“A tragic and heroic story that readers will love.” –Lost in a Book Review
“…I love you. God help me, but I do.” The air lay heavy between them. Her eyes were glossy with moisture, his intense with emotion. “Tell me, if you can, you do not feel the same.” He whispered so low it might have been silence, “And make me believe it.”
Sometimes love crosses boundaries, breaks chains, and demands … boundaries, breaks chains, and demands freedom.
The social-order of the eighteen-sixties compels John Richard Sagamore to put aside his negro-pet, Georgia Anne, an accomplished slave. In an attempt to quell his unnatural yearnings, John Richard sets into motion events that divide his family, steal his freedom and threaten his life.
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If I could give Civil Warriors more than five stars, I would. This story had so many twists and turns as we followed Georgia Anne, John Richard, William, Georgia, and the others through ups and downs, separations, dangers, and adventures. The characters were well fleshed out, the details precise and just right for every location that GA traveled to, the historical references gave just enough history to make this a fascinating read for those interested in the 1860’s and those who know little about it. The sexual tension throughout the story built almost from the first chapter, but it was appropriately sprinkled where it needed to be. The courtroom verdict was a shock, but so many of the other things happening in this marvelous tale were also. I’ve read a short story by Tracy Ball also and am now following her on Amazon and Bookbub. She’s a writer to be appreciated for her wordsmithing talents.
I was instantly a fan of Georgia Anne and John Richard and their easy relationship with one another. These characters were strongly written, and I knew when things came to a head with the question of slavery that it would set off an intense chain reaction. When the drama really kicked off, it was way more intense than I had even anticipated. This book had all the feels built within a historical context.
Chapter 6 hurt my heart and increased my feelings of angst for their predicament. And in many of the chapters beyond that I was reading with my heart in my throat and on the edge of my seat. So many things were happening and so quickly, and I felt completely helpless as I watched from my side of the page. Ball had me in the palm of her hand and her brilliant writing of this story had put me there. I loved this book and thought the ending was perfection.
Enjoy reading, a little unreal, but a good read.
I loved the ending of this book. It blew me away. I was excited about it. Awesome book.
Original, good characters, well written. Question some of the historical accuracy, but it made a good story. Many typos that should have been corrected in editing, but got past them.
I love books that touch on history and this one didn’t disappoint!
I love this story. I love everything about it. The characters, the love story, the drama, the humor, the twist(s) throughout. Well done, Ms. Ball. Well done.
Not quite a Civil War story, Civil Warriors centers on a privileged slave girl, Georgia Anne, whose stunning beauty, wit and talent seriously complicate not only her own life, but also create a rivalry between the noble sons of the plantation owner who each want the girl for themselves. Through no real fault of her own, she also incurs the resentment of her fellow slaves who operate under a hierarchy with a set of rules all it’s own.
The novel swirls with all types of characters from the high-minded and educated to the petty, the debased and the downright stupid on both sides of the segregated society.
Tracy Ball offers a fresh look at an old story. That black and white is not always just black and white and that the rules will break themselves as often as not. The abundance of detail and skilled scene-setting put the reader right into the time frame. Civil Warriors is a thoroughly absorbing read.
“Civil Warriors” was a fascinating read. The interesting plot was executed with ease. Moreover, the author’s use of imagery and other vivid descriptions helped to create a suspenseful yet serene tone. The wonderfully written main characters oozed with chemistry. Kudos to the author for incorporating Pimlico Race Track into her narrative. Overall, I enjoyed reading the novel.
This is a different look at the Antebellum era and Reconstruction. It bypasses the Civil War, which does not detract from the story. The characters are realistic and multi-dimensional, some of the situations are tender, some are thought provoking, and some are horrific. I suspect life was the same way in those turbulent times. An eye-opening and interesting book.
The historical references were really good, I had never read anything like it.
**4.5 Stars
I’m a sucker for Antebellum/Reconstruction Era stories. That being said, I don’t read them often because they tend to rip me to shreds. I’m strange like that.
Civil Warriors was no different.
I was initially drawn in by the trailer for this. It screamed to me that it was going to be a heroic and bold love because of the time period. Then there were some little words of magic that popped up “based on a local legend and an old diary”.
BOOM! You got me. I’m ALL in. Because if there was a love that bold and heroic in real life I definitely wanted to know EVERYTHING about it.
Yeah, well. Curiosity definitely killed the cat. The cat being my heart.
I freaking fell in love with John Richard. And I absolutely loved how he was with Georgia Anne when she was little and what he did for her to protect her from Lucy. And dammit I hope you could hear the sneer in my voice when I said that dreadful name.
And then John Richard did something I just can’t shake off and I fell completely out of love with him. Sort of. I was mad. I was really, really mad. At him and his brother William.
From this point on I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with them.
There are so many aspects of this story that I don’t quite know where to go with my review.
There is the definitely bold and heroic love between these two. But whether the author intended it or not there was also an underlying parallel between interracial relationships in that era and interracial relationships now. I also wonder about love between a slave (although she was not the typical slave) and her master and if it isn’t a little Stockholm Syndrome-ish.
Sometimes a love story is just that. A love story. Sometimes it is so much more. Sometimes it makes you really think. Sometimes it destroys you. Sometimes it puts you back together. Sometimes it just puts things into perspective. Sometimes it is everything.
I guess the basic draw from this is love is love. Love has always been love. And true love… True love never dies. True love will always find a way.
Ugh… I hope that wasn’t too rambling or all over the place.
Oh, and before I forget. If you’re a red pen reader, there are a few errors, but they definitely didn’t take too much away from the story.