Book Review – Hitler’s War Beneath the Waves: The menace of the U-Boats

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Michael FitzGerald is the author of more than a dozen books. Hitler’s War Beneath the Waves: The menace of the U-Boats was published in 2020. This is the 5th book I completed reading in 2023.

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.

Few of the European nations were ready for WWII when it began. Certainly, Germany had been building their military, but their navy hadn’t reached the level desired before hostilities broke out. That said, 1940 was a successful year for the Nazi U-boat fleet.

This book discusses the Norwegian campaign, then covers the Allied use of convoys and their associated escort ships. One of the factors that helped turn the tide against the German U-boats was the advancements in radar and HF/DF. Even so, the U-boats took a heavy toll on the convoys.

As the coverage of Allied anti-submarine aircraft is extended, U-boats found it even more difficult to hunt the ships. Most of the U-boat activity was in the North Atlantic but they also had a presence off of Norway to harass the Russian convoys.

Operations in the Mediterranean were limited and even more difficult after the Allied invasion of North Africa. A few U-boats were sent to a joint Japanese/German location in Malaysia, but their efforts were of limited success.

I enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 256-page WWII history. The book is full of details, but it is very readable. I have also had the opportunity to read two other of FitzGerald’s book. Those are Hitler’s Secret Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Nazi Plan for Final Victory and Unsolved Mysteries of World War II: From the Nazi Ghost Train and ‘Tokyo Rose’ to the Day Los Angeles was Attacked by Phantom Fighters. I like the chosen cover art. I give this book a rating of 4.4 out of 5.

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

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 600 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.

A Book to add to your WWII History Shelf – Skies of Fire

I subscribe to several different ebook sales notification services. One of those is MyNextRead.

In the email I received from them today and they noted that the 234 page ebook edition of Skies of Fire by Alfred Price is currently available from Amazon for FREE. The book was published in 2015. I have downloaded the book, but not read it yet.

If you are a student of WWII history you should act now to add this book to your bookshelf. These sales often last only a few days, so better to act soon.

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 600 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 – The Skylark’s Sacrifice

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – J. M. Frey https://jmfrey.net(AKA Peggy Barnett) is the author of more than a dozen books. The Skylark’s Sacrifice was published in 2019 and is the second book in her Skylark Saga series. This is the 4th book I completed in 2023.

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 situations, I categorize this novel as R. The primary character is 17-year-old Robin Arianhod.

Arianhod has escaped from the Coyote with the rocket pack and is on the run. She uses it to strike out against Klonn’s war efforts. She is surprised when the Coyote tracks her down. She is surprised and thrilled when he joins her anti-war efforts.

Soon it is not only the city guards that are after her. The Coyote is wounded in a struggle with the Night Watch. Arianhod struggles to get him and herself to the safety of Madam Rose. Rose is one of the leaders of the Klonn rebels. They seem to want the war to end as much as Arianhod does.

As the Coyote recovers and begins to assist Arianhod with her strikes against the Klonn war machine, they grow closer. Soon the two are married. Arianhod concludes that their efforts are having little effect on the war. There is only one option to bring the war to an end. The King of Klonn must die.

Arianhod and her allies devise a daring plan. For it to work, she must rely on Madam Rosa and the Coyote. But can she really trust them? A substantial reward is being offered for her capture. Her husband is an aristocrat. Will he be able to turn his back on the throne and support her plan to assassinate the King?

I enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 356-page young adult, steampunk novel. I had the opportunity to read the first novel in the series, The Skylark’s Song in 2022. Both novels have been enjoyable reads. Before reading this novel, it would be best to have read The Skylark’s Song. The plot is a little slow, but there is an exciting ending with a twist. I like the chosen cover art. 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 – Blunt Force

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Lynda La Plante https://lyndalaplante.com is the author of nearly 50 novels. Blunt Force was published in 2020 and is the sixth novel in her Tennison series. It is the 3rd book I completed in 2023.

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. The primary character is 30-year-old Detective Sargent Jane Tennison.

Having been removed from the high-profile Flying Squad, Tennison is now assigned to the Gerald Road station in Knightsbridge. With the discoveray of a body, the tranquility of the affluent neighborhood is disrupted. The man isn’t simply dead but has been severely beaten, dismembered, and disemboweled.

The man turns out to be talent agent Charlie Foxley. Tennison finds no shortage of suspects. Foxley had earned himself many enemies. Most evidence points towards Foxley’s ex-wife, but not enough for an arrest.

As the investigation moves forward, Tennison finds evidence of drugs, prostitution, and underage girls manipulated into having sex. Her excursion into the world of show business is far from glamorous.

I enjoyed the 11.5 hours I spent reading this 434-page mystery. While the book is part of a series, it can easily be read standalone. The plot was a little slow, and the novel seemed to end abruptly. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 3.8 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

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

Book Review – Debt of Loyalty

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Christopher G. Nuttall is the author of more than 100 novels. Debt of Loyalty was published in 2020 and is the second book in his Ember of War series. This is the 2nd book I completed in 2023.

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 some violence and mature language, I categorize this novel as R. The primary character is Admiral Lady Katherine Falcone.

The Commonwealth has been engulfed in a civil war. Falcone had to make a hard decision as civil war became inevitable. Should she stay loyal to the King and the colony worlds or remain with the Tyre Navy and her family. She has sided with King Hadrian and has enabled his escape from Tyre.

The planet Caledonia has become the rebel stronghold and has allied with a handful of colony worlds against the Commonwealth parliament.

Falcone had to make a hard decision as civil war became inevitable. Should she stay loyal to the King and the colony worlds, or remain with the Tyre Navy and her family.

Falcone is given command of the King’s fleet and engages the Tyre forces. They skirmish, but the big battle will be in Tyre space. The plan is risky, but if the war is not taken to Tyre, Caledonia will fall under attack. Falcone wants to win the engagement and bring the civil war to an end. She may have to settle for striking a hard blow and withdrawing in defeat.

I enjoyed the 10.5+ hours I spent reading this 401-page science fiction novel. With this book, I have read six excellent books by Mr. Nuttall. The others are The Oncoming Storm, Falcone Strike, Cursed Command, The Hyperspace Trap, and Debt of Honor. While this novel can be read stand-alone, the novels listed above, except for The Hyperspace Trap should be read first. I enjoy ‘space opera’ stories, and Debt of Loyalty is one of the best. The plot is laced with action, politics, and intrigue. I like the cover art chosen for this novel. 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 – Sex Under the Swastika

(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Tim Heath is the author of eight books. Sex Under the Swastika: Erotica, Scandal and the Occult in Hitler’s Third Reich will be released on 16 February. This is the 1st book I completed in 2023.

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 mature language and mature situations, I categorize this book as R.

The book begins by looking at the decadence during the days of the Weimar Republic. There were many nightclubs, particularly in Berlin. Around them swirled an atmosphere of drugs, alcohol, and sex. With the age of consent for women at just 16, many girls indulged in all three.

When the Nazis ascended to power in 1934, they tried to curtail the excesses. Many clubs were closed. Those who did not follow the Nazi family ideal were arrested as deviants, many being sent to the camps. The Nazis envisioned their youth to follow a healthy, athletic, family-oriented, and moral lifestyle.

Careers for women were frowned upon. Girls should marry early, often at 16 or 17. It was a moral duty for them to bear as many children as possible for the Third Reich. The government created the Cross of Honour of the German Mother to encourage this. A woman birthing four children earned the bronze medal, 6+ the silver, and the gold for eight or more.

The outdoors and exercise were integral parts of the Nazi-imposed BDM. Beginning with its creation in 1938 all girls aged 14 to 18 were required to be members. Nakedness was embraced as a form of naturism, nothing to be ashamed of, and perfectly natural. It was not uncommon for them to walk around the countryside or swim in the rivers and lakes naked.

Although a moral standard was held up as an example, many youngsters of both genders suffered sexual abuse. The threat of being called out as a Jew and sent to a camp enabled many predators to take advantage of young women. The list of abuses is long. In conquered areas military brothels known as ‘Joy Divisions’ were often established.

The Lebensborn program began in 1935. Aryan girls as young as 15 were encouraged to have sex with selected Aryan males. The plan was to increase the birth rate of Aryan children for the Reich. German girls were coached on the best sexual position to use to increase their chances of pregnancy.

I enjoyed the 10.5 hours I spent reading this 276-page WWII-era history. Much of the source material comes from interviews, letters, and journals. This is the third book by Tim Heath that I have read. The other two were Hitler’s Housewives: German Women on the Home Front and Resistance Heroines in Nazi- and Russian-Occupied Austria. They have all been enjoyable books on the history of WWII. While I knew some of the material discussed in the book, there was much that was new to me. The book includes several photos relevant to the story from the war period. I like the chosen cover art. I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5.

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

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 600 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.