Review of A Soldier’s Children – Jan Sikes

The Blurb:

At the tender age of fourteen, Jennifer shoulders the full responsibility of running a household and caring for her seven-year-old sister. It’s bad enough that their father is lost at war in Afghanistan, but troubles multiply when their so-called mother abandons them for another man. Hardships and struggles are constant companions. Family is whatever Jennifer can make it. That’s the way the cards have been dealt, and that’s the way she’ll play them.
This strong young girl meets every obstacle head-on, while never losing hope for a better tomorrow.

My Thoughts:

I found myself emotionally invested in the characters, anger at their dead-beat mother who abandons her children to fend for themselves. Who does that? I know the mother was mentally distraught over the death of her husband, but I found myself unable to forgive her actions.

Despite my disgust for Mom,  I couldn’t help but admire the courage and resilience of young Jennifer, a teenager pushed to a station far above her years. She demonstrates incredible maturity, ‘quick-on-the-feet’ intelligence, and a ‘can-do’ attitude. Her younger sister, Emily, is adorable and her kindness towards feline, Miss Daisy, is a tell-tale sign that she shares her sister’s traits.

This is a poignant tale, yet the above-mentioned qualities of the main characters, combined with the kindness shown by Mr. Parker and the owner of the antique store is heart-warming.

This is a quick-read that can easily and pleasantly be devoured on a bus ride to, or from, work. The following sentence is the best way I can describe it.

A Soldier’s Children is a professional-grade firework compacted into firecracker size. A small package with a massive emotional impact!

I give this book a FIVE STAR rating.

About the Author:

Multi-Award winning author, Jan Sikes, has been called a wordsmith by her peers.

She published four biographical fiction books about the journey of two people moving through adversity in order to grow and learn to become better humans. She believes with all her heart there is something worthy of sharing in these stories. Bits and pieces of wisdom, hard-learned lessons and above and beyond all, love…True love that you read about in fiction stories and yet this is truth. The old saying that truth is stranger than fiction fits these stories.

She also releases a music CD of original songs along with each book that fits the time period of the story. Why? Because the stories revolve and evolve around a passion for music.

She has published a book of poetry and art and nine short stories.

She is widowed, lives in North Texas, volunteers at music festivals, has five incredible grandchildren and serves on the Board of Directors for the Texas Authors Institute of History, and the Executive Council at Rave Writers’ Int’l Society of Authors. She is also a member of the Writer’s League of Texas and Authors Marketing Guild.

If you wish to purchase this book, or any other of her works, you can do so by clicking on this link: Jan Sikes on Amazon

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