Book Review – Liberation

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Imogen Kealey is the pseudonym of American screenwriter Darby Kealey and British novelist Imogen Robertson. This is the first novel published under that name. Liberation was published in 2020. This is the 79th book I have completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence and mature language, I categorize this novel as R.

While this is a work of fiction, it is based on the real-life Nancy Wake. She was active in the French Resistance and later returned to France as an SOE agent. She was recognized after the war by many countries for her work.

The novel begins in early 1943. Wake was originally from New Zealand and had come to France in the 1930s. When the Germans invaded France, she was engaged to wealthy French industrialist Henri Edmond Fiocca.

She became active in the Pat O’Leary Escape Line, which helped downed aircrew escape. Few knew of her work with the Resistance. She had grown so successful by 1943 that the Gestapo referred to her as the White Mouse. She had avoided arrest for years but finally had to leave her husband and flee France. After arriving in Britain, she joined the SOE. She returned to France and worked with the maquis.

I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 385-page historical fiction novel. I have read more historical accounts of Wake’s actions. This novel follows them closely. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Related Reading

1. Nancy Wake: World War Two’s Most Rebellious Spy
2. Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: The daring young woman who led Frances largest spy network against Hitler
3. Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII’s Most Highly Decorated Spy
4. D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis, and Helped Win World War II
5. The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line: Untold Stories of the Women Who Changed the Course of World War II

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 590 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.

Book Review – Devastation Class

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – This is the first novel to be published by authors Glen Zipper and Elaine Mongeon. Devastation Class was released in 2020. This is the 78th book I have completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

After nine years of war with the Kastazi, the Earth Alliance has won a troubled peace. Little is known about the Kastazi or why they withdrew from the conflict. Several 17–18-year-old Alliance cadets and civilian students are aboard the Alliance Devastation Class starship California as part of their education.

At this most inopportune time, the Kastazi launch a sneak attack. Two cadets, JD Marshall and Viv Nixon, must take command of California if those aboard are to be saved. They desperately search for any other survivors of the attack. They only hope they can survive long enough to find others. In an act of desperation, the cadets are forced to risk everything and use the Blink Reactor to escape.

I enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 349-page young adult science fiction novel. As with many young adult novels, this one has a handful of gifted teens thrust into extreme situations. They must step up to the challenge to survive. The story is alternately told from the first-person perspective of Marshall and Nixon. I enjoyed this novel and will be looking for sequels. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – Nazi UFOs: The Legends and Myths of Hitler’s Flying Saucers in WW2Book Review – Nazi UFOs:

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – S. D. Tucker is the author of 7 books. Nazi UFOs: The Legends and Myths of Hitler’s Flying Saucers in WW2 was published in 2022. This is the 77th book I have completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! I categorize this book as G.

As the title implies, the book examines the myths connecting the Nazis with UFOs or other fantastical engineering feats. Claims of UFO sightings began to rise and claim headlines from 1947 forward. Several claims are repeated, then debunked in the book. Claims mostly come from late in WWII, with the majority surfacing post-war.

The background of Unidentified Flying Objects is told. Included are the Foo aircraft often reported by allied pilots. There is also coverage of post-war R & D and the relationship to UFOs. Many experts claiming knowledge of UFOs after the war are uncovered as charlatans.

I enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 208-page nonfiction book. I hesitate to call this WWII history. It is a collection of post-war conspiracy theories and myths with supposed connections to the Nazis. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 3.3 (rounded down to a 3) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 590 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.

Book Review – No Plan B

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Lee Child with Andrew Child https://www.jackreacher.com/us/ are the authors of nearly 30 novels. No Plan Bwas published in 2022 and is the 27th novel in the Jack Reacher series. This is the 76th book I have completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this book/novel as R.

This novel has three primary characters. The first and most important is former US Army MP Jack Reacher. Then there is arsonist Lew Emerson. He is looking for revenge for his dead son. Finally, there is the teen runaway, Jed Starmer. All find themselves in Gerrardsville, Colorado.

Reacher did not mean to get involved in anything. He was simply walking down the street when he saw the woman killed. He is attacked after chasing and catching the killer. After the death is ruled an accident, he is motivated to investigate.

He finds that a friend of the woman had also suffered a fatal accident. Reacher has stumbled on something more than just murder. There is a conspiracy in Gerrardsville, and it involves drugs and the local prison.

Reacher’s interest has been piqued. Try as the conspirators will to dissuade or kill him, Reacher charges forward. Along the way, he crosses paths with Emerson and Starmer.

I enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 361-page thriller. I have read a few of the Jack Reacher novels and enjoyed them all! Those that I have read include Past Tense and Night School. The Reacher novels all have similar plain cover art. The chosen art for this novel complements the plot. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – Battle Stations

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Roger Jewett (the pen name of Irving A. Greenfield) has published more than 25 novels. Battle Stations was published in 2020 and is the first volume in their US Navy Historical Thrillers series. This is the 75th book I have completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, mature situations, and mature language, I categorize this novel as R.

This is not the story of one character, but of five. The oldest, Andrew Troost, has just been promoted to Admiral. His son, Warren, has followed the family tradition and commands a PT boat in the Pacific. Tony Trapasso enlists after Perl Harbor, leaving behind family connections to the mob. Jacob Miller is Jewish and is destined to be a Navy aviator. Farmboy Glen Lascomb is another young man assigned to the Pacific Theater.

The story begins just before the attack on Perl Harbor. It is the story of these Naval officers in the Pacific during the first few months of WWII. The action they see. Their affairs of the heart. Their encounters with one another.

I enjoyed the 7+ hours I spent reading this 353-page historical fiction set in WWII. While this is a fictional novel, it includes many details of the Pacific war. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 590 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.

Book Review – Not on My Watch

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Jeff Bailey https://jeffbaileyauthor.blogspot.com has published two novels. Not On My Watch was published in 2019. This is the 74th book I have completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book from the author with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R. While the primary character is US Marine Lance Corporal Cassandra Sing, several supporting characters are important to the story.

Corporal Sing is an aviation fire recovery specialist – she runs into burning aircraft to rescue any surviving crew. She is in a training class at Ft. Sill in Oklahoma when she notices something suspicious. She had been separated from her fellow class members when they were deployed on base to fight a grass fire.

She must make a decision. Does she go for help? Or does she pursue the men who she thinks are ruthless terrorists? Armed only with her Marine training, she chooses to shadow the terrorists. From what she has seen, they will stop at nothing.

Will she be able to follow them without being seen? How will she be able to report them to the authorities? Will she survive?

I enjoyed the 3.5+ hours I spent reading this 178-page thriller. This is really more of a novella than a fun novel. It is full of edge-of-your-seat action. The chosen cover art is a bit plain, but it is OK. I give this novel a rating of 4.8 (rounded up to a 5) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – Hitler’s First Hundred Days: When Germans Embraced the Third Reich

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Historian Peter Fritzsche is the author of more than 10 books. Hitler’s First Hundred Days: When Germans Embraced the Third Reich was published in 2020. This is the 73rd book I’ve completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! I categorize this book/novel as G.

The depression of the 1930s left Germany primed for political change. Hitler and the Nazi party were prepared to step in and take control. Hitler is appointed Chancellor in 1933, and the Enabling Law is soon proclaimed. It allows Hitler to pass any laws he wants, including those that violate the Weimar Constitution. Neither the Reichstag nor Reich President Paul von Hindenburg will be able to interfere. Hitler is the dictator in control of Germany.

The Reichstag is set on fire shortly after Hitler becomes Chancellor. It gives the Nazis an excuse to go after the communists. This eliminates one of their major political opponents. Hitler publicly calls for unity and renewal. He stirs the people to join in large public rallies.

Hitler creates jobs and begins to restore the economy. The people cheer those efforts while ignoring the mass arrests, bonfires, and brutality on the streets. The people are reminded of how Germany was mistreated by the Treaty of Versailles. Their anger is focused on the communists and the Jews.

I enjoyed the 13.5+ hours I spent reading this 363-page WWII history. The book is dry and scholarly. The cover art is plain, but it does reflect the time. I give this novel a rating of 3.8 (rounded up to 4) out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 590 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.

Book Review – Winds of Wrath

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Taylor Anderson http://taylorandersonauthor.com is the author of more than 5 novels. Winds of Wrath was published in 2020 and is the 15th novel in his Destroyermen series. This is the 72nd book I completed in 2022. I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Anderson in 2018.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this book/novel as R.

This novel continues the saga of a destroyer and its crew. They passed through a portal early in WWII and found themselves on an Earth of a parallel universe. An Earth that had evolved differently. And they were not the only travelers from alternate Earths. These novels have a wide cast of characters.

By now, the Destroyermen have made allies of several on this Earth. Foremost among them are the Lemurians. They also have three main enemies left. The Grik are a violent reptilian species native to this Earth that has spread their empire across most of Africa. The Dominion empire is centered in South America and is still a threat. The members of the League are also travelers from another Earth. They are poised to be the biggest threat yet encountered by the Destroyermen and their allies.

Earlier in the series, several battles were fought against the Grik. Now there is only one stronghold left. The Destroyermen and their allies launch an attack to destroy the remaining Grik stronghold. The Grik General Esshk has vowed to destroy them.

Some of the Dominion forces and strongholds have already been destroyed. But the Dominion is still strong and bent on the defeat of the Destroyermen and their allies. They have used their warped religion to terrorize and control their people for years. The leader, Don Hernan, has made a pact with the League to defeat the Destroyermen.

The League remains in power dominating the Mediterranean. So far, they have not directly confronted the Destroyermen and their allies. The pact with the Dominion will change that. Modern warships from the League will soon be arriving in the Caribbean.

The Destroyermen and their allies are spread out over three different theaters of operation. Will they finally stop the Grik? Can the Dominion be toppled? Will they be able to survive the fleet sailing from the League? The fighting will be brutal. Friends and allies will be lost.

I enjoyed the 25.5+ hours I spent reading this 540-page alternate history. This is the fourth novel by Mr. Anderson that I have read, and I enjoyed them all! The others were Straits of Hell, River of Bones, and Pass of Fire. These books should be read in order. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a rating of 5 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – Fatal Witness

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Robert Bryndza https://robertbryndza.com/ is the author of more than 15 novels. Fatal Witness was published in 2022. This is the seventh novel in Bryndza’s Detective Erika Foster series, and it is the 71st book I completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

One evening while on a walk in the neighborhood near her home, Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster stumbles upon the murder of Vicky Clarke. Clarke is a podcaster with a true crime series. When the woman’s notes and recording are discovered to be stolen, Foster believes Clarke was on the trail of a killer.

The investigation is complicated when the body of another young woman is found in the same building. It is one of the two Ivanova sisters who lived across the hall from Clarke. She had been brutalized and stabbed. Another young woman is missing. Will Foster and her team be able to find the killer before there are more deaths?

I enjoyed the 8.5 hours I spent reading this 372-page mystery. This is the second novel by Bryndza that I have read. The first was The Girl in the Ice. They have both been excellent modern British mysteries. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 5 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Book Review – Johnny Recruit

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – This is author Theo Houle Behe’s first publication. Johnny Recruit was published in 2022. This is the 70th book I’ve completed in 2022.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of delivering a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to minor scenes of violence, I categorize this graphic novel as PG.

Johnny is 14 when he hears that his uncle has been captured by the Germans. Johnny is already an accomplished bush pilot in Canada and a skilled big game hunter. Being a large young man, he is able to lie about his age and join the RCAF. He sees himself as the only one who can rescue his uncle.

I enjoyed the 15 minutes spent reading this 66-page WWII historical fiction graphic novel. The artwork was good, but a little rough. There was almost no dialog, so following the story was difficult. I like the cover art. I give this graphic novel a rating of 3 out of 5.

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

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If you have an interest in the WWII era of history, you may find these three pages of interest. 

• The “World War II Resources” page is a constantly growing collection of more than 590 links to museums, memorials, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and other sources with information on the World War II era in history.
• The “World War II Timeline” page expands almost daily and shows events leading up to WWII, as well as during the war. Events are broken down into the Pacific and European Theaters by date.
• The About WWII page is a collection of links to posts that I have made over the years that are relevant to WWII. Included are links to many fiction and non-fiction books on WWII that I have read and reviewed. There are also links to WWII oriented podcasts.