Linda

Book review: 3 Treasure Boxes Arthur is close to death from an asthma attack when he notices two strange men who seemed to appear out of nowhere. One of the men, Mister Monday, gives Arthur a key and a small notebook because he thinks Arthur is about to die. However, the key has healing abilities which help to restore Arthur to good health. When Mister Monday realizes this he tries to recapture the key. Arthur does everything in his power to protect himself and the key from these evil men. Garth Nix has written numerous young adult books and series including: the Old Kingdom series, The Seventh Tower series, and The Keys to the Kingdom. Mister Monday is part of The Keys to the Kingdom series and it is a fantasy story that is told in the third person narrative primarily from the point of view of the main protagonist, a 12 year old boy named Arthur Penhaligon. Mister Monday sets the premise of series by introducing the characters and the world that the story revolves around. As Arthur learns about the key he received, both he and the reader learn about the Keys to the Kingdom, which are the keys to the House. The House is the center of the universe and anything outside the House, like the earth and the solar system are part of the Secondary Realms. There are seven keys for the seven territories within the confines of the house, with each key governed by a master named for a day in the week. This first book covers the Lower House and is ruled by Mister Monday. Arthur’s adventure takes place both on earth as well as in the House. This series is great for children of all ages, starting from age 7 and it is very well written.I really enjoyed this book. I loved all the characters and found Arthur to be a likeable protagonist, who shows compassion to those around him. Garth Nix has a great writing style, creating an interesting universe and a unique concept of creation. The house is the center of creation and the idea of the seven days of the week each ruling one part of the house alludes back to the seven days of creation in Genesis. Throughout the book there is a big emphasis on the written word and its impact on creation. This is a standalone book, but it is also just the beginning of a bigger story. It ends with an introduction to the next book in the series. I recommend Mister Monday as a very good read and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Grim Tuesday. for more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com

Book review: 2 Treasure Boxes Hyden Hawk knows he must defeat The Warlord, even if this evil creature was once his brother. The Dragon Queen was defeated but she is not gone. The Warlord can use her body as a tool to reach into the world. The Elves realize it is time to stop hiding and instead they must help the humans defeat this evil before it annihilates the world. The Warlord and his minions are extremely powerful, but can the High King and Hyden Hawk, with the help of the Elves, Giants, Dragons and Dwarves defeat this evil? The Wizard and Warlord is the third and final installment in the Wardstone Trilogy. Mr. Mathias has written numerous books, primarily fantasy novels, and he has also written a couple of Horror books as well. There are several protagonists in this fantasy tale and it is told in the third person narrative with the voice and thoughts of the main players. This is the best book in the trilogy. The story starts with the Elves and introduces their culture as well as some new characters. These new characters are skillfully brought into the storyline and connected with some of the previous players. There are numerous quests that occur which lead the characters into unique situations. Most of the characters grow and develop as the trilogy concludes. The characters are likeable and the comradery that exists between them is fun the read. The book examines the idea of revenge and shows the undesired effects that can occur when revenge is the only motivator. Within the Warlord a small part of Gerard remains, and it is sad to see how evil power corrupted a sweet boy. Hyden Hawk hopes that he can stop The Warlord, the being who was once his brother, but he also hopes they can both still survive. Although this book is the final in the trilogy, the story can stand on its own, however to receive the most enjoyment the previous two books should be read first. I recommend this book as a good read. It is an exciting epic tale filled with interesting characters, lots of action and numerous adventures. Favourite Quote: “The snow-capped mountains literally looked to be formed of molten copper as the sun inched down behind them. Then as the sun’s glow faded and the silvery light of the stars took over, the mountains appeared frosted in crystal.” For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com

Book Review: 1 Treasure Box Eric and Sookie are now married and Eric’s sire is in town. Sookie has to deal with her vampire father-in law and her crazy, vampire brother-in-law. At the same time she is recovering from the ordeal she went through in Dead and Gone. Dead in the Family is the tenth book in The Southern Vampire Mysteries series (also known as A Sooke Stackhouse Novel), and currently there are a total of twelve books. The thirteenth and final book is going to be released May 2013. All the books are contemporary fantasy but are also known as urban fantasy. They also fall into the romance genre. The story is told in the first person narrative with Sooke’s voice and thoughts as we follow her around. Not too much happens in the beginning of this book because Sookie is recuperating from being captured and tortured. Eric’s sire is in town making life difficult for the couple. There are a few problems which crop up surrounding the werewolves and there are still some lingering faerie problems. This book continues to examine prejudice showing the damage it can cause. The end of the book was exciting and had plenty of action. Previously, I had found this series to be one of the better in this genre, but now I am questioning if that is still true. While reading Dead in the Family, I found some of the writing to be trite and rushed with a story that was not very well formulated. I also thought the book lacked its usual exciting pace. However, I still enjoyed reading Sookie's thoughts and I still really like all of the characters. This is a standalone book that continues immediately after the events in book nine, and since there are going to be three more books in the series, I know that there is more to tell in Sookie’s story. I have read all the previous books in the series and I have enjoyed them all, but I found Dead in the Family to be underwhelming. I thought the book was OK, and I am planning to give the next book in the series a read. I am hoping it will pick up some speed. Favourite Quote: “I love spring for all the obvious reasons. I love the flowers blooming (which happens early here in Louisiana); I love the birds twittering; I love the squirrels scampering across my yard. I love the sound of werewolves howling in the distance. No, just kidding. But the late, lamented Tray Dawson had once told me that spring is the favorite season of werewolves.” Page 37 For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com

Book review: 3 Treasure Boxes Earth is the playing field and the game is a never ending struggle of good versus evil between the demons and the angels; using human souls to determine the score. The weight of each person’s soul is measured by the moral value of his deeds. But now the two teams have decided to put all their money on one player; one person who’s responsible to save seven souls balanced on a knife edge between good and evil. If he can help them all move up onto the side of good, then humanity wins and the demons will be banished forever. Covet is the first battle and it all rests on the shoulders of Jim Heron. J.R. Ward is the pen name of Jessica Bird and she uses it for the paranormal romance novels that she has written. These include the Black Dagger Brotherhood and the Fallen Angel series. There are currently four books in the Fallen Angel series and book five is expected to be released in September 2012. These books are told in a third person narrative alternating the point of view between several of the characters, but primarily from the point of view of the main protagonist Jim Heron. The Fallen Angel series is an interesting concept with a unique twist on good against evil. Ms. Ward gave us a good insight into who the three main characters are, and she did good job a showing us why they would be motivated to act and respond the way that they did. I liked the world that she creates, although I myself do not buy into the idea that it is up to one man to influence the balance between good and evil in the world. I also do not buy that there is such a fine line between good and evil, but leaving that aside, the concept was well thought out and presented. This is a standalone story, and it leads really nicely into the next book in the series. I recommend this book as a good read, and I am interested to see where the story is going so I am probably going to read the next book in the series, Crave. For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com