Category Archives: Kindle

Book Review, Fantasy, 2 Treasure Boxes, Kindle, Goodreads

The Wizard and the Warlord by M.R. Mathias

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This entry is part [part not set] of 3 in the series The Wardstoned Trilogy

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
The Wardstone Trilogy, Book Three
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc., File Size: 593 KB, (Print Length: 425 pages), ASIN: B008E71GY00

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.”

 

To purchase: “The Wizard and the Warlord” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Book Review, 2 Treasure Boxes, Kindle, Goodreads, Young Adult, Drama

The Tower by Jade Varden

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This entry is part [part not set] of 2 in the series Deck of Lies

Book Review: 2 Treasure Box Rating
Deck of Lies, Book 2
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 28, 2012), Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc., File Size: 361 KB, Print Length: 162 pages, ASIN: B007RTX4V4

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.

 

To Purchase: “The Tower” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Book Review, 2 Treasure Boxes, Kindle, Young Adult, Drama

Justice by Jade Varden

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This entry is part [part not set] of 2 in the series Deck of Lies

Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
Deck of Lies, book #1
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 23, 2012), Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc., File Size: 364 KB, Print Length: 154 pages, ASIN: B006PW51F6

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.

To Purchase: “Justice” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Chick Lit, Kindle, Goodreads, Book Review

Thin Rich Bitches by Janet Eve Josselyn

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Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, File Size: 459 KB, Print Length: 259 pages, ASIN: B007JCSNDI

Pippin, a newly divorced single mother, is starting a new life in a posh community where she is land rich and cash poor.  Pippin is down to earth but in her new life she needs to learn to deal with the snooty women of Dover, and even though the road gets a bit bumpy, she finds her way.

Janet Eve Josselyn’s debut novel is a chick-lit story told in a first person narrative by the main protagonist. The story takes place in Dover, Massachusetts..

Pippin, a likeable woman, is forced to deal with some equally unpleasant women, but she doesn’t let them get her down.  Pippin is more like a real woman, middle aged and ten pounds overweight. We cheer her on as she learns to deal with life on her own terms.

Thin Rich Bitches is a standalone novel that follows an interesting path through the world of chick-lit. I enjoyed the journey and recommend the book as a good read.

To Purchase: “Thin Rich Bitches” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Goodreads, Book Review, 3 Treasure Boxes, Thriller, Kindle

Never Smile at Strangers by Jennifer Minar-Jaynes

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Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes
Publisher: Inkbug Media (November 16, 2011), Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, File Size: 452 KB, Print Length: 330 pages, ASIN: B0068RVK2Q

How is a young abused boy and a missing, wild and reckless young woman related? “Never Smile at Strangers” shows the reaction of a small town when a young woman disappears and outlines the derailment of an abused boy as he grows into manhood.

This is the first novel Jennifer Minar-Jaynes has published and it is a thriller/suspense.  The story is primarily told in a third person narrative from the point of view of a number of the characters.

The story was captivating from the first page, and I was interested to see where it was going and how it would end. There are several interesting characters that the novel centers around, and each of their journeys are cleverly woven together. Most of the characters were well rounded and the reader can understand the choices that were made. There were also some exciting scenes. Erica was one of my favourite characters; I found her character both likeable and fascinating.

This standalone story that is skillfully drafted, includes a great conclusion, and I recommend it as a very good read.

To Purchase: “Never Smile at Strangers” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Kindle, Goodreads, Drama, Book Review, 2 Treasure Boxes

Songs for the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout

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Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
Publisher: Circumspect Press (November 15, 2011), File Size: 466 KB, Print Length: 253 pages, ASIN: B0068BPU7S

It is 1995 and Gabe has HIV, although he currently isn’t showing any symptoms, he knows he is going to die soon. This is his story, starting at the end and moving backwards through time. Gabe shares with us three monumental times during his life, starting in 1995 and moving backwards to 1976.

Songs for the New Depression is the debut novel by Kergan Edwards-Stout. It is a drama and falls under the genre of literary fiction as well as gay literature.  The story is told in a first person narrative with the voice and thoughts of Gabriel Travers (Gabe). The story begins and ends in the present with a prologue and epilogue.

The story was written in an interesting manner, and we know from the beginning, or should I say the end, 1995, that something horrendous happened to Gabe that irrevocably changed him.  It isn’t until the end, or should I say the beginning, 1976, that the reader finds out what happened. Each time period explored contains pivotal events in Gabe’s life.  At each point Gabe faces a huge life changing event and how he chooses to react has repercussions that affect the rest of his life. Gabe is a complex character, sometimes endearing, sometimes cruel but always interesting.

This is a standalone story about one man’s journey through life.  It is well written, but at times I was shocked at the explicit gay sex, although I understand that it played an important part of Gabe’s life and story. This book is not just for fans of gay literature, it is a sad and thought provoking story and I recommend Songs for the New Depression as a good read.

Favourite Quote:

“Maybe the next time you meet someone, try keeping your mouth shut and your brain in neutral. Ask questions. Find out everything you can about the other person. The more rounded they become, the less easy it will be to dismiss them.”


Questions to Ponder: The decisions that Gabe made in 1976 and again in 1986 had huge repercussions on the rest of his life.  Do you think he could have made different decisions at either of these times? Why do you think he choose to do what he did?

To Purchase: “Songs for the New Depression” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Kindle, Goodreads, Book Review, Fantasy

A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin

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This entry is part [part not set] of 5 in the series A Song of Fire and Ice

Book Review: 1 treasure Box
Book Five of A Song of Ice and Fire
Publisher: Bantam (July 12, 2011), Format: Kindle Edition, File Size: 4109 KB (1,040 pages), ASIN: B003YL4LYI


Throughout the seven kingdoms and beyond there is strife, death and disaster. Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons are huge and can no longer be contained, plus she is struggling to maintain her rule in Mereen. Jon Snow may be the commander of the Watch, but he too has enemies all around him. King Stannis is on the march, but what will he find when he arrives? Is there more beyond the wall than coming death? Book five addresses some of these outstanding items.

A Dance with Dragons is the fifth book in the series. Two more books are proposed to be coming in the future. We might need to wait a long time for the final books considering there was a six year span between books four and five and Mr. Martin has barely begun writing book six. This series falls into the fantasy genre and takes place on a fictional world that is similar to earth during the times of King Arthur, but it includes magic, strange beings and winters that can last up to 10 years. The story is told in a third person narrative from the numerous different characters point of view with each chapter bearing the name of the character it is focusing on.

This book dragged quite a bit and did not really seem to move the story forward much.  It takes place at the same time as The Feast of Crows but involves different characters. Considering the length of the book not much happened, although some of the things that did happen were a bit surprising.  It took me a long time to get through it and at times it was more of a chore than a pleasure to pick it up and read it. Although I still enjoyed the story and I thought the direction that Mr. Martin went with some of the characters was interesting.

This is not a standalone story; in fact it ends with a shocking cliff-hanger. Even though I was disappointed with this installment, I am still looking forward to The Winds of Winter, hoping it will be an improvement.  Dance with Dragons is still a must read for any Song of Ice and Fire fans.

Questions to ponder:

Do you like the HBO series The Game of Thrones?

If you have been watching the TV series, do you like the direction they are going?


To Purchase: “A Dance with Dragons” from Amazon, click here or on picture above.

Romance, Suspence, Kindle, Goodreads

Only The Strongest Survive by Ian Fox

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Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, File Size: 522 KB, Print Length: 250 pages, ASIN: B006AO1QKS

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.

 

To Purchase: “Only the Strongest Survive” from Amazon, click here or on picture above

Book Review, 2 Treasure Boxes, Kindle, Goodreads, Drama

Patchwork of Me by Gregory G. Allen

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Book Review: 2 Treasure Boxes
Expected publication: April 15th 2012 by ASD Publishing, Paperback, 312 pages, ISBN: 139780983604945

What if you had a secret past? Would you seek out answers or hide in your room? Sara, now in her early thirties, has decided it is time to find out about her roots.  She has a spot on her forearm that drives her crazy, continually demanding to be scratched, but there is nothing there. She has a recurring dream, where she is a man and a father whose child has drowned. She is unable to maintain a romantic relationship and she lies to her therapist.

Patchwork of Me is Gregory G. Allen’s newest release. The story is a drama told in a first person narrative by the main protagonist, Sara Butler. The story follows Sara while she goes on a journey of self discovery.

I loved how this book began. We are introduced to the main character, who at first glance appears to be male, but soon we discover, was a dream character and we are hooked, why is Sara dreaming she is a man? Before long, we are introduced to Sara and her circle of friends.  Sara lives in Arizona and although she has no family of her own, she has a small group of friends that have become  her family.  It was interesting to read a story that centres on a woman, told from her point of view but written by a man.

This is a good read and the characters are interesting, I enjoyed the banter amongst the friends. This standalone story grabs our attention from the first page and keeps us engaged right up to the ending. The story unfolded in a smooth manner, and although it wasn’t thrilling or exciting, it was captivating.  I recommend this story as a light and entertaining read.

 

 

Drama, Book Review, 3 Treasure Boxes, Kindle, Goodreads

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

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Book review: 3 Treasure Boxes
Publisher: MacMay (March 26, 2009, Format: Kindle Edition, File Size: 83 KB (64 pages), ASIN: B0021AEIUU


Who is Mr. Hyde? Why is he so callous and what is his association with the upstanding Dr. Jekyll? This is the mystery that Mr Utterson and Mr. Lanyon explore to their detriment. Here is the legendary tale of the good and evil that exists within us and what can happen when we do not control the corrupt side of our nature.

Robert Louis Stevenson  wrote numerous novels, short stories and poems  including Treasure Island as well as the novella of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde which was first published in 1886. The majority of the story is told in a third person narrative from the point of view of Mr. Utterson, a lawyer who is observing his friend Dr. Jekyll and the mysterious Mr. Hyde.  The end of the story moves over into a first person narrative by Mr. Lanyon, another friend of Dr. Jekyll and finally by Dr. Jekyll himself. These final narratives are related in the form of letters that Mr. Utterson has received from each of the parties.

The story is well told in an interesting manner. It almost seemed as though we were being told some juicy gossip since the story is about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde but is told through the eyes of Mr. Utterson. At times the writing was truly inspiring and I loved the word descriptions. The portrayal of Mr. Hyde is a good out-picturing of evil in human form and the examination of  Dr. Jekyll’s inner conflict is captivating.

This is a standalone story which builds up to an interesting conclusion. Although most of us are familiar with this story, I still recommend you read the book, because it is well worth the time, especially since it is a quick read.
To purchase The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from Amazon, click here or on picture above