Presidential Advantage by Jessica James

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MWSA Review
Presidential Advantage: Operation First Lady by Jessica James is deeply entrenched in the nasty politics of Washington, DC, but these politicians are nastier. This mystery/thriller is well written and is hard to put down. The characters are well defined, and the story is well paced. There are hints and plot twists that keep you fully engaged in the story.

Elizabeth, who never seeks the spotlight and prefers spending time with horses rather than people, finds her Prince Charming is a Washington politician with a winning way but with arrogant political advisers. When she is suddenly thrust into the DC spotlight as First Lady, she avoids the media but clearly is loved by not only the people with whom she works but also the American public. She is the advantage that the President needs. However, her husband’s friends and advisers, who make the West Wing an uncomfortable place to work, constantly obstruct her good intentions and feed the media desire for bad news. The only friend Elizabeth seems to have is a member of her protection detail who has been instructed not to get too close to his protectee. Elizabeth works hard to uphold her duties as First Lady while still making time for Garth, popular First Dog, and her charities. This is a story about a shy Virginian who not only survives extremely nasty politics but holds true to her own values.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
An unsuspecting First Lady must rely on a Secret Service agent to discover who can be trusted—and who will do anything to keep control.

When a shy, country girl from Virginia marries a prominent Georgetown attorney, her life is bound to change. But when that attorney is catapulted to the office of President of the United States, she is thrust into the position of First Lady—and uncovers a world of secrets and betrayals that alters everything she once knew.

After recovering from her initial missteps and negotiating the obstacles of her new public life, the First Lady begins to understand the nature of politics. But as another election approaches, turmoil in the White House intensifies. Leaks. Lies. Deceit. Deception. People the First Lady thought were friends desert her and the true character of people she thought she knew is revealed.

When the stakes become life and death, the First Lady uncovers the ultimate betrayal and is forced to come to terms with her own role in the political process. Only with the help of Secret Service Agent Clint Brody can she hope to find her way out of danger—and uncover the identity of the real traitor in the White House.

ISBN/ASIN: B088CS9WV4

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 364

Under Another Sun: A Novel of the Vietnam War by David Lewis and Dana Welch

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MWSA Review
Authors David S. Lewis and Dana C. Welch have written an interesting story of the life of an enlisted war correspondent, or public information specialist, serving in Vietnam during the war. Lewis, the primary story teller, paints us a realistic picture of a soldier, Thomas Grey, who arrives in Vietnam with an attitude and the goal of being a top-notch correspondent, only to leave a bitter and somewhat broken man. At first, he wants to be in the field with the troops, and in doing so, wins the troops' respect and an impressive reputation acknowledged by command. However, by the time his days left in the war zone wind down, he has become more reliant on booze and marijuana to maintain his courage, and inwardly wishes to not be sent out into combat anymore. With only weeks left, he is sent into the dreaded A Shau Valley accompanying a company of combat soldiers with a mission to seek out the enemy. The soldiers run into an ambush, and death and mayhem once again engulf Grey. This is a good story that is marred somewhat by punctuation and syntax errors.

Review by Bob Doerr (March 2021) 
 

Author's Synopsis
It was early in 1969. The war in Vietnam raged with both sides locked in a savage war of attrition. the American commitment reached its apex with over half a million men in-country.

Under Another Sun tells the stories of two American enlisted soldiers. One, a reporter for the Army's information services who travels throughout Vietnam, vowing the war from many places and from differing conditions. The other, an infantryman, a grunt, travels the jungles and mountains of the Area of Operations of the 101st Airborne Division in I Corps. The two soldiers link up from time-to-time as the story unfolds, which moves inexorably toward one of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War--the fight for Dong Ap Bia, better known as Hamburger Hill--and the fates of the two young men. As the battle storms the limits of friendship, if any, are put to the test.

ISBN/ASIN: B08FF9J19P,B08FF94YBG

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 308

New Mexico Remembers 9/11 by Patricia Walkow

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MWSA Review
New Mexico Remembers 9/11 is a compilation of people’s memories of where they were and what they were doing when terrorists hijacked commercial airplanes on September 11, 2001. While the attacks were centered in New York City, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC, the shock and aftershocks were felt by all Americans. The collection includes accounts by people from all walks of life. Some were near Ground Zero, some were overseas, some were working in the Department of Defense or were Air Traffic Controllers, and some were young mothers or school children. The common denominator for this anthology is that all are now writers who live in New Mexico. Whether told through poetry, prose, or photos, the accounts are compelling.

It has been nearly twenty years now, and it is important to remember the events, our reactions, and the way Americans from all regions, religions, ages, and walks of life pulled together to bring comfort to the hurting, physical aid to the injured, and support to our front-line workers.

The anthology is a thought-provoking and memory-inducing compendium of heartbreak, survival, growth, and triumph over adversity. Whether you lived through the events or were too young to remember, this work can give you a glimpse into what we all battled, what we all faced in the aftermath, and what we were able to accomplish together. 

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 seared themselves into America’s collective memory. Non-stop images of collapsing towers, airlines flying into buildings, and a low-flying jet plunging into the Pentagon cannot be forgotten. Recordings of phone conversations between doomed passengers on United Flight 93—who knew about the previous attacks—and their loved ones on the ground, play over and over in our ears. In the subsequent days and months, much was said about New York, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. It was as though the rest of the country disappeared. The media people seemed to ignore the reality that the United States was attacked, that people in states like Missouri, Oregon, Alabama, or New Mexico were also terrorized. Aftershocks of the event spread far and wide. This anthology captures the 9/11/2001 experiences of New Mexico writers. Some witnessed the event first-hand. Some were still in school, or out of the country. But all of them now live in The Land of Enchantment, the state snuggled between Texas and Arizona. The talented contributors to New Mexico Remembers 9/11 offer enlightening, sometimes heart-wrenching prose, thoughtful analysis, and evocative poetry. What did they see? What did they do? How have they coped since then? What did they tell their children? How did they get home? Who got angry? Who retreated into themselves?

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN: 978-1951122102 ASIN: B08CS22R3T

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Anthology

Number of Pages: 250

What's Your Hero's Name by Stephen Trahan

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Author's Synopsis
North Korea finally steps over the line and launches a live nuclear missile towards one of its perceived foes. It goes down near Noto Island, Japan, but fortunately doesn't detonate. While meeting with the war cabinet, U.S. President Leo H. Morris suddenly dies of undetermined causes.

Now an unprepared Vice President, Marc Z. Gregoire, must guide the world through a crisis and avert World War Three. But he is stranded in Quebec, Canada, and resorts to a harrowing snowmobile expedition to get back to the states. To make matters worse, once he reaches his home in Vermont an attempt is made on his life.

By the book's end, the President has in place a massive military response threatening to destroy North Korea. But he hopes he won't have to use it. Fiction today; real news tomorrow?

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-7347947-0-0

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 242

A Few Days in the Navy by A. T. Roberts

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MWSA Review
Lieutenant Anthony Doinel has never been very brave. That’s why he joined the Navy, actually. If there was one job where he could address and overcome his personal cowardice, it would have to be flying jets for the US Navy. Or so he thought. After flight school (but no jets), training, deployments, and a shore tour, Doinel is left wondering whether or not he will ever accept who he is and what is in store for him in life. Now what?

Most books about Navy aviators are action packed, both in the air and on the ground. This book is different. It’s not about the training or the job or the girls (though all of those play a part), it’s about one young man’s journey to find himself and conquer his demons. The author does a great job of portraying a junior officer’s life in the Navy, from OCS to flight training to deployment, and along the way develops a character that through experience and introspection grows and learns more of what he is about. I particularly liked Anthony’s inner conversations after some particular event or happening; they reminded me of dealing with some of my own demons when I was a junior officer.

Written from the point of view of someone who knows, this book will be interesting to anyone who wears Navy gold wings (pilot or NFO), and also anyone who “grew up” and learned about themselves in the Navy.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
A FEW DAYS IN THE NAVY is a tale of misadventure on land, at sea, and in the air. The story follows Anthony Doinel, a cowardly and insecure young man who desires to be anything but. Deciding to join the cut-throat world of military aviation in the footsteps of his lineage, he desperately seeks the crucible of combat to wash himself of his less than courageous nature. As his naval service grinds forward, themes of cowardice, identity, and belonging are examined as Anthony learns just how far reality can diverge from expectations in the twenty-first century military.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-55571-999-9

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 200

Tiffany Studios Buying Guide by Allen Tiffany

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MWSA Review
Tiffany Studios Buying Guide is not your typical reference book where a seller or buyer of an item can look up prices. Rather, it is a handy reference for those interested in evaluating the authenticity and quality of items created by Tiffany Studios, Tiffany Furnaces, and Favrile art glass objects.

With many annotated color photographs, the author helps the reader distinguish between pieces in excellent condition and those that are damaged. He deftly demonstrates, through text and photos, where damage is likely to occur and where it exists and might be not so obvious. In addition, Mr. Tiffany (yes, he is related to the Tiffany family), has spent many years in his mother’s antique shop where he learned much about what to look for when trading in Tiffany ware.

He offers and demonstrates practical ideas for how to use today’s auction sites (such as e-Bay, among others) to get an idea of the selling price for specific pieces of Tiffany. Mr. Tiffany wisely cautions against using the asking price for an item as a guide for determining value. Instead, he shows the reader, through screenshots, how to find the actual selling price of a specific piece on auction sites. As with any purchase, sometimes buyers are not satisfied with what they bought. The author offers practical suggestions for addressing this problem and getting a refund.

The bibliography provides essential references for anyone buying or selling Tiffany lamps, art glass, desk sets, and bronzes. The author writes a synopsis for each book he recommends. If you are interested in buying or selling the Tiffany items referenced in this book, add the Tiffany Studios Buying Guide to your bookshelf. Better yet, keep the book next to your computer.

Review by Patricia Walkow (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Antique Tiffany Studios, Tiffany Furnaces, and Tiffany Favrile glass are some of the most popular pieces on eBay and other online auction sites. They are gorgeous and often as presented, but sometimes damage - both subtle and severe - may not be explicitly called out or obvious from photos. Focused on the "Etched Metal and Glass" desk sets and more common Favrile art objects, this detailed and lavishly illustrated buying guide will teach you how to look for hidden damage so you don't overpay hundreds of dollars. Additional chapters include an overview of how to buy and sell Tiffany for a profit, and what to do if you are the victim of fraud when buying antiques, and an extensive review of more than 15 Tiffany references. Allen is distantly related to Louis Comfort Tiffany and has long prized his art. As a teenager, he worked in his mother's antique store and spent many weekends at estate sales, auctions, and the occasional antique show learning the trade and how to spot the treasures and pieces that would have been treasures were it not for damage.

ISBN/ASIN: B08F892STG

Book Format(s): Soft cover

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Reference

Number of Pages: 227

Ivory Rangers by Joseph Mujwit

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MWSA Review
Ivory Rangers is a book in the fiction category, but it is founded on extensive and credible research by the author. Amid the excitement of many fire fights between the ivory poachers and those who are trying to save the elephants, there are many things to be learned. The reader will become immersed in the culture of the region and the threat to the existence of the wild elephants in the national parks. This threat is presented by the poachers whose culture of greed is fed by the ivory trade. Back in America, a multi-billionaire shifts his culture from becoming wealthy to becoming a philanthropist. He funds a group of American post military service mercenaries to jump into the fight. The fight goes beyond the conflict between poachers and mercenaries. The conflict of cultures becomes outright war involving the people of the region, the poachers, the Park Rangers, and the elephants. In addition to the excitement, there are a few surprises and even a love story. Read, learn and enjoy!

Review by Jerry L. Burton (March 2021)

 

Author's Synopsis
All that stands between violent poachers and the annihilation of endangered elephants in Africa’s Garamba National Park are Ike Motumbo, his poorly trained and equipped Rangers, and three mercenaries.

Garamba lies at a point Ike refers to as “the confluence of Heaven and Hell.” His team is losing the battle against poachers assailing the World Heritage site in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Rangers are outmanned, outgunned, and in a race to save the critically endangered elephants, giraffes, and other animals who make their home in the unique habitat.

Billionaire Hernan Scott believes the world is suffering the “Sixth Mass Extinction” and is willing to use his resources to slow the progression. He hires former Green Beret Joseph “Bo” Ludwicz, his mechanic/pilot best friend Richard “Chops” Truman, and former South African Recces soldier Alfie Stack to train and equip the Rangers in their fight.

Tensions build as Ike’s spiritual conviction clashes with Bo’s lack of faith. Ike sees himself as the second coming of Saint Francis of Assisi and believes he has a divine mandate to protect all the animals in the park. Racial tension arises between Alfie and Ike’s deputy, James “Jimbo” Tsonga. Can the team put aside its differences and pull together before the animals are wiped out?

ISBN/ASIN: B08CNKZG1J, B08CPHH4W4, 979-8662624245,

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 222

Love and Lies: Call Me Eve by Sandi Hoover & Jim Tritten

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MWSA Review
Love and Lies: Call Me Eve has the right combination of romance, intrigue, and suspense to keep a reader hooked. It is a love story about two people meeting in an exotic location. Mark is interested in Eve, who leaves out important details about her life. This sets the plot in motion for a series of conflicts for the main characters both on the island and when they return to their normal lives in the United States.

The authors set scenes beautifully without over describing. The initial story setting put readers into the scenes and allowed them to escape to the tropical paradise where the two main characters lived at that moment. The characters had their own personalities from the beginning, but the authors left enough detail out to keep readers guessing about their true goals and motivations.

The writing was superb in several ways. The authors, Sandi Hoover and Jim Tritten, provided subtle clues to the bigger plot but let the reader discover it as the story evolved. For example, on page one: “Well, that's swift. Sun crashes into the ocean without a breath.” This short passage provides an important clue about Eve’s mindset at the time and foreshadows an important event. The authors also did an excellent job describing each of the characters in their inner and outer dialogue and their displays of emotional body language. Throughout the story, the authors showed how the lovers’ brief encounter helped them learn more about themselves and their true desires over the next year.

Hoover and Tritten wove a full and interesting love story into a mere fifty pages, not wasting a word. This novella is highly recommended for romance readers and for those who enjoy discovering the nuances of good writing.

Review by Valerie Ormond (February 2021) 

Author's Synopsis
“She sipped her well-chilled, dry martini, taking extra time before answering. What . . . how much do I tell him? Just want a distraction. Something to fill an evening.”

Eve was sipping a Fiji Moonrise, the house specialty at Fiji’s Natewu Bay Resort’s water’s edge bar, when an unfamiliar baritone asked, “May I buy you a refill? The evening is far too pleasant to spend alone.” Mark Adams proves to be an irresistible diversion during Eve’s trip home from a conference. But when playtime’s up and planes are departing, Eve doesn’t play fair.

Upon her return, Eve receives an unexpected life-changing event and regrets having lied. Mark is faced with a wounded heart and a nearly insurmountable challenge. Join an exciting adventure where true feelings are the catalyst to propel two star-crossed lovers to find each other … again.

ISBN/ASIN: B08SXZ6SFB

Book Format(s): Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Romance

Number of Pages: 50

8 MIRACULOUS MONTHS IN THE MALAYAN JUNGLE by Donald J. "DJ" Humphrey II

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MWSA Review
8 Miraculous Months in The Malayan Jungle is a true story of an American B-29 crew that struggled to survive after being shot down in Japanese Occupied Malaya in 1945. The book's author, Donald J "DJ" Humphrey II, is the son of the man who commanded the B-29 and its crew, Lt. Col. Donald J Humphrey. LTC Humphrey wrote a narrative of his experience shortly after his return to the U.S. That narrative, as fleshed out by his son is the source of this book.

Helped by indigenous Malay people, most of the crew of the downed B-29 spent eight months living in wilderness, traveling hundreds of miles, mostly on foot, through untamed jungle. The men were suffering from serious injuries from the shooting down of their plane, and later from persistent disease and infection that plagued them throughout their ordeal. Not all of the men survived. But those who did will never forget the experience, and no reader of this story will forget it either.

The events take place in a part of the world that is still very poorly known to Americans, the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. In 1945, the jungle was largely undeveloped wilderness, populated by natives; Chinese descendants of workers imported to the country to work in mines or on plantations; a few Brits, Australians, and Americans manning isolated outposts; and thousands of occupying Japanese soldiers. But even here LTC Humphrey and his men managed to meet some very colorful characters!

This is a story of honor, courage, and determination against nearly impossible odds. It is unique and riveting. It introduces people you want to know in a story very much worth reading.

Review by Jamie Thompson (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
A Grueling Survival Story About a WWII Hero’s Fight for Freedom

On January 11, 1945, Major Donald J. Humphrey had his B-29 Superfortress directed at Singapore Island. After navigating the 1900-mile trip from India through dangerous weather, they had just successfully bombed their target. And that’s when Japanese Zeroes shot off the wing and sent the mighty aircraft death-spiraling into the Malayan jungle.

Jumping to safety, Humphrey and a few of his remaining crewmates found themselves lost in the middle of occupied territory. Enduring vicious crocodiles, deadly snakes, and crippling malaria, the Americans battled just to stay alive. And though they made contact with Malayan resistance fighters, they could never be sure their benefactors weren’t pulling them even deeper into danger…

In this harrowing true account, Major Humphrey’s son shares the extraordinary story of his father’s grueling ordeal. Told in the first person, this highly personal narrative puts you inside the mind of a man fighting for his country while struggling to survive.

Eight Miraculous Months in the Malayan Jungle is a gripping memoir about overcoming unexpected peril. If you like World War II heroes, incredible stories of courage, and inspirational reads, then you’ll love Donald “DJ” Humphrey II’s captivating biography of his father.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-578-77101-4 , 978-1-7358451-0-4

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 237

The Original Jeeps by Paul Bruno

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MWSA Review

The Original Jeeps by Paul R. Bruno begins with a well written and interesting background chapter about the US Army between World War I and World War II. It then changes into a more academically written detailed analysis of the development of what ultimately became the Jeep. The book offers a great appreciation for the difficulty in dealing with military procurement rules. Persistence is definitely required.

In addition to the difficulties in defining what is needed by the military and how best to adjust manufacturing needs to meet those demands, the automotive companies were also dealing with the great depression and the American disinterest in small cars. All of this is clearly described. The book concludes with a well written Epilogue that nicely summarizes the “rest of the story.” The book is replete with detailed information and technical data, some of which is found in tables in the back of the book. There is also a useful timeline in the back of the book, as well as a detailed index.

Review by Nancy Kaufmann (January 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
The spring and summer of 1940 witnessed the resounding defeats of the French army and British Expeditionary Force at the hands of modernized German troops, designed to take advantage of the latest advances in technology. These included mobile vehicles and tanks used in formation to blast through enemy lines, as well as combined ground and air tactics. The evacuation of the British from Dunkirk and the final defeat of their French allies in June 1940 left only a thin line of English fighter planes between that island nation and total defeat.

Meanwhile, leaders of the United States Army, decimated by demobilization after World War I and budget cuts during the Great Depression, knew they were completely unprepared for this new type of mobile warfare called “blitzkrieg,” a German term meaning “lightning war.” Though experts in the U.S. Army had worked from the end of World War I to develop a combination light weapons carrier and command and reconnaissance vehicle, no perfect model had yet been developed by 1940. In June of that same year, the Army compiled a list of requirements for a revolutionary new truck to replace the mule as the Army’s primary method of moving troops and small payloads.

The Original Jeeps tells the story of the American Bantam Car Company, Willys Overland-Motors, Inc. and the Ford Motor Company, the three firms who dared to meet the challenge to build pilot models of this extraordinary new vehicle. The efforts by these automotive pioneers represent an astounding story of grit, determination and never-say-die courage that inspires, and ended in the creation of a legend: the Jeep.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-578-72175-0

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 241

THE CULMINATION a new beginning by Gwen Plano

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MWSA Review
The Culmination: a new beginning is the third book in The Contract thriller trilogy by Gwen M. Plano. Despite being written in the present tense, it is a gripping, engaging mystery that fares well as a stand-alone book. From the first chapter surrounding an assassination attempt on an Air Force base in California, this story grabbed my attention. The Culmination has everything: interesting characters, romantic love stories, international intrigue, and politics. Ms. Plano details the interplay among the leaders of countries facing off against each other during negotiations to craft a denuclearization agreement. The actions, reactions, and apparent motivations of each foreign leader are fascinating to read as the events unfold resulting in a murderous turn. In the midst of personal and international struggles, an unlikely but captivating, romance blossoms.

The President of the United States becomes physically incapacitated and Vice-President Margaret Adler is sworn in as the new leader. With the advice of the former president, Adler has to determine who she can trust within the cabinet and staff during a difficult world situation while establishing credibility and trustworthiness among fellow world leaders. It’s up to President Adler to form alliances and avoid massive destruction during what appears to be the beginning of World War III. Adler and the Joint Chiefs, along with other freedom-loving nations, work together to save the world from absolute biological and nuclear destruction at the hands of the Chinese and their evil allies. 

Although the author seems to lack a clear understanding of weapons systems and military authority, she weaves a compelling white-knuckle tale from beginning to end climaxing in a nefarious attack in the Middle East. The Culmination is an exciting read.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
The Culmination, a new beginning is the third book in The Contract thriller series. After an assassination attempt on an Air Force base in northern California, tensions mount. Heads of state meet to craft a denuclearization agreement. The meetings between these nuclear powers take a murderous turn. A nefarious conspiracy re-emerges and leads the characters into the heart of the Middle East, where they encounter the unexpected and find a reason for hope.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13: 978-1-947893-89-4, ISBN-13: 978-1-947893-91-7, ISBN-13: 978-1-947893-92-4

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 292

dd 214 by W. Joseph O'Connell

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MWSA Review
A DD 214 is the Department of Defense form one receives upon separation or discharge from the US military. Most recipients also recognize it as a document signifying a significant change in their lives. W. Joseph O’Connell’s dd 214—rendered in lower case in the book’s title—is an entertaining and thought-provoking work of fiction. The book focuses on the very real and daunting challenges faced by someone retiring from the military and contemplating his future as a civilian.

dd 214’s two main characters are long-time friends who share the experience of military service. And as the main character approaches the end of his military career, the two decide to embark on a journey of celebration and discovery. As the story progresses, we learn that they’re clever enough to contemplate life’s oddities and challenges, honest enough to share life events like innocent teenagers, yet bold enough to set out on a series of short and potentially dangerous odysseys. All the while, they’re anesthetized by a near-constant buzz afforded by a never-ending supply of top-grade weed, or as the main character calls it, “the anamorphic filter of marijuana.” Perhaps this helps them remain oblivious to their shortcomings. 

Through his first-person narration, we learn that the main character, whose name we never learn, has quite a resume. He ran a side “business,” allowing his fellow soldiers to cheat on their military drug tests while also selling them narcotics. During his road trip, he is willfully ignorant of his friend transporting drugs across state lines for sale and has few if any qualms about having sex with an under-aged girl. He also seems unconcerned about remaining detached from his children from a long-ago failed marriage. Still, despite the main character and his friend Zeke’s manifest flaws, the reader is captivated by their travails and ruminations—almost as if they were O’Connell’s versions of Butch and Sundance.

The main character is drawn to communist Cuba and upset about Agent Orange. He often voices contempt for a corrupt government typified by the “ATF goons” who intrude “against the rights of individuals and especially the Fourth Amendment” during the siege of the Branch Davidians in Waco.  In response, he toys with becoming a revolutionary or maybe visiting the prison from which Timothy Leary escaped in 1970. At one point, he contemplates his future and imagines three possible outcomes: suicide or being locked up in either a jail or a “looney bin.” In the end, the reader won’t know his name or his fate. However, despite his many foibles, the author allows us to feel his pain and wish him well in his ongoing struggle with drug and alcohol abuse. 

Review by John Cathcart (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
A washed up soldier and his buddy take a road trip from California to Texas in a rental car full of guns and drugs. What could go wrong? Along the way, they encounter revolutionaries, survivalists, jailbait, and a bounty hunter. Their karmic journey across the American West is a search for wisdom and an escape from society, so long as they don't get caught.

ISBN/ASIN: ASIN : B08KMHM6Q3, ISBN-13 : 979-8694584029

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 246

American Cyberscape: Trials and the Path to Trust by Mari K Eder

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MWSA Review
American Cyberscape: Trials and the Path to Trust by Mari K. Eder is a treatise on the state of disinformation in America today. Referring to the phenomenon as the Information Apocalypse, Eder sets forth a convincing case that our society has devolved into a frightening lack of trust, leaving us at odds with one another. The disinformation leaves Americans distrustful of the government, the media, non-government organizations, and—to a lesser extent—businesses.

After presenting the problems inherent in the lack of trust, Eder outlines steps that can be taken by individuals, as well as leaders to restore trust. She encourages leaders and journalists to be more truthful and more transparent. She challenges individuals to be better versed in distinguishing fact from fiction, educate themselves in the areas of social media and news outlets, and look at issues from both sides politically. Readers are encouraged to fact-check all forms of media, and especially social media, which is rife with misinformation, fake news, innuendo, character assassination, and faulty beliefs. This book should be read by all journalists, leaders, and concerned individuals from both ends of the political spectrum in order to start becoming part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Review by Betsy Beard (March 2021)

Author's Synopsis
Trust is unraveling across American institutions, affecting not only government but also news organizations, trusted sources of information and, most critically, expertise and values. The impact is not just institutional, the decay also affects individuals, families and shared norms. The very foundations of American civic culture seem increasingly at risk. All the while, technology continues to act as an accelerant, speeding up societal change and challenging our abilities to keep pace while controlling our responses. Uncovering the multivariate sources of these challenges is work that demands rigorous, ongoing investigation. As with any investigation, a solid place to start is a requirement. In American Cyberscape: Trials and the Path to Trust, Mari Eder examines the sources of decay in trust and offers solutions to lead us to firmer terrains of shared truth. By grounding the topography of cyberspace and drawing on wide-ranging expertise and experience, both scholarly and practical, American Cyberscape shows pathways to improve outcomes for everyone.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-10 : 1953327001, ISBN-13 : 978-1953327000

Book Format(s): Soft cover, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Nonfiction—How to/Business

Number of Pages: 152

Tri-State Heroes of '45: Together With a Year in the Life of a West Virginia Farm Family by Rupert Pratt

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MWSA Review
In Tri-State Heroes of ’45, author Rupert Pratt collects various writings from 1945 from the tri-state corner of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia with to compile this fascinating look into history of a wartime farm family and their neighbors. Pratt provides a framework for his book with the daily journal entries of his mother and his younger 12-year-old self, focused almost entirely on domestic doings and his own present-day memories as well as commentaries on the wider world and the war. But the bulk of the book—reprints of newspaper columns devoted to local military service members from the Huntington Herald-Dispatch and Herald-Advertiser—keeps the emphasis, as Pratt intends, on “the military service of Tri-State men and women.”

The book is masterfully put together. Pratt divides it into chapters, one per month, from January 1945 to January 1946, with chapter subtitles suggesting his alternating double focus on both the home front and the war: “February: Allies Advance, Nazis Flee”; “March: Welcome Spring, High Waters”; “November: Flu, Monopoly”; “December: Troops Homeward Bound.” He includes a number of photographs and reproductions of newspaper advertisements that add considerable local color to the text. An Index of People mentioned in the book, along with the date of the reference, provides a useful way for readers to identify family members and others.

The author has done a laudable service in meticulously transcribing and reproducing a years’ worth of newspapers columns, and in so doing has offered the public a valuable research tool. His book will be most appealing to the Pratt family (who might want to skip through each chapter, reading mostly the journal entries by Pratt and his mother, along with Pratt’s commentaries) and to families and other researchers who want to know more about the wartime postings, decorations, injuries and deaths of these “tri-state heroes.” At least for one reader, the long litanies of these heroes’ names offered a surprising response: as I read through the columns devoted to the military men and women, I found myself not only moved to thanks and appreciation for their service to our country, but to a peaceful acceptance of all life offers.

Review by Nancy Arbuthnot (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
In Tri-State Heroes of '45: Together with a Year in the Life of a West Virginia Farm Family, Rupert Pratt shares the moments and memories woven into the fascinating history of the final year of World War II.

This compilation of local, national, and world events from 1945 showcases the diverse area where West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky converge, seen through the perspective of rural life on a little farm in Salt Rock, West Virginia.

Tri-State Heroes of '45 hangs on a framework of diary entries of Pratt’s mother, who was thirty-seven that year, while Pratt himself was the young age of twelve. Filled with echoes from the avalanche of events that defined that year, the daily life on Pratt’s small farm presents a unique mosaic that tells an unforgettable tale of faith, family, and hope on the home front.

Packed with encouraging vignettes, the book honors the military service members of the Tri-State, with “mini stories” that appeared in Huntington, West Virginia newspapers. These personalized stories shed light on the tragedies, awards, and survival in the war zones, as well as the relationships that strengthened the resilience of soldiers and civilians alike.

Residents of the Tri-State will reminisce with appreciation as they look back at the year in which their relatives and friends played a vital role in preserving our nation.

ISBN/ASIN: 13: 978-1-6312-9915-5, 13: 978-1-6312-9916-2

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 524

Sheltering Angels by Nancy Panko

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MWSA Review
In Sheltering Angels, author Nancy Panko has given us a fascinating perspective of the relationship between guardian angels and the people they protect. The book, set primarily on a farm in New York, tells the story of the Emig family whose first child, Betsy, has a unique gift. Betsy is born with the ability to see and talk to her guardian angel. At first, her parents believe Betsy is just talking to a make-believe friend whom she calls Sandy. Over time and after a couple family crises, Betsy tells her parents that Sandy is a guardian angel, and while skeptical at first, her parents soon realize she is telling the truth. The story continues over the decades giving the reader an insight as to how this knowledge and relationship with the guardian angel affects the family. An enjoyable read, I recommend it.

Review by Bob Doerr (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Most hard-working families living in the shadow of the Lyon Brook Railroad Bridge are oblivious to the angels in their midst. However, Betsy Emig, a child on a nearby farm is born with an unusual gift - she can see and communicate with her guardian angel. Her young parents assume their precocious daughter has an imaginary friend until the three-year-old repeatedly tells them what she sees during incidents of undeniable angelic intervention. Butch and Mary Emig evolve as parents raising five children, one with unique abilities.

ISBN/ASIN: Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61153-399-6, E-book ISBN: 978-1-61153-400-9
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 293

Have Snakes, Need Birds by Travis Klempan

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MWSA Review
Have Snakes, Need Birds by Travis Klempan is an exceptional story that depicts our American service members during a deployment to Iraq. It is exceptional not only in the voice he gives his American and Iraqi characters, but also for the depiction of ghosts, a demon, and an elemental. While snakes, coyotes, jackals, and birds show up sporadically in the beginning chapters of the book—harbingers of nonhuman intervention—the noncorporeal characters do not arrive until after the main character’s mid-tour leave, about halfway through the book. Prior to Mackenzie’s leave, soldiers and Iraqis hold a storytelling contest involving ghost stories, unleashing an unsettling feeling around the FOB and setting the stage for horrors to come.

While most of the action takes place in Iraq, Mackenzie’s leave takes place in America, beginning at an outdoor concert festival in Texas and ending in a small town in Louisiana. Descriptions of places and events are vivid and compelling, and the dialogue is enjoyable (keeping in mind that military members under stress will be using words that some readers may find offensive). More than the ghostly plot line, I found the details and circumstances of what our military forces face during a combat deployment to be enlightening and important.

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
Sergeant John Mackenzie is on his third deployment to Iraq at the height of combat operations. His overriding goal: get his soldiers home safely. That mission is difficult enough when every day is a fight against snipers, roadside bombs, or just plain old boredom--it becomes impossible when John accidentally awakens two ancient spirits, each bent on destroying the other, collateral damage be damned.

A soul-collecting demon named Moonlit Samuel wants to move up in the hierarchy of evil; a malevolent force of nature known only as taliment destroys everything it touches; and John still faces local insurgents, foreign fighters, a belligerent battalion commander, a greenhorn lieutenant, and questions of his own sanity.

John must find a way to protect his men, save the city, and return to the woman he loves before she becomes just another victim of supernatural combat.

ISBN/ASIN: Paper: 978-1646631735, Hard: 978-1646631759, Kindle: B08G5VLLWR

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 360

The Blue Collar Blues and Other Stories by Bob Stockton

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MWSA Review
The Blue Collar Blues and Other Stories by Bob Stockton is a collection of short stories and essays, mostly biographical, that start with Bob’s early childhood in Trenton, New Jersey, and cover his years in the Navy, traipsing around the globe as well as from shore to shore in America. Those who lived through the fifties and sixties will find much in common with Bob. Those who are younger will get an education on how it really was back then. And those who served in the Navy will likely find common ground with the author, since most of the book is about his time in the Navy.

Most of Stockton’s stories are humorous, some with a little more bite than others. Some of the stories are, well, almost unbelievable. And all of the stories are populated with memorable characters, filled with fascinating detail and vivid word pictures. My favorite line in the whole book is, “Max’s ‘moral fiber’ was thinner than dental floss.” In many stories, the author draws the reader in and leads him along, lulling him into a pleasant state only to surprise him by delivering an abrupt sucker-punch ending to the vignette. Stockton has an engaging and folksy storytelling quality that is endearing enough to allow readers to ignore missing commas, quote marks, and the occasional wandering-bunny-trail sentence.

Review by Betsy Beard (February 2021)
 

Author's Synopsis
A shipwreck’s tragic toll in human life. The changing face of a quiet turn-of-the century neighborhood. A man who lost his wife unexpectedly. An obnoxious drunk who gets more than he bargained for. A horse who develops an affinity for a Hawaiian saloon. A submarine’s up close and personal encounter with a snoozing whale. Each of these stories and much more are found in The Blue Collar Blues and Other Stories, author Bob Stockton’s personal anthology of forty-six short stories that have been published over the past decade.

The book’s first section contains stories of a young boy’s coming of age in an ever-changing northeast working-class neighborhood. The second section highlights standalone stories that run from autobiographical to allegorical. The third section focuses on the adventures-and misadventures- of young sailors serving in the U.S. Navy of a half-century past. The fourth section relates actual tales of the U.S. Navy and her sailors deployed along the Pacific Rim.

Grab a cup of coffee and escape into the mind of an author with a flair for describing what is really important in life.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781662902895, B08F6663GC

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Collections—Anthology

Number of Pages: 414

Bangkok Gamble by Tom Crowley

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MWSA Review
Bangkok Gamble is Tom Crowley's new thriller that takes us through the back streets of Bangkok, the back country of Thailand, and the opulence of Macau in this intricately woven tale.  Heroes Matt Chance, John Scales, and Jade Lee, all US ex-military, track a gang of sex traffickers in their attempt to rescue young Thai sex slaves and bring the evil monk who leads the organization to justice.  Written with detailed description of the various settings that only the author's many years in Southeast Asia could have provided, Bangkok Gamble is a fun, suspenseful story. 

Review by Gary DeRigne (March 2021)

MWSA's evaluation of this book found a number of technical problems–including some combination of misspellings, grammar, punctuation, or capitalization errors.
 

Author's Synopsis
Kidnapping, international trafficking on the dark web, bitcoin blackmail by gangster police states, loan sharks, and a monk obsessed with profit and power are all in the mix.

When Matt Chance is asked by a Bangkok gambling kingpin to investigate the kidnapping of his daughter he’s not interested. That is until he learns that his mentor, former Special Forces soldier John Scales, already on the case, has disappeared. On the trail, Matt confronts Jade Lee, an ex-US Army chopper pilot who joins the chase.

Their attempt to rescue the girl and capture the monk in charge of the criminal cult appears to be a failure until the CIA joins the picture in the form of Matt’s older brother Rick. Offered the chance to take part in a covert operation in Macau, where the monk has fled, Matt and Jade agree to go. The risk is great, the territory unknown, but it seems the only way to rescue the girls and get the mad monk.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN: 1-64396-153-5 ,  ISBN-13: 978-1-64396-153-8

Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 228

Death in the Highlands: The Siege of Special Forces Camp Plei Me by J. Keith Saliba

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MWSA Review
Death in the Highlands presents a very thorough analysis and reporting of the attack on Plei Me in 1965 by the North Vietnamese army and the Viet Cong, along with its defense by American and South Vietnamese forces. While going into great detail, the author, J. Keith Saliba, still tells a story that portrays the human aspects of sacrifice and perseverance. In addition to using a plethora of written history, Saliba also interviewed a number of the survivors of this long and deadly battle to provide a realism that is hard to pull from documents alone. The author holds no punches in describing the horrific results of the battle. Well researched and documented. A must read for anyone interested in modern military history and especially for anyone interested in the war in Viet Nam.

Review by Bob Doerr (March 2021)

Author's Synopsis
In fall 1965, North Vietnam’s high command smelled blood in the water. The South Vietnamese republic was on the verge of collapse, and Hanoi resolved to crush it once and for all. The communists set their sights on South Vietnam’s strategically vital West-Central Highlands. Annihilate ARVN’s defenses in Kontum and Pleiku provinces, the communists surmised, and the region’s remaining provinces would topple like dominoes. Their first target was the American Special Forces camp at Plei Me, remote and isolated along the Cambodian border.

As darkness fell on 19 October, 1965, two North Vietnamese Army regiments—some 4,000 troops— crept into their final strike positions. The plan was as simple as it was audacious: one regiment would bring the frontier fortress under murderous siege while the other would lie in wait to destroy the inevitable rescue force. Initially, all that stood athwart Hanoi’s grand scheme was a handful of American Green Berets, a few hundred Montagnard allies—and burgeoning U.S. airpower. Cut off and beleaguered, Plei Me’s defenders fought for their lives, while a daring band of helicopter, close air support, and resupply pilots braved a withering storm of antiaircraft fire to help save their brothers on the ground.

But as the overland relief force bogged down, 5th Group ordered in the legendary “Chargin” Charlie Beckwith and his elite Project Delta to help hold the line. Soon, the newly formed 1st Cavalry Division, under its aggressive commander Maj. Gen. Harry Kinnard, would join the fray, setting the stage for its bloody Ia Drang Valley fights a few weeks later. Before it was over, the siege of Plei Me would push its defenders to the brink and usher in the first major clashes between the U.S. and North Vietnamese armies.

Drawing on archival research and interviews with combat veterans, J. Keith Saliba reconstructs this pivotal battle in vivid, gut-wrenching detail and illustrates where the siege fit in the war’s strategic picture.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13 : 978-0811738811, ASIN : B08DKHMTC1

Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 280