7 Books Like The Michael Hogan Reader

The last words uttered in my review of Tom Hoffman’s initial Ghost Ring novel were, “Final Note to Author: Mr. Hoffman, if you do not write a sequel to this book, I will never forgive you.” I was not alone. I know he was reluctant at first to continue his uniquely engaging series. Cooler heads prevailed. Or maybe he was bribed or threatened. In any case, not only did he recently publish this second installment (note how I mean to imply future installments as well), but he exceeded my greatest expectations. Everything seems augmented and finely embellished in this narrative adventure shared by two teen paranormal investigators introduced in Book One.

In this second book — Shadows of Caligo Falls — Tom Hoffman augments and embellishes the relationship between Simon and Clara, the eccentricity and uniqueness of all the ghosts, and the complexity of the mystery to be solved, not… show more.

At Night We Played In The Road is Chantelle Atkins’s finest work. Considering how prolific this relatively young author continues to be, having now penned 23 works published on Amazon, that is saying something. Still, her writing skills continue to develop and mature, and this latest accomplishment expands her proclaimed milieu beyond that of the Young Adult Genre. Specifically, this book delves deeply, comprehensively, insightfully, and perceptively into the psychological dynamics of brotherhood, mental health, and society’s underbelly. Ms. Atkins may yet be dealing with young adults as her protagonists, but her treatment here acknowledges her maturation into true wisdom and heightened perspective. To convey these qualities so effectively in writing is a significant feat for any author.

In this most recent addition (a stand-alone companion to her 5-book series, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side), Chantelle Atkins introduces two of her most engaging, complex, and exciting characters… show more.

This is the story about the San Patricio Battalion, which fought for Mexico in the war of 1846-48 and were ultimately hanged as traitors. It is told primarily from the American standpoint using exclusively US documents. What makes it fascinating to me is that the author reveals why this history was hidden from researchers and scholars alike for so many years.

I had heard about this group in Mexico, but since I could find no information on it, I assumed it was mostly legend. What a revelation to discover that it was real and that the Irish actually did join up with the Mexicans to fight against the US invasion.

I like this version of the story because Stephens went to Ireland and researched the life and times of John Riley, the commander of the San Patrico Battalion. He shows his motivation for joining the Mexican Army, leadership skills, artillery knowledge, and more.

It is a bird’s eye view of the life of a soldier in the Irish diaspora and how he associated an Anglo-American army invading a Catholic neighbor with his own native land invaded by the English army 400 years before.

If you’ve never heard of the Saint Patrick’s Battalion—the Irish soldiers who deserted the US Army to fight for Mexico during the Mexican-American War of 1847—with this novel, Reyna Grande will fill in the blanks in grand style. She pulls you in using the trope of a romance between Ximena, a curandera, and John Riley, an Irish-American artilleryman, both pawns in a gigantic land grab now regarded as one of the US’s forgotten wars.

We listen to the big personalities—Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna and US General Zachary Taylor—give their version of events even as the book provides an unflinching eye at the plight of the common people caught in the chaos and bloodshed.

I enjoyed this fictional account of the Irish Battalion, which is told through the eyes of two Mexican and American boys. We learn there were also Scots and Germans involved and that both sides were brutal.

This book is accessible to young adults as well as mature readers and is compelling because of the fast-paced, visual action scenes.

This nonfiction history of Mexico was compelling because it details everyday life in the occupied country. It also provided details of the US and Mexico before and after the Mexican War.

We get a clearer sense of what motivated soldiers on both sides to join in the largest territorial battle in North America. For Americans it was a great adventure, for Mexicans, the defense of their homeland. I also like the author's use of irony and humor, which gives the book a balance that more academic history cannot risk.