Review of Range by Ronie Kendig

I'm a Metcalfe fan. I can admit it. So I was super excited that the third book in The Metcalfes series, "Range," was available on Amazon. This weekend, I went ahead and gave myself an early Christmas present and purchased the Kindle edition. 😊

In this third book, Range Metcalfe is trying to locate and capture a high profile madam in Afghanistan (who engages in human trafficking), but Range's plans go awry. Things are not what they seem. In this story, just as with the others in the series, be prepared for a wild ride...lots of adventure with a side of romance, plus a great spiritual arc. In particular, I like how Ronie circles back to the characters Canyon and Dani from the Discarded Heroes series, which I highly recommend.

With this series, Ronie does a good job of providing a gritty, realistic view of a delicate topic (human trafficking). She doesn't hold back with her portrayal and exposes hypocrisy.

One thing about fiction is that writers are told to wrap things up quickly and include the HEA at the end of a story. But I appreciate when it's done well, and Kendig handled this ending realistically.

If you enjoy action, adventure, romance, and don't shy away from sensitive topics such as human trafficking, this book should appeal to you!

To purchase this book on Amazon, click here. 

 

Review of Willow by Ronie Kendig

With her latest release, Ronie did a great job. Willow was completely action packed from start to finish. It was a quick read.

While Willow was a good read, it was a tough read. It won’t be for everyone. I wouldn’t recommend it for particularly sensitive readers or for teens, unless a parent/guardian has read the book first.

Willow Metcalfe is busy helping survivors of human trafficking in Africa, when the Nigerian mafia attacks her group. Afterward, a mysterious man associated with the Nigerian mafia develops a sudden interest in Willow. Now, not only is Willow in physical danger, but the horrors she witnesses test her spiritual resolve.

I can admit I was sad when Ronie's Discarded Heroes series ended, so I enjoy reading other books about the Metcalfes. I look forward to reading Book 3, which will feature Range. In case you missed Book 1, which features Stone, be sure to check it out.

If you like stories involving faith, action, and romance, and you can handle a gritty story about human trafficking, then you should enjoy this story, or at least the resolution.

What is your favorite Ronie Kendig book?

An Interview With Ronie Kendig

 

I'm a die hard 24 fan - I couldn't wait for the new Live Another Day series on Fox earlier this year. When it ended, however, I found myself in withdrawals. I wanted the action, the cliffhanger drama of waiting all week for the new episode, and that sense of satisfaction when the clock started ticking on a new hour. I was pretty disappointed. Until I picked up Operation Zulu.

I thought Ronie Kendig's new serialized novel concept sounded interesting. I wasn't prepared for the thrill ride that started with the first book. It was like reading a 24 episode. I found myself racing through lunch breaks, before bedtime, any time I could squeeze in a little bit of time to read. This is without doubt one of the best series I've read in a long time.

 

I was so excited when Ronie agreed to do an interview for Sleuths and Suspects! After you read it, head straight to Amazon and download the first installment of Operation Zulu for free. Just consider yourself warned - you won't stop with this one.



1. How did you come up with the idea for a serial novel? 

My publisher contacted my agent about having me partnering with them for a new venture—the serial novel. During a phone call with my editor, we evaluated series ideas I had to see how they’d fit within the unique framework of the serialized novel. She loved the concept for Zulu and chose that one.

2. How was writing Operation Zulu different from writing a traditional novel? 

Because of the original intent, to have one episode release every week for 3 months, the writing was much more demanding—I had to complete Zulu within three months, so it could go live. Though the publisher’s needs changed, I still had another contracted novel after Zulu due within a few months, so I had to race to the finish. I heavily plotted out Zulu, outlining each chapter with a synopsis. My overall synopsis for the whole series—which is the equivalent of two full-length novels—was about thirty-five pages long.

3. What influenced you write military fiction?

I grew up an Army brat and once my father got out, he worked as a civilian contractor, so I stayed around soldiers most of my young life. Then I married a soldier. My concept of a hero has always been defined with the military in mind, so it’s a natural segue into my fiction.

4. Who are your favorite authors? What writers have influenced you the most? 

My favorite author depends on the genre—in other words, I have a lot. For thrillers, it’s Robert Liparulo and James Rollins, along with a dose of Steven James. For fantasy, it’s Jim Rubart, Stephen Lawhead, Patrick Carr…and so on. As for writers who have influence me most, I’d have to say John Olson has had the biggest ipmact on me, but so have Jim Rubart (whom I call my “big brother”) and Tosca Lee, who have inspired and challenged me to write better, more passionately. 

5. Will we see more from the Zulu team in the future? Or another serial novel?

My publisher has not made a final decision on this, but if I were to guess—which is dangerous, I know—I’d probably say that another season isn’t going to happen. Many readers chose to wait for the whole serial to be release and some are waiting for the print version. Unfortunately, that affected sales numbers, and as a result, the “demand” wasn’t huge. At this point, I do not foresee me pursuing another serial novel. It was an incredible amount of work, and while digital sales are increasing, they are still a small percentage of print copies, and I’m a hard-copy kind of girl—gotta have that book in my hands!

Ronie Kendig is an bestselling, award-winning, author who grew up an Army brat. After twenty-plus years of marriage, she and her hunky hero husband have a full life with four children, a Maltese Menace, and a retired military working dog in Northern Virginia. She can be found at www.roniekendig.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rapidfirefiction), Twitter (@roniekendig), Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/RonieK), and Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/roniek/)!

Review of Firethorn

I recently finished Firethorn, written by Ronie Kendig and published by Barbour. I enjoyed this fourth and final book in the Discarded Heroes series but was sad that the series had come to an end.

Griffin Riddell, also known as Legend, is the main character in this book. When the Shack is attacked, the heroes are scattered, and a female outsider--strong and determined Kazi--is brought in to rescue them. Imagine the worst possible stuff that could happen to the heroes, and well, there you have it. But it makes for a great story.

Just to warn you, there was at least one major shocker/surprise in the story, but I won't spoil it for you. To be fair, the event added a greater sense of reality, because as we all know, not everything in life turns out rosy.

The book was very action packed. There was more at stake than in previous books in the series, and I liked how Kendig provided closure at the end.

After reading Wolfsbane, I had pity for Range, so I was glad that Kendig brought him back and gave him some more story time in this final book.

Even as I write this, I'm hoping Kendig's developing a spin off. *hint, hint, cough, wink* I really enjoyed reading about the characters, and as sappy as it sounds, I will miss reading about them.

This series will appeal to men and women who like a little romance and a lot of action. Women should enjoy the romance and depth of Kendig's characters. Men should enjoy the action and the realism Kendig brings to her carefully researched stories.

Though each book can stand alone, if you haven't read any of the books in the series, I would suggest reading them in order. It makes more sense, and you'll get more out of them:

Nightshade (Book 1)

Digitalis (Book 2)

Wolfsbane (Book 3)

Firethorn (Book 4)

Finally, equally noteworthy, is at the end of the book, Kendig draws attention to the men and women who serve and protect our great nation with pride and honor. While it's fun to enjoy fiction, we must never forget the real heroes.


*Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

*The authors of this blog are Amazon.com affiliates. Sometimes, we will include links in our blog posts. When visitors to this site purchase items from Amazon.com using links in our posts, the authors of this blog earn a percentage of the sales.