Tag: Military Fiction Book

Monthly Features – August

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Dissonance: Volume Zero: Revelation by Aaron Ryan

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis:  One day, they silently drifted down through our skies. We thought they were angelic messengers. We were wrong.

They arrived by the hundreds of thousands on June 6th, 2026. The aliens silently drifted down from the sky, hovering fifty feet above us for three long, tense months at a geostationary orbit, taking up positions around the world. No one knew why they came…what they wanted…or why they wouldn’t just go away.

Then, the unthinkable happened. They suddenly came to life…and hunted us down. We ended up calling them gorgons – after the mythical creature Medusa – because if we locked eyes with them, it was all over, and they could telepathically paralyze us with just one look. Once immobilized, they could consume us at their leisure, leaving us to feel every excruciating bite. There was no escape, no hiding from their relentless pursuit. Our only defense was to run.

By the end of 2026, eighty-five percent of mankind had been killed off. The alien invasion turned Planet Earth into a ghost town, with the few survivors eking out an existence in the shadows. Andrew Shipley is one such survivor thrust into an extraordinary nightmare of post-apocalyptic proportions. As chaos erupts, hope dwindles for Andrew and his wife and three small children. Will they make it? Or will the gorgons get them too?

Summary: Overall, this was arguably my favorite so far in the series perhaps because of the light that it sheds on the events that take place in the rest of the series. I found myself laughing at some parts and with tears in my eyes at others. Ryan does an excellent job at evoking emotion and keeping readers engaged throughout this book. If you are a fan of science fiction, dystopian worlds, aliens, action, adventure, thrills, and reading about what it means to be human, then this book could be for you.

See the full review here: Dissonance: Volume Zero: Revelation
Purchase here

 

Post Traumatic Growth by Jesse Hewitt

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: This book is an account of the journey following encounters of trauma and taking steps towards personal growth. I served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 12 years, with 5 years serving as a Close Protection Operator undertaking multiple operations in high-conflict environments – both domestically and overseas. Having completed there missions, I witnessed first-hand the damages of war and having experienced the consequences of combat.

This is a tale of a torment and tribulation but is also the story of reparation and recovery. A story of surviving trauma and overcoming the wounds war inflicted upon my mind. Within this book, you will read about these traumas. Personal crises and living in a state of mind that is unwell will be shared. The approach to conquering my personal mental health struggles was multi-faceted, and details of this journey will be disclosed in order to hopefully empower others to take the first steps in their own recovery. Things such as various treatment styles, inter-personal connections and the accidental introduction to Equine Therapy were all supports to becoming a healthier me.

It is my hope that through sharing the intricacies of what I faced and how I committed to treatment to find meaning, purpose, and strength once again, will help others rediscover their own fortitude, resilience, and resolve as they endeavor into the emotional trenches of recovery and emerge healthier, happier, and having taken their own steps towards Post Traumatic Growth.

Summary: Overall, if you are interested in inspiring, real life stories about overcoming mental health challenges especially as it relates to PTSD, depression, substance abuse disorders, and eating disorders, then this book could be for you. 

See the full review here: Post Traumatic Growth
Purchase here

 

The Voided Man by Anthony Dean

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: There are great deserts in space. Matter is not spread evenly. On average it balances out in all directions, but some regions are not average. For every dense cluster of galaxies in one place, there is a tremendous void somewhere else. There are no galaxies within the voids, no stars, no planets, and no moons. Scientists have theorized that anyone at the center of such an empty space would see only darkness in every direction. Even the brightest objects, they say, would be too far distant to be visible to the naked eye.

I got a chance to test that theory firsthand. I am the most distant exile in human history.

My name is Prisoner Number One. This is my story.

Summary: Overall, I went into this almost completely blind and was pleasantly surprised with this one. This is a great example of going outside of your comfort zone and managing to find some diamonds in the rough. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of quirky science fiction stories that feature romance and touch on what it means to be human. 

See the full review here: The Voided Man
Purchase here

 

The Gemini Project by Ian Moran

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Jan Ericson spends his days on the campus of the Corpo Academy participating in sports and playing games. The Academy has never formally taught Jan, or any of its 42 students, to read or write. Jan looks forward to moving to New London, where he will live with his father and start his career. That day will be his 18th birthday after a celebration known as the renaissance.

Dr. William Osler works at the Academy and considers himself an amateur philosopher and would-be comedian. He befriends Jan and sees the boy’s keen desire to learn. Quietly in the background, the doctor teaches his student to read. Dr. Osler knows that the 17-year-old boy will die, the same way his older brother died, in less than two weeks. However, addicted to a designer drug, the doctor is constantly high as he tries to fight his own demons.

Tre Ericson is Jan’s father. He sees his son four times a year but feels no love for him. While desperately trying to please his father, Jan discovers a tunnel that runs under the school. The tunnel contains a dark secret, which initiates a chain of events that might save Jan’s life!

The Gemini Project is must-read coming-of-age novel that deals with a dystopian future and the world of neurology. The story of Jan Ericson will take you to unpredictable places in a battle of life and death

Summary: Overall, I found this to be an intriguing and thought provoking science fiction thriller set in a dystopian world and would recommend to anyone interested in sci-fi, dystopian worlds, thrillers, suspense, mystery, and philosophical dilemmas.

See the full review here: The Gemini Project
Purchase here

 

Claimed by a Cowboy by Melody Carson

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: I HATE SURPRISES.
Even a surprise that comes with designer heels and killer curves.
What I needed at the end of a long day in the saddle was a cold brew – not a hot tempered reporter who was intent on getting on my last nerve.
Worse, Madison was asking too many questions and getting too close to the truth. Too close to me.

My real identity as heir to the billion dollar Rising Star Ranch was at stake, and I had to keep Madison at arms length.

Until that first unforgettable kiss.

Now, I’m wondering how I can, not only keep Madison at Rising Star Ranch, but also protect her and claim her as my own.

Summary: Overall, if you like cowboy romances full of enemies-to-lovers troupes, mystery, suspense, a bit of danger, and a cowboy saving the day, then this book could be for you!

See the full review here: Claimed by a Cowboy
Purchase here

 

 

Review: The Mutiny of the American Foreign Legion by Neal Alexander

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Synopsis:

Hugo Ayala has burned his bridges with the Colombian military by denouncing murders committed by his former officers. After surviving a bloody assignment in Yemen with an American security company, he completes U.S. Army basic training. But he’s blocked from becoming a green card soldier by new anti-immigration laws. He stays on as an illegal, and joins the American Foreign Legion, an immigration rights group whose members have fought for the USA.

Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is detaining and deporting thousands of people a day, without due process. But now the communities being targeted include Hugo and others who know how to fight back. The leader of the AFL has his own political backers and doubtful motives. As each side ratchets up the violence, American political unity starts to crack.

This gripping thriller which draws on current events and little-known facts:

– Many non-citizens serve in the US armed forces and as employees of American security contractors. For example, the second US Marine killed in action in the Iraq War was Guatemalan. A recent MIT study of these green card soldiers is subtitled “Between Model Immigrant and Security Threat”.

– Border Patrol agents “have gone from having one of the most obscure jobs in law enforcement to one of the most hated,” according to the New York Times. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deport people without due process, including US Citizens.

– A recent Chicago Tribune op-ed describes how current how the current “struggles over immigration echo the conflict over slavery”. Confrontations in Texas over immigration have been described as “civil war” in the New York Times.

Favorite Lines:

“When you’re under fire, do you think any category is going to protect you?”

“So you’re doubly illegal, man. just who we need at these peace talks.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story mostly follows Hugo Ayala, an immigrant soldier who comes to the US and originally plans to enlist as a green card solider but finds himself blocked due to anti-immigration laws. Despite this road block, he finds a new way to fight for immigration rights and the US by joining the American Foreign Legion, an immigration rights group. Hugo quickly finds himself thrown into a chaotic world full of hidden agendas that has him questioning who he can really trust.

When I received the review request from this book, I was on the fence about reading it but I have been branching out a lot recently to genres/books that I wouldn’t normally read and have been pleasantly surprised every time; this book was no exception. While technically fiction, this book sheds light on real, current events that are taking place in the US that many people probably know nothing about.

Alexander did a great job at creating a fictitious story that walks the line of reality. I thought the world building and character writing were both very well done and the creative way that Alexander introduced real-life political issues throughout was just the cherry on top. The pacing was just right for the story being told and I found myself at the edge of my seat several times, turning page after page to see what happens next.

One thing to note is that there are a lot of PoV changes. It seems like every chapter is flipping from one character/setting to another so pay attention to this as you read through. Once I got settled in with all the characters and storylines, I didn’t find it hard to follow and I especially enjoyed Valentina’s scenes journey. 

Summary:

Overall, if you like fiction that straddles the lines of reality and that touches on political topics especially related to US immigration rights and the US military, then this book could be for you. Happy reading!

Check out The Mutiny of the American Foreign Legion here!