jbronderbookreviews

Limerick Comics by Robert Hoyman

Limerick Comics offers original limericks on a wide range of history and science topics, each with an informational panel of surprising facts, presented in entertaining comics. Young readers age 8 and up are invited to linger on each page to enjoy the humor, ponder inferences, and view the evocative details of each illustrated panel.

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About the Author

Robert Hoyman is a graduate of the University of South Florida in Tampa. His journey as a classroom teacher spanned 41 years teaching in private and public schools in Florida, California, and Virginia. Limerick Comics is his debut book. He is a member of SCBWI.

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My Reveiw

5 Stars

This is a wonderful collection of twenty-nine limericks. Each limerick was a wonderful illustration and a section of notes to further explain the history and science behind the limericks. You will learn about jesters, ants, and the Titan and Titanic. Although I think my favorite was a canine ballet. There is also a little glossary of term in the back of the book for additional information.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fun way to teach children limericks and has some wonderful illustrations that help add to them. I loved the history and science. I even learned some things as I read the book.

Limerick Comics would be a wonderful way to introduce reading and thinking outside the box to children. Although as an adult I was even learning things.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank Sherri Rosen Publicity for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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YA fantasy

Date Published: January 21, 2020

Jack Galloway has had enough of life and is chasing a high he just can’t seem to find. Upon meeting with a drug dealer from his school, he is given some mysterious, bean-shaped pills that just so happen to be nothing but beans. However, Relatively Normal beans do not grow miles and miles into the sky overnight, drawing attention from everyone around and destroying the very idea of reality on Earth.

Now, in order to restore his Relatively Normal world, Jack must embark on a mission with a girl he barely knows from high school, Red Crawford, who just so happens to be the only one he knows who has encountered a tear in the non-magical reality they live in.

The beanstalk, too tall and too wide to climb, leads them down a rabbit hole to the strange and nonsensical Underland, where they must go through insane trials in order to reach the answer to their problems — the Giants, magical creatures who live in Overland and can rid the Relatively Normal world of that pesky beanstalk. However, the beanstalk and its effects on reality might just be the least of their worries when they reach the dark, mysterious Overland.

 

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About the Author

Mikaela Miller has not exactly found her place in the world yet, and she’s still trying to understand herself, so there’s not much to say. She loves writing, memes, her friends, and her fur children. She is currently living the small town life but has high hopes of moving to a big city to live out her dreams one day. She loves the darker side of all fairytales and has recently discovered a love for horror novels. This book idea came to her in a dream, as many of her strange ideas do, and she hopes for a bright future as she delves further into her characters’ lives. One day, she would like to be able to rescue lots of homeless animals and be the crazy old cat lady down the street.

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My Review

4 Stars

Jack Galloway has a rough life with an abusive mother. To escape he has started drinking and doing drugs. Then one day his dealer gives him something new and he is out of it when fellow classmate Red Crawford tries to help him, and they discover Red’s Grandmother is no longer the woman she knew.

This is the beginning of a dark fairytale adventure that has a giant bean stalk growing in Jack’s back yard. Jack and Red go down the rabbit ho lei search of a way to get rid of the bean stalk and to keep the realms next to Relatively Normal from opening.

What follows is a journey through Wonderland and Neverland but this is no Disney journey. It is filled with dark characters that want to do some serious harm to jack and Red. I felt for Jack, he has never thought of Red as a real friend, but he is racked with guilt because he feels he conned her from going on this journey with him.

This was a good read. I felt for Jack with everything going on with him. I was really curious about Red and was not disappointed. Of course, I fell in love with the Wonderland portion of the book, I’m such a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland and this was what I really think of when I think of traveling through. Neverland was just the same way although I’m not really familiar with Peter Pan.

This is a great story and an excellent beginning to the series. I can’t wait to read more of this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

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I would like to thank RABT Book Tours and PR for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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Wild Sky (The Relic Hunters – 2)

After delivering the pearl, Finn and Aria thought life would return to normal.

But with the survival of the clans still in peril, they must continue their quest.

Can they find the next relic before the forces of evil?

Not everyone is who they appear to be, and time is running out …

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My Review

4 stars

We jump right into the story in the same place as Eternal Seas ends. It’s Aria’s turn to find the air tamer relic. The journal she was given by the elders really isn’t helping but when she decides to share she learns that more eyes can help. Off they are to a former fort then off to a monastery in India.

But trouble strikes and mom is injured and dad can’t continue. It also seems that the elders have a secret regarding a demon that is now wrecking havoc on the world. At every turn it seems the kids are not going to make it. But friends arrive at strange times.

This was a great continuation of the story. You could read it as a standalone book but you get so much more from reading the series in order. Poor Pippin, I swear she means well but every time her choices seem to cause more trouble.

I love where this book is going and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Chris Devon does a fantastic job narrating this story. This series is wonderful for mid grade readers to adults.

Eternal Seas (The Relic Hunters – 1)

Such a small parcel shouldn’t cause experienced smugglers much trouble, but this parcel is far from normal.

Lost and scared after a violent storm, Finn and his sister, Aria, take shelter on a remote island. They discover the parcel contains a relic belonging to a long forgotten people. Locked inside are powers which will change their lives, and the world, forever.

As Finn realises his connection to the relic, a vision strikes him – but what does it mean? Who should they trust? And if they decide to follow their hearts rather than their orders, will they manage to deliver the relic in one piece?

Chased across the seas as they try to solve the mysteries within the parcel, the fate of this ancient people depends on them. Finn and Aria must choose between what is right and what is easy – and time is running out …

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My Review

4 stars

A long time ago, people had magical powers over the elements. But the clan elders decided to keep them safe and locked the powers away in relics. Now the world has changed and people know of magic only from stories. Finn and his family are smugglers and have been giving the task of retrieving a package. A problem arises when they open the package and learn that it is the relic that holds the water tamers magic.

Finn’s family sets out to take the relic to the elders, where the magic can be released. But their enemies are many and are chasing them to get their hands on the relic. If they can destroy the relic the sea tamer magic will be destroyed forever.

Finn and his family make a living smuggling items for clients. They have been trying to keep things going since they lost mother a while ago. But a strange package they pickup is messing with Finn. On the way to deliver it they find themselves on a strange island and learn that the package actually holds the water tamer relic. They also learn that their mother is still alive and being held hostage for the relic. But if they turn over the relic it will surly get destroyed.

This is a great story filled with action, adventure, an evil Lord, and magic. I was quickly sucked into the story and couldn’t get back to the audiobook fast enough. Christopher Dickins does a fantastic job narrating this book.

I loved this story and can’t wait to get into the next book, Wild Sky.

I received a complimentary copy of both books. I voluntarily chose to listen to and post an honest review.

Author Bio

Lexi Rees was born in Scotland but now lives down south. She writes action-packed adventures brim full of witch-doctors, fortune-tellers, warriors and smugglers, combining elemental magic with hints of dystopia. She also writes fun activity books for children.

Her fantasy adventure, Eternal Seas, was awarded a “loved by” badge from LoveReading4Kids. The sequel, Wild Sky, is available now.

She’s passionate about developing a love of reading and writing in children and, as well as her Creative Writing Skills workbook, she has an active programme of school visits and other events, is a Book PenPal for three primary schools, and runs a free online #kidsclub and newsletter which includes book recommendations and creative writing activities.

In her spare time, she’s a keen crafter and spends a considerable amount of time trying not to fall off horses or boats.

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Win the children’s adventure series, the Relic Hunters, on Audible, including both Eternal Seas PLUS Wild Sky. Total listening time of almost 8 hours.

Free UK or UK audible code.

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I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to listen to and share both of these books.

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Parasite? The Secret Diary of a Landlord

Get ready to learn what really happens behind closed doors.

Landlords have become one of the most hated groups in society. Parasites, they’re often called. And there’s a lot of them. The Treasury estimates there are almost 2.6 million landlords in the UK with around 5.45 million rental properties.

But the real life of a professional landlord is very different to what most people think. From burglaries and break-ins to drug raids, police warrants, crazy tenant antics, bailiffs, squatters, lawsuits, wrecked properties, interfering council officers, game-playing freeholders to moments of heartfelt joy and happiness, the life of a landlord is never dull. Especially when the government keeps moving the goalposts.

This explosive front line exposé blows the lid off what it’s really like to be a landlord and the shocking reality of renting out a property. Hovering close to a nervous breakdown and likely suffering PTSD, The Secret Landlord exposes truths rarely shared. Stories that will grip you, move you and smack you in the face.

This is the truth, the other side of the door. 

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Author Bio

The Secret Landlord has been renting, refurbishing and selling properties across the UK for almost two decades. An award winning landlord, as judged by the National Landlords Association, The Secret Landlord has provided accommodation for hundreds of tenants from all walks of life.

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My Review

4 stars

Typically when I think of landlord I think of those that I have had to deal with in the past. Most are good but some should be squashed like the bugs they are. But that is the view of the tenant, what does the landlord actually go through? When I saw this book for review I was curious to find out what the other side looks like.

This book is written in a diary format with tenants referred to ask colors for fear of law suit. It starts out simple enough, the author thought being a landlord would be easy and full filling. Unfortunately to goes on to show there are good tenants then there are the scum of the earth. You will learn of thing people do to try and get free rent, how they treat other people’s homes/apartments, and how they try to get the landlords in trouble.

This is an eye opening story for those of us on the outside. I knew of people that had taken advantage of their landlords but never to this extent. Like the author comments, “I was a nice person and I trusted people but instead I now realize you can’t show any weakness.”

This is a great book and one that I recommend checking out. My heart goes out to the author and other landlords that have to deal with this mess.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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 Fantasy

Rachel Wilde comes from a dimension that exists adjacent to ours. The people there have structured their society around daemon collecting: they locate, catch, and repair malfunctioning daemons (creatures out of phase with our world that tempt people to do good or evil). Now Rachel has been given two unusual assignments: 1) find a person who has been trying to break down dimensional barriers, and 2) track down a missing line of gatekeepers, human placeholders for a daemon that was too badly damaged to repair. Authorities of Rachel’s world believe the missing gatekeepers are descended from a girl who went missing from West Africa hundreds of years ago, likely sold into slavery. With no leads to go on, Rachel seeks help from Bach, a raving homeless man who happens to be an oracle. Bach does put her in the path of both of her targets―but he also lands her in a life-threatening situation. Somehow, Rachel has to stop the criminal, reunite a gatekeeper with her stolen past, and, above all, survive.

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About the Author

ALISON LEVY lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with her husband, son, and variety of pets. When she’s not writing or doing mom things, she crochets, gardens, walks her collies, and works on home improvement projects.

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My Review

5 Stars

Rachel Wilde is from a dimension that is responsible for maintaining daemons. She over sleeps one day and gets assigned a couple crummy jobs, find a broken daemon, find a human trying to open a portal to the demon dimension, and find the last Gatekeeper. The first is easy to take on but the human puts up one heck of a fight but Rachel is up to the challenge.

The Gatekeeper is another issue. A Gatekeeper is a human that has the ability to open a portal and release a daemon. The problem is the bloodline that should be able to do this was recently killed. Rachel is not happy about this but with a call to archives and an undocumented oracle she might just find the woman.

I was instantly drawn into the story with the prologue that was unexpected. From there, Rachel is a tough woman, knows her business, and is determined to finish her tasks. I had a hard time stepping away from the book and would rush back to see what would happen next. Personally I think my favorite character was the woman’s coat, I’m not going to give that one away.

If you like fantasy stories I recommend checking out Gatekeeper. I really enjoyed the read and I’m very excited to find out where this story is going to go in the next book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for free. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank RABT Book Tours and PR for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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Are you as excited as I am about this next leg of Michael Clark’s multi-book tour? This time I am thrilled to share Dead Woman Scorned (The Patience of a Dead Man #2). Mildred is back and she’s looking for vengence!

Read on for an excerpt and a chance to win an amazing giveaway!

Dead Woman Scorned (The Patience of a Dead Man #2)

Publication Date: November 12th, 2019

Genre: Horror/ Ghost Story

She’s back, and they’ll regret what they’ve done.
Mildred Wells had a miserable life that carried over to a lonesome death. In the end, they betrayed her–played her the fool.
She was the last to know, but there’s still time to catch up. She’ll formulate her painful plan as they live their lives in blissful ignorance.
With no more family, only vengeance drives her; in fact, it’s all she has. She would have rather rested in peace, but for Mildred, dying isn’t so easy

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Excerpt

PROLOGUE

October 1971—One year before the Open House

(at the end of The Patience of a Dead Man, Book One)

Tim Russell banged his palm against the steering wheel in frustration—he’d forgotten his wallet. He wondered for a second if he really needed it before tomorrow, then looked at the gas gauge—near empty. Not even enough gas to make it to Holly’s house in Laconia. He stepped on the brake and pulled over to the side of the dirt road to make a U-turn, then hesitated.

It shouldn’t be a problem—to simply turn around, drive the quarter-mile back, walk into the house and retrieve the wallet—but it was undeniably harrowing even though their struggles with the murderous Mildred Wells were over. They’d beaten her, and she’d been taken away weeks ago, but even so, Tim’s stress level was off the charts as he worked alone each day, watching over his shoulder, restoring the old house as fast as he possibly could.

He looked back before making the turn, his heart picking back up to the level it had maintained the entire day. Here I go–I’m going back in, he thought, as he postponed thoughts of the cold beer waiting for him at the convenience store a mile down the road. Best to hit and run. He stepped on the gas and made the turn, never taking his eyes off of the house and, more specifically, the turret, his designated office space during the reconstruction–the room where he’d left his wallet.

In seconds he was inside the front porch, opening the front door, faking as though there was nothing to be afraid of. Once inside, he noticed that it seemed very dark in the kitchen. It was late May, and the longest day of the year would be here in less than a month. Sunset should be at around 8 pm today, with the twilight keeping things well lit for another half-hour at least. Strange. He turned to look out the kitchen window.

It was pitch black outside, and his truck was already gone.

In a panic, he spun for the porch, deep down, becoming aware that forgetting his wallet was the greatest mistake of his life. The smell hit him right then, and he wondered why he hadn’t noticed it sooner. The front door was closed and locked, even though he’d left it open on purpose. He grabbed the knob and began to work it when three flies landed on his hand and wrist. No. She must be close. Tim turned to the dark dining room to protect his back. Mildred Wells stood in the far corner, motionless.

Available on Amazon!

About the Author

Michael Clark was raised in New Hampshire and lived in the house The Patience of a Dead Man is based. The bats really circled the rafters of the barn all day long, and there really was a grove hidden in the forest. He now lives in Massachusetts with his wife Josi and his dog Bubba.

The Patience of a Dead Man, Dead Woman Scorned & Anger is an Acid are his first three novels.

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My Review

4 stars

Tim and Holly think that their fight with Mildred Wells is over and go about their lives. Mildred, on the other hand, thinks that she will be joining her dead family but when she wakes she starts looking for information and learns that she is a revenant, an undead corpse bent on revenge.

We delve into Mildred’s past to learn about how she has come to be a revenant and it is heartbreaking. The poor girl lost everything and was abused. Thankfully she was able to escape but not without unknown scars.

Now that Mildred remembers her past she has a plan to take revenge on those that have wronged her and given her this curse. It is just like the saying, “Hell has no fury like a woman scorned.”

This is a great series. I though Mildred was absolutely crazy in The Patience of a Dead Man. But when I learned what happened to her I felt for bad for her and completely understood the revenge portion. Mind you I’m not going to forgive her for what she did to Elmer or Thomas.

As for Tim and Holly, I was hoping things would work out for the best but they have ended up on Mildred’s revenge list. But it’s not just Mildred that is giving them problems, the living are just as bad.

I really liked the second book in this trilogy. I was engrossed throughout the book and was thinking about it when now reading.  I can’t wait to get into Anger is an Acid to see if Mildred is going to be stopped and if Tim and Holly can finally have a life together.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

What makes this tour extra special is that it’s part 2 of 3! This book is the second in a trilogy, best read as one big, terrifying story!

Here are the details for the last tour!

Anger is Acid (The Patience of a Deadman #3): November 30th – December 4th

Giveaway: To win print copies of the entire trilogy (US Only), or a print copy of The Patience of a Dead Man (International), click the link below!

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Book Tour Schedule

October 5^th

LoopyLouLaura (Review)

@the.b00kreader (Review)

@thecrookedhouse (Review)

Cats Luv Coffee (Review)

Purple Shelf Club (Review)

October 6^th

Breakeven Books (Spotlight)

Inked & Blonde (Review)

@_mybookcorner (Review)

 Jessica Belmont (Review)

October 7^th

PoptheButterfly (Review)

@bearpiglove (Review)

J Bronder Book Reviews (Review)

Sophril Reads (Review)

October 8^th

Cocktails and Fairy Tales (Review)

@DreaminginPages (Review)

Ally’s Reading Corner (Review)

Reads & Reels (Spotlight)

October 9^th

Stine Writing (Review)

 @better_off_read (Review)

The Faerie Review (Review)

Blog Tour Organized By:

I would like to thank R&R Book Tours for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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