2023 Reviews – Rosepoint Publishing

Iwo, 26 Charlie by P T Deutermann – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

World War II Navy #10

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

T. Deutermann is a contemporary master of World War II military fiction: writing about the lives, deaths, dreams, fears, and combat experiences of sailors and soldiers, generals and grunts, captains and snipers, pilots and submariners, who served in the Pacific theatre war against Japan.

The island of Iwo Jima was the epic land and sea battle that produced one of the iconic images of WWII: the Marines raising the American flag on Mount Surabachi, an active volcano that was the site of intense hand-to-hand combat. In this gripping novel, Deutermann follows a young gunnery liaison officer, Lee Bishop, who during the ferocious battle for the island is pulled from his station aboard the USS Nevada to serve on-shore as a spotter, calling in coordinates for the ship to target with missiles.

But Bishop is completely unready for what he will witness and experience: a literal hell, during which 26,000 Americans are killed in a fight to the very last man, which culminates in the blistering, sulphurous tunnels of Surabachi itself, where an entire platoon of Marines is held captive. Iwo, 26 Charlie is a dramatic, utterly authentic novel by an award-winning writer.

His Review:

One of the most iconic images of the battle of Iwo Jima and World War II is the raising of our flag on Mount Suribachi. This is one of our country’s proudest moments during the war in the Pacific. This achievement took a lot longer than the citizens of our country knew. Most battles the U.S. Marines fight are in concert with the U.S. Navy. This is one of those stories.

There is a rivalry between these two branches of the U.S. military and also a bond of brotherhood. Lieutenant Lee Bishop goes onto the island with the intention to assist in firepower from the naval bombardment to “soften up” the island prior to the marine’s landing effort. The Japanese had prepared the island for the war with a myriad of caves and fortifications to thwart any attempt to occupy the island.

Lieutenant Bishop goes in to assist in fire control and direction to destroy the Japanese fortifications. His call name is IWO, 26 Charlie. The Japanese are extremely adept at killing any spotter who comes onto the island. The life expectancy of a spotter is estimated at 24 hours. The Japanese come out at night and kill anyone who is not fully awake or vigilant.

The USS Nevada has a myriad of weapons systems including 14-inch guns. Their fire control includes a rudimentary analog computer. Grids are utilized to give accurate coordinates for the placement of the ordinance. Most shells fired at the island were the 5-inch and 8-inch explosive types. The effect on the Japanese emplacements was generally minimal due to the excellent design and construction of the emplacements.

Anyone interested in the history of the Second World War will find this novel both interesting and amazing. I could not put the book down and I am sure most history buffs will have the same problem, which is a very one to have when reading! 5 stars – CE Williams

Last year I read The Last Palatine and found it absolutely riveting. I’ll be looking for anything released by this author going forward. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical World War II Fiction, WWII Historical Fiction, War Fiction
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
ASIN: B0BQGFM2HK
Print Length: 288 pages
Publication Date: November 28, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Peter Deutermann was born in Boston in 1941. His father was in the Navy, so he subsequently lived all over the United States and also in Argentina. He graduated from the naval academy in 1963 and served in the navy for 26 years, rising to the rank of Captain. While in the navy, he published one textbook on naval operations and several professional articles in navy-oriented journals. He held three commands: a Swiftboat in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, a guided missile destroyer in the Atlantic Fleet, and a destroyer squadron based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. His last tour of duty was as the division director for chemical, biological, and radiological weapons arms control negotiations on the staff of the Joint Chiefs in Washington, DC.

He retired from active duty in 1989 and began his fiction-writing career. He has published twenty novels since 1992, all with St. Martins Press, including the just-released World War II navy novel, entitled The Commodore, and the Washington thriller, The Red Swan. He has completed his 21st novel, entitled The Iceman, a World War II navy submarine story, scheduled for publication in August, 2018. See all the books on his website at http://www.ptdeutermann.com

In addition to a BS in naval engineering, Mr. Deutermann holds an MA in public administration from the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. He is also a Member of the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. He is married and has two children. Mr. Deutermann and his wife of 50 years live in Rockingham County, in the Piedmont of North Carolina, on their family pony farm.

#TuesdayBookBlog

The Water Tower by Amy Young – #BookReview – #crimethrillers

Book Blurb:

Josie Ashbury was a successful Hollywood actress with a booming career—until an on-set breakdown sends her back to her small Ohio hometown to recover. Taking a job teaching at her old high school, Josie is beginning to put the pieces of her life back together when one of her students dies under suspicious circumstances. The police close the case quickly, without any real answers. Josie is determined to find the truth behind the girl’s death.

At the same time, Josie is battling demons of her own. As she faces debilitating insomnia that leaves her with gaps in her memory, she dives into the tangled secrets surrounding the investigation. When she finally unravels the web, she discovers that the truth lies much closer to home than she could have ever imagined.

His Review:

A bright young student is found dead at the bottom of the town’s defunct water tower. Josie, one of the town’s high school teachers, found her during one of her sleepless nights’ sojourns. Was she a victim of foul play or a suicide? Josie seems to recall someone on the tower at the time of her death, but one of the town’s most influential citizens, the girl’s father, has the investigation curtailed!

Josie had left her small hometown to become a celebrated thespian in the Hollywood Hills environs. She returned to her hometown to teach high school and become reacquainted with her former classmates. She is well-liked by all of her students but is devastated by the apparent suicide.

How could the girl’s father not want the truth about his daughter’s death?

This story has many intriguing plot twists which kept me on my toes and flipping pages. I felt I needed a scorecard to keep track of the male interests in Josie’s life. Her entanglement in the death of the student pushes her beyond the normal pressures of everyday life. Can her life be in danger because of her desire to know the truth about the student’s death and the possible subsequent coverup? Read and enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thrillers, Murder Thrillers, Suspense
Publisher: Level Best Books
ASIN: B0BT3T8M1C
Print Length: 290 pages
Publication Date: June 20, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Amy Young is an author, comedian, and actress. Growing up in Bay Village, Ohio, she could most often be found with her nose buried in a book, and was particularly fond of Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, and The Babysitters’ Club. Amy always had a flair for the dramatic and has worked as an actress in many stage productions and, during her decade living in Los Angeles, a few TV shows and movies. When not writing, Amy enjoys reading thriller and mystery novels, drinking red wine, and binging on reality TV shows with her husband and many, many cats. She currently resides outside of Cleveland, Ohio.

Enjoy your day

Rosepoint Reviews – May Recap – Early Taste of Summer!

Rosepoint Reviews - May Recap

May presented us with an unintended two-week break from the blog. While we were planning our trip to Texas, I had scheduled ahead as much as I could and took my old laptop to fill in spots I normally posted. Last time I used the laptop, it was extremely slow, huffing and puffing, sounding like it was preparing for take-off. I guess it did as I was not able to get into the administration of the blog.

Luckenbach TX We met up with our old Navy buddies of 54 years, first in Hot Springs, Arkansas, then to their home in the upper eastern part of Texas, portions known as “the Hill country.” OMG, so beautiful! Not the Texas of my memory at all. Green hills, monster oaks hundreds of years old, wildflowers everywhere. And so much to see and do! Fantastic hosts, Ted and Kitra packed in a full schedule and we enjoyed great food and in Luckenbach, a downhome country band. So much fun! (We missed Waylon and Willie though.)

May then obviously took a hit with reading and reviewing only ten books. (As always, links below are to my reviews that include purchase info.)

Rosepoint Publishing May Reviews

Closer by Sea by Peter Chafe (CE review)
Snapshot by Don Keith and George Wallace (CE review)
When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi
Washington by Ron Chernow (audiobook)
Hidden Beneath by Barbara Ross
North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan (CE review)
Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (audiobook)
A Line in the Sand by Kevin Powers (CE review)
Lock ‘N’ Load by Tee O’Fannon

These included historical fiction, cozy mystery, literary fiction, and (gasp!) romantic suspense! Sayyy what?!

Favorite Book of the Month

While I greatly enjoyed Flop Dead Gorgeous (the author always a favorite) and I gave it five stars partly owing to the surprise in conclusion, we’ll have to give Snapshot, a CE review the nod for May.

Book of the Month for May—Snapshot.

Blogger Post

I did little blog-hopping in May but always appreciate the thoughtful and varied posts of Carla at Carla Loves to Read. I thoroughly enjoy her reviews, meme posts, and am dazzled by her signature graphics. If you haven’t found her yet, now is the time.

My Reading Challenges page… I have 60 books of a goal of 145 in Goodreads (one book ahead of schedule) and holding a 98% feedback ratio in NetGalley. Behind on the others again but hope to have the page and challenges caught up shortly.

With the crash of a laptop used only for out-of-town trips now, I began a search for a cheap replacement, and after seeing Kitra’s Kindle Fire (she also reads—a LOT) and the extent of its capabilities, I began thinking in terms of a tablet. During our motorcycling years, we learned to travel with just a trunk and saddlebags that fit on the back of the bikes. We have traditionally traveled light. I needed something light.

I looked at laptops, the size, and the price. Goodness! Then the tablets: I liked the size, the weight, and the price. However, they just won’t do Photoshop—hoping I can get by with Canva. Also, having old equipment and old versions of Word—which I paid for years ago and have managed to use in successive PC’s, have now discovered it’s subscription only—except for those tablets 10.1” and below.

It’s been a bear figuring out how to get the tablet, an Android (Samsung) set up to my liking. I need a class for this! I finally figured out how to get Office Word on it. But it won’t open a document without asking for an upgrade to Office 365—the subscription. Has anyone tried to download and use a free version of Word on a tablet?

The year is going too fast! Welcome to new subscribers and thank you, as always, to those who read and comment. I love hearing from you!

Lock ‘N’ Load by Tee O’Fannon – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

Federal K-9 Book 1

Book Blurb:

Crack CIA analyst Trista Gold is a whiz with the computer, but not so much with people. She hides behind her job, analyzing top-secret code and making recommendations on national security. She doesn’t need a man in her life. But she will, very soon….

CIA K-9 officer Sgt. Matt Connors suspects that beneath Trista’s uptight appearance, there’s a sexy woman itching to cut loose. But he doesn’t dare act on his attraction. He’s a loner and always will be. Keeping away from Trista is a must-do directive. Until he doesn’t have a choice….

During a routine assignment, Trista stumbles across a cryptic exchange. She doesn’t think much of it…until someone tries to murder her – twice. Both times, Matt had been there to save her. But now she has to hide. And her new bodyguard, Matt, and his K-9 are the only hope she has against the powerful forces that want her dead.

My Review:

Well, yucky! Eck. Obviously a sucker for a cover with a dog and the promise of a working K-9 in the story and I’m hooked again, despite the initial trepidation of the glossy guy with an obvious six-pack under that sweaty t-shirt. I knew better but signed up anyway. That’s on me.

Of course, the blurb sounded interesting as well. A CIA analyst, Trista Gold knows a computer inside and out. She can surf with the best, analyzing top-secret code, but apparently as brilliant as she is, didn’t understand her hacking was being hacked. Until that is, there are repeated attempts on her life. Oops.

Enter super sexy, way over-the-top CIA K-9 officer Sgt. Matt Connors in all his glorious 6’ and hyper-studly knighthood with the dog. He’s so HOT. Trista is panting. But tiny, mousey Trista knows he couldn’t possibly be interested in a mouse like herself, so she’ll pant in silence. Might be a good thing cause he has issues. BIG issues.

Oh, good grief. How did I get myself into this?

Let’s see: She’s terrified of dogs, but he has one. No prob. He’ll introduce the dog to her and she’ll come to love it. He has six buddies, all studly and super HOT, and ALL have dogs. No prob. She has come to love dogs.

The cop is breast obsessed (and she has a couple) which turns him into a HOT beast who has to fight himself to stay away from her. Not. The reader gets a graphic description of his bodily reaction to her. Gross. But he sees the inner beauty in her that he’ll bring out and she’ll become everyone’s tiny but blond curvy darling (no doubt unpinning her bun and removing her glasses).

Did they ever stick to business and figure out who is trying to kill her? Could it possibly have been in connection to her job? Nah. Gotta be something else, huh? Does the dog get to do his thing and rescue the damsel in distress? Oh yeah. And what of the other HOT guys—all 6’ and gorgeous examples of manhood. Will this thirty-something mouse lose her virginity and turn into an accomplished vixen between the sheets?

UGH. Who cares?

I received a copy of this book from my local library that in no way influenced this review. These are my own honest thoughts and opinions.

Rosepoint Rating: Two point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Espionage Thrillers, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: CreateSpace
ASIN: B07CWRYKPV
Print Length: 372 pages
Publication Date: May 28, 2018
Source: Local library selection
Title Link(s): Lock ‘N’ Load [Amazon]

The Author: Tee O’Fallon is the author of the Federal K-9, K-9 Special Ops, and the NYPD Blue & Gold Series. Tee served as a federal agent and police investigator for a 28-year law enforcement career, giving her hands-on experience that she combines with her love of romantic suspense and action-packed thrillers. When not writing, Tee enjoys cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and kicking back with her Belgian Sheepdogs, Loki and Kyrie. In the summer, Tee can be found anywhere there’s a boat and calm water. Tee loves hearing from readers and can be contacted via her website https://teeofallon.com where you can also sign up for Tee’s newsletters at https://teeofallon.com/subscribe/.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Memorial Day – 2023

All Gave Some–Some Gave All

Memorial Day 2023

A Line in the Sand by Kevin Powers – #BookReview – Political Thrillers & Suspense

Book Blurb:

In this “spellbinding and totally original thriller” (Philipp Meyer, author of The Son) a lonely veteran’s gruesome discovery throws him right into the face of danger as a twisted investigation unravels the secrets of his dark past.

One early morning on a Norfolk beach in Virginia, a dead body is discovered by a man taking his daily swim—Arman Bajalan, formerly an interpreter in Iraq. After narrowly surviving an assassination attempt that killed his wife and child, Arman has been given lonely sanctuary in the US as a maintenance worker at the Sea Breeze Motel. Now, convinced that the body is connected to his past, he knows he is still not safe.

Seasoned detective Catherine Wheel and her newly minted partner have little to go on beyond a bus ticket in the dead man’s pocket. It leads them to Sally Ewell, a local journalist as grief-stricken as Arman is by the Iraq War, who is investigating a corporation on the cusp of landing a multi-billion-dollar government defense contract.

As victims mount around Arman, taking the team down wrong turns and towards startling evidence, they find themselves in a race, committed to unraveling the truth and keeping Arman alive—even if it costs them absolutely everything.

His Review:

Life can be short in third-world countries. Arman had a lovely wife and daughter in Afghanistan during the war. He received fair compensation as an interpreter for the U.S. military. However, he lost both of them during the conflict and would never forgive himself for not staying there to protect them.

Sally was stationed in Afghanistan at the time and they became good comrades and associates. With his family gone and nobody left in his home country, he emigrated to the United States and worked as an informant with law enforcement. Sally considers him one of her best assets. Her record is exemplary and her boss is jealous of her successes and wants her fired from the police force.

People die with an alarming frequency in a usually quiet seaside town on the east coast. Sally realizes that her success in catching criminals is directly related to the intel that Arman provides. They have a mutual respect and admiration for each other; two loners navigating the sea of life with constant danger.

Kevin Powers presents the life of drug dealers and immigrants who are forced to become involved with them by necessity. Losing an entire family during a war and then being required to become engaged in illegal activities to survive is harsh. The refugee is subjected to the same pressures that the war placed upon he and his family in his own country. Eye-opening and an engaging read. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Political Thrillers & Suspense, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries, Military Thrillers
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ASIN: B0BD4G2Y5M
Print Length: 369 pages
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Kevin Powers is the author of The Yellow Birds, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Guardian First Book Award, and was a National Book Award Finalist. He was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University, and holds an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a Michener Fellow in Poetry. He served in the US Army in 2004 and 2005 in Iraq, where he was deployed as a machine gunner in Mosul and Tal Afar.

Have a good Weekend!

Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

An Andy Carpenter Mystery Book 27

in Animal Fiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Lights, camera, action in bestselling author David Rosenfelt’s Flop Dead Gorgeous, as Andy Carpenter goes bicoastal to prove an old friend’s innocence.

Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter remembers every dog that’s come through the Tara Foundation’s doors, but the most well-known alum of the dog rescue organization that Andy founded in Paterson, New Jersey, may be Mamie. Adopted by famous actress Jenny Nichols—Andy’s high school girlfriend—the miniature French poodle is now practically a starlet in her own right.

Andy doesn’t hold it against his friend. In fact, he and his wife, Laurie, have dinner with Jenny while she’s in town filming her next big hit. But after an eventful meal, there’s a plot twist the next morning that none of them see coming: Jenny’s costar is found dead, a knife in his back. It’s not long before Jenny is arrested for the murder and finds herself in need of Andy’s legal services.

While Mamie becomes reacquainted with Tara, Andy’s golden retriever, Andy digs into the lives of the rich and famous.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

My Review:

Attorney Andy Carpenter is very wealthy and retired. Or at least he’s worked very hard at retiring, but it seems something always comes up that touches him personally and he has to, absolutely must, be involved in their defense.

This time, though, it really is personal, as the accused is an old high school flame, now a well-known movie star, Jenny Nichols. When back in Paterson, she adopted a mini-poodle from Andy’s Tara Foundation. So don’t you know he has an investment in seeing her found not guilty.

Andy has an amazing team, including his wife, an ex-cop and her K-Team which includes Corey and his retired police dog Simon Garfunkel. There are others, of course, including Marcus Clark, who is far more vocal this time than in previous installments. All work beautifully to round out an all-star cast of characters you come to know and love.

Now comes all the grunt work, meetings, assignments, and investigation. If Jenny didn’t do it, who did? Each well-developed character gets to shine, including the dogs—and we do love the dogs!

Andy is full of his snarky sense of humor as they weave through threads, twists, and misdirections.

These stories aren’t simple, they develop layers not always initially satisfied. I was surprised at the courtroom outcome this time. I don’t ever remember such a development before but remind you that these stories are all different. Author Rosenfelt always presents a new wrinkle.

Remarkable this is Book #27 and can still be fresh and unique. I’ve read or listened to most of this series and often fall back on an audiobook I might have missed, including my last Holy Chow. I love the banter, the investigation, and the courtroom footwork. This is one of my favorite series and I must assume yours as well. If not—check it out!

I received a complimentary review copy of this uncorrected digital galley from the publisher and NetGalley. Thank you, thank you! These are my honest thoughts and, as usual, looking for the next installment.

Book Details:

Genre: Animal Fiction, Traditional Detective Mysteries
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ASIN: B0B9KV1T2L
Print Length: 272 pages
Publication Date: July 4, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: Flop Dead Gorgeous [Amazon]
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: David Rosenfelt, a native of Paterson, New Jersey, is a graduate of NYU. He was the former marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures before becoming a writer of novels and screenplays. “Open And Shut” was his first novel; “First Degree,” his second novel, was named a best book of 2003 by Publishers Weekly. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and 35 dogs.