readmama's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is HISTORICAL FICTION and adventure much more than romance, so I'm not sure why that's not listed as its genre. This is the one issue I have with SG so far. Otherwise, I love it. Mislabeling genres, however, can really skew someone's stats - and recommendations. I do really enjoy this series by Melissa Lenhardt.
td3's review against another edition
4.0
Blood Oath, a wild and adventurous sequel to Sawbones, captures the rugged west of the post civil war era. By this time the army is fighting the Indian wars and chasing fugitives through the untamed countryside. One such fugitive is Catherine Bennett, aka Laura Elliston.
Readers were left with a cliffhanger at the ending of Sawbones and Blood Oath picks up the story and takes readers on a wild adventure through Indian territory with Laura and Captain Kindle.
I think I enjoyed this one even better than the first in the series. There are many intense moments and just when you think the couple is safe, their situation changes and they are thrown into another hornet’s nest to escape from.
In this novel, we learn more about Captain Kindle’s past and we are given a close look at how complicated relations were between the settlers and the Indians.
True to form, Melissa Lenhardt leaves readers with another cliffhanger to be continued in the next novel. I’m looking forward to reading Badlands to see how the saga ends.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books, Redhook for allowing me to read a galley and give my honest review.
Readers were left with a cliffhanger at the ending of Sawbones and Blood Oath picks up the story and takes readers on a wild adventure through Indian territory with Laura and Captain Kindle.
I think I enjoyed this one even better than the first in the series. There are many intense moments and just when you think the couple is safe, their situation changes and they are thrown into another hornet’s nest to escape from.
In this novel, we learn more about Captain Kindle’s past and we are given a close look at how complicated relations were between the settlers and the Indians.
True to form, Melissa Lenhardt leaves readers with another cliffhanger to be continued in the next novel. I’m looking forward to reading Badlands to see how the saga ends.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books, Redhook for allowing me to read a galley and give my honest review.
aliciag's review against another edition
5.0
Such a great read! Thx Melissa Lenhardt for writing women into American history!
tashabye's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
A good followup to the first in the series. I did have some issue with but the adventure was there. It ends on a cliffhanger and I'm looking forward to reading the 3rd (and final) book next month. Lots of adventure and I still appreciate all the rawness and grit, no sugar coating and that's what makes this a strong story. There is definitely a strong underlying feminist stance here which isn't bad but sometimes I feel like it might distract from the story a bit.
A good followup to the first in the series. I did have some issue with
Spoiler
the excess sex and romancejeansbookbag's review against another edition
4.0
While this one did seem to move a little more slowly in the beginning, by the halfway mark I couldn’t put it down. The story is gritty, more gritty than I’d usually prefer, but the characters are great and I’m compelled to find out what happens next.
veereading's review
4.0
I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sawbones, the first book in this series, was one of my first forays into the Western genre. And I really liked it. The story was good, the theme was good, nothing felt overdone... it was just a great experience overall. It was with high hopes that I began to read this sequel... so here is my review:
After escaping danger, Laura Elliston and William Kindle are on the run -- from the Army and from every bounty hunter after Laura. But the danger isn't just from those pursuing them. Laura and Kindle can't escape their past and are haunted by their secrets and trauma. Exhausted, scared, scarred and surrounded by enemies, neither realize the greatest danger is yet to come.
As usual, the author maintained that awesome grittiness that I have started to associate with the Western genre. Laura and Kindle do not get it easy at all in this novel! Every time they turn, there is some struggle or the other - but that's what I like about this book series. The author does not shy away from difficult themes like the conflict between Natives and the "Westerners", and the trauma from rape. The story was powerful because of the topics it covered and I think the author did a good job of addressing them. There is a lot more romance in this novel but I think that the chemistry between Laura and Kindle worked very well, so it was a success for me! I will say that this novel is more of a filler between the first book and what is to come; while this novel was interesting, it wasn't really necessary. However, with all that being said, this is definitely a good Western book series and I cannot wait to see what happens to Laura and Kindle in the next installment!
For more reviews, visit: www.veereading.wordpress.com
Sawbones, the first book in this series, was one of my first forays into the Western genre. And I really liked it. The story was good, the theme was good, nothing felt overdone... it was just a great experience overall. It was with high hopes that I began to read this sequel... so here is my review:
After escaping danger, Laura Elliston and William Kindle are on the run -- from the Army and from every bounty hunter after Laura. But the danger isn't just from those pursuing them. Laura and Kindle can't escape their past and are haunted by their secrets and trauma. Exhausted, scared, scarred and surrounded by enemies, neither realize the greatest danger is yet to come.
As usual, the author maintained that awesome grittiness that I have started to associate with the Western genre. Laura and Kindle do not get it easy at all in this novel! Every time they turn, there is some struggle or the other - but that's what I like about this book series. The author does not shy away from difficult themes like the conflict between Natives and the "Westerners", and the trauma from rape. The story was powerful because of the topics it covered and I think the author did a good job of addressing them. There is a lot more romance in this novel but I think that the chemistry between Laura and Kindle worked very well, so it was a success for me! I will say that this novel is more of a filler between the first book and what is to come; while this novel was interesting, it wasn't really necessary. However, with all that being said, this is definitely a good Western book series and I cannot wait to see what happens to Laura and Kindle in the next installment!
For more reviews, visit: www.veereading.wordpress.com
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