The Fighters by C. J. Chivers

The Fighters: Americans in Combat in Afghanistan and Iraq by C. J. Chivers-374 pages

Chivers is a journalist and former Marine Corps officer who profiles several dedicated military personnel throughout the long conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The book details the pain these individuals experienced and the frustrations of battling an enemy they often can not engage directly. The book clarifies the circumstances conventional forces face in current conflict zones and the effects on U.S. personnel afterwards.

Dear John by NIcholas Sparks

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks-276 pages

I decided to read this one next and this is the last Nicholas Sparks novel I am going to read for now. I have seen the movie and, in many ways, I like the book better. I can't decide which ending I like better (the endings are different, for those who haven't both read the book and seen the movie). I am conflicted about the book ending just as John Tyree (the male protagonist and title character) is. Overall, I am glad I have read the book and I am glad that this month's romance challenge has led me to read some Nicholas Sparks novels. I think my favorite of the three I have read this month is The Notebook, though. It's such a great love story (even though I am not really into romance that much).

Shock Factor: American Snipers in the War on Terror

Shock Factor: American Snipers in the War on Terror 

by Gunnery SGT. Jack Coughlin, USMC (Ret.) 326 pages published 2014

 I was terribly disappointed in this book. I expected precision and accuracy from a Marine sniper. However on the second page of chapter one he talked about riflemen during the battle of New Orleans. These riflemen were picking off British officers with well-placed shots. He painted a picture of one of the rifleman, “The rifle came up and belched black smoke.” Unfortunately black powder makes WHITE smoke, not black smoke. A little mistake, most wouldn't notice. But for the rest of the book, I was never sure if anything else was accurate. Too bad.

Viper Pilot by Dan Hampton

Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat by Dan Hampton --337 pages

Hampton is a retired F-16 "Viper" pilot who served from 1986 to 2006, including both wars in Iraq. He describes the jarring experiences of flying in combat against sophisticated surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, and massive sand storms. He reinforces the stereotype of fighter pilots being a swaggering elite, but also gives the reader an understanding of the skill and dedication required to meet the standards of the continual qualifications training for flying high performance jets. The author throws cold water on the naive concept of UAV drones replacing pilots since UAVs are incapable of defending themselves from the multitude of threats in a war zone. Hampton's irreverent and informative account of combat shows the quick decision making ability of pilots will be needed well into the future. 

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History written by Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice 381 pages published in 2012

How does a good kid from Texas, who wanted to be a cowboy, become a SEAL sniper? This book follows Chris Kyle from Texas through finding the love of his life and the Iraq war. The book gives the reader a window into the mind of a devout Christian who killed over 160 people during the course of his profession.