Angels Watching Over Me

Review of Angels Watching Over Me by Michael Phillips

Overview from www.barnesandnoble.com: Book 1 of SHENANDOAH SISTERS. Two young Southern girls, one the daughter of a plantation owner and one the daughter of a slave, barely survive the onset of the Civil War and the loss of both their families. When these tragic circumstances bring them together, they join forces to discover if they can make a life for themselves. As their preconceptions give way to experience, they gradually learn to value their contrasting and complementing strengths and skills as they face the formidable task of keeping body and soul together in the aftermath of this devastating war. But is it possible the Lord they have come to know has something bigger in mind for the plantation than either of them can imagine?

My Review:

The book for this week’s review is about two strong women characters. Surprisingly though, it was written by a man.

The story is told through the eyes of Mayme otherwise known as Mary Jane, for the most part. It begins with her and then leads into Katie’s story. Though Katie’s tale is in the third person as though it is Mary Jane’s retelling of her story.

Both girls lived in North Carolina near the end of the Civil War and both are in their late teens though I believe Mayme was older by a year. They both find themselves the only ones left alive at their respective family homes after a marauding party of Confederate soldiers comes through that part of North Carolina, killing everyone else.

They latch on to each other for survival though perhaps Mayme is by far the more experienced in the ways of the world and thus takes charge, at least at first. She does most of the chores and other work but more and more Katie asks Mayme to teach her things. She begins to take a more active role.

The first order of business is to convince outsiders that nothing is wrong and that her mother is still alive and well. If anyone were to find out that she and Mayme were alone together, it would mean serious trouble for both of them but especially Mayme who has been sleeping in a white man’s bed.

I have to admit that Katie seemed a little weak to me at first but she grew on me even as her character grows and becomes stronger on the inside. She becomes strong enough not only to understand the way things really are but to do something about it and help another human being or two along the way.

It is a beautiful story. I love the way these two rely on each other and learn to trust in God in the process. They become like sisters and the way they love each other transcends the racial and cultural barriers placed upon them by the time period.

I don’t know how they will survive together but even if they don’t, at least they will have known that there must be a better way than to hate. It may sound trite but it’s a great story and not your typical Civil War Era fare. I highly recommend it.

Beneath a Navajo Moon

Review of Beneath a Navajo Moon by Lisa Carter

Overview from www.barnesandnoble.com: The search for a woman who disappeared in 1906 has lead cultural anthropologist Erin Dawson to Cedar Canyon, where the iconic terrain of red rock walls and mesas keep Navajo traditions—and maybe criminal evidence—well hidden. When Erin’s search leads her to cross paths with tribal policeman Adam Silverhorn, it’s hardly love at first sight. But everywhere she turns, Adam is already there.

Fighting their feelings for each other, the two are suddenly thrust into a battle far more dangerous—a common quest to rout an insidious drug cartel that has spawned the recent rise in gang violence on the reservation. Adam’s position of authority gives Erin a rare glimpse into Navajo life few outsiders like her ever see—and into a crime ring that no one dares to imagine. As danger mounts, Adam and Erin begin to wonder if they will live to tell how they really feel.

My Review:

This week's story surprised me since it wasn't at all what it seemed. It had its thriller element to be sure but when it came down to it, it really seemed more of a love story, a story of forbidden love. 

Our main character, Erin Dawson comes to the Navajo Res to investigate what happened to a female ancestor in her adopted family. I don't remember exactly who was adopted but I think it was her father. Still the fact that they were not blood-related in no way diminished Erin's enthusiasm to find out what happened to Olivia.

This was the part of the story that held my interest as well. Olivia and her life at the mission school in Arizona and later as the bride of her Navajo captor was interesting to say the least. In a time when a white woman who married a Native American and had children by him would probably have been considered disgusting, Olivia was bound and determined to her husband and life on the Res. What Erin wanted to know was, did she succeed?

The downside for me was that most of the story focused on Erin and her troubles in the here and now. This part wasn't as interesting except for the little tidbits about Navajo culture. Her man troubles bored me most of the time. Her interest in Olivia didn't but Olivia was not the focus of the story which was too bad because I think I might have enjoyed her story more.

The race around the canyon and the cave for the Mexican drug dealers and the discussion of their threat to the people did interest me but I found myself wondering whether the author was trying to jam in too many characters' stories into one book. I guess it worked overall but as I said I like some parts better than others.

Overall I think this story would be a better fit for someone who likes Romance stories about all else and Christian Romance at that, with just a little bit of history thrown into the mix. For me, it had its good points but it wasn't my favorite. I would to hear someone else's opinion on this story though, especially if they have some background in the Navajo culture. Let me hear from you please.

Contains: some action violence and sensuality

The Tidewater Sisters

       


Review of The Tidewater Sisters by


Overview from www.barnesandnoble.com: Tandi Reese and her sister, Gina, have always been bound by complicated ties. Amid the rubble of a difficult childhood lie memories of huddling beneath beds and behind sofas while parental wars raged. Sisterhood was safety . . . once. But now? Faced with legal papers for a fraud she didn’t commit, Tandi suspects that her sister has done something unthinkable. With Tandi’s wedding just around the corner, a trip to the North Carolina Tidewater for a reckoning with Gina was not part of the plan. But unraveling lies from truth will require confronting strained sibling bonds and uncovering a dark family secret that could free Tandi from her past or stain her future forever.

My Review:

The Tidewater Sisters is the first contemporary non-genre fiction that I have read in a few months. I wasn’t expecting much from it. The only reason I picked it up was because it was set in North Carolina, not far from where I am now living and I thought it might be interesting to read about some of the people who live in the places that I am just now getting acquainted with.

I wasn’t expecting all that much from it since I am not a huge fan of contemporary, non-genre fiction. It definitely exceeded my expectations.

Our main character, Tandi Jo Reese, tells the story from her point of view. It begins with Tandi Jo napping and dreaming of her first love, Luke Townley, only to be awakened by the here and now. She is at an historic house on Hatteras Island waiting for the third time for an electrician to show up.

Her fiancé, Paul, wakes her up. Shortly afterwards someone finally does come up the drive but it is not who she was expecting. A process server informs her that she is being sued for some type of false promises on the sale of a property. Since she doesn’t own any property that she knows of, she now has to find out what this is all about and deal with it before her upcoming wedding. She doesn’t know much but she is sure that it must have something to do with her estranged sister Gina.

The story follows her journey to the alleged property and on the trail to find Gina and find out what is going on as well as what really happened in the past that she thought she’d left behind. But maybe some things are better left in the past.

The story was surprisingly intriguing. Yes, there’s something of a mystery to it but I don’t think that was what drew me in. It was the emotions.

Tandi Jo was someone I could relate to. Her conflict emotions about her past as well as her hope for the future drew me in.

And the story was not preachy, the way a lot of fiction, Christian and otherwise, is. I felt invested in the outcome. So much so that my only disappointment in this story was that it was too short. It could, and should, have been a novel. There were areas of Tandi’s life that I felt could have been explored more.

Still, this would be a great summer, beach read. Even with some of the major issues that she deals with. I don’t know if Tandi Jo’s story continues but if it does, I’d really like to read it.