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SHADOW MOUNTAIN
At the peak of Shadow Mountain lives a woman who holds to the old ways of magic and conjuring. Delta Wade protects ancient mysteries for her son, Lafette, hoping he will grow up to wield those powers for the good of humankind. But the epoch of witch lore is giving way to an age of industrial titans greedy to control the mountains' resources for material gain. As one man seeks to destroy Delta, another offers his love as salvation. Mother and son struggle with an enigmatic past only to find that true magic shows its power in its own way and in its own time.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
4 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Tess Collins
11 books32 followersA coal miner’s granddaughter, TESS COLLINS was born and raised in a crater. Yes, really, a crater formed by the impact of an asteroid millions of years ago where her hometown, Middlesboro, Kentucky was eventually built. Tess spent her younger years in a one room Carnegie Library reading around the room. She started at BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL and ended with WAR AND PEACE at which time she thought, “I want to do this.”
She is the author of THE LAW OF REVENGE, THE LAW OF THE DEAD, THE LAW OF BETRAYAL, HELEN OF TROY, NOTOWN, THE HUNTER OF HERTHA and SHADOW MOUNTAIN. Her non-fiction book HOW THEATER MANAGERS MANAGE is published by Rowman and Littlefield’s Scarecrow Press. Ms. Collins received a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and a Ph.D. from The Union Institute and University.
She is the author of THE LAW OF REVENGE, THE LAW OF THE DEAD, THE LAW OF BETRAYAL, HELEN OF TROY, NOTOWN, THE HUNTER OF HERTHA and SHADOW MOUNTAIN. Her non-fiction book HOW THEATER MANAGERS MANAGE is published by Rowman and Littlefield’s Scarecrow Press. Ms. Collins received a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and a Ph.D. from The Union Institute and University.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 20, 2017
It's so nice to read an authentic book that truly depicts the South and the people in it. Tess Collins has that true southern voice in her book, Shadow Mountain( Book One: Shadow Mountain Saga). From the beginning pages, the folk are described accurately, right down to the dialects and speech inflection. A coal miner's daughter herself, Collins has a wonderful way of creating strong female characters that feel so real. Not to be outdone by the girls, Lafette, a young boy who is afraid of nothing, not the Wampus, not even witches, is an accurate and charming character. Collins' heritage shows in her reverence for the natural beauty of the area and the hardiness of the souls that inhabit the mountains. With a little mysticism, and a lot of common sense, Collins has written a captivating story that is at once grounded and riveting.
August 13, 2017
I've read lots of books and loved most of them. I've read all of Tess Collins' books and loved every single one. This one touched something in me. It's hard to put into words what this story does. It's a bit of magic, love, history, tragedy, loss, grief and some laughter too.
Strong female character for sure. Delta is a very strong woman doing what it takes to protect what is hers and protecting her son. The man she loves with all her heart is gone but she has faith he will return one day. Her son Lafette believes it too. He does not remember his dad but Delta tells him about him and his magic all the time. He is the watcher of the mountain. Shadow Mountain. Lafette is suppose to take over as the Watcher but so much happens that it may be hard for that to ever happen.
Delta waited many years for her man Arn to return and finally fell in love with another, Henry Kingsley. She didn't know whether to trust him many times but he finally proved he meant her no harm. It is a love story that will make you smile, cry and at times even laugh. Lafette was not that happy about their union and fought it in many ways. Tragedy brought them all together one night though and Henry learned that Henry could possibly be his friend.
This story was so good that I had a hard time putting it down. I read every second I had free. I cried through a lot of it, laughed at times and was on edge at times too. The descriptions of the mountain and towns were done so beautifully you felt like you was right there and could see it for yourself. It was done in a beautiful way. It was a wonderful story even though the end was somewhat tragic. Now I can't wait for the next book, Elisha Blue, to see what happens next. I know it will be every bit as good as this if not even better.
Great job Ms Tess Collins. Another 5 star book. LOVED IT!!!!
Strong female character for sure. Delta is a very strong woman doing what it takes to protect what is hers and protecting her son. The man she loves with all her heart is gone but she has faith he will return one day. Her son Lafette believes it too. He does not remember his dad but Delta tells him about him and his magic all the time. He is the watcher of the mountain. Shadow Mountain. Lafette is suppose to take over as the Watcher but so much happens that it may be hard for that to ever happen.
Delta waited many years for her man Arn to return and finally fell in love with another, Henry Kingsley. She didn't know whether to trust him many times but he finally proved he meant her no harm. It is a love story that will make you smile, cry and at times even laugh. Lafette was not that happy about their union and fought it in many ways. Tragedy brought them all together one night though and Henry learned that Henry could possibly be his friend.
This story was so good that I had a hard time putting it down. I read every second I had free. I cried through a lot of it, laughed at times and was on edge at times too. The descriptions of the mountain and towns were done so beautifully you felt like you was right there and could see it for yourself. It was done in a beautiful way. It was a wonderful story even though the end was somewhat tragic. Now I can't wait for the next book, Elisha Blue, to see what happens next. I know it will be every bit as good as this if not even better.
Great job Ms Tess Collins. Another 5 star book. LOVED IT!!!!
May 8, 2017
I'm not a big fan of historical fiction but this was a nice read. Set in the 1890's there is still a lot of racism and discrimination against women. Delta and her common law husband have a small cabin deep in the mountain and when he disappears she and their son must survive any way they can. This appears to be book one in a series and the ending of this story looks like an interesting beginning for book 2.
September 30, 2023
This was an unusual read, it seems to have a strong sense of place, but to those from other countries, it does all seem rather sad. If it is meant to be historical fiction, I am left having no idea what time period it is meant to evoke. However, it was interesting, though not a very upbeat read.
It says this is part one of a saga, but was written 6 years ago and no sequels to be seen. I cannot imagine how the story could be furthered.
It says this is part one of a saga, but was written 6 years ago and no sequels to be seen. I cannot imagine how the story could be furthered.
June 2, 2017
This was a long slow story but fascinating to pass through. A mix of mythology, history and magic, lots of different characters and a story running through. Some great descriptions and appreciation of the countryside where the story was based. Sad conclusion but with hope for the future.
November 13, 2017
again another wonderful book by Collins. I love how she sucks you into a story and doesn't let you leave until the very end. and you are still left wanting more.
February 22, 2017
‘I’ll remember you, boy.’
San Francisco based author Tess Collins has a background rich in the kinds of experiences that suggest fodder for a wealth of novels. Born in Middlesboro, Kentucky (in what is reported to be the site of an asteroid crater millions of years ago) Collins describes herself as a `coal miner's granddaughter who spent her early years listening to mountain tales of haunted hollows, ghosts, moonshiners and unsolved murders.' She earned a degree in journalism form the University of Kentucky while also studying creative writing, receiving the Oswald Award for Creative Writing while under the tutelage of Kentucky Poets Laureate Gurney Norman and James Baker Hall, and with novelist and essayist Ed McClanahan - an experience resulting in the publication of five novels NOTOWN, HELEN OF TROY, THE LAW OF REVENGE, THE LAW OF THE DEAD, THE LAW OF BETRAYAL, the three volume TELLER OF TALES and THE HUNTER OF HUERTA as well as HOW THEATER MANAGERS MANAGE (she has a PhD in Theater Management from The Union Institute and University). Moving to San Francisco in 1979 she pursued her theater management training by becoming manager of San Francisco's Curran Theatre.
Once again Tess admixes history, magic, mystery with a finely tuned sense of place – the Appalachia of her youth – and the result is a story that serves her reputation as a novelist well. She offers a Prologue set in the late 1870s that provides a bridge to her tale – ‘Through a valley named Midnight and across a ridge called Creation is a mountain known as Shadow. Shadow Mountain. The first Europeans to traverse this land in the 1700s told tales of its ghostly fog. The Cherokee claimed the mist to be the breath of their Dragon Spirit and left gifts of tobacco and corn when journeying the mountain’s paths. From time to time, white settlers saw apparitions but transfigured them into their own belief of what was holy: Jesus meditating on Gethsemane, Mary holding the blessed infant, John the Baptist pouring water from a cup, but unlike Indians, the newcomers paid no homage.’ And in that moment she has magnetized our attention.
Tess’ synopsis, while brief, outlines the story well – ‘At the peak of Shadow Mountain lives a woman who holds to the old ways of magic and conjuring. Delta Wade protects ancient mysteries for her son, Lafette, hoping he will grow up to wield those powers for the good of humankind. But the epoch of witch lore is giving way to an age of industrial titans greedy to control the mountains' resources for material gain. As one man seeks to destroy Delta, another offers his love as salvation. Mother and son struggle with an enigmatic past only to find that true magic shows its power in its own way and in its own time.’
Fall into the spell of this newest novel by Tess Collins and catch that need for the next installment in this series SHADOW MOUNTAIN SAGA. There obviously is much more to come as this overture suggests.
San Francisco based author Tess Collins has a background rich in the kinds of experiences that suggest fodder for a wealth of novels. Born in Middlesboro, Kentucky (in what is reported to be the site of an asteroid crater millions of years ago) Collins describes herself as a `coal miner's granddaughter who spent her early years listening to mountain tales of haunted hollows, ghosts, moonshiners and unsolved murders.' She earned a degree in journalism form the University of Kentucky while also studying creative writing, receiving the Oswald Award for Creative Writing while under the tutelage of Kentucky Poets Laureate Gurney Norman and James Baker Hall, and with novelist and essayist Ed McClanahan - an experience resulting in the publication of five novels NOTOWN, HELEN OF TROY, THE LAW OF REVENGE, THE LAW OF THE DEAD, THE LAW OF BETRAYAL, the three volume TELLER OF TALES and THE HUNTER OF HUERTA as well as HOW THEATER MANAGERS MANAGE (she has a PhD in Theater Management from The Union Institute and University). Moving to San Francisco in 1979 she pursued her theater management training by becoming manager of San Francisco's Curran Theatre.
Once again Tess admixes history, magic, mystery with a finely tuned sense of place – the Appalachia of her youth – and the result is a story that serves her reputation as a novelist well. She offers a Prologue set in the late 1870s that provides a bridge to her tale – ‘Through a valley named Midnight and across a ridge called Creation is a mountain known as Shadow. Shadow Mountain. The first Europeans to traverse this land in the 1700s told tales of its ghostly fog. The Cherokee claimed the mist to be the breath of their Dragon Spirit and left gifts of tobacco and corn when journeying the mountain’s paths. From time to time, white settlers saw apparitions but transfigured them into their own belief of what was holy: Jesus meditating on Gethsemane, Mary holding the blessed infant, John the Baptist pouring water from a cup, but unlike Indians, the newcomers paid no homage.’ And in that moment she has magnetized our attention.
Tess’ synopsis, while brief, outlines the story well – ‘At the peak of Shadow Mountain lives a woman who holds to the old ways of magic and conjuring. Delta Wade protects ancient mysteries for her son, Lafette, hoping he will grow up to wield those powers for the good of humankind. But the epoch of witch lore is giving way to an age of industrial titans greedy to control the mountains' resources for material gain. As one man seeks to destroy Delta, another offers his love as salvation. Mother and son struggle with an enigmatic past only to find that true magic shows its power in its own way and in its own time.’
Fall into the spell of this newest novel by Tess Collins and catch that need for the next installment in this series SHADOW MOUNTAIN SAGA. There obviously is much more to come as this overture suggests.
March 13, 2017
What a great read, this is one of my favorites genre of books and it’s nice to see changes for the better here.
So there are a lot of changes here but at the same time there’s some familiar ground, but that’s not a bad thing though. It really caught my curiosity about how the background is set, and how it mirrored some real-life history while at the same time adding those touches of magic and mystery (literally).
This is an amazing book, I don’t know if it’s just me but I have so much fun while I was reading it that I finished way too fast, as I read the ending I was like: ‘wait, is that it? So I start over again. If you really love this genre, give it a chance, you’re about to go in a magical journey from beginning to end, and as the title suggest, it’s the first book of the series so I can’t wait to read more of it.
So there are a lot of changes here but at the same time there’s some familiar ground, but that’s not a bad thing though. It really caught my curiosity about how the background is set, and how it mirrored some real-life history while at the same time adding those touches of magic and mystery (literally).
This is an amazing book, I don’t know if it’s just me but I have so much fun while I was reading it that I finished way too fast, as I read the ending I was like: ‘wait, is that it? So I start over again. If you really love this genre, give it a chance, you’re about to go in a magical journey from beginning to end, and as the title suggest, it’s the first book of the series so I can’t wait to read more of it.
February 19, 2024
Honestly?, I'm not sure if I can put into words how much I enjoyed this book. It took a bit to get used to the characters, but in the end I was sad the story was over. I hope to read the next soon.
The biggest thing for me was Tess Collins' descriptions of the landscape and country life. It reminded me of the summers I spent at my grandmother's home. I would wander the forest for hours walking among the trees. Delta reminds me of my mother and grandmother. Their strength, courage, and not letting anyone tell them they can't do something.
I could also see myself in Lefette. A missing father whom you wished was around but glad he wasn't at the same time.
The story overall was very different from what I would usually read, but I am so happy to have come across it. I am glad that I did, as it has reminded me of my childhood and the longing for getting back to nature as I did when I was a child.
I also enjoyed the mention and use of medicinal herbs, as this has always piqued my interests.
The biggest thing for me was Tess Collins' descriptions of the landscape and country life. It reminded me of the summers I spent at my grandmother's home. I would wander the forest for hours walking among the trees. Delta reminds me of my mother and grandmother. Their strength, courage, and not letting anyone tell them they can't do something.
I could also see myself in Lefette. A missing father whom you wished was around but glad he wasn't at the same time.
The story overall was very different from what I would usually read, but I am so happy to have come across it. I am glad that I did, as it has reminded me of my childhood and the longing for getting back to nature as I did when I was a child.
I also enjoyed the mention and use of medicinal herbs, as this has always piqued my interests.
March 27, 2017
Shadow Mountain is an intense (yes intense!!!) book about a mother trying to hold on to a legacy of magic and mystery for her young son while waiting for his father, her common-law husband, to come back. I say intense because Delta has stuff coming at her from all different directions and she is coping the best she can. Also, this book is set in 1899. A time where women and ex-slaves had zero rights and their lands/possessions could be taken from them just for being who they are and what color they are.
What I liked about this book is how vividly it was written. I could almost hear the bullfrogs croaking, smell the woods and see the Tyme trees standing on the mountain. Books that can do that are hard to find. I love it when I am able to read a book and get sucked in by the story. These are the kinds of books that stay with you.
The storyline (which I briefly mentioned above) was well written too. I really felt for Delta. She was being pulled in so many directions by so many people that she was forced to do what she did. I mean, she had King, Henry, and Kate all telling her what to do. What she did, ultimately, was for the good of her son, Lafette. It was something that I would think that any mother in her circumstances would do. I will say that the twists right before the end of the 1st part of the story kinda shocked me. Only because I didn’t see them coming and they happened almost right on top of each other. Shocked the ever-living out of me.
King was a jerk. He was so slimy that I felt like taking a shower after reading his scenes. He was an abusive, manipulative man who got what he deserved….in my opinion. It’s just too bad that his behavior (and his greed, let’s not forget that) cost people their lives.
Now, Henry, I was kinda on the fence about. He let his father push him around and to be honest, I thought he didn’t have the stones to stand up to him. So, I was very surprised when he did. He ended up being probably one of the best characters in the book.
The second half of the book takes place 8 years after everything went down on Shadow Mountain. I really don’t want to get into this part of the book (because it will give things away). Let’s just say that the events that happened during this part of the book surprised me. I actually didn’t see certain events coming and I was definitely floored. And the end of the book. Oh my, it was a tear jerker for sure!!! I cannot wait for book 2 to come out!!
How many stars will I give Shadow Mountain Saga: 4
Why: A well written, intense book that definitely sucked me into it. Like I said above, it was very vividly written and it just stays with you after you are done reading it.
Will I reread: Yes
Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes
Age range: Older teen
Why: I was kinda on the fence with this and chose older teen. There really isn’t anything bad in this book. Maybe some mild violence but that’s it. I would feel safe in saying that anyone 16+ could read it.
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
What I liked about this book is how vividly it was written. I could almost hear the bullfrogs croaking, smell the woods and see the Tyme trees standing on the mountain. Books that can do that are hard to find. I love it when I am able to read a book and get sucked in by the story. These are the kinds of books that stay with you.
The storyline (which I briefly mentioned above) was well written too. I really felt for Delta. She was being pulled in so many directions by so many people that she was forced to do what she did. I mean, she had King, Henry, and Kate all telling her what to do. What she did, ultimately, was for the good of her son, Lafette. It was something that I would think that any mother in her circumstances would do. I will say that the twists right before the end of the 1st part of the story kinda shocked me. Only because I didn’t see them coming and they happened almost right on top of each other. Shocked the ever-living out of me.
King was a jerk. He was so slimy that I felt like taking a shower after reading his scenes. He was an abusive, manipulative man who got what he deserved….in my opinion. It’s just too bad that his behavior (and his greed, let’s not forget that) cost people their lives.
Now, Henry, I was kinda on the fence about. He let his father push him around and to be honest, I thought he didn’t have the stones to stand up to him. So, I was very surprised when he did. He ended up being probably one of the best characters in the book.
The second half of the book takes place 8 years after everything went down on Shadow Mountain. I really don’t want to get into this part of the book (because it will give things away). Let’s just say that the events that happened during this part of the book surprised me. I actually didn’t see certain events coming and I was definitely floored. And the end of the book. Oh my, it was a tear jerker for sure!!! I cannot wait for book 2 to come out!!
How many stars will I give Shadow Mountain Saga: 4
Why: A well written, intense book that definitely sucked me into it. Like I said above, it was very vividly written and it just stays with you after you are done reading it.
Will I reread: Yes
Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes
Age range: Older teen
Why: I was kinda on the fence with this and chose older teen. There really isn’t anything bad in this book. Maybe some mild violence but that’s it. I would feel safe in saying that anyone 16+ could read it.
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews