Review

Blur by Steven James

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Book 1 of the Blur Trilogy

 Beldon, Wisconsin, is a quiet town … until Emily Jackson drowns in Lake Algonquin. The high school freshman had been a new girl at school. Few of the students knew her, including sixteen-year-old Daniel Byers.

As the school’s quarterback, Daniel is one of the popular guys. Yet a vision of Emily speaking to him at the funeral starts to convince him that her death was no accident.

Was Emily murdered? Who did it? Searching for the truth blurs the lines between reality and madness.

Gripping. Suspenseful. I could not put the book down. It’s one of those books that will make you think.

The author is a masterful storyteller. Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

A Simple Christmas Wish by Melody Carlson

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Rachel Milligan is spending the week with her lovable niece, Holly, when tragedy strikes. An airplane crash takes the lives of Holly’s parents shortly before Christmas.

Now the only family they have left is each other. Rachel resolves to be the best parent she can be to her brother’s only child.

Yet the will reveals some surprises. What can they do to stop it?

Lovable characters (and one you may love to hate,) and an adorable little girl who tugged at my heart made this a page turner for me.

I love stories set during the Christmas season. This heartwarming story did not disappoint me. Recommend.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

Western Christmas Wishes

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Two novellas included in Western Christmas Wishes

 His Christmas Family by Brenda Minton

Laurel Adams didn’t really want to return to her childhood home in Hope, Oklahoma. Her grandmother was ill and needed help—that’s why she went home.

Cameron Hunt rented a guesthouse from Gladys and had reasons to prefer his own company. Yet with Gladys in the hospital, he figured he’d have to show Lauren the ropes and help her with Rose, the teenager who stayed with Gladys under foster care.

There are some surprises awaiting these two as Christmas approaches.

Not only did the struggles of the main characters tug at my heart, but also the secondary characters battled major obstacles.

An enjoyable holiday romance.

A Merry Wyoming Christmas by Jill Kemerer

Michael Carr, in between job assignments, returns to his family’s ranch for the Christmas holidays. A rift between him and his brother guarantees that he won’t linger too long after the holiday.

Leann Bowden looks forward to a new start in Wyoming with her two-year-old daughter, Sunni. Leann arrives at Sunrise Bend a few weeks before her new job starts to get them settled. It didn’t matter that Christmas was coming—there was nothing tying her to St. Louis.

There’s something about Michael that draws Leann to his quiet strength. Yet, if he doesn’t plan on staying, she can’t give into her feelings. She’s already been through one man leaving her and her daughter … she can’t go through it again.

Believable characters, an adorable little girl who tugged at my heart, and a sweet romance made this an enjoyable read!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

M is for Manger

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I love this book!

The authors take a word from each letter of the alphabet that ties into the Christmas story. For example, “C” is for Carpenter. Joseph was a carpenter.

Each letter’s word is written in a poem.

There is a Scripture reference included with each letter.

This is an excellent book for toddlers through the second grade.

The beautifully-illustrated hard cover book makes a wonderful Christmas gift.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

 

When the Morning Glory Blooms by Cynthia Ruchti

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A page turner!

Something unusual binds three women of different generations together. They are not related yet Anna, whose story begins in the 1890s, and her mission in life trickles down to touch the life of a young woman in 2013.

Anna, a single woman in the 1890s, has a mission. An inheritance will help her, yet she is a woman alone. How can she make a difference in anyone’s life?

In the 1950s, Ivy anxiously waits for her boyfriend to return from war. Bad news from the fighting in Korea adds to her anxiety as she looks down at her expanding middle. Will he understand and support her when he returns? Will he marry her and raise their child together?

In 2013, Becky’s whole world has turned upside down. Her high school daughter, Lauren, won’t even tell them the name of her baby’s father. Becky quits her job to care for her grandchild so Lauren can finish high school. This isn’t the life she dreamed of for her daughter.

I loved this multi-layered story! The struggles faced by each woman tugged at my heart. There are many twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I couldn’t put the book down!

This isn’t the first novel I’ve read by this author. I will look for more. Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

Mary Slessor by Terri B. Kelly

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Wow! What an inspiring story.

Mary Slessor: Missionary Mother is a biography of a Scottish missionary (1848 – 1915) whose heart’s desire was to serve God and the people of Africa.

Putting her mission work first, she never married. She endured hardships and danger to bring the message of God’s love to African tribes. She adopted many children to save them from the terrible practice of killing infant twins.

She became friends with tribal chiefs and opened schools and churches. Yet she always wanted to move further inland to the tribes who’d never heard about God. Praying, she pressed on even when her friends feared for her life.

What a courageous woman. Her life and fierce faith changed many lives.

This biography is written for children 9 – 12. I’d say that middle-school aged boys and girls will be encouraged by this story. The author does not embellish the many harsh tribal practices—including cannibalism—yet they are part of the story so I’d recommend for possibly later elementary grades to middle-school.

I also recommend it for adults. Though written in language children can understand, I found this biography a page turner. The author’s research amazed me! It took me to the African tribes, where I lived through the danger with Mary.

I will look for more books by this author.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

For Sale: Wedding Dress. Never Used. by Michelle L. Levigne

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Not your typical romance novel …

Eve is just beginning her sophomore year at a Christian college in a small town. Brainwashed by her family to believe no man will ever love her, Andy’s interest takes her by surprise.

Their awkward relationship leads to an engagement. He plans a career in the ministry … so does she. It seems like a great match. She buys a wedding dress for the small ceremony they’ve planned.

And then things go sour.

This book about first relationships—and the ones that follow—is told with a sense of humor. The author did a great job creating realistic characters because some of them I loved and others I loved to hate.

Twists and turns that I never saw coming kept my interest. I loved the surprise ending.

I will look for more books by this author.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

Christmas Fiction Off the Beaten Path

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Not your Granny’s Christmas stories …

Step off the beaten path and enjoy six stories that look beyond the expected, the traditional, the tried-and-true.

MARY, DID YOU KNOW?  is inspired by the song, Mary Did You Know? This story by Patricia Meredith is a thought-provoking look at the birth of Jesus through the eyes of His mother, Mary.

THOSE WHO STAYED, by Ronnell Kay Gibson, is a gripping story about a Christmas Eve when a teenage boy is one of seven holiday shoppers held hostage. The gunman asks an important question—and a young father has the same question years later.

A ROSE FROM THE ASHES, by JPC Allen, is a story about a daughter searching for her father—and the one who tried to kill her mother. It snagged my attention right away.

In RETURN TO CALLIDORA by Laurie Lucking, a princess threatened by a sorceress is guarded by a dragon. She awaits rescue from her knight in shining armor … but things have a way of turning out differently than planned. I loved that this story has an unlikely hero.

CRYSTAL CHRISTMAS by Michelle L. Levigne not only transports readers back in time but also to a magical mountain in another world. This story is filled with twists that surprised me and kept my interest. I loved the ending.

And I hope you will also enjoy my story in the collection, NOT THIS YEAR, where a hard-working husband and father faces difficult choices at Christmas.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

 

Shine Like the Dawn by Carrie Turansky

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Maggie Lounsbury works hard in her grandmother’s millinery shop but each day brings its own struggles. Life has been difficult since the drowning deaths of her parents and older sister four years ago. The only family she has left is her little sister and her grandmother. She can’t help resenting that her former friend, Nate Harcourt, did nothing to help her after the tragedy. He couldn’t even be bothered to attend the funeral, so when he returns to her small English town she’s unable to trust him.

A rift with his family and service in the Royal Navy has kept Nate from his home town for four years. He comes home to make amends with his dying father. But there is trouble brewing in their company and workers threaten to strike. After his father dies, a troubled relationship with his stepmother continues. Just what is she up to?

Maggie wonders the same thing. And she also wonders if her family’s drowning deaths were an accident. How can she discover the truth when old feelings for Nate resurface?

The Prologue that begins with such a tranquil scene quickly becomes a nightmare, snaring my interest right away.

Twists and turns keep the story interesting. I love being surprised by novel events that I don’t see coming. The characters sometimes made frustrating choices but, as time went on, I began to see why.

Many layers are intricately interwoven into this story. And I loved the historical setting in a small English village in 1903.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

 

Get Your Spirit On! by Michelle Medlock Adams

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Devotions for Cheerleaders

This devotional book is an inspirational read. Each day begins with a scripture reference. Then the author gives a devotional thought geared to middle-school and high-school girls. The stories are written in such a way that many girls of that age will be able to relate to them, even if they don’t cheer.

After an inspiring story about the author’s own squad or from her past, she gives another scripture in STRENGTH TRAINING.

Find spiritual tips in FIRE UP!

MEGAPHONE TO MASTER are prayers inspired by the day’s topic.

GIVE A SHOUT are encouraging remarks.

READY. OK. and JUMP INTO ACTION gives ideas for the girls to put what they’ve learned into action.

FAST FACTS and FIT TIPS are included in every devotion, along with a cheer.

I loved this book! Such a positive reinforcement of good life lessons on everyday trials. If your daughter or granddaughter is in middle school or high school, I recommend picking this up!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas– Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!