Hello, friends! I hope everyone in the United States had a good Thanksgiving holiday. I spent the day with my daughters, son-in-law and grandchildren. Have you and your family every played or heard of Telestrations? It’s a super fun game sure to create lots of laughter! And the kiddos love JackBox TV. It’s fun, but not as much fun as Telestrations.
Can you believe it’s already December? We are getting ready to close out 2024 very soon. I’ve had a busy few weeks and have more busy weeks ahead through the holidays. On top of the chaos of the holidays, my daughter and son-in-law are moving to a new house so perhaps chaos isn’t a strong enough word. Perhaps ‘mayhem’ would be more appropriate. We also have upcoming piano recitals and band concerts. Lots going on.
I received my certificate from the Page Turner Awards contest and you can bet it will hang proudly on my office wall. It’s things like that that keep me plugging away and writing these stories.
That being said – the plugging away part – I have made no progress on the third book in The Bargainer Series. And I’ve decided not to stress about it. We are living in very uncertain times and with all the things going on in my world, it’s been a struggle to find the time to sit down and concentrate on the story. It will unfold organically and I’m not going to rush it or push myself. But I will get there.
I received this 5-Star review for A Noble Bargain from the Literary Titan! I’d love it if you’d take a look and share it on your social media platforms. https://literarytitan.com/2024/11/25/a-noble-bargain/
My hand is still healing from the puppy debacle, and I am trying to protect it as much as possible. Each day it’s a little better.
I’m happy to share reviews for the books I read in November! I share only 4 and 5 star reviews and opinions stated are solely my own.
MY REVIEW:
This is an eclectic book of Christmas themed stories that warm the heart. While each story is based on some sort of tragedy, the endings are all satisfying, even some including death.
The book begins with a novelette about a young woman who, as a young child, lost everyone who mattered. The story takes a sinister turn when secrets are revealed and the true culprit is exposed. But it’s the joy of reconnecting with genuine friends that make it perfect for Christmas.
Another story that I truly loved and that made me smile was Miracle in the ER. Does Santa really exist? That’s like asking if God really exists. This story will make a believer out of you.
A Man And His Cat is another story that touched me. What a beautiful ending!
Christmas Reunion really transported me into the setting and characters. I love it when goodwill is shown by others.
If you are looking for a collection of Christmas stories that might even include a ghost or two, this book is for you. It will captivate you and possibly bring a tear or a smile.
MY REVIEW:
This book is non-stop action from page one to the end. I loved revisiting a lot of the characters from the previous books in this series, but really loved some new ones as well.
Trouble seems to follow Garrett Kohl wherever he goes. All he wants to do is take care of the family ranch and preserve it. But in order to do that, he has to sign a deal with the devil.
Now there’s a huge pipeline deal afoot and the competition is out to stop it regardless of the cost. So when explosions mysteriously occur, Garrett must find the culprit and stop him. He didn’t count on an environmentalist group setting up a protest camp, or that his old friend Kai Stoddard would be among them.
Then a side situation throughout the story is a white-out blizzard moving in, threatening livestock and humans. Garrett’s young adopted son, Asadi, and his friend, Savannah must get the horses to the barn, only things don’t go as planned, leaving them both in danger of losing not only the horses, bur their lives.
I won’t leave any spoilers here. I will tell you that if you love a good thriller that reaches beyond the U.S. borders and into the terrifying climate of Afghanistan, you will enjoy this book. While it works as a standalone, I also highly recommend the first two books in this series. Mr. Moore is a talented writer, bringing the reader onto the page with the characters and into the story!
MY REVIEW:
The only thing better than a good ghost story is three teenage brothers who have the responsibility of saving their family from an ancient curse.
I love that the author began the story with a scene from the 1700s. Of course, I wondered how that would play into the theme, but it fit perfectly.
The Teller family has finally caught a break when they inherit a house from a distant relative. They’ve struggled to make ends meet and moved from place to place until now. The house is in a gorgeous setting in a small town on the Atlantic Ocean.
The boys soon discover their family is not alone in the house. The POV is from the middle brother, Beck, who is the most level-headed of the three. He loves books and reading and I cheered for him when he got a job in a book store. Perfect for a bookworm.
Gib, the older brother, is often growly and in a bad mood, but this author found the perfect cure for him in Aiden who became his partner. Lex, the youngest brother, is the family clown and never takes anything seriously. But the one thing they are all passionate about is their little sister, Harper, who is only six. They would do anything for her. So, as they discover the ghosts living in the house with them, their priority is to protect Harper. When Beck finds a hidden room with all sorts of paranormal equipment, they realize their ancestors were more than furniture builders. The over-arching theme of the story is that the three brother have to band together to eliminate the threat. That single mindedness brought them all closer on a united front. I won’t tell you what happened, but I read this book in two sittings and hated to see it end. My heart was in my throat part of the time and I held my breath hoping the brothers would be successful in saving their family. Fantastic story! It’s well-written, fast-paced and held my attention. I highly recommend it!
MY REVIEW:
With all the holiday interruptions, it took me a few days to finish this story. It has some great story elements such as deceit, lies, debauchery and murder.
Oliver Cameron is a quite successful romance author, writing under the pen name of Fidel Amor. And he has been blind since childhood. He has a supposedly loyal team who works with him on a daily basis to produce his books.
Ray Malik plays the role of accountant, advisor and poses as Oliver for book signings and personal appearances, with permission from both Oliver and the publisher. Vanessa helps Oliver write the stories, transcribing his dictation and serving as editor. She also accompanies Ray to the book signing events.
As the story opens, Oliver and Vanessa are newlyweds. But as it progresses, it’s evident things are not as they seem. It’s a shock when Oliver recovers his sight through a freak accident, and he finds things that are deeply disturbing when it comes to Ray and Vanessa.
Lives are in danger and when a long lost second cousin, Ferris Cameron appears in the story, everything changes. I won’t leave any spoilers, but if you like a twisted story of deceit and revenge gone wrong, you’ll enjoy this story from Toni Pike!
I hope you see something you MUST have. 🙂 These books were all good!
On the Social Media front, I have taken the leap and joined BlueSky. I hate the thought of juggling another platform, but to be completely honest, I’m no longer seeing any results or benefit from my Twitter(X) posts. I am still there on X (Twitter) but also set up a profile on BlueSky. I’d love it if you’d join me and other authors who have moved there. Here’s the link. https://bsky.app/profile/jksikes-author.bsky.social. Hope to see you there!
As we move on into December, and the hustle and bustle of the holidays, my blogging and visiting others’ blogs will be hit and miss. I’ll do my best, but not making any promises. Have a great week ahead and I’ll leave you with this thought.
Best not to stress about the book, Jan. Especially at this time of year with all the craziness of the holidays. Knowing you, you’ll get it done faster than most of us anyway. 🙂 And congrats again on the wonderful reviews and the award. That’s delightful and well-deserved. And thanks for the great reviews! I’ve read all except Cold Trail, so thanks for the introduction. And congrats to all the authors on their excellent reads.
I have decided not to stress over the story. It will come. I have faith. 😁 Glad you enjoyed the reviews. I appreciate you stopping by.
Congratulations!
Congratulations on your award, Jan! And, thank you for the wonderful reviews! I loved The Power of Three!
Thanks for stopping by, Kymber. Yep. I agree about Teri’s newest!
These are all amazing reviews. I have Denise’s short stories on my Kindle. Thanks for sharing!
Congratulations on your Turner Award certificate Jan! I can imagine how thrilled you are. And I enjoyed your reviews. I’ll be reading Denise’s book soon and loved Toni’s book. <3
Thank you for including my collection in your reviews, Jan 🙂 Still has me smiling. Glad your hand is doing better! Quiet Thanksgiving here, but Christmas will make up for it with double the fun. I enjoyed Teri’s story. Too and have Toni’s waiting for me.
Oh congrats again on that award!
It was my pleasure to read and review your Christmas stories, Denise. Thanks for adding your recommendation for Teri’s newest. Glad you are looking forward to a chaotic Christmas. 🙂 That’s part of the fun. I appreciate you stopping by!
Congratulations on the award. Thanks for all the new reviews.
Thanks, Craig!
A big congrats on the award, Jan – well-deserved! I finished Denise’s book last week and still have to write my review – too much going on last week. And I’m thrilled you enjoyed the Teller brothers – thanks so much for reviewing!
My pleasure, Teri. I loved the story, especially how the boys were all forced to work together. Glad you enjoyed Denise’s book. And thanks for the congrats.
🙂
Congratulations on the Page Turner Award 🏆🥂 Also great book suggestions and reviews.
Thanks, Thomas. Appreciate you stopping by.
Thank you for sharing your reviews. Congrats on the award.
My pleasure, John. Glad you enjoyed the reviews. And thanks for the congrats.
😊
It’s hard to fathom that it’s almost the end of the year. Like you, I’m not putting any pressure on finishing my current WIP. Busy but happy times ahead. Greta reviews of some awesome books.
Glad I am not alone, Darlene. Thanks for stopping by and glad you enjoyed the reviews.
Congratulations, Jan! Bravo! Thank you for sharing the reviews. There are so many great reads this year – keeps us busy in a wonderful way. 🌞
Thank you, Gwen. You are so right about the great books released this year. It’s going to make it really hard to pick a top ten this year.
Yours are always great reviews, Jan. Congrats on your awards, and I hope the next year is even better.
Thank you for stopping by, Dan. I’m glad you enjoyed the reviews. And I appreciate the congrats. Here’s to 2025!!
So glad you enjoyed the reviews, Dan. So many great books released this year.
I’ll be catching up reading all winter.
Sister, love your November picks! Taylor Moore is an awesome writer and a great human being. I love him. I need to get Denise’s book and I thought I had it, but when I looked it was her other new one. She’s a really wonderful writer. I don’t know Toni Pike, but big congrats to her on making your list. About Blue Sky…I love your page! It’s really good and you already have so many posts. I plan to get on there. Since I deleted my Twitter account, I need a second place to put stuff.
Sounds like you had a blast at Thanksgiving. I’ve never heard that game but it must be really fun. I don’t envy you trying to pack up Crystal’s house in the middle of the holidays. And it’s already pure chaos on any given day so I know it must be pure pandemonium. Get your hand well. Soak it in warm salt water and see if that helps speed up the healing. Love you, Sister.
I agree about Taylor Moor, sister. He definitely has a gift and yes, he’s a super nice human being. I really enjoyed Denise’s Christmas stories. One thing I like about short story compilations is you can read one whenever you have time and aren’t committed to an entire book. Glad you checked out BlueSky. Telestrations is such a fun game and makes us laugh so hard. Anything that does that is good in my book. Thank you so much for stopping by and I agree about the epsom salt soak. Love you!
Hope you enjoy it, Linda 🙂
Congratulations on your award and that great review, Jan! Your reviews are fantastic!
Thanks, Tim. I’m happy you enjoyed the reviews!
Congrats on the award! That deserves a spot on the Wall. And the puppy debacle–my pup tore my hand open, too. Good grief that was awful. So I know of your pain and it does heal. Great list of books. We had similar reading experiences this month.
Thanks, Jacqui! I’m so sorry your pup hurt your hand as well. But it will all heal up. Glad you enjoyed the reviews! I appreciate you stopping by.
I loved the bottom meme, Jan. Yes, that’s me. It’s been a year of struggles. Yet I’ve found the positive notes of sunlight and will focus on those as I firmly close the door on 2024. Enjoy your December! xo
So glad you can relate to the meme, Mary. It has been a year of struggles, but we’ve almost made it. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!
That’s a nice note at the end, Jan. Congratulations.
Thanks for posting your reviews. What a good variety, and marvelous writers. Congrats to all of them. Hugs all around.
Thanks for stopping by, Teagan. I’m so glad you enjoyed the reviews!
Thanks for sharing your reviews, Jan. Haha, I love the sentiment about 2024 at the end of your post!
Lol, Priscilla. I knew someone besides me would relate to it. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by and glad you enjoyed the reviews.
Congratulations on the award, Jan! I’m happy you are not stressing book three. Your muse will let you know when it’s time to write. Thanks for your great reviews. I also read Denise’s book and loved it!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Thank you for the encouragement, Yvette. And thank you for adding your recommendation for Denise’s book. Have a great day!
Thanks, Yvette and for all your support. Xo
Hi Jan, terrific book reviews. I have Teri’s and Toni’s on my TBR. I loved Denise’s short stories.
Thanks for stopping by, Robbie. I agree about Denise’s new stories. I know you will enjoy the books waiting on you.
Thank you, Robbie 🙂