June 15, 2018

Turquoise Mountain | Spoiler-Free Review

I did it! I finally finished Turquoise Mountain by Diane Reed! (Side note: the length of time it took me to finish this book had nothing to do with the book itself, just my crazy school schedule and workload as I finished up high school.)

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Turquoise Mountain is Book One in the Iron Feather Brothers Series. It focuses on the eldest brother, Dillon Iron Feather, and Tessa Grove, a jewelry-maker.

Synopsis:

(From Amazon.com)

Dillon Iron Feather is dangerous and he knows it. Hardened by his championship fighting career, he returns to his remote Colorado ranch to heal, only to discover that city girl Tessa Grove is determined to stake her claim to the old mine she inherited on a corner of his land. Stubborn to the bone, Tessa soon digs up precious gems from deep within the earth to use in her custom-made jewelry business. But those stones turn out to be sacred, and sparks fly as they begin to guide her to the secret chambers of Dillon's heart. 
Rating:

5 out of 5 stars!

Recommended For:

For mature readers, due to a fairly graphic sexual scene. For lovers of Western TV shows/movies. For those with an interest with Native American culture. 

Review:

I want to start of by once again reiterating the fact that it took me a long time to finish this book ONLY because of my school work. It had nothing to do with the content and/or quality of this book. From the moment I started reading Turquoise Mountain, I was immediately immersed into Dillon and Tessa's worlds. As a Cherokee American, I very much enjoyed the rich inclusion of the Apache language (Jicarilla), as well as the Apache culture and customs. This book has a beautiful blend of action, suspense, romance, and adventure, as well as vivid imagery that transports you straight into the Colorado mountains. I have to say that I was skeptical of the relationship development between Dillon and Tessa at first because I was fearful that it would seem rushed or insincere to readers. I, however, was pleasantly surprised. Though the relationship might seem to move quite quickly to some readers, like me, it did not feel awkward or forced. It is a perfect example of what meeting the one destined for you is like, suddenly realizing that you've finally found your home. Dillon and Tessa, as well as several other characters in this story, are so three-dimensional, with emotional complexity and tremendously written backstories that impact the characters in their day-to-day lives. It definitely helped contribute to the depth of this story. Overall, this book was a great read, and I can't wait to read the next one (Skystone Canyon)!

About the Author:

(From DianeJReed.com)

"I was raised out West in a big rollicking family, riding horses by the time I could walk. My earliest memories are of creating stories with my twin sister DJ. As “wombmates”, we developed our own language before we knew English, and by age three, we invented a curious pastime we called “The Rocking.” Each afternoon, we climbed onto a stiff, green couch and rocked in unison until we conjured a trance-like state, entering our stories as though slipping through a portal (honest!). All remnants of our drab living room disappeared, and we found ourselves roaming in a realm of winged horses and adventure. No one ever told us this wasn’t possible, and we often rocked so hard (even in the family station wagon) that our hair tangled into hopeless knots. Yet our mother, who possessed a whimsical streak of her own, never dreamed of telling us to stop, and our older sister Suzi urged us on by contributing plot ideas of her own. To this day, whenever I ask my sisters about details from The Rocking, they can recite the same scenes and dialogue that I recall from our ongoing saga that lasted for years.

And the truth is, little has changed…

Today, I continue to embark on these “spirit journeys”, only I enter through the portal of a computer rather than swaying on a dusty, old couch. And I’ve remained so passionate about the power of stories that I earned a Ph.D. in American Literature and Creative Writing. But you can bet I still consult with Suzi and DJ for their insights into my latest novels because they’re veteran storytellers who always make my imagination soar. From the playful pastime of sisters came a magical passport to new horizons—and it’s my hope that you’ll enjoy my novels and the gateways they open to life, love, and the miracle of second chances."

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