Crossfire in the Street Blog Tour Plus Review

Crossfire in the Street
by D.L. Rogers

Publication Date: June 7, 2018
Paperback & eBook

Genre: Historical Fiction

Read the first two chapters here.

 

 

The Civil War yielded many bloody battles and the Battle at Lone Jack was among the worst. Fought across a sixty-foot strip of dusty road, brothers fought brothers, neighbors fought neighbors, cousins fought cousins, and the blood of horses and men ran together in the street under the blistering August sun.

The Green family tried to keep from being caught up in the war headed for their doorstep, but their efforts were lost—even before the Yankees came to town.

In their youthful exuberance and ignorance, sixteen and fifteen year old Hank and Jesse sneak into town to watch the battle—and find more trouble than they bargained for. Pete, the oldest brother, joins the Rebels and fights to save his life—and that of his brothers. Cora, the oldest daughter on the cusp of becoming a woman, loves a boy who runs off to fight with the Federals—and breaks her heart.

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I love this author’s historical fiction novels, and this book blew me away. Her previous book Elizabeth’s War focuses more on the war from the eyes of women and children left behind as the men went off to fight. This family stays together, but are still struggling to survive in the dangerous times.

Pete is the oldest boy in his family, and when asked if he will join the Rebels, he decides to stay with his family. Then, the Rebels come to town and force him to join them, and he manages to keep his younger brothers out of the war. As he worries about how his family is faring, he has to fight for his life daily. Many of the soldiers he fights beside are his neighbors, but he also has to fight against his neighbors. The world has been turned upside down for Pete and his family, and they have to learn how to survive.

Cora thinks that a boy named Andrew is going to ask for her hand in marriage, but then he just runs off to join the Yankees. Cora always hopes that Andrew will return, but even if he does, he would be shunned by those around her. She may have lost the boy she thought was the love of her life forever. A typical girl might decide to sit and wallow in her own sadness, but she was determined to still help out her family.

The boys Hank and Jesse were too young to go off to war, but they are still intrigued by the battle. They put themselves in danger when they wander off to one of the battles, and it is up to their brother to help them.

I have to say it, this story might have made me even sadder than Elizabeth’s War! Sure, this family may have not had to walk for miles and miles to safety, but they were forced to literally draw a line down their town and fight their neighbors. Some people were easily brainwashed and acted as if they had been on that side their entire lives. The rest of them were heartbroken to have to consider neighbors and family friends as their enemies. The battles that occur in that town tear it apart, until it is barely recognizable. This book focuses on how harsh life on the battlefield was, and how much the soldiers had to give up to fight. What was the point of all the fighting, in the end, they would still be neighbors? They would just be neighbors who remember firing guns at each other.

D.L. Rogers just throws her readers into the midst of whatever was going on at the time that her stories take place, and the end results are unforgettable. The characters just fly off the page and beg the readers to listen to their stories. Both Elizabeth’s War and Crossfire in the Street are going to be in my permanent collection, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an unforgettable historical fiction novel.

I received a copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.

Overall Rating: 6 out of 5 books

About the Author

Although born in New Jersey of parents from New Jersey and Tennessee, it was just a matter of time before Diane’s “southern” blood revealed itself. And reveal itself it did, in a passion for all things western and related to the Civil War. Having learned a great deal in her research since her historical journey began, especially in the midwest, Diane has attempted to portray both the west and the war from numerous points-of-view, which is not always the same history as what has been previously portrayed–or taught.

As a kid, Diane played Cowboys and Indians more than she did Barbie, and as she got older, she and her cousin (whose parents were reversed) gave themselves the moniker of “Yebels.” The question of what it would have been like during the Civil War years, when friends and family fought on opposite sides of the war, festered inside Diane until she answered her own question in the form of the novels she writes of the west and Civil War, where everyday people, regardless of what “side” they were on, when faced with difficult situations, rose to the challenge, and survived.

Now living south of Kansas City, Missouri, on fourteen acres of property, when Diane’s not writing or marketing, she enjoys sitting on her front porch, reading when she can or just watching her horses in the pasture and multitude of cats in the yard. When she does venture into town, it’s to work at a lawfirm on the Plaza, or visit her two children and five grandchildren.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, November 5
Review at Pursuing Stacie (Elizabeth’s War)

Tuesday, November 6
Interview at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, November 7
Excerpt at T’s Stuff
Feature at Maiden of the Pages
Review & Excerpt at The Book Junkie Reads (Crossfire in the Street)

Thursday, November 8
Review at Locks, Hooks, and Books (Elizabeth’s War)

Friday, November 9
Review at Bri’s Book Nook (Elizabeth’s War)

Monday, November 12
Review at The Reading Woman (Elizabeth’s War)

Tuesday, November 13
Feature at Book Nerd

Wednesday, November 14
Excerpt at Passages to the Past

Thursday, November 15
Feature at CelticLady’s Reviews
Review at The Book Junkie Reads (Elizabeth’s War)

Friday, November 16
Review at Pursuing Stacie (Crossfire in the Street)

Monday, November 19
Review at Bri’s Book Nook (Crossfire in the Street)

Tuesday, November 20
Review at Locks, Hooks, and Books (Crossfire in the Street)

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

D.L. Rogers