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Ana Rocha: Shadows of Justice
Available in paperback, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited!
#1 Bestseller in Crime Thrillers!
Co-written by award-winning author Ammar Habib and an accomplished police detective comes this riveting crime novel!
Ana Rocha is a woman on fire. Being talented and from a well-off family, Ana could have become anything. But driven by her sister's murder, Ana chose the path of an undercover narcotics officer. Ana has made a vow to help clean up the streets of Houston. The journey her duty takes her on forces her to confront her worst nightmares and face the city’s most ruthless criminals. The further she goes down this path, the more the line between her two lives begins to blur. And soon, this journey brings her face-to-face with a monster from her past.
What readers are saying:
"Fans of James Patterson and Lee Child will fall in love with Ana Rocha!"
"This is a great story that gives a great perspective of what police officers and Texas Rangers go through and the sacrifices many of them make."
"This story has it all: emotions, drama, thrills, and action!"
#1 Bestseller in Crime Thrillers!
Co-written by award-winning author Ammar Habib and an accomplished police detective comes this riveting crime novel!
Ana Rocha is a woman on fire. Being talented and from a well-off family, Ana could have become anything. But driven by her sister's murder, Ana chose the path of an undercover narcotics officer. Ana has made a vow to help clean up the streets of Houston. The journey her duty takes her on forces her to confront her worst nightmares and face the city’s most ruthless criminals. The further she goes down this path, the more the line between her two lives begins to blur. And soon, this journey brings her face-to-face with a monster from her past.
What readers are saying:
"Fans of James Patterson and Lee Child will fall in love with Ana Rocha!"
"This is a great story that gives a great perspective of what police officers and Texas Rangers go through and the sacrifices many of them make."
"This story has it all: emotions, drama, thrills, and action!"
218 pages, Paperback
Published February 23, 2018
75 people are currently reading
4728 people want to read
About the author
Ammar Habib
31 books1,393 followersAmmar is an award-winning & bestselling author from Lake Jackson, Texas. Ammar enjoys crafting stories that are entertaining and inspirational. Ammar presently resides in his hometown.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 641 reviews
February 23, 2018
As the author, I feel like I'm obligated to give it a 5 Star Review ;)
March 4, 2018
Awesome.book
I just couldn't put the book down. I got hooked from the very beginning. This book has it all, a powerful woman, crimes, and action. Great writing Ammar and Glenda. As always Ammar you out did yourself again. I can't wait for your next book.
I just couldn't put the book down. I got hooked from the very beginning. This book has it all, a powerful woman, crimes, and action. Great writing Ammar and Glenda. As always Ammar you out did yourself again. I can't wait for your next book.
April 22, 2018
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the author in return for a honest rating and review.*
Ana Rocha isn’t just the kick ass heroine we want, she’s the one we need in 2018.
I went into this book with an open mind because I have read very few books that would fall into the same genre as Ana Rocha Shadows of Justice. And I came out of this book with an wholly new outlook on not just the genre, but books featuring action as a whole!
And that’s because this book did what I feel many fast-paced, action packed stories fail at. Despite the prevailing plot and regular action, there was still a lot of opportunity to get to know the characters. It was great to see good character and motivation development through this book, not only for the main characters, but the side characters too, alongside adrenaline pumping action scenes. These two things are a match made in heaven, if you ask me! Seeing the effect of the action and the plot as a whole on the characters made them feel ver three dimensional.
Speaking of characters, Ana just may be one of my favourite of all time. Yes, I said it. In summary, Ana is a Hispanic, Roman Catholic, woman in her early twenties who won’t hesitate to do hat her duty calls for! I really loved seeing how Ana didn’t fall into the stereotypes that so many heroines do. She wasn’t a remorseless, lone wolf like most of the solo heroines I’ve seen before. But she is a grounded, family loving girl who struggles with the balance between her duty and her faith.
Now add some nostalgia to this already fantastic mix, and you get this book! It’s nostalgic in a way that not only feels authentic, but is also useful to the plot. Now add some nostalgia to this already fantastic mix, and you get this book! It’s nostalgic in a way that not only feels authentic, but is also useful to the plot. The fact that this book is set in the nineties is shown in ways other than just listing refrences. A trap many forms of media fall into in the post-Stranger Things world we live in. Despite not reminding you constantly that this book was set 20 years ago, there was never a point where I wondered why a character didn’t use a piece of modern technology. Throughout the story it always seemed very clear that this book was set in a time before that was a possibility. It was honestly refreshing.
Another thing about this story that was refreshing was the fact that the event of this book were authentic due to Glenda Mendoza‘s personal experience working in law enforcement, especially the narcotics unit. It was very enjoyable reading a crime based book and not having to give a seconds thought to whether it was accurate or entirely exaggerated, as Mendoza clearly knows what she talking about.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone, especially people who are weary of the genre, like I was before reading this one.
Ana Rocha isn’t just the kick ass heroine we want, she’s the one we need in 2018.
I went into this book with an open mind because I have read very few books that would fall into the same genre as Ana Rocha Shadows of Justice. And I came out of this book with an wholly new outlook on not just the genre, but books featuring action as a whole!
And that’s because this book did what I feel many fast-paced, action packed stories fail at. Despite the prevailing plot and regular action, there was still a lot of opportunity to get to know the characters. It was great to see good character and motivation development through this book, not only for the main characters, but the side characters too, alongside adrenaline pumping action scenes. These two things are a match made in heaven, if you ask me! Seeing the effect of the action and the plot as a whole on the characters made them feel ver three dimensional.
Speaking of characters, Ana just may be one of my favourite of all time. Yes, I said it. In summary, Ana is a Hispanic, Roman Catholic, woman in her early twenties who won’t hesitate to do hat her duty calls for! I really loved seeing how Ana didn’t fall into the stereotypes that so many heroines do. She wasn’t a remorseless, lone wolf like most of the solo heroines I’ve seen before. But she is a grounded, family loving girl who struggles with the balance between her duty and her faith.
Now add some nostalgia to this already fantastic mix, and you get this book! It’s nostalgic in a way that not only feels authentic, but is also useful to the plot. Now add some nostalgia to this already fantastic mix, and you get this book! It’s nostalgic in a way that not only feels authentic, but is also useful to the plot. The fact that this book is set in the nineties is shown in ways other than just listing refrences. A trap many forms of media fall into in the post-Stranger Things world we live in. Despite not reminding you constantly that this book was set 20 years ago, there was never a point where I wondered why a character didn’t use a piece of modern technology. Throughout the story it always seemed very clear that this book was set in a time before that was a possibility. It was honestly refreshing.
Another thing about this story that was refreshing was the fact that the event of this book were authentic due to Glenda Mendoza‘s personal experience working in law enforcement, especially the narcotics unit. It was very enjoyable reading a crime based book and not having to give a seconds thought to whether it was accurate or entirely exaggerated, as Mendoza clearly knows what she talking about.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone, especially people who are weary of the genre, like I was before reading this one.
April 29, 2018
I love the way the book was laid out very easy to read I love books like this because I read on the go. The story was very interesting the main character Ana is a undercover narcotics officer this is great Because in most storys the cops are men so I found this very gripping and making you want to read on to see how far she got in her journey and of course the best bit is there will be another story with Ana in it. So looking forward to it :)
May 9, 2018
Excellent book!! Jam packed with action! A real page turner. I could not put this book down. The book follows an undercover narcotics police officer through a case. The scenes were very authentic. I look forward to the author writing future books with the main character Ana Rocha.
March 28, 2018
I'm still in shock that a male author can get that deep inside a female character's mind. Well done! The story is realistic with a little creative licensing thrown in to keep it moving and exciting, which it definitely is. The editing has a few slips, but nothing overly distracting. The story loses a little of the believability factor at the end. But well choreographed fight scenes. Habib is an author I will be watching out for. Well done!
March 13, 2018
This book is very good. Once I got it I read the book instantly. The book kept my attention, the flow was great, and everything in the book was necessary for the story. Before I knew it, I was at the end of the book! Great job Ammar and I'm looking forward to your next release!
April 7, 2018
Fast paced and a great read!
I really enjoyed reading this and was compelled to finish in one sitting. Ana Rocha is tough as nails and knows how to get the job done. I look forward to reading more from this author and especially this character!
I really enjoyed reading this and was compelled to finish in one sitting. Ana Rocha is tough as nails and knows how to get the job done. I look forward to reading more from this author and especially this character!
April 8, 2018
I love this book! I am upset I don’t have more to read! Fabulous crime drama! Ana Rocha is a total badass on her quest to get justice for her beloved sister. This book moves forward on at a steady pace. Then, all of sudden, the dam breaks and you cannot put down the book!
May 12, 2018
Excellent story, it moved fast. The story was excellent with a lot of action. The fight scenes were detailed and descriptive keeping my interest. The main characters back story was excellent and made me want more.
October 19, 2018
Excellent writing, keep moving and I didn't want to put down. Respect to those in the undercover narcotics for what the sacrifice personally and family to help make the world a safer place.
June 15, 2018
Fantastic detective novel that keeps you glued to the pages throughout. It has a well written female main character who is well developed throughout the story. There is plenty of action to hold your attention as well. I very much enjoyed the read.
May 18, 2018
Great book that has it all: a strong Hispanic female, a thrilling plot, and emotion! It sucks you right in from the first page. And to top it off the action scenes are amazing!
March 30, 2018
*I was sent this by the author in exchange for an honest review*
ANA ROCHA was one of the first crime novels I’ve ever read, and if it’s any indication for future ones, then I will enjoy those as well. Our female protagonist, Ana, was an amazing character and I really enjoyed seeing her as she played different roles in order to collect information and capture the “bad guys.” She also seemed human, and I felt her struggle with family vs. work was completely realistic. I also enjoyed the minor religion aspect in this story. We very rarely see novels with religion woven in, but in ANA ROCHA, it played a part in decisions Ana made and I liked seeing that added in. There were very few problems that I had with the book, one being repetitive fight scenes. One fight scene from the beginning seemed to be used later on in the novel with almost the exact same phrasing. However, the scenes were very descriptive and I understood what was happening (which is rare. Fight scenes usually lose me quickly). I also felt some characters weren’t fully fleshed out, but that wasn’t a huge issue. Overall, a really enjoyable novel that I recommend!
ANA ROCHA was one of the first crime novels I’ve ever read, and if it’s any indication for future ones, then I will enjoy those as well. Our female protagonist, Ana, was an amazing character and I really enjoyed seeing her as she played different roles in order to collect information and capture the “bad guys.” She also seemed human, and I felt her struggle with family vs. work was completely realistic. I also enjoyed the minor religion aspect in this story. We very rarely see novels with religion woven in, but in ANA ROCHA, it played a part in decisions Ana made and I liked seeing that added in. There were very few problems that I had with the book, one being repetitive fight scenes. One fight scene from the beginning seemed to be used later on in the novel with almost the exact same phrasing. However, the scenes were very descriptive and I understood what was happening (which is rare. Fight scenes usually lose me quickly). I also felt some characters weren’t fully fleshed out, but that wasn’t a huge issue. Overall, a really enjoyable novel that I recommend!
April 9, 2020
Started strong with a captivating thriller approach. The ending was not as strong as the start, but it was still a satisfying end. It has a realistic feel to what narcotics investigators probably experience and the cost of wearing the uniform. I enjoyed that angle and thing it's a good representation of police work.
November 19, 2018
This is one book I recommend to any women who would like to read about a bad*@$ female character!
April 3, 2020
This was an exceptional book, unpredictable and entertaining. A true page turner. At the end, Habib and Mendoza pulled off an amazing scene that I won't spoil for you. Say it: A top-notch thriller novel that was ultimately satisfying. A tour de force.
March 19, 2018
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to interview Ammar Habib as part of the Allo Author Interview series that I do. You can read that interview here. As part of that interview, he mentioned his new book, Ana Rocha: Shadows of Justice, which he wrote along with Detective Glenda Mendoza. I thought it sounded interesting, plus, the cover is amazing!
Ammar was willing to send me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review, which is what you’ll find here.
As the first chapter opened up, I was reminded of the old film noir detective movies. The syntax was short and to the point, and the first person narrative voice added to that flavor. I was really, really enjoying the book by the time I reached the third chapter. Overall I truly enjoyed the story. Here’s the synopsis:
Ana Rocha has recently left her position as a prison guard to become an undercover narcotics officer for the Houston Police Department. Her primary influence in making this move comes from an event in her past that she can’t let go of: her older sister, Angela, was gunned down during a drive-by shooting at a soup kitchen. At the start of the story, she has just received her gun and badge and her first day’s assignment: go out, buy drugs, and tag the dealer so they can be arrested at a later time. She succeeds far beyond expectations.
Her partner, an experienced narcotics officer named Bryan Fulton, feels like the typical police detective, closed off to the world, brooding, and deeply wounded. At first, he speaks only to tell Ana what she’s doing wrong, or to challenge her way of thinking. It seems fairly clear he is worried she isn’t going to make it, and that her inexperience and cockiness will end up getting her, or him, killed.
The story follows Ana as she uncovers more evidence regarding her sister’s death, while all the time managing to keep her position with the police department a secret from her family, a line that gets very thin, very quickly. It is both heart wrenching and exciting, leaving the reader rooting for Ana and scared for her at the same time.
The characters Habib and Mendoza created are believable and relatable. Ana is the tough-as-nails, no holds barred undercover cop who is driven by one thing; finding the people responsible for the death of her sister and bringing them to justice. Her actions are mostly believable throughout the story, though there were a few instances I rolled my eyes at a bit.
Overall, I loved the story and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of mystery/crime/thriller style novels. My only issue with the book was the frequent, overuse of adverbs. The characters don’t just close doors, they aggressively close them. They don’t just whisper, they quietly whisper. There were far too many, and I feel they clogged up the story.
Final analysis: Great characters; real-life, believable story-line; honest emotions. I give it 4 stars!
Ammar was willing to send me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review, which is what you’ll find here.
As the first chapter opened up, I was reminded of the old film noir detective movies. The syntax was short and to the point, and the first person narrative voice added to that flavor. I was really, really enjoying the book by the time I reached the third chapter. Overall I truly enjoyed the story. Here’s the synopsis:
Ana Rocha has recently left her position as a prison guard to become an undercover narcotics officer for the Houston Police Department. Her primary influence in making this move comes from an event in her past that she can’t let go of: her older sister, Angela, was gunned down during a drive-by shooting at a soup kitchen. At the start of the story, she has just received her gun and badge and her first day’s assignment: go out, buy drugs, and tag the dealer so they can be arrested at a later time. She succeeds far beyond expectations.
Her partner, an experienced narcotics officer named Bryan Fulton, feels like the typical police detective, closed off to the world, brooding, and deeply wounded. At first, he speaks only to tell Ana what she’s doing wrong, or to challenge her way of thinking. It seems fairly clear he is worried she isn’t going to make it, and that her inexperience and cockiness will end up getting her, or him, killed.
The story follows Ana as she uncovers more evidence regarding her sister’s death, while all the time managing to keep her position with the police department a secret from her family, a line that gets very thin, very quickly. It is both heart wrenching and exciting, leaving the reader rooting for Ana and scared for her at the same time.
The characters Habib and Mendoza created are believable and relatable. Ana is the tough-as-nails, no holds barred undercover cop who is driven by one thing; finding the people responsible for the death of her sister and bringing them to justice. Her actions are mostly believable throughout the story, though there were a few instances I rolled my eyes at a bit.
Overall, I loved the story and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of mystery/crime/thriller style novels. My only issue with the book was the frequent, overuse of adverbs. The characters don’t just close doors, they aggressively close them. They don’t just whisper, they quietly whisper. There were far too many, and I feel they clogged up the story.
Final analysis: Great characters; real-life, believable story-line; honest emotions. I give it 4 stars!
September 2, 2018
This is an interesting look into the work of a police department that doesn't really get represented in books very often. The characters are really what make the story. Since the entire book revolves around Ana, I'll start with her. She is very much shaped by the loss of her sister. Her entire reason for becoming a cop was to try and stop anyone from having to go through what she did. This book allows us to watch as she's her innocent worldview and idea of justice for reality. Though character, herself, believes that she lost that innocence at age 7, until you really work with the underbelly of the city, you never truly understand what's going on.
The storyline was interesting. Though slow to start, mainly due to character building, once it started rolling it was good. I really enjoyed the tie-in linked to her sister's death, this link really made it feel like an origin story at the beginning of a series. There was a switch up of fast-paced scenes with calmer ones, which was very nicely used. It allowed the reader to really follow Ana's journey.
The storyline was interesting. Though slow to start, mainly due to character building, once it started rolling it was good. I really enjoyed the tie-in linked to her sister's death, this link really made it feel like an origin story at the beginning of a series. There was a switch up of fast-paced scenes with calmer ones, which was very nicely used. It allowed the reader to really follow Ana's journey.
March 22, 2018
Ana Rocha is an action packed, gritty novel with a strong, realistic, relatable protagonist. The story is written in 1st person and I definitely got a strong image of Ana’s voice and personality. I loved Ana’s character and seeing her overcome her weaknesses.
Also, as someone who has grown up in Texas, I enjoyed the constant references to the volatile, unrelenting hot Texas weather. :)
A recommended read!
Also, as someone who has grown up in Texas, I enjoyed the constant references to the volatile, unrelenting hot Texas weather. :)
A recommended read!
August 14, 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Voracious readers. I really enjoyed this page-turner. The writing flows well, except for some copy editing flaws, and the story is very interesting. Since I have read a lot of thrillers and had a career in law enforcement, I felt some passages were unrealistic. There are also some repetitions from one action scene to the other. However, all in all, this was a very enjoyable read.
April 30, 2018
Loved this book tremendously!! It pulled me right in and I couldn't put it down. I appreciate the complexity of Ana and am glad that Ammar didn't just make her a strong woman, but a deeply complicated protagonist.
April 14, 2018
I received a few copy in return for an honest review. This was a very enjoyable read; a strong female lead and a believable plot. The book is well written and I’d recommend for anyone who enjoys a thriller or crime novel.
August 7, 2018
I was given a complimentary copy from Voracious Readers Only. This novel is amazing. I loved the strength of the female character. My heart was racing the entire novel and I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Definitely going to be looking for the next novel
March 24, 2018
I really enjoyed this novel! It has a strong female protagonist and the first person POV has a very strong voice. Looking forward to reading more Ana Rocha adventures!
April 23, 2018
This is a great book!
May 27, 2018
I liked this book alot I couldn't put it down it kept me wanting to find out what was going to happen this was a great fast read 😀
July 2, 2018
A thrilling and exhilarating read! Can't wait for the next one!
August 1, 2018
Another great job by this author!
August 3, 2018
I loved Ana's character! I look forward to the next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 641 reviews