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The Trinity Missions #1
Chasing Vengeance
Never reveal your secrets...
Trinity, an intelligence organization known only through whispers, specializes in covert action. Heading up this modern-day operation is founder Gerry Strakner and his team of skilled misfits. The key to staying alive lies within their code: never divulge your greatest fears or darkest secrets. But sometimes the past refuses to stay buried…
While his organization is under attack, Gerry must let his favorite operative, Caria, fend for herself against a vicious arms dealer. When he learns that she is caught in the crosshairs, his only hope is he’s taught her enough to stay alive.
Now Gerry must call in an old favor to save Caria. Ivan Skavinsk, a reclusive mercenary, is the one man skilled enough to infiltrate the playing field of assassins. But which side is he truly working for? Does loyalty have an expiration date or will deception burn everyone within its reach?
Trinity, an intelligence organization known only through whispers, specializes in covert action. Heading up this modern-day operation is founder Gerry Strakner and his team of skilled misfits. The key to staying alive lies within their code: never divulge your greatest fears or darkest secrets. But sometimes the past refuses to stay buried…
While his organization is under attack, Gerry must let his favorite operative, Caria, fend for herself against a vicious arms dealer. When he learns that she is caught in the crosshairs, his only hope is he’s taught her enough to stay alive.
Now Gerry must call in an old favor to save Caria. Ivan Skavinsk, a reclusive mercenary, is the one man skilled enough to infiltrate the playing field of assassins. But which side is he truly working for? Does loyalty have an expiration date or will deception burn everyone within its reach?
- GenresThriller
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2016
5 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
About the author
Drea Damara
7 books160 followersDrea Damara was born and raised on a farm in North Central Illinois. She spent her youth working in the fields, taking care of the family's livestock, and going on adventures in the woods with her three sisters. With a family of seven (including Drea's parents and her invalid grandmother) in an old farmhouse with no air conditioning, one bathroom (and an outhouse), and one television, Drea spent much of her youth outdoors.
Her grandmother, whom she called Busia, had been paralyzed from a stroke years prior. Drea made it a point each day to perform some antic to make her laugh and brighten her day. One of her fondest memories to this day is of the times she would get in trouble from her parents - her Busia would knock on the adjoining wall to their bedrooms to cheer her up and let her know she still thought she was a good kid.
Drea grew up listening to her father play records from his collection: Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Johnny Horton, and Rock n' Roll of the 1950s-1960s. He had a love of poetry and introduced her to classic poetry. She began to write her own at the age of twelve and saw her first poem published in a magazine when she was sixteen.
Living on a farm, there was always work to do. Drea and her sisters fed cattle daily, mended fences, built fences, banded calves, cut, raked, and bailed hay, raised and butchered chickens and rabbits, tended ducks and geese, built greenhouses and sheds, and helped their parents run a produce business, selling fruits and vegetables to farm markets and stores across the Illinois Valley.
Drea's grandmother spoke Polish and gave her a love for foreign languages. When she enrolled in college she studied German, French, Spanish, and Russian, hoping to one day be a book translator, as she loved to read.
When she was in an English composition class in college, she wrote her final essay about the inspiring lesson of her Busia's outlook on life, in spite of her battles with cancer. Her professor kept her after the last day of class and told her that no matter what she did in life, she needed to continue writing - that she was born to be a writer. It was after that discussion, that Drea began to write fiction stories in her spare time.
After she graduated college, she enlisted in the US Army and insisted that whatever job they assigned her, she be allowed to learn a foreign language. "If I was going to be asked to fight someone from another country some day, I thought the least I could do was to learn their language. Wars are often and started and ended with words - we have to learn to speak to each other."
Drea was assigned to become an Arabic linguist in the US Army. After the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal, her Arabic class was called into an auditorium and asked for volunteers to switch from the linguist occupational specialty to the interrogator specialty. Out of several hundred students, only Drea and one other soldier raised their hands. She was then sent to interrogator school and assigned to a military intelligence battalion who deployed to Iraq. After her deployment, she requested to be reassigned to Africa, but the Army said they had no slots for military intelligence there. She completed her enlistment and took government contracting jobs in the Middle East for several years before returning home to Illinois. All the while, she developed stories in her head and on paper to entertain herself while she was away from home.
After returning home, Drea looked for work so that she could be close to her family. Her other grandmother passed away when she was in Iraq. Her favorite aunt passed away the month after she returned home and then her mother got cancer. She decided war could go on without her and looked for local work, but no one would hire her.
"I don't know if people thought I was over-qualified or under-qualified, but I couldn't even get a job waitressing. I had a bachelor's degree, was almost finished with my master's degree, k
Her grandmother, whom she called Busia, had been paralyzed from a stroke years prior. Drea made it a point each day to perform some antic to make her laugh and brighten her day. One of her fondest memories to this day is of the times she would get in trouble from her parents - her Busia would knock on the adjoining wall to their bedrooms to cheer her up and let her know she still thought she was a good kid.
Drea grew up listening to her father play records from his collection: Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Johnny Horton, and Rock n' Roll of the 1950s-1960s. He had a love of poetry and introduced her to classic poetry. She began to write her own at the age of twelve and saw her first poem published in a magazine when she was sixteen.
Living on a farm, there was always work to do. Drea and her sisters fed cattle daily, mended fences, built fences, banded calves, cut, raked, and bailed hay, raised and butchered chickens and rabbits, tended ducks and geese, built greenhouses and sheds, and helped their parents run a produce business, selling fruits and vegetables to farm markets and stores across the Illinois Valley.
Drea's grandmother spoke Polish and gave her a love for foreign languages. When she enrolled in college she studied German, French, Spanish, and Russian, hoping to one day be a book translator, as she loved to read.
When she was in an English composition class in college, she wrote her final essay about the inspiring lesson of her Busia's outlook on life, in spite of her battles with cancer. Her professor kept her after the last day of class and told her that no matter what she did in life, she needed to continue writing - that she was born to be a writer. It was after that discussion, that Drea began to write fiction stories in her spare time.
After she graduated college, she enlisted in the US Army and insisted that whatever job they assigned her, she be allowed to learn a foreign language. "If I was going to be asked to fight someone from another country some day, I thought the least I could do was to learn their language. Wars are often and started and ended with words - we have to learn to speak to each other."
Drea was assigned to become an Arabic linguist in the US Army. After the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal, her Arabic class was called into an auditorium and asked for volunteers to switch from the linguist occupational specialty to the interrogator specialty. Out of several hundred students, only Drea and one other soldier raised their hands. She was then sent to interrogator school and assigned to a military intelligence battalion who deployed to Iraq. After her deployment, she requested to be reassigned to Africa, but the Army said they had no slots for military intelligence there. She completed her enlistment and took government contracting jobs in the Middle East for several years before returning home to Illinois. All the while, she developed stories in her head and on paper to entertain herself while she was away from home.
After returning home, Drea looked for work so that she could be close to her family. Her other grandmother passed away when she was in Iraq. Her favorite aunt passed away the month after she returned home and then her mother got cancer. She decided war could go on without her and looked for local work, but no one would hire her.
"I don't know if people thought I was over-qualified or under-qualified, but I couldn't even get a job waitressing. I had a bachelor's degree, was almost finished with my master's degree, k
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 24, 2016
Chasing Vengeance (The Trinity Missions #1) is an espionage thriller with a kick-butt female lead that has action, adventure and intrigue. This is a fast paced read from start to finish that is very hard to put down.
Trinity is the international intelligence organization countries and individuals go to for covert problem solving. Run by founder Gerry Strakner an old world ex-CIA agent with his personally picked agents. One of these agents is Caria and she is his favorite. Caria was highly trained by the US Army and then recruited into Trinity. She is an extremely smart assassin with quick wits, and the physical skills to fight trained enemies.
Caria is assigned a hit that gets interrupted and begins the chase of a silver briefcase with biological test tubes inside that are being sold to the highest bidder. The arms dealer who has the briefcase used to be Gerry’s partner in Trinity and he wants Gerry dead and Trinity destroyed. He doesn’t know though that he has a mole in his gang of thugs, who is asked to protect Caria. Ivan Skavinsk is the mole and his story is intense and heartbreaking.
There are surprises and plot twists throughout. The characters are all fleshed out, complex and realistic. The plot is simple and fast, entertaining and intriguing. The globe-trotting has explanations of some of the political problems of each area explained without detracting from the flow of the story. The romance in this story is sweet, but not long and not continued so I would not consider this book a romance, but a straight thriller.
This book is so exciting and it makes you want the next installment immediately without leaving you on a cliffhanger. I love that! I will definitely be looking for Ms. Damara’s next Trinity Missions book.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.
Trinity is the international intelligence organization countries and individuals go to for covert problem solving. Run by founder Gerry Strakner an old world ex-CIA agent with his personally picked agents. One of these agents is Caria and she is his favorite. Caria was highly trained by the US Army and then recruited into Trinity. She is an extremely smart assassin with quick wits, and the physical skills to fight trained enemies.
Caria is assigned a hit that gets interrupted and begins the chase of a silver briefcase with biological test tubes inside that are being sold to the highest bidder. The arms dealer who has the briefcase used to be Gerry’s partner in Trinity and he wants Gerry dead and Trinity destroyed. He doesn’t know though that he has a mole in his gang of thugs, who is asked to protect Caria. Ivan Skavinsk is the mole and his story is intense and heartbreaking.
There are surprises and plot twists throughout. The characters are all fleshed out, complex and realistic. The plot is simple and fast, entertaining and intriguing. The globe-trotting has explanations of some of the political problems of each area explained without detracting from the flow of the story. The romance in this story is sweet, but not long and not continued so I would not consider this book a romance, but a straight thriller.
This book is so exciting and it makes you want the next installment immediately without leaving you on a cliffhanger. I love that! I will definitely be looking for Ms. Damara’s next Trinity Missions book.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.
July 31, 2016
Okay, what to say about this book. First of all, the easiest answer is, this is about as good as it gets. I was constantly amazed each time I turned a page. There was no let up, the story got better and better. The last three chapters were nothing short of phenomenal. 29 had me on edge, 30 opened my eyes, and 31 was perfect closure … almost. I forgot about the prologue, but you won’t.
Let me start with the banging beginning. We meet our protagonist, Caria (I love her) in the opening pages, but not in the typical manner … we get to see her doing what she does best, and boy is she good at it. It’s hard to talk about this story and not give things away, but it’s a spy story like no other and from what I understand, a trilogy. Yay! Chasing Vengeance is a big bold story that won’t take you a week to read. Drea Damara doesn’t waste words. Like a literary Mozart she seems to have organized the perfect words in the perfect order. Just the same, make sure you block some free time ‘cause you won’t want to put Chasing Vengeance down.
Damara’s character development is second-to-none, and she makes it clear she knows exactly what she’s talking about in the genre on the opening pages. Check it out: “When governments, intelligence organizations, and private-sector individuals couldn’t send their own people to undertake questionable tasks for fear of exposition or lack of know-how, they hired Gerry.”
There’s so much in this novel: action, timely twists, heartbreak, loyalty, powerful love (believe me on this one), betrayal, intrigue, etc, I could go on and on. Very few books go on my read again shelf. This one does. I’m ordering a hard copy today. Five big stars plus.
Let me start with the banging beginning. We meet our protagonist, Caria (I love her) in the opening pages, but not in the typical manner … we get to see her doing what she does best, and boy is she good at it. It’s hard to talk about this story and not give things away, but it’s a spy story like no other and from what I understand, a trilogy. Yay! Chasing Vengeance is a big bold story that won’t take you a week to read. Drea Damara doesn’t waste words. Like a literary Mozart she seems to have organized the perfect words in the perfect order. Just the same, make sure you block some free time ‘cause you won’t want to put Chasing Vengeance down.
Damara’s character development is second-to-none, and she makes it clear she knows exactly what she’s talking about in the genre on the opening pages. Check it out: “When governments, intelligence organizations, and private-sector individuals couldn’t send their own people to undertake questionable tasks for fear of exposition or lack of know-how, they hired Gerry.”
There’s so much in this novel: action, timely twists, heartbreak, loyalty, powerful love (believe me on this one), betrayal, intrigue, etc, I could go on and on. Very few books go on my read again shelf. This one does. I’m ordering a hard copy today. Five big stars plus.
August 3, 2016
My first action/thriller read in over a year - well worth breaking with tradition!
- Caria kicks ass. She is bold, tough, intelligent, passionate... all good things I love to see in a female lead.
- I really enjoy the author's way with words. The depth of her descriptions is poetic, precise, and this book never feels like I'm reading filler.
If she possessed none of that, she should at least be the kind of woman with both a personality and face that could make any man question his better judgment. There weren’t enough of those in the world, at least not in the world he knew.
- Jancy just doesn't quit. Everyone should have one of her at their side.
- Speaking of. I thoroughly enjoyed the way DD painted all her characters - the character development was top rate. I loved getting to know them...
- Oh, the pain of betrayal I felt at some of the twists in this story - I have a feeling it will stay with me for a long time. For someone who read 100+ books so far this year, that's saying something.
- This is not a romance, but there is romance in it. Do not read it for that - it'll only break your heart!
- Drea knows her shit. Undercover operatives, mercenaries, overseas conflicts... I feel I got smarter reading this story, like I got to share in a little bit of the author's brain! FYI - read the foreword!
- From 90% until the end of the Epilogue, I don't know if I even breathed. Excellent twists and turns, and heartbreak.
- Excellent editing. I've read some doozies this year, and believe me - spelling, formatting and punctuation are a joy to behold.
- The first 10% didn't grab me like the rest of the book did. I understand the need for it, and how it established backstory, but I just wasn't all in at that point.
I enjoy a good thriller as much as the next girl - Tom Clancy, Lee Child, Vince Flynn - and this one had my heart going just as much. Excellent writing, plot development, wonderful characters, heartbreak and intrigue. I hope it gets the publicity it deserves!
May 13, 2016
This book was sent to me from the author in exchange for an honest review even though it took me longer than it should had to get it finished I was finally able to finish it earlier this evening. I want to thank DREA DAMARA for being so patient with me while we were dealing with the ending days of DADDY'S life. Thank you for everything especially your encouraging words and prayers to help get me through this and for pushing me like you did....
I liked this book especially with the characters towards the end how they bonded with each other in the time they spent together. Death does a number to you and this book has death going every where...It also has a silver lining at the end and I just hope that one day me and my family will find our lining with DADDY...
I hope that you will give this book a chance and the author a high five for it all...enjoy and happy reading...JANE
I liked this book especially with the characters towards the end how they bonded with each other in the time they spent together. Death does a number to you and this book has death going every where...It also has a silver lining at the end and I just hope that one day me and my family will find our lining with DADDY...
I hope that you will give this book a chance and the author a high five for it all...enjoy and happy reading...JANE
April 1, 2016
** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
What a ride! 'Chasing Vengeance' completely blew me away. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. The storyline was full of action, thrilling scenarios, suspense and deceit. The characters were awesome. Caria made the best kick-ass lead. She was smart, lethal, sarcastic, quick witted and a great asset to have on your side. Gerry was direct and had a deviant side when needed. Jancy is the 'all around' go getter. She made sure the operatives had what they needed, even when they didn't realize they needed it. The way the story played out had my emotions going crazy. I was on edge half the time, but in a good way. This is definitely a series I'll read more of. A great add to your tbr list. Highly recommended.
What a ride! 'Chasing Vengeance' completely blew me away. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. The storyline was full of action, thrilling scenarios, suspense and deceit. The characters were awesome. Caria made the best kick-ass lead. She was smart, lethal, sarcastic, quick witted and a great asset to have on your side. Gerry was direct and had a deviant side when needed. Jancy is the 'all around' go getter. She made sure the operatives had what they needed, even when they didn't realize they needed it. The way the story played out had my emotions going crazy. I was on edge half the time, but in a good way. This is definitely a series I'll read more of. A great add to your tbr list. Highly recommended.
June 10, 2019
I got this book as a complimentary copy from Voracious Readers Only. That being said - it caught my attention from the very first line right up until the end. I found the book well written and the characters are well thought out. Fans of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan and John Clark as well as Lee Childs Jack Reacher should enjoy getting to know Gerry and Caria. I know I did.
July 9, 2019
Thank you to @voraciousreadersonly for introducing me to such an awesome author! @dreadamara killed it with her debut Trinity Missions novel, Chasing Vengeance! The reader is introduced to Gerry Strakner, an ex operative turned “behind the scenes/ dirty work” finisher to some of the biggest names in the internationally political playing field. He doesn’t do it alone; one of his top agents, Caria, takes on every assignment that is thrown her way. While on the current mission, Caria finds herself in over her head and finds herself in a situation she has never before faced- being saved by a stranger with a heart of gold. Along with a new situation come new feelings and new choices- choices that could change her and Gerry’s lives forever. I never really found myself picking this genre up, but this book definitely has me thirsting for more! I give this book big 👍🏼👍🏼!
November 18, 2020
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Drea Damara's heroes are old-school espionage agents, used to living lonely lives with few attachments. I grew up reading John LeCarre's works and found much of the same spirit that attracted me to LeCarre in this work. Damara doesn't skimp on the details such as when Caria sets a little pile of ice shards in her sniper nest. Sucking on the ice would keep her breath from fogging and betraying her position to an alert opponent. This is not just a story about a female operative, however; there are also the tales of Strakner, his operative Skavinsk and the ex-Russian officer Alecof, as well as that of Strakner's arch-foe. There is action and adventure, history and intrigue, and it was quite easy to settle in for a long and very enjoyable night of reading. I highly recommend Chasing Vengeance-A Trinity Missions Novel.
Reviewed by Paul Johnson for Readers' Favorite
I really enjoyed Chasing Vengeance. A great blend of action, adventure, blood, death, intrigue, double cross, and even romance make this one of the best stories I have read in some time. The characters are well-defined and the plot is simple, fast and thorough enough to keep the reader wanting to see what would happen next. An easy and fun read for any lover of good action adventure.
Dear readers,
I sent the draft of Chasing Vengeance out for reviews in 2013, prior to the Boston bombing. One of my protagonists is Chechen, so after this horrible event I decided to shelve my project as I did not think it would be appropriate nor respectful. Now that Chasing Vengeance will be published I have posted the 2 editorial reviews I received, just to explain the contradiction in the dates of the reviews and the date of publication. I am honored to have received 5 stars from both of these reviewers. Hope you enjoy and thank you for reading. -Drea
Drea Damara's heroes are old-school espionage agents, used to living lonely lives with few attachments. I grew up reading John LeCarre's works and found much of the same spirit that attracted me to LeCarre in this work. Damara doesn't skimp on the details such as when Caria sets a little pile of ice shards in her sniper nest. Sucking on the ice would keep her breath from fogging and betraying her position to an alert opponent. This is not just a story about a female operative, however; there are also the tales of Strakner, his operative Skavinsk and the ex-Russian officer Alecof, as well as that of Strakner's arch-foe. There is action and adventure, history and intrigue, and it was quite easy to settle in for a long and very enjoyable night of reading. I highly recommend Chasing Vengeance-A Trinity Missions Novel.
Reviewed by Paul Johnson for Readers' Favorite
I really enjoyed Chasing Vengeance. A great blend of action, adventure, blood, death, intrigue, double cross, and even romance make this one of the best stories I have read in some time. The characters are well-defined and the plot is simple, fast and thorough enough to keep the reader wanting to see what would happen next. An easy and fun read for any lover of good action adventure.
Dear readers,
I sent the draft of Chasing Vengeance out for reviews in 2013, prior to the Boston bombing. One of my protagonists is Chechen, so after this horrible event I decided to shelve my project as I did not think it would be appropriate nor respectful. Now that Chasing Vengeance will be published I have posted the 2 editorial reviews I received, just to explain the contradiction in the dates of the reviews and the date of publication. I am honored to have received 5 stars from both of these reviewers. Hope you enjoy and thank you for reading. -Drea
June 4, 2016
Drea Damara's second book was everything I wanted in a book. I'm still trying to finish her first book, and I was really looking forward to it because it involved a bookstore and magical books, but I feel like Chasing Vengeance is the book that truly highlights Damara's background and her skill. I absolutely loved the complexity of the characters and the action and intrigue. Espionage books are amazing, and I am so incredibly glad that I read this book.
**I should mention that I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
**I should mention that I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2018
**I received a digital ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
Chasing Vengeance follows military veteran turned extra-judicial secret agent, Caria, as she takes on a gang of arms dealers to try to stop them from releasing a deadly biological weapon. When she gets into trouble, Caria's employer Gerry at the Trinity agency calls on Ivan Skavinsk to infiltrate the gang and help her. Both Caria and Skavinsk have dark pasts and scores to settle.
Damara is a very gifted and skilled writer, and what impressed me the most is that she writes very exciting action sequences that are also coherent and easy to follow. This is a really hard thing to do, and she is able to take complicated moving parts and account for them all: multiple people, vehicles, locations, and weapons.
The characters quickly become relatable and have complex emotional lives. And I think both Caria and Skavinsk are a lot more sensitive and principled than they think themselves to be. Caria manages to be both vulnerable and caring as well as a driven badass. Skavinsk is brooding, mysterious, and has a tragic backstory. I would love to see Damara really double down on a truly evil character and narrate sections from their point of view. She did a wonderful job narrating from the point of view of one of the book's more devious and weasel-y characters, and I wish I could have seen more of Compone's formidable personality. On the other hand, it was a relief not to suffer through any of the rape scenes that often come along with arch-villains and heroines--huge plus!
The quality and clarity of the writing is wonderful, and I would have liked to give the book more stars. However, there were a few too many pacing issues and gaps. For example, there is a major disaster that takes place near the beginning of the book where multiple characters are killed or injured, and that spurs Caria's desire for revenge. But we haven't really had the chance to grow attached to any of the characters who are actually killed or get oriented to the setting, so the horrified emotion isn't really there for us as readers. There's also spent a very large chunk of the book spent in a romantic subplot at a simple cabin in Belarus, (which in itself was actually kind of nice and sexy but was too long for such a short book that's supposed to be focused on espionage).
That said, the quality of the writing was very good, and all of my problems with this can boil down to wanting to know more. I would be happy to read future Trinity Missions books and hope that the story get a little more fleshed out. A longer book would definitely be welcomed next time.
Chasing Vengeance follows military veteran turned extra-judicial secret agent, Caria, as she takes on a gang of arms dealers to try to stop them from releasing a deadly biological weapon. When she gets into trouble, Caria's employer Gerry at the Trinity agency calls on Ivan Skavinsk to infiltrate the gang and help her. Both Caria and Skavinsk have dark pasts and scores to settle.
Damara is a very gifted and skilled writer, and what impressed me the most is that she writes very exciting action sequences that are also coherent and easy to follow. This is a really hard thing to do, and she is able to take complicated moving parts and account for them all: multiple people, vehicles, locations, and weapons.
The characters quickly become relatable and have complex emotional lives. And I think both Caria and Skavinsk are a lot more sensitive and principled than they think themselves to be. Caria manages to be both vulnerable and caring as well as a driven badass. Skavinsk is brooding, mysterious, and has a tragic backstory. I would love to see Damara really double down on a truly evil character and narrate sections from their point of view. She did a wonderful job narrating from the point of view of one of the book's more devious and weasel-y characters, and I wish I could have seen more of Compone's formidable personality. On the other hand, it was a relief not to suffer through any of the rape scenes that often come along with arch-villains and heroines--huge plus!
The quality and clarity of the writing is wonderful, and I would have liked to give the book more stars. However, there were a few too many pacing issues and gaps. For example, there is a major disaster that takes place near the beginning of the book where multiple characters are killed or injured, and that spurs Caria's desire for revenge. But we haven't really had the chance to grow attached to any of the characters who are actually killed or get oriented to the setting, so the horrified emotion isn't really there for us as readers. There's also spent a very large chunk of the book spent in a romantic subplot at a simple cabin in Belarus, (which in itself was actually kind of nice and sexy but was too long for such a short book that's supposed to be focused on espionage).
That said, the quality of the writing was very good, and all of my problems with this can boil down to wanting to know more. I would be happy to read future Trinity Missions books and hope that the story get a little more fleshed out. A longer book would definitely be welcomed next time.
March 1, 2019
This was my first foray into reading this author and i certainly do not regret it. This book weaves a thrilling story that carries you along for the ride. Secrets, Russians, Spies it's all in here. Our female protagonist Caria was certainly interesting. She is the female i dream of being. Tough, fast and fearless, our girl goes on a mission that sees her jumping countries to get back a dangerous drug that is in the hands of a very bad man. When her handler office gets blown to bits she is on her own to try and retrieve without getting killed.
This was detailed, but not overly bogged down. I liked our Russian guy who turned out to be not as expected at first meeting. A good read. So can't wait to see what the net story brings.
This was detailed, but not overly bogged down. I liked our Russian guy who turned out to be not as expected at first meeting. A good read. So can't wait to see what the net story brings.
June 4, 2019
I just finished this excellent book last night . I was giving a complimentary copy by the author because of my association with : Voracious Readers Only . Thank you to both parties. I give this book a definite 5/5 stars. Loved the characters Gerry, Caria and the Russian . Truly believable . Page turner trying to get to end of book yet ... not wanting it to end . Great read!
September 26, 2016
I received this book through the goodreads giveaways a while back, but unfortunately I've only managed to finish it now.
It was an interesting read, especially since I don't really read espionage stories, so it was nice to have a look into the genre.
I found the book quite good, but also lacking here and there. But lets start with the positives.
The storytelling is very good and keeps the plot rolling, the flashbacks and episodes of a more personal nature nicely add to the action. The characters are strongly outlined and consistent with their personalities throughout the story. The episodes are nicely stringed together, the story running smoothly between the chapters.
Unfortunately there are some negative aspects as well.
The major plotline itself does not seem too original, but the setting, character details and style make up for it. The climax of the story seemed a bit anticlimactic, but not because it was predictable (although it was that, too). The emotional buildup leading up to the major confrontation didn't come off strong enough to put through the weight of the situation.
But all in all, it is a quite enjoyable read, and would recommend it for those looking for some fast paced, light action.
It was an interesting read, especially since I don't really read espionage stories, so it was nice to have a look into the genre.
I found the book quite good, but also lacking here and there. But lets start with the positives.
The storytelling is very good and keeps the plot rolling, the flashbacks and episodes of a more personal nature nicely add to the action. The characters are strongly outlined and consistent with their personalities throughout the story. The episodes are nicely stringed together, the story running smoothly between the chapters.
Unfortunately there are some negative aspects as well.
The major plotline itself does not seem too original, but the setting, character details and style make up for it. The climax of the story seemed a bit anticlimactic, but not because it was predictable (although it was that, too). The emotional buildup leading up to the major confrontation didn't come off strong enough to put through the weight of the situation.
But all in all, it is a quite enjoyable read, and would recommend it for those looking for some fast paced, light action.
December 13, 2016
I told this author this would be my next read. The story line was good, although it took a few chapters to capture me which is why I gave it 3 stars. It is "action packed" including great characters with unexpected personalities that truly hit the mark when their emotions were portrayed and with detail. I appreciated the vulnerabilities and cockiness shown throughout the story. Caria is one smart- no nonsense female with a sarcastic wit. Gerry is not what I expected, I will say no more due to giving something away. As I just finished this, I gave it three stars but not sure I was fair. If this book stays with me for a week or two, I will change my review. Well done Drea! ***7/7/16 Changed my rating to 4 stars. It stayed with me. xo
May 9, 2018
A heart-throbbing beginning, continual intense conflict and resolution, and a cast of characters with lives intriguingly inner-twined make Chasing Vengeance an enjoyable espionage thriller. Caria is a femme hero who does justice to her very dangerous job with amazing physical and mental capabilities. Her hero’s journey is interrupted with an encounter that turns to love. At first I didn’t like the human emotion entering this exciting story, but in retrospect, love makes Caria more real. I was a bit disappointed at the climax which seems all too easy for Caria to be victorious. I was expecting another over-the-top exciting battle. Ms. Damara does a good job setting the scene for a great sequel which I am looking forward to reading! Close to a 4 rating…I’ll give it a 3.75.
I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 23, 2019
I received a Complimentary Copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only.
I Enjoyed this book!!
It was unique.
It had some Great plot twists which made this page turner!!
Caria was likeable!!
Ivan’s revelation made him likeable too!
I Enjoyed this book!!
It was unique.
It had some Great plot twists which made this page turner!!
Caria was likeable!!
Ivan’s revelation made him likeable too!
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