Location: United States
Member Since: July 09, 2011

Jessica Bronder

Biography

I'm an avid reader. I'm trying to start up a book review blog. I also live movies, my cats, Krav Maga, and shooting.

Where to find Jessica Bronder online

Blog: http://jbronderbookreviews.com/

Smashwords book reviews by Jessica Bronder

  • An Epitaph for Coyote: A Novel on Aug. 03, 2011

    Henry Pluck is a creature of habit. He only eats sandwiches, he has all of his ties pre-tied into perfect Windsor knots, and he is the perfect worker. He also has a love for older people and has several older friends from Irma, Carlos, and Vince. He loves the different habits and behaviors that they have compared to younger people. All that changes when he finds a cockroach in his house. When he calls in an exterminator, he meets Rosa Santana and his life is forever changed. Rosa starts to make Henry think about what is going on around him and ultimately if he is happy with how his life is going. Rosa is a free spirit with a breath of fresh air. She flies into Henry’s life as an exterminator that is fired/quits shortly after she sprays for cockroaches at Henry’s house, with sugar water. Then she arrives in an ice cream truck for her new job. From there Henry learns that she has three boyfriends and painfully meets one of them while Rosa is cutting his hair. Together, Henry and Rosa see a 4,000 year old movie, discuss the behavior of old people, and look at how people don’t appreciate the nature around them. As Henry spends more time with Rosa, he realizes there is more to life than the little square box that he has enclosed himself in. I really enjoyed this book. Henry is a perfect example of most people in the world, stuck in their own little worlds now realizing there is more to life. Rosa was a kick in the shorts with all the outrageous things she does. I admit that I probably wouldn’t have chosen this book but I’m glad that I read it. This is one book that you early need to read. [I received this book from the Blog Fest Giveaway from the author]
  • Alone (Vampires and the Life of Erin Rose - 2) on July 03, 2012

    In this world, there are two kinds of vampires. The Spectavi, who drink synthetic blood, are very spiritual and advertise that they are out to protect humans from the Sanguans. The Sanguans are the bad vampires of the story that drink human blood and always kill those they feed from. The Spectavi hunt down the Sanguans and kill them for harming humans. Erin wakes up one morning with no memory of who she is or what happened to her. She is in a white, sparse apartment with a credit card and a driver’s license with the name Erin Rose on it. When she looks in the mirror, she has no memory of who she is looking at and is very self-conscious of a scar on her neck from a vampire bite. A year and a half later, Erin has been trying to find out what happened to her. She went to the police and the Spectavi but no one can help her. So, she has taken it upon herself to go to Sanguans night clubs and ask around if anyone know what might have happened. While one the way to a club, Erin witnesses an old Sanguan killed by the Spectavi. Thinking this strange, she hunts down another Sanguan that was at the scene of the murder but was let go free. Erin has stumbled into a war between the Spectavi and the Sanguan. Erin becomes caught in the middle when the Sanguan that is helping her find her past identifies her as a favorite human of the leader of the Spectavi. Erin goes undercover to find the truth but gets more than she was expecting. I really liked this story. I got sucked in trying to figure out what happened to Erin. I liked how the Sanguans were defined as evil yet a lot of them really were just trying to survive like regular human. The only thing that I didn’t like was how wishy-washy Erin was. One moment she is all about finding out what happened to her then the next she doesn’t want to live outside her happy little bubble. Having said that, I am really excited to read the next book in this series and find out what happens next. I received this book for free from the Library Thing Member Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
  • Darkest Desire: The Wolf's Own Tale on July 03, 2012

    Wolf is an outcast amount his kind. He desires the flesh of people, especially children. He feels wrong about his desires but, like any addict, can’t stop himself. It doesn’t help that Devil keeps encouraging him. One night he stumbles on the Brothers Grimm in the forest. He is drawn to their story about wolves but is discovered when he voices his disapproval over the treatment of wolves. When asked about his darkest desire, he admits his passion for children and how he wishes to not have that craving. The Brother’s Grimm offers to cure him. This is a good twist to the standard fairytales. We see the story through Wolf’s eyes and realize that he is more of an addict than evil creature. That doesn’t make him any better of a creature or justify what he does. I liked the Brother’s Grimm. They are portrayed in a manner that I think would be closer to home in real life. It makes you think about the real truths behind the stories. I liked this story. I think if you like twisted fairytales you would really be drawn to this book. I am definitely going to be getting Anthony Schmitz’s other stories. I received this book for free from the Library Thing Early Reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.
  • The Brotherhood Of Piaxia on Feb. 25, 2014
    (no rating)
    We start the story with a group of warlocks killing a royal family. From there, Piaxia is divided where one warlock rules over one town. Fast forward twenty years. Kurmia has been corrupted by his power. He has a plan to kill off the other warlocks so he can rule Piaxia. Then the rumor of a princess that escaped the killing years earlier give hope to those that think she could rule Piaxia. There are many characters that have different roles to this story. It is almost overwhelming, but you do get a feel for whom is playing what role in the story. I liked the plot of the story. There was a little of fantasy, politics, romance, and such without each one being over done. There were some great strategies used for battles. I think this book started slow but got on a role about a third into the book. Having said that, I think it could have been a trilogy or such because of all the information, the ending was a touch rushed. Beyond that, this was a great story. This is a great book and one that you don’t want to pass up. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.