Weekly Reader: Seal Team 11 Quantum Soldier by Charles Crabb; Action and Robot Soldier Are Highlights of Political Military Thriller

 

Weekly Reader: Seal Team 11 Quantum Soldier by Charles Crabb; Action and Robot Soldier Are Highlights of Political Military Thriller

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Charles Crabb's political military thriller, Seal Team 11 Quantum Soldier, is for those who like a good military action book, the kind of thing that Tom Clancy might have written in the 1990's. The type of book with plenty of soldiers, action, and patriotism.

In the book, the NSA has revealed that China is building a quantum computer. Once online, it would knock out power in the United States with a few quick keystrokes. Well, the United States government won't stand for that, no way! They send for Seal Team 11, a secret elite team of soldiers to investigate and knock out this quantum computer before it strikes. 

The Team has as their commander, Roger Henderson, who is brace, tough, adaptable, and capable of surviving most obstacles. Hey, if his personality seems a bit bland and robotic, well there's a reason for that. He is in fact a robot or humbot. He earned praise in the previous book (unread by me) when he killed another humbot, Adam, who vowed to destroy the human race. Now Roger is put in command of an elite team of rough and ready soldiers to destroy the quantum computer.

This book is definitely for those who like their books filled with action and clearly defined lines between good and bad characters. There are some pretty tense suspenseful passages when Roger and his team are in precarious situations facing their Chinese counterparts. 

There are also some fascinating moments where characters are revealed to be spies. The lengths that these spies go through to disguise their identities and gather information is impressive.

There isn't much depth to this book beyond themes of patriotism and loyalty to one's country and fellow soldiers. The most fascinating character is certainly Roger. When people are wondering whether automation will replace humans in jobs, this book suggests that the best way to defeat a supercomputer is to rely on another AI.

While Roger is a robot soldier, he is not a blunt instrument who only obeys orders and kills on command. He's a strategic planner and thinker, able to understand the subtle analysis of whether a plan can come to full fruition or not. He also struggles with emotion especially when it comes to putting his human fellow soldiers in danger. 

Seal Team 11 Quantum Soldier is a suspenseful action novel in which you pretty much know what will happen. However, the paths leading up to those points are still exciting. However, Commander Roger Henderson is the definite star of this book.

Weekly Reader: Righteous Assassin A Mike Stoneman Thriller by Kevin G Chapman; Suspenseful Thriller About A Religion Obsessed Serial Killer

 

Weekly Reader: Righteous Assassin A Mike Stoneman Thriller by Kevin G Chapman; Suspenseful Thriller About A Religion Obsessed Serial Killer

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Kevin G. Chapman is a tight and suspenseful murder mystery/psychological thriller about two police officers and an FBI agent who are on the search for a serial killer so obsessed with his warped sense of religion and justice that he is willing to kill people for.

Detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson come upon the body of a man who was killed in a very unusual way. Mob boss, Mickey "Slick Mick," Gallata or what was left of him was found inside the tiger enclosure of the Bronx Zoo with the large felines munching on his remains and the binding that held him. It's a gruesome sight.

At first the detectives think that it could be anything: a mob hit, a jealous rival, anything. Then they investigate a few earlier unsolved cases such as Pierre LeBlanc, a businessman who owned a drug company and was found frozen to death in the cold storage unit of a restaurant. There were also businessman, Nicholas Devito and fashion designer, Marlene Sheraton who died from a fatal shot of Novocain and were poisoned by a sharp object respectively. All dead in unusual ways, all unsolved, and all at the end of the month. 

With the help of a forensic pathologist, Dr. Michelle McNeil, and FBI profiler Special Agent Angela Manning, Stoneman and Dickson realize that these murders are not random. They are the work of a serial killer obsessed with religious ideology. 

In fact, the murders are reminiscent of the 10 plagues of Egypt. The killer believes that he was sent by God to bring justice into the world. Not only that but his blog entries reveal that he is bragging about it and is looking for other targets.

The mystery is a nice effective one. The Righteous Assassin is one of those villains who gets off on showing how smart they are while being consumed by their obsession. Their blog entries are filled with religious dogma and nicknames for  enemies like "Abel," "Eve," "Napoleon", "Centurion" and so on. They set themselves higher than their victims. 

Even the methods of murder are clever in a sadistic sense with how they tie to the Ten Plagues. Since New York City isn't exactly surrounded by livestock to poison, the Assassin poisons a potential victim's steak in a restaurant. Another victim is burned by boiling water, since the chances of them getting boils aren't as likely as they would have been in Biblical times.

Sometimes in thrillers, the murders are not really justifiable but understandable especially if they are the type who escaped punishment. This shows that somewhat as the chosen victims were involved in such activities as human trafficking, drug dealing, and organized crime which often resulted in the ruin and deaths of others. 

However, the Righteous Assassin does not come across any better. They are not as sympathetic as say Neiman, the serial killer, in Brian O'Hare's Murder on the Dark Web. In fact, they are judgemental, self-righteous, and delusional. Even their backstory carries no understanding for their character. This is not a case of subverting guilt and innocence, right and wrong. Instead it's the guilty vs. the truly guilty, wrong and also wrong. 

Of course the investigators on the case have their own issues as well. Stoneman and McNeil have a developing romance that gets up to them dating. Dickson and Manning have some flirtatious exchanges. The romances come to an unfortunate conclusion when lives end up on the line.

By far the biggest conflict is between Stoneman and Dickson. Stoneman is an older, street smart, seasoned detective who knows when to research information and when to follow a lead. Dickson is younger, intellectual, passionate, and is eager to look for this killer before they strike again.

However, the biggest hurdle in their partnership involves race. The Caucasian Stoneman acts condescending towards the African-American Dickson. Stoneman calls his partner demeaning nicknames like "Junior" and "Kid" and dismisses some of his theories even though Dickson is often right. It takes well into the book before Stoneman realizes that his behavior is interfering with the investigation. He slowly begins to understand his partner's position and recognizes his abilities. He develops as a character through his partnership with Dickson.

Righteous Assassin is a suspenseful thriller that looks at subjects like race, crime, justice, religion, and revenge. It is a truly righteous thriller.

Weekly Reader: Servitude by Costi Gurgu; Grim and Suspenseful Science Fiction Thriller Set in a World of Legal Human Trafficking

 

Weekly Reader: Servitude by Costi Gurgu; Grim and Suspenseful Science Fiction Thriller Set in a World of Legal Human Trafficking

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Servitude by Costi Gurgu is another one of those Science Fiction novels that can be labeled under the file marked, "Current Times Taken to Extreme Levels." It depicts a world in which people are taken from the streets for minor offenses and forced into Servitude, in other words taken forcibly and sold into slavery in a process that is perfectly legal and sanctioned by the government.

In this book, frighteningly set in the near future of 2046, Blake Frye, a police detective and his TV producer wife, Isa decide to take a random vacation to London. Unfortunately, this is not a pleasurable holiday. As they see the sights, they are caught in various riots protesting the Servitude program. (The Servitude program is extremely active in Britain and is only being considered in the United States, so far). They see people being taken away such as the parents of two small children, who are arrested for being in debt. 

It's enough to disgust the emotional and newly pregnant Isa. Blake however has ulterior means to make this trip. Isa got into some trouble with a documentary that she made which discussed potential trafficking in the U.S. and called some elite billionaires to task for benefiting from it. Blake has to meet an informant to learn whether his wife is in trouble and what could be done to protect her. Unfortunately, all of Blake and Isa's worst fears are confirmed when they return to the U.S. and come face to face with some mysterious people that take Isa away. While Isa tries to survive her captivity and Blake is driven to rescue her, we are given flashbacks to the issues that Isa explored in her documentary and the elites' fury at being caught in taking part and controlling this deplorable institution.

Servitude is a very intense book on how people reinterpret guilt, innocence, and punishment to fit their needs. Gurgu captures what happens when the 1% seize that power and control over the people under them. Well, I mean more so than now.

 In Servitude, the multibillionaire who controls the Servitude program in the U.S. is William Wilmot, a tech mogul who uses Servitude to silence his enemies. When Isa's documentary about human trafficking names Wilmot specifically as a beneficiary to this secret organization, Wilmot and his equally conniving daughter, Gabriella definitely have her and her colleagues on their list.

There are a few real-life obvious inspirations for Wilmot, many moguls who use their money and connections to get away with the worst crimes and still have people that will defend them. They are the types who will control a media outlet under the guise of fighting for free speech and then use ruthless hypocritical tactics to silence those who oppose them.

 We've seen them all and we know them all. In the United States, nothing speaks louder than money and in Servitude, money controls other people's freedom.

Blake and Isa are the honest courageous people who would speak out against such horrors. The opening chapters show this. Even though it's set in London, the tension and ramifications are pretty clear. This is happening out in the open what is being done in the United States in secret and it's only a matter of time before it's in public in the U.S. It gives the Reader a sense that soon there will be nowhere to hide.

We also peer into Blake and Isa's characters as well. Isa is anguished and protective of the children. It's easy to see why with her pregnancy and documentary. After studying cases of families left in this situation and worrying about bringing another child into a world that allows such things to happen, her maternal instincts are in full overdrive. She would do anything to protect those that she cares about: her husband, two parentless children, and in a later chapter, her colleagues. 

Blake too reveals much about himself in this early vacation. Even though he knows what he and Isa might see, they go anyway. He is someone who works hard to get the right information to protect and later find his wife. He also knows how to find that information by asking certain people and researching what is needed. He will sacrifice his own freedom to protect people like Isa.

Besides the story about Isa's captivity and Blake's rescue attempts, we are treated to flashbacks in alternating chapters. They serve to provide much needed explanation for the documentary, the Fryes, and the people for and against them.

The flashbacks are pretty clever in that they reveal some interesting information about the main plot. One character appears to work for one side. Then in the flashbacks, one line reveals that they are a different character from another side and had their name changed and appearance altered.

 This is a pretty impressive feat because in the main plot, he's a cypher and lover to one character. Then in the flashbacks, this character appears to be an unlikeable coward who would throw anybody under the bus. Instead that is a front, until it is revealed how deeply involved they really are to the situation at hand, what their true personality is, and where their loyalties lie.

Servitude is one of those terrifying Science Fiction books. Terrifying because we are standing on the edge of what could happen, so we can keep it from happening.

Weekly Reader: Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality Book 3: Enchantment Now Enshrouds by Francessca Bella; The Fantastical's Third and Best Adventure Takes Her Into a Scientifically Engineered Fantasy

 Weekly Reader: Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality Book 3: Enchantment Now Enshrouds by Francessca Bella; The Fantastical's Third and Best Adventure Takes Her Into a Scientifically Engineered Fantasy 

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: A few decades ago, there was a trend that combined Science Fiction and Epic Fantasy. They did this by showing us an agrarian fantasy world of elves, wizards, dwarves,dragons, and feudalism. The Reader at first thinks it's a fantasy world that they are reading about but then the author drops several hints that it is actually a Science Fiction novel set either on a Post-Apocalyptic Earth or on another planet colonized by former Earthlings. The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey and The Chronicles of Shannara by Terry Brooks are some such examples. 

In her third book in the Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality series, author Francessca Bella shows the point where the transition between Science Fiction into Fantasy begins. How once extinct magical creatures like fairies are genetically engineered and how some Earthlings begin to reject the technological future lifestyle that brought so much chaos to their world. Instead they revert back to a magical pre-Industrial following. This is all observed by Calista Soleil, the Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality and Overseer of Port Sunshinescence in what is the best so far in Bella's series.

While doing her usual duties, Calista hears rumors that creatures like fairies, demons, elves, and magic users have reappeared on Earth. Conceding that it would be interesting to see such creatures, she doesn't hold the rumors in much stock. However, she comes face to face with the truth of those rumors when Marius, a refugee, hides in her private quarters after telling her about some strange happenings in a forest down on Earth in which people enter but never return and are never found. So Calista and Marius go down to Earth to investigate the trouble. Along the way, they meet several characters who would be more at home in a Fantasy novel like Triella, a young woman who sports a pair of fairy wings, and Caimana, a woman who claims that she's a sorceress.

Here is the first book where Calista's more positive character traits outweigh the negative ones. In fact, much of her earlier uncompromising, arrogant, cold, sometimes polarizing behavior can be found in many of the characters that she encounters. Marius for example displays some arrogance as their adventures continue. He makes unwise choices that puts himself and the others in danger. Triella and Caimana have some Science Vs. Spirituality debates, similar to the ones that Calista herself had with Lavender in Overture for the Overawed.

Serenity, a young Earth girl put in Calista's care during this adventure, carries some of Calista's curious, adventurous, and overly emotional behavior.

In fact, Calista often has to be more diplomatic in her leadership skills. Here she shows it by listening to her team's concerns and keeping them in line while also disseminating the latest problems from Earth locals. She has definitely matured as a leader and we have seen a shift where she is less of the protagonist who is always considered right, but the leader of an ensemble of brilliant multifaceted characters. In fact, Triella and Caimana were the best characters in this volume. It's great to see other characters shine (pun not intended) just as brightly as the Overseer of Port Sunshinescence.

What is absolutely the best part about this book is how Science Fiction takes that right turn straight into Fantasy. Magic, religion, and mythology have always been in the background of the Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality series. There are cults that worship the sun and moon. In one book, Calista has a vision of a phoenix. She is even revered and treated like a Sun Goddess. However, many of these elements were subtle and could be handwaved by scientific methods. 

Enchantment Now Enshrouds is where the line between Science and Magic is blurred implying that within a few generations, that line could disappear.

Triella is not an actual fairy. She was human but she had been genetically engineered with wings and can harness energy. That is confirmed in the text.

However, we also have Caimana, a sorceress who says that she has studied magic through books. Whether she is reading science books and channeling energy is never revealed. The point is that in the future there are still people who believe in the old, supernatural ways, and prefer to call it magic. We have two different looks at how legends and myths are created: either by man made events misinterpreted by future generations or by old ways that people were once in tune with but have forgotten about. 

The society in Enchantment Now Enshrouds is in a transitional period where science is creating a decline in progress and in a few generations, that decline will disappear. Science and technology will be rebranded as magic. Creatures once thought to be nonexistent will be created not by supernatural means but by geneticists with too much curiosity, pride, and time on their hands. Then in a few generations, they will become those creatures forgetting that they were once ever regular unengineered humans.

Also the fact that most of the setting is the woods is also important. The woods was always the dark forbidden place where the protagonists were forbidden to go in legends and fairy tales. The witch could be in her cottage listening for lost children. Dwarves and other magical guides could hinder or help travelers on their Hero's Journeys.

 The wolf could lie in wait for an unwary traveler. A circle of mushrooms could have been a ring of fairies dancing and luring a human to their realm. Don't get me started on all of the horror movie characters that hide in the woods before they strike. 

Anyway, the woods is a deliberate choice setting for the majority of Enchantment Now Enshrouds. Calista lives in a futuristic colony which gets its power by the sun. She is a woman of the future. 

In the forests on Earth, she is confronted with the past of myth and legend. It is unknown and as frightening to her as the untamed woods were to the villagers who first told oral stories warning the children to stay out of them.

Just like in those stories, Calista and her team find an untapped power source in the woods  that tests many characters' honor, virtue, and resistance against temptation. Some succeed while others fail. But it also shows that the myths, legends, fairy tales served another purpose.

 They weren't just created to build imaginary worlds or to frighten the listeners and Readers on a cold winter night. They were meant to call attention to traits that society considered admirable like valor, wisdom, empathy, dedication, and so on. Those that used them to achieve those goals are the ones worthy to be called heroes. Those that don't, well often have to wait for a postmodern revision novel for their story perspective to be told.

Enchantment Now Enshrouds combines beautifully the worlds of science fiction and fantasy. It shows that transition in a way that is hard to figure out and easy to visualize what could happen next.

Weekly Reader: The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber Logan; Haunting Beautiful Novel About Grief and Ghosts in Japan

 Weekly Reader: The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber Logan; Haunting Beautiful Novel About Grief and Ghosts in Japan

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: Similar to Simone Doucet's book Wicked Bleu, Amber A. Logan's novel The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn is a haunting novel about a ghost with a dark tale, an emotional female protagonist, and has a beautiful setting which adds to the spooky and spiritual atmosphere. But Wicked Bleu concentrates more on the horror aspects of ghostly possession and a woman tortured by racism and misogyny in her life and can only achieve power in the afterlife. All of this is surrounded by the Gothic and eeriness of New Orleans.

While there are some creepy moments in The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn, the overall tone of the book is more beautiful than scary, with characters that are more haunted by their own emotions than by the ghosts around them. It is also set in Japan which provides a certain enchanted feel to the book because of the natural and supernatural aspects. It's more similar to a Studio Ghibli anime film than a Gothic horror tale.

Mari Lennox is a professional photographer who is grieving after the death of her mother. She is given an assignment to take pictures of Yanagi Inn, an inn in Japan near where Mari and her sister, Risa grew up while their father was an American businessman in Japan. They lived in Japan until their parent's divorce and their mother returned to the U.S. with her daughters.

Reconnecting herself to the country and language of her childhood, Mari becomes acquainted with Yanagi's staff including the gruff housekeeper, Ogura, the spirited teenage maid, Yuna, and the reserved elegant owner, Kishi. 

While taking pictures of the grounds, Mari sees an abandoned garden and has visions of how it looked when it was full and beautiful. It's like she knows that place, like she had been there before. She also feels a close connection to a crane who constantly seems to wait for her.

Also in her room, she hears a soft disembodied crying. The crying voice eventually takes the form of Suzu, a ghost girl. Mari befriends her but is consumed by curiosity. Who was Suzu?.How did she die? What is her connection to the garden? It seems that she recognizes Mari but how? Mari doesn't know her. Or does she?

There is something haunting and wistful about this book, starting with the setting. Logan clearly loves the Japanese setting. Mari feels a familiar connection that even though she isn't Japanese in her descent, recognizes it as a place that held many of her childhood memories. Her returning to Japan after suffering tremendous loss is similar to returning home, to a place that makes her feel safe and comfortable, and gives her a respite. To her it's a place to return to when she is hurting, wounded, and needs to heal.

The highlight of the book's setting is the garden outside Yanagi Inn. When Mari sees the overgrown hedges and the now disorganized path, she sees little patches of beauty and can almost see the garden as it once was. As she talks to Suzu, Mari promises that she will restore the garden to its beauty for as long as she remains at Yanagi. Restoring the garden gives Mari a sense of purpose and connects her to the spirituality of the nature around her. 

The plot of a garden reviving damaged and broken souls has been explored before, most prominently in Frances Hodgson Burnett's book The Secret Garden. In her Acknowledgements, Logan cites Burnett's classic as an inspiration, even contributing to the title of this book. It's easy to see why.

 The garden that Mari and Honda work on has an almost magical way of healing the various characters' pain, particularly Mari's.

The garden is a metaphor for Mari's grief. At first it is dead as she processes the death of her mother. She recalls flashbacks of her time with her mom and Risa and regrets many of the things that she did and said to them. 

As she restores the grounds and brings life to the landscape, she herself comes back to life. Her grief is still present but is able to be moved aside as she sees others that are hurting. The garden not only heals herself but others as well.

The Japanese setting not only connects the characters to the natural world but also to the spiritual as well. Of course, the garden has a meditative appeal with the geometric patterns, bridges, and plants that are meant to soothe the mind and body.

The Crane appears at the inn and around the garden as if to comfort or encourage Mari on her path. In Japanese legends, cranes are symbols of peace, luck, prosperity, and longevity. The Crane brings peace to Mari's mind and lets her know that she is taking the right path in her life.

Above all, the appearance of Suzu, the ghost girl, is a more abstract concept than is often found in many Western based books about the spirit world. She isn't meant to scare, though there are a few times where she gets possessive and angry. 

There are some questions of what she actually is the ghost of a human that died, some otherworldly spirit, or a manifestation of grief and guilt. It's less concrete than most portrayals of ghosts and the book is all the better for it.

Instead of terror, there is an aura of sadness about her like she's reaching out for something or someone. When her true nature is revealed, her appearance comes not from the usual place of a being that died, came back, scares the living, and needs to move on to the next world. Instead, she inhabits the internal feelings and emotions of the living characters around her. Suzu allows them to bring that grief and guilt forward and helps them move on from themselves.

The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn is a healing and meditative book that beautifully uses the setting of the natural and supernatural worlds to bring healing to the characters and maybe to the Reader.

Lit List Short Reviews Augmented Lean A Human Centric Framework for Managing Frontline Operations by Natan Linder, PhD and Trond Arne Undheim PhD; The Fasting Bible How to Lose Weight Grow Younger and Heal Your Body in 30 Days or Less by Lynn Hardy ND CNC; After Injury Reflections Recovery and Re-Becoming Your Best Self by Zaki J. Doudak

 Augmented Lean A Human Centric Framework for Managing Frontline Operations by Natan Linder PhD and Trond Arne Undheim PhD

Natan Linder and Trond Arne Undheim know approximately how the future frontline operations will work. 

In their book, Augmented Lean A Human Centric Framework for Managing Frontline Operations, they reveal how augmentation will be a composite of technology and human centered work to improve businesses in the future.

Augmented Lean is a process that combines human workers and technology to increase and improve frontline productivity. The authors describe augmentation as, "The process gives (humans) easy access to tools and technology needed to do their jobs, rather than relying explicitly on technology to boost productivity."

Augmentation is a perfect way to combine speed and operation of technology with the ingenuity and analysis of human workers. Linder and Undheim demonstrate how augmentation worked in different companies and how their productivity soared because of this practice.

Besides companies, the authors discuss the education and training that frontline workers would require to commit to such tasks. The workers learn to use the technology and are able to strategically think about possible solutions.

One of the more interesting chapters is one that takes Readers through a timeline that leads to augmentation. From industrialization, to assembly line production, to automation, to technology, to augmentation. These changes show how businesses and workers adjusted each time to the ever-changing landscape of frontline working. They learned new skills, adjusted management techniques, and transitioned with what needed to be done. Augmentation is the most recent practice that requires such adjustment and transitions.

In a world where companies are changing and evolving by allowing employees to work remotely and having flexible hours, augmentation would be great means to adjust to the "New Normal." Augmented Lean shows that human and technology can both be applied. Neither has to be sacrificed.

The Fasting Bible: How to Lose Weight, Grow Younger, and Heal Your Body (in 30 Days or Less) by Lynne Hardy ND, CNC 

In her latest book, The Fasting Bible: How to Lose Weight, Grow Younger, and Heal Your Body uses the current diet of fasting and how if done wisely can improve our bodies and outlooks on life.

Hardy describes different types of fasting such as Water (drinking only water for a time and abstaining from food),  Intermittent (fasting for a short amount of time like for 12 or 24 hours), and Protein Sparing Modified Fast (minimizing carbs and fats and eating adequate protein). Hardy discusses the advantages and disadvantages. For example, Intermittent Fasting is good for losing fat and lowering blood pressure but restricting calories has led to a 38% dropout as well as disagreements among experts over what foods are good during feeding times.

There is a process that should be followed before one can fast. It would be difficult to just begin it with no preparation whatsoever because it would lead to more harm than good. Hardy discusses such steps as reducing carbs, paying attention to proteins, and tightening the diet for at least two to three weeks before the fast. She also advises Readers what to do to safely break the fast.

It is important to note that fasting can be very difficult and dangerous to some. Hardy does not recommend this for those who are pregnant, children, or have an eating disorder. Just like Hardy mentions in the book, always check with a medical professional before fasting and those with a history of eating disorders should avoid it completely.

After Injury: Reflection, Recovery, and Re-Becoming Your Best Self by Zaki J. Doudak 

It can be difficult to live with a serious injury. The physical and psychological aftereffects can seem insurmountable. Zaki Doudak's book After Injury: Reflection, Recovery, and Re-Becoming Your Best Self is a helpful guide on how one can live through an injury and ease their physical, psychological, and emotional pain.

Doudak offers good advice on how to deal with a serious injury and Its aftereffects. Instead of being upset that they can't be active, the injured could take this time to rest and relax. They should not overexert themselves and avoid repetitive motions that could add more strain. They should also avoid self destructive patterns like drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or gambling because they will lead to problems later.

The book suggests that the injured person can practice self-care. They can take a few minutes for meditation and reflection, get involved in easy hobbies that interest them, or talk about their worries and insecurities with those close to them or a professional. 

Another thing that can help is to accept and improve relations with the people around them. Accept help when it's offered such as for shopping or running errands. Also speaking about their issues, showing gratitude, and listening to other's concerns as well. Not only will it help during an injury but will heal relationships a long time afterwards.

After Injury offers great advice to heal not only an injury but one's own self-worth and relationships with others.

Lit List Short Reviews: Fractured Tears: A Struggle for Justice by Amy Shannon; Ghost of the Rio Grande The Reluctant Tejano Hero Stands Up To Conspiracy, Murder and Injustice Along The Border or The War and Punitive Expedition By The U.S. Into Mexico 1916-1917 by Don A Holbrook Story by Gilberto Beto Garcia Jr.

 Lit List Short Reviews: Fractured Tears: A Struggle for Justice by Amy Shannon; Ghost of the Rio Grande The Reluctant Tejano Hero Stands Up To Conspiracy, Murder and Injustice Along The Border or The War and Punitive Expedition By The U.S. Into Mexico 1916-1917 by Don A Holbrook Story by Gilberto Beto Garcia Jr.

Fractured Tears: A Struggle for Justice by Amy Shannon

Fractured Tears: A Struggle for Justice is an emotional, strong, and inspirational fictionalized account of author Amy Shannon's fight against her abusive husband to obtain justice and live with the short and long term after effects from years of domestic violence.

The fictionalized version of Shannon is called Anna Coleman. She has woken up in the hospital after her husband, Ted beat her. Instead of crying and blaming herself for the abuse, Anna is understandably angry. She has had enough of trying to make a faltering abusive marriage work. Even though their son died and the two have been in mourning, it doesn’t excuse his drug use, his angry fists, his belittling of her, his ever changing moods, and her frequent hospitalizations thanks to his beatings of her. After an intense fight in which she manages to escape to a nearby police station and is taken to the hospital, Anna decides to file for divorce.

Anna is a very strong character dealing with her divorce and the physical and psychological aftereffects of the abuse. While dealing with a stressful court case, Anna has migraines that developed because of the constant beatings and falling down. She also has to cope with betrayal when some of her and her husband’s friends side with Ted. Through it all, Anna has a determination and inner strength to break free from her marriage, assert her independence, and live her own life.

What is particularly admirable about Anna’s story is how much it mirrors her author’s. According to her epilogue, Shannon used her own real life troubled marriage and subsequent divorce as inspiration for her book. There were some major differences between fictional and real life (Shannon actually has children during the divorce but opted to keep them out of the fictional version to keep them free from any publicity. She also did not begin a tentative romance with an attorney as Anna does in the book). However much of Shannon’s real life pain and triumph is echoed in her book. For example, the fight which led to Shannon’s escape to a police station and hospitalization is true to life. Also Anna’s badass speech in court in which she revealed exactly what Ted did to her and that she can’t forgive him for his abuse and betrayal is almost word for word a speech in which Shannon said to her own ex.

It cannot be stressed enough how graphic and realistic the violence is, of course it would be. It can be triggering for some Readers. (Shannon warns of this herself in the opening). But it is truthful about a woman who struggled in a difficult situation and courageously and heroically found her way out in fiction and most importantly in reality.

Don A. Holbrook and Gilberto Beto Garcia Jr tell a suspenseful and exciting Western and Espionage Thriller, Ghost of The Rio Grande The Reluctant Tejano Hero Stands Up to Conspiracy, Murder, and Injustice Along The Border or The War and Punitive Expedition by the U.S. Into Mexico, 1916-1917. 

Fabriciano Garcia is in a huge mess of trouble. He shot a Texas Ranger in self-defense after they tried to evict him and his family from his father-in-law’s ranch. Fabriciano goes on the run and becomes an outlaw with the name of El Fantomas or The Ghost. He caught the attention of Francois LaBorde, an eccentric hotelier. Francois gets Fabriciano involved in more international intrigue involving people with names like Mata Hari and an international war against the Germans and will soon involve the entire world. 

Ghost of the Rio Grande is an interesting mixture of Meso-American Western and International Espionage Thriller. It captures the time when the United States, long believed to hold onto an isolationist largely nationalistic policy, was thrust into a larger international spotlight. One of the key moments in the book is the discovery of the Zimmerman Telegram, a telegram intercepted by British intelligence, which proposed a military alliance between Germany and Mexico if the United States got involved in the war. The book shows how this revelation affected all of the countries involved by showing what the ramifications meant for Germany, The United States, and Mexico. 

The book also takes a hard look at the policies that the United States had with Mexico which led to many decades, even centuries, of fractured relations between the two countries and racist policies towards Central and South American immigrants. This is seen through Fabriciano’s journey from being one of many immigrants trying to make their way in a country that doesn’t always want them there. Racism drives Fabriciano away from his family and restrictive policies drive him to take on a life of crime. Ironically, the international situation allows Fabriciano to aid the country that once turned him away and branded him a criminal.

Fabriciano is an excellent protagonist to understand and root for. Even when he commits illegal acts, he always does it with the best of intentions and for the assistance of others. While on the run, he longs to be back with his wife, Manuela and their children. He becomes close friends with various characters during his time on the run. One in particular is so close to Fabriciano that when he is killed, Fabriciano who faced countless dangers in spying missions, is ready to go on another mission to kill this character’s assassin. He is willing to put his identity on the line for justice for his late friend. Fabriciano is a character of deep convictions and loyalty. This book shows that.

Ghost of the Rio Grande is a fascinating look at a history that is only mildly explored in American history books and brings it to life with interesting characters that take a fresh perspective to that history.

January's List

 January's List 

Well, a great year for reading has ended. Time for another one. I am finally on my last few books that I fell behind on because of COVID and the holidays. Finally!

Reading List:

Fractured Tears: A Struggle for Justice by Amy Shannon

Servitude by Costi Gurgu

Righteous Assassin (A Mike Stoneman Thriller) by Kevin G. Chapman

The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber A. Logan

Augmented Lean:A Human Centric Framework for Managing Frontline Operations by Natan Linder, PhD and Trond Arne Undheim, PhD

Ghost of the Rio Grande: The U.S. Border War and Punitive Expedition into Mexico 1916-1917, Story by Gilberto Beto Garcia Jr., Written by Don A. Holbrook

The Fasting Bible by Lynne Hardy

The Wynters Series: Harriet Disguised by Catherine Dove 

Lily Upshire is Winning by John Holmes 

Seal Team 11 Quantum Soldier by Charles Crabb 

After Injury: Reflections, Recovery, and ReBecoming Your Best Self by Zaki Doudak 

Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality Series Book 3: Enchantment Now Enshrouds by Francessca Bella 

Plus I will be editing and proofreading for Nabraj Lama. I will be very busy.

If  you have a book that you would like me to review, beta read, edit, proofread, or write, please contact me at the following:

Email: juliesaraporter@gmail.com 

LinkedIn: 

Facebook: 

Instagram:

Twitter:

Mastodon:

Upwork: 

Reedsy Discovery: 

Prices are as follows:

Beta Read: $15-20.0

Review: $25-50.00*

Copy/Content Edit: $75-300.00

Proofread: $75-300.00

Research & Citation: $100-400.00

Ghostwrite/Co-Write:$100-400.00

*Exceptions are books provided by Henry Roi PR, Coffee and Thorn Book Group, BookTasters, Reedsy, Online Book Club, and other noted book groups 

All prices are negotiable and are subject to change depending on project size.

Payments can be made to my PayPal account at juliesaraporter@gmail.com

Well that's it. Thanks and as always, Happy Reading!

Weekly Reader: Embers of Resistance (Women Spies of World War II) by Kit Sergeant; World War II's Female Spy Saga Comes To Its Moving, Suspenseful, and Satisfying End

 

Weekly Reader: Embers of Resistance (Women Spies of World War II) by Kit Sergeant; World War II's Female Spy Saga Comes To Its Moving, Suspenseful, and Satisfying End

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers:

Then we come to the possible end of Kit Sergeant's Women Spies of World War II and the latest of her Female Spies Historical Fiction novels.

This novel serves as a midquel to the previous book, Flames of Resistance in that the events take place at the same time. It also takes us to the end of the war. Sergeant chose to continue, possibly end, her series on a high note. While Spark of Resistance is best in terms of characterization and Flames of Resistance is best in terms of suspense and plot, Embers of Resistance is probably the best in terms of the theme of ordinary people in extraordinarily tumultuous times putting their lives on the line to help others.

The three women who are recruited into the spy game in this volume are:

Christine Gizycki-The daughter of a Polish countess, Christine has been a spy for some time now. She is part of the Resistance organization, The Musketeers. She is one of the most traveled characters in this series, covering assignments from Poland, to Germany, to England, to Hungary, to Turkey. She also has an active love life with an estranged husband and two lovers over the course of the book.

Sonia Olschanezky-A former governess, Sonia is driven to join the Resistance after a brief imprisonment. She talks her way into joining Jacques Weil's group as a courier being assigned to locate information such as locations and train schedules. Eventually, she moves up to more dangerous territory while she and Jacques grow closer together.

Julienne Aisner-A former script editor, Julienne agrees to hide an agent and his ally who need a temporary refuge. This gesture lights a fire within Julienne who wants to join the Resistance. She becomes a courier helping the circuit by writing and sending messages and traveling with her handler as his secretary. Unfortunately, she is rekindling her love for an old flame putting her at odds with her steady lover, Charles. 

Like the previous books in the series, the women make use of their talents, connections, endurance, and courage to get the job done. Definitely the one who changed the most and therefore stands out is Sonia. Once, she was a naive governess and something of an innocent when it came to the awful truth of the Nazi's mistreatment of the Jews. In one of the most horrific moments, while in temporary custody, she is startled by a thump off the roof and is told that a person committed suicide when they learned that they were going to be sent to one of the concentration camps.

When Sonia becomes an agent, she proves herself by going beyond other's expectations of her. When she is ordered to go to the train station to observe the comings and goings of German officers, she makes a point to memorize and take notes of the time tables, saving her fellow agents plenty of time and energy.

Eventually, she finds herself taking part in sabotage missions becoming a true warrior and active participant instead of the passive innocent that she once was. She becomes a woman willing to kill and die for her beliefs in fighting the Nazis.

While the strength of Sergeant's book is turning different types of women into spies, it's kind of interesting when one of the characters acts like the typical depiction of a glamorous thrill seeking spy. That's Christine Gizycki. 

In contrast to Sonia who goes from passive observer to active fighter, Christine always was a fighter but adds a touch of glamor to her actions. Her first assignment features her and one of her lovers, Jan, skiing from Poland into Germany to observe and investigate checkpoints. Christine has to fight the urge to get involved when she sees dead bodies and soldiers pushing people around but she recognizes that she has a job to do and can't save everyone.

In Turkey, she plays a clever game of cat and mouse trying to locate and deliver information without getting caught. She also reunites with someone whom she used to know and has to trust as an informant.

Part of Christine's glamor is found in her active love life. She has been estranged from her husband and has two lovers: Jan who takes part in her assignments and Andrew, another agent who only has one arm. While there are some who would deride Christine's sexual activity, keep in mind that male agents, particularly a certain famous fictional agent, were not known for their chasteness and virtue. 

In some ways, Christine is acting out of emotional release. She has been living constantly on the edge. Her lovers give her a chance to feel something, to find moments that retain her humanity.

Julienne's story at first requires her to be in the background. She observes different agents communicating with each other, becoming an eyewitness to various secrets. But she takes a more active role when she learns that there is a traitor in their midst. 

When she learns the potential identity of the traitor is closer to her than she originally believed, she has to continue working with them not ever letting this person know that she knows about the potential betrayal. Her guilt at learning about the traitor's actions leading to the imprisonment and death of many of her colleagues is very real.

I am not completely certain if this is the final book in the Woman Spies of World War II series but there are some indications that this is so. Vera Atkins, the woman who recruited the agents, was one of the heads of the various spy rings is interrogated at the beginning of each book. This implies that the books are told from her perspective and how she viewed each of the women in the three books. 

In this book, she takes a more active role than the others becoming involved in the plot of the book proper. Atkins also foreshadows the betrayal that Julienne discovers by saying that this traitor did not care about the French, Germans, or anyone else. The agent's only interest was in themselves. (Knowing that makes even their innocuous friendly actions even more suspect even in the early chapters).

Another possibility is that even though the three protagonists do not encounter each other very often in this book, we do meet many of the protagonists from previous volumes. Mathilde Lily Carre from Spark of Resistance is not physically present but her betrayal still haunts the various networks and they take precautions against further treachery (but not enough since they are betrayed again). Odette Sansome, also from Spark, has a cameo. Julienne has to help Francine and Jack Agazarian from Flames of Resistance flee Occupied Europe. We also revisit the grisly fates of Yvonne Rudellat, Noor Inayat Khan, and Andree Borrel from Flames. 

The current traitor had been introduced in Flames of Resistance but the depths of their treachery is saved for this book where it's the most upfront and with someone who is left emotionally devastated by the betrayal.

Spark of Resistance ended on a positive note with the three agents surviving to tell their stories long afterwards. Flames of Resistance flips the predecessor by having three of the agents being killed and only one survivor. Embers of Resistance takes a middle ground. One of the heroines is imprisoned, interrogated, and killed in the line of duty. One survived to the end of the war only to be stabbed to death in 1952. Another survived as well earning a King's Commendation from Britain. 

The Women Spies of World War II is a compelling series of ten remarkable women whose courage, dedication, and sacrifice are finally honored. Recognition for their heroism is long past due.

New Book Alert: Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality Book 2: Certain in the Circumvention by Francessca Bella; When Things Aren't Particularly Fanciful or Fantastical

 

New Book Alert: Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality Book 2: Certain in the Circumvention by Francessca Bella; Calista Shines Even When Things Aren't Particularly Fanciful or Fantastical

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: 

The lovely lady with the awesome alliterative moniker is back. Calista Soleil, the Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality Overseer of Port Sunshinescence has returned for a new adventure in Certain in the Circumvention, the second book in Francessca Bella's Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality series.

To recap in the first book, Calista is a young woman of tremendous power and responsibility. She led a rebellion on Earth against the despots and became a leader in the new community that thrives in space by the sunlight. She made a return trip to Earth when a terrifying omen foretold Earth's destruction. Calista traveled to Earth and made new friends: Lavender, a former scientist for the sinister Moonbow Laboratoria, Sagan, a warrior, and Teal, an Earth citizen with precocious talent but little education to pursue it. Along the way, Calista saves Earth, refers Teal to study at her alma mater, Chromia Academy, and faces her own arrogance and prejudices to become a true hero.

In Certain in the Circumvention, Calista is called into service once again. People can visit or move to the Principality of Sunshinescence as long as they have Aureate tickets. The problem is none of the Aureate ticket holders are showing up. Something or someone is preventing them from going to the Principality. Calista has to go down to Earth to find out why and what's holding them back. Not a moment too soon. Because there are some disgruntled employees who think a change in Overseer is definitely in order.

Just like in the previous book, Calista is dissected underneath the sunshiny goddess-like persona. In this volume, Calista's reputation is in danger of giving her away so she has to go incognito. She goes to Earth as a normal person with the same name. (More people know her by the title than her real name.)

Being deprived of her title, reputation, and abilities brings Calista down to the level of most people around her. She can't use her influence or power to learn what happened to the Aureate ticket holders. So she has to feel her way around by asking questions, observing her surroundings, and finding evidence.

Taking a vulnerable regular form humbles Calista. She isn't as polarizing as she is in the first book, very unyielding and somewhat arrogant. However, she shows flashes of it in this book. In the first book, the narrative implied that Calista befriended Teal and would take an active interest in her life. However, we find out that is not the case. Calista and Teal have grown apart and haven't spoken in years, something that Teal regrets. However, they continue to help each other as Teal provides Calista with assistance in finding where the ticket holders were sent.

However, Calista is a much improved character than she was before. She is still a courageous and compassionate leader, but she is much more nuanced in her approach. She has a lighter personality, even a sense of humor at times. She is even willing to consider various options. In one chapter, she sarcastically jokes that she is considering harming someone with violence, something that she wouldn't have done in the previous book (either harming someone or joking). It's a little moment but she's showing a more human facet to her character.

She also receives some challenges to her name and character. Calista learns some secrets about her family that calls to question everything that she previously believed. These revelations are key to her questioning her identity, background, and why she became the Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality.

Calista also once again comes face to face with Moonbow Laboratoria and the Moonites who continue to be thorns in the sides of Sunshinescence. Some of the most fascinating conflicts are between Calista and Luna, a representative of the Moon. To use Jungian archetypes, Luna is Calista's Shadow Self, her opposite. 

Throughout the book, Calista's vulnerability and humanity are laid open. These make her more identifiable and human especially when she faces Luna. In some ways, Luna is what Calista could be if her arrogance and colder nature get the better of her. To face her other self, she has to recognize the real her hidden underneath the Fancy Fanciful Fantasticality. Luna unleashes the monster. Calista unleashes the woman.

There is a third book in the series and it will be interesting to see where Bella takes her character as she learns more about the worlds around her and herself.