The Color of Your Skin Ain't the Color of Your Heart (Shenandoah Sisters #3) [Paperback]

Michael Phillips (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2004

Book 3 of bestselling Shenandoah Sisters. Katie, the daughter of a plantation owner, and Mayme, the daughter of a slave, find themselves with only each other after the Civil War. They devise a scheme to keep Katie's plantation going, disguising the fact they are all alone. Now in book three, the girls face new threats to their security. A long-lost uncle appears and then disappears as suddenly, taking their secret with them. Then a flood threatens to destroy the remaining cotton crop they need to save the plantation from foreclosure. Filled with fascinating period details, challenging questions of faith, and heartwarming friendship, this series has all the elements historical fiction fans love.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...another powerful installment in the SHENANDOAH SISTERS series...Mayme's voice is unique and insightful." -- romantictimes.com --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Michael Phillips, one of the premier Christian novelists of this generation, has written four dozen novels with sales over five million copies. He also is the person responsible for introducing Victorian novelist George MacDonald to new readers around the world. Michael and his wife, Judy, live in Eureka, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 314 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; Reprinted edition (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764227025
• ISBN-13: 978-0764227028
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #350,460 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In 1970, while students at Humboldt State University, Mike and Judy Phillips began what would become the One Way BookShop as a small, informal source of Christian books and materials for their fellow students. Over the next two decades God prospered those small beginnings, and now the bookstore is a thriving part of the Humboldt County Christian community.

Mike's first published book was about his wife's pregnancy and the birth of their twin sons. After several more nonfiction titles, Mike undertook a lifelong dream to renew the popularity of Scottish writer George MacDonald, whose teachings had been central to Mike and Judy's spiritual growth. Mike began editing some of MacDonald's lengthy novels, heavy with Scottish brogue, into shorter and more readable editions, with some of the work being done right at the bookstore counter between customers.

Through the years, God has continued to guide Mike in the production of books emphasizing strong spiritual values and unforgettable characters. In addition to being best sellers in Christian bookstores all across the country, Mike's books have been offered through several book clubs, have been translated into a number of foreign languages, and have been published in over 120 editions in all, with sales of over 3 million. Mike is today recognized as one of the Christian bookselling industry's most prolific and versatile authors.

Family is very important to Mike. He and his wife, Judy, have taught their three sons, Patrick, Robin, and Gregory, at home throughout their education. Home schooling enables the family to frequently accompany Mike in his work-related travels.

It has always been Mike's desire in his writing that all who read his books will find a closer and more real walk with God through the characters and stories. Both he and Judy enjoy responses from readers and find great encouragement from the letters they receive.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Secrets Revealed, June 26, 2004

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Color of Your Skin Ain't the Color of Your Heart (Shenandoah Sisters #3) (Paperback)

In book three of the Shenandoah Girls Series, THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN AIN'T THE COLOR OF YOUR HEART, Michael Phillips continues the story of Mayme and Katie, two young girls, one a recently freed slave, and the other white, as they strive to survive alone on a North Carolina plantation. In this book, the girls survive a devastating flood, encounter unwelcomed and hostile visitors, and must come up with money to pay off a loan or risk losing their home. Henry and his son Jeremiah, also freed slaves, check in on the girls at the plantation regularly, providing assistance, protection and oftentimes, sound advice. In spite of the difficulties they encounter, Mayme and Katie are reunited with friends and family, discover new, shocking family connections, and for the first time a hint of romance enters their lives.

Having had the privilege of reading the first two books in the Shenandoah Girls series, I feel I can positively assert that this is the best book in the series. Although, THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN AIN'T THE COLOR OF YOUR HEART could stand alone and be a decent read for those unfamiliar with the series, the emotional intensity of the book is heightened by the ongoing relationship readers have developed as they progress through each book in the collection. In this book, the author does a good job presenting well-rounded characters. Henry, a recently freed slave, plays a more prominent role in the story and portrays a smart, deeply spiritual, kind-hearted man, who is only limited by the social limitations that he internalized and the society in which he lived. Henry's son Jeremiah represents a newly freed slave from a different perspective, in that he is young, has big dreams and isn't less accepting of the status quo than Mayme and Henry. The external pressures of financial difficulties, racism, and the revealing of secrets seemed to regularly creep into the colorless microcosm of society they created on the plantation, yet with Henry's spiritual guidance and the emergence of a new father figure the "family" continues to thrive and the girls develop a deeper understanding of God. Emotional, humorous, and spiritually uplifting Michael Phillips has created another heartwarming gem.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shenandoah Sisters III, April 4, 2005

By 

R. L. Hodges - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Color of Your Skin Ain't the Color of Your Heart (Shenandoah Sisters #3) (Paperback)

What a unique way to view the reconstruction period after the Civil War but through the eyes of young people affected with the changes the war brought about.
The third book in this series is full of suspense, distressing moments and a time of truth for Katie, the Rosewood Plantation's 16 year old mistress and for Mayme,17, a former slave. In this book they must face flood waters, thieving evil men and Uncle Templeton. Katie and Mayme finally allow Henry and Jeremiah into their secret about the plantation only being run by four girls. They promise to look out for them and to keep their secret.
Mayme had heard Katie talk about her drifter Uncle Templeton, but when she first met him, she was puzzled why he kept looking at her but then turn away without saying anything. Soon he takes off again.
When the bad guys show up, the girls, who had practiced what they needed to do to protect the plantation, were ready for the face off with the aid of Henry and Jeremiah. It was at this time that Uncle Templeton shows up again only to be gunned down. The ringleader is killed by Henry and Uncle Templeton is treated for his wounds.
Uncle Templeton vows to stay and assist in running the plantation if they will accept him when they learn of the secret he has been carrying for 17 years.
It was a very emotional time for Katie and Mayme but as always their faith and their sisterly bond strengthen their resolve to continue on through life's journey. They have succeeded running the plantation for 2 years now to bring in the cotton crop necessary to pay the debts on Rosewood Plantation.
As the plot thickens what conclusions will the next book in this series bring to the Shenandoah Sisters?

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful writing, couple of weak plots points, September 25, 2005

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Color of Your Skin Ain't the Color of Your Heart (Shenandoah Sisters #3) (Paperback)

This is another wonderful entry in the Shenandoah Sisters series. Together Katie, Mayme, Emma, and Aleta are doing well running the plantation until men after Uncle Ward's gold interfere. The writing was again powerful and moving. I love the relationship between all of the girls, because it was well developed and rich. I was a little disappointed in a certain plot device I won't specifically name for spoilers sake. It seemed a bit of a stretch, although Mayme's reaction to it was amazing, and something I had never thought of before. I was also glad to see that Phillips didn't give in to another plot device by killing Uncle Templeton. I'm very curious to see how the next book will be with the additional of an adult to the household, plus the interference of another uncle. Henry is a powerful character that I enjoy reading about, but I don't believe that I ever saw Mayme tell Henry and Jeremiah about her ancestry. Their reactions were missing in an otherwise strong book.