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The Warrior #1
No juegues con fuego : Una novela de acción, aventura y fantasía militar (La Guerrera libro 1)
Ha pasado tanto tiempo, Guerrera… Puedo sentirte…
¿Idina Moorfield se está volviendo loca o ha encontrado una magia antigua?
Su familia dice que no es una verdadera Moorfield y que nunca será lo bastante buena para el negocio familiar.
A veces, lo que parece el peor día de tu vida, es el comienzo de tu aventura.
Idina da el primer paso hacia una nueva vida y se aleja de su familia para forjarse su propio futuro.
Pero su vocación es a lo que más se oponen los Moorfield. Y ella está siguiendo los pasos de su tío Richard, otro marginado de la familia.
¿De qué tienen tanto miedo todos los miembros de la familia Moorfield?
Un nuevo Guerrero está a punto de descubrir las verdaderas raíces del apellido Moorfield. Nada volverá a ser lo mismo.
Haz clic en "Leer gratis" o "Comprar ahora" para comenzar hoy mismo las aventuras de Idina Moorfield en la serie La Guerrera.
¿Idina Moorfield se está volviendo loca o ha encontrado una magia antigua?
Su familia dice que no es una verdadera Moorfield y que nunca será lo bastante buena para el negocio familiar.
A veces, lo que parece el peor día de tu vida, es el comienzo de tu aventura.
Idina da el primer paso hacia una nueva vida y se aleja de su familia para forjarse su propio futuro.
Pero su vocación es a lo que más se oponen los Moorfield. Y ella está siguiendo los pasos de su tío Richard, otro marginado de la familia.
¿De qué tienen tanto miedo todos los miembros de la familia Moorfield?
Un nuevo Guerrero está a punto de descubrir las verdaderas raíces del apellido Moorfield. Nada volverá a ser lo mismo.
Haz clic en "Leer gratis" o "Comprar ahora" para comenzar hoy mismo las aventuras de Idina Moorfield en la serie La Guerrera.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2021
705 people are currently reading
769 people want to read
About the author
Martha Carr
560 books765 followersOkay, I'm a late bloomer who's a big DC comics fan and spent my childhood summers on the Jersey shore but I was born under a wandering star and have lived in different parts of America ever since. That's enough about me. Need to feel inspired today? Looking for something to make you root for an ordinary hero? I'm all about that in everything I write.
I love a good tale that makes me wonder about things and I love a story even more that leaves me feeling inspired or like I'm capable of doing more than I realized. That's my goal with everything I've ever written. Some of the stories I tell involve twisting, turning thrillers and others have a lot of magic.
There's something to be said for getting lost in another world and coming out the other side feeling a little better about yourself or the possibilities in front of you. That's basically the best part of life in a nutshell, no matter what kind of story I'm setting out to tell.
Thank you for checking out my stories!
I love a good tale that makes me wonder about things and I love a story even more that leaves me feeling inspired or like I'm capable of doing more than I realized. That's my goal with everything I've ever written. Some of the stories I tell involve twisting, turning thrillers and others have a lot of magic.
There's something to be said for getting lost in another world and coming out the other side feeling a little better about yourself or the possibilities in front of you. That's basically the best part of life in a nutshell, no matter what kind of story I'm setting out to tell.
Thank you for checking out my stories!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
May 29, 2022
I can't find a reference for this and could swear I've heard authors talk about it, but I can't find a reference. So when I say "walking to the story", what I mean is that the author is piddling around giving character exposition, but taking their time getting to the interesting bit. This book isn't so much "walking to the story" as it is "strolling casually along, hoping a story shows up."
Idina is the only human in a family of automatons. Oh, not literally, because that would be interesting. No, her family is just that caricature that arty folks build of business folks to justify their antipathy. Business everything! Work all the time! Care only about money! This so-called family has all the warmth of a popsicle and all the heart of a lettuce. So Indina . . . okay, I'm boring myself. Let me say that at 20% she has futzed around with her friends who are servants and learned absolutely nothing germane to the plot/story/background/world. Nothing. There's green light that only some people can see that helps her do things like win chess games. But that got boring after the first two instances of it appearing and there's no additional information about anything. That's waaaaay too long to go without something happening.
So I'm out. This is bad storytelling. Find the story. Get to the interesting bits. This dreamy wandering makes her seem like a dolt and putting up with her family makes her seem like a doormat. I get the sense that there's something interesting in the heart of this. But reading other reviews, it's clear that none of that is found in this book. I'm so glad I dug into those reviews at 20% rather than wasting more time on this meandering excrescence but please allow me to save you even that 20%. Find some other book. One with a plot. Give this one a pass.
Okay fine. Some readers might find all this excruciating detail interesting. Indina wanders around, has conversations with various family serfs, her family treats her like crap. If you enjoy that, this is your baby. Personally, I'd rather watch paint dry...
Idina is the only human in a family of automatons. Oh, not literally, because that would be interesting. No, her family is just that caricature that arty folks build of business folks to justify their antipathy. Business everything! Work all the time! Care only about money! This so-called family has all the warmth of a popsicle and all the heart of a lettuce. So Indina . . . okay, I'm boring myself. Let me say that at 20% she has futzed around with her friends who are servants and learned absolutely nothing germane to the plot/story/background/world. Nothing. There's green light that only some people can see that helps her do things like win chess games. But that got boring after the first two instances of it appearing and there's no additional information about anything. That's waaaaay too long to go without something happening.
So I'm out. This is bad storytelling. Find the story. Get to the interesting bits. This dreamy wandering makes her seem like a dolt and putting up with her family makes her seem like a doormat. I get the sense that there's something interesting in the heart of this. But reading other reviews, it's clear that none of that is found in this book. I'm so glad I dug into those reviews at 20% rather than wasting more time on this meandering excrescence but please allow me to save you even that 20%. Find some other book. One with a plot. Give this one a pass.
Okay fine. Some readers might find all this excruciating detail interesting. Indina wanders around, has conversations with various family serfs, her family treats her like crap. If you enjoy that, this is your baby. Personally, I'd rather watch paint dry...
February 6, 2022
If you want to learn every boring detail about Army boot camp, please read this book.
Well written and pointless. Those were the two thoughts running through my mind when I finished this book. An unhappy girl with some mysterious paranormal ability joins the Army to get away from her self absorbed family.
This entire book is just a set up for the next books. There is no resolution. I will not be continuing this series.
Well written and pointless. Those were the two thoughts running through my mind when I finished this book. An unhappy girl with some mysterious paranormal ability joins the Army to get away from her self absorbed family.
This entire book is just a set up for the next books. There is no resolution. I will not be continuing this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2022
What an intense start to the series.
Idinia Moorfield is an interesting character and I can't wait to get to know her more. I hope she turns out to be gay. Also, Idina's family are arseholes.
Idinia Moorfield is an interesting character and I can't wait to get to know her more. I hope she turns out to be gay. Also, Idina's family are arseholes.
June 14, 2022
This could have been an email
June 22, 2022
Pointless
This entire book should be the first third of a real book. Nothing happens that can't be summed up in a few pages. Her so called power is barely used let alone explained. Half the book is family drama that serves no purpose. The second half is just basic training. I have no idea what the world is like. Is there magic, monsters, or just people? I have no idea. There is no antagonist. The book is written expecting you to understand military terminology. Since I do not there's a lot I don't understand. Not that there was any story to get invested in.
This entire book should be the first third of a real book. Nothing happens that can't be summed up in a few pages. Her so called power is barely used let alone explained. Half the book is family drama that serves no purpose. The second half is just basic training. I have no idea what the world is like. Is there magic, monsters, or just people? I have no idea. There is no antagonist. The book is written expecting you to understand military terminology. Since I do not there's a lot I don't understand. Not that there was any story to get invested in.
April 30, 2022
This story doesn't go anywhere. It's sad, since the writing is good and at first the protagonist is shown as an intelligent and capable girl. But NOTHING happens. No plot, no consistent characters once she leaves the mansion (which happens halfway the book wtf). And reading the rewievs of the second and third book it's the same thing. How can one write a story in which nothing happens? Like, it's not even slice of life, just waiting around for something to happen because the first few chapters were good and promised Jimmy stuff, but if after 3 whole books nothing is delivered to the door, the fuck I'm reading this for? So I'm dropping this at 70%. It says something about the writing it was capable of keep me for so long, but at this point I don't even understand what genre this is supposed to be. No supermatural/magic stuff anywhere. Looks like normal USA, no urban fantasy. No real conflicts or drive in the plot. No real friendships or developing the characters. And the covers have nothing to do with the story. Like, NOTHING. She's suppose to have curly hair. There's no action scenes. No magic. No idea where the hell did the author pull off such covers, because from other rewievs in the 2 and 3rd books they never mean anything related to what's inside. Wtf?
July 13, 2022
This is not a book, it is an installment and not a good installment at that. I got the kindle sample and, while questionable, I choose to hope that these authors finally learned how to write a good book. Boy was I wrong and I will be seeking to get my money back immediately after writing this review.
The book: MC’s family has something mysterious in their past that causes the MC to emit green light. MC’s family chooses to repress whatever this is, medicating MC and limiting family endeavors to making money as investment advisors. Oppressed MC joins the army to get away from this insane family and goes through basic training. The end. NO ATTEMPT AT STORY TELLING REMOTELY IN SIGHT.
I grew tired a long time ago of the whole “person needs info but family won’t give it” story line and yet here it is again. I grew tired of it BECAUSE IT MAKES NO SENSE. Essentially here the family wants the MC to fall into line with its plan but won’t tell the MC why. Worse they treat the MC as an investment refusing to assist her with college even though the family is insanely wealthy. The authors make some lame attempts at making the family less ridiculous- a brother that is nice when he is high and the mom MIGHT HAVE cried when the MC left home (or mom might not have and no one actually talks with the MC). Basically the authors make the MC’s family so horrible it makes no sense for the MC to feel anything but antipathy towards them.
During this time the authors fail in a basic story telling aspect: The authors want to get out info about the MC’s uncle who basically went through the exact same thing MC is going through now only eight years before. One of the servants even tells the MC to look uncle up online BUT MC DOESN’T. No reason for this. The MC is waiting around days for the family to decide whether they will support her in college or not so during this time she goes out of her way to question some servants about the uncle but googling the uncle IS TOO MUCH EFFORT????
Bottom line: This non-story isn’t even told particularly well and now I get to see if Amazon will give me my $5 back because I do not want to encourage the publication of crap this bad.
The book: MC’s family has something mysterious in their past that causes the MC to emit green light. MC’s family chooses to repress whatever this is, medicating MC and limiting family endeavors to making money as investment advisors. Oppressed MC joins the army to get away from this insane family and goes through basic training. The end. NO ATTEMPT AT STORY TELLING REMOTELY IN SIGHT.
I grew tired a long time ago of the whole “person needs info but family won’t give it” story line and yet here it is again. I grew tired of it BECAUSE IT MAKES NO SENSE. Essentially here the family wants the MC to fall into line with its plan but won’t tell the MC why. Worse they treat the MC as an investment refusing to assist her with college even though the family is insanely wealthy. The authors make some lame attempts at making the family less ridiculous- a brother that is nice when he is high and the mom MIGHT HAVE cried when the MC left home (or mom might not have and no one actually talks with the MC). Basically the authors make the MC’s family so horrible it makes no sense for the MC to feel anything but antipathy towards them.
During this time the authors fail in a basic story telling aspect: The authors want to get out info about the MC’s uncle who basically went through the exact same thing MC is going through now only eight years before. One of the servants even tells the MC to look uncle up online BUT MC DOESN’T. No reason for this. The MC is waiting around days for the family to decide whether they will support her in college or not so during this time she goes out of her way to question some servants about the uncle but googling the uncle IS TOO MUCH EFFORT????
Bottom line: This non-story isn’t even told particularly well and now I get to see if Amazon will give me my $5 back because I do not want to encourage the publication of crap this bad.
July 27, 2022
I just wanna say that the covers on these book represents nothing in these books. It’s all false advertising. There is no rock monster. The MC doesn’t wear anything fantasy-esque. She wears army fatigues. Nothing in the future books matches the covers. All lies.
Magic isn’t a known entity in this world. MC has it, hides it, and that’s it. Basically day in the life of someone who joins the army. Could never be me. Too much everything, especially the exercise, the authority thing and the murdering others thing.
Anyways, yeah I’m intrigued but by no means is this a book I would recommend or say it’s good. I am unsure if there is even a plot. I guess the plot is that she goes into the military and then she graduates basic training and is now like a person in the military. Groundbreaking.
You know what though. This has been all I’ve been reading during my stint with COVID-19. No worldbuilding, no magical rules to learn, no murder mystery, no fantasy schemes or weird fantasy names, no intricate plot. My covid fog brain can only take so much and this series is it. It has that going for it then. No thinking involved just read about someone doing sit ups and hiding contraband food wrappers. And sometimes that’s all I can handle.
Magic isn’t a known entity in this world. MC has it, hides it, and that’s it. Basically day in the life of someone who joins the army. Could never be me. Too much everything, especially the exercise, the authority thing and the murdering others thing.
Anyways, yeah I’m intrigued but by no means is this a book I would recommend or say it’s good. I am unsure if there is even a plot. I guess the plot is that she goes into the military and then she graduates basic training and is now like a person in the military. Groundbreaking.
You know what though. This has been all I’ve been reading during my stint with COVID-19. No worldbuilding, no magical rules to learn, no murder mystery, no fantasy schemes or weird fantasy names, no intricate plot. My covid fog brain can only take so much and this series is it. It has that going for it then. No thinking involved just read about someone doing sit ups and hiding contraband food wrappers. And sometimes that’s all I can handle.
December 30, 2021
Sucks you in.
I started this wondering if I’d like it. The premise was interesting, but the mc is only 17. Yet by the end of the book, after everything she struggles to overcome, you forget this is a teen your following and you find yourself swept along on her adventure.
Already have book two waiting for me to dive into.
I started this wondering if I’d like it. The premise was interesting, but the mc is only 17. Yet by the end of the book, after everything she struggles to overcome, you forget this is a teen your following and you find yourself swept along on her adventure.
Already have book two waiting for me to dive into.
December 12, 2021
Wonderful start
Loved this story. What an interesting family to be a part of I think I would want to be free of them also. But the military may be kind of extreme. But it seems like it is the right choice hr her. She seems to be a natural born leader and a people person. Looking forward to the next book.
Loved this story. What an interesting family to be a part of I think I would want to be free of them also. But the military may be kind of extreme. But it seems like it is the right choice hr her. She seems to be a natural born leader and a people person. Looking forward to the next book.
July 25, 2024
Hay muchas cosas con este libro que me hubiese gustado que fueran de forma diferente. De verdad que siento que pudieron cambiarse muchas cosas para que la trama fuera entretenida, agradable y sorprendente.
Los puntos positivos de esta historia van orientados especialmente a las descripciones de los entrenamientos militares. Fue interesante ver cómo todo ahí dentro funciona y cómo los soldados se preparan para servir dentro del ejército. Para una persona que ama esos temas (o sea, yo) es muy refrescante encontrarse ese tipo de detalles.
Los puntos negativos, por desgracia, son más. En primer lugar, dentro de la historia no pasa absolutamente nada. Acorde con mi lector, el libro tiene 484 páginas de no pasar nada. Hubo momentos de tensión donde pensé que la trama podría dar un giro inesperado y... pues venía algún elemento anticlimático del todo.
El final tampoco es que me haya intrigado a querer seguir leyendo. La voz que llama a Idina puede que haya sido lo más revelador, pero no hubo sobresaltos de ningún otro tipo. Es sabido que la familia de la protagonista oculta un secreto que tiene que ver con su magia y es sabido que ese secreto es lo que hace que sean perfectos dentro de la empresa que fundaron. No hay una profundidad más allá, no hay un detenimiento para crear tensión dramática, nada. Las cosas, simplemente, pasan.
No pude evitar notar que el libro es parte de una saga. No puedo aseverar que la historia mejore o empeore en los próximos libros, pero lo cierto es que no lo pienso averiguar. Cuando se escribe una saga no puede venderse diciendo que en el segundo libro ocurre toda la acción. El gancho debe encontrarse desde el primer momento sino, no voy a tener una motivación real para seguir leyendo.
La protagonista es en toda la norma un personaje plano. Es demasiado buena en todo: ajedrez, boxeo, milicia. En un libro los defectos de los personas son importantes porque estos les dan matices. Nadie es del todo bueno, ni nadie es del todo malo. Las personas (y, por ende, los personajes) deben poseer al menos un elemento que los marque como humanos. Idina dista mucho de ser creíble en este sentido. Por no hablar del resto de su familia.
En sentido general, no fue una lectura que disfruté y me parece que hay que trabajar bastante en la trama, en acortar páginas y páginas de relleno innecesario, en humanizar a los personajes y en darle otro sentido más profundo al texto. Reitero que esta es mi opinión y puede que esté tipo de libros no sean para mí.
Los puntos positivos de esta historia van orientados especialmente a las descripciones de los entrenamientos militares. Fue interesante ver cómo todo ahí dentro funciona y cómo los soldados se preparan para servir dentro del ejército. Para una persona que ama esos temas (o sea, yo) es muy refrescante encontrarse ese tipo de detalles.
Los puntos negativos, por desgracia, son más. En primer lugar, dentro de la historia no pasa absolutamente nada. Acorde con mi lector, el libro tiene 484 páginas de no pasar nada. Hubo momentos de tensión donde pensé que la trama podría dar un giro inesperado y... pues venía algún elemento anticlimático del todo.
El final tampoco es que me haya intrigado a querer seguir leyendo. La voz que llama a Idina puede que haya sido lo más revelador, pero no hubo sobresaltos de ningún otro tipo. Es sabido que la familia de la protagonista oculta un secreto que tiene que ver con su magia y es sabido que ese secreto es lo que hace que sean perfectos dentro de la empresa que fundaron. No hay una profundidad más allá, no hay un detenimiento para crear tensión dramática, nada. Las cosas, simplemente, pasan.
No pude evitar notar que el libro es parte de una saga. No puedo aseverar que la historia mejore o empeore en los próximos libros, pero lo cierto es que no lo pienso averiguar. Cuando se escribe una saga no puede venderse diciendo que en el segundo libro ocurre toda la acción. El gancho debe encontrarse desde el primer momento sino, no voy a tener una motivación real para seguir leyendo.
La protagonista es en toda la norma un personaje plano. Es demasiado buena en todo: ajedrez, boxeo, milicia. En un libro los defectos de los personas son importantes porque estos les dan matices. Nadie es del todo bueno, ni nadie es del todo malo. Las personas (y, por ende, los personajes) deben poseer al menos un elemento que los marque como humanos. Idina dista mucho de ser creíble en este sentido. Por no hablar del resto de su familia.
En sentido general, no fue una lectura que disfruté y me parece que hay que trabajar bastante en la trama, en acortar páginas y páginas de relleno innecesario, en humanizar a los personajes y en darle otro sentido más profundo al texto. Reitero que esta es mi opinión y puede que esté tipo de libros no sean para mí.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2025
I like the writing itself but the story is aggravating. The intelligent, driven and capable MC with an undergraduate degree who's been working for her wealthy family's investment firm already somehow can't figure out how to get 5 grand a semester to make up the difference in what she needs for college without her families help. The same MC who can make artwork that has sold for thousands. Her only solution is the army with no thought of getting a job or something? The setup is just so clumsy. The rest of the book is just a detailed blow by blow of basic training in the army with what seems like a few paragraphs of a magic like power that's never explained. Other than that nothing much else happens for several books to progress the story and MC mostly "tries nothing and is all out of ideas." Also wow does everyone in the books love to smirk and snicker.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2023
Another great one
I haven't read a Michael Anderle book like this one before. His mind combined with Martha Carr had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. I better hang on tight through the rest of the series. This is gonna be one heck of a ride.
I haven't read a Michael Anderle book like this one before. His mind combined with Martha Carr had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. I better hang on tight through the rest of the series. This is gonna be one heck of a ride.
August 29, 2022
"It's not easy being green" especially in a family of pink.
October 12, 2024
A deep dive into boot camp training with a bit of magic. The cover is not relevant to the actual events in the first book. (Edit) up to book six/twelve now, the titles and covers do not relate to the books so far too. Mostly military training experiences so far.
February 6, 2022
Great Book!
This was a great book and I will continue the series happily. I enjoyed that the female lead character was a strong woman.
This was a great book and I will continue the series happily. I enjoyed that the female lead character was a strong woman.
May 21, 2022
I read this book in two days and it was a good read. I was interested enough to want to read on to the 2nd book but after FoxTrot Charlie I've pretty much tired of it. The writing is good but the story line drags out without any payout. What's interesting about it to me is also the let down as time goes on; Idina lives a lonely, at times bullied, life with her wealthy large family. It takes her forever to get out from under their thumb and then moves on excruciatingly slow during her boot camp training.
This reads like a diary almost. It could also be a recruiting story for the Army. So far the Army looks really good in this. I like military stuff so I was interested and kept reading. If you aren't into military day by day life then you are going to go bat$#!% crazy.
The paranormal part or magical part turns into a never ending quest to find out what it is. And I mean never. Didn't find out in book 1 or 2. When she had the opportunity to do so, she sweeps it under the rug for another time, never to be revisited. So she continues to be clueless about her gift, wanting to know, but never accepting the help from the one person who is willing to tell her.
I've started book 3 but I'm not certain I'll finish it. It's almost like the same author isn't writing it. Also it looks like it's going to drag out again. It's a shame because I like the fact that she's a very young woman (18 yrs. old) going through the army basics and has her head on (mostly) straight. There just isn't enough action in it to fit the premise of the story. My 4 star rating is for Get Smoked... If I rated FoxTrot, I'd give it a 3. And I really hate to give this a poor rating seeing as how I'm such a fan of the Urban druid series by Auburn Tempest and Michael Anderle, all 15 books, 5 stars. This series just doesn't do it for me.
This reads like a diary almost. It could also be a recruiting story for the Army. So far the Army looks really good in this. I like military stuff so I was interested and kept reading. If you aren't into military day by day life then you are going to go bat$#!% crazy.
The paranormal part or magical part turns into a never ending quest to find out what it is. And I mean never. Didn't find out in book 1 or 2. When she had the opportunity to do so, she sweeps it under the rug for another time, never to be revisited. So she continues to be clueless about her gift, wanting to know, but never accepting the help from the one person who is willing to tell her.
I've started book 3 but I'm not certain I'll finish it. It's almost like the same author isn't writing it. Also it looks like it's going to drag out again. It's a shame because I like the fact that she's a very young woman (18 yrs. old) going through the army basics and has her head on (mostly) straight. There just isn't enough action in it to fit the premise of the story. My 4 star rating is for Get Smoked... If I rated FoxTrot, I'd give it a 3. And I really hate to give this a poor rating seeing as how I'm such a fan of the Urban druid series by Auburn Tempest and Michael Anderle, all 15 books, 5 stars. This series just doesn't do it for me.
May 30, 2022
read 6 books of this series and unfortunately it's the same as other series I've read that Michael Anderle has co-written. A drawn-out money grab. Does the story have potential? Absolutely. Does it contain an interesting premise? Sure. But there's so many details that lead absolutely nowhere and have no significance whatsoever. Rather the details are page-fillers so that you get less story for more money.
Also, the FMC is in the dark about pretty much everything. We know about someone pulling the strings, but it remains unknown to the reader as to the objective or the reason behind it. Works for a couple of books, but I'm over it. The FMC always rises to the occasion, never victoriously, as she always barely makes it and always somehow screws up, but never in an endearing way.
If you have kindle unlimited and a weekend to kill, knock yourself out. But there is no real character growth. The relationships the FMC builds are meaningless as the side characters are all switched out pretty much every book sometimes even during. The FMC (only MC) is a mix between assertive and quick to back down and bow down to authority, always deferring to her superiors when push comes to shove. Sure, that's how the army works, but the way it's written doesn't support the story except to keep it extra slow.
Also, the FMC is in the dark about pretty much everything. We know about someone pulling the strings, but it remains unknown to the reader as to the objective or the reason behind it. Works for a couple of books, but I'm over it. The FMC always rises to the occasion, never victoriously, as she always barely makes it and always somehow screws up, but never in an endearing way.
If you have kindle unlimited and a weekend to kill, knock yourself out. But there is no real character growth. The relationships the FMC builds are meaningless as the side characters are all switched out pretty much every book sometimes even during. The FMC (only MC) is a mix between assertive and quick to back down and bow down to authority, always deferring to her superiors when push comes to shove. Sure, that's how the army works, but the way it's written doesn't support the story except to keep it extra slow.
March 30, 2022
Get Smoked or go Home, the first book of the Warrior series, is an ebook I borrowed through Kindle Unlimited (KU). This was an interesting series (yes, I read all five available books in 5 days). My biggest complaint has got to be the cover representation of Moorfield, she's a soldier and I's disappointed the authors felt it necessary to use the sexualized cover model when a woman in combat gear is more appropriate for the story line. Rant over. The whole series could have been done faster to get to book five, but the reader would have missed the antics of the secondary characters who steal a lot of the scenes. This first installment really sets the stage for the character.
April 21, 2022
There wasn't a plot in this book. It's just a description of an over-privileged 17 year old leaving home, joining the military to spite her family, ceasing taking drugs that were supposed to be for mental illness but were really suppressing superpowers, and going through boot camp, trying not to let those superpowers get noticed. The VAST majority was the blow-by-blow of going through boot camp. There as no real plot. I got very bored waiting for the story to start.
January 24, 2022
am not sure what i read
I mean i like the set up but the rest of the book is just so Dry if i want to read about the military which I don’t i would just watch a discovery channel documentary it just doesn’t do anything for me but put me to sleep and rage that i stuck around and tried to read it to begin with
I mean i like the set up but the rest of the book is just so Dry if i want to read about the military which I don’t i would just watch a discovery channel documentary it just doesn’t do anything for me but put me to sleep and rage that i stuck around and tried to read it to begin with
August 22, 2024
I wasn't sure if this book was for me at the very beginning.
Our hero is only 17, and came from a very wealthy family, with Idina Moorfield the youngest child of 4.
But as I kept on reading, I started to build a picture of her that had me intrigued, especially when her 'episodes' were mentioned, & the family Doctor had her on Meds that seemed a strange choice for her 'affliction'.
But then things changed and, quite suddenly, Idina was out, away from her family and all she knew, and had enrolled in the United States Army!
The rest of this story describes Idina dealing with Basic Training.
That might seem boring to some but, if this is all true to actual life, when joining any Army, it was a great look into the processes used, in order to mould individuals, into a well-trained fighting machine.
I did actually love all the details of it, and felt for every new recruit as they were put through hell, broken, then put back together into a true team.
Of course, with Idina being who she is, things kept happening around her, but every 'episode' actually improved her, until she became someone within her group, that the others knew they could rely on totally.
She turns eighteen whole doing basic training, but she also grows and matured nicely, as she learns what she's really capable of, and I very much liked the Idina from the ending.
I think this is going to be a much more interesting series than I'd thought, right at the beginning, and I'm very much looking forward to going on to Book Two: 'Charlie Foxtrot 101', to find out what Idina will be doing next.
As usual, I've read into the early hours of the morning, so I'll be getting some sleep before I start reading the next book but, once I have done, I'll catch you on the flip side, to let you know what I think of it!
Our hero is only 17, and came from a very wealthy family, with Idina Moorfield the youngest child of 4.
But as I kept on reading, I started to build a picture of her that had me intrigued, especially when her 'episodes' were mentioned, & the family Doctor had her on Meds that seemed a strange choice for her 'affliction'.
But then things changed and, quite suddenly, Idina was out, away from her family and all she knew, and had enrolled in the United States Army!
The rest of this story describes Idina dealing with Basic Training.
That might seem boring to some but, if this is all true to actual life, when joining any Army, it was a great look into the processes used, in order to mould individuals, into a well-trained fighting machine.
I did actually love all the details of it, and felt for every new recruit as they were put through hell, broken, then put back together into a true team.
Of course, with Idina being who she is, things kept happening around her, but every 'episode' actually improved her, until she became someone within her group, that the others knew they could rely on totally.
She turns eighteen whole doing basic training, but she also grows and matured nicely, as she learns what she's really capable of, and I very much liked the Idina from the ending.
I think this is going to be a much more interesting series than I'd thought, right at the beginning, and I'm very much looking forward to going on to Book Two: 'Charlie Foxtrot 101', to find out what Idina will be doing next.
As usual, I've read into the early hours of the morning, so I'll be getting some sleep before I start reading the next book but, once I have done, I'll catch you on the flip side, to let you know what I think of it!
October 22, 2022
Get Smoked or Go Home is a (very mildly) urban fantasy, slice-of-life style story. The cover definitely deceived me into thinking this was going to be an action-packed fantasy adventure. It is definitely not.
The plot consists of two phases, the first of which our main character Idina is the outcast of her business-obsessed, cold family. When she stands up for herself she decides she must put herself outside the family by any means necessary and joins the army. The second part of this book is the day to day minutia of life at boot camp. Descriptions of the rigors of training. Very mild antics from the recruits. Idina impressing the leaders of her platoon with her initiative in guiding the other recruits.
I'm all for emotion-centered stories rather than plot, so I was down for the first part about Idina and her struggles to be understood by her family. The second part initially interested me since I know next to nothing about the military, but there's only so much I can hear on that level of minute detail before it starts getting really boring. There's very little when it comes to fantasy elements. We never learn what Idina's mysterious power actually does, though I guess you'd find out more if you choose to read the rest of the series.
If you pick this one up get ready for a book (and series, I assume) that is incredibly, incredibly slow and details average, everyday events.
The plot consists of two phases, the first of which our main character Idina is the outcast of her business-obsessed, cold family. When she stands up for herself she decides she must put herself outside the family by any means necessary and joins the army. The second part of this book is the day to day minutia of life at boot camp. Descriptions of the rigors of training. Very mild antics from the recruits. Idina impressing the leaders of her platoon with her initiative in guiding the other recruits.
I'm all for emotion-centered stories rather than plot, so I was down for the first part about Idina and her struggles to be understood by her family. The second part initially interested me since I know next to nothing about the military, but there's only so much I can hear on that level of minute detail before it starts getting really boring. There's very little when it comes to fantasy elements. We never learn what Idina's mysterious power actually does, though I guess you'd find out more if you choose to read the rest of the series.
If you pick this one up get ready for a book (and series, I assume) that is incredibly, incredibly slow and details average, everyday events.
March 10, 2022
Accurate description of Basic...but...
The branch of service appeared to be incorrect. As far as I know, speaking with friends who've experienced the recruit induction and training described in this book...the Basic Training being described is what U.S. MARINES go through, up to and including "The Crucible" although it wasn't referred to that by name.
Army Basic and Advanced Training is not as rigorous, unlike Marines who are all rifle soldiers first and MOS unit members second. I say this having gone through Army Infantry Basic and Advanced Infantry Training, Officer Candidate School (which is run by The Infantry School at Ft. Benning), and the Infantry Officer Basic Course. All of the situations described as occurring during Idina's Basic Training in the ARMY happen afterwards at a graduated soldier's duty station, or at Ranger School. In some Army MOS assignments like Quartermaster or AG, that type of intense training might never happen.
I'm not sure why the author couldn't't use the proper service branch, and I don't see how Army Basic would have gotten much tougher recently, unless all service branches adopted a tougher approach. I do know I didn't't go through anything much like what the author described in my service time, so while illustrative, its non-applicability in my experience was distracting which is why only four stars.
The branch of service appeared to be incorrect. As far as I know, speaking with friends who've experienced the recruit induction and training described in this book...the Basic Training being described is what U.S. MARINES go through, up to and including "The Crucible" although it wasn't referred to that by name.
Army Basic and Advanced Training is not as rigorous, unlike Marines who are all rifle soldiers first and MOS unit members second. I say this having gone through Army Infantry Basic and Advanced Infantry Training, Officer Candidate School (which is run by The Infantry School at Ft. Benning), and the Infantry Officer Basic Course. All of the situations described as occurring during Idina's Basic Training in the ARMY happen afterwards at a graduated soldier's duty station, or at Ranger School. In some Army MOS assignments like Quartermaster or AG, that type of intense training might never happen.
I'm not sure why the author couldn't't use the proper service branch, and I don't see how Army Basic would have gotten much tougher recently, unless all service branches adopted a tougher approach. I do know I didn't't go through anything much like what the author described in my service time, so while illustrative, its non-applicability in my experience was distracting which is why only four stars.
September 14, 2022
I kept reading hoping something interesting would happen but nothing ever did. I got teenager who wasn't understood by her family, who were worried about her paranormal abilities ended up joining the military. We got to go through all the fun of army boot camp. I say fun but I think I would have had more fun watching paint. Did we really need to see every single bit of army boot camp? Surely some of it could have been skipped. At the end of it all I was wondering what the point of it all was. The main character was just so perfect, she almost seemed like a Mary Sue.
The premise was interesting, there were interesting parts - such as whatever the family was hiding, instead of learning more about that, she joins the army and we get army boot camp. She starts to manifest powers but somehow manages to control them. All the interesting parts of the book, the author seemed to have no interest in developing. Instead we got the tedium of army boot camp. I kept hoping something interesting would happen but I was disappointed. No intention of reading the rest of the series. It was well written but you need to be interested in army boot camp and nothing much else.
Also the cover was misleading. There is no monster. This reads as contemporary fiction with a little paranormal (a very little) spice.)
The premise was interesting, there were interesting parts - such as whatever the family was hiding, instead of learning more about that, she joins the army and we get army boot camp. She starts to manifest powers but somehow manages to control them. All the interesting parts of the book, the author seemed to have no interest in developing. Instead we got the tedium of army boot camp. I kept hoping something interesting would happen but I was disappointed. No intention of reading the rest of the series. It was well written but you need to be interested in army boot camp and nothing much else.
Also the cover was misleading. There is no monster. This reads as contemporary fiction with a little paranormal (a very little) spice.)
April 14, 2022
DNF - Mild spoilers only because it takes 40% of the book to get to a decision that could have been wrapped up in the first few chapters. So its a spoiler in that you have to read a good portion of the book to find out, but also it's a major premise of this series, so maybe not a spoiler? This book starts slow with that lead character struggling to meet her family's expectations. These expectations aren't really explained or elaborated on except she doesn't like finance enough. So despite a tedious amount of detail, no real clear motivations for any of the characters are revealed. But then it really picks up. Just kidding. Nothing has happened at 70% of the way through this book. 25% of this book is just describing boot camp. Like, the literal process that doesn't do anything to build characters or plot or anything. Got forms, filled them out, took a test, waited, learned how to stand in formation, ate real fast, repeat. No fantasy to speak of expect very vague references to finance 'gifts' and some shiny green light that appears a handful of times. Reviews for the rest of the serious doesn't look like this changes so I'm calling it.
February 21, 2023
Ok..What to say about this hot mess.
First off i am on book 9 of this series. How i got there is ....... well strange.
The book series dragged me into its hot claws and had its way with me.. Even though it really is a hot mess LOL.
Let me start off with what i liked about it.
1. The story was interesting..And kept me wanting to see what would happen next.
2. Fairly well written (better than i write :P) despite issues here and there.
Now to the ..Hot mess part.
1. The author clearly has no understanding of how the Military works. None. This leads to ...pretty glaring/distracting issues when it comes to anyone who does have a clue about how the military works.
2. Looking at the cover of the books.. you would think this series has a lot of action in it........ Not to mention the Name.. But sadly.. The action doesn't even really start until book 8-9. Yeeeeeaaaa... Everything up till that point is ...Like a really long prolog.
don't get me wrong.. I kinda enjoyed this series up to this point (book 9)..
I honestly don't know if i will continue reading this series.. Its..Strange
April 5, 2022
I really don't know what other people are reading. I felt like this book was plain terrible. And, that is sad.
The writing style itself is nicely done. And, but that, I mean the word selections and phrasing.
Everything else stinks. There is an introduction. There is a conflict. There is even a triggering incident. This happens in the first 2 chapters. That's it. We're done.
From then on, it reads like a diary. There is no rising action. There is no falling action. There is no climax. There is no resolution. There is just day in and day out stuff that moves the story nowhere. When I reached the end, I was completely flabbergasted and looking for more pages. It just STOPS. And, oh yes, the questions asked in the first 2 chapters are never answered.
Do not waste your time here. There are too many good books out there.
The writing style itself is nicely done. And, but that, I mean the word selections and phrasing.
Everything else stinks. There is an introduction. There is a conflict. There is even a triggering incident. This happens in the first 2 chapters. That's it. We're done.
From then on, it reads like a diary. There is no rising action. There is no falling action. There is no climax. There is no resolution. There is just day in and day out stuff that moves the story nowhere. When I reached the end, I was completely flabbergasted and looking for more pages. It just STOPS. And, oh yes, the questions asked in the first 2 chapters are never answered.
Do not waste your time here. There are too many good books out there.
June 17, 2025
If I'm rating this as the YA novel about a teenager who joins the army when her family refuses to let her go to art school instead of business college, then this is probably a 4, maybe even a 4.5. The storytelling is good and the writing is decent if you ignore the overuse of certain slang terms.
However, that's not what this book is being marketed as.
If I'm rating the book as the YA Fantasy/Urban Fantasy that it is being marketed as, it's a flop. The magical elements serve zero purpose to the overall story. Until 95% in, everything the magic does for the story could have been done by having the character use Sherlock Holmes style powers of observation and deduction.
This entire book should have been a chapter or two max in a larger urban fantasy story. This a 0.5 origin story that you release later to show how a beloved character got where they are, not the story to start with.
However, that's not what this book is being marketed as.
If I'm rating the book as the YA Fantasy/Urban Fantasy that it is being marketed as, it's a flop. The magical elements serve zero purpose to the overall story. Until 95% in, everything the magic does for the story could have been done by having the character use Sherlock Holmes style powers of observation and deduction.
This entire book should have been a chapter or two max in a larger urban fantasy story. This a 0.5 origin story that you release later to show how a beloved character got where they are, not the story to start with.
March 28, 2022
DNF.
If I wanted to know all about what basic training in the US army is like, I'd perhaps have finished this book. It was boring, and it's like they totally forgot she was supposed to have special powers once she reached basic.
Is this secretly an army recruitment series? I lost interest about 1/2 way through her basic training, which was, I reckon, well past the 50% point of the book. Then I looked up reviews of the following books and decided to cut my losses here.
Well written, but boring and pointless. I just didn't care about the MC. I have no idea how the cover is supposed to reflect the content, unless something happened at the end I'm not aware of, and unless army uniforms have *really* changed...
If I wanted to know all about what basic training in the US army is like, I'd perhaps have finished this book. It was boring, and it's like they totally forgot she was supposed to have special powers once she reached basic.
Is this secretly an army recruitment series? I lost interest about 1/2 way through her basic training, which was, I reckon, well past the 50% point of the book. Then I looked up reviews of the following books and decided to cut my losses here.
Well written, but boring and pointless. I just didn't care about the MC. I have no idea how the cover is supposed to reflect the content, unless something happened at the end I'm not aware of, and unless army uniforms have *really* changed...
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