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I Am Joey: Based on the Incredible True Story of a Young Woman in War-Torn Manila
Not yet published
Expected 28 May 26"Valor doesn't belong only to the strong."
In 1941, Manila, Philippines was the hidden gem of the Far East and set to become an independent sovereignty in a few short years. On December 8, 1941, immediately following the Pearl Harbor attack 5,200 miles away in Honolulu, the Japanese Imperial Army bombed the city of Manila and began an occupation that would last more than three years and culminate in a battle for the capital city that would go down as one of the deadliest in World War II history.
I Am Joey follows the incredible story of Josefina Guerrero, a socialite in the prestigious Ermita District, as she navigates the devastation of a medical diagnosis at the same time bombs begin raining down on her city. When the Japanese Imperial Army marches into Manila in January of 1942, Josefina enlists with the underground resistance and soon discovers a secret weapon she alone has against the Japanese soldiers at the checkpoints set up throughout the city.
But as the months stretch into years, will Josefina be able to survive the war happening right outside her doorstep and hold out for an illusory cure, or will promises she made long ago have a stronger pull on her destiny?
In 1941, Manila, Philippines was the hidden gem of the Far East and set to become an independent sovereignty in a few short years. On December 8, 1941, immediately following the Pearl Harbor attack 5,200 miles away in Honolulu, the Japanese Imperial Army bombed the city of Manila and began an occupation that would last more than three years and culminate in a battle for the capital city that would go down as one of the deadliest in World War II history.
I Am Joey follows the incredible story of Josefina Guerrero, a socialite in the prestigious Ermita District, as she navigates the devastation of a medical diagnosis at the same time bombs begin raining down on her city. When the Japanese Imperial Army marches into Manila in January of 1942, Josefina enlists with the underground resistance and soon discovers a secret weapon she alone has against the Japanese soldiers at the checkpoints set up throughout the city.
But as the months stretch into years, will Josefina be able to survive the war happening right outside her doorstep and hold out for an illusory cure, or will promises she made long ago have a stronger pull on her destiny?
254 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 28, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Author
I have read and reviewed this book for the Historical Novel Review and won't post my review here until HNR has published it, perhaps in June 2026.
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