Conspiracy Of Silence by Ronie Kendig | Tox Files #1

First book in Ronie Kendig's new Spec Ops, Globe Trotting, Dive Into History series, called the Tox Files, aptly named after our MC, Cole "Tox" Russell, a former Green Beret who- after a gone rogue mission, is persona non grata to the United States...so basically he doesn't exist. 

Synopsis from Goodreads: 
"Four years after a tragic mission decimated his career and his team, Cole “Tox” Russell is persona non grata to the United States. And that’s fine—he just wants to be left alone. But when a dormant, centuries-old disease is unleashed at an archaeological dig where three Bronze-era censers are found, Tox is lured back into action. Partnered with an archaeologist and an FBI agent who’s an expert in deception, Tox and his team are pitted against a secret society, a plague dubbed the New Black Death, and a revered codex—which may hold the key to stopping the deadly outbreak."


CONCLUSION:

Pulse-pounding, adrenaline pumping, history digging, globe trotting GLORY- Conspiracy Of Silence has officially won "Book Of The Year" for me. 
The action scenes were fresh and gripping, the characters unique and compelling, and I can say I most certainly fell in love with the Wraith-squad. 
Their foray into history was dizzyingly intricate- I think I may have to give it another read to fully comprehend all that was going on, but it was amazing. Also- Cole Russell gets the BAE award of the year. The writing style is fresh, gripping and powerful. So- READ THIS BOOK. THE end. Boom.

Firewall by DiAnn Mills

The synopsis intrigued me immediately with this book...when catastrophe strikes a newlywed (mainly, an airport terminal blowing up enroute to their honeymoon) woman, and her husband may not be who is claimed to be...honestly- this it brought me in immediately. Right from the first chapter- action, intrigue- questions!!! So awesome. 

Forgive the fact that I don't have a nice photo of this book- I read it on my phone, so I grabbed an image off of google! 

PLOT:

Started intense straight from chapter 1, and always kept a good pace and flow throughout the book. This plot was multilayered and COMPLEX, people. There were so many plot strains and levels going on...as each one was presented and uncovered, I was like, whet?!! So impressed. People. This plot was GOLDEN. 

SEXUAL CONTENT: 

Some kissing, attraction, falling in love- that kinda stuff. This book is a romance! As our MC is a newlywed, the first chapter beginning the morning after Taryn and Shep are married, she remembers how passionate their wedding night was, etc etc. but nothing is explained or expanded on. Mentions made to Shep always wondering why she waited for marriage...that kinda thing. 

VIOLENCE: 

There's an explosion in an airport terminal. Lot's of people end up dead, or injured. Hand to hand combat. Someone is taken out via a long distance sniper shot, shot at close range, drugged, etc. A character finds someone murdered in their house, their throat having been slashed and a pool of blood surrounding them. 

CONCLUSION: 

I loved this book. The suspense kept me turning the pages in rapid fire, waiting to see what would happen next, how everything would work itself out- it was marvellous. So many plot twists. So many turns and unexpected events. I enjoyed the characters, the slight romance, the plot, everything. I loved this book, and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the suspense genre. 

5 Stars & recommend this book for ages 17+. Again, some 16 year olds would dig this one, but for some, 18 would be better. It's different for every reader. 

Taken by Dee Henderson (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Taken is Dee Henderson's newest addition to Christian Romantic Suspense Fiction. It's been several years since I've really read any of her books, and when I saw this one on the shelf of my local Chapters, I was intrigued by the synopsis & dove right in.

PLOT & CHARACTERS:

I loved the premise of this one...a woman newly having escaped an 11 year-long captivity and integrating back into society and discovering what her life in freedom looks like. I loved and identified with Matthew as a character- I wanted so badly to get to know Shannon better!- but at the same time I felt as though there was so much that could have been unearthed for both of them, that I found as a reader, I was just waiting to happen.
The pace of the plot moved pretty steadily- at times it felt like it was repeating the same thing and got a tad redundant. As things moved along, I found myself impressed with the attention to detail Henderson put into the system the Jacoby family had put in place, how intricate and secret it was.
I personally thought, given the romantic suspense genre, that there was going to be suspense and some danger, cat & mouse type stuff with her abductors trying to get her back or silencing her before she could testify about her time in captivity- but no. That was somewhat of a letdown, given that I was expecting some suspense, but to each his own.

I thought the POV coming from only one character (Matthew- our main dude) was a bit strange, and in my opinion, made the story more two-dimensional, whereas I could see it just exploding in 3D, had the POV (point of view) alternated from Matthew, to Shannon and maybe even some of the other sub-characters. Especially given the fact that when reading the novel's back cover, we are given the impression that the book is largely about Shannon- and don't get me wrong, the plot does revolve around Shannon, but it just seemed odd that we, as readers, never got into her head via a shared POV. It made her feel oddly emotionally distanced- and that for me, just collapses so many wonderful reading possibilities.

Also, adding to the 2D vs. 3D situation, I was waiting for at least one rather monumental emotional crash for Shannon, and even Matthew. Especially given the storyline and all that had happened to Shannon in her captivity, it made her feel like an emotionally unshakable & un-relatible character.  I'm not asking for a perpetually weepy MC- that would grow annoying rather swiftly- but if a character has firewalled their emotions...as a reader, it's pretty hard to connect or identify with their struggle.

VIOLENCE: 
Murders, beatings, shootings & body dumps are all spoken of as memories of Shannon's time in captivity. The circumstances are starkly grim, as you can imagine resulting from any abduction. 

SEXUAL CONTENT: 
A brief kiss is about as detailed as things get.

CONCLUSION: 

This time round, I'm giving Taken a rating of 2, and recommend it for ages 17+.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, but upon finishing, I felt there was much more that could have been added or altered, to make this an explosively awesome read. Not everyone has a criteria for meaningful and deep emotion to be present, but for me...if I can't see or feel a character's heart & struggle first hand- it goes downhill from there. Sure, there was mention of someone crying, or puffy eyes, but that isn't first hand enough for me, personally. There were too many glaringly obvious plot/character issues for me to really recommend this one to my fellow readers as something I really liked.

Taken is chalk-full of intricate, crime operation type details and facts that evenly flow throughout the plot, and some truly likeable characters- despite the personal dislikes on my part. If emotional connection is not high on your list for enjoying a book, this one may get a 4 or 5 from some readers. Don't be expecting a great deal of action suspense- but more suspense concerning the release of details concerning her time in captivity.

Read Taken? What were your thoughts? Share them below! 

Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Cold Shot is released February 2016!
As I read an ARC (advanced reading copy) of this one, I didn't have a physical copy to take a photo of, so please forgive the image grab off of goodreads! 

PLOT: 

Well thought out & executed. Intricate details make this read the kind where your brains need to be in fully functioning mode- not before bed or when you're not entirely committed to being focused. Pace was good & the plot flowed well- nothing choppy or out of place. I certainly did not see the ending coming how it did! The plot totally threw me for a loop. 

VIOLENCE: 

Given this being a type of suspense/murder mystery type book, violence & creepy stuff is a given. Genocides are spoken of (in past tense) and described, with their share of gory details. Characters talk about people (some close to them) that have been murdered/raped/tortured. 

Again, given this type of genre and plot, one of our MC's being a forensic anthropologist, examining human remains, how they died/were murdered, body drops etc. is a common topic. 

If that kind of stuff creeps you out- maybe give this book a pass. 

SEXUAL CONTENT: 

Characters fall in love. There is mention of a character (in past tense) being raped (a reference, nothing in detail), another being touched inappropriately by her abductor. Someone runs a sex tourism business with underage girls (we never see it, but it is spoken of by others).

CONCLUSION: 

Brilliant plot, filled with diverse and relatable characters, suspense and sooo many questions!! Personally for me, I found the amount and kind of bad stuff in this book weighed a little heavy on, and left me feeling kinda blah & gross. Another day it might have been entirely fine- just not the day I read it, haha. My lower rating in no way reflects bad writing on the author's part- merely my own personal preference for reading content at the particular time. 

Dani has a gift with words, plots & characters (I loved the Parker, Griff, Declan & crew). 

For those of you who like a gripping murder mystery with some awesome MC's, this book hits stores February 2016! 

Rating: 2 Stars (for my own personal enjoyment) but that aside, 5 stars for the writing, plot & amazing characters. 

Ages: 18+

Honest review given after reading an ARC from NetGalley of Cold Shot

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Wolfsbane falls in line as book #3 in the 'Discarded Heroes' series, following a Black Ops type of team called 'Nightshade'.

Each book follows a member of the team, with this one following former Green Beret medic, Canyon Metcalfe. The lady MC is Danielle (Dani) Roark, a demolitions expert that, at the start of the book, is escaping a brutal captivity in Venezuela.

Review for book 2 in the series, Digitalis.

PLOT:

Moved pretty fast & well paced throughout. The first...about half I'd say, is set in the United States and isn't focusing on suspense, but more on the relationship/romance side of things, with plenty of involvement with the Metcalfe family & sibling dynamics, which I enjoyed.

Just before the halfway mark, the story moves over to Venezuela, and that's when the action/danger & suspense really works itself up into its full potential.

The first time I read this book, the subplot in italics (of a native Venezualan mystery woman telling a story of a soldier named Bayani & her daughter, Chesa) confused me. I didn't really get where it was going or what the significance was to the story, until about 3/4 of the way through. But have no fear, it IS significant, & at the end, you have a big "Aha!" moment. Second time reading through this novel, I understood the significance of this plotline & really felt it added a good angle to the story. 

VIOLENCE:

With Nightshade being a black ops & covert operation team, they end up being in hostile territory where plenty of military/guerrilla violence/killing/shooting/fighting etc. takes place. People get shot, stabbed (blood gurgling, & pouring out of wounds, etc) fistfights etc.
Mention is made that Dani was tortured, but not much is mentioned of it in hindsight. A Nightshade member is tortured when captured by the enemy.

Cutting (explained down below)

SPOILERS:

Not too far into the book Dani attempts suicide via

cutting herself (we don't see her doing it). Someone

interrupts her while she's doing it, and she hides 

her arm behind herself, but the blood splattering 

onto the bathroom floor gives her away. 

At another point, when she has been captured,

she attempts slitting her wrists again, to 

escape the brutal treatment she knows she 

will receive. She is interrupted again. 

SEXUAL CONTENT:

Dani has several memories of being raped. While they are not prolonged or usually overtly explicit in  their remembrance, they aren't nondescript.

--------SPOILERS----------

Dani & Canyon have sex once after an innocent

play-fight-tickle match turns into kissing,

passion & getting physically intimate.

The scene ends with, "Canyon kissed her again,

deeper, more passionately. He traced her leg and drew

the hem of the tunic upward." So it is cut off before anything

happens, but we get the idea what is about to take

place. Following, Canyon knows what he did was

wrong, & they have a talk at the end of the book about

having extramarital sex, & why they (if they could have

changed things) would have waited until marriage.

----still spoilers----

With Dani, I can understand her reason in giving herself to Canyon before marrying him...before being raped multiple times in captivity, she'd been a virgin. The first time she'd kissed Canyon (post captivity) it was her first kiss.

Not having a strong or active spiritual conviction to back up saving sex for marriage, she felt safe & loved with Canyon, & was probably more than ready to have a loving sexual encounter, after having her virginity stolen, & her sexuality only being used in the context of rape. Not that it makes what they did, right, but I can certainly empathize.
P.S. Canyon won no brownie points after that scene...I was like, "Dude! You had one job." #fail #justno what happened to all that self- imposed soldier self-control? Treat the girl right & put a ring on it, ahem, before sleeping with her. But he owns up to his mistakes, & that is what matters. People mess up at times, but how they handle their mistakes is key. 

Drug Content: 

Canyon is addicted to some high powered pain meds, he initially was taking for a back injury. He kept taking them even after the pain abated, to numb his emotionally pain regarding his past. He hid his addiction from his family & Nightshade team. Eventually he is found out, and gets off the meds (detoxes). 

CHARACTERS: 

I loved these guys, mainly because they were broken & imperfect. While I couldn't circumstantially relate with them, their emotional trauma & struggles made me emphasize, big time. I didn't feel distanced from Dani & Canyon, as though I were merely reading about two fake people. I felt as though I was Dani, or Canyon in a scene, heart being torn apart, bereft at loss, or elated at a triumph. That is what I am looking for in a book- to be transported into another world, another character. Their imperfect state, how they messed up at times- but just kept going, spoke to me so much. 

While I don't want to read about a person who goes doing bad things (on purpose) left, right & centre, I also cannot connect with a character who is total perfection. Dani & Canyon were imperfect, made mistakes, got super messy, but they owned their mistakes. They kept moving forward, & that is what made me love them! 

They were walking out of brokenness & into being whole & well. That process seldom looks cute, and that's what I loved so much about this book. These people being in the trenches of the 'process', and moving into their destiny...sometimes taking two steps back, then one forward. 

CONCLUSION: 

This book, content wise is a pretty heavy book. Dani was in captivity for six months, during which she was repeatedly violated through rape and torture. It deals with a character who attempts suicide multiple times to escape horrors no one should endure. Another has a drug addiction. It's a heavy book, but it is filled with redemption, hope & perseverance. Canyon's upbeat & humorous personality kept it from staying too heavy the whole way through.
Generally, I'm not a huge fan of the more content heavy books, but I loved this one. Second time through I fell in love even more.

The heart I have for abused & battered women, was spoken to deeply by this book. Novel's that are fiction, but speak to & nudge your convictions...those are the keepers.

5 Stars for this one, & I'd recommend it for readers 18-19+

Falcon by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Book 3 in the 'Quiet Professionals' series belongs to Falcon. This book is, by far my favourite of the series. See review's for book 1 (Raptor 6) & book 2 (Hawk) 

PLOT:

It begins immediately following where Hawk left off, and jumps right into an explosion/action sequence. As where book 1 & 2 in this series (Raptor 6 & Hawk) took a while to build & get going, simply due to the military strategies and lingo involved, Falcon started off in high gear, and the plot pretty much stayed that way throughout the entire book.
So plot wise, this book flowed swiftly. All that waiting you did in book 1 & 2, you don't do in book 3.  Everything you were waiting for, IT ALL HAPPENS.

Another thing I like about this book is how many subplots there are. SO MANY. Kiew & Cassie, Kiew & Daniel, Takkar Corp, Candyman & Takkar, Cassie & Sal, General Burnett...Eamon Straider- & a bunch of others. I loved every minute of how diverse this novel's storyline is.

The MC's in Falcon were my favourite. Salvatore (eerbody calls him Sal) "Falcon" Russo was passionate, real, and a total hardheaded idiot at times, but I loved him anyway. It was his flawed realness that made me identify with his struggle & journey.
Cassandra...I loved watching her character through this book...especially given that hardly anyone trusts her (her plight is real & terrible), and Sal is on a serious hate rampage to cover his feelings that yes...he still has for her.

VIOLENCE:

As with all war books, the violence is higher- comes with the territory. There is torture, bombs, shooting, attacks, & people die. Plenty of blood (not grotesquely explained, but we don't see it from a mile away, either) & gun wounds. A soldier does cutting on his arms in the shower a few times.
An Afghanistan mother kills one of her children and nearly does in the second with a knife (we don't see her doing it, but happen upon the aftermath of her young daughter's body & tunic being slashed and blood everywhere)

SEXUAL CONTENT / ROMANCE

There are mentions of a relationship filled with unbridled 'passion' that took place in Cassandra & Sal's past as lovers.

---------SPOILERS---------

After splitting, Cassandra finds out
she is pregnant with Sal's child
but she doesn't tell him until midway 
through the book. 

They share several passionate kisses.
Eamon falls in love with someone. Dean has a fairly off-screen relationship with Zahrah, but she appears here and there.

CONCLUSION:

This book has everything a good military suspense novel should have. Action, sacrifice, overcoming, some romance & a killer plot. Ronie's writing is nothing mediocre, or even good. It is phenomenal. It captivates you. It brings you right into the story like I've not witnessed many author's accomplish. This lady has a way with words that is incredible.

I give this book 5 stars and would recommend it for ages 17+

Hawk by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Hawk is slotted as book 2 in the 'Quiet Professionals' series by Ronie Kendig, set in (current day) war-torn Afghanistan with a group of Special Forces soldiers dealing with a hacker accessing and wreaking-havoc on their military computer database. So in other words, missions get corrupted, they receive phoney orders from upstream and trust is not something easily come by.

Check out my review for book 1, Raptor 6 here & review for Falcon (book 3), here.

With this series, each book builds on the last, and they are not (in my opinion) books that should be read out of order, or with a hope that the evil forces will be defeated until the end of book 3. This series is something you have to be dedicated to over the long-haul, if you want to see things resolved- so stay committed!

Comparatively speaking, I feel Hawk is lighter than Raptor 6. Yes, there is war violence, people die and there is evil, but it is overall less intense than book 1. Yet even this book has it's moment's of total craziness & it get's pretty tense. I mean...let's be real...this is a military book, and the violence is naturally going to be higher than in other books. It comes with the territory.

The plot took a bit to get going (I know, the opening scene was all guns blazing & our MC got knocked out, but I'm talking overall plot)
As I mentioned in my review of Raptor 6, because there is a lot of military lingo & computer hacking tech-talk, it takes focused brain power to comprehend what's going on and get through this book. It isn't an 'easy' read, or mindless AT ALL. You have to be functioning on all your mental burners in order to keep up with this plot, otherwise you won't have a clue what's going on.
If I was tired and read sections of this book...I was LOST.
This novel requires absolute attention & concentration, because it is a plot powerhouse. I don't know how Ronie does it, but she keeps creating mind-blowing content where her plots are concerned. #authorrespect
The attention paid to detail makes you feel as though you're watching a movie, rather than reading a book. Ronie's writing has a definite cinematic vibe to it- and without fail you are thrown into the story as if you were witnessing it unfold in person. Not many writer's can do this well as she can.

The romance was not the main plot- it was an undercurrent that popped up here and there. A few passionate kisses that were interrupted...falling in love attraction and the like, but it wasn't a 'romance' novel.

As far as the character's went...I enjoyed Brian's frank and open personality. It was refreshing, until his going banana's all the time left me like...'whet?' although certainly believable. I have met many a dude with un-hinged anger issues. Closer to the end I enjoyed his character more.
Fekiria wasn't my favourite...it was simply a personality clash, but she was well written & came off the page. She just wasn't my personal fave, but that is no fault of the author's.

The setting of Hawk, being that it was in the middle of winter (with blizzards aplenty) kinda just set me off the wrong way.
Again, just a personal preference, but somehow I couldn't 'get into' the story, given the overload of snow- now I live in the Great White North, so snow is no stranger in my world, but for some reason, I've never been a fan of books or movies set in the dead of winter. They seem depressing & bleak, and aren't my cup of tea. Anyone else feel this way?

CONCLUSION:

Amazing book- not quite my cup of tea, and simply due to personal preference. If you enjoy books set in the winter, & brainy techy type plots where you have to concentrate hard & be in for the long haul, this may be right up your alley.

For how good, well written & thought out the book is, I'd give it 5 stars. For how much I personally enjoyed it, I'd say about 2-3 stars.

Book 3 (review coming soon) is my favourite in the series...so I can't wait to share it with you peeps.

Lethal Legacy by Irene Hannon (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Normally crime fiction and me aren't the best of friends. Simply because, more often than not the villains are major psychotic creep's who do things that make your insides churn...
Some people like that, but I'm not the type of person who gets an adrenaline rush from being sickly disturbed by the evil dudes-that-be. However, I do like myself a good suspense, cat & mouse type novel with law enforcement, so long as nothing gets super creepy and grotesque. This is not to say that this book is not without it's creepy moments. I mean, it is a crime fiction suspense book. There's nasty, grisly stuff that comes along with the criminal world & those who seek to enforce the law & keep others safe. It isn't as gruesome as some crime fiction I've read, but it isn't a tip-toe through the tulips. You've been forewarned ;)

I loved Lethal Legacy. The plot felt fresh and unexplored (unlike the ones that have seemingly been done over & over), and a good pace was kept throughout. 

I was drawn to the character's- they were unique & compelling.

The romance was steady throughout the storyline & real without tripping over into anything steamy. 

I loved the elements including the Taylor family's sibling dynamic- it made everything feel that much more real.  

I was on the edge of my seat until the end of the story. This is the sort of book that would make for a great crime/suspense movie. 

4 Stars, and would recommend this book for anyone 17+. 

Along Came Jones by Linda Windsor (Review by Ashley Nikole)

First time I read this book was during my mid-teen years, and I loved it. So, for the love of going back & reminiscing about a good book (which seems rare to find- I am decidedly a media snob and I'm not even sorry about it), several years later, I picked it up & started reading again. 

The first few chapters were great- I felt the plot & character's had a good deal of potential. There were some laughs along the way with a few moments of suspense that could have lead to something amazing, but...it didn't make the cut for me this time round. 

Why? 
I couldn't identify with the character's- maybe Shep (the dude) a small handful of times, but not often. I was not compelled by Diana, her situation, or virtually anything about her. 
The plot lagged & seemed to build up, go *poof* & then kinda smack you in the face when you weren't expecting it, but not in a good way. The plot didn't feel grounded. It just...floated. 

The romance was this awkward 'I don't know you but there's all this sizzling heat when I'm around you' type of thing, but there was no real friendship to back up their unexplained feelings for each other. 
If there is going to be a romantic, or even sexual pull for two character's, I need for there to be something more than the physical side of things backing it up. So, for the MC's (main character's) to have a pull between them, but they fight a bunch, don't trust each other & won't become friends, but they are falling in love...that seems like a recipe for disaster, and it just didn't make me want to root for their relationship. It was more annoying than anything else. 

I wanted to like this book, especially when the first time I read it, I was doing a happy dance cause I thought it was so adorable and sweet. Clearly my taste's in fiction have changed and the bar has been set higher. I'm okay with that. 
If this book floats your boat, great. For me, it didn't. This is not to say that I don't like Linda Windsor's writing. On the contrary, I've read several of her books and I love them- just not this one. 

The one thing I did enjoy about this book was Shep's old-fashioned gentlemanly cowboy behaviour. When the rest of the plot wasn't irking me, I must admit, it was sweet. Apart from that, this book was just a no-go all round. 

1.5 Stars. 

Have you read this book? What was your take on it? 

Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig (Review by Ashley Nikole)

Before we get into things, I just have to point out how awesome the cover is...not only because it looks L-E-G-I-T, but because the model on the cover is actually a military veteran. Say what? I think that is so rad. (the men on the two other cover's of the 'Quiet Professional's' series are also veterans) 

Well written book filled with action, intrigue and sacrifice. The first half was a little slow, just getting into the groove, I think just because there was a lot of heady information (due to the fact that the villain(s) are combined military & computer hacker brains) and a back story had to be built, in order to get to where it could essentially "explode".

The last quarter of the book was quite intense (comparatively speaking with most of Kendig's work, I'd say the last quarter of this book was the most intense I've seen her writing get...just with the brutality stuff), with a good deal of torture and the also rape...so it was, like I said- quite intense. 

Since this is a three part series, the villain didn't end up getting defeated, so it was a bit of a momentary let down...simply because the characters went through so much, and the pay off seemed fairly non-existent (apart from getting out alive, which is a big plus, of course). 
However, with this series, it is definitely the kind where you need to read all three books (Hawk & Falcon- reviews coming for these soon!) to get the overarching problems solved. Whereas in some series, there is an individual problem for each book and it gets resolved at the ending of said book, this series has a collective villain that all three books work towards defeating, and yes, it takes all three books to uncover the crazy force they are up against. 
So definitely, stick to the end and read all three books- don't give up on the first simply because it looks like there isn't a lot of resolution that takes place in book 1. 

PLOT: 
Like I said above, it was a bit slower unless you could plow through a lot of technical military & hacker wordage and complex plot buildup. It wasn't that it lacked something going on- there was a LOT going on, it was just quite large and took a bit more brain power to comprehend. Kendig is a literal plot genius- and it takes a fully engaged mind to understand and track what is going on, in all the different plot/subplot strains.
The last quarter was quite intense- when everything went crazy, it went full throttle.

VIOLENCE: 
With a book set in Afghanistan about the military, you just know there's gonna be some nasty violence. Innocent people (including a child- though we don't see them when it happens) die from Taliban (I think it was Taliban, I'll have to check back on that) attacks and the ravages of a country torn apart by war. A soldier has flashbacks about getting tortured in the past, and also is captured & tortured again. Also including a scene of physiological warfare, where (when in captivity) captors turn out the lights and blast screamo-heavy metal music, to essentially wear down the mind & create terror.

SEXUAL CONTENT: (SPOILERS) 
Apart from the regular and pretty low profile romance between the main characters, Zahrah (lady main character) is raped. As reader's we aren't in the same room when it happens, but we can hear her screaming in the other room.

CONCLUSION:

Since this is a three part series, the villain didn't end up getting defeated, so it was a bit of a momentary let down...simply because the characters went through so much, and the pay off seemed fairly non-existent (apart from getting out alive). 
However, with this series, it is definitely the kind where you need to read all three books (Hawk & Falcon- click the titles for a link to their respective reviews) to get the overarching problems solved. 
So, stick to the end and read all three books- don't give up on the first simply because it looks like there isn't a lot of resolution that takes place in book 1. 

This is definitely a heavier read. With the reality of war and the atrocities that come along with it, it shook me up since I was so invested in the character's and storyline, and they were hurt deeply physically, emotionally and mentally. Despite the heaviness that the reality brings, it remains an amazing book- but, depending on what you're looking for in a read, it may or may not be up your alley. 

3.5 stars. (the dock in stars is resulting from the fact that it was more intense than I prefer (regarding torture & rape) but that is merely a personal preference, and in no way should reflect anything but amazing writing, character & plot creation by Ronie Kendig) I would recommend this book for ages 19+ 

Have you read Raptor 6? What were your thoughts?