An Angel Among Us: A Short Story Collection is an eclectic mix of memorable stories that have surprise endings that will stay with the reader for a long time and make them want to read each story again.
FIVE STAR REVIEW FROM READERS’ FAVORITE BOOK AWARDS!
A collection of short stories that covers several genres including romance, grief/loss, mystery, suspense, sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal. This book is dedicated to a courageous friend who passed in 2017. The first story is specially created for her and is the inspiration for the title of this book.
When I wrote this collection I had no idea that I would connect with a high school friend and change the whole book because of this interaction. My high school friend, Anne Gillis Benedetto, connected with me on Facebook one day. We began emailing back and forth as she shared that she had lost her husband over a year ago at that time. As the time went by she also told me that she was dying of breast cancer. This broke my heart now that we had connected after so many years. Time was getting away for us to continue to keep in touch.
I told Anne about my book that was a WIP and how I wanted to write a story just for her and dedicate the title and book to her. She was deeply touched and told me so. We knew the time was short before she would not be able to write to me so I hurried to complete her story and send it along to her for her approval. She told me she loved it and was so grateful that it brought tears to her eyes. I was trying to keep my own tears at bay during this time. I felt as if I was losing her too soon after finally finding her again. She is deeply missed by not only me but by all her friends for she was a kind, caring, generous and witty person. A bright light has been dimmed leaving us in the dark.
If you haven’t read this collection, please check it out today. I assure you that you will be moved by Anne’s story (fiction) and all the rest of the stories, eclectic in nature but with a similar thread running through them. This collection is in three formats – paperback, eBooks and audiobook. It is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (paperback here only).
Here are what others are saying about this eclectic collection.
An Angel Among Us
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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!
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 April of 2026. Here are the 8 books I read and reviewed for April. 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 over these books 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 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.
When I wrote these reviews I rated them on Amazon, Goodreads and sometimes Barnes & Noble. I did not include the ratings here though. It is best to share my thoughts with you about how I felt about the book without the rating. Ratings can be deceiving at times.
We all feel differently about books. Sometimes we love them, sometimes we like them and still other times we may dislike a book. Some other books are so memorable they take your breath away! While still others are sweet, sensitive, and enjoyable reads that we soon will forget. But all these books I have reviewed were lovely reads as you can see from my reviews. I hope you enjoy my reviews and that they will help you to decide what will be your next read.
The Water Lies is a gripping story that starts slowly but gradually builds in suspense and shock as the truth is finally uncovered. Two women, one pregnant and the other older, seek to find the truth after a young woman is found dead in front of the pregnant women’s house.
The pregnant woman is disturbed after her toddler son recognizes a woman in a coffee shop and keeps calling out to her. The older woman, mother of the slain woman, meet after both seek to find out who murdered this young woman and why. They bond together to solve this mystery but in different ways. What they don’t realize is that the murderer is not who they both expected. This fact puts them both in danger.
This was a disturbing story of IUF but an enjoyable and unforgettable read.
Dear Orchid was not what I expected. It is a collection of not so much short stories in multiple subjects and about many different people and things, memories, thoughts and other things but moreso all the above in letter form.
As first I was a little confused because the stories were all over the place, thoughts, memories of her childhood but then the stories of the injured veterans came into play. That is what touched me and gripped my heartstrings over their courage, tenacity and endurance in times of difficulty and how they never lost faith in their recovery to come back and survive. I read the interview with the veteran at the end that was filled with emotion and heartfelt thoughts. It touched me deeply and brought tears to my eyes.
I will be checking out the other books to hear more about the veterans, truly warriors of our nation. May God bless them! A memorable compilation!
Not published yet at this time – coming soon
A Change in Plans is another book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series with this likeable and memorable character, Windflower. He is once again on a case that calls for his expertise and patience in solving another crime. One of his own men is in danger when he is kidnapped and pushes Windflower and the rest of the department to rescue him before he is harmed.
This story not only involves Windflower in his role at RMP but also shares his home life with his wife and two daughters. The author shares some recipes of some of the meals that Windflower has with his family.
It is a down-to-earth series with characters that makes you feel like you are coming home again. The community that Windflower lives in is a warm and welcoming place that beckons for the reader to come and visit and stay awhile.
The Color of Joy is an emotional roller coaster of a story with the unthinkable happening to a new mother and father when their newborn daughter vanishes from the hospital. No parent wants to even think something like this is possible. The couple suffers such an emotional shock after the mother nearly loses her life after a C-section. When she finally wakes up her husband has the duty to share this horrendous news of their baby missing from her bed in the hospital.
This complete series has kept me engrossed in all the wonderful characters who were so well described in each book. Each book shares a new and interesting story with more characters, their trials and tribulations, and how they handle it all. There is such depth and emotion in each book that leaves me with tears and holding my breath until the satisfying closure.
The author created a wonderful series that I have enjoyed and avidly look forward to more of the books in this series.
How to Test Negative for Stupid is written by a talented, witty, creative, and insightful politician who says what he thinks and fights to right the wrongs and injustice in every aspect of society.
He had a unique way with words and relates his thoughts in a humorous way that can convince others who disagree with him that maybe what he says makes sense. This book was informative, eye opening, and entertaining. I found myself laughing out loud at some of his witty expressions and thoughts over other’s odd behavior and lack of common sense.
An enjoyable and engaging read by a genuine and no nonsense person.
The Miracles Among Us is a collection of stories that involve God’s intervention in impossible circumstances where each person was operated on by a talented physician or physicians.
The author shared his own expertise in each case and the outcomes which are surprisingly positive due to forces that cannot be explained other than by God’s hands.
A moving and a powerful book that makes one believe that anything is possible if you only believe.
The Epicenter of Forever is not just a love story, it is also a story about family relationships, forgiveness, and finding a way back home.
The main protagonist, Eden, suffers from an accident in her past that changes her career path and now she is going through a divorce. When she tries to get her life back to normal she discovers that her mother is suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. What she must do is forgive her mother for abandoning her and her father for another man many years ago. What she finds when she returns home to help her mother is not what she expected.
This is an emotional and heartfelt read.
When Never Comes is a tale of parental neglect, heartache, loss and finding one’s way forward to a life with love and fulfillment. The main character suffers from childhood abuse, lack of love and nurturing. This neglect prevents her from finding happiness in her daily life until she can come to terms with her mother.
This was an intense read that made me want to push the character forward as she struggled to make a new life for herself. The characters were varied and detailed which created an intriguing story line. It did drag a little as the main character’s struggles continue throughout the story, otherwise it was an interesting read.
Thank you for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon where there is always something brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
We all make wishes at one time or another in our lives and we also have heard the saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for.’
I created this short story collection with wishes in mind. Each story deals with people making wishes and how they deal with the outcome of these wishes.
This is an eclectic short story collection of six stories.
Sometimes the things we wish for in life are not always what they seem. We have good times and bad but try to make the best of it all. There are occasions when we make wishes without thinking.
Like the saying goes, ‘Be careful what you wish for.’ While other times, things work out for the better, much to our surprise.
This collection will make you think about the next time you make a wish.
Here are what others are saying about this collection on Amazon.
Wishes AA 1Wishes AA 2Wishes AA 3Wishes AA 5Wishes AA 6Wishes AA 4
When I wrote these short stories I felt as if I had some help from a greater power. As the stories developed, I had no idea how they would end. Each story had a surprise ending which I felt was explanatory enough without taking away the mystery.
If you haven’t read this collection yet, maybe now is the time for you to find out why you should ‘Be careful what you wish for.’ I guarantee you will enjoy them.
I enjoyed creating this collection so much that I am thinking of working on another one soon. Short stories are perfect for anyone who doesn’t have time to to begin a long novel, while at the same time they are entertaining and make for a quick and satisfying read at bedtime or anytime.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon where there is always something brewing at JEMSBOOKS.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
The weather lately has been so cold and rainy. It certainly doesn’t feel like spring. But soon it will change, I hope! My husband bought me some beautiful flowers that are doing very well to cheer me up. Don’t they cheer you up and make you feel like spring is really here?
This past week we dog sat my daughter’s dog as the weather was cold and wet. Now that she is no longer with us, my daughter picked her up, the weather has dried out and warmed up a bit. Sigh!
The weather is warming up a little each day and hopefully will be nice for the month of May.
The trees are already flowering and soon will be full of greenery. I snapped a few photos of our neighborhood as we drove through. It looks so beautiful! The sky is a gorgeous shade of cerulean blue!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon because something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
I hope you are enjoying some good weather wherever you live. Each day is a gift – enjoy!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I have been working on Book 6 of my epic fantasy series, Gateskin Chronicles. This will be the last book in the series unless my characters have more to share with me. I hope in a way that they don’t because I am looking forward to beginning a new series for MG/PT which is my favorite genre to write.
It has been a while since I wrote a series for this age group. In fact, the last time I wrote for MG/PT was the Davey & Derek Junior Detectives series and Abby & Holly series. They were so much fun to write and I wrote 2-4 of the six-book series in one year.
I won’t share this new series with you yet, but soon after I complete the fantasy series. It’s always exciting to have other projects in the wings waiting for my attention. They energize me and propel me forward to keep plugging along to create more and more entertaining books for all ages.
This series is an epic fantasy for YA and adults too. You will find magic, wizards, fairies, Sprites, unusual creatures that roam the land and threaten to harm all those who venture too close. It is the constant struggle of good again evil where the strongest will prevail. Are you ready to take your first step into King Gateskin’s world? Once you enter you will be unable to leave for you will be hooked! Enter carefully and keep your eyes open for there could be a creature behind you right now!
I keep my BMGN promoter quite busy with all the additions of books and awards she has to keep updating. If she reads this, she may be getting a headache already thinking about the next book I give her to promote.
If you haven’t read any of this series, please begin with book 1 to get into the characters and see how they evolve. There are plenty of adventures in each book and magic, mystery, creatures, wizards, fairies, sprites, and surprises. There is always something new happening in Noella Province.
Here are what others are saying about this series on Amazon using AllAuthor.com promos.
Gateskin Book 1Gateskin 1 Gateskin Chronicles 2Gateskin Book 2Gateskin Book 3Gateskin Book 3Gateskin Book 4Gateskin Book 4Gateskin Book 5Gateskin Book 5
I will be working on a book trailer or having someone else do it for me. That does sound good for a change. I have done most of my own trailers but they take so much time to do and with my 51 books I am all out of time to do one. Sigh!
Does anyone know who I could use to create a book trailer? Suggestions needed!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Come back soon because something is always brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
A fictionalized biography of a young Portuguese girl who immigrated to the U.S. early in the 20th century. Like so many people, she endured heartbreaking losses, but also great joys in her 100 years of life, and her legacy lives on in the family she spawned. I think the honest, down-to-earth storytelling in this book will resonate with readers
It is always a good feeling to see someone enjoying my work. It spurs me on to continue to create more stories for readers out there.
If you haven’t read this book yet, maybe it is time to hop on board JEMSBOOKS EXPRESS for adults and discover what others are saying about Lubelia Alycea. I assure you that you will be hooked from the first page and want to learn more about this incredible and resilient woman, my grandmother. I wrote this fictional story about my grandmother as the main protagonist from listening to her stories of her childhood when she came to America. I embellished this book as an author can and created an intriguing story of what I imagined my grandmother’s life was like. Not everything is true of course, but you will never know what is or isn’t true, only I know.
This was dedicated and in memory of my Avoa (grandmother in Portuguese). She was quite a character as the woman in the story and wasn’t always easy to get along with and was quite stubborn. You never wanted to argue with her because you would always lose. That part of her story is true. But she was someone who I dearly loved for her generosity and kindness to care for me and my son. She was there during difficult times in my life and lended her shoulder and her ear for me. She always was funny and entertaining when she shared her stories and thoughts about life. I miss her and will always treasure the times I had with her. I know she would have loved this book!
All my novels are available in three formats on Amazon – paperback, ebook, and audiobook and on Barnes & Noble as a paperback.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back soon because there is always something brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
I am always so humbled when I see a moving review like this one. Thank you, Beth, for taking the time to write this review.
Beth Hildenbrand @ 21 books • 35 followers Follow March 31, 2026 Heartwarming I really e enjoyed this heartwarming story. A little boy named Ezra prays He and his father Lucas are homeless. His prayer is answered in the form of an Angel named Branyrd. When Branyrd arrives in the little homeless encampment she is not sure what to do. She starts by feeding Ezra and Lucas. Then she feeds them all, helps them clean things up. Soon they are all working together. Lucas finds a job. She gives them hope and purpose. They raise money and things change. I won’t give away the ending. You have to read and find out for yourself. There is a huge cast of characters. All of them with amazing personality. I look forward to reading more from this author.
When I wrote this series, I felt as if I had help from above. HE was looking over my shoulder and guiding my hand to create this unforgettable, compassionate and special angel. I hope if you haven’t receive this series yet that you will check it out soon and begin with book 1 to get into the character of Branyrd, an angel like no other.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please back again soon where something is always brewing at JemsBooks.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
As I mentioned before, we had to break down our large 95-gallon fish tank because of the loss of the largest fish in the tank, Puffer. The remaining four fish – Yellow Wrasse, Souter Blenny, Maroon Clown, and Gamma are all doing well now.
We recently added an Anemone to keep the Clown fish happy. We weren’t sure he would host it or not. It didn’t take him long to make that decision. In fact, the Anemone settled itself in the spot where the Clown had claimed as his own. The Clown didn’t know at first what to do but soon welcomed the Anemone to his favorite area in the tank. The next step Clown took was to swim in and around the Anemone and begin the hosting which makes the Anemone quite happy.
I managed to snap several photos close up much to the chagrin of the Clown who gave me the eye and tried to force me away from the tank. It was quite comical to see.
We did have a shock the other day when Gamma jumped out of the tank and landed on the floor in front of the tank. Luckily, John was walking by the tank and saw the fish flopping around and picked it up and tossed it back into the tank. Gamma is the purple and yellow fish in the first photo. He appears to be fine, thank goodness. Clown must have forced the Gamma away as he was trying to protect the Anemone who may have gotten too close to it. Clown is quite territorial and aggressive and is known to do whatever he needs to do to protect his Anemone.
The photo above is of Scouter Blenny who blends into his surroundings. When he sits on the bottom on the rocks he changes into the same color as the rocks. When he is on the large rock, he is more grey and white. He scoots around the tank and jumps from rock to rock instead of swimming. It’s fun to watch him in action. He is quite cute.
We were relieved to see how well the four fish adjusted to their new home in the smaller tank. I hope they continue to do well.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again to JEMSBOOKS where something is always brewing.
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
It’s always a thrill to receive a review of one of my books. Here is another one. Thank you, Trish, for this lovely review.
Book review by Trish
5 stars
More trouble for the Wizard King
This next book in the Gateskin series returns us to Sovorotskina, a beautiful land filled with all kinds of beings cohabitating peacefully. At least, until the jealous rulers of surrounding providences cause trouble.
The characters include the warm hearted King Gateskin, his incredibly talented family, whimsical but powerful sprites, one who is head guard, wizards and visiting sisters with dragons.
King Gateskin wants two dragons of his own after meeting the sisters from Dragonaria. As they work with the king to train these beautiful creatures, they band together to protect the kingdom from evil forces.
This is a great series for the whole family! It is creative, imaginative, and good for all ages. It is well worth the read! The author did a fabulous job on this series!
It is such a wonderful feeling to hear that a reader has enjoyed my work. It encourages me to write more. Watch for book 6 coming later this year or early next year. Unfortunately, this book will be the last one in the series unless the characters need to share more stories with me. Time will tell.
Thank you so much for stopping by to read this post and for your continued support. Please come back again soon because there is always something brewing at JEMSBOOKS!
Blessings & Hugs! Stay Safe, Stay Well and God Bless!
READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY! SOAR WITH JEMSBOOKS ALL YEAR THROUGH! HAPPY READING!
These two series are filled with plenty of magic, mystery, adventures, twin speak, ghosts, time travel, wizards and surprises that will keep your MG/PT swiftly turning pages and asking for the next book in each series. Both boys and girls enjoy the two series. Seeing your kids reading will make parents happy too because their reading scores will improve in school. It’s a win win for everyone!
Remember parents, JemsBooks never has anything that is unsuitable for children all ages. Each book carries important life lessons for your children to learn while they are having a fun time reading these entertaining stories.
I bring the two series together in book 4 of Davey & DerekJunior Detectives: The Case of the Sad Mischievous Ghost. The characters come together to solve the mystery of this ghost who inhabits Abby & Holly’s old Victorian. Begin with book 1 of each series and discover the magic and unforgettable characters. I assure you that your kids will be hooked and want to read both series to find out what happens next.
I thoroughly enjoyed creating these two series and hope to begin a new one in the near future. Watch for the news about this new series. I felt like a kid again as I wrote the dialogue between the twin brothers, Davey & Derek, and with the cousins, Abby and Holly. Introduce your kids today to this entertaining and multi-award-winning series.
Here are some reviews from Amazon:
Davey & Derek Book 1Book 3Davey & Derek Book 4Abby & Holly Book 1Abby & Holly Book 2Abby & Holly Book 3Abby & Holly Book 4Abby & Holly Book 5Abby & Holly Book 6
Davey & Derek Junior Detectives Series is a fun and magical series with spells, wands, a black cat, good witches, time travel, ghost hunting and more. There are also life lessons that include being kind, caring and respectful toward others, listening to parents, being helpful and doing chores, and bullying is never tolerated or accepted. Parents love this series too! When your MG/PT/YA read these books, you will rest easy that they are reading good, clean, and wholesome books. What more could you want in a book for your children? Parents are reading and enjoying them too!
PROMO BY JOHN SPINA
This Davey & Derek Series won (11 book awards) – 5 Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards, 3 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – an Honorable Mention, a Silver Medal, and a Finalist, a Book Excellence Award Finalist, a Silver Medal in the Authorsdb Cover Contest, Top Shelf Awards – First Place and Finalist in Red City Review Book Awards and many 5-Star Reviews from Readers’ Favorite Book Awards.
This Abby & Holly Series has won 8 Book Awards – 6Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards and 2 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards – Bronze Medal, and an Honorable Mention, and five-star reviews from Readers’ Favorite Book Awards.
Abby & Holly Series Books 1-6 with 8 awards (promo by John Spina)
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