Book Review: The Samurai’s Soul by Walt Mussell

About the Book:

Osaka 1590. 

Aki, the youngest daughter of an Osaka cloth merchant, knows her father will marry her off one day. She isn't prepared for her callous and greedy uncle to announce plans to adopt her to arrange a marriage advantageous to him.

Samurai Nishioji Tomi works for the Osaka Police as a cover for finding a clandestine anti-Christian conspiracy group. His biggest challenges, though, are hiding his Christian faith, which is under suspicion, and his mother’s illness, which could get her banished.

When Tomi arrests Aki’s father for tax evasion, the samurai finds himself impressed by Aki’s devotion in proving her father’s innocence. He extends her a temporary position as his mother’s caregiver, and Aki accepts to forestall her uncle’s plans. But when efforts to find silk smugglers implicate Aki’s family and an old enemy arises to seek Tomi’s death, will the family secrets each holds be the weapons that destroy them?

---

My Thoughts:

Having read the prior two books to The Samurai’s Soul by Walt Mussell, I entered this book expecting lots of sixteenth century Japanese culture (a unique setting in Christian Fiction) and an entertaining story. I was not disappointed. The culture and practices of this time influenced the decisions and actions of Aki and Tomi while also displaying the author’s extensive research. I liked that Mussell included author notes and a bibliography of his sources.

As for the story in The Samurai’s Soul, I found a gentle romance built on admiration and honor. Though the characters make mistakes and face tough circumstances, quiet Christian (Catholic) faith paves the way for restoration. More prominent to me, was the mystery of silk smuggling connected to an anti-Christian group. Tomi’s work for the Osaka Police takes up a lot of page time. Deception abounded and the plot had at least three surprises that I didn’t see coming. I think I would have liked to see more character development for Aki and Tomi, as I gravitate toward character-driven fiction, but that is a personal preference.

The Samurai’s Soul stands as book two in The Heart of the Samurai series by Walt Mussell. Though it could be a standalone, I recommend reading the series in order for a fuller experience. I look forward to book three.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book Spotlight: The Secrets of Emberwild

Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Secrets of Emberwild 

Author: Stephenia H. McGee 

Publisher: Revell 

Release Date: October 4, 2022 

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

A gifted trainer in a time women are not allowed to race, Nora Fenton prefers horses to men. They're easier to handle, they're more reliable, and they never tell her what to do. After her father's passing, Nora is determined to save her struggling horse farm, starting with entering her prize colt into the harness races at the 1905 Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she may have a chance at independence. But when a stranger arrives and starts asking disconcerting questions, she suspects he may have other motives than unseating her in the training job that is rightfully hers.

Silas Cavallero will do whatever it takes to solve the mystery of his father's death--even if it means training an unwieldy colt for Nora, who wants nothing more than to see him gone. But when mysterious accidents threaten their safety and circumstances shrouded in secrets begin unlocking clues to his past, Silas will have to decide if the truth is worth risking ruining everything for the feisty woman he's come to admire.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Christianbook | BookBub

---

EXCERPT

Nora slid down from Arrow’s back and scratched the base of his mane. He lowered his head, becoming more complacent with each rub of her fingers. Silly boy. Even with all his bravado, he was still the sweet foal she’d loved since he took his first steps on spindly legs. They’d bonded during those times, and no matter what Roger said, Arrow would never hurt her.

Not intentionally, anyway.

“He’s got nice form,” a man’s voice said from behind her, “though you could use a bit more caution on those turns, boy.”

What? Nora whirled around to find a tall man casually leaning on the fence, watching her. “Who are you?”

Surprise flickered over his tanned features, deep brown eyes widening slightly before settling into a calm gaze once again. “Silas Cavallero.”

He spoke with an easy cadence, his voice both deep and smooth. He watched her openly, as though trying to figure out all of her secrets. She bristled. “And what are you doing here, Mr. Cavallero?”

“Looking at your horse.”

A buyer? She’d heard nothing about a buyer coming by today. This man in his dusty dungarees and once-white hat didn’t look like the type, but appearances could be deceiving.

Satisfaction swelled as she ran a hand down Arrow’s neck. “You won’t find any better. He won’t be ready for breeding until next year, but I hope to start putting him on the books soon. Are you looking for a new stud?”

The man stared at her, strong jaw set against a serious mouth. “I’m not here to secure stud services. Mr. Reed hired me to get a handle on this colt.”

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephenia H. McGee is the award-winning author of many stories of faith, hope, and healing set in the Deep South. When she's not reading or sipping sweet tea on the front porch, she's a writer, dreamer, husband spoiler, and busy mom of two rambunctious boys.

Connect with Stephenia by visiting stepheniamcgee.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

---

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy of The Secrets of Emberwild and $25 Barnes & Noble gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight October 19, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 26, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Book Review: The Samurai's Heart by Walt Mussell

About the Book:

With the death of her older sister and sole sibling, Sen must return home to Himeji and find a husband to marry into the family swordsmith business. Failure ensures her family's craft, honed through generations, will die. Her father's handsome apprentice, Nobuhiro, would seem the ideal choice for a husband and her parents press the issue. Sen rejects this offer as she wants a Christian husband, difficult as the religion is banned. Eschewing her parents' advice, Sen decides to seek out local Christians to find a suitable match.

The prodigal third son of a high-level samurai, Nobuhiro seeks to prove his worth to his harsh father by becoming a great swordsmith. But when his master's daughter begins seeking local Christians, he finds he must protect her from the group of anti-Christians that killed her sister. Despite his growing attraction to her, he believes her devotion to her faith reckless. Yet failure to protect her dooms the family he serves. And falling for a Christian dooms reconciliation with his own father, who must enforce the ban.

Will faith forge love or will it forge death?

---

My Thoughts:

The Samurai’s Heart by Walt Mussell offers a coming-of-age story for Sen, whose backstory is detailed in The Samurai’s Honor. Sen possesses the same character traits, including a penchant for mishaps, but must now face life as a young woman outside of the protection of a Christian samurai.  I enjoyed reading more of her story as she fell in love, attempted to solve the mystery surrounding her sister’s death, and developed into an honorable, mature woman. The novel’s first third had a bit of awkwardness that evened out as the story progressed. With the combination of romance, suspense, and character development, it became harder to pause each time I needed to stop reading!

The Samurai’s Heart brims with beautiful depictions of sixteenth century Japanese culture. This uncommon setting (for a Christian fiction novel) displayed the author’s extensive research and offered fascinating details. I felt immersed in the culture and characters’ lives. Reading occasionally about seppuku (suicide as an honorable act) was saddening but the ritual appears as a practice of that time.

The Samurai’s Heart builds on its prequel, The Samurai’s Honor, and I recommend reading the books in order. Walt Mussell’s writing improves with each story and he’s a talented author to watch. I look forward to his next book.

 

eHea

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book Review: The Samurai's Honor by Walt Mussell

About the Book:

Duty can come at any age.

Japan, 1577.

Younger daughter of the area's most prominent swordsmith, Sen's life is marked with jealousy, curiosity, and love. Jealousy that her older sister, Haru, gets to marry her father's handsome apprentice. Curiosity about her father's important customers. Love from a family that is planning her next step to adulthood. 

But when a high-ranking samurai visits her father to order a sword, Sen's curiosity gets the best of her. She and her sister find themselves eyewitnesses to a murder and on the cusp of a plot that seeks the samurai's demise. Will Sen's curiosity lead to her own death?

---

My Thoughts:

I read The Samurai’s Honor by Walt Mussell from beginning to end in a single afternoon. This short story introduces Goami Sen, a character that captivates with her curiosity and youthful zest. Her relatable mishaps and internal narrative brought me deeply into her experiences and mindset. Though events progressed quickly and I wanted to draw the story out longer (because my natural inclination is toward longer novels), the story read well and thoroughly entertained.

I enjoyed The Samurai’s Honor by Walt Mussell. This short story of Sen’s childhood piqued my interest and I’m looking forward to more of Sen’s story in The Samurai’s Heart. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.