from Robomagiclive.com or 0844 856 0202

Purchase Tickets at: http://www.theo2.co.uk/events/detail/japan-night

VAMPS

VAMPS

Formed by HYDE from L’Arc-en-Ciel and K.A.Z (Oblivion Dust) in 2008, in the 7 years since their formation, they have played a total of more than 350 live shows both in Japan and internationally. Well known for their signature “take-over” style live shows at the ZEPP venues throughout Japan, the duo continue to play a vast variety of shows, including arena venues, outdoor gigs and their famous annual Halloween Event.

Alexandros

[Alexandros]

Officially started in 2007, the band has released four albums and successfully sold out all of their tours. Despite being independent, their single and album releases have all charted in the Oricon top 10. [Alexandros] have opened up for bands like MUSE, PRIMAL SCREAM, and KASABIAN when they have played in Japan. Recently, they have played overseas at “SXSW” in the U.S., “THE GREAT ESCAPE” in England, and “one-man” concerts in Taiwan. They sold out their first Nippon Budokan solo show, the day tickets went on sale. The band continues to headline festivals all across the country.

Okamoto's

OKAMOTO’S

A four-piece rock band of junior high school classmates.  The band name and the members’ names come from avant-garde artist Taro Okamoto and the legendary punk band Ramones, both of whom they highly respect.  In 2014, the band celebrated their 5th debut anniversary with a commemorative album, which was a collaborative project with a spectacular list of artists such as RIP SLYME and Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra to name a few, and with a tremendously successful concert at the Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall in Tokyo in the fall.   OKAMOTO’S is the leading figure among the young bands on the Japanese music scene.

Ling tosite sigure

Ling tosite sigure

Trio rock band, Ling tosite sigure are making a great breakthrough in Japan at the moment. They don’t make many media appearances but word of mouth about the bands live performance is a key factor in boosting their popularity. Not only their remarkable performance, but the bands signature sound is also uniquely appealing – sharp and tough guitar sounds, male-female intertwined high-pitched vocals, strong and steady distorted bass sounds, hard drum play, and progressive beats weave together to make exquisite music. The band released their “Best of Tornado” album and the latest single “Who What Who What”  on the same day in January 2015. “Who What Who What” was used for “PSYCHO-PASS: The Movie” as the title tune.

Review: Death Defiant

~ sharisakurai ~ 1 Comment

death_defiantDeath Defiant by Paige Reiring

When humans began hunting them thousands of years ago, demons locked themselves away in their own dimension, leaving their half-demon spawn to wander the earth. Abandoned, alone, and outcast from all societies, half-demons formed their own small cities or learned to live, mutilated and hidden, from the humans who wanted them dead.

After saving a stranger in a busy New York street, Cherifa reveals to the world her two biggest secrets: she’s a half-demon, and she can’t die. With humans, demons, and everything in-between wanting to harness her power, Cheri must go on the run with the eccentric person she saved. But her death has sparked waves of revolution in the half-demon community, and if she wants to stop an interdimensional war, she’ll have to go through Hell to do it.

Purchase Links: www.amazon.com

Death Defiant on Goodreads

Review

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

Rating: 3 Stars

I had mixed feelings about this novel as I reached its end. Some things I enjoyed and others I was not so keen on.

The concept and characters I really liked. The author has clearly taken time to develop her ideas and characters. Cherifa, the protagonist, is a half-demon who cannot die. By saving the life of a stranger Cherifa places herself in the middle of a war where all sides wish to use her to their advantage. Not knowing who to trust Cherifa must make decisions that not only affect her but possibly the outcome of the war.

The characterisation is excellent and as the novel progresses you see Cherifa and the supporting cast growing and developing further. I really enjoyed the beginning of the relationship between Cherifa and Belkor. It happened so naturally and wasn’t rushed at all so you can really appreciate the little moments between them and recognise them for what they are even before they do!

However, I did feel that perhaps there could have been some further description of the dimensions in some places as I was left trying to fill in a few more blanks than I would have liked too. I also did feel that the pace was hurried and that a little more time could have been taken to develop the story-line in places.

Overall Death Defiant is a good fantasy read with an engaging plot and interesting characters, but there are some things that I felt could made it even more enjoyable for me. This is probably more for readers who prefer a faster pace, but I would definitely like to read more of Cherifa’s story in the future.

Review: Six Celestial Swords

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six_celestial_swordsSix Celestial Swords by T.A. Miles

Inspired by the rise of dark forces in Sheng Fan, the mystic Xu Liang, officer of the Empire, servant of the Song Dynasty, leaves his homeland in search of four ancient magical blades to unite with two sacred weapons already in the possession of the Empire. It is his plan to unite these weapons against the chaos rising in Sheng Fan. What he does not plan on is uniting the swords’ bearers as well, nor the many forms chaos has taken throughout the world.

Six Celestial Swords is the first book in the Celestial Empire series, and the first published in the larger Dryth series.

Purchase Links: www.amazon.com.

Six Celestial Swords on www.goodreads.com.

Review

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

Rating: 5 Stars

When I first began reading this novel, I was expecting to read an oriental tale but instead I found myself quickly immersed in an epic fantasy adventure.

Mystic Xu Liang sets out to retrieve the four missing celestial swords which have the power to save his empire. With his loyalty to his empire and empress driving him, Xu Liang is determined to complete his mission no matter what. His journey across realms sees him forming alliances with others who possess the swords that he has been searching for.

Six Celestial Swords is an incredibly well-written and gripping fantasy novel. It is full of wonderfully detailed and beautiful descriptions that really bring the story to life and many memorable characters. The novel kept a steady pace with plenty of action and twists and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Six Celestial Swords and can’t wait to read the next book in this amazing fantasy series.

Review: The Poppet and the Lune

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The Poppet and the Lune

The Poppet and the Lune by Madeline Claire Franklin

A lyrical, original fairy tale for all ages, with a cast of characters you won’t soon forget.

The witch who made the patchwork girl died before she could give her creation a name. Stitched together from the remains of the villagers’ dead children—whose memories still live in her flesh—the patchwork girl is a spell as yet unfinished, held together by nothing more than a ring made of moonbeams. She can never be what her parents want her to be: a replacement for the children they’ve lost. So when the poppet grows up, and grows tired of being a disappointment, she decides to embark upon a journey through the Everwood Forest in search of her real name.

In the forest she meets Faolin, a newly made wereman (a man trapped as a wolf except during the full moon) running from the beasts who made him. Wanting nothing more than to become human again, and to return to his fiancée, the patchwork girl promises to help him in his quest is he will help in hers. Together they face the dangers of the forest, forming an unlikely bond as their paths wind together: Faolin running from his destiny, the patchwork girl in search of her own, and both of them bound by moonlight.

But Faolin, afraid of the beast he has become, has known all along what he must do in order to lift the curse and return to his fiancée-in fact, it is the very reason he sought out the patchwork girl to begin with. But now, his cure has become the very reason why he must leave her: to protect her from himself.

Purchase Links: www.amazon.com, audible 

The Poppet and the Lune on www.goodreads.com

Review

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

Rating: 5 Stars

The Poppet and the Lune tells the story of Elizabeth, the patchwork girl who wishes to find her own place in the world.

The patchwork girl was not born, she was created by a witch on the demands of the grieving villagers who had just lost their own children. The witch died before she could finish or name her creation and so the villagers called her Elizabeth; a name that did not feel was her own. As time passes and the women of village have more children, Elizabeth begins to feel outcast and so she leaves the village behind.

The Poppet and the Lune is a delightful modern fairytale telling of Elizabeth’s journey that will appeal to children and adults alike. The style and description used in the novel flows beautifully, although in a couple of places it could have been shortened in favour of moving the story forward at a slightly faster pace. The characters are very imaginative and each one is memorable in their own way.

This is a review of the audio version of The Poppet and the Lune and I would also like to comment on the narration read by Elizabeth Basalto. Elizabeth did a wonderful job of bringing the story of The Poppet and the Lune to life. She demonstrates her immense talent in the role of each character and the narrator’s part perfectly.

I would recommend the story of The Poppet and the Lune to anyone who enjoys a modern fairytale that does not shy away from the darker sides to life.

Adam by Shari Sakurai

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My new novella ‘Adam’, which is part of my Perfect World series is going to be released later on this year.

Adam by Shari Sakurai

Adam Larimore is on a mission of self-destruct. After learning that he was genetically engineered for the sole purpose of inheriting his father’s empire, Adam has been determined to ruin his father’s life and in the process his own. When Ivan Williams, the man soon to become the Head of the London Security Agency (L.S.A), approaches Adam with the offer of a business partnership, Adam discovers the appalling truth behind the technological and genetic advancements that have come to shape England. His relationship with his father is at breaking point and when events take a devastating turn, Adam finds himself pushed further than perhaps he wanted to go.

Release date: July 2015 (TBC)

Goodreads Link