Here it is already the end of another month. Where does the time go? We are now a little over half way through the year! I have been busy as usual reading some wonderful books for the month of July of 2022. Here are the 9 books I read and reviewed for July. I might have read even more if I didn’t have a few WIP. But I always seemed to have a WIP! That fact never stops me! I hope you enjoy reading these reviews.

I love sharing my eclectic 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 that of 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. Once again, I thank you for your kind support of me and my books and for supporting my fellow authors too.

This was an enjoyable collection of eclectic stories. The book provided a way to escape into the creative worlds of Mae Clair’s unique writing and thought-provoking style.

There was a common thread running through the stories that gripped this reader and shook me to my core at the creepy, mythological, and frightening aspects of some stories such as The Festival of Magic and Blood or The Guardian.

I especially enjoyed Mrs. Conway and Miss Lily Makes a Wish (my favorite). Kin-Slayer was another intriguing story. It demonstrated the talent of this author in setting the scene with descriptive prose to engulf the reader into the story and keep the reader guessing until the shocking ending.

I highly recommend this collection for an entertaining read to escape your troubles.

A beautiful story that grips the heart with its sweet and heartfelt tale of a woman dying who searches for her two girls who have not come home in a long time. Miss Janie does not want to leave this world until she sees them once again.

There is more to this story as the reader moves through the pages. Miss Janie has had a tough life and has held secrets from others in order to survive. She never forgets though to give back to others what she never received herself. Two of those things are kindness and love.

She has two foster daughters, teens who did not get along, that she brought into her home to nurture to help them make good lives for themselves. The girls leave the nest too soon and struggle to make ends meet alone. When Miss Janie gets sick she vies that she will not die until she has said goodbye to her girls. Her great nephew steps in to help find the girls before his aunt’s passing to fulfill her request.

What transpires is a story that brought this reader to tears as I learned of the secret that Miss Jane has kept for so long; how her foster girls share their own stories of abuse and neglect, and how they learn to love one another. Miss Janie brings everyone together in her tough but love-filled way.

I loved this story and hated for it to end. I highly recommend this lovely story!

From the Master of Psychotic Suspense/Thrillers, Dean Koontz, has excelled in this book to frighten me half to death. I hadn’t read his books in a little while, making me forgetful aboout his talent to drive a story forward and backward to distraction.

I read his book, Intensity, a very long time ago and it has been my favorite. After reading Velocity, I think Koontz had written a comparable one that has become my second favorite. Once I began reading the story I was caught up in his sense of macabre humor that draws the reader in with a chuckle than a gasp. Just when I thought it was going to be light comedy with a twist it became much more than that. I was forced to hold my breath as I avidly turned the pages hoping to find something to relieve the tension I was feeling. But, alas, it only became more intense.

If you enjoy books that keep you glued to the pages then you will love this book. It’s where the unexpected happens and keep happening. Koontz created characters that were out of this world crazy but yet fascinating. I don’t want to give anything away. You will have to read this book and then you will know what I am saying. You will feel the emotions of terror, pain and horror that he emits throughout his prose.

I highly recommend this book if you are ready for the out-of-this-world suspense and the unexpected. Hold on tight for a wild ride.

The Victory Garden is a lovely story of love, loss, heartache, and finding oneself again through hard work and sacrifice.

Emily, the main protagonist feels like she is being smothered by her overprotective parents during wartime in Europe. Her brother lost his life in the service for his country which is why she is being kept close to home.

When she meets an Australian man who is a flyer and recuperating from an injury she falls head over heels. They make plans and sneak precious moments unseen by her parents. Emily feels like there is hope for her to have a happy life with this man. Life doesn’t always cooperate and things get in the way.

The author has created a strong character in Emily who perseveres becoming a Land Girl to work on farms in the absence of the men who are at war. She finds the work hard but fulfilling and makes friends while she waits for her man to return from the war.

I don’t want to give anything away but must say that what Emily goes through is worth reading and kept me intrigued. I could see this as a movie on the big screen one day. An enjoyable and worthwhile read that I highly recommend!

A fascinating story, well written, and gripping right up to the shocking ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Anne Frasier is quite a talented writer. She created a shocking story of a serial killer who is a psychopath. His daughter was just a child when he went on a rampage of killing many young women. She was used as a lure to bring the victims to her father. Her memory is foggy at best but she begins to remember some incidents as she gets older.

Reni Fisher, the daughter of the serial killer, somehow gets her life back together after her father goes to prison. She becomes an FBI agent working cases similar to her father’s. At one point she gives her job up and goes to live in the desert to get away from her memories.

When Reni is asked to help out with some new cases similar to her father’s by a another FBI agent, Daniel Ellis, she finds herself drawn back into the horror of her father’s acts without any escape. There is more to these cases than meets the eye.

This is an incredible read that will keep you engrossed and shuddering at each turn of the page. Highly recommend!

A sweet and endearing story of a woman, Lily, of advanced years (92) whose health is failing. When her children are unable to care for her anymore, they move her into a health care facility where she will get better care. But does she? There is a health care worker who is cruel and uncaring in her treatment of Lily. Lily suffers at her hands and prays that her suffering will end soon.

Her only wish before she dies is to find out what happened to her sister, Violet, who disappeared at the age of 14. Her parents never told her or her other sisters where Violet went and why.

This story is cleverly crafted to engage the reader to sympathize and empathize with Lily. Will the mystery of her lost sister ever be uncovered so she can go in peace? You will have to read it to find out.

This is a lovely story that will grip your heart. I highly recommend it!

A wonderful collection of short stories that were enjoyable and quick reads. The author created well-written stories, each with an intriguing premise.

I loved them all, especially Lily. She was a elderly person who was forced to live in a nursing home. She had one goal in her life before she died. She wanted to find what happened to her sister, Violet, who disappeared at the age of 14. It is a touching and endearing tale.

There are three more lovely stories to read that follow. I have reviewed each one separately. All are worthwhile reads which I highly recommend.

The Pilates Class was an enjoyable and comical story that made me laugh out loud at the antics of the some of characters in the class. The author has a wonderful sense of humor and displayed this in the cast of people she created in this tale.

There are several characters, both men and women, who interact in this story, some more favorably than others. They connect and get together while others cannot stand to be in the same room. Each has their own story to share which makes for an intriguing read.

I would recommend this lovely short story.

This was a story that kept my interest with its intriguing premise and shocking ending. The two protagonists, Eve and Leigh, newlyweds, want to have their own place. They are tired of staying with her parents and not having any privacy.

They finally find their dream house. But soon realize it is more like a nightmare when the next door neighbors move in and cause havoc and destruction with their noisy parties and destructive behavior. The newlyweds’s lives become unbearable.

The author created a fascinating story that kept me glued and praying for a solution for the once happy and contented couple. Will they be able to come to a resolution that will bring back the peace and tranquility they so need? How will they do this? Will Leigh be able to return to his former happy self?

You will just have to read this story to find out. I am not giving anything away. It was a surprise ending that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Two women, co-workers, different as night and day, go on a Caribbean cruise together. Pauline and Shirley are looking forward to a wonderful time away from work. Pauline is married while Shirley isn’t at the moment. Shirley has already had two broken marriages and wants to find the love of her life.

This story, Cruising Danger, kept me riveted to find out what happened to Shirley when she goes missing from the cruise. Pauline does all she can to find her. She suspects that Shirley’s fling with a band member on the cruise went awry but she can’t prove anything.

Pauline’s goal is to find her friend and get home safely with her in tow. But things don’t add up and Pauline is forced to take matters into her own hands. She contacts her husband, Jim, to help to report her friend is missing.

This was an enjoying and intriguing story that I highly recommend. It will keep you in suspense until the satisfying ending.

Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post. Feel free to come back any time. Keep reading and I will keep writing. Don’t forget to post reviews of books you enjoyed or not. We authors appreciate your efforts to post them.

PS I had 54-days of consecutively written posts until 7/30/22. Unforeseen events kept me from doing another one on 7/31/22. But I don’t think I will beat 54 days again. It was good run while it lasted. I am trying to do write as many posts each week as I can find time to do. Thank you for supporting my efforts.

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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