Shadow of the Mountains

Rating:
Summary: Good reading for the most part.
Review: I enjoyed the book overall, although I wished they had been a little more specific about how the people who wanted to steal everyone's land were convinced to give up their plan. Despite how the synopsis on the cover is written, Cheney actually did make some friends among the mountain people - you would think they were 100% against her in every way by that description!

Rating:
Summary: Mixed Bag
Review: If you like to read novels with gripping action scenes, this might be a good read for you. However, if character development is more your forte, you might want to look elsewhere.

This is the first Morris & Morris novel I've read. I appreciate that they depict a strong, unconventional Christian woman in challenging situations. However, even after reading it, I don't feel as if I know the woman, or if there's depth within Cheney's character or Christian walk that I'd care to know about. Also, Cheney's decision at the very end of the book seems inconsistent with a person who cares about a community and its continuing medical needs.

Don't want to totally rain on the book. The authors did a commendable job of drawing you into the suspense of the Ozark Mountain feuds--I could feel my heartbeat speed up during these scenes. It was this particular skill (and the money I paid) that kept me reading until the very end.

Rating:
Summary: Doesn't stand up to the first
Review: Shadow of the Mountains is the only book in the Cheney Duvall series that I recommend you skip. It seems that a good deal of effort was put into building up Cheney and Shiloh's relationship in the first book and then in this book it's all torn down. The characters simply weren't as memorable in the first book of the series and it lacks a sense of adventure that the first had. I suggest that you skip this book in the series and move onto the next. You'll be missing nothing.