The Outlaws: In Pursuit of Gold by Tim Deal

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MWSA Review

The Outlaws: In Pursuit of Gold is a young adult novel by Tim Deal. This novel is stand-alone in the Colin, Gert, Gannon, and Tye Adventure Series. The story is a fictionalized account of Marshall Bass Reeves and the search for lost gold in the Utah Territory in 1884.

The novel opens in the past when Bass Reeves, a compelling character of historical significance, tracks down a pair of bank robbers, siblings James and John Reynolds. Reeves captures one brother while the other one escapes and hides the gold. Fast-forward to a present-day when a distant relative of the bank robbers is determined to track down the gold he claims is rightfully his.

Enter the main characters, Colin, Gert, Gannon, and Tye, a tight-knit group of friends united in their loyalty from their prior adventures together. When the group find an old journal among the effects of U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, they embark on a classic treasure hunt across the Old West. Whether by jeep, train, horseback, or boat, they follow the clues through a series of misadventures. Along the way, they learn the most valuable treasure of all is the one found in their friendship with one another.

Review by Rebecca O’Bea (February 2024)

 

Author's Synopsis

Rocky Mountain News, May 6, 1888 Outlaw John Reynolds, leader of the Reynolds Gang, died at the end of Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves’ famous revolver!!! Witnesses say that on his dying breath he told the marshal the location of the stolen gold from one of Colorado’s greatest heists. Reeves, the West’s most feared and cunning marshal denied the claim. Present day - Colin, Gert, Gannon and Tye stumble upon an old, black book owned by the late Marshal Bass Reeves. The discovery leads them on a hunt for long-ago hidden treasure deep in the vast, unforgiving landscape of the American West. Unraveling century-old clues, the four adventurers must follow the footsteps of the notorious bandit John Reynolds, on a journey fraught with danger. In a race against time, they must battle a deadly foe from their past, Abigail Younger who is ruthless, smart and deadly. In the high stakes gamble for treasure, Colin, Gert, Gannon and Tye team up with the marshals of the Four Corners Region to find the gold and bring Abigail and her posse of criminals to justice. They must be as fearless and cunning as Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves to survive and return home.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Young Adult (Fiction or Nonfiction)

Number of Pages: 302

Word Count: 70,540

Holes in Our Hearts: An Anthology of New Mexican Military Related Stories and Poetry by Jim Tritten, Dan Wetmore, and Joe Badal, editors and contributing authors

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MWSA Review
Holes in Our Hearts: An Anthology of New Mexican Military Related Stories and Poetry is a moving book with a diverse collection of short stories and poems. Compiled by SouthWest Writers and edited by Jim Tritten, this anthology weaves together the written perspectives of a group of New Mexicans.

This anthology provides a glimpse into what it means to serve one’s country—from the perspective of those who served as well as their family members and caregivers. Within these pages, you’ll find a wide variety of emotions. Some pieces are humorous, while others are gut-wrenchingly personal. Fear, camaraderie, loss, and resilience are all explored. The searing honesty of these narratives is both moving and enlightening.

I recommend Holes in Our Hearts to anyone who is interested in hearing the authentic voices of New Mexico veterans.

Review by John Cathcart (February 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

Holes in Our Hearts provides snapshots of military life and how the military has affected lives. It is written from the perspective of New Mexico active-duty military members, veterans of the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, as well as their family members and caregivers. Eight of the authors had never been published before, and another dozen had only seen minor letters or book reviews in print. Two of the veterans do not own computers, and one is legally blind.

Some of the writing represents the first time many authors have revealed their innermost thoughts to anyone. Some of the stories are written by established authors with numerous publishing credentials. All are worth your time to learn why we continue to honor the military on behalf of a grateful nation.

Very few of the original submissions were camera-ready. Jim Tritten fully edited all prose. Dan Wetmore oversaw all poetry submissions and adjusted text as needed. Joe Badal assisted with prose editing and wrote the Foreword, which was used as the back cover material and the book description on Amazon. Jim researched military affiliations and terminology where necessary to ensure the correct acronyms, names, and dates were used. Jim also recruited additional volunteers who converted hand-written submissions. Jim then fully edited the digital versions produced by those volunteers. Note: all poetry formatting was as submitted by the author - many poems do not have traditional punctuation or formatting, as desired by the authors.

The anthology was funded by New Mexico Arts (NMA), a state government organization in the Department of Cultural Affairs. Copies were provided by NMA to all public libraries in New Mexico.

The contributions are organized alphabetically with memoirs, poetry, essays, humor, fiction, etc. mixed. A total of ninety-five written contributions were accepted from fifty-four New Mexicans. Each represents a tale worth reading, internalizing, and contemplating the experiences we as a nation expect our young men and women, their families, and their caregivers to deal with — sometimes long after their military service has ended, and nothing is left but holes in our hearts.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Other—Anthology

Number of Pages: 332

Word Count: 77,000

Cheerful Obedience by Patrick McLaughlin

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MWSA Review

Patrick McLaughlin walked the walk in Vietnam, and he does a great job of talking the talk in his first novel about the Vietnam War.

Although fiction, it's not hard to tell that the experiences of the hero McKall were experienced first-hand by a young McLaughlin during his year as a "grunt" in 1967-68. The author does a great job of making the reader feel like he is on patrol with McKall and his squad. Most of the time they dish out death; sometimes it's dealt to them, but they work and live and survive and execute the mission not because it's their job, but because they don't want to let each other down. The action is vivid, the dialogue believable, and the situations will resonate with anyone who has served on the ground in a war zone. McLaughlin is already working on a sequel, and most of those who read Cheerful Obedience will be looking forward to it.

This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical fiction about Vietnam and also those who enjoy books about ground combat from the "grunt's" perspective.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 2024)
 

Author's Synopsis

Ignoring his 2-S selective service deferment, Conor Patrick McKall volunteers for the draft, and Uncle Sam promptly deposits him in the Big Green Machine.

Six months later McKall is walking point in jungles, rice paddies, and rubber plantations. In nine short months, he's made an infantry squad leader responsible for a dozen other grunts. In the "boonies," life is lived one day at a time.

Joining McKall's squad is Jack "Red" Sheridan whose near-death encounter with a black panther presents challenges to his credibility from other members of Lima Platoon. When McKall stands with Sheridan, an unbreakable bond develops. They meet Red Cross Donut Dollies and together experience the infamous Black Virgin Mountain where the good guys control the top and the bad guys the rest.

Escaping Vietnam for a handful of days on R&R in Sydney, Conor experiences Aussie hospitality and the attention of a green-eyed beauty who offers him a chance to escape the war. Loyal to his oath and to his men, Sergeant McKall barely has time to supplant the fading scent of Chanel before he and his squad must face their determined and deadly adversaries. The arbitrary gauntlet of Vietnam offers no guarantees.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 378

Word Count: 109,000

After Lisa by Joe Pace

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Author's Synopsis

When Andy Chester loses his thirtysomething wife Lisa to breast cancer, it doesn’t take long for his world to fall apart. His business teeters on the edge of financial ruin. His overbearing father-in-law is convinced Andy is unfit to raise his young son and daughter alone. Adrift in a world he struggles to navigate without his beloved Lisa, Andy begins a grief journey with no certain destination.

Even as he spirals into despair, Andy’s eclectic network of support tries to help. Buddy Cormier, a French Canadian-Mik’Maq womanizer from the Maine backwoods and Andy’s best friend. The Narwhal, a legendary comic-book and tabletop role-playing game personality from whom Andy inherited his Olympia hobby shop. Andy’s alcoholic sister Nan, a San Francisco art dealer and adoptive lesbian mother.

Despite their efforts, Andy confronts the possibility that whether or not there’s life after death, there may be no life After Lisa.

Format(s) for review: Paper or Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 252

Word Count: 90,000

Shadow Sanction by Steve Stratton

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MWSA Review

Only one minute into the read of Shadow Sanction by Steve Stratton, I was on the edge of my seat. Lance Bear Wolf and his wife, Elle Parker, travel to the Crow Indian Reservation for the funeral of a friend, and discover an active drug problem. They are brazenly followed onto the reservation and attacked by bad guys from the Sinaloa Cartel, intent on eliminating them both. Wolf’s number one priority is the safety of his people from cartel activity. That is, until the President of the United States orders Wolf and his organization, Shadow Tier, to drop everything to stop the Taliban’s opium trade, or risk losing his black ops funding.

Wolf and his extraordinary Shadow Tier operators must stop the re-emergence of The French Connection and its terror funding connection to the Taliban. With infiltration operations on three continents, including the cartel, Wolf’s squadrons track various opium connections, putting together an intertwined network of drug trafficking that all need to be busted.

Shadow Sanction is a complex story that is surprisingly easy to follow, despite a wide array of characters and locations. Steve Stratton is a masterful storyteller, and I can’t wait to read his next installment.

Review by Nancy Panko (February 2024)

 

Author's Synopsis

Lance Bear Wolf and his Shadow Tier operators must stop the rebirth of The French Connection and its terror funding connection to the Taliban. By any means necessary.

When the resurgent Sinaloa cartel attacks Wolf and his wife, Elle Parker, on the Crow Indian reservation, the safety of his people becomes Job One—until the president of the United States orders Shadow Tier to stop the Taliban’s opium trade. The president’s underlying message: The drug war is a failure. Fix this now, or your black funding disappears.

Torn between saving his people and the president’s demands for direct action, Wolf sends Shadow Tier’s Bravo Squadron to Afghanistan to infiltrate the Taliban drug organization. He sends Kieran Kennedy, his executive officer, to stand up and train a new international Charlie Squadron in the U.K. While Wolf bends the rules to protect the reservation on the home front, the squadrons track opium with a mysterious United Nations connection out of Afghanistan to a new “French Connection” in Marseilles, France.

The teams identify a likely distribution hub and its leadership. But going deeper will take initiative and innovation. Kennedy takes the dangerous decision to operate in the open … as a drug cartel. The operation yields results, but there is a piece missing. Parker and Kennedy believe a government contractor providing logistics flights into and out of the war zones is involved.

Plans are made by the fake cartel for a large shipment of heroin to go to the mafia in New York City, where wholesale arrests will be made if all goes as planned. As the data pours in from three continents, the heroin network unfolds and things to do not go as planned. The takedown of a multi-national drug production, shipment, and sales operation is unlike any operation Shadow Tier has attempted.

For the president, it’s a no-fail mission or his administration is doomed.

For Shadow Tier, it’s time to bring the war back into “the war on drugs.”

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 452

Word Count: 109000

Unaccounted by Michael McDonald-Low

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Author's Synopsis

The Vietnam War was an ugly, brutal conflict that ended lives and tortured its survivors. Nobody knows that better than the infantry grunts who served in northern I Corp - Que Son Valley area of operations. More U.S. Army infantrymen and Marines died there than at any other location in Vietnam. More medals for heroism were awarded in this region than in any other single combat location. On 5 May 1968, the downing of two helicopters in the Que Son Valley marked the beginning of the North Vietnamese Army’s second Tet offensive and their goal of destroying all U.S. forces. At 1728 hours, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry conducted a combat air assault to join Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry at the helicopters fatally downed location. During the next six days, their experiences would set the stage for a three-month-long battle that lasted only hours for some. In the end, there would be more than 2,300 dead and wounded, and one American soldier missing in action. It will take over 44 years to find his location. UNACCOUNTED is his story.

Genre(s): Nonfiction

Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle

ISBN/ASIN:B092XFBQNM, B092WTK254

LUNACOM by Rich Wyatt

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MWSA Review

Author Rich Wyatt has created a fascinating setting for his sci-fi novel, LUNACOM. The year is 2062, and the US has a large military presence on the moon to protect its mining activities there. New technologies have made clean energy a reality, but the largest mineral source required to produce this energy is located on the moon. Russia and its allies also have a military presence on the moon safeguarding its mining operations. Tensions between the two nations have increased once again, and many feel it is only time before a shooting conflict will begin. Our protagonist, a young major, leads a group of mid-level officers as they come up with strategies to counter the strike when it comes. However, the Russians have a new technology never seen before by the US. Communication with Earth has been cut off, and defeat now would be catastrophic for the US and its allies. Author Wyatt has written a fresh, new look into the future with his book, LUNACOM. I recommend it.

Review by Bob Doerr (July 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

In the year 2062, the United States Space Corps has one primary mission: oversee the mining operations of the invaluable Helium-3 isotope, which powers most of the world's energy needs. But when the base is suddenly attacked by an unknown, invisible force, the military leaders find themselves cut off from communication with Earth and left to fend for themselves.

With no way to know who or what is behind the attack, tensions rise and alliances fracture as the outpost struggles to defend its resources and personnel against the unrelenting enemy. As the situation grows more desperate, a small group of officers and scientists must work together to uncover the truth and find a way to stop the attackers before it's too late.

Format(s) for review: Kindle Only

Review Genre: Fiction—Horror/Fantasy/Sci Fi

Number of Pages: 194

Word Count: 46000

The Giant Awakens by Lee Jackson

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MWSA Review

The Giant Awakens by Lee Jackson is a fantastic work that offers something for all readers, whether you're seeking a fictional account of well-known events, or a greater insight into the characters and interactions of monumental figures like FDR and Churchill, or getting a sense of being “there” for the pilots and grunts, diplomats and spies who served in WWII. Jackson does a great job balancing the high-level strategic situations and the tactical ones. He presents well-known historical events and characters in a fresh light, giving the reader a strong appreciation for events and historical figures from a new perspective.

Jackson clearly did his research, whether it was geography, strategy, personality, or the armaments of war, and he presented dialogue in a realistic manner, weaving in necessarily historical reminders in a seamless and logical way.

I also “read” the audio book, which was a great experience, often making me feel like I was a fly on the wall of some of the 20th century's most significant events.

Review by Frank Biggio (July 2023)

Author's Synopsis

The world is at war.

Japan has just attacked Pearl Harbor. In London, Prime Minister Churchill disappears. In Washington, President Roosevelt faces an alliance with conflicting objectives. In the Soviet Union, dictator Joseph Stalin watches a Nazi onslaught maul his country.

From their isolated perch on Sark Island, feudal rulers Dame Marian Littlefield and her husband oppose their German occupiers in the only way left to them—through a battle of wits. They wonder about the location and well-being of their offspring, Paul, Claire, Lance, and Jeremy.

Meanwhile, Paul engages in intelligence operations in Manhattan and Washington, DC. Claire works with Americans decoding enemy messages. Lance conspires to escape with other POWs at Oflag IV-C within the walls of Colditz Castle. Jeremy leaves his heart with Amélie in France to join the British commandos for the greatest raid in history.

And in Moscow, the Russian winter has just set in.

The saga of the Littlefield family intensifies in THE GIANT AWAKENS, the fourth installment in Lee Jackson's epic After Dunkirk series.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 600

Word Count: 149,629

The Saigon Guns by John Thomas Hoffman

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MWSA Review

Saigon Guns by John Thomas Hoffman is an interesting and thought-provoking story of one soldier’s tour of duty during the final year of the Vietnam War. The story that John Hoffman tells has apparently never been told before, and his readers should be thankful that John made the effort to tell this story despite the wishes by some in our government that it never see the light of day.

Author Hoffman tells his story of a young enterprising man who works his way through college doing the types of jobs that many of us only dream of doing. Aa a fireman, a policeman, and a bartender, he did it all in order to pay his way. With all this work, he had little time for the normal social life of a college student. Still somehow, he managed to work hard enough that he was appointed the cadet commander of his ROTC detachment. The patriotic son of a military pilot, the author aspired to serve his country, just as his father was doing. For reasons that are not completely clear in the book, the author is directed to testify before Congress while still a student at university. In many ways, this one event shapes the author’s initial career in the Army.

Once commissioned, the author goes on a strange and wonderful odyssey in the Vietnam era American Army. As a new second lieutenant, he attends Ranger training and earns his tab. He then becomes a military policeman and is sent to helicopter training, where he excels. After earning his helicopter pilot wings, he is sent to Vietnam where he spends the last year of the war in service to his country, but under circumstances that deny him recognition of that service.

Hoffman tells the story of his participation in the Vietnam War during a period of time in which the government of the United States was actively denying that soldiers were still serving there. This is the true story of a real American hero. The story deserved to be told, and now it finally can be, thanks to John Hoffman.

Review by Larry Sharrar (July 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

Few Americans know the facts about the final year of US combat operations in South Vietnam. As political will to sustain the fight in South Vietnam shrank and the US withdrew most of their ground forces, the Soviets and North Vietnamese sought battlefield success to strengthen their negotiating position at the Paris Peace talks. In March of 1972, North Vietnam invaded the south with five armored divisions, massive artillery support, and modern Soviet anti-aircraft weapons, intended to sweep any remaining US military aviation support to South Vietnam from the skies. But the Soviets and their North Vietnamese proteges had miscalculated. The remaining US Army aviation forces still supporting the South Vietnamese, along with US Air Force and US Navy and Marine aviation assets, would not be easily removed from the battle. For the US Army forces still in-country, this is an untold story of heroism, dedication, and refusal to yield the battlefield despite being largely considered by US political leaders as “expendable.”

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 424

Word Count: 142344

Women of the Blue and Gray: Mothers, Medics, Soldiers, and Spies of the Civil War by Marianne Monson

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MWSA Review

War has always played a defining role in the evolution of man. While one side seeks an outcome, the other defends what is threatened; families are displaced, and the door is flung open to famine and disease. Body count and lost or claimed territory determine success and failure. Too often overlooked, is the emotional, psychological, and physical impact on women and children, the ones left behind while their sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, uncles head into battle, perhaps never to be seen or held again. In Women of the Blue and Gray, Marianne Monson sheds light on that sacrifice by sharing women’s journals and literary works written during the Civil War. She does not limit voices to the white and privileged. Represented in this fascinating account are the insights and reflections of women born into slavery, Native American survivors, and women on both sides who risked their all to support the cause they believed in and the men they loved.

With a personal interest in the wisdom of women’s voices as well as the historical significance of firsthand documentation, I had a vested interest in reading this book. I was not disappointed. As the author allows her characters to speak in their own words, the reader learns how some women chose to dress as men to fight on the battlefield; how others became spies using their charms, their ears, and their skirts to convey information; while other women inched their way into field hospitals saving lives that may have been lost without them.

Born outside the United States, my knowledge of the Civil War was gleaned from a few brief conversations, the occasional sighting of a Confederate flag, and a sobering afternoon spent at Vicksburg. I now understand the depth of a conflict that perhaps could not have been avoided. The author’s words inspire a reflection on how much headway we have made on racial issues and women’s rights. She also lays out a possible path for how the nation, again divided, can avoid another brutal sacrifice. The key rests in education, hope, freedom, forgiveness, understanding, and a vision of peace. Could these scribbles on whatever paper accessible at the time teach us something one hundred sixty plus years later? Sallie Watie, one of the few Native American voices whose words survived, summed up the dire impact of diversity when she wrote: “‘I would like to live a short time in peace just to see how it would be. I would like to feel free in life again and feel no dread of war.’” In bringing these long-ago voices to the fore, Marianne Monson invites the reader to ponder: Can oppression be overcome without hatred and violence? Can differences be resolved without hatred and violence? Is difference possible without oppression?

Review by Janette Stone (June 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Hidden amongst the photographs, uniforms, revolvers, and war medals of the Civil War are the remarkable stories of some of the most unlikely heroes—women.

North, South, black, white, Native American, immigrant—the women in these micro-drama biographies are wives, mothers, sisters, and friends whose purposes ranged from supporting husbands and sons during wartime to counseling President Lincoln on strategy, from tending to the wounded on the battlefield to spiriting away slaves through the Underground Railroad, from donning a uniform and fighting unrecognized alongside the men to working as spies for either side.

This book brings to light the incredible stories of women from the Civil War that remain relevant to our nation today. Each woman's experience helps us see a truer, fuller, richer version of what really happened in this country during this time period.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 208

Word Count: 60,000

The Hardest Year: A Love Story in Letters During the Vietnam War by Carole and William Wagener

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MWSA Review

The Hardest Year: A Love Story in Letters During the Vietnam War by Carole and William Wagener is a rare and intriguing treat in which the reader viscerally feels the desperation, anguish, pain, separation, confusion, and awfulness experienced by a young newlywed couple separated one day after their wedding by his deployment to the Vietnam War.

Carole has crafted a unique work based largely on 300 handwritten letters she and her soldier husband Bill exchanged, beginning before he left for basic training through when he returned home a changed young man of 23. She adds additional narratives throughout the book, weaving in her recollections of how she felt after receiving a particularly disturbing/annoying/terrifying account from Vietnam, wrestling at the same time with her own fears, longings, and frustrations as a young woman/student/wife pursuing her undergraduate degree during a time of campus protests.

This book was as revealing as it gets for a couple. Carole and Bill held nothing back in their letters. What a ride, what raw emotions, what daily stress they shared with each other, so many insecurities of youth, of young love, of a marriage she questioned from the beginning for a variety of reasons. I couldn't put it down and found myself grateful for the honesty these two young people shared.

Their two distinct voices, their words written decades ago, put the reader in a variety of settings: on campus witnessing student protests and racial unrest, in Vietnam both in the relative safety of an HQ office, and then on a convoy being ambushed in a life-threatening combat situation. The intense change in settings from the University of Wisconsin campus to various sites in Vietnam as well as the events they each lived and chose to share with each other offer a delightful, and sometimes uncomfortable experience for the reader. Each letter's date and place of origin is clearly indicated. The vocabulary used in their letters was raw and authentic—the feelings and longings of young lovers separated by great distance and terrible circumstances.

Chapter 18, written by Bill, in which he reflects on death-defying events that he never wrote to Carole about, really grabbed me.

The book is constructed with black and white photos included to further draw the reader into this tumultuous year in their lives. Endnotes add info on sourcing, news media accounts, colloquial speech, etc. The glossary includes translations of words used from a variety of languages.

Anyone who wants to feel the human side of how that war disrupted young lives of Americans, who would appreciate a thoroughly intimate and vulnerable account with words that survived the decades, words that reveal how at times these two Americans were just barely holding on as the war raged, and how their love for each other kept them going, will enjoy this book immensely. I highly recommend this book for adults only, due to its mature content.

Review by Grace Tiscareno-Sato (June 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

During 1968-1969, nineteen-year-old college student Carole, thinking she's pregnant marries her enlisted soldier, Bill, one day before he departs for the Vietnam War. Carole then transfers to the tumultuous UW-Madison campus amidst the riots and antiwar protests. This memoir is based on over 300 authentic letters written by the couple skillfully woven together with short stories, poems, and 31 photographs written from the female point of view of "the girl left behind." The couple's dialogue through distance is a love story, a war story, and a coming of age story as they navigate an ocean apart to keep their long-distance relationship alive. During Bill's R&R, they meet in Hawaii, but have difficulty saying goodbye again. Nine months later, Bill returns home all in one piece, but soon experiences his first traumatic nightmare where he believes he's back in Vietnam, requiring a visit to the hospital. It takes thirty years for Carole to discover Bill has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and seeks counseling for him from the local Veterans Administration . After seven years of therapy, Bill is awarded a 50 % service-connected disability and starts doing a local talk-TV show. The book ends with an Epilogue in 2007 with the couple questioning the morality of war while attending an Iraq antiwar rally with their fifteen year old twins. On a beach in Santa Barbara, California, 3,000 white wooden crosses symbolize the lives lost in yet another war. Carole wonders "Will war never cease?" Then she remembers their letters tucked away in a shoebox in the garage where they remain collecting dust until "the time is right to tell our story, this story, of The Hardest Year" which may help other veterans and their families who still struggle with the aftermath of war. There is a line drawn map of Vietnam, a glossary of terms, and extensive end notes of significant historical information.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 274

Word Count: 77000

Above Average: Naval Aviation the Hard Way by D.D. Smith

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MWSA Review

Above Average: Naval Aviation the Hard Way soars above the typical "there I was..." first-hand account of a Navy flier's life and service. The account follows the conventional timeline beginning with the author's childhood in Minnesota and following his 20-plus year flying career that culminated with his tours as the Navy’s chief test pilot.

Most memoirs published by military fliers provide a detailed account of the writer’s professional service, usually enlivened by personal stories and accounts of wartime exploits, harrowing or otherwise. Reading Above Average, however, is like sitting at an Officers’ Club table littered with empty beer bottles, listening to the author’s sea stories.

This autobiography hits all the traditional milestones, starting with a nomadic childhood and youth that encounters the life-changing opportunity of the NAVCAD program. The narrator’s career as a Naval Aviator includes combat deployments in the crucible of Vietnam and later sea tours leading to the professional challenge of serving as a test pilot. Detailed incidents in the flak-filled skies over North Vietnam are balanced with even more harrowing accounts of near-death flight test experiences.

While the author always treats the demands of flying and flight test with absolute sincerity, he never takes himself too seriously. He emerges from his two decades of Naval service as one who understands that he is lucky to be alive and grateful for the opportunities he has encountered. The result is an account of a remarkable lifespan that afforded him the chance to accomplish what John Gillespie Magee described: “a hundred things you have not dreamed of.”

Any reader looking for a glimpse into the life of a naval aviator and jet pilot will enjoy the story of this man’s life and will easily be able to ignore the broken hyperlinks and minor editorial shortcomings of the publication.

Review by Peter Young (June 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Way beyond the usual Vietnam War shoot ‘em up! Does it have electrifying high adventure? Oh yes – the eye-popping action of combat naval aviation and the harrowing dangers of testing the world’s hottest jets. But the book is much more. It is a cleverly written and refreshingly honest story of the author’s life and times as he struggles his way from rural Minnesota to the blazing skies over North Vietnam. 138 combat missions. The Navy’s first Chief Test Pilot. Piloting the first EVER flat spin in an F-14 that nearly killed him. That says it all. No swaggering bravado here; this is a fresh, insightful look at life, luck and guts – in Vietnam and beyond.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 344

Word Count: 102,000

A Day Like Any Other by Bob Every

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MWSA Review

A Day Like Any Other by Robert Every is a beautifully written story. Author Every’s writing paints a colorful picture of a love story between an anti-war Boston socialite doctor and a Navy man from South Boston.

From the beginning, I was invested in the main character, Lieutenant Bill Simmons. When he meets Mary, I felt the intensity of this chance encounter as Bill experiences love at first sight. While Mary struggles with her unexpected attraction to a military man, Bill falls even more in love, and in a short time, so does Mary. Bill proposes, much to Mary’s father’s consternation.

Bill’s deployment to Japan after their marriage separates the couple until Mary joins him a few weeks later. Mary isn’t sure what her husband does on his diesel-powered submarine, but she fears it is dangerous. After turning down a well-paying job at the local hospital, Mary spends her time helping out at a local orphanage and falls in love with Mikasa, a petite, dark-haired Down’s Syndrome girl. When introduced to Mikasa, Bill falls in love as well.

The author’s knowledge and experiences of naval service are apparent with his definitive descriptions of the sub, Daedalus, of which Lt. Simmons is the executive officer. Simmons works hard to forge respectful relationships with his crew and runs a tight ship. Before leaving port on a potentially dangerous mission, the lieutenant and his men qualify on the weapons range in preparation for a possible enemy encounter.

Bill, Mary, and Mikasa have a tearful parting as Bill sets out to sea on the Daedalus to patrol waters off the coast of North Korea. Mary has a sense of foreboding and Bill’s valid concerns went unspoken to his wife.

This wonderful story captivated me. I couldn’t put the book down and wanted more when it ended. Does the sub run into trouble? Will this family be reunited? I was on the edge of my seat, and you will be, too.

Review by Nancy Panko (June (2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

As the war in Vietnam is drawing to a close, Bill, a navy lieutenant from South Boston, meets Mary, a doctor and anti-war daughter from one of Beacon Hill's oldest families. A day that would transform two lives and two visions, initiating events that would disrupt seats of power and headlines around the globe. A tender story of love and redemption amid the violence of a nation torn by war. A Day Like Any Other combines military romance with literary fiction to create a captivating novel that makes you pause and think about its reflection in your own life.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 293

Word Count: 71,000

Before the Snow Flies by John Wemlinger

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MWSA Review

Part romance, part courtroom drama, part mystery, and part literary fiction, Before the Snow Flies by John Wemlinger has something for everyone to enjoy. Revolving around Major David Keller, a double amputee returning home from Afghanistan in June—by way of Landstuhl and Walter Reed—the storyline leads readers through family issues, small-town politics, post-traumatic stress episodes, and well-kept secrets. Dynamic characters and a well described setting enhance the story. Throughout the book, the question lingers as to whether David will attain his goal of completing suicide before the snow flies. The reader is kept wondering whether an old flame will reignite or past jealousies will douse the flame. The suspense drives the story to the final page when the reader discovers if hope will triumph over fear.

Review by Betsy Beard (June 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Major David Keller was well on his way to becoming a general when a roadside bomb in Afghanistan took his legs. Angry, grieving, and carrying a loaded gun, David returns home to mend a few fences before using that gun to end his life. But before the snow flies, his family, his community, and Maggie McCall, someone he's tried to forget, will prove to him that life in the small town of Onekama, Michigan, can be great once again--if he will only let it--and if murder doesn't get in the way

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Romance

Number of Pages: 313

Word Count: 80K

The Cut by John Wemlinger

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MWSA Review

Lydia Cockrum and Alvin Price grow their love with a backdrop of life along Lake Michigan in the 1870s. Paramount at this time near Portage Lake was the increasing animosity between the local farmers and an active sawmill. Based on real history, the story focuses on farmers who were losing arable land to Portage Lake as the local sawmill management dammed the lake to have enough water along an out-flowing creek to run their muley saw.

Fed up with the loss of their land, and armed with a legal document and the support of a judge, the story finds Alvin Price, his father Ben, and his near-brother Jeb Washington reluctantly deciding to solve the problem. The mill owner continually refuses to follow the injunction that requires him to desist from damming the lake. Although both Alvin and Jeb are wounded Civil War veterans, they embrace a project that is both physically and politically grueling. With a band of farmers, some of whom made extra money at the mill, they decide to take matters into their own hands to lower the water level at Portage Lake so their farms won’t flood.

As Alvin’s and Lydia’s romance progresses, they must deal with fathers who are on opposite sides of the issue. Reilly Cockrum, Lydia’s father, is a railroad builder and relies on the wood from the mill. Ben Price, Alvin’s father, is a farmer and insists on full use of his land.

How the farmers resolve this issue changed the shoreline of Lake Michigan in the area of Portage Lake and Manistee. But Alvin must make peace with Mr. Cockrum and seizes the opportunity to do so after a tragedy occurs in the town of Manistee, where the Cockrums live.

Author John Wemlinger does an excellent job of weaving the love story into the colorful history of this area and era of Michigan. The Cut relates an enlightening and interesting story. The characters are well-drawn, and his writing flows smoothly.

The author provides helpful annotated photographs, illustrations, and maps that give the reader a true sense of “the cut” and provides images that help the reader understand what a sawmill of that time looked like, and what homes and farms looked like.

For a noteworthy, fact-based historical glimpse of an interesting and unique issue in the 1870s upper Midwest, The Cut makes an excellent and satisfying read that addresses industry, farming, prejudice, women’s growing acceptance as college students, and enduring love. And if you are a dog-lover, Alvin's dog Kip will steal your heart.

Review by Patricia Walkow (June 2023)

Author's Synopsis

The Cut is a 19th-century David and Goliath story set in northwestern Michigan, where the powerful lumber industry is trampling on the rights of local farmers trying to eke out a living on their 80-acre homesteads.  in the aftermath of the Civil War, The Cut follows the plight of the local farmers through the eyes of their reluctant leader as he fights for his family, friends, and love.  It is a beautiful story of Michiganders' perseverance woven into Michigan's history

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 250

Word Count: 75K

100 Days Smart: A Kindergarten teacher shares lessons on life, learning, and community during the COVID-19 outbreak in bella Italia by Karin Tramm

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MWSA Review

Kindergarten teacher, Karin Tramm documented her experiences teaching military children in a DOD school in Northern Italy during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her book, 100 Days Smart, takes us on the journey with her via diary-style entries that cover the 100 days after her school reverted to online learning only. Written with humor and insight, the book is relatable to all of us who experienced the pandemic in a multitude of different ways.

Those who are not teachers will see how difficult the transition was not only for the teachers, but for the children and parents as well. Using narration, emails, chats, and texts, Tramm shares the early moments of desperation, the anxiety of the unknown, the desire to stay connected with family and friends, the helplessness of not being able to be “there” for others, the joy of small victories, the learning curve of technology to make things work, the isolation of quarantine, and the peace that comes from accepting life and adapting to what it gives us.

Much of the humor comes from the kindergarten chats, a rare treat to readers who do not teach kindergarten. The wonder, excitement, and absurdity of the situations as seen through youthful eyes allows the reader to appreciate the young students whose world was turned upside down in a single day. 100 Days Smart is an endearing and heartwarming read.

Review by Betsy Beard (June 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

100 Days Smart chronicles the first hundred days of the COVID-19 outbreak on the American Army base in Vicenza, Italy, only miles away from the epicenter of the European crisis. Beginning on the 100th day of school, the last day before pandemic lockdown, this narrative journals the very different lesson plan that coronavirus had in store for Vicenza Elementary School in 2020. The experiences of DoDEA teachers, military connected students and their parents living through the startling onset unfolds through personal accounts and communications with colleagues, family, and friends. One hundred days later, when Italy began to ease out of the most draconian lockdown in all of Europe, emerged a glimpse into the old yet new world.

This story reflects the resilience, strength, and flexibility of our military connected families. Written with a nod to classic children’s literature, 100 Days Smart explores the fears and frustrations, the hopes, heroes, and lessons learned, beginning that fateful day in February 2020.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 256

Word Count: 85,000

Navy Dog - A Dog's Days in the US Navy by Neal Kusumoto

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MWSA Review

In Navy Dog, author Neal Kusumoto takes readers on an unforgettable journey aboard the guided-missile frigate USS Vandegrift. Kusumoto, a retired Navy captain and former skipper of the Vandegrift, weaves a heartwarming tale that effortlessly combines his love for his ship and crew with the endearing story of the Vandy’s four-legged shipmate and mascot, a Navy Dog named Jenna.

Kusumoto’s admiration and respect for the Navy and his fellow sailors shine through from the opening pages to the conclusion. His vivid descriptions of life at sea bring the reader right into the heart of the action, creating an immersive experience that is both enlightening and entertaining. Through Kusumoto’s keen storytelling, we gain unique insights into the day-to-day realities of Navy life. We learn about some of the Navy’s terminology and history, sail with his crew while crisscrossing the Pacific Ocean, and visit exotic—and often dangerous—ports of call.

By the time you reach its conclusion, the book will have fostered a better appreciation for the sacrifices and camaraderie shared by those who serve at sea—no matter how many legs they have. It’s also very likely that Kusumoto’s shipmate, Jenna, will have wound her way into the reader’s heart as she managed to do with her fellow sailors and Marines.

I highly recommend this heart-warming book to anyone who wants to learn about the Navy and how it eventually learned to live with its first mammal mascot in decades.

Review by John Cathcart (June 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Having Seaman Jenna as the mascot on the USS Vandegrift was never meant to be a statement or to put the ship on the radars of four-star admirals. Jenna came onboard unannounced, a Christmas gift that brought instant joy to the crew and transformed a grey ship into a home for 225 sailors. Her addition was not approved by the chain of command, and she was the first dog on a Navy ship since WWII. This orphaned Shiba Inu and the displaced crew shared countless adventures and trials during her five years onboard. Jenna dodged being eaten in Korea, sidestepped Hawaii's strict quarantine law, avoided being shot in Australia, charmed a Chinese admiral, and nearly initiated an international incident in Pakistan. Jenna became a symbol of the ship and created a bond amongst the crew that remains strong decades later...long after her death.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 336

Word Count: 63,412

Washington’s War, Triumph, Trials and Treason by Donald J. Farinacci

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MWSA Review

Washington’s War views Washington from multiple aspects, and at the same time ends up giving a fairly complete history of the Revolutionary War. It is practically a comprehensive biography, without trying to be, at least from his early days to the end of the Revolution. This unique perspective enables the author to make the war personal through the victories and tribulations that Washington experiences as he tries to fight a desperate war for the freedom of a new nation and ideals that will eventually free tens of millions across the world. The book is logically organized, and the storyline flows smoothly. It would appeal to readers with an interest in George Washington and the Revolutionary War, American military history, and people interested in the general history of the latter eighteenth century.

Review by Terry Lloyd (June 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

This book is a history of the American Revolutionary War, but focusing on George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental forces.

George Washington was a man of action who never shirked from danger but was at the same time deeply introspective.  He examined his inner-self to make sure he was doing the right and correct thing before making any decision.  He was a man of great courage, sincerity, empathy, conscience, intellect, ideals, passion and strength of will.  He cared as deeply for the well-being of the troops under his command as he did for the ideal of an independent nation.  He was also ambitious, driven to be the very best he could be, a greatly skilled and accomplished leader in the eyes of others and of himself. 

The book fully examines and provides factual descriptions of the key battles of the war and Washington’s critical influence on each one.

Washington may not have been the greatest battlefield General, a thought certainly shared by British generals such as Howe, Clinton, Burgoyne and Cornwallis; but among all military leaders on both sides, he was the only one possessed of the special qualities of heart, mind and soul required to achieve victory in a long and bloody war.  He was successful principally because he brought every ounce of intellect and will he possessed to both win the war and in so doing establishing the foundation for a democratic republic.

Most of the British generals and certainly George III, King of England, underestimated  Washington’s skills and viewed him as little more than an inferior colonist.  They did this to their ultimate regret.  The book provides convincing evidence that both Washington and the residents of the thirteen colonies were up to the task of earning freedom for themselves; and in the process supplanting autocracy with democracy.

Format(s) for review: Kindle Only

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 264

Word Count: 21,834

Landslide by Adam Sikes

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MWSA Review

Adam Sikes’ thriller, Landslide is one long adrenaline rush. Protagonist Mason Hackett, a US Marine combat veteran, is settled in London, minding his own business. Imagine his shock when his old Marine buddy’s face is plastered on the news, especially since Hackett saw him die fifteen years ago. The claim that his old friend is a journalist, has a different name, and is detained on the Russia-Ukraine border perplexes Hackett even more. A cryptic plea for help clinches it and Semper Fidelis—the Marine motto, Always Faithful—kicks in, and we’re taken on a wild, violent ride. Hackett’s seat-of-his-pants tenacity while searching for his friend forces him to face his own demons while fending off what seems like half the Slavic world. “[N]eighbors had become enemies, families had split, and sometimes people never revealed their true loyalties, exacerbating the distrust and making everyone suspicious of another’s true intentions.”

Written before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and with Sikes’ first-hand experience as a combat Marine and CIA operative, the story is eerily feasible. Despite too many clichés throughout the book, Landslide is a contemporary, intriguing, espionage thriller.

Review by Sue Rushford (June 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

U.S. Marine veteran Mason Hackett moved to London to start his life over, and he's done his best to convince himself that what happened fifteen years ago doesn't matter—the people he killed, the men he lost, the lives he ruined. But when Mason sees the face of a dead friend flash on a television screen and then receives a mysterious email referencing a CIA operation gone bad, he can no longer ignore his inner demons.

Driven by loyalty and a need to uncover the truth, Mason launches on a perilous journey from the Czech Republic to Romania toward the war-torn separatist region in eastern Ukraine to honor a fifteen-year-old promise. The answers he seeks—the fate of a friend and his connection to the underworld of international arms dealers and defense corporations—throw Mason into the cauldron of a covert war where no one can be trusted.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 369

Word Count: 96019

Mokane to Mole City: A Manchu Vietnam Memoir Bravo Co. Nov. 1968-Nov. 1969 by Stanley J. Adams

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MWSA Review

Mokane to Mole City is a sincere, unembellished account of a nineteen-year-old from smalltown Mokane, Missouri, drafted into the military in 1968. It was not his choice to go into the military and it was not his choice to go into the Army. Those decisions were made by the draft lottery and a marine sergeant’s walk down a red line, sending boys in the induction center that day into the Marines on one side and the Army on the other. After three months of training, they would be combat-ready men. Stanley J. Adams introduces his memoir by recounting two recurring dreams that have haunted his nights since returning home from Vietnam. This is also where he introduces his wife, Rita, who encouraged him to begin his road to recovery by telling his story and searching for the men with whom he served. The memoir then centers around his tour of duty as an infantryman assigned to the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (Manchu), Bravo Company from November 1968 to November 1969. “It seems like the daylight always saved us” writes the author, coming out of his nightmare with the break of day just as he and his brothers in arms did after nights of battles and patrols.

Between the covers of this book are two stories. Book One is the author’s memoir of his Vietnam experience and his homecoming. Those who lived through the Vietnam era know their version of those days. Adams’s memoir takes the knowing deeper. Without sensationalizing his experience, he invites the reader to feel in their own way what he experienced.

The pages in between are tributes to the men with whom he has reestablished contact, their reunions, those who lost their lives in Vietnam, and those who made it home and have passed in recent years. Stan and Rita maintain contact with the families of the deceased and foster ongoing relationship. The tribute section is a compilation of the author’s personal journey and information gathered from other relevant sources. Photos and newspaper clippings of young soldiers and their headstones put faces to names and honor their sacrifice. An index of terms, abbreviations, and acronyms assist the understanding of non-military readers.

Ultimately, the author’s words transfer from the battleground to life in general: “Courage is picking up your gear and going into battle when you know you could be killed; bravery is what you do when you get there.” With courage and bravery, Stanley Adams has steered his fear, loss, and pain into the light of day. He has also shone a lasting and meaningful beam on those who put themselves on the line for the rest of us. Thank you.

Review by Janette Stone (June 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Drafted in late May 1968, Adams, barely 20 years old, was quickly transformed into an infantry rifleman on the front lines of the Vietnam War, where he survived a year of combat with the famed “Manchu” Regiment, 25th Infantry “Tropic Lightning” Division. Sent in as replacements for those Bravo Co. soldiers who were killed in the Thanksgiving Day Battle of 1968, Adams and his fellow soldiers were charged with building “Mole City,” a combat patrol base camp near the Cambodian Border, to purposely bait the NVA and disrupt their supply lines through the region. He had been “in country” for less than a month when the NVA attacked Mole City during a Christmas truce, just before midnight on December 22, 1968. The Manchus fought valiantly through the night as their ammo supplies dwindled, and as a last resort, artillery was called in on Mole City. In 2003, Adams began reaching out to the families of fallen comrades and reconnecting with his fellow Manchus – many of whom suffer some form of PTSD as a result of the horrors they experienced in Vietnam. As these surviving warriors age, they are now burying their Manchu Brothers. Fifty years later, through a photographic history featuring 250+ color pictures, Adams recounts his journey from a rural Midwestern town to the jungles of Vietnam, sharing what it's like to fight – and not die – for your country.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 272

Word Count: 73,398