Review: Smashbomb an online reviewing site

Smashbomb is an online review site and app made created in 2017 by David Bird, Hany El Nokaly, Imogen Johnson, and Khoa Pham. As stated on blog.smashbomb.com/about Smashbomb is “the social network for entertainment recommendations”. It is a relatively new online platform for reviews and has many features similar to the ever-popular Facebook. It is currently running in a beta version but doesn’t let that keep you from signing up because the developers are making small changes at a time based on user feedback.

In today's digital age it is hard to know which reviews can be trusted and which ones have been paid for by a company. Smashbomb seeks to eliminate that uncertainty by providing a place for unbiased reviews and recommendations away from the site providing the product, whatever it may be. Users have the option to just follow others to get updates or they can provide their own ratings and reviews. There is also the option to create lists of items to help categorize everything by personal preference. Users can even send each other messages and comment on posts, similar to Facebook.

Kudos is the point system that reviewers try to rack up and there are multiple ways to earn them. Each time a user adds a new item to the site (thus expanding the site as a whole) the user is awarded some kudos. Users can also award each other kudos for posts, reviews, comments, and rank on the leader boards (perfect for those that are on the competitive side so long as everything is kept honest). What's more, there are discussion orbs (kind of like Facebook Groups), polls, videos, and even giveaways. Oh, and the topics covered include the following: Apps, Books, Movies, Music, Podcasts, Tabletop Games, Tech, Tv, Video Games, and Youtube Channels.

There are so many good things about Smashbomb that I don’t know where to start. Everything that is offered on the web page is offered on the app as well with basically the exact same layout, making an easy transition between the two platforms. Users can “follow” each other to get the latest updates and reviews from reviewers they know, trust, and like. What I don’t really like is that it has a “like” system called Kudos. While there is nothing wrong with this system itself, it is slow getting started. For users who want to reach the “influencer” status and/or get specific badges (like myself), it is slow going building up to that 1000 kudos point mark. In a positive light through this weeds out those not actually serious about contributing and sets a nice goal.

Target users are people looking for suggestions, recommendations, or reviews for any number of things that will find exactly what they are looking for on this site. I believe I saw somewhere that users have to be at least 17 years old so please keep that in mind. I rate this site 3 out of 4. For still being in development this site is wonderful. Users can do all kinds of things to share their opinions with others. While I love this site it still needs a bit of work. The biggest issue is that the community of users is still small, restricting discussions.

Big News! Publishing Partnership with Smashbomb

For all of the readers of Night Reader Reviews I have a big announcement to make. Night Reader Reviews has entered into a publishing partnership with Smashbomb, an online review site. As Smashbomb doesn't focus on just book reviews I recommend everyone to check it out. https://smashbomb.com/ Aside from the new links and badges on my page I assure my readers that this partnership will not in any way lessen the content you see from me.

BOOK GIVEAWAY ALERT for The Evil that came to Denham

BOOK GIVEAWAY ALERT 

John Ulrich, the author of The Evil that came to Denham, in partnership with Austin Macauley Publishing has authorized the giveaway of three copies of The Evil that came to Denham. To enter the giveaway please follow these simple steps: 

1) Like, Share, and Comment on the Facebook post, tagging 3 friends.

2) Follow Night Reader Reviews https://www.facebook.com/nightreaderreviews/ 

and 

Austin Macauley Publishinghttps://www.facebook.com/AustinMacauleyUSA/

The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich is an amazingly creepy book about a house where a massacre took place. Check out Night Reader Reviews on Facebook, Blogger, Goodreads or Smashbomb for the full review.  

*This giveaway will run for two weeks as all Night Reader Review giveaways do. So be sure to sign up before 02/03/2020. Winners will be announced by 02/05/2020 at the latest. All winners will be requested to provide their address in a privet message. All costs will be covered by Austin Macauley Publishing.*

Review: The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich

The Evil that came to Denham by John Ulrich is based on a real story that I doubt many people have heard of. This story is The Denham Massacre in 1870 where all seven members of the Marshall family were brutally murdered. If this is something that interests you I invite you to read on.

The narrator tells the story of his parents in their first house in Denham. Christine (the narrator's mother) comes from an extremely proper family. Her father is extremely controlling and abusive while her mother is religious and believes that her husband’s behavior is the will of God. Neither one of Christine’s parents approves of John, her boyfriend (and the narrator's father) because he is a garbage collector and doesn't come from money. It is their dislike for John and the mistreatment of Christine that pushes John to quickly find a home of their own.

John comes across a home for rent called Harridons at Cheapside Lane in Denham in the paper. After making the proper arrangements John, Christine, and their friend Dave happily rent the house. The happiness is short-lived as Christine is soon the first to hear the disembodied screams of women and children. It quickly becomes clear that there is more to this house than the three originally though. It takes a long talk with a priest and the landlords before they learn the truth behind the house. A horrible massacre many years before has stained the very land the house sits on and has left behind some very unhappy sprits.

I enjoyed the style of the storytelling used. When someone in the main story is telling another character a story about something else that happened in the past it is written like a flashback. The entire thing flows wonderfully without any jarring transitions. What I did not like was how just about everyone is accepting of what was going on in the house. Naturally, I expected more people to be skeptical of the paranormal happenings. This isn’t so much a problem as it is an odd observation.

This is an adult horror book that could be acceptable for slightly younger readers, such as those still in high school. One of the big issues is the fact that there is a fair amount of vivid gore scenes that some younger readers may find disturbing. Readers should also be prepared for a relatively long novel. I rate this book 3 out of 4. While not my favorite book its was still wonderful. A great read for any time of the year but especially around Halloween as this one truly was creepy. The fact that it is based on a true story adds to the creepy level even more.

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The Evil that Came to Denham | Book| Austin Macauley Publishers

Review: Ronaldo: The Vixen Peterson Workshop by Maxine Sylvester

Ronaldo: The Vixen Peterson Workshop is another amazing book by Maxine Sylvester. It is short, fun, and carries some wonderful messages to its readers. Read it as a stand-alone book or part of the series, either way, this is one book you don’t want to miss.

Ronaldo and Rudi take readers to the North Pole as they take part in The Vixen Peterson Workshop, focusing on teamwork. The young reindeer are all put into teams and as it happens Ronaldo’s team gets the one cadet that no one wants, Cupid. Poor Cupid is a sweet reindeer with a wonderful attitude, but a terrible flyer. All the members of Ronaldo’s team look to him for guidance with hopes that they may still win the race at the end of the workshop.

Ronaldo befriends Cupid and tries his best to help her. Finally, he discovers why Cupid has so many problems with flying and can help her correct the issue. As luck would have it Ronaldo has a score throat the day of the big race and is unable to lead his team. He gives up his position to Cupid which builds her confidence even more.

I loved how Ronaldo not only befriends Cupid and tires to help her but also stands up for her, even when she is not around. There are very few people who will do something like that anymore and it is a lesson that everyone needs to learn, especially children. It is a rare occurrence that I can truly say there is nothing that I did not like about this book. In previous Ronaldo books I have mentioned that I don’t like the fart jokes and while I could still do without them, they have become a common occurance in this series that I have come to expect.

Just like the rest of the series, this book is great for elementary students. There may be a couple of words that they need help with but overall it shouldn’t be a problem. Alternatively, it would be great for parents to read to their children. I rate this book with a perfect 4 out of 4 once again. This book is wonderful. The story is fun, yet packed full of strong messages. It offers many learning opportunities for children and discussion points for parents.

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