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Jan Sikes

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MAY BOOK REVIEWS! @virgilante @paulacappa.bsky.social‬ #AudreyDriscoll @parrisabonds

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Welcome to my May 2025 book reviews! I only post four and five star reviews, and all opinions expressed are solely my own.

PURCHASE LINK

MY REVIEW:

Any book in The Hat Series is super entertaining, but this one really hit the mark!

Lizzie and her band, The Pythons, are struggling financially, as usual, and when the headless horseman, Detlef Klein shows up at a gig with a lucrative offer, Lizzie jumps on it. The new adventure takes them from Memphis to Hot Springs, Arkansas where things ramp up with witches, YouTuber witch hunters and a derby race that is bound to be disrupted by a maar. I loved the prank they pulled on the faux witch hunters. 🙂 No, I won’t tell you. You’ll have to read it to find out.

I loved all the characters (old and new) in this story! It’s always nice to see a familiar face. 🙂 The headless horseman’s love and protection for the horses is a nice touch. He especially has a fondness for Sophia, a young mare. But my favorite part of the story is when Detlef treats Lizzie to a full-out experience of the Kentucky Derby. It was a nice diversion from her struggling to pay the bills and hunting monsters! Oh, but let’s not forget the Gravedigger! What an unusual character that I hope to see again somewhere down the line in another book. Not only is he unusual, but the graveyard itself is most unusual and I had the distinct impression it existed in an alternate universe.
C.S. Boyack always entertains with his stories, and this one is no exception. If you are a lover of dark fantasy with a touch of humor, you will enjoy this story!

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MY REVIEW:

Having read Draakensky, I wanted to read the prequel. Jaa is a memorable character. She had a deep bond with her sister and an uncanny connection with the land, river and most of all the wind. This short story is a great lead-in to the novel, which I highly recommend if you are a fan of dark fantasy. I read this book in under an hour.

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MY REVIEW:

This book picks up where Answering The Call left off and I immediately fell into the lives of David and Lauren as they navigate the waters of their five-year agreed marriage. You do not have to read the first book before this one, but I do highly recommend it as it’s a great read!

This book is the perfect blend of all the elements I love in a story — Romance, Adventure, Family Drama, high-stakes corporate espionage, and a fabulous setting.

David Escobar has inherited his father’s lucrative businesses and vast fortune. And now, someone is determined to take it from him. So while feeling his way through this marriage to Lauren, he also is determined to keep her safe and eliminate the threat to his family.

I related to Lauren’s character most of all, for many reasons, but number one, being my age (which is close to hers). I understand the insecurities of the changing body, and especially for her, with a much younger husband who is not only dangerously handsome, but also fiercely protective. After my husband’s death, I once dated a much younger man, so it all resonated with me.
But a side character that stole my heart was the Scotsman, James, who sheltered the Escobar family in his home in Scotland, while also jumping in with both feet to help David eliminate the threat to his family. The unexpected romance that bloomed with James and another character, Angela, brought another dimension into the story.
If you like a story with all these various elements woven through it, you will, no doubt enjoy this book! I highly recommend it!

PURCHASE LINK

MY REVIEW:

This is a story that portrays a woman’s life and the journey she embarked upon taking her into the depths of crippling mental illness.

The story opens with Ilona rushing to get back to work on time from her lunch break. She knows she’s been doing a good job. She’s followed the rules, been a good worker and kept to herself. But it’s not enough and by the end of the day she’s unemployed.

Then, the author takes the reader back in time to when Ilona was a young college student, just months away from graduating from the university, her entire life ahead. That is until she veered away from academics and took a German Romanticism class, which led to her unraveling.

Perhaps she’d always teetered on the edge of madness, that part isn’t clear. What is clear though, is how through an obsession with Franz Schubert’s composition of Wilhelm Müller’s poems to comprise the 24 songs of Winterreise, assigned as a major project in the romanticism class, she slowly lost touch with all reality. Yet, for Ilona, it wasn’t just the lyrics and music, but also the voice of the singer, Julian Northridge that consumed her. She stopped attending classes, sequestered in her room, headphones on, immersed in the story that unfolds through the poetic lyrics. The significance of this song cycle is the story it tells. A man, a lonely traveler, ventures out into the snow to rid himself of a lost love. Along the way, he experiences a myriad of emotions and experiences, ranging from despair to even darker and more dire despair.

The parallel between Ilona’s journey and the lyrics to this German classic is brilliantly written. This author must have done a ton of research in order to create this work of literary fiction. She delves deeply into the human psyche, portraying the character’s deepest and darkest inner thoughts, struggles and desires. Written in a dual timeline (1987-1988) and (2007-2008), the story unfolds at a pace that kept me engaged and wanting to know how it would all end for Ilona. No, I won’t tell you how it all culminated. You’ll have to read it to find out. I will tell you the story captivated me. The journey, the music, the side characters and Ilona’s struggle is one I won’t likely ever forget. If you are a fan of literary fiction that dives deep into what makes a person tick, or stop ticking, you will enjoy this story. It gets an easy five-stars from me!

That’s it for now. I hope you enjoyed my glimpses into these books. Perhaps you’ll leave with a new one in your TBR stack. 🙂

37 thoughts on “MAY BOOK REVIEWS! @virgilante @paulacappa.bsky.social‬ #AudreyDriscoll @parrisabonds”

  4. Teri Polen

    Wonderful reviews, Jan! I have Craig’s waiting for me (so excited). I’ve read a few of Paula’s other releases, and her writing is always beautiful. I saw a wonderful review of another of Audrey’s books yesterday. Congrats to the authors!

    Reply
    1. Author Jan Sikes

      Thanks for stopping by, Teri! I’m glad you enjoyed the reviews. No doubt, you will enjoy Craig’s latest, and especially the new character he introduced (Gravedigger). 🙂

      Reply
      1. Erika

        I can imagine that it can be like with movies, at times. It sounds promising but starts a bit slow. But you still believe that it will get into gear, until it is over and you think… no, really? I wasted 100 minutes on something like that?😅

        Reply
  9. D.L. Finn, Author

    Great reviews, Jan 🙂 I agree Craig’s Hat Series is allows very entertaining! I found more to add to my TBR list.

    Reply
  12. Gwen M. Plano

    Great reviews, Jan. Thank you for sharing them with readers like me. And, a big congratulations to each of the authors: Boyack, Cappa, Bonds, and Driscoll! Bravo!

    Reply
  13. Paula Cappa

    As always, great reviews, Jan. It’s not easy to write book reviews. You are so wonderfully dedicated, and we all appreciate your skills! Thank you.

    Reply

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