Warring Spirits [Paperback]

April Gardner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2011

In 1816 Georgia, escaped slaves control the land just beyond the American border in Las Floridas. Lost somewhere between white and black worlds, Milly follows hope to the only place that can offer her refuge-the place Georgians are calling Negro Fort. The first, sweet taste of freedom convinces Milly that surrender is not an option. Death would be more welcome. Major Phillip Bailey has orders to subdue the uprising and return the runaways to their masters. Forced to fight alongside Creek warriors-the same who etched the scars into his mind and flesh-Phillip primes himself for battle. But inside, a war already rages-return for the woman he thought lost to him or concede her to the enemy she loves; follow orders or follow his heart.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the best books I've read all year, Warring Spirits by April Gardner pulled me in and kept me turning pages all the way to the satisfying conclusion. Full of grit, realism, and edge of your seat action, Warring Spirits is a story not to be missed!"                                                         Lynnette Bonner - Author 

                                                                        

"Warring Spirits is a tale of loss of pride, civility, and identity; at the same time it showcases the best in humanity and a hope for the future. A must-read for lovers of early American history."
Lisa Lickel, multi-published author
LisaLickel.com

"Gardner has gone the extra mile to assure accurate and honest portrayals of the diverse characters in Warring Spirits. It has been an honor to serve as a liaison between a conscientious storyteller and knowledgeable advisors among modern Muscogee Creeks." ~ Edna Dixon, Perdido Bay Tribe of Southeastern Lower Muscogee Creek Indians.

"Gardner's writing and plotting was so well done it left me breathless. There is heart-felt love and tension on every page. No opportunity to show God's heart for mankind was wasted. Warring Spirits is a wonderful, passionate novel, and one I won't forget anytime soon." -Michelle Sutton, author of over a dozen inspirational novels

"As soon as you pick up this book, you'll find yourself swept away. This is one of those rare tomes that make sleep bothersome. With her haunting characters and rich imagery, she has written a wonderful sequel to Wounded Spirits that won't disappoint!"~ Amanda Stephan, author of The Price of Trust and Lonely Hearts

About the Author

Librarian, reviewer, and avid reader, April adores anything books. She writes a weekly column for the joint blog, Reflections in Hindsight, and is the founder and senior editor of the website, Clash of the Titles.
April loves to hear from her readers at: [e-mail]
aprilgardner.com
aprilwgardner.com
clashofthetitles.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: Vinspire Publishing, LLC (November 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 098341985X
• ISBN-13: 978-0983419853
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,150,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

April Gardner has been a military brat, missionary's kid, and military spouse. After 21 years in various countries overseas, April happily resides in Georgia with her USAF husband. In her free time, April enjoys reading, gardening, and DIY. In no particular order, she dreams of owning a horse, visiting all the national parks, and speaking Italian.

Librarian, reviewer, and avid reader, April adores anything books. She writes a weekly column for the joint blog, Reflections in Hindsight, and is the founder and senior editor of the website, Clash of the Titles.

April loves to hear from her readers at: [e-mail]

www.aprilgardner.com
www.aprilwgardner.com
www.clashofthetitles.com
www.reflectionsinhindsight.wordpress.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweeping tale of love and adventure in the middle of war, November 8, 2011

By 

Katie McCurdy "Legacy of a Writer" (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warring Spirits (Paperback)

Warring Spirits completely swept me off my feet! Revisiting characters from Wounded Spirits and discovering new ones, this next book in the Creek Country Saga is sure to win April Gardner new fans everywhere! It's always a wonderful surprise when the second book turns out even better than the first (which was awesome to begin with! ;-), and that's exactly what I discovered in Warring Spirits. That first scene drew me into this fantastic adventure alongside two amazing characters--Phillip the soldier and Milly the slave.

For Phillip Bailey, shackled to his haunting past, he understands and quickly come to sympathize with Milly--the young slave girl who looks every bit like a white person except for her frizzy hair. Throughout Warring Spirits, both Phillip and Milly are taken on a wild adventure as each struggles to find peace in a war-torn land. The ultimate journey for freedom seems to be continually thwarted for Milly, and no amount of Phillips secret aid helps her. It isn't until these two give the prize they both long for--freedom--to the Lord, that He returns it to them ways they could never have imagine.

Everything about this book was delightful. From the very accurate, if gruesome, details of the history, to the believable characters. April isn't a cliché author, that's for sure--everything within this book is as close-to-life as possible for a book, and I love it even more for that. An issue that is present in this book is the use of beautiful slave girls for their masters. While April does an outstanding job of not going into too much detail, a slavegirl is raped within the book, though the actual incident takes place "off scene". This isn't an easy matter to write about, I am sure, but I commend April for not steering away from the reality of that time period--as slaves were often used for such depravity by their masters.

From cover to cover Warring Spirits is a powerful, action-packed, romantic, emotional book with a message that will remain with you for a long time to come. April Gardner is a gem of an author worth setting alongside the other amazing historical fiction writers on my shelf (Jody Hedlund, Kaye Dacus, and Laura Frantz, to name a few!). Loved every moment I spent in Warring Spirits and was sad to see it come to an end!

I reviewed this book for the author as an influencer and endorser. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

4.0 out of 5 stars Warring Spirits, Healing Hearts, February 16, 2012

By 

Renee Chaw "Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot" (PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Warring Spirits (Paperback)

Once again April Gardner has written an intriguing and thought-provoking story on love and war on the American frontiers. Set in the South during the early 19th century, Warring Spirits continues the saga of Adela, Totka, Phillip and introduces us to Milly a light-skinned slave who has escaped a cruel master with the help of friend and fellow slave, Isum. Where Wounded Spirits centered on Adela's tenuous relationship with Phillip and Totka this book focuses on Phillip and life as a soldier on the dangerous borders of America. However both stories are gripping tales of unconventional love that really make you think. At first I will admit to not being sure if Phillip was at all likable with some of his actions towards Milly. As I thought more about it I realized that if this were a real relationship between a white man and a slave some of the same emotions and doubts that went through Phillip's head probably would have been quite realistic -- wondering how other's would think, whether or not they could get legally married and whether or not it was worth it etc. Overall the story was very exciting and interesting and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone but only if you have read Wounded Spirits because otherwise you may be completely lost.

***Special thanks to April Gardner for sending me a review copy.***

5.0 out of 5 stars Well rounded, fraught with tension!, February 11, 2012

By 

Faye - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warring Spirits (Paperback)

My Review: Freedom isn't free. That's a lesson Milly knows all too well.

Full of action and adventure, love and racial prejudices, Warring Spirits is not a book to be missed. Even though I haven't read the prequel, I was able to figure out what had happened in the first book and how it effected Warring Spirits. Fraught with tension at every turn, and heart-rending choices, Warring Spirits is emotionally strong, in a way that will grip you until you read the last page.

Every single character was well developed, though not all were of strong moral character. I loved how deep the main characters were and how strong they were. They could have wallowed in the past but they chose to move forward, to push on, even though I wouldn't have blamed if they hadn't. I think my favorite character was True Seeker, because he was a boy who became a man over the course of the book. Not just any man, but an honorable man, who went above and beyond to fufilled his duties. I'm hoping that the third book will be about him!

So overall I'd say that this is a great book for those who like action with their romance, and tons of hold-your-breath-moments full of taunt-as-a-bow-string-tension. A great read through and through. I would make a suggestion though, that this book should not be read by those younger than 16-17 because of a few rape/or almost rape scenes to be aware of. But I loved how just all over awesome this book was! Strong plot, strong characters, great emotional depth, and a great biblical message to never forget that God is there. I highly recommend this book. Thanks!

Final Rating: 5 out of 5

I received this book from teh author in return for an honest review. Thank you!