The Dawn Wakers (Westward Wanderers, #2) By Angela Castillo

More Drama Than I Expected

By drama, I simply mean life. This was a good story, but I believe it'd be better marketed as inspirational women's fiction. The story contains a LOT of information and some of it could've been skipped, I think. I personally like having the option of reading background and snippets about the in-between times when it comes to romantic stories. Because the story seemed to drag in places, and there was at least one horribly worded sentence that truly ripped me out of the story, I gave this book three stars. I also didn't appreciate how the heroine started out hating her mother's superstitions, and later on allusions to fairies and psychics were suddenly acceptable to her. Or at least, that's what I gathered. Seemed at odds for the character...dare I say hypocritical? :-/
Something I did appreciate was the faithfulness of the MCs.
If you enjoy a good story set in the American West which includes godly characters, a vile & sneaky antagonist, and an HEA, and you don't mind a detailed story, the definitely try this one. Kindle Edition The Dawn Wakers (Westward Wanderers #2)
by Angela Castillo
Narrated by Ginger White.

I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

We follow the life of Ellie during her time on the Oregon Trail, helping her mother to care for her four siblings. On the trail Ellie meets Ami ( the protagonist of Westward Wanderers #1 ) and they become friends. Ami meets and falls in love with Shiloh the trail guide and quits the trail for Montana promising to keep in touch.

Life on the trail is harsh, lack of food, the arduous everyday chores, patching and repatching scarce clothing...but despite this Ellie and Thaddeus find solace in each other.
Thaddeus is the son of another family also making the journey, his father expecting him to follow in his footsteps and become a banker but Thaddeus has other dreams and ideas. He has his own plans, to become a missionary or a preacher. The two of them meet regularly and realise they have feelings for one another.

This is the second book in the Westward Wanderers series by the talented Angela Castillo, seen from the perspective of Ellie and Thaddeus. It is another great story, like the first and once again we discover details of how hard life was during the voyage and also why people chose to embark on such a journey in the first place selling their homes and most of their belongings for a dream or a promise of a better life. Travelling must have been hard enough for a couple alone but for Ellie's mother, alone and with five children to feed and care for, without a man to provide and protect them must have been terrifying. To make things even worse Ellie was still in a weakened state, recovering from scarlet fever when they set off on their departure for Oregon.

This is a historical, Christian fiction read having much to offer and can be a great part of any reader's book collection. A compelling story of romance, suspense, history and more as told by Ginger White, a vibrant, articulate, and easy listening audiobook narrator. The Dawn Wakers (Westward Wanderers, #2) Oregon Trail â€" a Story with some Gritty Aspects â€" Rate 3.6
A tale of the Oregon Trail, clean but not saccharine as realism & grit are seen in the Dawn Waker characters. The main characters are Ellie Davis & Thaddeus. Ellie meets Thaddeus on the wagon train. Ellie’s family are traveling via the trail to rejoin their father and two brothers in Oregon who traveled ahead to secure their homestead. Thaddeus is traveling with his father, whom is an established banker, but has made plans to bring money and know-how to a bank in Oregon, and has declared that Thaddeus will of course be joining him in the family banking business.
Thaddeus has dreams, in fact, a calling to preach, but feels compelled to help his family safely get to Oregon. His mother’s situation brought to light the clash of dreams. His mother was a “hot-house flower,” only able to flourish in the city with a full complement of hired help. She would not cook, leave their wagon, or even speak to others on the train. Thaddeus understood that his father and family desperately needed his help, selflessly putting his plans on hold.
Ellie also realizes that her family needs her help, although her mother thinks of her as weak and unhealthy after her bout with scarlet fever. Ellie’s physical, mental, and spiritual strength flourish on the trail. Ellie’s mother moves from a sound and solidly anchored person of stability to one who’s mental state has been tried and shaken by life on the trail.
Thaddeus and Ellie share a love and trust for the Lord. Each sees how they could minister to others together with their gifts the Lord has given them.
The story has three different parts. Traveling on the trail when both families are part of the same train; the wagon train when the trail splits, some taking a river crossing in hopes of arriving to Oregon faster and missing difficult mountains (Thaddeus and family); and arrival in Oregon for both families. Ellie and the Davis family find a father who has been serious injured and a house very incomplete. Thaddeus is forced to break from his family, as they cannot embrace his missionary calling. He leaves to find his church and find his Ellie.

What I Liked About the Book:
I liked the character’s of Ellie and Thaddeus. Their appearance in book one was only minor, but featured in book two. I also liked the minor characters of Mr. and Mrs. Brady, the caretakers of the church and the Founder family, who were life-savers and stabilizers when stability was greatly needed by the Davis family.
The first part of the story moved and I found it interesting, but when the wagon train split and Ellie and family went in one direction and Thaddeus and family another, the story dragged, becoming tedious.
[Spoiler] The best written part of the story was the whole Mr. Billings situation with Ellie and then Thaddeus in the barn. Angela Castillo really knows how to drop crumbs that led to the climatic thrust with these three characters. The Davis family story from the point they are complete again as a family was well-written, but as I mention below, not my favorite part. But kudos to Castillo for showing the stark reality that confronted many pioneers traveling to Oregon. This book showed life and life lived as a Christian, trusting God to guide and help through life’s joys and sorrows. It also showed people who lived and trusted in themselves, whether that was their strength, their money, their brains, or their nefarious plans.
A funny descriptive Quote used to describe Elli’s answer concerning Mr. Billings proposition: “I’d rather run barefoot through a field of angry prairie dogs.” Ha

Thinks I Found Less to My Liking:
I have completed the Westward Wanderers Series (books 1, 2, & 3), and in my opinion this series shows that Castillo has compelling skills as a historical Christian novelist. Having finished the series, I have to say that book 2, The Dawn Wakers is my least favorite.
The book left me with many questions; characters and situations were introduced but never fully fleshed out. Why put the situation or character in the story if it isn’t part of pushing the plot?
Also, the mental fog, the disjointedness of Martha Davis was delineated in various ways, but it appears that only Ellie really noticed her mother’s serious situation. Added to Martha’s issues, when the family made it to their new Oregon home, the father was not only physically injured, but totally overwhelmed, in fact, not coping. The two Davis teen boys were shouldering almost all responsibilities around the farm, and without the Founder family things would have been dire. Martha as wife and mother never seems to really acknowledge her husband’s issues. With Mr. and Mrs. Davis checked-out, the creepy Mr. Billings is able to snatch an open opportunity to take advantage of the Davis family and specifically of Elli.
The story ends with Thaddeus saving the day and you have a HEA, but again the ending is a little rushed after the story being rather protracted.

My Take-away:
This series is a good read and would be good supplemental reading for homeschool mom’s with teens studying this chapter in history.
271 The Dawn Wakers is an interesting story of a family joining the wagon train heading to Oregon. The descriptions of the perilous times along the way, made me feel like I was traveling with them. The main characters were exciting, especially Ellie who was supposed to have a weak heart but showed an amazing amount of strength and courage. Thaddeus helped his family get to their destination in Oregon but was torn as to his future when they did. His father had a different path for him, but Thaddeus was determined to follow the path God chose for him.

Through the many struggles, Ellie and Thaddeus followed God's path in the end. I loved the spiritual aspect of the story and how their faith kept them strong.

English Oregon trail, year unspecified

Eighteen year old Ellie is our main character who was helping her mother along the wagon trail with her younger siblings. Her father left the year before with two of her brothers to homestead land in Oregon.

Along the 6-month journey Thaddeus, a young man who had felt the calling to be a preacher when he was twelve, developed a special friendship with Ellie. They shared the same faith, prayed and sang hymns when they met at times. Ellie was exactly what he would want in a wife, and Thaddeus was a dream come true to Ellie.

But when the roads split for them going to different parts of Oregon, a menace weaseled his way into her life.

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Except for one incident where a woman was thrown up against the wall, and a man’s face was bloodied from a fight, this would be a wonderful book for young readers. Very clean and had a clear Christian message. The writing was a bit simple for my tastes, but the story was a good one.

A few eye-rolly moments, and frustrating at times when if the truth had been shared, and if her mother hadn’t been so dismissive, Ellie would have been in less danger.

All in all a pretty good book. 3.5 stars.

Eighteen-year-old Ellie's been on the Oregon trail for almost four months, with her mother and four siblings to care for. Though scarlet fever left her with a weakened heart, she's pushed ahead with resolve and determination. Thaddeus dreams of becoming a pastor, though his affluent family expects him to follow in his banker father's footsteps. Thaddeus and Ellie meet together every morning on the trail to sing hymns and pray. Soon they realize they want to be together forever. But the trail is harsh, and a mysterious drifter may threaten their love. Can their faith see them through to God's perfect plan? The Dawn Wakers (Westward Wanderers, #2)

The second book in the Westward Wanderers series a well written story with a very good storyline. I enjoyed reading Thaddeus and Ellie's story they will have a lot to overcome, but their faith will see them through. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. English I thought this was an ok read. It was clean, so that's always a plus for me. I didn't realize it was a second in a series until the end. Maybe that would have made a little bit of a difference. I felt like some of it was a bit unrealistic, especially the stuff with one character in particular. I thought it strange that only the kids noticed he was not a good guy. There were a couple times I questioned discrepancies.

All in all, it was a decent read. I may go back and read the first one some day.
Thaddeaus and Ellie are on the same wagon train. They are actually from the same town but because of different lifestyles had never meet before. They strike up a friendship. In time Thaddeaus and Ellie realize that they want more but because of being from different classes they know it will never work. Will they follow what God wants or will they follow what their parents want out of duty.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Kindle Edition Fan of Angela Castillo

The second book of Ms. Castillo's 'THE DAWN WAKERS' series did not disappoint. She continued this Oregon trail series, following those characters who had struggled through months of extreme challenges. It is definitely a feel good ending for young lovers who survived those challenges God set before them. Patricia Christian Historical Romance

I loved this Oregon Trail story! It doesn't end when they arrive in Oregon, but continues until they're finally reunited and Thaddeus has his church established!
The narration was exceptional! Her soft melodious voice was very enjoyable to listen to! The Dawn Wakers (Westward Wanderers, #2)