Two 5-star Reviews for Within the Sacred Circle

I haven’t been posting much because I’m not writing or promoting my books, and haven’t been for about a year. I’ve been discouraged because I have purchased and read so many books and given reviews within two groups where reciprocating was expected. I got few return reviews.
I think part of the problem, if it could be called a problem, is there are so many independent writers at this time, and promoting one’s own book make us appear very egocentric and self-absorbed. I don’t want to appear that way.
I have continued to have a few books sell now and again, and occasionally check for new reviews. Not many are posted by readers who purchase, but recently two were posted for Within the Sacred Circle.  One is by an Amazon reviewer rated in the top 500 reviewers.  It has helped me tremendously enticing me to re-read the book myself.  I hope you try it.

Impressive
By ChristophFischerBooks TOP 500 REVIEWER on April 11, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
“Within the Sacred Circle” by Judith Victoria Douglas is a beautiful selection of ten short stories about a historical Lakhota tribe. Going back some 300 years in time and using a very authentic Native American voice the stories present a believable picture and great insight into the culture.
As European I’m not overly familiar with Native American history and customs and I found myself engrossed in the setting and characters. The book is well written and cast quite a spell on me.
Although the stories are not connected as such, there fit together and present a unique whole.
Moving and impressive.

~~~

Enjoyable read.
By Kindle Customer on February 10, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I very much enjoyed reading each of the short stories presented here. It is apparent Judith Douglas has done her research.

First Review of 5 Stars for “Within the Sacred Circle”

It’s always nice to get 5 stars and know that someone enjoyed reading what I wrote.  Here is Kim’s review.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Separate but interwoven, August 18, 2014
By Kim Murphy – See all my reviews
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Within the Sacred Circle: A Native American Connection (From Where the Horses Run Series) (Kindle Edition)
Within the Sacred Circle is a collection of ten short stories of a historical Lakhota tribe. Written in Native American style, the stories are presented in chronological order as they happened during the time period. I especially enjoyed the story of Whispering Wind. Unlike the rest of the stories, Whispering Wind was told in first person and from a child’s point of view. Whispering Wind was born during a very cold winter with her mother dying in childbirth. Ghost Horse adopts her and names her. During a similar winter, a boy, Silent Elk promises to protect Whispering Wind, and she believes him. The story continues into the afterlife.

To Catch a Pony continues with Silent Elk’s story. He grieves at the loss of Whispering Wind and builds a medicine circle. Looking for a particular mare by the name of White Dove, he waits for horses. She comes from “a hidden time and place.” The story tells how he finds White Dove.

All of the stories are separate but interwoven. I enjoyed that aspect and highly recommend Within the Sacred Circle to anyone who has an interest in the Lakhota.

~~~

This is the Amazon write up on the publication (note by author: Realms of the Earth is yet unpublished):

If a hidden tribe did exist separate from the Lakhota nation, in order to keep their sacred stories and way of life when the great scourge came to destroy them, and with full knowledge of the timeless valley never found, they may have lived as the Sni Taniya. And they might have known the Ancients of their Ancestors and expected the guardians of that valley to still exist. Into that world a great mystery crept. The occurrences began in a small area of east Texas, but its roots were in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the sacred heartbeat of Native American Indian tradition. And the guardians are still watching.
Taken from the pages of the series “Where the Horses Run” ~ “Book I Mass Extinction”, “Book II Sacred Hills”, “Book III Ciphers” and “Realms of the Earth” (prequel) ~ are ten short stories. Together they tell about a historical tribe of Lakhota beginning over three hundred years ago. Each is a story unto itself, but as a whole, they read like chapters in this novella. Presented in chronological order as they happened during the time period they occurred, not as presented in the novels. Most are embellished to round out the stories.
Quote:
He watched the distant bird figure glide into the sun’s glare from this blade tip as a rush of power caught inside of him.
It pulled his sense of self up and up so fast where, for the briefest instant, he glanced downward as the hawk called to the warrior below.
The power grabbed him again trapping his breath as the rush pulled downward putting him instantly back into himself.
He faltered in his step with no strength left, sinking slightly off balance onto a knee.
“Augh,” escaped him with his breath as he fell forward stopping complete collapse with the palm of his hand, rupturing already injured flesh on the small jagged stones.
Leaning dizzily he closed his eyes putting his other hand on his forehead resting its weight on his elbows in the gravel. He blinked staring at the ground until the vertigo subsided.