The Not so True Adventures of Brandon, Josh, and Adam by Barry M. Fellinger (Giveaway)

Join Brandon and Josh as they work to bring Adam home from the Strataderks and the Intergalactic Council on Obedience to Parents.

The Not So True Adventures of Brandon, Josh, and Adam by Barry M. Fellinger is a funny sci-fi adventure story with zany happenings, strange aliens, and intergalactic hijinks. Having escaped the Council, Brandon and Josh are astonished to discover that their cousin Adam has disappeared. Knowing his misbehavior led him to being abducted by the Strataderks, they must devise a plan to bring him home. Of course, that also means they must find a way to get back to outer space first.

This is such a funny story. As a parent, I might have hoped there was an Intergalactic Council on Obedience to Parents that abducted naughty kids to teach them a lesson. Kids will enjoy following along as Brandon and Josh, with the help of some doubles from a different dimension, plot and plan to bring Adam home. Of course, their nosy sister might just get in their way. Think of this like Spaceballs meets Phineas and Ferb.

Readers who enjoy humor, sci-fi adventures, and outlandish antics will appreciate The Not so True Adventures or Brandon, Josh, and Adam.

EXCERPT!

Double Trouble OR WHICH COUSIN COUSIN IS WHICH?

Oh, this is making my head hurt! Brandon is up there, but it’s not me. But it’s the right Brandon who will know what to do. But Josh is up there, but it’s not the right one, and he will be lost, and why doesn’t this Josh . . .

Brandon #2’s thoughts jumbled together as he tried to think everything through. He was fast losing his appetite.

His mind wandered as he began to pick away at his food. I mean, the one who should be with me is not, cuz this Josh is down here. But the wrong Josh, though he certainly knows what’s about to happen, which means he will refuse to eat the broccoli. But if Brandon up there doesn’t realize he has the wrong Josh, that Josh will be kidnapped with him, but it won’t be the right Josh. Then I will be stuck with the Josh, who lived through this, and he will understand everything, so maybe that’s not so bad . . . By now Brandon’s head throbbed so much from trying to sort this all out in his mind that he couldn’t concentrate on food anymore and put his head in his hands. Then he looked up at Josh.

“Josh,” Brandon spoke very low. “I understand. You’re not the right one.”

“What, dear?” asked Brandon’s mom, as Brittany complained, ‘Mom, Brandon’s whispering secrets about me to Josh.”

“Am not,” snapped back Brandon.

“Um, Mom, I think Josh might be sick. I think he should go to my room and lie down.”

“But I’m fine.” Josh was now panicking, understanding Brandon knew, but neither of them knew if the other Brandon hiding with Josh’s double understood yet. They were waiting for this Josh to come up, after all. Brandon needed the right Josh with him soon, but because he had not been through this before, he wasn’t thinking about one super important thing.

“What about the tantrum?” Josh asked Brandon softly. “If I don’t act up, they won’t come and then Adam is . . .”

He stopped mid-sentence when he felt an unusual bump like someone was trying to push him off his chair, strong enough that he nearly fell off it and had to grab the table to keep his balance.

“Brandon,” Josh whispered again. “Did you feel that?”

“Feel wh—” Brandon started to say and then the phone rang. Josh thought the last time that happened, they had been rounding the corner to the kitchen when his Aunt Beth answered the phone, not seated at the table. That’s different, he thought to himself. Aunt Beth is sitting at the table this time, but I guess we definitely did take longer upstairs. Still, something strange is going on, though.

Brandon’s mom turned to speak to the three children with a concerned look on her face. “That was your Aunt Patty,” she said, catching her breath. “It’s about your cousin Adam. He got into some big argument with his parents at the dinner table, and then he stomped off to his room.”

GIVEAWAY!!!

Barry Fellinger will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Enter to win a $20 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tellwell Talent (January 25, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 022887923X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0228879237

I received a digital copy from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Upcoming Reads

Six friends. Five suspects. One murder.

Savana Caruso and Jesse Melo have known each other since they were kids, so when Jesse texts Savana in the middle of the night and asks her to meet him at Cray’s Warehouse, she doesn’t hesitate. But before Savana can find Jesse, she bears witness to a horrifying murder, standing helpless on the ground as a mysterious figure is pushed out of the fourth floor of the warehouse. 

Six teens were there that night, and five of them are now potential suspects. With the police circling, Savana knows what will happen if the wrong person is charged, particularly once she starts getting threatening anonymous text messages.

As she attempts to uncover the truth, Savana learns that everyone is keeping secrets—and someone is willing to do whatever it takes to keep those secrets from coming to light.

Eleven-year-old cousins Brandon and Josh return home safely at the end of their Almost True Adventure, only to discover that their cousin Adam has been captured by the very same aliens from the Intergalactic Council on Obedience to Parents they just escaped from!

Long ago, there was a tree who loved a boy. She gave him all she had, until she had no more to give. But what happens to the tree after the boy is gone? So begins the inspiring and heartwarming tale of a young girl who meets the tree and loves her without expectation. Love is a powerful healing force in this tender and magical adventure that reminds us the end is also a new beginning. Beautifully written and illustrated, The Giving Back Tree teaches a simple lesson: we can grow back.

Annabella’s Crown by Jeanne Dennis & Christine St. Jacques

A beautifully told parable about God’s love and living a life that honors him awaits your pre-teen reader in Annabella’s Crown by Jeanne Dennis and Christine St. Jacques.

Told from the eyes of Leopold, the royal cat, this story finds Princess Annabella and her two sisters receiving boxes of jewels from their father. When the gems begin to disappear, Annabella’s two sisters set out to uncover the mystery. But Annabella would rather just have fun, until she finds jewels in their crowns. She can’t understand why her own crown remains plain.

This is a moving and delightful story about developing a loving relationship with God. The reader witnesses a meaningful change in Annabella throughout the story. She is uninterested in learning the mystery behind her disappearing jewels and gets more and more frustrated as she watches the jewels appear on her sisters’ crowns. As her father continues to engage her, she brushes him off, until she gets to a place where she realizes that her actions have brought about consequences. Then she can reflect and figure out what the real treasure is.

The authors have created a very cat-like cat in Leopold. His storytelling makes this book even more enjoyable. As a cat owner, he gave me more than one chuckle along the way. They have also included a discussion about being the heavenly King’s child and there is a space for the young person to add their photo to the opposite page to declare themselves as a forever child of the heavenly King.

Dennis created the stunning artwork for Annabella’s Crown. Rich in color and detail, each illustration covers half of a two-page spread with the exception of page 31, which is in full color.

This engaging story will inspire young readers with its powerful message.

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Elk Lake Publishing Inc (August 5, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1649493223
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1649493224
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 – 12 years
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.4 ounces
• Purchase here

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Joy and Mary Save Christmas by Wayne Harris-Wyrick

Joy and her friend, Mary, are taken on a magical adventure to help Santa and the elves when stolen presents and electrical problems hit the North Pole in Joy and Mary Save Christmas by Wayne Harris-Wyrick.

While playing in Joy’s backyard and lamenting the lack of snow in Oklahoma City at Christmastime, the two girls find themselves transported to the North Pole, where an upset Santa Claus begs for their help. Thanks to Joy’s photographic memory and Mary’s eagerness to help, Christmas might just be saved.

What a fun, magical adventure. Harris-Wyrick has created a seasonal story filled with Christmas magic that will have everyone believing in Santa Claus. Inspired by a dream, this delightful story will charm tweens and teens with inventions only the North Pole might have.

Artist Carrie Salazar provided the cover art and interior illustrations for Joy and Mary Save Christmas. The snowy scenes and glimpses into Santa’s world are so sweet and relay such emotion the reader will feel like they are right there alongside Joy and Mary as they work to save Christmas.

If you enjoy seasonal stories filled with special magic, you need to pick up a copy of Joy and Mary Save Christmas.

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ 4RV Tweens & Teens (September 16, 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 60 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1940310512
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1940310510
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 – 12 years

I purchased a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Kyle & Corey and the Game Store Mystery by Joe Stephens

Looking for a fun, adventure-filled mystery? You’ll find it in Kyle & Corey and the Game Store Mystery by Joe Stephens.

Kyle and Corey are brothers who are as different as they come. In typical brotherly fashion, they fight a lot, but they also have a knack for solving crimes. When their town of Fairly Springs experiences a rash of robberies, the boys are quick to investigate. The one thing all the crimes have in common is that each family that was robbed has a college-age son and high-end desktop computers are stolen. In between Corey’s sports tryouts and Kyle’s job at the local video game store, they work to put together the pieces of the puzzle before more robberies occur.

A fan of mysteries since my childhood, I grabbed a copy of this one as soon as I could. What a fun read! Two brothers working together to solve crime in their hometown in the middle of having regular teen (Kyle) and pre-teen (Corey) challenges makes for a great story. My son is a gamer, so I best connected to how Kyle’s storyline unfolded.

What I enjoyed about Stephens’ work is that he dropped just the right amount of clues to move the story along. It was an easy and engaging read from beginning to end. Though I had figured out most of the pieces before I got there, I still felt satisfied once the story concluded.

The reader will also find a preview from the second book in the Kyle & Corey Mystery series included. I’m glad there will be future adventures for these two brothers. I look forward to more!

Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Read an excerpt

“Wanna have a catch outside?” Corey said after a minute. “Before it gets too

dark?”

“I guess,” Kyle said without enthusiasm.

“Homework, Corey?”

“It’s Friday night, Mom. Can’t you chill out? Besides, I did it in school.”

“You always say you do it in school—then I get your report cards and they say

you haven’t turned it in.”

“They must be losing it, then. I’m doing it.”

Mrs. Holley shook her head. She knew Corey and knew that nagging him

about it was hopeless. “Clear the table before you go.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Corey cleared the plates, glasses and silverware, put the

napkins and salt and pepper shakers in the kitchen, and covered the leftover

food. Without being prompted, Kyle wiped down the table, the counter and the

stove, and swept the floor.

Mrs. Holley watched through the sliding glass door as they hurried outside. As

always, any sport absorbed Corey, but baseball was his favorite. He pitched for

the local rec department team for most of the year, and hoped they’d eventually

add a travel league. For his sake, she hoped so, too.

Outside, Corey and Kyle pulled on their baseball gloves and lobbed the ball

back and forth across the wide backyard. “So what’s our next case?” Corey

asked. “It’s been a long time since summer.”

Kyle snorted. “That was a one-off, dude. It won’t happen again. They do have

a police force here, you know.”

“But we were great together! Bet we could make something happen again.”

“If we do, the cops’ll be after our butts, for sure. They didn’t like it when we

made them look bad by catching those bank-fraud guys.”

“If we’re catching crooks, who cares if it’s us or them?”

“They care. They’re the ones paid to do it.”

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I received a digital copy of this book from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Joe Stephens will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Follow the tour and comment; the more they comment, the better your chances of winning.

Enter to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflcopter giveaway