Angels Watching Over Me

Shenandoah Sisters #1

by Michael R. Phillips, Susan Spain (Narrator)

Book 1 of SHENANDOAH SISTERS. Two young Southern girls, one the daughter of a plantation owner and one the daughter of a slave, barely survive the onset of the Civil War and the loss of both their families. When these tragic circumstances bring them together, they join forces to discover if they can make a life for themselves. As their preconceptions give way to experience, they gradually learn to value their contrasting and complementing strengths and skills as they face the formidable task of keeping body and soul together in the aftermath of this devastating war. But is it possible the Lord they have come to know has something bigger in mind for the plantation than either of them can imagine?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Historical, Civil War, Young Adult

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Librarian Note: there is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

Michael Phillips has been writing in the Christian marketplace for 30 years. All told, he has written, co-written, and edited some 110 books. Phillips and his wife live in the U.S., and make their second home in Scotland.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Historical Fiction, and this is the first book in the Shenandoah Sisters series. This book takes place during the Civil War in North Carolina. I loved the characters. I did think the beginning was boring and slow to get really going. This book shows the emotions and hardest during that time so well. I hated the ending because it left you hanging, so you will pick up the second book. I hate when books just does end the storyline in the book, but I loved the rest of the book so much.

[Andrei Bădică · Rating 4 out of 5]

O carte din care avem de învățat toți...

"Mama - centrul universului ei, stânca ei - era pentru ea însăși întruchiparea tăriei lăuntrice. Mama le știa pe toate și nimic nu era peste puterile ei."
"Am trecut apoi la cărți. Doamne, câte mai erau! Cum putea o singură familie să aibă atâtea cărți? Trebuie să fie tare plăcut să pricepi ce scrie-n ele, mă gândii eu."

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was actually enjoying this free kindle book until the story just ended without any kind of resolution. I know the author is hoping to leave the reader wanting to purchase the sequel, but I have been burned twice before by the second book just ending with no resolution, or not being very good. If you want to see a good example of an author using the free first book to draw the reader into their characters, see Chop-Chop by LN Cronk. I am now on the 4th book of the series and do not regret at all paying for 3 books.

Please finish the story and make the characters so interesting that I want to know more about their lives.

[Babette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story of a friendship unfolding between two girls who turn to God, and right beneath your nose you realize this friendship blossoming is really them finding family again in their new friendship. I truly enjoyed this book!

[Haylee Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed rereading this!!🥰 Would definitely recommend!☺️

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could, I would rate this book 4.5 stars.

I really enjoyed the story and the characters. The friendship between Katie and Mayme is so sweet and all the girls have gone through is heart-wrenching. I also loved the way Katie and Mayme help and love each other despite their differences and the time they live in. The story is well told, and although there is a change of POV after a few chapters, it's not confusing at all.

However, I really didn't enjoy the first chapter. The first chapter of a book is supposed to draw you in and make you want to read on, but the chapter named "Remembering" did the opposite for me. It's quite confusing actually. The narrator, which is Mayme when she is older, is looking for a way to start the story and it annoyed me. She would start talking about something and then say "I'll come back to it later". I found it was a horrible way to start the book. But I wasn't sorry I continued reading the book. The next chapter is already much more interesting.

Another thing that annoyed me a little is the editorial mistakes. At some point Mayme describes Katie as having big blue eyes. A few lines further, Katie now has brown eyes. It's the kind of details that frustrates me when I am reading a book...

Despite the little things that annoyed me about the book, I really liked Angels watching over me and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the bulk of the narrative is an engaging story with interesting characters, the beginning of this book really left a bad taste in my mouth. The remainder of the story is quite touching and well written once the narrative begins about the two teenage girls. I just wish the first chapter could be rewritten or omitted. The imagery used to show the narrator's "otherness" as an African American woman was heavy handed to me. Also note that the n***** word is used, and it was in the elderly woman's narrative at the beginning. While common demeaning term of the era, the dramatic situation was well expressed without using this particular word. Thankfully, the term is omitted in the rest of the book. I know it is a hard line to try and write an historically accurate novel in the South, but this is a new book. It would be different if this were a diary or memoir of an actual historical person, but it is not. Skip the opening chapter and you'll find a beautiful story.

Also note that the story ends on a dramatic cliff hanger, forcing you to buy the next installment because of the abrupt ending.

Not recommended. I read a free version of this novel from Amazon.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had potential in the beginning with Mayme retroactively telling the story from an old age. Very thoughtful and interesting but unfortunately, that didn't last. Once the action began, I found the story telling to be simplistic and the dialogue lacking. I've read "Cold Mountain," which bears some faint similarities in subject matter (not spiritually, per say, but with two females, one coddled and helpless, one isolated and forced to fend for herself, both end up sort of saving each other). Stylistically and intellectually, these two novels just can't even compare. But I would consider handing this to a preteen/teen girl. There are some important life lessons to be learned and the subject matter, though grisly at times, is true to history and handled carefully enough for young (not too young) girls.

[Makayla Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book😁HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!🥰

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book of a series about the teenage daughter of a southern plantation owner who finds herself on her own when her family is slain during the chaos of the post-civil war days. First out of necessity and then genuine friendship she partners with a former teenage house slave whose family was also murdered at a neighboring plantation. Although they do not know each other they quickly develop a practical and emotional dependency that carries them through grief and the realization that their unlikely friendship must be kept secret. Together they take on the task of managing the household of the plantation while trying to figure out how to keep others from knowing that they are on their own. This installment ended with their decision to carry out a plan that will maintain this facade until they come of age. It is an interesting premise although the behavior, language and ways of speaking are definitely not associated with the language and ways of period of the story. This distracted me at times. Still it was an engaging book. Plan to read the remaining books if you want to get the whole story. This one leaves you hanging.

[Tawallah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5

I enjoyed this story of two girls who endure hardship and rely on each other through trying times. Despite their difference in race. The beginning was intriguing enough for me but started some of my issues with the narrator, Mayme. I want to believe she is a product of her time as I've read enough books to know that her view is not unusual. So you either resolve to accept her flaws and move on or not like her.

This is not an easy timeframe to read but made me appreciate my life today. I liked how the conversion to Christianity is simply and naturally done here. And one of the better versions I've come across in my reading so far. There is no hitting over the head or preachy moments at all. And for that alone I would look for more books by this author.

Has ya novel vibes so would recommend to pre-teens and up. Clean for the most part. By today's standards there are some offensive words but no swearing.

[Lúthien · Rating 1 out of 5]

the second i started reading this book i knew there was something wrong. i was confused when the female black author that i assumed was writing this book started talking about how the n-word was just a word, no big deal, and how calling a white person “white trash” was just the same. but i kind of shrugged and decided if that was her opinion, she was entitled to it. but THEN i checked who the author ACTUALLY was and it was none other than a WHITE, OLD, MAN. a white man, writing from the perspective of a black woman, who was a former slave. HOW ARE PEOPLE OKAY WITH THIS. how would a white man know how a black former-slave woman felt about the n-word?! with this book, michael phillips undermines the pain and suffering that slaves went through and completely invalidates the centuries of racism behind that word, taking part in the racism himself. and hides it all behind a “Christian” perspective. i am a Christian, myself, and i am ashamed by his actions, how it reflects badly upon true Christians. i was expecting to see anger and frustration in these comments, but there’s almost none. i’m disappointed in y’all. i am embarrassed and sincerely apologize on his behalf to any non-white people who pick up this book. disgraceful.

[Marianne Wonnacott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was completely taken in by the very believable characters. Really enjoyed the story of two young girls, one white and one black, who have to learn to survive after witnessing a terrible tragedy after the end of the Civil War.

It got a little far-fetched in the end, but still captivating. I guess the only thing that I struggled with is the drastic change in personality of Katie towards the end of the book. I realize people change, especially in extreme circumstances, but it was so sudden. I would have enjoyed and believed the change more if it had come more gradually instead of literally from one minute to the next.

[Tracy Wainwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping

A gripping tale with lots of heart. This story of innocent, pure, friendship love is beautiful and inspiring. The theology is also beautiful.

[Lizzie J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an alright book. The main premise was about the budding friendship between a plantation owner's daughter and a young slave, and the support they gave each other after each having to go through a rough time. It was a very character driven novel, so there wasn't a ton of action. I didn't personally mind that, but I did find myself skimming over some parts that didn't contain any action or really any character development.

I had a bit of a like/don't like relationship with the characters' journeys. On one hand, I liked that it was about two teenage girls trying to step up and figure out a way to take care of themselves when they no longer have a family to depend upon. It gave them a lot of strength and spunk. But, on the flip side, I kind of had a hard time believing that two fifteen-year-old girls would do that. Maybe I'm not taking into account how girls were expected to be a lot more mature at younger ages during that time period, but I had a rough time seeing the fifteen-year-old girls I know going through a traumatic event like that and deciding to live on their own for an indefinite period of time. I might have been more convinced if they were older (maybe sixteen or seventeen).

The storyline followed the basic "rising action, climax, falling action" storyline, and there weren't really any twists or turns to the plot. It was a quick read for me. I didn't not-enjoy it, but I wasn't super swept away by the story either. It might be more enjoyable for younger teenagers (more around the characters' ages.)


Swearing: None

Sexual content: None

Violence: There are two scenes where men come and randomly shoot at the girls' families. The two girls are the only two who survive and bury the dead themselves.

Religious/spiritual content: References of God, praying, and the Bible.

Who I would recommend this book to: Younger girls (around 12-15) who could relate better to the characters. Also, people who enjoy slower, character-driven novels about two girls who become women.

[Karen & Gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angels Watching Over Me by Michael Phillips is about two teen girls whose families both got killed after the Civil War. Katie is a daughter of a white plantation owner and Mayme is a black slave girl who grew up on a different plantation. Shortly after the death of their families, the two girls actually become friends and help each other. Although they have different backgrounds and different talents, they work together to protect each other, and run the plantation on their own. Mayme is practical and Katie a dreamer, but both girls open their hearts up to God and seek His direction.

I enjoyed this historical fiction book and look forward to the next in this Shenandoah Sisters series. It was a good page turner. The story is told from the slave girl’s point of view for the most part.
(Karen's review)

[Melanie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do not know what I was expecting with this book, but I will be honest. I picked it up and I could not put it down. The writing and the story is incredible. I live in the south and I was born and raised here. We here stories growing up and I have visited historical sites and museums, but Angels Watching Over Me, truly made me feel like I was part of the story.
I have ordered the next two books and plan on having lots of coffee by the time they get here.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best reads I have seen in a while!

Though it is only part of the whole series. I hope that all can be combined into a novel. I love the two natures of Mary Ann and Kathleen and how God puts them together and the sisterly love that grows from this. Both characters have a strength and beauty that keeps you glued to this well written book.

[Debra Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the whole series. Riveting.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Can't wait to read the next.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angels Watching Over Me is by Michael Phillips. It is book two in the Shenendoah Sisters series. It is set beginning in 1861 in North Carolina.
Katie Claiborne was 10 years old when the Civil War broke out. She was the only child of the Claibornes. She learned what was going on in the house through her tutelage by her Mother and of the plantation by going out with her Father. She was always intended to be mistress of Rosewood plantation along with her husband when she married and when her parents died. However, now, she was only interested in what interested her. Her daydreaming got her into trouble occasionally. Her Father and brothers left to fight for the South leaving Katie and her Mother on the plantation. Her Mother took up the reins of running the plantation but had to give in and take out a couple of loans on the plantation. She knew her husband wouldn’t like it; but she had no other choice. Her Uncle Templeton Daniels came to visit, looking for their brother Ward and/or the gold he had brought back from California. This was the only time Katie remembered seeing him. When he left, he took the cash that was hidden in a box in the pantry. When the war was finally over, Katie’s Father and two remaining brothers returned home and the plantation began to recover. Then they were hit by raiders and everyone was killed except Katie and the newly freed slaves who managed to run away. Katie’s mother had rushed her into the hidden cellar in the house thus saving her.
What was Katie to do now? She had some of the livestock remaining; but no one to care for them or to help her. While she was wondering what to do, Mayme showed up. Mayme was Mary Ann Jukes a slave from a nearby plantation. Her family had been slaughtered by the same raiders as those who hit Rosewood. She had no idea if the Master of the plantation had survived or not, she just ran. Now she thought she was a runaway and could be caught, whipped, and possibly resold. She did not know she had been freed.
When she came to Rosewood, she took pity on Katie and helped her bury her family and begin to get some things in order. Mayme thought Katie’s relatives would soon come to take her and care for the plantation. When Katie decides to stay on the plantation and keep it running, Mayme thought she was crazy but her loyalty to Katie which grew out of Katie’s acceptance of her as an equal made her stay.
Could the two manage to keep the plantation in working order and keep food on the table for themselves as well as another slave, Emma, and her baby, William? Could they keep everyone safe? After all, they were only two fifteen year old girls.


Merged review:

Angels Watching Over Us is by Michael Phillips. It is book one in the Shenandoah Sisters series. It is set beginning in 1861 in North Carolina.
Katie Claiborne was 10 years old when the Civil War broke out. She was the only child of the Claibornes. She learned what was going on in the house through her tutelage by her Mother and of the plantation by going out with her Father. She was always intended to be mistress of Rosewood plantation along with her husband when she married and when her parents died. However, now, she was only interested in what interested her. Her daydreaming got her into trouble occasionally. Her Father and brothers left to fight for the South leaving Katie and her Mother on the plantation. Her Mother took up the reins of running the plantation but had to give in and take out a couple of loans on the plantation. She knew her husband wouldn’t like it; but she had no other choice. Her Uncle Templeton Daniels came to visit, looking for their brother Ward and/or the gold he had brought back from California. This was the only time Katie remembered seeing him. When he left, he took the cash that was hidden in a box in the pantry. When the war was finally over, Katie’s Father and two remaining brothers returned home and the plantation began to recover. Then they were hit by raiders and everyone was killed except Katie and the newly freed slaves who managed to run away. Katie’s mother had rushed her into the hidden cellar in the house thus saving her.
What was Katie to do now? She had some of the livestock remaining; but no one to care for them or to help her. While she was wondering what to do, Mayme showed up. Mayme was Mary Ann Jukes a slave from a nearby plantation. Her family had been slaughtered by the same raiders as those who hit Rosewood. She had no idea if the Master of the plantation had survived or not, she just ran. Now she thought she was a runaway and could be caught, whipped, and possibly resold. She did not know she had been freed.
When she came to Rosewood, she took pity on Katie and helped her bury her family and begin to get some things in order. Mayme thought Katie’s relatives would soon come to take her and care for the plantation. When Katie decides to stay on the plantation and keep it running, Mayme thought she was crazy but her loyalty to Katie which grew out of Katie’s acceptance of her as an equal made her stay.
Could the two manage to keep the plantation in working order and keep food on the table for themselves as well as another slave, Emma, and her baby, William? Could they keep everyone safe? After all, they were only two fifteen year old girls

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Angels Watching Over Me” was written by Michael Phillips as the first book in the Shenandoah Sisters Series. It is a post-Civil War story written about two young girls, one white and one black, living in North Carolina. Katherine Claiborne is the daughter of a plantation owner. Her father and three brothers are away at war and her mother Rosalind and Katie, as Katherine is called, are left to tend the plantation along with the slaves that the Claiborne’s own helping to tend the fields and doing other necessary work. One brother is killed during the war and after the armistice is signed, Katie and her mother are waiting for the return of their men. Tragedy befalls the Claiborne plantation, Rosewood, and Katie is left on her own.

Mary Ann Juke, also called Mayme, is a slave daughter on a neighboring plantation. Her family is killed when marauders attack the plantation and slave quarters as they did on Rosewood. Mayme hides from the killers and after burying her dead, decides to start walking in case they come back for her. She finds herself on the Rosewood plantation, hungry and tired. When she enters the house she finds Katie in a state of shock at what happened to her family.

Katie is not accustomed to working on the plantation and Mayme has to guide her as to what to do next to stay alive. The two girls decide to make the plantation seem as though the slaves are still working as freemen and the house and Rosalind are still alive. They are afraid that Katie will be sent to an orphanage and that Mayme will suffer a worse fate. The story continues by telling how the two young girls fooled the whole countryside into believing that Rosewood was still being run by Rosalind Claiborne, who is still waiting for the men to return from the war.

I was thoroughly intrigued by the resourcefulness of the two girls and all they accomplished, just the two of them alone. Katie and Mayme learned to love each other as sisters and lived accordingly. I was so impressed with this novel that I read the other three books in the series as they followed: Book #2 - “A Day to Pick Your Own Cotton”, Book #3 – “The Color of Your Skin Ain't the Color of Your Heart”, and Book #4 – “Together is All We Need”. I also want to read

This book was very interesting to me because I am a fan of historical novels especially novels about the Civil War. I think you will enjoy reading this book. I look forward to reading the sequel series, Carolina Cousins, by Michael Phillips.

NetGalley.com and Bethany House Publishers provided a free kindle copy in return for my honest review of this book.

You can find this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-7d.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a free book, in a series of books. My local library doesn't have any of the books. I did find the books in two near by libraries.

I have often wondered what the slaves did after they were declared to be free. This novel tells of a friendship between a white plantation owners daughter, and a teen aged slave. Both of the girls had their families murdered by marauders, who road in on their horses, and shot the plantation owners and their slaves.

The girls used their combined skills to survive on the white girls plantation. At the end of the book they decided to try to run the plantation on their own, and to fool people into thinking her parents were still alive.

[Shi Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped reading this when the white male author used a black woman's voice to spout the opinion that, instead of fighting for equal rights in the civil rights movement, black people should have simply been happy they weren't slaves anymore.


Nope.

[Debbi Vogt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is an easy quick summer read and the price was perfect. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like it but it was a little simple.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than 3 stars. I finished it today after starting it months ago and setting it aside since it didn't speak to me at the time. I read it quickly but I found the last 1/4 of it fell very flat to me. I have some issues with historical accuracy, that I may need to research but from what little I know of slavery they are as follows.


1. Would a slave girl be taught to read, even a small amount? From my understanding there were laws out there against teaching slaves to read so I have a hard time believing that a young slave girl, that really has no skills to the point of even talking about only 2 uses for a slave girl reading is not one of them.

2. The use of the scriptures in by this slave girl also seemed in accurate, again not completely knowing what scriptures were available during the civil war, I would assume it would be the King James Version, and the scriptures quoted were not in the language of the KJV. To top it off I am to believe a Slave woman, would own a family bible?

I know there are other issues that I can't think of right of on the historical accuracy but that is just a couple that stood out to me.

Then the book just ended, with no real resolution of anything. Surely the author must realize to get people interested in a series of books the first much have some kind of resolution. If you look at most series and trilogies, and if you look at the ones I like most by Katherine Kurtz, there is a completion of at least one complication at the end of a book to leave a reader satisfied. This book does not do this. All it does is leave the girls deciding to try to stay on a plantation without anyone knowing otherwise. It honestly doesn't sound realistic at all. A slave girl that knows a bit of what she did, and a spoiled daughter of a murdered family that never had to work at all. Only two of them on a plantation. There is no way they could manage that large of a property without more help to keep suspicions away.

[Brianna]

Mayme was a little girl she told story since her brother was five years old. Well that how far back she could remember anyways. Mayme learned how to read and write from her mother. When Mayme mother was a little girl she worked inside the home of the owner and she would lisen to the storytelling and pick any book she could get her hands on. She loved to read, Mayme said that if she got her hands on a book she would eat up all the words. Now Mayme mother steal pieaces of scrap paper it was small but she would still gather them up. That is how she tought Mayme how read and write. Mayme later became friends with Katie. when Katie was a little girl her father wouldn't really let her go to far on her own but any where she went her best friend as in her dog would go with her. Katie seemed like a fairytale princess. Well she went on for a walk and she went pass her farther cotton field and smile at the people that were working for her father. However Katie birthday was coming up and her mother said we will go to town and pick you out the cutest dress. Katie new that they hardly ever go to town . The day came and their in town katie has this beautiful dress and their walking back to their carriage. But someone saids Katie mom by her first name. But Katie doesn't know her mother name so she went on thinking about her dress and day dreaming. Well there where these two riders that were in a big hurry , and Katie went into the street and Katie mother turn around and saw the riders come and saw her daughter. she was running to try and save her daughter but she knew that she wouldn't make it in time. Then all of a sudden this man with long legs pass her and save her from the two riders. If you want to know what happen later in Mayme story. Read Angels Watching Over Me .

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3 stars. I enjoyed this and I thought it had potential. I'll probably get around to finishing the series eventually. I loved Mayme's narration... at times. It felt like she had a really clear voice especially in the beginning and then the voice would get hazy here and there. I wondered at one point close to the beginning if the narrator had changed because the voice was so different. Another reason this gets 3 stars (I liked it, not REALLY liked it) is that I like books in a series to be able to stand on there own. I can understand why sometimes a 2nd book of a trilogy doesn't but the 1st book definitely should have this quality and this book did not.

In the "exciting" parts I was really invested but, ugh, the lulls. The non-exciting parts of a book should still be holding my attention with character development, etc. but that wasn't happening for me. Also, I really didn't like the character of Katie until the very end when she started growing up a little. I understand that a young white girl during this time period would have been sheltered but I don't see why a 15 year old would act like a 4 year old (honestly my 7 and 8 year old daughters were smarter than Katie in the first 2/3 of this book). I also thought it strange that a teenaged female slave would know how to use a rifle. I would have found it much more believable if Katie had taught Mayme how to use one- sheltered life aside.

I'm making it sound like I didn't like this book, but I did. I especially enjoyed the religious aspects and hopefully the second book has improvements in areas that I didn't enjoy as much.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angels Watching Over Me
By, Michael Phillips
Realistic Fiction

Mayme and Katie are two completely different teenaged individuals. Ten year old, daydreamer, Kathleen (Katie) O'Bannon Clairborne was the daughter of a white, southern, plantation owner from the 1800s. Pracical, eleven year old, MaryAnn Jukes, also known as, Mayme, worked as an African American slave for as long as she could remember. They lived both in Charlotte, North Carolina on two different plantations during 1861. Around that year was the beginning of the Civil War.
Katie's father and her older brothers left to fight in the war leaving the family estate to Katie's mother, Rosalind. Katie's mother tried her best to keep the plantation running until her husband returned home, but many of the slaves left and money was tight. Soon after the returning of Katie's family, both Mayme and Katie's families are killed due to anonymous shootings. They are soon brought together and become instant friends.
They try to survive the hardships of different races and other situations. Mayme tries to show Katie ,who is oblivious to their situation, how different they are.
In this story I really enjoyed how Mayme and Katie's friendship blossomed especially during those times of separation. I liked how the author made their characters seem life like, but at some parts he could've explained more. I disliked the ending because it didn't really wrap things up or confirm that all the decisions were made in this book.
I would recommend this book to preteens because it shows the value of friendship, but I would warn them about the poorly written ending that could've had some improvements.