Kelzi finds safety in her heritage... The Buckskin Trail by JoAnn Arnold (Blog Tour Review & Excerpt)

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Welcome to my tour stop! Check out the book, my review, and excerpt below...

The Buckskin TrailThe Buckskin Trail
by Joann Arnold
Adult Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 240 Pages
April 12th 2016 by Cedar Fort Publishing & Media

Summary

A miracle saved Kelzi’s life when she was younger. Now it’s her turn to save others. Discovering the truth about her parents’ deaths places Kelzi on a dangerous path, one where she must avenge those who have died and protect the land of her Cherokee people—at all costs. Old traditions battle against modern values in this thrilling mystery!

   
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My Review

(I rarely post reviews on my blog for books I end up not liking and wasn't going to post this one, but I was asked that I still do so, so here we go...)

THE BUCKSKIN TRAIL started off really well. It was suspenseful and heart-wrenching and I felt for and connected with the heroine immediately. It was an emotional beginning. 

From there the story went downhill. The next part read as a filler for the time between the very beginning of the book to years later and it was very passive as the reader is told what happened in the heroine's life. It then moves on to when she is an adult and there was quite a bit of drama and inconsistencies throughout (wouldn't you call the police if someone was impersonating an FBI agent? and a court wouldn't hear a trial about a land dispute and about conspiracy and murder at the same time to name a few of my issues). Things also ended a little too perfectly with multiple witnesses who weren't necessary to the story. It felt slightly like a message was trying to be conveyed or a plot pushed forward, but it was forced and didn't come about feeling natural or authentic.

Having said that, it was a unique premise and aspects of the story were interesting. The beginning was definitely my favorite. This one wasn't for me, but if you can overlook my issues and you enjoy suspense mixed with Native American lore then this might be a better read for you.

Content: Some references to violence, but clean.
Source: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way.

Excerpt

INTRODUCTION

Inside a burning house, a soft, glowing light appeared above a young girl huddled beside the lifeless bodies of her mother and father. In the light stood a Cherokee brave—a silver feather intertwined in his long dark hair, his deerskin clothing glistening in the light.

"Kelzi," the brave whispered, kneeling beside her.

Kelzi looked up into his eyes, the tears in her own seeming to fade. She handed him a piece of rolled buckskin. He placed the buckskin inside his shirt, gathered her in his arms, and disappeared into the light.

About the Author


“The Buckskin Trail” is the sixth book in JoAnn’s library of authorship. Writing it invited her into yet another realm, one that charts a higher path. “Miracles for Michael,” “Journey of the Promise,” “Pages From the Past,” “The Silent Patriots” and her first fantasy, “Prince Etcheon and the Secret of the Ancient,” have taken JoAnn on some amazing imaginative journeys. “The Buckskin Trail” is no exception. JoAnn lives in Santa Clara, Utah, with her husband, Brent.



Have you read a story dealing with a character whose ancestors were Native American? What did you think of the excerpt?

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