THE SPARROWS OF MONTENEGRO
Their journey takes them into the heart of the dangerous Llano Estacado region known as the Comancheria. The area is ruthlessly defended by a band of Quahadi Comanche and their stoic leader, Lonely Horse. The Troop encounters a large group of Comanches and the gun-running Comancheros at Mushaway Mountain, close to Gail, Texas. A quick battle ensues that leaves eight men dead.
Post Cavalry life finds Tree Smith and Cedar Jones as cowhand and cook on the large Rolling J cattle ranch in South Texas bordering the Rio Grande River. The ranch employs two Vaqueros from the village of Montenegro in Mexico, just across the river, whom Tree befriends.
The quiet life on the Rolling J ranch is brought to an abrupt halt when a local sheriff warns that a band led by the cold-blooded, sadistic killer known as Gato Montes has been preying on the ranches along the Rio Grande. After the sheriff is nearly killed by these men, Tree is tasked with tracking them down, only this time, he is traveling alone and the dangers are greatly multiplied. His epic journey takes him back into the Llano Estacado where he is captured by Lonely Horse and taken to Mushaway Mountain where the Comanche carry out their own form of frontier justice.
Tree’s return journey puts him on the same path as Marco, a Mexican goat herder, who rides with him to the Mexican Village of Montenegro, where Tree meets Julia, who changes his life forever after he becomes involved in and bears witness to the wonderful celebration of Dia de los Muertos.
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:
“I could not put this one down. Mayo has masterfully written a character-driven page-turner, a compelling tale for the reader who seeks something more than the stereotypical western novel.” —Ron Schwab, author of Goldsmith and the Law Wranglers series
“This mild-mannered west Texas rancher has woven a border tapestry using yarns made of unimaginable horror and sweet innocence.” —Tumbleweed Smith, author of Under the Chinaberry Tree
“A thoroughly enjoyable read—a cowboy’s trail you’ll want to follow, with a memorable cast of characters, renegades, soldiers, lawmen, and simple folks, and a hero that you’ll want more of.” —John J. Jacobson, author of All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone
The Sparrows of Montenegro by BJ Mayo is a true tale of cultural connections, hope through adversity, and humanity. In the old Western-style, author BJ Mayo introduces the reader to Tree Smith, his trusty sidekick Cedar Jones, and the vicious Gato Montes. Tree is a man on a quest to right wrongs and cures injustice. Throughout the story, Tree is juxtaposed with the violent and rage-fueled Montes. The story follows these characters through the Texas and Mexican borderland. The overall narrative is vivid, compelling, and thought-provoking!
Although the story unfolds slowly, the author takes their time, weaving in and out of scene after scene with writing that will keep you turning the pages! There are many threads to this story, which makes it all the more exciting to read. By the end of the book, I found myself thinking about redemption, humanity, justice, and so much more!
I received a hard copy of the book and what a gorgeous cover! I am very happy to be able to add this book to my collection and recommend it to my friends! I do think this would be a good book for a book club and would be suitable for fans of westerns and historical fiction. There are several scenes of intense violence, which is to be expected in a Western story like this.
Thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours and the author, BJ Mayo, for having me along on this tour! I very much enjoyed this book and hope that you pick up a copy today!
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| LaRae Russell Photography |
BJ Mayo was born in an oil field town in Texas. His career in the energy industry took him to various points in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Louisiana, Alabama, Bangladesh, Australia, and Angola, West Africa.
He and his wife were high school sweethearts and have been married for forty-six years. They live on a working farm near San Angelo, Texas.
(US only. Ends 2/19/22).
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katiepaul680311227.wordpress.com 
It definitely sounds like it was time well-spent between the pages of this book. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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