Excellent civil-war era story that kept me on the edge of my seat and deftly incorporates fairy tale themes.

Violet Dancey is a Mississippi girl, mourning the death of her twin brother, Rush, and trying to keep her family together as the war drags on. Suddenly confronted with a new stepmother and stepsister, an absent father, and mysterious rumors of voodoo practitioners, she manages to find her way with strength and intelligence. Everything I could tell you about this book would give the impression of fantasy, but in the end, it's a subtle portrait of a troubled time and wonderfully wrought story. ( )

A phenomenal retelling of "The Ballad of Tam Lin" - strikingly imaginative, hauntingly poignant, creepy and yet heartwarming. I really enjoyed Nickerson's previous book, ("Strands of Bronze and Gold" - a retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale) but this one was even better. I love the characterizations, the mystical essence of the hoodoo/voodoo, and the setting in the South with the backdrop of the Civil War... Everything just clicked. I can't wait to see what Jane Nickerson writes next. ( )

This story is set in the war torn south of Mississippi during the Civil War. Violet’s twin brother has already been killed in the war, her mother is dead, and her father remarries just before going off to war leaving seventeen-year-old Violet with a stepmother and stepsister who have just moved in with her. In addition a young cousin comes to live with her because his parents have died. Violet adjusts to the new living arrangements. And soon she and her young cousin go exploring in the woods where they find a wounded Union soldier in a cabin. They both take a special interest in him and they continue to visit him even after learning that he is also being watched over by a group of people who practice voodoo. The developing family conflicts and Violet’s need to face danger to save the soldier both help to keep the reader engaged.

This historical fiction includes a plot with several intense incidents, a little bit of romance and some voodoo. The voodoo that is integrated into the story is part of a retelling of the Tam Lin ballad. The voodoo was always lurking in the background and its impact on the characters and the story caught me by surprise several times. This book would most likely have appeal for a special type of YA reader because of its unusual combination of history, voodoo and romance.
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This book did not live up to the expectations I had after Strands of Bronze and Gold. I just couldn't feel invested in Violet or her extended family (except for Seely!). The book felt like it had good bones but needed to be tightened up via editing, clarification - something! ( )

This book reminded me of why I like historical fiction.. While I didn't find this book as eerie as Strands of Bronze and Gold, this tale still had and overall creepiness.

Like Strands of Bronze and Gold this is also a retelling, based of off Tam Lin. Which I am not familiar with at all.

I loved the character development in this book, I really felt like I got to know every one in this book. The setting is, once again brilliant. you can't go wrong with a southern historical. Something about that era in time is so captivating and romantic, while still having the terror driven by the Civil war

I think it would be safe to say that Violet Dancey is one of the better characters I have read. She was very courageous, and self sacrificing. Always putting the needs and wants of those that she loved before herself. She was outspoken when she needed to be. And I loved the fact that she didn't play the damsel in distress role. In fact she rescued her man. Her new family which includes her stepsister, Sunny or Anna Bess and her Stepmother Elsa, we're just as fully developed. While at first I didn't care for them I grew to love them and appreciate them as Violet did. Thomas, the soldier and Violets love interest was just an all around good guy. Through all the fighting and turmoil he had seen he was willing to put it aside and fall in love with with a good ole' southern girl. Watching their romance blossom was wonderful. After reading tons of ya novels you begin to loathe insta love and long for the days when young folks actually took time to get to know each other and fell in love based on one's soul rather than outside appearances..

loved this book! It's full of creepiness, romance, war, death and bravery! ( )