VanOps

Something for everyone who loves action. Relationships, history, supernatural, plotting, plot twists appeal to readers across many genres. Excellent start to the series.

VanOps has so much packed in it, it has a little bit of everything for everyone. Interesting characters and storyline. I would read more by this author.

I can see why this engaging book won an award. It has a lot going for it -- travel, good dialog, mystery, adventure -- all told by a very talented author. Highly recommended.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

What can I say, I loved every minute of this thriller.
A cross between Indiana Jones and the Da Vinci Code, fantastic characterisation and a story line that had me gripped from the start. I can't wait for the next one in the series.

One of the joys of reading is finding an author that you have never read before and adding them to your must-read list. Avanti Centrae is the latest author whose book The Lost Power, the first in the Van Ops series, captured me on the first page and did not let go until the very end.

Opening in 1057, Ramiro, the king of Aragon, faces a terrifying weapon that devastates his troops. With the help of his son, the weapon is captured, hidden and protected by his ancestors. Fast forward to the present where Maddy and her twin brother Will have been summoned to the family vineyard by their father. Before he can explain the urgency behind his summons, he is assassinated and the killer is now chasing them. Consulting their father’s lawyer, they are each given a packet explaining the family’s responsibility.

On the death of the senior member of the family, a secret is passed down to the next generation. They are the descendants of Ramiro and related to the current king of Spain. There are clues to the location of the weapon hidden by Ramiro that must be protected, but the Russians are now on the trail, believing that this weapon could fuel a more modern weapon that they have developed. Maddy and Will are joined on their quest by Bear (Theodore Thorenson), a military veteran who has had a crush on Maddy since their school years. From Spain to Jerusalem, Vilnius and Mandalay, the trio are constantly challenged to determine their worthiness to continue the quest while also dodging assassins at every turn. As they search temples and landmarks for signs, Bear provides commentary on the historical significance of the locations. What they do not know is that Bear also works for Van Ops (Vanguard Operations), a part of the CIA that searches for obscure and unusual threats.

Centrae provides a story that moves at breakneck speed. Her characters are easy to relate to as Maddy and Will overcome their troubled relationship to work together. Bear must not only deal with his feelings for Maddy, but also the guilt he carries for not revealing his connection to Van Ops. As you read the story it is easy to visualize the action, making this an exciting read. If you are a fan of James Rollins, you will truly enjoy The Lost Power.

I would like to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars

Maddy Marshall and Will Argones, twin brother ans sister, arrive at their father's old vineyard in the Napa Valley of California. Just as they arrive, a shot rings out that kills their father and Will's wife Maria. A young boy named AJ that was traveling with Maddie sees a black BMW hurry away from the scene.

After exhaustive interviews with somewhat incompetent appearing detectives, Will, Maddie and AJ leave. They see the BMW on the side of the road and a car chase ensues. The BMW crashes, but one of the assassins survives. They learn from the police that he is Russian. Another attempt is made on their lives at their attorney's office.

They obtain false passports to try to evade the Russian and flee to Spain which is their historical family seat. There they meet Carlos a cousin and the son of the King of Spain, who is their uncle. Carlos is a shady character, but they like the King. He shows them a mysterious codex and imparts some knowledge to aid their search for a mysterious weapon of some sort.

Their search takes them on a world-wide journey. Along the way, they discuss the form their search may take them. Just what is it they are looking for? How do these shooters keep finding them?

Maddy nearly drove me crazy with her feud with her brother Will. She ran hot and cold, sometimes she almost liked him and then she would get mad at him all over. Arrgh! But, as time passed and Maddie learned from various encounters more about herself and her emotions, her anger at her brother and others attenuated. I wondered to myself just how she had advanced as far as she had in Aikido still holding on to her anger and self-ignorance.

This is a well written and plotted novel. The content is consistent and follows a logical progression. I really liked the historical information given in the book. Ms. Centrae did her research for these parts of the book. It was most interesting. I really liked the “Bear” character. Especially his history lessons. This book will stretch your beliefs, but I reminded myself that it is an entertaining novel and continued to read for the pleasure of it. Ms. Centrae is a very good writer and I immediately went to Amazon to look at her other novels.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review.

This book was reminiscent of Indiana Jones, The DaVinci Code, and the National Treasure movies. A thrilling tale of adventure, clue hunting, and the supernatural. I found all three leads to be very likable and intriguing. The plot was well paced and interesting.

This is the first book in a series but does not overtly try to set up a sequel. The entire story is contained within the book, with an "end credits" scene ala the Avengers movies.

My minor gripe was the ending. I wanted a bit more from it after such a long build up. It's not to say that it was a bad ending, but I just wanted all of my fantasies indulged.

Definitely worth a read for fans of the aforementioned series. Thank you to PICT for an ARC copy.

I was drawn to this book’s description - DaVinci Code meets Tomb Raider. It sounded like a book I would devour! There were a number of things to like about this book - action, travel, suspense, and a kickass woman as the lead character. While there were many things I liked about this book, there were a few things I could not get over.

I thought VanOps would play a larger role throughout the book, though it was only a small mention towards the beginning, but gained a larger role right at the end. Additionally, the ease to which these character moved through “challenges” was unrealistic. I had a hard time believing that a person who had just lost their wife in a violent way, would hook up with a total stranger only a week after. I felt that it was an unnecessary plot line as it didn’t further the greater storyline.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. I read it in only a few days.

action-adventure, thriller, historical-research, murder, supernatural, suspense, family-dynamics, international-crime-and-mystery, conspiracy

Can't possibly go wrong with this one: murder, conspiracy, international pursuit, and all interspersed with historical data! It's a real thrill ride complete with martial arts, medieval weaponry, car chases, and even helicopter pursuit! The publisher's blurb is pretty good for an intro, and no spoilers here. Kept me reading straight through to the end and waiting for the next one!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Books Go Social via NetGalley. Thank you!

Will and Maddy meet their dad at the family vineyard at the urgent message from their dad. Maddy has been too distracted by the breakup from her longtime boyfriend and her heart is not in the visit. She drives up to see her brother playing catch with Squirrel in the driveway with no idea what is going on. Shots ring out they enter the library to find their father and Will's wife dead. The last words from their father are to go to the Sacramento attorney. With those passing words, they are thrown into a family legacy that puts their lives and everyone around them in danger. The search for the family secret takes them across the world into secret societies and truths long buried. With their family friend Bear who works for VanOps and is in for more than just helping friends.

This thriller is definitely designed for the lovers of Dan Brown, Indiana Jones, and Clive Cussler. Avanti Centrae new what she was doing with the storyline and characters to make this into a series for all to love. I found the storyline to be unique and the characters intertwined in a way that leaves you wondering what else is not being said. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am looking forward to reading more of this series in the future.

A wonderfully crafted action-packed story with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat right to the last page. The amount of historical information given in the book shows that the author has done her research. The wonderfully developed characters continually provide surprises as the story unfolds as each one deals with their strengths and weaknesses. This is a genuine page turner with lots of adventure, action and plot twists. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This thriller has it all: international intrigue, secret societies, ancient power packed artifacts, super mental abilities, intense tests of worthiness, deadly adventures, foreign locations, and more. And the best part for me was that the person upon whose shoulders rests the task of preventing terrible destruction is a woman!

I always like to learn something when I read a novel and this one was packed with information. I like that Centrae included an author's note clarifying the many aspects of the plot based on actual historical events and scientific discoveries. I appreciated information about European kings, historical events like the Crusades and facts about superconductors.

Readers who like high stakes adventures featuring amateurs being hunted by professionals will enjoy this novel. You'll travel to exotic places and meet societies who for centuries have been dedicated to fighting evil. Centrae's writing style is good and kept me turning pages to the very end, an end that sets us up for a sequel.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

This is a new author to me through Net Galley. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.
This was a non stop thrill to read. I was unable to put it down until completion. I found it very reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code. The story revolves between present day and a thousand years ago. I loved the historic aspect, the complex charcters and the wonderful settings.
Maddy Marshall and Will Argones, twin sibling visit their father's old vineyard in the Napa Valley of California. Just as they arrive, their father and Will's wife Maria are killed by gunfire. A young boy named AJ that was traveling with Maddie sees a black BMW hurry away from the scene. The twins are on a hunt to find the killers and the reason for their death but have no idea what a remarkable journey they are to set out on., This is so well crafted and well plotted that it kept this reader in its thrall to conclusion. I highly recommend this book for all that love historical adventures and thrillers.

Wow! Historical fiction meets the Da-vinci code!! I was totally gripped right from page 1!

Twins set off on a journey to recover Alexander's ancient weapon. Nowhere is safe for them. With no one to turn to and no one to trust, they must rely on each other and a friend with allegiance to VanOps.

I loved the fast pace and the intrigued. I couldn't put the book down!

4 out of 5 stars!!! I wasn't sure I was going to like it but I was pleasantly surprised

This book had me thoroughly gripped from beginning to end. The story starts in 1057 at a battle, and then flits to present day where Maddy and her twin brother, Will are paying a visit to their Dad. Both called there to see him, and not sure why, the day doesn’t turn out as expected…….

What unravels is a action packed, edge of your seat adventure where the twins are finding out secrets about their family, and are sent on a quest to find an ancient weapon that could cause some serious issues for the world, and particularly the USA…….but will they get there in time? Who is hunting them? And will they be worthy of the final prize? To get there they have to pass some serious tests, and endure some trying and emotional times.

Honestly, this felt like Indiana Jones/Lara Croft/The Da Vinci Code and is absolutely fantastic! This is one of the books that I would absolutely love to be made into a film! From the moment I started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. There is never a dull moment, and the story is continuously engrossing.

I love the mix of history, action, adventure, intrigue and mystery! The author tells us at the end which bits are based on fact too! The story is really well written, easy to read and follow, and thoroughly enjoyable to read. I felt connections with the characters and particularly love how strong and amazing Maddy is (love a bit of girl power!). We see some serious growth in her as a character, but it’s not just her – all the characters grow and progress in their own ways and it brings you ‘closer’ to them. And Bear……I just LOVE him!

I’m am genuinely excited that there will be more of these, and literally CANNOT wait to see what action, adventure, and quest the guys get up to in the next novel! if you’re a fan of any of the above mentioned film/books then you NEED to check this out! Absolutely brilliant! Check out the first 3 chapters below…..and then get BUYING!!!

Oh, my goodness. What a ride this book is. If you like National Treasure, The Da Vinci Code and The Tomb Raider you are going to love this book. It is a thrill ride from the first word. Do yourself a favor and read this book!! I am eagerly waiting for the next one.

As a fan of The Da Vinci Code, and basically any puzzle-based mystery, especially those with historical links, then I knew VanOps: The Lost Power would be right up my street. I wasn't wrong.
A family reunion, at the request of their father, sees twins, Maddy & Will head to Napa, only for disaster to strike immediately with the sound of gunshots. The story is fast-paced, with them coming under fire themselves from the moment the quest is revealed to them by their dying father. A little bewildered by the whole idea of this "Lost Power" that can only be saved by them, they find themselves joining up with an old school friend, Bear, whose presence gives them the benefit of his military training, though he is not exactly what he seems. Fortunately, Bear's presence also breaks up some of the friction between the siblings. 
Maddy and Will are "interesting" characters. Maddy seems to be able to do anything and everything with ease, and do it well, whereas Will is a bit of a whinger, and is envious of his sister's strength - both physically and mentally. It comes as no shock, therefore, that when tested, only one of them is up to the task. Weirdly, Maddy harbours a great deal of resentment towards her brother too. Theirs is not a regular sibling relationship, and the reasons for their disconnect are not explored in great deal. Maybe, the next book in the series will be more revealing on that front.
The constant reference to Maddy's limited Aikido skills does drag at times - as if it is the only reason she manages to complete some of the challenges. Also, some of the situations they find themselves in appear to be a tad far-fetched - the connection with the Spanish Royal Family in particular - but fiction is just that: make-believe, and it's no more unusual than the plotlines of similar stories. 

This is an action-packed thriller as they cross borders and continents to save the world, testing their relationship constantly. The story is engaging by virtue of its settings and history as well as the quest, and the pure escapism will draw you in, if only to see how it all ends. I'd be interested to see how the series develops. 
I received a copy of this book via Partners in Crime book tours; my thanks to the author and Netgalley also. My review is given voluntarily.

This book was very atmospheric with lots of action. It was well written and I could not put it down!
Many thanks to BooksGoSocial and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Outstanding! Exciting and emotional! A masterpiece of storytelling that is surprising for a first novel, we'll written and intriguing. I found myself captivated and invested from the first few chapters. A devastating loss that ripples through the twins sends them on a quest for an unbelievable object that may just have unimaginable powers. Passed down from one generation to the next, from the first King of Spain until now. Every new generation is given the clues, but only the worthy will discover where it lies, only the worthy will find it. Chased across the globe, hunted, shot at, with losses coming one after the other, the twins with their friend Bear face them all head on.
Exciting. Action-packed. Emotional and tragic. I could not put it down! I cannot wait to see where it leads to next! Five stars is the least I could give to it!

I enjoyed this thriller- way better writing than the Da Vinci Code yet it would appeal to people who enjoy that type of adventure.

Wow, action packed read for me. Not usually what I read but found myself sitting on the edge of the seat and unable to stop and put it down. At the end this book kept me thinking so if you like action this is the perfect book. Avanti Centrae I picked this book in error but glad I did it was very enjoyable! Thank you.

VanOps: The Lost Power is a fast-paced thriller. The first book in what I’m guessing will be a series. Our main characters are running for their lives while on a quest to find a Lost ancient weapon with crazy power.

I did find the plot sort of hard to believe. It sometimes felt as though the characters were in situations solely to add in more rather than move the plot forward.

That being said, I think the characters were well written and were there to move the plot. I like character driven novels anyway, so that did help!

Overall, this was a fun thriller that I enjoyed. I would definitely recommend it for thriller lovers.

I wanted to read this thriller as it looked like it would be a combination of Da Vinci Code and The Tomb Raider. Boy was I right, if you are a fan of them then you are going to love this book.

I found the characters to be well developed and the story is well written. I was engrossed in the story right away it had everything from adventure, suspense, murder, a lost artifact, and plenty of twists and turns,. I enjoyed the historical details too!

I look forward to reading more by this author.

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

Loved this non-stop adventure. Had my heart rate up while trying to figure out where Alexander the Great's weapon may have been hidden. Fun plot, plus great characters. A must read!

This was an action packed thriller that should be the top of your TBR if you're looking for a heart-racing read that will have you on the edge of your seat. Centrae does an excellent job of describing everything, bringing it to life before your eyes. The MCs are great, with plenty of depth, and it's easy to see them as real. There's a lot of action and plenty of twists that will make it hard to put down once you start reading. Perfect for all thriller lovers!