Good Spirits by B.K. Borison | Book Review

Item: Good Spirits
Rating: 5
Author: Jana

Posted December 3, 2025 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison | Book Review

Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
Series: Ghosted #1
Published by Avon on October 7, 2025
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Holiday - Christmas, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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The USA Today bestselling author of Business Casual, B.K. Borison is back with a whimsical new holiday romance—this time with a magical twist—that will have everyone falling in love with the Ghost of Christmas Past.

He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm, this swoony romance is B.K. Borison’s best yet!

You know how sometimes you will go outside your normal comfort zone for an author you love? That’s what happened to me with B.K. Borison’s Good Spirits. I adored her Lovelight series and I’m really enjoying her Heartstrings series so far! I’ve read all 6 of her currently released books, and all but two of them got 5 stars from me (and those two got 4 stars) so I think it’s safe to say I’m a fangirl. I’ll admit, though, paranormal romance isn’t my thing. A Christmas Carol is not my thing. Ghosts? Nope. And especially not in my Christmas books. A book about a woman falling in love with the Ghost of Christmas Past is the last thing I ever thought I’d read, but I dove right in last spring when I had room in my schedule because I love B.K. Borison! And, my friend, I am so glad I did. This was magical and delightful, and I felt all the Christmas magic even though it was April.

Harriet is super sweet. She’s not the kind of person who needs to reevaluate her life with the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s kind and caring and has filled her life with colors and the things she loves. She’s a little quirky and owns many pairs of Christmas pajamas. When Nolan materializes and emerges from behind her Christmas tree, he does so with a pretty jaded attitude. Harriet is just another crappy person who Nolan has to fix before moving on. And she’s just as confused! She knows she’s not perfect, but she can’t figure out what she’s done that’s bad enough to warrant a Christmas Carol story of her own. But as they dive into her memories, Nolan realizes how wonderful she is. This is the ultimate forbidden romance. Nolan and Harriet have a deadline that must be met before he and her memories of him disappear forever. They quickly begin to fall for one other, even though this expirations date weighs heavily on their hearts. Their shared moments and discussions are deep, tender, heartwarming, and even sad at times but it never feels too heavy. Overall, this is a light and funny read. I loved watching these two characters change each other’s lives. Nolan, once jaded and grumpy feels alive again and Harriet learns how worthy she is of the life she wishes for. They make each other light up like the brightest Christmas tree, and I loved their story. The more and more we learn about them, the more everything begins to fall into place. There’s plenty of Christmas magic, lots of steam, and even a mischievous cat! There’s also a happily ever after that will make you swoon.

B.K. Borison’s writing is as lovely as ever. Her descriptions are so wonderful, and the characters she dreams up are always the absolute best. If you’re looking for some Christmas magic, I highly recommend Good Spirits. I am so, so excited for the next book in this series. B.K. Borison gives a little hint about it in the author’s note and let’s just say… sign me up!

Top Ten Books on my Christmas 2025 To-Read List

Posted December 1, 2025 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 13 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! And happy December! My house (and my blog) are decked out for the holidays, and I’m so excited for all the fun and festivities that will be happening this month! This week’s topic is a freebie, so I’ve decided to share the 10 Christmas books on my to-read list this month. I’ve already read a couple, and am hoping to get to the rest by the new year. I can’t wait to see what topic you’ve chosen to write about today!

1. Good Spirits by B.K. Borison
I have already read and loved this one!

2. Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
I just finished this, and it was amaaaazing! I love Catherine’s Christmas books.

3. Acting Merry by Martha Keyes
I’m reading this right now and it’s so sweet. I find myself grinning from ear to ear while reading. The flirty banter is perfection!

4. Checking It Twice by Kendall Ryan
I’m also reading this one right now and it’s a lot of fun! I’m listening to the audio while I crochet, and it’s great so far!

5. Merrily Ever After by Catherine Walsh
This is a set of novellas in the same world as Snowed In and Holiday Romance, and I’m excited to see more love stories among these characters!

6. A Christmas Serenade by Jennifer Moore, Kasey Stockton, Katie Stewart Stone, and Anneka R. Walker

7. A Copenhagen Snowmance by Pernille Hughes

8. My Merry Mistake by Courtney Walsh

9. Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk

10. The Christmas Book Flood by Roseanna M. White

Do you have any books on your Christmas to-read list?

Top Ten Things I’m Thankful For (2025 Edition)

Posted November 24, 2025 by Jana in About Me, Top Ten Tuesday / 16 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week is Thanksgiving in the USA, so I thought a Thanksgiving/Thankful Freebie would be fun. Life is pretty hard for me and things don’t always go the way I’d hoped, but I still have so much to be thankful for. I enjoy taking a few minutes to think about the things that are going well for me, and the things I’m grateful I have. So that’s what I’ll be doing with this week’s prompt!

1. I’m thankful for my mom. She and I laugh together, cry together, and are pretty much the same person. She is always looking out for what I need and is the first one to help me whenever I need it.

2. I’ve finally gotten an answer (diagnosis) to a major health issue that I hope will improve my quality of life. There’s no cure, but there are things I can start working on to improve my symptoms. After being bounced from doctor to doctor for 15 years, last month a doctor finally told me that it’s not all in my head and that I should never let anyone tell me otherwise. This doctor is the most respected in his field and concentration in this entire region of the country (the wait to get in to see him was a year and a half), which means that my other specialists and doctors will also finally take me seriously. I’m also thankful that I’m finally getting a bit of a handle on another chronic condition I deal with. After trying different methods of treatment for a few years now, and doing a ton of my own research, I finally found something that is actually bringing a part of me back into balance. Everything every doctor had prescribed before was making me very sick, so I opted to just not treat it due to quality of life concerns. This year I found a doctor who was willing to work with me on a natural route of treatment I discovered, and my blood results prove that it’s working. And with no side-effects. I am so excited.

3. I’m thankful for animals, whether they are mine, a friend’s, or a stranger’s on Instagram! They never cease to make me smile.

4. I am thankful for books! I love reading, but it has been a struggle for me this year. I guess I’m in a slump because I haven’t been enjoying a lot of what I read. I found my way back to audiobooks a couple weeks ago after not listening to any for the bulk of the year, and I’ve been loving it! Plus, I’ve started my Christmas reading and I’m pulling myself out of my slump!

5. I’m thankful that I don’t have to worry about where my next meal will come from or where I will sleep tonight. I am so fortunate to have the things I really need.

6. I’m thankful for music, and the ability I have to connect with it on such a deep level through both listening and singing. I’ve been singing a lot more than usual this year, and it’s really doing wonders for my mental health. Did you know that singing and humming activates the vagus nerve? It’s obviously not the wonder cure for anxiety and depression, but it helps me a lot.

7. I’m thankful for my talents. I’ve done a lot of graphic design this year, which I love. I also love crocheting and cross stitching and anything else that lets me be creative.

8. I’m thankful for Christmas! This is my favorite time of year, and it makes me so happy. I love Thanksgiving, too, but Christmas brings me a level of joy that’s hard to replicate. I love the meaning of the season, the lights, the music, the food, and the togetherness it brings.

9. I’m thankful for nature. I live in a really beautiful place, with changing seasons, stunning snow-capped mountains (there’s seriously now up there about 9 months of the year), bright sunshine, blue skies, and so much natural beauty. I can drive 5 minutes and be at Target or 10 minutes and be up the canyon sitting by a river overlooking stunning vistas. I’m making it a goal in 2026 to get outside and soak more of it up. It’s so good for the body and the soul.

10. I’m thankful for my Heavenly Father. Without Him I’d be lost.

Happy Thanksgiving this week to all who celebrate! 

What’s the biggest thing you’re thankful for this year?

I’m so thankful for you and that you come to my blog to see me.

Top Ten Modern Books I Think Will be Classics Someday

Posted November 17, 2025 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 27 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is: Modern Books You Think Will Be Classics In The Future, submitted by Veros @ Dark Shelf of Wonders. What makes a book a classic? Well, according to Pan Macmillan (read their article here):

“Put simply, a classic novel is a book that has stood the test of time because it’s so good; it has a gripping story which is expertly crafted and brilliantly expressed. But of course, it’s not just about the story. Like any good recipe, there are a number of key ingredients that make a book a classic.”

The article goes on to list these key ingredients and expound upon them, but I’m going to just share a list of what I found while reading the article:

“a certain level of complexity and depth, which enables it to transcend the time in which it was written”
“articulates universal themes – like love, morality, death, adversity”
“offers revelatory insight and clarity to readers of any era”
“always feels fresh”
“particularly significant or memorable”
“often portrays a particular time and place in an intensely evocative way”
“may be the first of its kind, impressively inventive, or the most influential example of a particular genre or literary style”
“may be absorbed into our everyday culture”

And this isn’t everything! There’s a lot of info out there about what makes a classic novel. Everyone has their own criteria and I found this topic quite interesting to research. I think they all agree, though, that classic novels are timeless, artistic or literary in nature, and have a memorable main character. So here’s my list of books that I think fit the criteria listed above! Interestingly enough, most of them would fall into the classics for young adults category.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Death is pretty memorable narrator. The power of books and the strength of character are strong themes, and I can see this being required reading in many schools for ages.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
This book is so incredibly unique and lyrically written. It feels like its set during WW2, but it’s not. The setting feels both historical and modern. The addition of a system of Gods, a magical set of typewriters, and strong themes of love, family, and beating the odds make me think this could easily stand the test of time.

What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon
Another very unique story that features a woman who falls back in time to historic Ireland and has a hand in shaping the events that happened long before she was born. It’s beautiful and full of winding turns and surprising revelations that took my breath away!

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
This book is based on the true story of history’s deadliest female sniper. It’s so exciting and wonderfully told. I think another criteria of a classic should be that it teaches you something that compels you to go learn even more. I immediately went to research Mila Pavlichenko when I was finished and gobbled up everything I could find on her.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
This story has the most unique and memorable character I’ve ever read about in any sci-fi novel: Rocky the 5-legged alien. I loved Rocky’s depth of character. I also though the exploration of Earth becoming extinct was incredibly well done. The science is there, but not in an overwhelming way. This book can easily stand with The Time Machine as timeless sci-fi.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
This magical story, inspired by Celtic folklore, centers on man-eating water horses and is beautiful and super unique. It could take place at any time, and features two incredibly memorable characters.

Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier
Loosely based on Beauty and the Beast (but make it Irish and medieval), Marillier made the story all her own. There’s a curse and a love story, but Caitrin (the main character) is what I will always remember about this book.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Talk about a book that has become a part of our culture! Who doesn’t joke about being a contestant in the Hunger Games when they’re super hungry? Who hasn’t said “May the odds be ever in your favor.” at least once? This book is referenced in countless other book, movies, TV shows, etc. I often wonder if everyone knows where this phrase even comes from. Katniss is a household name.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
This series has never interested me, and I’ve only read the first book (because it was required reading for my grad school program), but I think everyone can agree that this series is already a classic. It’s part of everyday culture across the world and people probably know their Hogwarts house even if they’ve never read the books.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Again, I read this first book because it was required reading for grad school. Everyone knows Percy Jackson, and the series makes Greek mythology more accessible for younger people. I can see this being read in schools for many years.

Do we have any picks in common?
What do you think makes a novel a classic?