Book Review and Giveaway: Light in the Mountain Sky

I love history, especially the 19th century.  I love reading about the resiliency and necessary ingenuity of the pioneers.  When this book came up for review (which I received for free from Celebrate Lit), I was intrigued by reading about a unique story set during my favorite time period.

Overall, I enjoyed the book.  I liked reading about the setting and the characters.  Meksem is a strong lady (". . . a warrior never looked back.  Always forward until the journey ended.", yet has invulnerability due to the death of her father when she was a young child.  She gives up a precious heirloom from him in order to give a special gift to Adam -- which is amazing considering I'm not sure if she had realized before how much he meant to her.  

At first, I wasn't sure how much I would like the book because the first chapter felt like an info dump which was necessary because the book is a sequel to book 2 in the series.  It was easy to get confused about the characters because I was introduced to them so quickly.  The subsequent chapters were better, and I did like the story.  It probably would be better to read the previous book in the series, but it's not totally necessary.  (From what I've read, the first book doesn't sound like it has the same characters, but I could be wrong.)

I really like how the author showed the emergence of faith in God in Meksem ("If only she could have such a God for herself.") and the renewal and growing of faith in Adam ("God made us to serve Him, but gave us our own will to choose whether we take a good path or the trail which does not please Him.").  The developing romance between them was just on the outside of my personal preference in description (nothing immoral), but probably most readers would enjoy it.

Here is another quote I liked from the book:

"Hope slipped into her chest.  She'd heard of the white man's Bible but hadn't realized the book contained directions straight from God Himself.  This way she could learn about the One she'd committed her life to.  And learning alongside this man who held her heart would be an adventure all its own."

Keep reading more about the book and the author and scroll down for the opportunity to win a $50 gift card! 

About the Book

Book:  Light in the Mountain Sky

Author: Misty M. Beller

Genre:  Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 29, 2020

This epic journey may seal her fate forever.

Determined to prove her worth, Meksem fiercely fought to earn her place among the warriors in her Nez Perce camp. When her half-sister is captured by an enemy tribe, she refuses to trust the rescue to anyone else. But her new friends insist on joining her mission, and she battles between relief and frustration at their presence. Especially the white man who peers at her as if he can see through the face of the warrior she struggles so hard to maintain.

Spaniard Adam Vargas thrives on adventure wherever his travels take him. He’s fallen in love with this Rocky Mountain wilderness, as well as the spotted horses the Nez Perce tribe raise. His fascination with this Indian maiden-turned-warrior catches him off guard though, including the way she seems to be fighting for more than her sister’s safe return.

The journey proves more perilous than any of the group expects, and the secret Meksem hides becomes impossible to conceal. If they live through this mission, the life they knew will never be the same again.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes another epic journey through breathless landscapes and intense adventure.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

She was raised on a farm in South Carolina, so her Southern roots run deep. Growing up, her family was close, and they continue to keep that priority today. Her husband and children now add another dimension to her life, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

God has placed a desire in Misty’s heart to combine her love for Christian fiction and the simpler ranch life, writing historical novels that display God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

 

More from Misty

Early Nez Perce Business Women

As I’ve been researching for my current Call of the Rockies series, I’ve had the pleasure of diving deep into the culture of the Nez Perce tribe. I found it interesting that one of the primary food sources of The People (as they called themselves) was camas roots.

But what really drew my notice was how the women would cultivate entire fields of camas root, store what they needed for their family through the winter, then use the extras for bartering. Some savvy women would become quite wealthy from their business dealings!

The bulbs of the camas plant are full of calories and nutrients, and each fall, Nez Perce families would travel to their particular camas meadow (a section of land whose camas rights had probably been passed down from generation to generation within their family). Many of these meadows were located near present-day Weippe, Moscow or Grangeville, where the onion-shaped bulbs grew thickly.

Women used pointed wooden tools to harvest the bulbs, and could often gather over 50 pounds a day, satisfying their full winter’s supply within just a few days.

Native American peoples who ate camas include the Nez Perce (Nimíipuu), Cree, Coast Salish, Kalapuya, and Blackfoot, and Yakama, among many others. Not all of these people groups harvested camas themselves. Instead, many relied on trade in order to procure it. Trade networks were established all the way from the Rockies to the Pacific Ocean, and a shrewd businesswoman who tended her camas meadows well could provide everything her family needed and more!

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, October 13

Debbie's Dusty Deliberations, October 13

Splashes of Joy, October 13

A Baker's Perspective, October 14

deb's Book Review, October 14

Blessed & Bookish, October 15

Connect in Fiction, October 15

lakesidelivingsite, October 15

For the Love of Literature, October 16

Betti Mace, October 16

Texas Book-aholic, October 17

21st Century Keeper at Home, October 17

Inklings and notions, October 18

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, October 18

jeanette's Thoughts, October 18

Older & Smarter?, October 19

Library Lady's Kid Lit, October 19

For Him and My Family, October 20

Mary Hake, October 20

She Lives To Read, October 21

Writing from the Heart Land, October 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 22

Simple Harvest Reads, October 22 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Artistic Nobody, October 23 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Blossoms and Blessings, October 23

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 24

reviewingbooksplusmore, October 24

Bizwings Blog, October 24

Connie's History Classroom, October 25

Book Love, October 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Sara Jane Jacobs, October 26

Bigreadersite, October 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Misty is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/101f7/light-in-the-mountain-sky-celebration-tour-giveaway