Thursday, July 22, 2010

Nightshade by Ronie Kendig



From the back cover:

After a tour of duty in a war-torn country, embattled former Navy SEAL Max Jacobs finds himself discarded and alienated from those he loves as he struggles with war-related PTSD. His wife, Sydney, files a restraining order against him and a petition for divorce. Max is devastated.

Then a mysterious man appears. He says he's organizing a group that recycles veterans like Max. It's a black-ops group know as Nightshade. With the chance to find purpose in his life once again, Max is unable to resist the call of duty and signs on.

The team handles everything with precision and lethal skill-until they're called upon to rescue a missionary family from a rebel-infested jungle and avoid a reporter hunting their identities.

Will Max yield his anger and pride to a force greater than him-love?

My review:

Dee Henderson was one of the first Christian fiction authors I read when I started reading contemporaries 10 years ago. I loved her series dealing with the military, especially the first book in the series, True Devotion. Therefore, I was thrilled to learn of Ronie Kendig's Nightshade.

This is a book which does not disappoint. I found Nightshade to be a grittier look at the lives of those who defend our country. As a reader, you feel for every single character in this book. You deeply feel the pain of both Max and Sydney as you are reading. You cannot help but root for all to be made right in the end.

On a personal note, I could not help but think of the veterans in my own family as I was reading Nightshade. Both of my grandfathers were World War II veterans, and neither spoke much about the war. Nightshade is a book which honors the service of those who have defended our country.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

This looks like a great book. I love military books. I'm going to go look for it at the library. :)

Michelle said...

It is a great book, Laura! Actually I think it's better than Dee Henderson's military books.

Julia M. Reffner said...

Wow, Michelle. Looking at what you've reviewed so far I think we have the same tbr :) Can't wait to read this one.

Kav said...

You know, I saw this one at the store and almost picked it up and then didn't because I was worried it wouldn't live up to my expectations. (I was thinking Dee Henderson at the time). Now I wish I had. Well, there's always the next trip.

Was the book written more from Max's POV? I think that might be what decided me against it when I was browsing.

Ronie Kendig said...

Michelle! Thank you so very kindly for your awesome review. I am sooo very glad you enjoyed NIGHTSHADE. I feel very passionate about it.

Michelle said...

Julia, I think we probably do have the same tbr pile, if not its very similar!

Michelle said...

Ronie, thank you so much for stopping by! I truly loved Nightshade. I always pass my books to my mother for her to read. When she read the back of Nightshade, she said it sounded very good.

I'm looking forward to reading Digitalis in January.