Book Review: 14 Nights in February
14 Nights in February
Authors:
KH Johnakin
Ben Farthing
Published: January 25, 2026
Kindle: 206 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: February 24- March 24, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 2 stars
Book Description:
14 chapters. 14 nights. 1 terrifying love story.
Years ago, a ghost hunt shattered Elizabeth’s life and took away the man she loved.
Now, she’s put her past behind her.
But then her old partner calls to ask a favor. His brother, Fitz, is insistent on documenting the strange activity at the Route 14 Motel. Elizabeth reluctantly agrees to help him.
The motel has a reputation: Each February, one room becomes active per night…
Fourteen rooms. Fourteen nights.
All leading to Valentine’s Day.
The hauntings are very real—restless spirits trapped in unfinished stories. Elizabeth and Fitz decide to help each ghost move on, one room at a time.
But a murderer’s ghost still stalks the motel—dangerous, powerful, and furious that someone is freeing his victims.
Amid cursed hotel rooms, vengeful ex-lovers, and rooms with only one bed, Elizabeth and Fitz will have to decide how much they’re willing to risk for love.
14 Nights in February is a horror/romcom designed to be read one chapter per day, from February 1st through Valentine’s Day—written by two authors living their own real-life love story, Ben Farthing and KH Johnakin.
Jessica’s Review:
14 Nights in February had an appealing premise and it is also an ‘advent’ book: Read a chapter a day from February 1- February 14th in time for Valentine’s Day. I enjoyed Farthing’s advent book for Halloween, The 31st Trick or Treater, so I was looking forward to this one. I wanted to see how a horror advent book for Valentine’s was going to go. We have fourteen chapters with a haunted hotel room and ghost in each: It sounds great! Knowing the co-author KH Johnakin is also his wife, I was thinking we were in for some horror and maybe some romance added in. After all, you are supposed to read it for Valentine’s Day.
I did not get it started until after Valentine’s Day, and was hoping to read a chapter a day as the authors intended, but time-wise I was not able to. The story also just did not work for me: I wasn’t intrigued. I did finish it but maybe should have just DNF’d it. For me the best part was the epilogue.
I think it might have just been the wring time for me to read the book and might at some point in the future give it another try. Just not anytime soon.
Short Story Sunday: Novella Review: Off Limits by Ember Davis
Off Limits
Series: Stranger Shoot #1
Author: Ember Davis
Published: June 23, 2021
Kindle: 89 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: November 2, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 2 stars
Novella Description:
Are you interested in participating in a stranger photo session? It’s a fun way to meet someone new and take part in a unique experience. If you are single and in the Denver area, please fill out the form below. I will pair people as I see fit. All sessions will be free. I will post pictures from each shoot on social media. Each stranger session is different and will depend on the pair.
Maybe your soul mate is just a look away.
~Post on Ellie Banks’ social media
ASPEN
I signed up to be part of Ellie Banks’ stranger sessions because I was swept up in the romanticism of it all. I didn’t think I’d get picked. When the day comes, I’m nervous as hell. Still, I need to find out what all the fuss is about. It’ll be a nice change to my routine which basically involves working at a bookstore.
I don’t know what I was expecting but turning around and meeting Liam was a surprise. He sweeps me off my feet in an instant. Que the swell of swoon worthy background music. The connection between us is undeniable and unstoppable.
What happens when we find out that we’re more connected than we thought? Is it going to stand in our way? Will he fight for me when it matters the most?
LIAM
My business partner encouraged me to sign up for an internet trend, citing that I haven’t been on a date in five years as enough reason. He’s no better than me, devoting all his time and energy to making our IT business what it is now. The hard work has finally paid off.
Five years is long enough to be holed up only worried about the business. That’s the only reason I agree to go through with the photoshoot. Had I known my Sunshine was out there waiting for me in the innocent form of Aspen, I would have looked for her a long time ago. She’s everything that chases away a rainy day; the clouds part for me with one look.
It turns out she should be off limits, but I’m not going to let anything stand in the way of our forever. I’d risk it all, even my business, to make sure she’s the person I fall asleep next to and wake up holding every day for the rest of our lives.
Jessica’s Review:
**This review will have spoilers**
I love the idea of stranger photo sessions (I would go outside of my comfort box and actually do one!) and when I saw this novella, I decided to give it a go. I didn’t realize it was going to be open door bedroom scenes and bit too smutty for me, but I did finish it.
The reader gets to see both Aspen and Liam’s nerves about doing a stranger photo session. And they have an instant connection during the photo shoot. Thy moved it outside of the photo session to a first date.
This is where the ‘romance’ became too much for me: It was extreme insta-love on both sides; it seemed more so for him. Right away he is calling her “His Sunshine” and also extremely jealous of other men. Aspen and Liam find out they have a known person in common which could affect how their ‘relationship’ will progress.
They go on a first date and it gets hot pretty quickly after they watch a game. Aspen decides to tell Liam after she is in just her underwear how inexperienced she is (IE: She’s a virgin) yet they still go all the way. And the internal speak of both was just not for me: How they both wish he would ‘ride her bareback’ and “I want you big and round with my babies”. OMG: You don’t even know each other, it’s not love, it’s 1000% lust! Again, this is just their first date.
Of course there is a HEA, but this novella was just not for me. I will give this series one more try with the second novella to see if it is any better for me. And that is only because it is the stranger photo sessions.
Update: I tried the read the second novella in the series, (First Look) but ended up DNFing it. The second one was seemingly going the same way with the insta-love on both ends, with a slight drama in there. This is NOT FOR ME. And I hated that because I just love the idea of Stranger Photo Sessions (and going out on a bubble, I would totally do one!) but this series is seemingly the only novellas/books to read out there in that ‘subgenre’. I’m very disappointed….
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Short Story Sunday: Death Row by Freida McFadden
Death Row
Series: Alibis Collection #1
Author: Freida McFadden
Narrator: Lauryn Allman
Published: June 1, 2025
Audiobook: 1 hour 44 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Listened To: June 16, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 2 stars
Short Story Description:
With all hope of an appeal fading away, the fate of a condemned murderess takes a shocking turn in a breathtaking short story.
Talia Kemper is on death row for murdering her husband. She had an alibi and no known motive, yet Talia’s unwavering protestations of innocence have always been ignored. Then one day in the visiting area, she sees a recognizable stranger she’s certain is her husband. It turns out the man she’s been convicted of killing may not be dead after all. But as the days tick away toward Talia’s execution, what will it take for her to be believed?
Freida McFadden’s Death Row is part of Alibis, a collection of stories about lies, truth, and deception. It’s just a matter of what you can get away with. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.
Jessica’s Review:
I’m a Freida McFadden fan, and look forward to reading her backlist and future novels. I have given her novels/short stories ranging from 3-5 stars. Death Row receives two stars. I knew it was a short story; it has been made clear which of her stories she has written are in fact not full-length novels. Whether people notice those signs or not, that is on them: Whether they read the short story description or just hit ‘buy’ because it is a McFadden novel.
The description of this short story intrigued me. I had lots of thoughts while listening to this one. McFadden’s ‘twist’ just didn’t work for me. I wanted more of a ‘crime story’ or a “Is Talia actually innocent or guilty?” versus what actually happened.
There has been confusion with some readers with the short story. On her website she does give her interpretations with the story that she wrote. (That link is here and WILL give spoilers!) My thoughts coincided with what her intentions were. For that, I was glad that I took the story in the way she intended, but again, her ending was just not for me.
I loved that Lauryn Allman was the narrator! She IS the voice of Millie from The Housemaid series for me. And she did a good job as Talia in her narration.
Though not for me, this short story might be for you. If you haven’t read anything from McFadden I would say don’t start with this one.
Purchase Links: (This short story is available on Kindle or Audio)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
[Top]