Here it is already the end of another month. Where does the time go? I have been busy as usual reading some wonderful books for the month of December of 2020. Here are the 7 books I read and reviewed for December. I might have read even more if I didn’t have a WIP and publishing another. I hope you enjoy reading these reviews.

I love sharing my reads in this Jemsbooks Segment, Books Read in the Month. I hope you will get a chance to look these books over soon. Thank you for your kind support of my work and my fellow authors.

If you are an avid reader, as I am, please review the books you love on Amazon or wherever you purchased them in order for others to enjoy your reviews. Reviews are one way for readers to know about an exceptional book. We indie authors love to receive reviews and appreciate the efforts of readers to do them. Thank you for your kind support of me and my books and for supporting my fellow authors too.

When drinking gets in the way of their marriage and causes their daughter to want to disown them, Kate and Scott do their best to go cold turkey. This book is full of comedic passages that kept this reader chuckling even though some of the episodes that Kate and Scott are in are anything but happy.

The author has taken the reader on a journey through the lives of a dysfunctional couple, Kate and Scott, how they survive with and without alcohol and whether they can learn to love one another and hold onto their daughter, Holly. Holly does what she can to help her parents get a hold onto their lives which are falling apart. At the same time Holly is having a difficult time adjusting to having parents who are alcoholics and don’t seem to pay attention to her and what she is trying to do. She turns to videotaping them in their inebriated states and the crazy things that they do to bring them back to their senses.

This is an enjoyable tale which will give readers a good laugh but at the same time make them feel empathy and horror over what this inebriated couple do. Will Kate and Scott be able to handle life without alcohol? Will they lose their daughter to the online video scene? Will they learn to love one another without the crutch of booze?

You will just have to read this book to find out. A different kind of read if you are looking to get outside the box of the usual reads.

Jjspina5.0 out of 5 stars An Epic Story of the Life of a Decorated War Hero! Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2020Verified PurchaseA saga that is unforgettable about a decorated war hero, a family in turmoil, a murder, and a trial. The author has created once again an epic story of tragedy, survival during wartime and a man who is trying to get back to normal after all the horrific experiences he has had to endure such as the Bataan Death March.

The passages that the author wrote detailing the March are tough to deal with and not for the faint of heart. I never read anything in such detail of any type of war experience like this. I don’t want to ever read any again. But the author added many of his own embellishments I’m sure to make it even more true to life.

This is an enjoyable read that will keep readers turning pages and saying a lot of prayers for the main protagonist, Pete Banning. There are twists and turns in this story that kept me guessing until the end. Be prepared to be surprised.

Jjspina5.0 out of 5 stars A Sweet Coming-of-Age Story! Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2020Verified PurchaseThis is a coming-of-age story that is told through the eyes of one brother who recalls his childhood with his younger brother. They are rivals at first but soon become best friends who support one another as they grow older.

The story is told within a story in the form of a screen play written by one of the brothers as he goes back in time to a particular sporting event – baseball. He recalls the good and bad times, the rivalry, the friendships, and the realization that family is important and should be valued and appreciated.

The author has created a sweet story of two brothers who grow to respect and love one another. The reader is taken back in time to a slower, safer and more family-oriented time. He talks about different products that were popular during the time in New York. This reader was reminded of many things of her own childhood and introduced to others she did not know because she did not grow up in the Bronx of New York.

Jjspina5.0 out of 5 stars A Gripping Thriller of a Read! Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2020Verified PurchaseHide Away is a mind-boggling thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. The main protagonist, Rachel Marin, is a mother of two who has a fierce determination to protect her children no matter what happens. After living through the horrendous murder of her husband she trains herself to be strong not only in mind but in body dot defend herself and her children from any further trauma.

Rachel does incredible things, being able to get herself into excellent physical shape and being sharp minded in mathematics and solving problems. She helps the police solve the murder of the mayor of her new home town in Illinois.
She never gives up and is ever vigilant when danger comes too close for comfort and threatens to harm her family.

This was a gripping read with surprises and twists as the murderer is finally uncovered. I highly recommend this book.

Jjspina5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Collection of Short Stories from the Heart! Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2020Verified PurchaseI love all Sally Cronin’s books, especially her short stories. When I saw her new book, I snatched it up knowing that it would be an enjoyable and heartfelt read. These stories are entertaining, sweet and touch the heart. Life is Like a Bowl of Cherries: Sometimes Bitter, Sometimes Sweet is an endearing collection of lovely short stories and poetry.

As I read each story I felt drawn into the tales. Though I enjoyed all of them, I have my favorites, The Weekly Shopping, which was a hilarious tale though close to believable in the near future; The Florist, where love is discovered unexpectedly; The Wedding Day shows how love goes beyond death; The Scratch Card is a tale of luck and how it touches many lives; the Gardening Assistant that is a surprisingly touching story of the power of love of a pet for his mistress and how he saved her sanity and marriage. I could go on and on about these incredible tales of love, loss, abuse, neglect and life-changing events. The poetry interspersed between the stories were elegantly written and touching.

I highly recommend this beautiful short story collection to anyone who loves stories that are real and touch the heart. Sally Cronin’s has another winner!

An emotional and heart wrenching read about family abuse and a dysfunctional parent. The author has created a taut story that will grip and shock the reader with its magnitude.

There are many questions that need answering for Maisey when she returns home to find her mother in the hospital and her father accused of abuse. Is this even possible, she questions? How could her father harm her mother? He always treated her with kindness and respect. Why did her mother have so many healed fractures all over her body? Who could have done such a thing? Why did her father burn important papers to hide something from her? What could that be?

Maisey deals with all these questions and soon discovers something so horrendous she has a hard time comprehending it all. She has a daughter, Elle, who she loves with all her being and wants to protect from this horror. Will she be able to keep her own sanity and at the same time care for her daughter and her aging father?

This is an unforgettable read that I highly recommend. If you have a difficult time with abuse you may have to hang on tight because it is well worth your time to get the answers to all these questions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its characters who display real emotions.

The Lady Justice series is a comical mystery series that supplies a few chuckles while solving crimes and trying to set the scales of justice on a level of equality. This book, as all the others, is an entertaining read that supplies many rules and regulations of the legal system. In this book there is animal abuse and tenant rights.

The author looks at life differently in these books and provides humor in the toughest of circumstances. The main protagonist, Walt Williams, is a former real estate agent and retired policeman who starts an investigative business with his brother-in-law. They work to help those in need and get an assist from their former fellow police officers when needed.

A quick, light and enjoyable read.

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Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!

READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!

Janice Spina aka J.E. Spina

Award-Winning Author

Jemsbooks for All Ages!

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