My favourite book is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. My favourite series is The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I love all kinds of books and genres. My favourite genre is fantasy.

I love to read and I usually have several books going at the same time, so I decided to create a blog about the books I have read.

www.books-treasureortrash.com

Website: http://books-treasureortrash.com
Blog: http://books-treasureortrash.com

• The Wizard and the Warlord (Wardstone Trilogy Book Three) on Aug. 21, 2012
  
  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
  
• The Sword and the Dragon (The Wardstone Trilogy One) on Aug. 21, 2012
  
  Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes I was captivated with this book from the first page. Initially it is a mystery as to where the story is going and the book keeps you wondering as the plot unfolds, right up to the end. The book starts out with the introduction of two brothers; Gerard and Hyden Skyler, they are members of the Skyler Hawker’s clan who once a year risk their lives to gather the precious hawkling eggs from the high cliffs. The brothers clearly love each other. Each brother has received a unique gift but whether it is good or evil remains to be seen. Gerard found a magic ring. One of Hyden’s Hawk eggs hatched which, according to legend, has never happened before but is a very special event. The book moves back and forth between the two brothers and numerous unrelated events and people within the Kingdom. These include the dead king’s squire who has been given a secret mission to deliver the King’s magical sword to the King of the Giants and the evil wizard who wants to control the dead King’s son. A tale is then woven together following these various groups. As you read the book you are not sure how they will interrelate, but you do know that somehow they will all be tied together and the author delivers. I found the story to be very complex with lots of people and events and at times it was a bit confusing and hard to follow. Overall the story was interesting and I wanted to find out what was going to happen to all the various people involved. The story was very original and it left you guessing and unsure as to what was going to happen next which is always enjoyable to read. There were plenty of graphic action scenes in the book some of them quite gory. There was a very diverse range of characters, both good and evil. I liked that the author showed two sides to most of the characters. Although you know who is good and who is evil, they each had fairly well rounded personalities, although some more than others. However there were a couple of big plot holes which affected the main storyline. First, if the good King Balton knew that Pael the wizard was evil, why did he leave him to raise his son to be evil? Why didn’t he intervene, get rid of the evil Pael and raise his son to be good like himself. He was able to raise his bastard son Mikahl to be good so why didn’t he raise his legitimate son to be good? Second, if the Goddess, the White Lady knew how to close the seal forever, why wasn’t this done in the first place? I liked the ending of the story, although I did find it to be sad. I really liked that the story came to a good and satisfying conclusion. The story also left a stepping stone to the next book in the series with lots of story left to be told. I am really interested to see what happens with Shaella and Gerard as well as Pael. I will be interested to read the next book in the series. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to support a new author and who likes fantasy novels with lots of graphic action. Just be prepared to follow the story as it does get confusing at times following all the different people and events, but this certainly does keep it interesting. For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com
  
• Kings, Queens, Heroes, & Fools (The Wardstone Trilogy Book Two) on Aug. 21, 2012
  
  Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes The Dragon Queen has invaded and then usurped the Kingdom. The High King, along with his magical sword and wizard friends are trying to save the world from this evil and reclaim the Kingdom. But is she really evil, or should they be more concerned with her demon lover? Kings, Queens, Heroes, & Fools is the second installment in the Wardstone Trilogy. Mr. Mathias has written numerous books, primarily fantasy novels, but 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. It took a while for the story to get going, but once it did, I became curious to discover where it was going. There were several plot lines running simultaneously that were all interrelated. I like that some of the evil characters are well-rounded, particularly, the dragon queen. She is inherently evil, yet she also has a soft side. She cares for her people and does not endorse slavery plus she is driven to save her love, Gerard. What Gerard is becoming, is frightening. In the previous book, he was a nice person and we really cared for him, but now after his exposure to the demons, I do not know what he is going to become, part of me still hopes he will be a good person, but I am afraid he is beyond that now. I was never too sure where the story was going or how it was going to end, so it kept my interest throughout. There was plenty of action, especially at the end of the book. However, at times I found the adventures to be a bit disjointed and difficult to follow. I also felt that the ending was a bit confusing. If you read the first installment in this trilogy, then you should be sure to read “Kings, Queens, Heroes, & Fools” so you can follow the adventures of Mikahl, Hayden and company as they try to right the wrongs that previously occurred. My Favourite Quote from the book: “Oarly swallowed. “Aye.” he nodded. ” But we got a couple of half-arsed wizards, a few swordsmen and some arrows. And I got me axe. All we need now is some torches and we are off.” For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com
  
• The Butcher's Boy on Aug. 21, 2012
  
  Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes How would you deal with sadistic ghosts possessing your house and those you love? Michael is an eleven year old boy who has this problem and he’s compelled to discover why they are in his house. He does research and learns that a gruesome murder was committed in his new home. Michael is aided by his faithful dog, the fierce Rottweiler Lucy, his kind baby-sitter and a recovering handyman. They decide to hold a séance to communicate with the ghosts and find out why they are there and how to get rid of them. Bit by bit the story unfolds. The Butcher’s Boy was written by M. R. Mathias under the pen name of Michael Robb. M.R. Mathias has written a total of six books, five fantasy and one horror. This book falls into the horror genre, and it contains many paranormal themes. It is told as a third person narrative from many different characters point of view, but primarily from that of the central protagonist, Micheal. The Butcher’s Boy catches your attention from the first page and keeps you on the edge of your seat for a wild and scary ride. A variety of things happen in this book including possession, murder, kidnapping and redemption. I really liked all the characters, especially Michael. They were well developed and I thought their actions and reactions were realistic. The ending was exciting but brutal and I thought maybe a bit cheesey. This is a standalone book with a well thought out plot that builds to a crescendo. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading scary, gruesome books. For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com
  
• Only the Strongest Survive on Aug. 21, 2012
  
  Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes Emely Donnovan is a successful business women with many enemies. Her cut throat business tactics have made her a target for revenge. The Langdon brothers, who lost their business due to their own carelessness as well as Emely’s machinations have decided to make her pay. This is the story of her journey through torture and redemption. Ian Fox has written several books in the suspense category. Only the Strongest Survive is not only suspense but it is also a love story. It is told in a third person narrative, primarily from the point of view of the main protagonist, Emely Donnovan, but at times it moves over to the point of view of the main antagonist, John Langdon. This is an interesting tale which is intriguing from the first page. The story follows several unique avenues and I was never quite sure where the story was going or how it was going to end. There is plenty of action throughout the book as well as several hot sex scenes. I liked the characters and I felt there was a good character arc for both Emely and John. This is a standalone story which builds quite nicely up to an exciting and satisfying ending. I recommend this book as a good read. For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com
  
• Justice (Deck of Lies #1) on Aug. 21, 2012
  
  Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes Rain Ramey received a scholarship to the Sloane Academy, but when she arrived the other students made it very clear, that she didn’t belong. Rain’s whole life falls apart after the Queen Bee of the school plays a dirty trick on her. Jade Varden is the author of the Deck of Lies series, currently there are 3 books in the series with book 4 coming soon. The books are YA fiction and are told in a first person narrative from the point of view of the main protagonist. Justice is captivating, but at times it was surreal, and had a soap opera feel. Rain is a likeable teenager who faces numerous challenges after it is revealed that her whole life has been a lie. There were numerous moments when I was shocked at the outcome. The story has several twists and turns, some expected, but others were totally unforeseen. This is not a standalone book, but it is an intriguing start to an entertaining series. As soon as I completed this book, I quickly picked up the second book in the series, The Tower. I recommend this book as a good read. For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com
  
• The Tower (Deck of Lies #2) on Aug. 21, 2012
  
  Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes While Rain is figuring out who she and her family really are, she is also trying to find Laurel Riordan’s killer. Rain knows that the answer to these questions will either lead her out from under the craziness her life has become or will send her further down the spiral into doom. Jade Varden is the author of the Deck of Lies series, currently there are 3 books in the series with book 4 coming soon. The books are YA fiction and are told in a first person narrative from the point of view of the main protagonist. The story continues in this installment and it becomes more interesting and convoluted as it unfolds. While Rain is working through the lies that created her life, she remains relatively unchanged. Her name may have grown and changed but she is still the same person.. Once again there were many surprising and shocking events, with an interlocking connection appearing between the characters. This is not a standalone novel, and in fact it ended with a cliff-hanger. I am curious to find out what happens next and where this story is going to end. I recommend this book as a good read. For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com