South Heart

by S.L. Schwab

When Sheriff John Rose and his posse eliminate the Grey Haimes gang, they unsuspectingly take out a favorite lackey of Lucifer (Luce) himself. Luce had big plans for Haimes and sets out for retribution, leading a legion of demons against Rose and his army of saints, angels, and humans. The unassuming town of South Heart becomes an epic battleground in a war between the powers of good and evil, and the town's future isn't the only thing at stake. Sheriff John Rose must be victorious, or his entire bloodline will be wiped out. A battle spanning space and time, the stakes become much higher when Luce discovers that Tom Warren, the last of the sheriff's bloodline, and his stubborn and unpredictable wife, Jean, have rings of rank in their possession that might give Luce power even greater than El Shaddai.
   
A novel geared toward teen and adult readers alike, S. L. Schwab spins a thrilling and imaginative tale filled with heaven and hell, past and present, angels and demons, and good and evil. South Heart is an enthralling tale and a must-read for fantasy and science fiction fans or anyone who enjoys a good versus evil story.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 10, 2014

About the author

S.L. Schwab was born and raised on the high plains of the upper Midwest. The second oldest of nine children, he lived on a ranch in his early years. Back then, reading books was the prevailing form of leisure. It was during those early years that Schwab began toying with the idea of writing a novel. Many years later, Schwab's first book, South Heart, became a reality.

Reviews

[Sarah-Jayne Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).

(This review may contain spoilers).

I was quite intrigued by the blurb of this book and the front cover was quite appealing. I did find this book to be a really intriguing read and I liked the mix of history and modern in the book.

I did find parts of the book to be a bit contradictory in parts. I did quite like John Rose as a character, but I was a bit unsure about Tom and Jean. I did like them for most of the book, but there were some scenes where I really didn't like them. They did things that I don't associate with the 'good guys'.

The characters from the past were, I felt, much more real than the characters from the present day. In many ways, I felt like the past was more real than the present. Also, although the danger felt real in the town of South Heart, it seemed less like a world-wide thing. The animals helped to indicate that the war was on a much larger scale, but the amount of people on the 'good' side seemed really outnumbered.

I really liked the cat and dog in this book, as well as the horse Animus. It was interesting to see how Tom had to deal with working on the ranch, since he was very much a city boy. I was quite confused about the whole thing with Gabby. I have a theory about him, but there are parts of the book that don't back up that theory, which was one of the confusing parts.

I did like Tom's relationship with his students and I would have liked to see more of their interaction. The rings were quite an interesting idea, too, but I would have liked to see them utilised a bit more. There were some things that I would have liked to see explored more than they were.

I did notice quite a few errors in the writing. I would have found it easier to read if some of the plotlines had been a bit more expanded.

I did care about the characters, though there were times I thought that Tom and Jean were more skilled than they should have been in fighting. I also did like the religious aspects to this book, probably unsurprisingly.

I'd likely read a sequel to this book, but I'd like to see some more things expanded upon.

[R J Mckay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.

It’s 1884, Dakota Territory, and Greg Haimes and his band of murdering thieves are being chased by a posse led by town sheriff, John Rose. Rose corners the gang in a gully and decides to wait them out. The result- the sound of rumbling, the smell of sulfur and the earth gives way…the devil is claiming his own. But a curse has been placed on the bloodline of John Rose. Anyone bearing that name will die until the bloodline is extinct. When John and his wife have their son, they send the infant off with a trusted friend to keep him safe.

Present day South Heart, Dakota- Tom Warren is looking for a change of pace, so he sets off from New York, leaving his long-time girlfriend behind. When he reaches South Heart, he knows this is where he is meant to be. He finds himself looking for a job and a place to stay in this remote little town. He quickly encounters John Rose while scouting out the town, and is offered a place to stay in exchange for looking after a ranch. Soon, Tom’s girlfriend Jean feels the tug to go to Tom. The couple quickly marries, and is given a set of wedding bands made of steel, by none other than John Rose, with the caution to never remove them. Jean quickly settles onto the ranch, but realizes that things are not right.

Meanwhile, Tom’s students are monitoring an area outside of town where they observe the ground is shifting and sinking. Tom, who has the mind of a scientist, sees the world as black and white, works with the four kids to find a logical reason for what is happening. At the same time, bands of wild dogs are plaguing the herds of cattle and people throughout the region. When their own ranch is attacked, they see what appears to be two men with the wild dogs, urging them to kill and maim and new born colt and its dam. But it takes the death of two of Tom’s students and a visit to an old town resident for Tom to open his mind to what is at stake.

A battle is brewing and South Heart is the place where it will begin. Luce is determined to take over the town. John Rose and his friends are equally determined to stop him at all cost. Now all the players are in place and the battle between Good and Evil is about to begin.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in the give away from Goodreads.com. I really loved this book. It just pulled you into the story. The characters were amazing. I could feel myself sharing their emotions. The only thing I did not like about this book was the ending, it doesn't feel finished yet. I was totally immersed in this book. I need a more concrete ending. Maybe there will be another book to follow? Definitely worth the read. Very exciting. The characters were so well thought out. I highly recommend this book. Maybe it is just me, about the ending. Enjoy and Thank you to the give away people.

[Kaycee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free as part of a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. The story line was different, the characters are very interesting and the mysteries continue throughout the book. I definately couldn't guess what would happen next. However, the ending just fell flat for me. I felt like it needed something more. I hate when that happens!

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the writing and plot, it was very interesting. I would recommend it to friends

[Pax · Rating 3 out of 5]

South heart was an interesting read. The characters in the book have been portrayed well. It can be a bit repetitive with the action scenes, however great story telling overall.

[Julie sundstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

i like the twists that the writer lead you on down.

[Glmomich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book. The end got a little confusing with all the new characters brought in for the battle. Had to reread some areas towards the end.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways


The concept of the book was very interesting. The characters from the past were likable and entertaining.