Judith Pella

I was very happy that The Russians series didn’t end with book 6! Passage Into Light begins where White Nights, Red Morning ended, as the Russian Revolution began, and life is absolute chaos. This book is the story of the next six months. Because I know some of Russia’s history, I knew—and dreaded—what came next. What made me keep going was the story of the Fedorcenko family. Through all the other six books in the series, I had gotten to know and love them, and I wanted to find out show more how they made it through the chaos—and if they all did. This book is an amazing way to feel Russian history. What was it like for normal people who were there? I can feel it better now. I loved the ending of this book. show less

Once the dangerous secret comes out that Elise, a young mother, has Negro blood, it spells the end of her marriage—and the beginning of her enslavement. A minister's compassionate wife may be able to provide some urgent help for Elise, but it'll mean facing the fire and brimstone of the minister, Benjamin, who's determined to convert the lawless sinners of Texas in Texas Angel by author Judith Pella.

Some time ago, I read and enjoyed The Russians series, a sweeping historical saga by this show more ChristFic author, even though I had some issues concerning the style. So when it came to this historical Western novel, I wasn't surprised by the occasional overuse of exclamation points, some overdramatic depictions of the main characters, and an overdone villain.

On a different note, I expected I'd probably be somewhat uncomfortable with the handling of race in this book, but I was curious to see how that aspect of the plot would play out.

On at least two different occasions, certain characters speak almost as if they (and Jesus) are there for Elise in spite of the fact that she's part Black. Of course, being a person of color isn't an offense or an inadequacy, something that Christian grace must overlook. While it unfortunately wouldn't be unrealistic for the white characters in this setting to see Elise's mixed race as a flaw, the story doesn't make it clear that they'd be wrong to see her that way.

Later on, Benjamin reflects on how God's love is simple enough for the "savage Indian[s]" in the story, and he doesn't grow past using the "savage" label in his thoughts regarding the indigenous people.

Moreover, because I recently learned this publisher used to allow the N-word to appear in their novels (I'm assuming they don't anymore?), I wasn't caught off guard by the few racial slurs in this book, which was published in the 1990s. Still, I don't believe everyone fully grasps the magnitude of what comes with words like that and what it means for a diverse audience when authors include slurs as strong as the N-word in fiction. I'm in no way saying that no racial epithets should appear in any art or literature anywhere, but for certain books, it's just unnecessary as well as an inappropriate choice, especially from publishers that aren't known for publishing many diverse authors of fiction who'd bring their own cultural perspectives and the experience of their own race.

Now, concerning all that Elise suffers in slavery: Although her feelings of shame and guilt are all too common for abuse victims, the abuse isn't something that victims need to apologize or be forgiven for, or to be accepted and loved in spite of. The story doesn't make it 100% clear that Elise isn't at all at fault for what her abusers have done to her and what they've forced her into.

Aside from that, I struggled with the love story. One look at the book cover's beautiful artwork let me know where the plot would eventually go, but when one character or another thinks, believes, and behaves in downright awful ways for half or more of a novel, I tend not to feel great about that character as a romantic hero or heroine. Also, I'm all for a fictional couple's embraces and kisses when they're passionate and respectful and the moments feel earned. But this love story had an icky feel to me, largely because the broken hero acts on his libido in a broken way on more than one occasion, bursting into insensitive and desperate physical "affection" that doesn't honor the heroine.

Anyhow. I felt compelled to address all of this because of the overall journey I'm taking with Christian Fiction (a genre that's changing) and because of the social climate we're living in, where we need to tackle some critical issues with open honesty. Nonetheless, this historical fiction lover ultimately enjoyed working through some thoughts and emotions with the help of this interesting story, and I fully intend to read the sequel that features a different main character. show less

No, grabbing a woman, putting a gun to her head, and threatening to kill her is not a good basis for a romantic plot.

I take it because "Lucie MacCallum sees in Micah a haunted heart that only love can reach," she's likely going to fall in love with him and try to lead him to Jesus, but I'm not a fan of "missionary romances" either.

Still, whether or not this will turn out to be a missionary romance situation, I'm already turned off. Even if a "bad boy" hero is going to reform later, his show more badness should not include violence toward the heroine. I'm not one for romanticizing that type of thing, not even in the Wild West.

Between my issues with the first book and the fact that I won't be finishing the sequel, this just wasn't the series for me. show less

I have a problem...I finished this book last night and don’t have the next one in the series. Ha!

I usually find the middle book in a series to be the weakest—but not so in this case. I actually liked it better than the first!

Jordana is defo my favorite character, and I’m eager to see how her storyline resolves in book 3. She’s unconventional and pushes back against society’s ideals and expectations, especially around getting married (or not) and doing things as a single woman. I show more absolutely applaud this and like her all the more for it. One of my favorite lines: “God, she was certain, did not wish to stifle that sense of adventure that very likely had come from Him in the first place.” show less