Book Title: More Than a Soldier: One Army Ranger’s Daring Escape From the Nazis
Author: D.M. Annechino
Category: Adult Fiction, 316 pages
Genre: Historical Biography, WWII
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release date: April 2017
Tour dates: May 29 to June 16 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 (A few four-letter words and violence associated with war)

 

Description

Feeling a patriotic duty to defend his country after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, seventeen year old Angelo J. DiMarco enlists in the U.S. Army. Severely short of frontline fighters, the Army rushes Angelo through Ranger training and sends him to Italy as part of the 1st Ranger Battalion. Their objective: stop the German invasion.

Fighting on the front lines in Italy, the German’s teach Angelo a sobering lesson on life when they capture him during the bloody battle of Cisterna. Against insurmountable odds, Angelo miraculously escapes in a way that stretches the imagination. He survives behind enemy lines for over five months, hiding from the Germans and trying to outmaneuver them. He begs for food, sleeps in barns and suffers from many ailments, including dehydration, malnutrition, malaria and exposure to the elements.

More Than a Soldier is Angelo DiMarco’s powerful story of survival, resilience and courage.

 

My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

I have read several books by DM Annechino, all murder mysteries, all very good. Since I already knew that I like his writing and I like historical fiction, I was looking forward to reading More Than a Soldier.

This story is about Angelo J. DiMarco, an actual soldier in World War II who started out working behind a desk but he didn’t feel like he was contributing to his country as much as he could so he became an Army Ranger. So he went from behind desk to the front lines voluntarily. Talk about a patriot!

More Than a Soldier was difficult to put down. Angelo faced so much in just a couple years, it proves that truth is stranger than fiction. Not only did he have to face the Germans on the front lines but he had malaria, was captured by the Germans, escaped and survived behind enemy lines for several months. He went through so much and still when he came home, all he wanted was a word from his father that he was proud of him. How sad is it that it took a war and near death for Angelo to finally hear the words he craved?

“You enter the Army with honor and a strong feeling of patriotism. You’re an indestructible force and nothing and nobody can stop you. But then you learn just how naive you are, that war is much more than a word that defines a conflict between nations. It’s a living, breathing predator, and its only goal is to devour your mind, body, and spirit.”

I definitely recommend More Than a Soldier. It’s full of war, death, heartbreak, survival, and history. 

 

Praise for More Than a Soldier:

Annechino colorfully draws the actions scenes, and richly brings the supporting cast of characters to life. A moving tale of survival in war-torn Europe.
– Kirkus Reviews

Nuanced and eloquently written, More Than a Soldier adds to the body of WWII literature an extraordinary story of survival and a deeply affecting portrait of a soldier’s coming-of-age.
– The iRead Review

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Meet the Author

Daniel M. Annechino, a former book editor, wrote his first book, How to Buy the Most Car for the Least Money, while working as a General Manager in the automobile business. But his passion had always been fiction, particularly thrillers. He spent two years researching serial killers before finally penning his gripping and memorable debut novel They Never Die Quietly. He has written and published five novels—all thrillers. But his latest work, More Than a Soldier, is a Historical Biography set in Italy during WWII.

A native of New York, Annechino now lives in San Diego with his wife, Jennifer. He loves to cook, enjoys a glass of vintage wine, and spends lots of leisure time on the warm beaches of Southern California.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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BOOK REVIEW TOUR:

May 29 – Rockin’ Book Reviews – review / giveaway
May 30 – Gabriel’s Wharf – review
May 30 – Books, Dreams, Life – review / giveaway
May 31 – Working Mommy Journal – review / giveaway
June 1   – Il Mio Tesoro – review
June 2   – NorthernMsw – review
June 5   – Svetlana’s Reads and Views – review
June 6   – Man of la Book – review / giveaway
June 6   – Cheryl’s Book Nook – review / giveaway
June 7   – What Cathy Read Next – review / giveaway
June 8   – Puddletown Reviews – review / giveaway
June 9   – Olio by Marilyn – review / giveaway
June 12 – Bound 4 Escape – review / giveaway
June 13 – Library of Clean Reads – review / giveaway
June 14 – Leels Loves Books – review
June 15 – Nighttime Reading Center – review / giveaway
June 16 – The World As I See It – review / giveaway

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