Review

A Magnolia Blooms in Winter by Ane Mulligan

/ sandramervillehart

A Southern Season: Four Stories from a Front Porch Swing

A call from her mother sends Morgan James back home to her small Georgia town. She’s needed to direct the Christmas play that she wrote. She can wait there to hear from her agent about a part in an Off-Broadway play.

Andy Wayfield, the man she left behind to pursue an acting career, is now worship pastor at Morgan’s old church. He adopted his niece after her parents’ deaths and seems to still have feelings for Morgan.

Yet Morgan left dreams of marrying Andy behind her years ago. Or did she?

Lovable characters invited me into the story and had me pulling for them the whole way. I enjoyed this novella.

I love this author’s sense of humor that often ends up as part of her stories. I’ll look for more by this author.

I’ve loved this whole collection. Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

 

Skull Creek Stakeout by Eddie Jones

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Book 2 of The Caden Chronicles Series

Solving a murder while on a family vacation gave teenager Nick Caden some publicity. His new job as reporter for The Cool Ghoul Gazette has him traveling to investigate a murder in Transylvania, North Carolina. A dead body with fangs and a wooden stake driven through the heart seems like something from a horror movie.

Were vampires real?

This story is filled with twists and turns—and danger at every one. I know the novel is written especially with tween and teen boys in mind, but I was on the edge of my seat the whole adventure.

A page turner!

This novel also comes with a writing opportunity:

The Cool Ghoul Gazette coolghoulgazette.com has several openings for teen reporters. No experience required. We will teach you how to write a lead, build upon the “who, what, when, where, how” reporting style, and help you improve your writing skills. Think of this like your high school newspaper, only way more fun.

The man who helps me write the Caden Chronicle series (Mr. Jones) graduated with a journalism degree back when reporters published the facts, not their opinions, and sought to present both sides of a story fairly.

In the case of The Cool Ghoul Gazette we need reporters who can write scary stories that may or may not have happened. For more information contact me, Nick Caden, at: editor@coolghoulgazette.com 

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

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Through an Autumn Window by Claire Fullerton

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A Southern Season: Four Stories from a Front Porch Swing

Cate Barton receives the terrible news about her mother from her brother, Lincoln. Not directly, mind you. No, he told her husband Eric in an early morning phone call that cancer had claimed their mother’s life.

They fly to Memphis where not her brother but an old friend picks them up at the airport.

This story, lovingly-told, probes the grief and heartache and Southern traditions that surround a funeral—with some surprises along the way.

Great images take readers on a journey, allowing them to see and experience events along with the characters.

I loved how the author took me to a Southern funeral with Southern expressions of grief. The emotional adventure transported me back to times when I was overwhelmed by my own grief.

Well-written! I will look for more stories by this author.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

 

The Contessa’s Necklace by Linda Siebold

/ sandramervillehart

The action with this book begins in the Prologue and doesn’t let up!

A migraine keeps Marguerite Collins from a celebration dinner for her best friend and her fiancé. It also saves her from tragedy that goes terribly wrong.

Selena Simmons can’t believe that anyone would intentionally kill her sweet grandmother. While she reels from the news of her grandmother’s death, she learns that she’s the killer’s next target.

Where can she hide?

Private Detective Sam Russell’s latest case leads him directly to Selena, who is running for her life. Why does the killer want her dead?

This book is a page turner. It kept my interest throughout the story. I had to know what happened next.

If you like romantic suspense, this book is a good short read.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

A Vast and Gracious Tide by Lisa Carter

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Sergeant First Class Caden Wallis loses more than his foot in Afghanistan—he loses his leader and friend, Joe, and Friday, his bomb-sniffing dog. While he struggles to recover, his girlfriend dumps him. There’s only one thing left to do—return a quilt that brought him such comfort during his recovery to its rightful owner and then end it all.

McKenna Dockery can’t get over the loss of her fiancé three years ago. If not for his death, they’d be married by now. She gave up her dream of dancing when he died to help out in her family’s restaurant in the Outer Banks. She’s been a Banker all her life and never wants to leave.

When McKenna meets Caden on the beach, she recognizes his despair and quickly grasps his suicidal intentions. She offers him a chance to do something positive again.

Then a dead body washes ashore and suspicion falls on Caden, the stranger in town. And that’s only the beginning.

This multi-layered story captured my interest—and my heart—from the Prologue and never let go. Suspenseful. Lovable, broken characters that tugged at my emotions. Add a skillfully-woven romance to the mix and you’ve got a great story.

I highly recommend this book to readers of contemporary romance and romantic suspense.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

Paul’s Letters to the Early Church

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

Christian Living Bible Study Series

This study takes readers through Galatians, 1st Corinthians, 2nd Corinthians, 1st Thessalonians, 2nd Thessalonians, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st Timothy, 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Hebrews.

Historical and Biblical background begins each new book. Each chapter contains background, overview, insights, and 2-3 discussion questions. I can see Bible Study groups easily doing one or two chapters a week, depending on discussions.

I love the author’s insights from the passages. For instance, one of my favorite New Testament chapters is Hebrews 11, which I always think of as the Faith Chapter. The author shows how each person acted out their faith. Matous also offered the insight that placing our faith in God doesn’t always bring a peaceful life.

This book is also a wonderful supplement for personal study.

If you are looking for a great book for your Bible Study group, this book will take you through several sessions—a great value!

-Sandra Merville Hart

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

Rumor of a Werewolf by Eddie Jones

/ sandramervillehart

Book 4 of The Caden Chronicles Series

The worst kind of monster is the one you never see coming.

Teenager Nick Caden has already solved three cases—and one has him hiding from a killer. Then a woman is found with savage paw prints on her neck, and the police speculate that a large animal, such as a wolf, killed her.

Nick wonders what attacked her. Some suggest a werewolf, but can that be true?

When his family sends him to Sleepy Hollow, New York, to stay with his mom’s friend and her daughter, Millie, for a few days, Nick has a chance to investigate. Millie’s impressed with his earlier successes and decides to help.

A dangerous decision.

Refreshingly real characters, an intriguing plot, honest searching for the truth, and the added danger from a previous killer all make this book a page turner for tweens, teens, and adults.

This novel also comes with a writing opportunity:

The Cool Ghoul Gazette coolghoulgazette.com has several openings for teen reporters. No experience required. We will teach you how to write a lead, build upon the “who, what, when, where, how” reporting style, and help you improve your writing skills. Think of this like your high school newspaper, only way more fun. 

The man who helps me write the Caden Chronicle series (Mr. Jones) graduated with a journalism degree back when reporters published the facts, not their opinions, and sought to present both sides of a story fairly. 

In the case of The Cool Ghoul Gazette we need reporters who can write scary stories that may or may not have happened. For more information contact me, Nick Caden, at: editor@coolghoulgazette.com 

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

 

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Lillie Beth in Summer by Eva Marie Everson

/ sandramervillehart

A Southern Season: Four Stories from a Front Porch Swing

Allensville, Georgia, 1968

Lillie Beth McCall adores Granny—well, she’s not really her Granny, but her husband, David’s. Yet Granny had loved her more than her own Mama, right from the start. They grieved David’s death as a soldier in Vietnam together.  Lillie Beth, still a teenager, has known hard times all her life.

Then she meets the young widower, Dr. James Gillespie. Could he be the one Granny’s been praying for?

A story of grace, told with grace. I fell in love with the characters who gently invited me into their story.

Masterfully written. Highly recommend.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

 

 

Deadly Guardian by Deborah Sprinkle

/ sandramervillehart

Chemistry teacher Madison Long’s plans for the summer break quickly take a bad turn. Long walks with her dog beside the lake leave her looking over her shoulder. She’s being watched though she never spots the guy.

Detective Nate Zuberi helps her out of a sticky situation with an ex-boyfriend only to find the man dead hours later. Is Madison guilty of murder? Despite Nate’s growing feelings for her, he has to consider the possibility.

Danger mounts as someone continues to stalk Madison. Who is after her? And why is Nate in danger?

Readers are given no time to relax as Madison goes from one danger to the next. This intricately-woven suspense is Sprinkle’s debut novel. The author has written a spell-binding romantic suspense. I couldn’t put it down! I had to know what happened next.

I recommend this book for readers of romantic suspense. A page-turner!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Amazon

Libby’s Cuppa Joe by Rebecca Waters

/ sandramervillehart

Sonja Parker’s dreams are about to come true. She’s purchased a vacant coffee shop in a small Wisconsin town. There’s a lot about the coffee business she’ll need to learn before the shop reopens. Libby, the first owner, has passed away and her husband, Joe, lives nearby.

Libby’s Cuppa Joe, which has a great reputation in the community with yearly summer visitors, requires a lot of repairs. Since her new business requires so much of her time, she doesn’t find a church home in the area. God hasn’t had a big place in her life for some time.

She takes a job out of state in a friend’s coffee shop and becomes an experienced barista. She also meets Damon Evans, a ski instructor, and falls in love with him.

With lovable, believable characters—and at least one that readers will love to hate—a sweet coffee shop, and a lovable community, this book is an enjoyable read. I got caught up in the story early on.

There are several twists and turns in the story that I didn’t see coming. Each one added another layer. There are a few threads and they captured my interest.

I will look for other books by this author. Recommend!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Libby’s Cuppa Joe by Rebecca Waters