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Julian's Numbers
Lost at sea, can he save all he loves from the ghostly stowaways trapped aboard with him?
Julian wants more than anything to be like every other kid—skateboard, hang out with friends, have sleepovers, and tease his little brother and sister. But Julian has a special gift, one which, to him, feels more of a curse.
In his dreams, he is visited by spirits who tell him things—sometimes very important things.
He has called these “tell-you” dreams since he was little, and he knows now to keep them secret, ever since one such dream came true when the little Mendes girl down the street was murdered in her basement.
But now, Julian will need the ghosts from his dreams more than ever. Voices have given him the winning lottery numbers and he and his family are setting out on a family sailing vacation on their new sailboat, Julian’s Numbers.
The dreams are warning him of an evil that will capture his mother and put his entire family—and maybe much more—at risk. He will need to listen to his ghosts if he is to have any chance of stopping the growing evil aboard their yacht and save his family from certain death…
THE SHINING meets DEAD CALM in this supernatural horror ghost thriller from the mind of Jeff Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of the TIER ONE and THE SHEPHERDS Series and now Tom Clancy’s JACK RYAN Series.
Julian wants more than anything to be like every other kid—skateboard, hang out with friends, have sleepovers, and tease his little brother and sister. But Julian has a special gift, one which, to him, feels more of a curse.
In his dreams, he is visited by spirits who tell him things—sometimes very important things.
He has called these “tell-you” dreams since he was little, and he knows now to keep them secret, ever since one such dream came true when the little Mendes girl down the street was murdered in her basement.
But now, Julian will need the ghosts from his dreams more than ever. Voices have given him the winning lottery numbers and he and his family are setting out on a family sailing vacation on their new sailboat, Julian’s Numbers.
The dreams are warning him of an evil that will capture his mother and put his entire family—and maybe much more—at risk. He will need to listen to his ghosts if he is to have any chance of stopping the growing evil aboard their yacht and save his family from certain death…
THE SHINING meets DEAD CALM in this supernatural horror ghost thriller from the mind of Jeff Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of the TIER ONE and THE SHEPHERDS Series and now Tom Clancy’s JACK RYAN Series.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2024
79 people are currently reading
3118 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Wilson
35 books352 followersJeffrey Wilson has at one time worked as an actor, a firefighter, a paramedic, a jet pilot, a diving instructor, a Naval Officer, and a Vascular and Trauma Surgeon. He also served numerous tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Navy combat surgeon, deploying with an east coast based SEAL Team as part of a Joint Special Operations Task Force.
He is the co-author, with Brian Andrews, of the Wall Street Journal and Amazon #1 Bestselling TIER ONE series of thrillers from Thomas & Mercer, including TIER ONE, WAR SHADOWS, CRUSADER ONE, and AMERICAN OPERATOR. He and Andrews also Co-author the Nick Foley Thriller Series, written under the pseudonym Alex Ryan, from Crooked Lane Books, which includes BEIJING RED and HONG KONG BLACK.
He is the author of three award winning Supernatural thrillers from JournalStone Publishing: THE TRAITEUR'S RING (2011), THE DONORS (2012), and FADE TO BLACK (2013).
He is also the author of the faith based, inspirational war time novel WAR TORN.
Jeff and his wife, Wendy, are Virginia natives who, with children Ashley, Emma, Jack, and Connor, call Tampa, Florida home. He still works as a Vascular Surgeon and as a consultant for the Department of Defense when not hard at work on his next book.
Learn more about Jeff at www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com and www.andrews-wilson.com
He is the co-author, with Brian Andrews, of the Wall Street Journal and Amazon #1 Bestselling TIER ONE series of thrillers from Thomas & Mercer, including TIER ONE, WAR SHADOWS, CRUSADER ONE, and AMERICAN OPERATOR. He and Andrews also Co-author the Nick Foley Thriller Series, written under the pseudonym Alex Ryan, from Crooked Lane Books, which includes BEIJING RED and HONG KONG BLACK.
He is the author of three award winning Supernatural thrillers from JournalStone Publishing: THE TRAITEUR'S RING (2011), THE DONORS (2012), and FADE TO BLACK (2013).
He is also the author of the faith based, inspirational war time novel WAR TORN.
Jeff and his wife, Wendy, are Virginia natives who, with children Ashley, Emma, Jack, and Connor, call Tampa, Florida home. He still works as a Vascular Surgeon and as a consultant for the Department of Defense when not hard at work on his next book.
Learn more about Jeff at www.jeffreywilsonfiction.com and www.andrews-wilson.com
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 11, 2024
We have all had nightmares, but have you ever had a "Tell you" nightmare? Julian, the 10 year old protagonist, has "Tell you" dreams, which are premonitions of terrible things. Julian has an American Indian and dead little girl as his guides when his Tell you dreams begin to occur when he starts having waking dreams.
When Julian's family wins the lottery, based on numbers he chooses, his father fulfills his life-long dream of owning a sailboat that is dubbed Julian's Numbers.
With excitement Julian soaks up the sailing lessons his father gives him. If you have never sailed the sailing vernacular may not make any sense to you, which is one downside to reading Julian's Numbers.
When the family embarks on a week-long sailing vacation Julian's dreams become realities that build up the tension in the reader. As the vacation turns into a nightmare full of ghosts, possessions and a lot of violence Julian rises to every challenge in order to save his family.
Thank you to Jeffrey Wilson, Aethon Books and Goodreads for the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest review.
When Julian's family wins the lottery, based on numbers he chooses, his father fulfills his life-long dream of owning a sailboat that is dubbed Julian's Numbers.
With excitement Julian soaks up the sailing lessons his father gives him. If you have never sailed the sailing vernacular may not make any sense to you, which is one downside to reading Julian's Numbers.
When the family embarks on a week-long sailing vacation Julian's dreams become realities that build up the tension in the reader. As the vacation turns into a nightmare full of ghosts, possessions and a lot of violence Julian rises to every challenge in order to save his family.
Thank you to Jeffrey Wilson, Aethon Books and Goodreads for the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest review.
October 31, 2024
I am not a big fan of horror in any form, but I liked this book. The idea that a boy can get an insight that changed his family for better or worst was interesting. I was kind of creeped me out with the pirate, but I loved how the boy took care of his siblings, and his parents. That was a lot to put on a ten year old boy.
December 26, 2024
The beginning of the book was a bit slow and uneven, but once it picks up, it becomes really engaging. The characters could have been more developed, and there was a lot of repetition. The author did a great job of writing a 10-year-old, but the younger characters felt a bit forced to me. It also had the most annoying characters in horror movies I’ve ever seen. However, the story itself is well-written and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
December 27, 2024
Pleasantly surprised with this one. I wish the author had given more details while the characters were on the island and developed the story more both times they were there, but the boat adventure was edge of your seat goodness. I feel as though the younger children could have just been tossed as characters altogether and I fee I’m left with unanswered questions about the pirates and Indian backstories, but Overall a solid book that was a fun read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2024
This was such a creepy story and I loved how atmospheric it was. Full of ghosts and possessions I’d have to say this was a solid horror story.
As someone who loves being on boats this book definitely had me terrified at times and I will 100% be rethinking my next boating adventure.
As someone who loves being on boats this book definitely had me terrified at times and I will 100% be rethinking my next boating adventure.
November 11, 2025
This book literally derailed my reading. I simultaneously wanted to know what happened, but every time I picked it up to read I was dreading it. I don't even know why, just did not work for me whatsoever. I couldn't make myself read it, and while I hate DNF'ing I had to in this case.
November 28, 2024
Julian’s Numbers by Jeffrey Wilson is a chilling and atmospheric horror novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows a young boy named Julian, who becomes mysteriously linked to a series of cryptic numbers. As these numbers seem to influence strange and terrifying events in his life, Julian is forced to confront a terrifying truth about the world around him.
Wilson’s writing excels in creating tension and unease, masterfully blending psychological horror with supernatural elements. The unfolding mystery behind the numbers adds a layer of intrigue, making the reader want to keep turning the pages to uncover the truth. While the pacing can feel slow at times, the build-up to the eerie and unsettling climax is worth the wait.
The novel explores powerful themes of fate, the unknown, and the consequences of becoming entangled with forces beyond human understanding. Julian’s emotional journey is compelling, and readers will find themselves invested in his struggles as he tries to understand and escape the horror surrounding him.
Overall, Julian’s Numbers is a well-crafted horror novel that will appeal to fans of eerie, thought-provoking stories. It’s a solid read with a dark, lingering atmosphere that stays with you long after finishing the book. Be prepared, the ending leaves some readers wanting more!
Wilson’s writing excels in creating tension and unease, masterfully blending psychological horror with supernatural elements. The unfolding mystery behind the numbers adds a layer of intrigue, making the reader want to keep turning the pages to uncover the truth. While the pacing can feel slow at times, the build-up to the eerie and unsettling climax is worth the wait.
The novel explores powerful themes of fate, the unknown, and the consequences of becoming entangled with forces beyond human understanding. Julian’s emotional journey is compelling, and readers will find themselves invested in his struggles as he tries to understand and escape the horror surrounding him.
Overall, Julian’s Numbers is a well-crafted horror novel that will appeal to fans of eerie, thought-provoking stories. It’s a solid read with a dark, lingering atmosphere that stays with you long after finishing the book. Be prepared, the ending leaves some readers wanting more!
November 18, 2024
I was disappointed in this one. It had so much promise in the concept but just didn't deliver.
I feel like I saw the end mostly coming about halfway through and then was just frustrated with the slow pacing of the "Julian drives the yacht through a storm" portion. Can a ten-year-old become such a savvy sailor in only 3 weeks of dad-training? Hard to say. Mine certainly couldn't have. But...fiction.
Anyway, I was hoping for a lot more creepy ghost-on-the-ocean stuff and it really was more of a possession-by-a-confusing-curse type of story.
Also, note to author, the use of "dumbass" over and over and over again in the story doesn't make the lack of swearing better. It just stands out as "I'm in a 10-year-old's head", which was fine until Dad's mind started to use the word too. There was a vague reference to these people being religious and hating swear words, but ... yeah, the story was overall just kind of vague.
I feel like I saw the end mostly coming about halfway through and then was just frustrated with the slow pacing of the "Julian drives the yacht through a storm" portion. Can a ten-year-old become such a savvy sailor in only 3 weeks of dad-training? Hard to say. Mine certainly couldn't have. But...fiction.
Anyway, I was hoping for a lot more creepy ghost-on-the-ocean stuff and it really was more of a possession-by-a-confusing-curse type of story.
Also, note to author, the use of "dumbass" over and over and over again in the story doesn't make the lack of swearing better. It just stands out as "I'm in a 10-year-old's head", which was fine until Dad's mind started to use the word too. There was a vague reference to these people being religious and hating swear words, but ... yeah, the story was overall just kind of vague.
October 31, 2024
1.5 ⭐️ rounded down
As an author and an editor, I’m a firm believer in the power of editing. Many of the books I read are poorly edited, but not necessarily poorly written.
This book, unfortunately, is both.
The plot is genuinely interesting and refreshing, but the author is not able to pull it off. The only things that kept me from DNFing (many, MANY times!) were the plot and the fact that it was so bad that it was like a car accident. I couldn’t look away.
The Ugly: There is a character who is referred to only as “the Indian” (and no, this gentleman is not from India) until literally 99% of the way through the book.
It also stresses his chiseled, stoic, stone-like, etc. face, and the fact that he is always sitting cross legged (I’m sorry, “crisscross applesauce,” and I hope you’re prepared to see that a million times if you read this book)
It’s almost 2025, people. We can—and should!—do better.
(The book is, uh, not exactly great about Black people either)
The Good: There are a few clever turns of phrase, and like I said, the plot was good.
The Bad: This author (and/or his editor) urgently needs to review: Comma usage, em dashes, apostrophe usage, tenses, conjugation, and hyphenation.
Every character in this just…kinda sucks as a human being.
The writing is very repetitive.
I wish BookBub would do a better job of vetting so it’s not a game of roulette every time.
I will not be reading more by this author.
As an author and an editor, I’m a firm believer in the power of editing. Many of the books I read are poorly edited, but not necessarily poorly written.
This book, unfortunately, is both.
The plot is genuinely interesting and refreshing, but the author is not able to pull it off. The only things that kept me from DNFing (many, MANY times!) were the plot and the fact that it was so bad that it was like a car accident. I couldn’t look away.
The Ugly: There is a character who is referred to only as “the Indian” (and no, this gentleman is not from India) until literally 99% of the way through the book.
It also stresses his chiseled, stoic, stone-like, etc. face, and the fact that he is always sitting cross legged (I’m sorry, “crisscross applesauce,” and I hope you’re prepared to see that a million times if you read this book)
It’s almost 2025, people. We can—and should!—do better.
(The book is, uh, not exactly great about Black people either)
The Good: There are a few clever turns of phrase, and like I said, the plot was good.
The Bad: This author (and/or his editor) urgently needs to review: Comma usage, em dashes, apostrophe usage, tenses, conjugation, and hyphenation.
Every character in this just…kinda sucks as a human being.
The writing is very repetitive.
I wish BookBub would do a better job of vetting so it’s not a game of roulette every time.
I will not be reading more by this author.
August 23, 2025
This book took me forever to read. The only reason I finished was because I didn’t want to loose faith in it. The plot dragged painfully. Jillian learning how to sail was many more chapters than it needed to be. It didn’t feel like much of a ghost story at all. I was waiting for it to get eerie or creepy and neither happened. The mayor??!!? Just another unnecessary chapter added with no use of the plot. I feel as if no questions were answered. The ending was extremely predictable. I thought it would never end. Now that I’m at the end of writing this I feel two stars was generous. I would not consider it a horror book.
November 24, 2024
This was a Goodreads giveaway that I received.
The story itself is interesting. My problem is in the pacing and the explanations of characters. Without spoiling, there are characters that exist as a means of suspense and mystery with little to no explanation why they’re there until the very end. That’s become too common of a trope in this and similar genres that it’s becoming a pet peeve of mine.
As for the pacing, I had a hard time keeping attention on this book because it was so slow—and then so fast—and then so slow again.
The story itself is interesting. My problem is in the pacing and the explanations of characters. Without spoiling, there are characters that exist as a means of suspense and mystery with little to no explanation why they’re there until the very end. That’s become too common of a trope in this and similar genres that it’s becoming a pet peeve of mine.
As for the pacing, I had a hard time keeping attention on this book because it was so slow—and then so fast—and then so slow again.
November 7, 2024
can I have a rainbows and unicorns alternative ending
This is not the type of book I would normally read. The only read it was because Jeffrey Wilson wrote it. I should not be surprised at the tragic ending for the dad. I had to wait a week before writing a review. The ending made me want to give it a one star. It’s not the ending I wanted. Single tear. Was it a good story? Yes it was.
This is not the type of book I would normally read. The only read it was because Jeffrey Wilson wrote it. I should not be surprised at the tragic ending for the dad. I had to wait a week before writing a review. The ending made me want to give it a one star. It’s not the ending I wanted. Single tear. Was it a good story? Yes it was.
November 4, 2024
Cool book
A book for young adults as well as adults. I don't think I will step onto a boat again. Enough suspense to curl your toes. It has enough mystery and ghosts to keep you guessing. Good book!
A book for young adults as well as adults. I don't think I will step onto a boat again. Enough suspense to curl your toes. It has enough mystery and ghosts to keep you guessing. Good book!
February 10, 2025
oh my
Well I think is the best book I’ve read for a long time.
Jeffrey Wilson is one amazing author, I want to read more.
Amazing everyone should read this book, my heart was racing I was breathless from panicking. A definite must read. Loved it!
Well I think is the best book I’ve read for a long time.
Jeffrey Wilson is one amazing author, I want to read more.
Amazing everyone should read this book, my heart was racing I was breathless from panicking. A definite must read. Loved it!
November 21, 2024
What an intense book!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews