Book Review

Lincoln’s Spies by Douglas Waller

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Their Secret War to Save a Nation

This book is a great resource about the spying that took place during the Civil War.

I read this book while researching for my novel, Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1 of my “Spies of the Civil War” series. This book gave a nice overview and many specific examples of the spying during the war. Sometimes the information spies provided was credited with helping to win specific battles.

The author divided the book into yearly sections and includes the spies that were active in those specific war years.

Civil War enthusiasts will likely recognize some of the agents discussed in this book: Allan Pinkerton, Belle Boyd, Rose O’Neal Greenhow, Elizabeth Van Lew, and Lafayette Baker. Several of Allan Pinkerton’s detectives, called scouts, are also highlighted.

I also liked how the history of the events, meetings, and battles was interspersed throughout the book, making it an interesting read.   

My copy has lots of highlighted sections as a testament to how helpful I found the book.

Recommended for Civil War research and for lovers of American history.

Beyond the River by Ann Hagedorn

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad

This book is a great resource about the Underground Railroad leading up to the Civil War.

I read this book while researching for my novel, Byway to Danger, Book 3 of my “Spies of the Civil War” series. Though my novel is set in Richmond and Hagedorn’s book focuses on the history of the Underground Railroad centered in Ripley, Ohio, I learned a great deal about the courage it took to aid fugitive slaves.

Abolitionist John Rankin, his family, and many of his Ripley neighbors sacrificed repeatedly to lend their aid.

Hagedorn’s vivid scenes transport readers back in time in this nonfiction work, showing the everyday heroes that made in difference in many lives.

Well-written book.

Recommended for Civil War research and for lovers of American history.

https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-River-Untold-Underground-Railroad/dp/0684870665/

The Librarian’s Journey

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by Sandra Merville Hart

This historical novel collection takes readers on a journey with librarians on horseback, who transport books to remote communities. I love reading historical novels where I learn new things about our history while enjoying a good story. I didn’t know that part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal provided for a Pack Horse Library Initiative. I love that folks who rarely left home during the Depression had the opportunity to read—or learn to read—a new book every week.

All four stories—Love’s Turning Page by Cynthia Hickey, For Such a Time by Patty Smith Hall, Book Lady of the Bayou by Marilyn Turk, and The Librarian and the Lawman by Kathleen Y’Barbo—touch on the danger faced by these brave young women. Riding horses or mules, they ventured out on mountain paths and bayous to deliver books.

I enjoyed this collection. All four stories are different. I like that they were set in different parts of the country.

Christianbook.com

We Will Rock Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

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by Sandra Merville Hart

by Sandra Merville Hart

Sometimes Penelope doesn’t quite fit in with her classmates because there aren’t any other T. rex’s at her school.

Oh, she plays with the other kids at recess but they always want Penelope to play all the dinosaur parts in their games. Her favorite thing of all is singing and playing guitar.

Should she sign up for the talent show?

A nice story about embracing your own talents. The book is geared toward beginner readers and children 5 – 7.

An Amish Christmas Bakery

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by Sandra Merville Hart

This contemporary novel collection is set during the holidays. Each novella is set at an Amish bakery. Prepare to want a delicious dessert as you read …

In Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston, Alyssa lends her artistic abilities to a creative window display for her employer’s bakery. She knows the best person to create the cookie cutters but Kyle, a boy she remembered from school, might feel it isn’t worth his time. When he agrees, she dares to dream of dating him. Unfortunately, finding enough time to date becomes an unexpected issue.

Katie, a talented baker, takes charge of the family’s bakery while her mother recovers from surgery in Loaves of Love by Beth Wiseman. She learns that running the bakery isn’t as easy as it seems. Henry, whom she’s known since childhood, hangs around more and she wished he would ask to date her, but she’s just started dating someone. This new boyfriend is a bit too affectionate, something she and Henry agree on.

Mattie travels to Birch Creek to help in her new aunt’s bakery. Then she realizes Peter, whom she can barely tolerate, is also here to help her uncle build an addition. Her best friend, after dating him, had plenty of harsh words about Peter. Mattie must figure out the truth in Melting Hearts by Kathleen Fuller.

In Cakes and Kisses by Kelly Irvin, Ambrose is a sweet, kind man with a learning disability that kept him from learning to read. When Martha sees him being mistreated, she steps in to help. Ambrose has cared for her for years, but is certain she will never love him. The death of Martha’s parents has placed the responsibility of her younger siblings and the bakery on her and her sister’s shoulders. Dare she dream of love with so much weighing on her?

Each story is very different, which kept my interest engaged. I liked the characters in each story and found myself pulling for them. I love reading Christmas books around the holidays and enjoyed this collection. Because each story is set in a bakery, I found myself craving delicious baked goods!  

Recommend.

https://www.christianbook.com/an-amish-christmas-bakery/amy-clipston/9780310352808/pd/352808

Christmas in Winter Hill by Melody Carlson

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by Sandra Merville Hart

This contemporary novel is set during the holidays and snagged my attention right away.

Krista moves her daughter to Winter Hill to accept a position as city manager. She soon learns the town has a Christmasville celebration—and it’s part of her job description.

The trouble is, Krista doesn’t like Christmas. She grew up in various foster homes that made celebrating the holiday a challenge.

That’s not the only challenge with the job, but Conner Harris and his daughter certainly make Krista long for the move to a new state to work out.

The characters in this contemporary romance tugged at my heart. I was especially caught up in the struggles of Krista’s daughter, who had such a likeable, fun personality. As trouble escalated, I didn’t know how it was going to end. The festive names of different businesses in the city added to the holiday fun.

Recommend!

https://www.christianbook.com/christmas-in-winter-hill/melody-carlson/9780800736101/pd/0736104

Under the Texas Mistletoe by Karen Witemeyer

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by Sandra Merville Hart

This trio of Christmas historical romance novellas put me in the mood for the holidays.

In A Texas Christmas Carol, Felicity Wiggins tackles the tough task of collecting donations for Christmas baskets—and the even tougher shell surrounding Evan Beazer’s heart that keeps him from giving. She somehow convinces Evan to join her in collecting, but he shields his heart from falling for her—until a chance meeting with three men who keep popping back into his life at the oddest times.

This creative retelling of the classic Dickens story hearkens back to the original story in many ways. One of them is using similar names, such as Evan Beazer for Ebenezer Scrooge. I enjoyed the story.

In An Archer Family Christmas: An Archer Brothers Epilogue, Jim and Cassandra Archer are mourning the loss of their son, who lived one day and died on Christmas Eve three years before. Despite this grief, they are looking forward to spending Christmas with Jim’s brothers and their families when danger comes knocking.

The story moves at a slow pace until the danger arises. Then my attention was captured. I hadn’t read the series but that didn’t hinder my love for the characters in this captivating story.

Gift of the Heart is about a widow who accepts a new job to build a home for her and her daughter in Hope Springs despite difficulties caused by Beauregard Azlin, the town’s owner. I had read this novella story before and enjoyed the gentle romance between a man who feels no one will love him for anything but his wealth and a woman who fears no one will touch her heart the way her husband had.

This story had stayed with me from the first reading and I enjoyed spending time with characters I cared about once again.

A wonderful collection filled with lovable characters! I love the small town historical settings in each story. This is a nostalgic collection of Christmas novellas set in Texas, filled with the type of stories I love reading during the holidays.

Recommend!

https://www.christianbook.com/under-the-texas-mistletoe-special-edition/karen-witemeyer/9780764239786/pd/239788

A Sassy Creek Christmas by Shelia Stovall

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Sassy Creek Series

Ovaleta Mayhew can’t enjoy the coming Christmas holidays because of her worry for eight-year-old Ava Roberts. The remission of Ava’s leukemia was welcome news to all the residents of Sassy Creek, yet Ava is still in the hospital. Her parents had a huge hospital bill and were behind in their house payments. How could a retired couple help?

Pastor Seth Walters visits Ava often at the hospital, and is dating one of her nurses. He dreads introducing Lila to his congregation, fearing the pressure they’ll put on the relationship.

Ovaleta can’t help the Roberts family on her own. It’ll take the whole town to rally around them. Then she has a brilliant idea.

I loved meeting the lovable characters of Sassy Creek in this Christmas novella! The author has created a town full of sassy, believable characters and I kept turning pages to see what adventures they’d get into next.

If you like reading books in a series that are set in a small town, I believe you will love the folks at Sassy Creek.

I will look for more books by this author!

-Sandra Merville Hart

Weldon’s Secret Santa by Shelia Stovall

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Randall McCullough, retired from the postal service, can’t get excited about his birthday or the coming Christmas season since Shirley’s passing five years ago. Maybe he can find a way to be a blessing to a few folks this Christmas. That might help take his mind off his loneliness.

Alma Lee, who works at the drugstore, likes to argue with him. He’s known her since childhood and she’s always been the same way.

Randall is surprised when Alma Lee not only gets wind of his Christmas secret mission but also wants to help. He doesn’t want to admit that arguing with her brings some spark to his days. He agrees and the pair set off to help families in Weldon’s trailer park that has been allowed to deteriorate.

This story touched my heart! I love Randall, who remembers his wife’s generosity and learns from it. My attention was easily snagged early on by this gentle story.

I loved meeting the lovable characters of Weldon in this Christmas novella! The author has created a town full of believable characters that I learned to love.

If you like reading books in a series that are set in a small town, I believe you will love the folks at Weldon, Kentucky.

I will look for more books by this author!

-Sandra Merville Hart

 

The Christmas Card by Amanda Tru

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The Christmas Card Series, Book 1

Cole Nikols has saved for months to give his girlfriend, Sarah Whitman, a special evening as he proposes. She is the Director for a charity and often has to leave their dates to take care of folks who are hurting. He cringes when she answers a call during their date, and they argue. Cole ends up taking their meal back to his house.

Once there, he has an idea to show her that he understands her desire to serve others. He writes a Christmas card and then delivers it to family and friends with a request that they pass it on.

But he has no idea how many lives his Christmas card will touch.

I loved the concept behind this book. Acts of kindness, love, and forgiveness have ripple efforts that are far-reaching, as this story beautifully demonstrates.

This short read will make you think. A great book for the holiday season!

-Sandra Merville Hart

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