Guest review by: Becki Bayley
I have a mouthful of dirt. Damp earth and pine needles. I fight to twist my way out, but my attacker has legs on either side of me and an arm on my head, and I can’t move. Feeling paralyzed sets me off into panic, but somewhere in my head, there’s a sense of the familiar. The look of the hands that are grasping mine, the scent of the person on top of me. My brain makes a connection. I stop resisting and wait, suddenly realizing who it is. Slowly, Hala releases the pressure of her arm, so I can moore my head to look at her.
“I missed you,” I say.
My face hits the dirt again. Okay, maybe there was just a hint of sarcasm in that comment.
“Let go of me,” I try, but it comes out a garbled mess with my mouth against the forest floor. But suddenly Hala’s grip softens again, and it’s almost easy for me to twist and cuff her off me entirely. I sit up.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, spitting a few times to get rid of the dirt in my mouth.
“I just landed a micro drone on that van,” she says.
While already part of a rogue justice organization, Jessie can’t resist the urge to do something against her direct orders. Those running the organization force her to pay the price, and she misses those she’s used to working with more than she expects.
Official synopsis:
Athena operatives are never supposed to shoot to kill—so when Jessie can't stop herself from pulling the trigger, she gets kicked out of the organization, right before a huge mission to take down a human trafficker in Belgrade.
Jessie needs to right her wrong and prove herself, so she starts her own investigation into the trafficking. But going rogue means she has no one to watch her back as she delves into the horrors she uncovers. Meanwhile, her former teammates have been ordered to bring her down. Jessie must face danger from all sides if she's to complete her mission—and survive.
Jessie and two other agents are the brawn of the Athena Protocol, executing the plans made by a handful of powerful women and based on exhausting research on those they’re bringing to justice. The women in charge, of course, leave nothing to chance, and expect their orders to be followed immediately and exactly. When Jessie steps out of line, the consequences are swift and strict. She’s out, even after planning their next mission which puts one of the main women in charge at risk.
They chose Jessie to join the Athena Protocol because she was determined and resourceful, so she utilizes these skills to not be left behind on their next mission. Expecting her to work relentlessly toward vigilante justice and then stop when they say so may not work out as the women in charge expect.
The story earned a high 4 out of 5 stars. This all-female crew was brilliant, talented, and strong, inside and out. There was also a small element of family drama encased in their found family. The book would be enjoyed by those who like strong female characters, justice, and intricate action plans.
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Becki Bayley is a homebody who enjoys reading and building LEGO when she’s not at work. See what else she and her family are up to on Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.
