Colors of Truth review

 Title:  Colors of Truth

Author:  Tamera Alexander

 Ch: 43 plus epilogue

Pg:  504

Series: Carnton Book 2

Genre: Christian Historical fiction with a hint of romance

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Fountain Creek Press

     Colors of Truth is the second book in the Carnton series by Tamera Alexander and my favorite of to the series.  The novel is set in Franklin Tennessee at Carnton in 1866 at the end of the Civil War at a messy time in our history. But that the thing about history its messy, but we need to learn from it and in order to do that we have to look at the way that it was. However we don't have to view it in positive light. Tamera did a good job of finding the balance between the facts of history and showing  that it was wrong and evil.  In Colors of Truth she does this with her main characters Catriona O'Toole newly arrived from Ireland with her younger sister Nora. And Wade Cunningham who fought for the Union but is an undercover operative with the Secret Service Agent posing as a confederate soldier  in order to find counterfeiters. 

 

Catriona being Irish understands a little better than most what the freedmen and women are facing being hated for their skin and former status, while Catriona Nora are hated for where they are from that can be hidden to a point though Nora's red hair gives a hint and all doubt is removed   as soon as Catriona opens her and speaks with an Irish accent. Though she knows that even though she and Nora have faced hardship and heartache it's nothing to what Tempy and other former slaves have faced.  

 

Wade though raised in Southern Kentucky chose to fight for the union and is still fighting for that cause and it pains him to hide the truth from Tempy and Catriona, but he does it because he is still fighting for a better life for those like Tempy and Catriona.  

 

My two favorite secondary characters are Tempy and Nora,  I loved Tempy's wisdom and faith in the first book and she doesn't disappoint in this one.  I also loved Nora the little redheaded spitfire reminded me of my own sister at that age. 

 

Catriona is the character that I related to the most, her stubborn nature and her struggle to find the balance of being a sister to Nora and a mother figure.  That’s what I related to the most with her character the most because I to was trying to find the balance between two with my own younger sister after losing our mom though at 19 my sister was slightly older than wee Nora. Wade has become my favorite hero of Tamera’s he truly is a good man.

 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. 

With this Pledge Review

Title:  With this Pledge

Author: Tamera Alexander

Series: Carnton Book 1

Chapters: 43 Plus Epilogue

Pages: 448

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 Stars

If anyone can get me to read a book American Civil War novel its Tamera. I’ve haven’t read a book of hers that I didn’t like. Outside of novels about the America Revolution I tend to only read non-fiction book about war. As most authors tend to Sugar coat it. Or show only one side of the war. 

Tamera doesn’t do that with this one. She shows the horrors of war without shocking you as well as showing what the woman and children went through.

What makes this novel so real and heart wrenching is that is novel is based on a real place, a real family the McGavocks and their home Carnton which was turned in to a field hospital after the battle of Franklin. Their governess Elizabeth "Lizzie" Clouston is soon turned into a nurse.  Reading this novel has me wanting to visit Carnton. Much like I did with Belmont and Belle Meade after reading Tamera's previous novels set in Tennessee. 

Captain Roland Ward Jones a confederate sharpshooter is injured in the battle, but Lizzie makes him a promise she somehow manages to keep.  As a sharpshooter and a rebel one at that he's hated by the union. Mainly because sharpshooters hide and killed troops without them knowing.  But both sides used sharpshooters they were the forerunner of our modern day snipers.  So I would say this book is one of Tamera's darker and more graphic books in the terms of war and violence.   

I loved the slow burn romance of the hero and the heroine. This is the first historical fiction that the main couple were both based on historical figures though lesser known that most. I like my historical fiction with a romance. Not a romance with a hint of historical fiction and Tamera does a great job at that.  The romances in her books add to the story they don't take away from that.  

I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, Tamera’s other books as well as fans of Lori Benton, Laura Frantz (though it is a different time period than these two.)  Jocelyn Green and Roseanna m white.