Calico (Children of the Shawnee) [Kindle Edition]

Allison Bruning (Author)

Book Description

A haunting prophecy has been cast against her. In a harsh world deep within the western American territories of Ohio and Kentucky, French Duchess Calico Marie Turner must learn to survive among the Shawnee and to trust the one man who hates her the most, Chief Little Owl Quick as the Wind.

Calico’s story will immerse you deeply into the world of the frontier Shawnee, where you will find characters at once surreal and totally believable. Bruning’s knowledge of Native American and colonial era language is captivating to read. Her understanding of the period clothing, habits, and lifestyle is evident as she weaves a tale that draws you in from the first chapter and leaves you hungry for more.

Product Details

• File Size: 886 KB
• Print Length: 278 pages
• Publisher: Little Acorns Publishing Ltd; 3 edition (April 30, 2012)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007Z8V982
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #517,988 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Fairly unreadable May 25, 2012

By Rich Meyer

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I know the author via Facebook, and was given a copy of the book to read and review from her publisher, the second one to try and handle this car wreck. This book tries to do way too much, and does none of it with any elan or even accuracy. It reads like a Native American-themed Game of Thrones. There are too many subplots and too many characters, with all sorts of dark and secretive pasts. And everyone's got two or three names, and several apparent loyalties to boot. It was virtually impossible to follow, at least for me, anyway. Apparently other reviewers had no worries on that matter, so I guess that one's on me, but it almost had me wishing for the naive simplicity of a Twilight novel.

This book tried to have it all in a grand fashion. There are what appear to be the equivalent of a family of French ninjas, very confusing lineages, incest, rape and some paranormal stuff tossed in like a cup of salt in a cake batter. I really think this book could've used one or two more passes from some qualified editors before it went to press. There is a lot of exposition. And I mean, a LOT of it. But it doesn't always help the story. I know this period fairly well, being a fan of Kenneth Roberts' novels and James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales. I think most people in the US do vaguely remember the frontier and colonial life from our basic grade school classes. These character bemoan their plights way too much and far too unabandonedly for any of them to be sympathetic to me.

If you are going to write about the tempestuous era of Colonial America, you better get the names right. As far as I know, there was no "Colonel Jeffry Amhearst".... I seem to recall the real Amherst was a Major-General around the time period of book, having been named Governor-General of Britain's holdings in four years before this story starts. There are a few minor errors like that, which I hope are corrected in the next edition.

The dialogue in this book can be very confusing at times. Several characters speak in a English-French-Shawnee kind of patois that is incredibly difficult to follow. While I personally know more Shawnee words than French, I couldn't come close to following this. It is sort of like when Agatha Christie would put a big clue or plot point in French dialogue from Poirot just to show off as being pompous and "intellectual." There was also a Scot character whose dialogue was written phonetically in such a pidgin fashion that it literally hurts your brain to read it. I tried reading it aloud to my wife and she made me stop because she was afraid her ears would start bleeding. It is one thing to be concerned with being in-character and making things sound right for the particular time and place. One's most important duty as a writer is to be understood. If we can't understand what your characters are saying, we can't follow the story. I'm sure there's probably a whole bunch of subtle plotlines I missed because I had no idea what people were saying.

If you are multilingual and like Native American-themed stories, or tales of Colonial America, you may enjoy this book, presumably if you can understand it. I simply found it a very difficult read. Your mileage, of course, may vary. Read more ›

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars difficult read May 31, 2012

By Gryphonesse

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really, really tried to like this book. The premise is promising, but it's just written so badly that it was next to impossible to understand. Half the time I had to go back two pages to figure out who was talking - the characters aren't outlined or explained well and there are some really stereotypical archetypes. That, and I can only read about rape and molestation for so long.(Ideally, never) Once would have been enough - this story went way beyond what was necessary. The author seemed to be glorying in the abuse and I found that sickening. I referred to this story as the Car Wreck to my friends - it was terrible, but I had to see how it ended. And I wanted to read it all the way through so I could justify posting a bad review. My apologies to the author, I just cannot recommend this, even as a free download.

22 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical Novel October 10, 2011

By Reviewer"Lynn"

Format:Paperback

Calico Children of the Shawnee Series-Book 1)
Allison Bruning
Available on Kindle or Paperback
5 Stars

Synopsis:
The first book in Allison Bruning's newest series Calico, is a great historical novel filled with a touch of suspense and romance. When Calico and her sister Rose were born into a Shawnee nation, little did they know they were actually descendents of French nobility. With their father dead from smallpox and upon their mothers pending death,their Uncle Pierre takes them back to the Shawnee nation to be raised by the tribe. Only Rose chooses not to live among them when she soon finds out she has an Aunt living close by.

As Calico grows up living with her adopted parents, she has a hard time adjusting to becoming a woman. She would rather go out and hunt with the men than to stay home and learn to cook and sew. Her main problem is one man, Little Owl Quick As The Wind. They both have such an animosity towards each other and Little Owl cannot stand any white person. Chosen early in her life by the Spirit Grandmother, Calico can see visions,and speak to the spirits and a plan is set forth for Little Owl and Calico even though they do not visualize it at this time. Will Calico learn the ways of the women and eventually declare a truce with Little Owl? As the French and British are trying to locate the twins, can the two uncles Pierre and Alexander, keep Calico safe and hidden away from King George? With a promise that Alexander made to his dying sister to keep the girls safe and out of the hands of the British, can he hold up to that promise and not only keep them safe but Pierre also? While Calico was deceived by her own adopted father which one will suffer the consequences?...

As a reader who loves to read anything dealing with the Native Americans I found the author to be very knowledgeable in the lives of the Shawnee. The two main characters Calico and Little own stand out on their own, but the secondary characters make the book what it is. There is just enough suspense throughout the book dealing with the British and the French to keep the reader involved right to the end. In fact I read the book in two settings. The book does contain some scenes of rape and incest but they are not in a sensual or graphic detail. Occasional violence but nothing more than would happen in any novel pertaining to war among the whites and the Indian Nations.

If you are a reader who likes the historical genre I feel like you will enjoy this series. I myself will be looking forward to the second book in the series" Rose" dealing with the twin sister. Read more ›

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of my time! May 28, 2012

By SSB

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really detest books that start with so much material to digest that the reader must spend considerable time trying to make sense of it. That is the case with this book. I grew weary of trying to decipher what the author meant to say and quit reading.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellently Written... Immediately draws you in November 5, 2011

By M. Beasley

Format:Kindle Edition

Calico Children of the Shawnee is an exceptionally well written story! The summary draws you to a story that is well written and rich in history and detail. I highly recommend Calico Children of the Shawnee to anyone with a love of writing and a passion for history.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling November 19, 2011

By Katie

Format:Kindle Edition

Calico Marie Turner Lutree is born to a gentle Irish mother and a French father in the wilds of Ohio. As a young girl, she must make the decision if she wishes to be raised as a white woman or as a Shawnee. She choses the Shawnee, but there is prophecy surrounding her life as well as dangers from her parents' past. Can she decide whom to trust?

Calico is an interesting character. At first, she is a young, bratty girl. Eventually, she grows in an incredibly strong woman who keeps her head up even as she is faced with adversity. Life is difficult for Calico, as well as most in eighteenth century Ohio, but there are times of great happiness. I thoroughly enjoyed her romance, even through huge stumbling blocks. Although Calico and her man act to protect the other, their actions may harm their relationship.

At first, the plot is difficult to ascertain. I found myself wondering what exactly the story was about until a quarter through the novel. Then, the story reads relatively quickly, even if I found the book much too long due to an unnecessary storyline focusing on Calico's parents and uncle. Luckily, by the ending, I found a bit of relevance for this plotline, but I believe too much time was spent making this plot work into an already complicated story. Add in numerous editing issues and I found the reading experience to be somewhat choppy.

Other than Calico, there is a great deal of characters. Those characters in the main, Shawnee plotline all develop well, albeit a slow. Luckily, I found myself recognizing character traits in these characters and enjoying them, even if I didn't feel like I knew them until near the end. By the end, these characters felt almost like family.

Calico is a historical paranormal romance with a compelling story.... Although the characters and plot are slow to grow and establish, the story is worth the wait. If you're looking for something different to read with a paranormal twist, give Calico a try. The book isn't perfect, but there is much to love about Calico. I look forward to reading about Calico's sister Rose in the next installment!

BookingIt Grade: B+ Read more ›

More About the Author

Allison Bruning originally hails from Marion, Ohio. Her father, Roland Irving Bruning, was the son of German immigrants who came to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Her grandfather owned a confectionary in Guttenburg, New Jersey in the early 20th century and it later became an ice cream parlor in the 50's. Her mother's family had been in the United States since the 17th century. Allison is a member of the Daughter of American Revolution, tracing her linage to Rueben Messenger of Connecticut. Her mother's side of the family was one of the first families to settle Ohio.

Allison enjoys family stories, history and genealogy. Her educational background includes a BA in Theatre Arts with a minor in Anthropology and a Texas Elementary Teaching certificate. Both acquired at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. She received National Honor Society memberships in both Theatre Arts and Communication. Allison was also honored her sophomore year with admission into the All American Scholars register. She holds graduate hours in Cultural Anthropology and Education. In 2007 she was named Who's Who Among America's Educators. She is also the recipient of the Girl Scout Silver and Gold Awards.

Allison lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband and their Australian Cattle Dog. She is currently working on her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Full Sail University. Allison's interest includes Ohio Valley history, anthropology, travel, culture, history, camping, hiking, backpacking, and genealogy. Her genres include historical fiction, paranormal, romance, and suspense.