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

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

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

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

The Hunt for the Peggy C by John Winn Miller

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MWSA Review
While World War II brews, Jake Rogers captains the Peggy C, a merchant steamer ship, picking up and delivering cargo throughout the Atlantic. The cargo is often illegal, and sometimes even dangerous, but on this trip, unbeknownst to his crew, Rogers upped the ante even more. With the help of Obasi, his Nigerian Igbo sidekick/bodyguard/friend, they sneak a family of Dutch Jews out of Amsterdam, right under the noses of the Nazis. The plan to transport Miriam and her family to Gibraltar goes awry. Although they normally fight the sea, an occasional dangerous “customer,” and pirates, this time German U-boats have become the biggest threat.

John Winn Miller’s, The Hunt for the Peggy C: A World War II Maritime Thriller is not the typical World War ll naval story of torpedoes, sinking submarines, errant friendly fire, ruses, and betrayal. Yet they are nonetheless in the midst of a war zone. Miller artfully squeezes in a love story and unexpected witty humor. There are magnificent depictions of Jewish ceremonies, and “normal” life for the refugees.

Meanwhile, catastrophe after catastrophe perpetuate the cat and mouse game between Rogers and Oberleutnant Viktor Brauer, the captain of a German U-boat. The situation is far from a game, however, with deadly twists and turns. You’ll be on the edge of your seat, reading as fast as you can, to find out the fate from the U-boat’s boomeranging torpedo—the epitome of irony.

I highly recommend The Hunt for the Peggy C, even for those who would not normally read naval fiction. Cover to cover, the book will keep you in a perpetual state of suspense. There is no time to guess what will happen next—you’ll be too busy biting your nails and crossing your fingers.

Review by Sue Rushford (May 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

John Winn Miller's THE HUNT FOR THE PEGGY C captures the breathless suspense of early World War II in the North Atlantic. Captain Jake Rogers, experienced in running his tramp steamer through U-boat-infested waters to transport vital supplies and contraband to the highest bidder, takes on his most dangerous cargo yet after witnessing the oppression of Jews in Amsterdam: a Jewish family fleeing Nazi persecution. 

The normally aloof Rogers finds himself drawn in by the family's warmth and faith, but he can't afford to let his guard down when Oberleutnant Viktor Brauer, a brutal U-boat captain, sets his sights on the Peggy C. 

Rogers finds himself pushed to the limits of his ingenuity as he evades Brauer's relentless stalking, faces a mutiny among his own crew and grapples with his newfound feelings for Miriam, the young Jewish woman whom, along with her family, he must transport to safety. 

When Rogers is seriously wounded, Miriam must prove she is as tough as her rhetoric to save everyone as the U-boat closes in for the kill. THE HUNT FOR THE PEGGY C is laced with nail-biting tension and unexpectedly heartwarming moments that any reader, not just fans of naval fiction, will enjoy.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 264

Word Count: 77,000

Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War by John Spencer

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MWSA Review On John Spencer’s second tour of duty to Iraq, he took command of a company in dire need of leadership. He found vast differences in building unit cohesion from his first tour five years earlier. Technology had entered the picture to the detriment of bonding among the ranks. What was missing? These men were not able to process the trauma of battle by sharing experiences and feelings. While on their computers, the men were communicating with family back home. Unable to share their deepest disturbing thoughts from being in battle, they had no outlet for their fear, anxiety, and trauma. How could a family snug at home relate? As Spencer observed his men, all deeply concentrating on a computer screen, he viewed technology as a threat to his unit’s cohesion.

In his previous deployment as a second lieutenant, Spencer had learned that development of a brotherhood helped a soldier survive, both physically and mentally. During the platoon’s downtime, they talked through each experience and processed the trauma. Now he was faced with the challenge of turning around a “black sheep” platoon into one capable of accolades. This story is told in an honest, forthright manner. The tools Spencer employed to achieve his goals were innovative.

After his tour of duty, Spencer returned home and faced another challenge when his wife was deployed. He became a stay-at-home dad in charge of three small children—in some aspects, a more difficult task. Spencer had an epiphany when he realized the value of the internet connection he and his kids had with his wife for much-needed daily visits.

Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War by John Spencer should be on the required reading list for any active military person potentially in a leadership position. If you have any doubt about that, read the endorsements for this book from Generals David Petraeus and Stanley McChrystal.

Review by Nancy Panko (May 2023)  

 

Author's Synopsis

John Spencer was a new second lieutenant in 2003 when he parachuted into Iraq leading a platoon of infantry soldiers into battle. During that combat tour, he learned how important unit cohesion was to surviving a war, both physically and mentally. He observed that this cohesion developed as the soldiers experienced the horrors of combat as a group, spending their downtime together and processing their shared experiences. 

When Spencer returned to Iraq five years later to take command of a troubled company, he found that his lessons on how to build unit cohesion were no longer as applicable. Rather than bonding and processing trauma as a group, soldiers now spent their downtime separately, on computers communicating with family back home. Spencer came to see the internet as a threat to unit cohesion, but when he returned home and his wife was deployed, the internet connected him and his children to his wife on a daily basis. 

In Connected Soldiers Spencer delivers lessons learned about effective methods for building teams in a way that overcomes the distractions of home and the outside world, without reducing the benefits gained from connections to family.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 280

Word Count: 90,200

The US Navy’s On-the-Roof Gang - Volume 2 War in the Pacific by Matt Zullo

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MWSA Review

This book is the second in the "On-the-Roof Gang" set that chronicles the origins and applications of radio intelligence as a major component of US Navy warfare capabilities. The first in the set, subtitled "Prelude to War", followed the evolution of the US Navy's radio intelligence capabilities in the 1920s and 1930s as the world moved inexorably toward a second World War. The result is an engaging, character-based narrative that leaves the reader eager to find out how their stories will play out against the backdrop of the war in the Pacific.

Volume Two of the set, "War in the Pacific," tells the personal stories of the On-the Roof Gang alumni as they fulfill their destinies against the sweeping backdrop of the US Navy's campaigns to defeat the forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The narrative rightly focuses on the personalities and exploits of the cadre of skilled radio intercept operators who had been trained and deployed across the Pacific prior to Pearl Harbor.

The author is a retired Navy Master Chief Cryptologic Technician who wisely chose to write this narrative using the "creative nonfiction" style, supplying dialog and descriptive details that bring life to the historical facts, pulling the reader into the collective stories of the pioneers of this skill set.

The alumni of the “on-the-roof” training classes found themselves at the center of the Pacific war serving in critical roles at sea and ashore—often in the thick of battle. Some of their number spent the war as prisoners of war, while others were sent to the remote corners of the Pacific Rim to support Allied intelligence needs.

The uninitiated reader will be surprised to find out the significance of the role played by radio intelligence in the many battle victories achieved by the US Naval forces, and in the inexorable Allied strategic victory over the Japanese war machine. Well-known pivotal events in the war, from the Battle of Midway to the Doolittle Raid and the killing of Admiral Yamamoto, very likely would have had different outcomes except for the critical information provided from intercepted Japanese Navy message traffic. The addition of radio direction finding technology added to the ability of the Allies to locate and attack enemy forces.

As with the first book in this set, the depth of research and meticulous level of detail in this volume makes it much more than just a creative nonfiction overview of the highlights of the war against the Imperial Japanese Navy. The author has created a unique perspective for reviewing the major battles and turning points of the conflict in the Pacific. The result is an engaging, character-driven narrative that leaves the reader with a new appreciation for the crucial contributions of radio technology and intelligence to the Allied victory at sea.

Both volumes of this set are well worth reading for anyone interested in military technology advances before and during World War II.

Review by Peter Young (April 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

THE US NAVY'S ON-THE-ROOF GANG: VOLUME 2 - WAR IN THE PACIFIC is an historical novel based on the unknown true-life story of the "On-The-Roof Gang." It is a sequel to THE US NAVY'S ON-THE-ROOF GANG: VOLUME 1 - PRELUDE TO WAR.This second volume begins with the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and documents the contributions of the On-the-Roof Gang during World War II. It focuses on the wartime stories of the On-the-Roof Gang intercept operators, some who were stationed in Hawaii, some who survived a tortuous existence in a POW camp, others who had to evacuate their intercept sites, and still others who performed intercept operations while at sea during some of the most famous naval battles of World War II.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Creative Nonfiction

Number of Pages: 424

Word Count: 100,000

The US Navy’s On-the-Roof Gang - Volume 1 Prelude to War by Matt Zullo

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MWSA Review

The US Navy's On-the-Roof Gang: Prelude to War is the first of a two-volume set that recounts the birth, development, and wartime service of the US Navy's radio intelligence community. The author is a retired Navy master chief cryptologic technician who wisely chose to write this narrative using the "creative nonfiction" style, supplying dialog and descriptive details that bring life to the historical facts, pulling the reader into the account.

The critical role of radio intercept and decryption in both theaters of World War II may be generally known but is not universally understood to any real depth. Recent popular film and television have highlighted the exploits of Alan Turing and the Bletchley analysts in breaking the German Enigma codes. The equally important (and arguably more impactful) achievements by the US Navy in breaking and exploiting the Imperial Japanese Navy codes in the Pacific theater have received relatively little media attention. The On-the-Roof Gang set goes a long way toward correcting that deficiency.

The Volume One story line begins in the early 1920s and follows a real-life Navy radioman whose curiosity leads him to begin eavesdropping on the routine transmissions of the Imperial Japanese Navy. An amateur HAM radio operator, he understands the potential for radio intercept intelligence and lays out the foundation for interpreting the Japanese katakana broadcasts. The account moves through the next two decades as radio intercept and decoding gain a foothold within the Navy’s radio communications establishment.

By 1928 the highest levels of US Navy leadership had recognized the value of intercepting katakana radio traffic. The first training class for fleet radio specialists was convened in Washington, DC, in a makeshift classroom constructed on the roof of the main Navy building on Constitution Avenue. Over the following twelve years, two hundred Navy radiomen were trained in the Japanese codes and in operating the specialized equipment used for intercepting and recording their Navy transmissions. By the outbreak of the war on the Day of Infamy, the US Navy had deployed a set of intercept stations across the Pacific, manned by skilled operators capable of listening in on the Imperial Japanese Navy.

The depth of research and meticulous level of detail in these volumes makes them much more than just creative nonfiction accounts. The author has created a definitive chronicle of the development of the US Navy's radio intelligence capabilities as the world moved inexorably toward war. The result is an engaging, character-based narrative that leaves the reader eager to find out how their stories will play out against the backdrop of the war in the Pacific.

This is well worth reading for anyone interested in military technology advances between the World Wars, and specifically the birth and growth of the US Navy’s radio intelligence abilities in the years leading up to World War II.

Review by Peter Young (April 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

THE US NAVY'S ON-THE-ROOF GANG: VOLUME I - PRELUDE TO WAR is an historical novel based on the unknown true-life story of the "On-The-Roof Gang," the U.S. Navy's fledgling radio intelligence organization in the years leading up to World War II. It is based on the real life of Harry Kidder, a U.S. Navy radioman who first discovered and deciphered Japanese katakana telegraphic code while stationed in the Philippines in the 1920s, discovering that he was listening to Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) radio communications. Kidder strongly believed in the future of radio intelligence and a chance meeting with Lieutenant Laurance Safford led to the birth of the Navy's Radio Intelligence community. Kidder taught others the nascent art of intercepting IJN communications on the roof of the Main Navy Building in Washington, DC. From 1928 to 1941, 176 Sailors and Marines attended this training and were then stationed as radio intercept operators around the Pacific. These men would become known as the On-The-Roof Gang and were charged with keeping track of the IJN as they prepared for war with the United States. The circumstances of America's entry into World War II hinged on success or failure of the On-The-Roof Gang, and Harry Kidder knew this. On-the-Roof Gang: Prelude to War concludes with the "date which will live in infamy," December 7, 1941.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Creative Nonfiction

Number of Pages: 424

Word Count: 100,000

When We Are Apart by Becca Johnsey

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MWSA Review

When We Are Apart, written by Becca Johnsey and illustrated by Marižan, is a picture book catering to children who face emotional challenges when a parent leaves on a business trip.

Written in rhymes, the book's musicality reminds readers of nursery tales that are meant to soothe and reassure, two important goals when it comes to narrate a story in which the main character is displaying emotional struggles because of the sudden changes within the family dynamics.

The narrator (a mother) offers her child suggestions on how to calm down: deep breathing through the nose, counting to ten, and eating a healthy and balanced meal. Hugs, of course, help too!

The illustrations do a good job in supporting the narration, properly conveying emotions, and keeping young readers' attention. Colors are vivid and the pages are not too crowded with unnecessary details.

Though the story is based on the author's personal experience, at the end of the book parents and guardians find a "Four Activities to Try Together" page where the author offers suggestions on what to do to help children cope when a parent is away on business.

Review by Brunella Costagliola (March 2023)

Author's Synopsis

Each night after school, your dad tucks you in tight. He reads about trucks, turns on your night light. But sometimes for work, your daddy’s away. You miss him so much more than you can say.

When We Are Apart is a sweet rhyming picture book to help families cope with separation while a parent is away. This book will help even your youngest child name their feelings, cope with their emotions, and navigate through them while being reassured that they are loved unconditionally. Based on debut author Becca Johnsey’s own experiences helping her children deal with missing their dad while travels with the Army Reserves. Becca hopes this book will be as impactful to other families as it has been for her own. Perfect for ages 2-5.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book

Number of Pages: 32

Word Count: 249

Defenders of the Rock: Sacrifice, courage, and honor, in the defense of the Philippines during World War II by Tim Deal, Spencer Huyck, Ashley Deal

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MWSA Review

Defenders of the Rock is sobering compilation of twenty-four individual stories of American heroes who defended the Philippines at the very beginning of World War Two. From these stories emerges a comprehensive narrative of the service and sacrifice of soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, one coastguardsman, military nurses, and civilians who withstood the Imperial Japanese attack on the Philippine archipelago. The stories include the aftermath of the horrendous Bataan Death March for most, escape and resistance for some, and the deprivation during internment for military women and American civilians.

Because the book is written in a precise biographical style, you can read one section at a time. Given the grim fates of most of the people depicted, being able to only read a few sections at a time is benefit to the reader. Despite the somber nature of the book’s subject, it is inspirational and uplifting to learn from and recall the stories of the defenders of the Philippines.

Review by Terry Lloyd (April 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Defenders of the Rock preserves the stories of twenty-four individuals who were in the Philippines on December 8, 1941, when war came to the island nation. Their island way of life was shattered in an instant, when the first Japanese bombs exploded. Each story provides a unique perspective on what was occurring to those who were defending the Philippines as they fought back the invaders. They prayed that help would come, but it never arrived. The surrender of the Philippines occurred at noon on Wednesday, May 6, 1942. Of the twenty-four, some would escape capture only to die later during the war, others would become prisoners of war and survive, and others would die in captivity. Some would be tortured and live, while one of them was executed. These twenty-four serve as ambassadors whose courage, honor, and sacrifice represent the thousands of other similar stories we could not include.

Format(s) for review: Paper Only

Review Genre: Nonfiction—History

Number of Pages: 385

Word Count: 66,855

FNG: a Black Spear novel by Benjamin Spada

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MWSA Review

Benjamin Spada hits it out of the park with his debut novel FNG: A Black Spear Novel. The American government has run its share of off-the-books “black ops,” but none blacker than “Black Spear.” Even among the military, no one seems to be sure if they exist. But exist they do, and when the really bad guys come calling, Black Spear is our best defense. Made up of only the absolute best operators, this small unit operates in five-man squads whose only rules of engagement are “accomplish the mission,” and they do so by all means necessary. When conventional forces and sworn lawmakers can’t get their hands dirty, it’s time to send in Black Spear.

A disgruntled veteran has a vision for revenge against the government, and has gained a following of other former servicemen along with access to one very dangerous bioweapon. Black Spear’s Cerebrus Team is down a man and pulls in a recruit for one tremendously action-packed first day. Black Spear has no rules to follow but their own, but will it be enough to stop a madman with a deadly bioweapon and an intense thirst for vengeance?

This story is a non-stop thrill ride from the first page. The heroes are likable, the villains deplorable, and the action fast-moving, graphic, and exciting. It’s very much like the “A-team” of the 80s TV show on steroids. Fans of spec-ops stories or techno-thrillers should enjoy this very much. Personally, I can’t wait for the next one!

Review by Rob Ballister (March2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

FNG: NOUN. INFORMAL. MILITARY TERM, "F****** NEW GUY":

A PERSON JUST OUT OF TRAINING OR NEWLY TRANSFERRED INTO THE UNIT, WHO EITHER HASN'T PROVED THEIR WORTH OR DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO OPERATE PROPERLY DUE TO LACK OF EXPERIENCE. 

"Welcome to Black Spear." With these four words Cole West is immediately thrust into the shadowy world of the military's most deadly black-ops program. No warning. No training. No choice but to buckle up as Black Spear conscripts him to fight against a paramilitary group of renegade veterans known only as "Terminal." Terminal is no ragtag militia but a veritable private army of disgruntled soldiers with one mission: Stop at nothing to topple the government they think failed them. 

Armed with a highly volatile bioweapon capable of absorbing the properties of other contagions, they plan to wash the country clean through an ocean of blood. It's up to Cole West and Black Spear to prevent Terminal's terrorist attacks and stop the insurrection before it can happen. To survive in Black Spear, West will have to prove himself. But even on day one, there are no second chances...

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 328

Word Count: 86700

Justice by Joseph Badal

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MWSA Review

Justice by Joseph Badal is a well written story although the subject matter is horrific. All good mystery thrillers have twists, but Badal has created a new one during the attack in Nicaragua. Players from three continents act and interact in crime, corruption, and revenge seeking.
In this third book of the Curtis Chronicles, Matt’s wife and her friend are kidnapped by Matt’s fierce enemy, Lonnie Jackson. Matt and his former special ops friends join to attempt a rescue in the jungles of Costa Rica. A thrilling read.

Review by Nancy Kauffman (March 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

Amazon #1 Best-selling author, Joseph Badal, delivers Justice, the third in his Curtis Chronicles series, with the same relentless tension that is a trademark of his award-winning suspense novels.

In Justice, Matt and Renee Curtis return, along with their maniacal tormentor, Lonnie Jackson. On a trip to Costa Rica with their friends Esteban and Alani Maldonado, Matt and Renee believe they are beyond Jackson’s reach. They soon find out how wrong they are, however, when Jackson orchestrates the kidnapping of Renee and Alani and transports them to his human trafficking headquarters located in Nicaragua.

Matt and Esteban recruit former special operations soldiers living in Costa Rica to help them rescue their wives, sending readers on an action-packed journey.

As with all of Badal’s novels, Justice is a bold and complex thriller. It weaves an intricate plot involving multiple international locations, a human trafficking organization, the CIA, Special Operations, corrupt politicians, Bulgarian organized crime figures, Swiss bankers, and a compelling cast of engaging, inspiring, and diabolical characters.

The Curtis Chronicles is an epic series that delves into the age-old conflict between good and pure evil, where each book leaves you begging for more.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller

Number of Pages: 356

Word Count: 100,045

Loving Summer by Carole Brungar

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MWSA Review

Loving Summer by Carole Brungar is book number four in her multi-award-winning Nam Legacy Series. Loving Summer can easily stand alone, a testament to the author’s writing skills.

In 1967, a Christmas card project organized by Summer Bryant’s school to send messages to the soldiers in Vietnam. Lovable Summer Bryant is a flower child born into the transient world of hippies, communes, and free love. And she’s against the war that’s killing thousands of innocent lives in Vietnam.

Scott Taylor is the consummate leader of warriors and becomes the recipient of Summer’s Christmas card. He decides to answer with a thank you. Thus, begins a pen-pal relationship lasting years until the correspondence abruptly stops.

Scott returns to New Zealand to find that his wife is distant. Their relationship deteriorates despite a pregnancy about which they are both excited. He continues to write to Summer. When Scott finds out earth-shaking news, the marriage disintegrates and he stops writing to Summer. He finds solace in alcohol. In 1978, with the help of Army pals, Scott starts to get his life on track. Set up on a blind date, Scott Taylor’s broken life changes its trajectory, sending him on an unforgettable, poignant journey.

Carole Brungar skillfully takes you deep into Scott and Summer’s unforgettable love story with her detailed descriptions. She weaves a tapestry of two unlikely soulmates and knits it all together for the reader to feel the warmth and passion. Loving Summer is hard to put down and requires a box of tissues.

Review by Nancy Panko (March 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

It’s Christmas in the killing fields of Vietnam, and Corporal Scott Taylor calls his men together and hands out mail from a school back home, unaware the card he opens will change his life forever.

Everyone loves Summer Bryant. She’s a wild child born into the transient world of hippies, communes, and free love. And she’s against the war that’s killing thousands of innocent people and the soldiers fighting there.

Yet, through the pages of Scott and Summer’s letters, an unforeseen friendship forms that becomes a bond so strong, that neither understands the grip it has over them.

Home from Vietnam, Scott finds the world has moved on without him. When his life spirals out of control, he’s convinced even the letters from Summer can’t save him this time.

After years of silence, fate throws them together. Shocked to finally come face to face with Summer, Scott realises the attraction between them is stronger than ever. But the past is rapidly catching up to this beautiful free-spirited woman. Will Scott’s unconditional love be enough to save Summer? Or will this be another war that Scott has no chance of winning?

Format(s) for review: Kindle Only

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 390

Word Count: 112800

Porch Music by Kathy Maresca

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MWSA Review

With the same precision and care that Ma-Ki Ebbing took to create her sawtooth quilt, Kathy Maresca has weaved a story stitched with strength and resiliency. Sixteen-year-old and pregnant Rose, banished from her family home, finds acceptance with Ma who knows the stain of prejudice and hypocrisy only too well. Set in northern Florida during the early fifties in a place where “progress moves backwards instead of forwards,” reflections on Seminole spirituality, Christian faith, and a woman’s strength are the threads that hold the pieces together. Four more characters patch in their own intricate first-person voices to the tapestry. Sharing inner thoughts and experience, each one invites the reader to understand how events impact behavior. Vivid images bring place and time into clear view. And then there’s the music: folk songs, traditional hymns, and even “America the Beautiful” sung at just the right moment, like the appropriate tune that appears out of nowhere to match a mood. A riveting ending promises to unlock truths held captive in long-kept secrets. Ma’s Seminole wisdom adds touches of color that linger like gems in any great work of art: “We live in a white world, better to have them fit in than to teach them things that set them apart.” “Ain’t every Christian bad. But if somebody’s pure evil, you can count on one thing. He’ll call himself a Christian.”

Review by Janette Stone (February 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

All sixteen-year-old Rose has is what she carries: a pillowcase of clothes, her boyfriend’s unborn child, and a heart full of shame. In the face of 1952’s strict moral code, Seminole matriarch Ma-Ki Ebbing embraces Rose. Ma-Ki, on the fringe of society, clings to her Native American traditions and secrets surrounding her husband’s murder while her adult children unravel from social injustice.

When Ma-Ki’s children were young, Burl Ebbing approached a wealthy, powerful man who had sexually abused his children. The villain shot Burl’s heart right out of him. Twenty years later, Ma-Ki fears that her children will avenge their father’s death and refuses to disclose the criminal’s identity. The Ebbing women band together, marching through a chorus of grit and grind to unite a family once rendered powerless by a people who invaded their land. Will another tragic death cause Ma-Ki to identify the villain and embrace Rose’s newfound faith?

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 312

Word Count: 81,000

Moss by Joe Pace

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MWSA Review

In Moss, author Joe Pace relates the story of Oscar Kendall, a prep school literature teacher and son of world-famous, critically-acclaimed writer Isaiah Moss. Oscar struggles with his own writing, compares himself to his father, and gives up on both his writing and relationships with predictable frequency. He prefers to live life with no one expecting anything from him.

Oscar freely admits he hates his father, and Isaiah, through his letters over the years, tells Oscar he never loved him and doesn’t care to know him. Yet when Isaiah dies, he bequeaths his New Hampshire lakeside writing cabin and everything in it to Oscar.

During the summer he spends at the cabin, Oscar finds an unfinished manuscript of his father’s and anguishes about what to do with it. After reading it, he concludes it is Isaiah Moss’s best work in a lifetime of extraordinary writing. Oscar’s dilemma is whether to pass it off as his own to launch his own writing career or relegate it to his father’s legacy.

While at the cabin, Oscar meets the colorful neighbors at the lake and learns their sometimes-tragic stories. He drinks his father’s liquor and, trying to find his own muse, starts to write using his father’s typewriter. Throughout the summer he learns some of his father’s secrets. Learns more about the man he said he hated. Learns more about the neighbors, more about himself. As the new school year begins and Oscar returns to the classroom, he finally realizes the extent of the gift his father gave him.

Mr. Pace’s prose flows beautifully, and his delicious descriptions of people and places create images that will stay in the reader’s mind for a long time. He draws on both literature and mythology for spot-on metaphors, and leaves the reader wanting more.

This book is written for a literate reader, and it does not disappoint. It is a book to read more than once—not only for the story, but also for the beauty of the way it is written.

Review by Patricia Walkow (February 2023)

Author's Synopsis

Isaiah Moss was one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. His illegitimate son Oscar Kendall wasn't. Living in Isaiah's inescapable shadow, Oscar has become an inveterate quitter who hides his own literary work from the world rather than suffer the pain of failure or rejection.

When Isaiah suddenly dies, Oscar inherits the old man's lakefront writing cabin in New Hampshire. There he finds his father's typewriter, a full liquor cabinet, and an unpublished manuscript of such genius that it could launch Oscar's career if he claims it as his own.

As Oscar wrestles with his own twisted inspirations, he meets the women in Isaiah's life and begins to learn the depths of his father's secrets...and the costs that come with unresolved trauma and romantic delusion.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction

Number of Pages: 234

Word Count: 76,414

Doolittle's Men by Paul D. Burgess

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MWSA Review

Author Paul D. Burgess makes the drama, bravery, and bravado of the men of the April 1942 Doolittle Raid on Tokyo relatable to everyone.

In Doolittle’s Men, the author focuses on three of sixteen Army aircrews under Doolittle’s command. They knew they would not have enough fuel to return to the USS Hornet as they flew into the unknown, but volunteered for the mission, nonetheless. The author takes us aboard their planes as we follow them through their harrowing takeoff from the carrier, their bombing raid on Tokyo, problems with the airplanes, and the aftermath once they landed at an Allied airbase in China, crashed, or parachuted to land.

Burgess relates the assistance offered by Chinese villagers and missionaries who aided the airmen, offering them whatever medical care they could, providing shelter and food, and leading them through the countryside to safety as Japanese forces relentlessly took China under its control, mile by mile.

The Chinese risked their lives to help, and they were severely punished for it. The women were raped, most of the Chinese who aided the airmen were killed, their livestock was slaughtered, and their villages burned to the ground. The author, sometimes in disturbing detail, depicts the depravities the Japanese conquerors forced on the Chinese population as well as on one captured aircrew.

The pace of the book is riveting. The end of each chapter forces the reader to turn the page. The emotions are genuine. The characters are well-drawn, and the dialog is realistic, ensuring the reader understands the closeness of each five-man crew. Each crew created bonds only those who were there at that time could ever share or fully appreciate.

This book brings the Tokyo raid to life. For those unacquainted with World War II, it provides the context for why Doolittle’s raid was so important during the first year of America’s involvement in the war. It takes the dry facts of history and breathes life into them, as we accompany these men, many of them quite young, on a mission that was a surprise attack on Japanese soil.

We owe these airmen, the Chinese villagers, and the missionaries in China a debt of gratitude for delivering a wake-up call to Japan—a call that made them realize they were not invincible. And Japan’s response to that call revealed the kind of enemy the Allies faced.

Doolittle’s Men is a book worth reading. Though written as a novel, the airmen in the book were real people, living real lives, in an extraordinary time. Their names are in history books. Their fates are in history books, too. Burgess brings them to life for us.

Review by Pat Walkow (February 2023)
 

Author's Synopsis

January, 1942. With Pearl Harbor still smoldering, President Roosevelt seeks to give America hope that all is not lost. The resulting mission called for renowned aviator, Jimmy Doolittle, to lead eighty men in sixteen army bombers off the deck of the carrier, USS Hornet. They would bomb targets in Japan, proceed to allied bases in China, and give America that hope. Almost nothing would go as planned.

In this novelization of the Doolittle raid, we follow three of those sixteen crews as they struggle off the storm-tossed flight deck of the Hornet, attack their targets, and escape against all odds to the Chinese mainland where their most harrowing experiences await.

Doolittle's Men is more than an edge-of-your-seat telling of an iconic war story. It is also an analysis of the human qualities required of those facing unimaginable challenges.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 351

Word Count: 89,500

Stewards of Humanity: Lighting the Darkness in Humanitarian Crisis by Robert Seamus Macpherson

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MWSA Review

Stewards of Humanity is a book that needed to be written. Given the author's 30-year military career, it was especially impactful to read about his experiences and respect for people who do important and often dangerous work, but usually without the benefit of a heavily armed infantry battalion to back them up. As a veteran myself, I always appreciate when people tell me "Thank you for your service." But I always remind people that service doesn't require one to wear a military uniform—there are many who serve, whether as civilian diplomats, teachers, health-care workers, and as the author has so vividly written about, humanitarian workers. Thank you for sharing these stories with us.

Review by Frank Biggio (May 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Robert Macpherson has been a writer, aid worker, and career infantry officer in the U.S. Marines with service in Vietnam, Iraq, and Somalia. After retiring from the Marines, he joined the humanitarian organization CARE, where he spent fifteen years directing global risk mitigation for staff and vulnerable populations and led humanitarian response missions worldwide.

As a humanitarian worker, he negotiated and coordinated with non-traditional powers such as, paramilitary forces and an assortment of armed local groups and militias who controlled territories where humanitarian organizations wanted to assist. These included the Taliban in Afghanistan and local militias throughout central and east Africa such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Somalia. Throughout this period, he conducted kidnap negotiations in Zimbabwe, southern Sudan, Haiti, Afghanistan, and Iraq. This work resulted in his own abduction in Somalia.

Stewards of Humanity is his debut book. He lives in Charlotte, NC with his wife and service dog, Blue.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Creative Nonfiction

Number of Pages: 288

Word Count: 90,800

Heart Songs by Dennis Maulsby

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MWSA Review

Heart Songs is a tour de force of a poetry collection by Dennis Maulsby. Songs of the heart can be expressed in a wide array of emotions, and this book handles all of them well, ranging from euphoria to abject depression. The author uses a variety of poetic forms to convey emotions and experiences, using sophisticated imagery to engage all the senses. The poems range in length from haiku of 17 syllables to longer poems and poetic essays. Powerful and effective word selection ushers the reader into realms he may not have been familiar with, from the wildly sensuous to the stark brutality of combat. There is even a playful limerick to tickle the funny bone. While it is impossible to choose just one favorite poem among many, I was enchanted by the eight-part offering that explores the different kinds of love.

Review by Betsy Beard (January 2023)

 

Author's Synopsis

Heart songs come from many sources. We welcome those of love, whether romantic or platonic. Our life experiences evoke other songs, whether bawdy, prideful, humorous, sad, happy, terrifying, or in joyous dance — the heart’s percussion, riffs, and chords changing in response to each experience.

Poetry can capture them all, permitting the intimate sensual and intimate virtual to blend. In this book, think of the poems as the author’s sheet music — records of the heart’s songs.

blonde girl’s earbuds throb 
heavy metal guitar chokes 
peppery symbols

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Poetry—Poetry Book

Number of Pages: 77

Word Count: 5639