BOOK REVIEW + GIVE AWAY - The Not so True Adventures of Brandon, Josh, and Adam by Barry Fellinger
The Not so True Adventures of Brandon,
Josh, and Adam
by Barry Fellinger
GENRE: Children's Fiction
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!
Now the boys must figure out how to get back into space, rescue Adam, and return home safely again!
It's a Not So True Adventure full of action, surprises, old friends, new enemies, frenemies, and what's that about doubles troubles?
A hilarious and once-in-a-while serious story of
past, present, and future antics, based on some of the three cousins' escapades
in real life!
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.”
This book is
hilarious and while I am not a parent, I love the Intergalactic Council on
Obedience to Parents. The premise of this council kidnapping children to teach
them a lesson is intriguing and gave the story depth.
The characters
are delightful and well developed. The dynamic between the characters is cooperative
and inspiring as Brandon and Josh figure out a plan to bring Adam home. The
doubles were a great addition and made the story for me.
This quirky
sci-fi adventure will appeal to young readers because of the realistic “sci-fi”
elements, aliens, and multiple dimensions. The antics kept me laughing out loud
while being completely immersed in this story. I recommend this book to your
middle grader reader!
I’d love to see this become a series and I’d love to join the cousins on their next adventure!
Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Barry M. Fellinger resides in St. Thomas, Ontario, with his wife Beth, and currently works as a director in health care and also teaches leadership courses and seminars.
He loves spending time with his adult children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends.
He enjoys reading, writing, watching superhero television shows and movies, collecting comics, attending the occasional Comicon and, for inspiration, relaxing in Sanctuary II, his comic book/man room.
He has a few more books in the works which he hopes to complete before or during retirement.
Social Media:
Barry Fellinger - Facebook
www.instagram.com/barryfellinger
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:
Barry Fellinger will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC
to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
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