Book Review: Raven's Wrath (Task Force Raven Origins Novella) by Sam Stone

Raven's Wrath: A Task Force Raven Origins Novella by Sam Stone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unrelenting action and pulse-pounding excitement as a Green Beret mountain warfare specialization team engages deadly Haqqani fighters in Afghanistan’s Shok Valley.

Raven’s Wrath by Sam Stone is a pulse-pounding military thriller about a Green Beret mountain warfare specialization team on a recon assignment in Afghanistan’s Shok Valley. The novella lays the groundwork for the relationships and shared experiences of the team members for the author’s upcoming Texas-set Task Force Raven series.

Captain Jake Baylor and his brothers-in-arms are ambushed by a large, organized force of Haqqani fighters while on recon, traversing the mountainous passages of the Shok Valley. While gravely outnumbered and not in the best defensive position, the team is holding its own, but in order to make it out alive, they must somehow turn the tables, making their hunters the ones who are hunted.

Jake Baylor is a born warrior and leader whose natural skills are honed by intense training. He’s also a true son of Texas with generational roots in the state going back to Sam Houston himself. I liked how Houston’s history is woven into Baylor’s with the hand-me-down war tomahawk and the use of Houston’s Cherokee moniker of “The Raven” for his present-day descendant. Jake is all business and keeps the welfare of his command in mind, even as he must make life-and-death assignments.

While action-packed and heart-poundingly exciting, the descriptions of each man on the team to the cinematically envisioned desert-to-mountain settings are amazingly detailed and realistic without slowing the story down one iota. I could almost feel their surroundings and smell the fumes of destruction and the results of their fighting.

The foreshadowing of the danger ahead on the team’s mission gave me eerie prickles on the back of my neck as Jake and Turner both sensed something was “off.” Their nighttime trek on foot toward the Haqqani stronghold was riveting, edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. The Special Forces team is absolutely resolute in the face of the onslaught by opponents who are persistent but with ill-placed determination. Sergeant Joe Garza comes by his nickname of “Joker’ honestly and has some stellar quips to alleviate a little of the tension throughout their ordeal. Considering this is just the introduction, I can hardly wait for the meat of the series to get underway.

I recommend RAVEN’S WRATH to readers of military thrillers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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Release Blitz: Warpath (Axel Blade Thriller, #10) by Bill Runner

WARPATH

An Axel Blaze Thriller

by

Bill Runner

Action Adventure / Military Thriller / Vigilante Justice

Publisher: Runner House Books

Publication Date: April 10, 2025

Page count: 243 pages

SYNOPSIS:

A cartel kingpin. A botched raid. A blood-soaked vendetta. 

When Mexico’s deadliest cartel, La Manada, spills blood on American soil, Delta Force Captain Axel Blaze gets the call. His mission: capture cartel boss Javier Salazar and crush his empire. No red tape. No half-measures.

But when an ambush forces Blaze to pull back stateside, the cartel takes the fight across the border—hitting civilians, targeting officials, daring him to respond.

Now, it’s personal. This time, it’s not about taking prisoners—it’s about ending threats. Blaze is coming for Salazar, and he won’t stop until La Manada is nothing but a smoldering memory.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bill Runner cut his teeth as an investigative journalist, plunging into the gritty underbelly of crime, before turning to writing edge-of-your-seat thrillers. Raised on a steady diet of westerns and lone ranger sagas, Bill’s real-life encounters with rogues and heroes shaped his electrifying protagonist, Axel Blaze. An adrenaline junkie at heart, Bill is a seasoned mountain climber and paraglider, and also a lifelong student of martial arts. Working the crime beat and studying the art of fighting honed his skills to craft pulse-pounding thrillers, renowned for their razor-sharp action sequences. You can find out more about Bill at his FB profile under the name Bill Runner Author.

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Book Tour & Giveaway: Fiddling With Death (Josh Kavanaugh Thrillers, #3) by Lloyd Lofthouse

Fiddling With Death

Josh Kavanaugh Thriller series, Book Three

by

Lloyd Lofthouse

Military / Action / Suspense / Thriller

Publisher: Three Clover Press

Publication Date: February 10, 2025

Page count: 274 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

Smug tyrants. Battered heroes. With an insider thwarting their every move, can these resourceful special operatives defend democracy?

Josh Kavanaugh refuses to give up. After surviving severe injuries trying to protect a lover, the determined former military man vows to find the people responsible and deliver payback. But with a mole in his group of contractors and corruption running deep, any operation could prove deadly.

Slipping into Russia on a dark mission with a hybrid team and going undercover as a circus act complete with an untamed grizzly, Kavanaugh makes the long trek to Moscow. But with their target well-connected to Vladimir Putin himself, they find themselves caught in a crossfire between the secret police and the mob.

Can he survive yet another betrayal to root out a threat to U.S. intelligence?

Fiddling with Death is the nail-biting third book in the Josh Kavanaugh Thrillers series. If you like gritty heroes, high-octane action, and accurate descriptions of weapons and tactics, then you’ll love Lloyd Lofthouse’s twisty tale.

Buy Fiddling with Death to play with fire today!

 

Catch up on the previous books, Book One, The Patriot Oath will be on sale at $0.99 starting February 11 through the 17th! 

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lloyd Lofthouse is a US Marine (1965—1968) and combat veteran. After the Marines, he attended college with a little help from the GI Bill (1968 – 1973). During his first year of college in 1968, Lloyd heard Ray Bradbury speak and got bit by the writing bug. Lloyd went on to earn a BA in journalism and later an MFA. During his early years as a full-time teacher (1975-2005), Lloyd worked nights and weekends as a maître d’ for a night-club restaurant.

 

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Blog

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

 

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Book Review: Dangerous Currents (Frank Dalton Thriller, #1) by Jonathan Shipperley

Dangerous Currents : A Frank Dalton Thriller by Jonathan Shipperley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pulse-pounding action and an intriguing murder investigation featuring special agents of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Dangerous Currents is the first book in Jonathan Shipperley’s intriguing series featuring U.S. Coast Guard Special Agent Frank Dalton. With its appealingly relatable, regular-Joe protagonist, compelling plot, and engaging storytelling, I was hooked from the very first page.

Frank Dalton is a chief warrant officer assigned to the Coast Guard Investigative Services and stationed at the Sector Command Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. With 18 years of service under his belt, he is feeling the wear and tear of the job and the ennui of the day-to-day. Kicking back on his annual leave, he’s beginning to feel the need for something new; he’s still in his 30s, after all. His sudden recall to duty by the special agent-in-charge, cutting his leave short, to investigate the accidental drowning death of a commercial fishing boat captain is all kinds of unusual, and the assignment of a new partner, recently out of the academy, to assist in his investigation doesn’t improve his mood.

Special Agent Jessica Carter, the fresh young ensign with a reputation that precedes her, is Frank’s new partner. While he was primary on the investigation and ordered to mentor Jessica in her new role, she had been told the case was her opportunity to lead. With their conflicting expectations, their initial partnering is frustrating, awkward, and was foundering. While immediately a fan of Frank’s, it took me a good minute to warm up to Jessica, but I eventually did in spades. I enjoyed the gradual way their relationship worked out, and they became a successful working team and more. I liked how both were able to tune in to their more intuitive perceptions of the world around them (i.e., they could feel someone had been on Frank's boat, Ghost, and had upset the subconscious feeling that it was a safe and protective place.)

Rather than a who-done-it, the plot involves seeking out the why and gathering the evidence needed to prove it and bring the bad guys to justice. There was a constant tension and an unnerving feeling that some hidden someone was watching their every move. Frank and Jessica are always about a half-step behind the perpetrators until they work out why. There are adrenaline-pumping, danger-filled action sequences with shocking twists that made me gasp out loud. I did not want to put this book down.

The Texas Gulf Coast and Corpus Christi descriptions were vivid and evocative, and specific details really brought the location to life. The author’s descriptions of the dry, flat topography further inland were dead on, and he nailed the impressions of driving down Ocean Drive and hanging out at the T-Head.

This book is a page-turner with a riveting mystery and an unrelenting and treacherous villain. I recommend DANGEROUS CURRENTS to readers of mysteries and thrillers, especially those who enjoy stories with a professional investigator or U.S. Coast Guard connection or Texas coastal setting.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

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Book Tour: Weight of the Kiss by Derek W. Whaley

Weight of the Kiss

by

Derek W.  Whaley

Military Thriller

Publisher: MindStir Media

Publication Date: April 17, 2024

Page count: 179 pages

SYNOPSIS:

Bombs, bullets, and burnt-out vehicles are the order of the day in Kandahar, Afghanistan. War is afoot and everywhere you turn someone is hunting you. Follow Reaper-1, the leader of Reaper and Bang squads, as he takes a tour in Afghanistan. Learn about the military equipment, the soldiers, and the environment. Reaper-1 will show you plenty of shenanigans, struggle, and sadness. You will laugh when you read about all the characters and their stories, you will hurt as they are pinned down in combat, and you will cry when some of your favorite members are lost to war. Reaper-1 will walk you through struggles of friendship, combat, and post combat mental health. Reaper-1 will show you what it means to be alive and the pain of death. Come take a trip to Afghanistan, once the smoke clears, you'll be glad you did.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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READ AN EXCERPT:

CHAPTER ONE

Dirty-K 

Fwapp, fwapp, fwapp, fwapp, fwapp. The sound you are hearing is that of my neighbor, the 3-man of my four-member fireteam, masturbating. You see, the walls here in dirty-K are pop-star thin and your neighbors are millimeters away. I am currently trying to go back to sleep but will have to wait thirty seconds or so until things quiet down. I cannot explain to you how important sleep is when you are in a combat zone. Your head must always be on a swivel, as bullets, bombs, and mortar rounds can literally fly right next to your brainbox at any moment. If you are not mentally alert here, you are dead. Anyway, I don’t know why the hell I’m telling you these things. I need to get back to sleep. I have an awfully long day of bullshit tomorrow— much like every day here in the dirty-K.

Welcome to Kandahar, Afghanistan, known to us as dirty-K. Everything in Kandahar, including the soldiers, is dirty, broken, or so old that ninety percent of it is held together with good old duct tape. We recently got plumbing, but before that we were using a hole in the ground or a port-a-potty. I don’t want to complain about the hole in the ground too much because it is normal operations for Middle Eastern individuals, but it still sucked for me. You have to try to hover over a hole with your pants half down, aim your asshole, and then not shit on your feet—freaking difficult. No thank you, I prefer a normal American–style toilet. I feel like you need to understand just how great we have it now with fresh plumbing. When everything constantly smells like shit, it starts to wear on unit morale. That’s how our life was. Our building smelled like shit, our rooms smelled like shit, our uniforms smelled like shit, and we smelled like shit. People would move two or more tables away from us in the chow hall because of how we smelled—though that might be a perk. We recently got the showers fixed as well, but before that, you just held a water bottle over your head. If you had a really good friend, they may have dumped water on you so you could use both hands to wash faster. If you were a loner, you had to master the art of scrubbing and pouring water on yourself at the same time—a serious challenge for some. There were plenty of people who opted out of taking showers for days at a time due to the pain in the ass it was to accomplish such a trivial task. Staying clean is nearly impossible with all the sand and people crammed into such a small space. After all, thousands of soldiers live within just a couple city blocks. There is mud everywhere. I generally have no clue how there is mud everywhere because it never rains, but I digress. Sand is also everywhere … but then a sandstorm hits and sand really is EVERYWHERE. I have never been to an environment so harsh, to be honest, and this is my tenth deployment. The bottom line is that living in the dirty-K is, well, filthy, and trying to maintain some level of sanitation is a constant struggle.

REVIEW:

5 stars!

Absolutely riveting story of a unit’s military deployment in Kandahar, Afghanistan. 

Weight of the Kiss by Derek W. Whaley is the compelling tale of a man’s military service during a deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan. While the story is fictional, it is based on actual events and real individuals. It is tough, raw, and eye-opening at times, and I experienced so many emotions while reading. This is a story that will stick with me for a long time to come. 

The story unfolds from the viewpoint of the unnamed Reaper and Bang units’ team leader. He describes daily life for his soldiers and the other service members deployed to a base outside of Kandahar, Afghanistan, in vivid and evocative detail. I got a much clearer image of the actual conditions, routines, and duties military personnel endure than ever before, and it is told with candor, humor, and seriousness. You can’t help but laugh with these young men at some of their antics and ways they pass the time, but in the back of your mind, you realize it’s not all fun and games; they are teetering on the edge of life and death supporting the mission. The bonds these men forge are unlike anything found outside the service, and many will face greater struggles with their mental health once out of the combat zone. I enjoyed their humor and was gutted when their mission went sideways. 

The author is a storyteller, and the unique voice of his main character drew me into his mesmerizing tale. I recommend WEIGHT OF THE KISS to readers of military fiction or non-fiction and stories of bravery, ultimate sacrifice, dedication to service, and love for your brothers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Master Sargent, retired USAF, Derek Whaley hails from Twin Falls, Idaho. His life purpose are his two children. His son, 9 and his daughter, 15. Derek served 20 years in the United States Air Force, retiring under Honorable conditions in 2019. Derek transitioned to social work and earned his master’s degree from the University of New Hampshire. He interned with substance abuse disorders in Haverhill, Massachusetts and discovered a liking to the field and is now a Drug Court Therapist. If you’re ever looking for Derek, just find people struggling and Derek will be near to help.

 

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Book Blitz: Weight of the Kiss by Derek W. Whaley

Weight of the Kiss

by

Derek W. Whaley

Military Thriller

Publisher: MindStir Media

Publication Date: April 17, 2024

Page count: 164 pages

SYNOPSIS:

 

Bombs, Bullets, and burnt-out vehicles are the order of the day in Kandahar, Afghanistan. War is afoot and everywhere you turn someone is hunting you. Follow Reaper-1, the leader of Reaper and Bang squads, as he takes a tour in Afghanistan. Learn about the military equipment, the soldiers, and the environment. Reaper-1 will show you plenty of shenanigans, struggle, and sadness. You will laugh when you read about all the characters and their stories, you will hurt as they are pinned down in combat, and you will cry when some of your favorite members are lost to war. Reaper-1 will walk you through struggles of friendship, combat, and post combat mental health. Reaper-1 will show you what it means to be alive and the pain of death. Come take a trip to Afghanistan, once the smoke clears, you'll be glad you did.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

| Amazon | BAM! | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Indigo | Walmart |

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Master Sergeant, retired USAF, Derek Whaley hails from Twin Falls, Idaho. His life purpose are his two children. His son, 9 and his daughter, 15. Derek served 20 years in the United States Air Force, retiring under Honorable conditions in 2019. Derek transitioned to social work and earned his master’s degree from the University of New Hampshire. He interned with substance abuse disorders in Haverhill, Massachusetts and discovered a liking to the field and is now a Drug Court Therapist. If you’re ever looking for Derek, just find people struggling and Derek will be near to help.

 

Purchase Today

Book Blitz: Phoenix Rising by Mark T. Wellington

 

Action, Adventure, Techno-Thriller, Suspense, Sci-Fi, Military Thriller, Conspiracy

Date Published: May 2023

 

 

Unveiling the latest sensation in the world of Short Form Novels: Phoenix Rising by Mark T. Wellington!

 

This high-octane, adrenaline-pumping thriller will transport you to the year 2035, where mind-controlled space-age drones reign supreme, and one man's quest to save the world takes an intensely personal turn.

Immerse yourself in the gripping story of Tony Simmons, a fearless Air Force major with the extraordinary ability to control three of the most powerful drones ever created - the Devastators. When his family is kidnapped, and he finds himself betrayed and hunted, Tony is forced to push his powers to the limit in a desperate race against time.

Phoenix Rising is the perfect embodiment of the Short Form Novel, delivering a relentless, fast-paced narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Mark T. Wellington masterfully weaves a tale of suspense, intrigue, and heart-stopping action, combining futuristic technology and geopolitical complexities with raw, human emotions.

In this compact literary masterpiece, every page is packed with tension, danger, and unexpected twists, as Tony navigates the treacherous world of betrayal, espionage, and simmering romantic tension with his colleague, Adrianne. As the line between reality and fabrication blurs, Tony must unravel the shocking truth behind the conspiracy that threatens his life and the safety of his family.

Don't miss out on this exhilarating new addition to the Short Form Novel revolution! Grab your copy of Phoenix Rising today and join Tony Simmons as he battles insurmountable odds to save his family and uncover the sinister truth that lies beneath the surface. Are you ready for the ride of your life?

 

About the Author

Mark T. Wellington is a US Air Force Veteran with the Electronic Security Command who held an SCI/SBI Top Secret clearance—his experience in the military has given him the tools to tell exciting stories. His expertise in cyber and electronic warfare, as well as his practices in Krav Maga and kickboxing, inspired his turbulent and exciting novel, Phoenix Rising.

A citizen of the world, Mark's passport is a mosaic of global experiences. He has journeyed from the bustling streets of Istanbul to the steep inclines of Mount Everest, and from the historic heart of Berlin to the vibrant culture of Barcelona. Having resided in six different countries, he has absorbed diverse cultures, engaged with intricate art forms, and navigated awe-inspiring landscapes.

Despite his technological acumen and AI engineering expertise, he is never one to be confined within the digital realm. His creativity spills over into his passion for scuba diving, rock climbing, and racing, each providing unique inspirations for his storytelling. Moreover, his interests in cooking, gardening, and painting reveal an individual who fully embraces the blend of art and science, making his work as varied and colorful as his life.

With his extensive world travels, deep technical expertise, and unbounded creativity, Mark is a true renaissance man, promising many more exciting stories to come.

 

Contact Links

Author Website

Twitter

Facebook Group

 

Purchase Link

Amazon