Blog Tour Review: Many Sparrows by Lori Benton

Many Sparrows by Lori Benton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would. . . .

In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.

When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can to recover her son . . . especially when her second child is moments away from being born.

Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob's life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do-be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?

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Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history. When she isn't writing, reading, or researching, Lori enjoys exploring and photographing the Oregon wilderness with her husband. She is the author of "Burning Sky," recipient of three Christy Awards, "The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn," Christy-nominee "The Wood's Edge," and "A Flight of Arrows."

Find out more about Lori at http://loribenton.blogspot.com.

Oh my heart!!  This book is so emotionally engaging!  As I've come to expect from Lori Benton's books, you'll be drawn into this story, and the life lessons it teaches, with a depth of feeling that will leave you quietly pondering your own life and the ways God works for our good, even though it sometimes hurts.

I very much admired Clare's grit and determination to go after her son.  Oh my word, she was determined!!  And after just having a baby, too!  Wow!   My heart just hurt for the things she goes through in her pursuit of getting her son back.  She struggles throughout the book with her faith and who can blame her?  Thankfully, God sends Jeremiah her way and he patiently guides her and becomes her protector amongst the Indians.  Jeremiah understands what she is going through and has learned to trust God through his own life experiences. 

This book is not a light read but I have no doubt you'll be captivated once you start.  Lori Benton is a very skilled writer and her awesome talent with words will keep you engaged and emotional as you read about this time in American history that our generation can probably never fully comprehend.

*Thanks to LitFuse for a complimentary copy of this book. I was not paid or required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.*

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 Many Sparrows
  

Review: A Flight of Arrows by Lori Benton

A Flight of Arrows by Lori Benton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

Hearts are Divided
Loyalties Will Be Tested
The Fates of Two Families Hang in the Balance

Twenty years past, in 1757, a young Redcoat, Reginald Aubrey stole a newborn boy—the lighter-skinned of Oneida twins— during the devastating fall of Fort William Henry and raised him as his own.

No one connected to Reginald escaped unscathed from this crime. Not his adopted daughter Anna. Not Stone Thrower, the Native American father determined to get his son back. Not Two Hawks, William’s twin brother separated since birth, living in the shadow of his absence and hoping to build a future with Anna. Nor Lydia, who longs for Reginald to be free from his self-imposed emotional prison and embrace God’s forgiveness— and her love.

Now William, whose identity has been shattered after discovering the truth of his birth, hides in the ranks of an increasingly aggressive British army. The Redcoats prepare to attack frontier New York and the Continentals, aided by Oneida warriors including Two Hawks, rally to defend it. As the Revolutionary War penetrates the Mohawk Valley, two families separated by culture, united by love and faith, must find a way to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.

Book 2 in the Pathfinder Series

MY REVIEW

Review: The Wood's Edge

The Wood's Edge by Lori Benton

Read an excerpt: The Woods Edge

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

The 1757 New York frontier is home to the Oneida tribe and to British colonists, yet their feet rarely walk the same paths.

On the day Fort William Henry falls, Major Reginald Aubrey is beside himself with grief. His son, born that day, has died in the arms of his sleeping wife. When Reginald comes across an Oneida mother with newborn twins, one white, one brown, he makes a choice that will haunt the lives of all involved. He steals the white baby and leaves his own child behind. Reginald’s wife and foundling daughter, Anna, never suspect the truth about the boy they call William, but Reginald is wracked by regret that only intensifies with time, as his secret spreads its devastating ripples.When the long buried truth comes to light, can an unlikely friendship forged at the wood’s edge provide a way forward? For a father tormented by fear of judgment, another by lust for vengeance. For a mother still grieving her lost child. For a brother who feels his twin’s absence, another unaware of his twin’s existence. And for Anna, who loves them both—Two Hawks, the mysterious Oneida boy she meets in secret, and William, her brother. As paths long divided collide, how will God direct the feet of those who follow Him?

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MY REVIEW:

It took me several tries to persuade myself to start reading this book just because it looked long and I wasn't sure if it would hold my interest with the expanse of years it covers.   Was I ever wrong!  It was an awesome read!

This story follows the lives of those impacted by one terrible action and choice made by Major Reginald Aubrey.  The consequences of that one choice will ripple through many lives for years to come.  Set in Colonial America before the War of Independence, the author does a masterful job of weaving the story lines of the two families together.

Fleeing after the fall of the Fort with his wife and the child he stole, Reginald also rescues Anna, whose family has been killed in the massacre.  Anna grows up believing that her "brother", William, is the son of Reginald and his wife.  She has no reason to believe otherwise.  When she learns the truth can she find the strength to forgive her beloved Papa?  And how will it affect her relationship with Two Hawks, the mysterious Oneida boy she has been meeting in secret for years?  

The Oneida family whose baby was stolen has never given up hope that they will be reunited with their son.  The father has been plagued with a lust for vengeance that has played havoc with the lives of the rest of his family.  When a missionary joins their village, will this family finally find peace?

I have no doubt you will be glued to this book as you get to know each character and follow along as they grow, make life choices, and strive to become the best they can be.  This book takes you on a deep journey of the consequence of sin and the redemption and reconciliation found in repentance and forgiveness.   I can't say enough good about it and I'm anxiously waiting for book two!

*Thanks to Blogging For Books for the complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.  All opinions stated are my own.*

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