Book Review

Up From Dust by Heather Kaufman

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Women of the Way, Book 1

Martha’s Story

Martha learns the bitterness of loss at an early age. Her mother dies giving birth, leaving her father a shell of his former self and uninterested in his children. Martha, the oldest sibling, Martha takes care of Lazarus and baby Mary with the help of her grandmother and others.

While a teenager, Martha dreams of marrying the man she loves, yet the tragedies continue to mount. Her bitterness deepens.

Several years later, Martha and her siblings meet Jesus of Nazareth. He heals her friend’s husband. Could he be the Messiah?

I was quickly drawn into this fictional story about the Biblical siblings. It is told in first person from Martha’s point of view.

This well-written, poignant story held my attention from the beginning. The author has taken creative license to tell the story, including the timing of events and the people involved in some instances. The author addresses some of these in the Author’s Note.

Flawed, believable characters pulled me into their challenges and heartaches. It’s a powerful Biblical fiction set during the time of Christ.

Christianbook.com

Rift by Steven James

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Rift: Mind the Thin Places

Rift Trilogy, Book 1

Seventeen-year-old Sahara O’Shaugnessy is still reeling from her father’s death seven months later. She blames herself for his accident. Not only that, but her mother has gone off the deep end and sent Sahara to live with her grandmother in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee.

Sahara’s active imagination, fueled by her grandmother’s storytelling, leads her to write fairy tales. Not only that, she tells some grisly tales she’s heard to her friends. Telling fairy tales that should never be shared sets a terrifying chain of events in motion.

James is a master storyteller. This YA Suspense novel gripped me from the first page, the first sentence.

Spine-chilling experiences mix with dangerous ghostly lore. Some violent fairy tales are horrifying.

It ends on a cliffhanger that propels readers toward the next book.

The entire story is a thrilling epic of unexpected and unexplainable events that kept me on the edge of my seat.  

An unforgettable story.

Christianbook.com

Crossroads of Awakening Memory by MD House

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

The End Times Convergence, Book 1

Fifteen-year-old Rain Barynd thinks it was simply another training exercise when the Commander of the Council Guard leads the trainee unit miles away from New Haven. They end up in a battle that not everyone survives. Rain rescues the only survivor of a caravan, little knowing the impact that Antara will have on him.

Believing that she is dying, she gives Rain something magical that changes his life and his future. Further, when his hometown of New Haven is under attack, his commander sends him on an important mission.

Rain isn’t prepared for many of the adventures and battles yet the magical object and others seem to believe differently.

This YA Fantasy saga is an epic journey where some serve God faithfully. Magic, flying dragons, travel to other worlds, constant danger, and battles are a few of the surprises in store for readers.

There are many characters in various story locations. Readers will see that it is leading up to an epic confrontation. At times, the story reminded me of the Lord of the Rings Series.

The story leaves readers hanging at the end. They will want to discover what happens next.

This YA Fantasy was a page-turner for me. Highly recommend.

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Waiting for Sunset by Starr Ayers

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Summer is Tomorrow, Book 1

Time Slip Novel

Current Day—Interior Designer Olivia Houston takes a working vacation on Sunset Beach to escape her grief over loving her husband the previous year. She walks to a Kindred Spirits mailbox on Sunset Beach where strangers are invited to write in the journals. Not only does she meet Charter Boat Captain Chase Evans on the walk, she also finds something that leads her and Chase on a search to the past.

1945—Sergeant Walter Larsen is on a ship home after the war ends, eager to see his wife and meet his daughter. He’s just as eager to keep his secret, for it can only hurt his wife. When a storm at sea threatens, he tosses a bottle with some items inside, hoping they will reach his family even if he perishes in the storm.

Loveable, believable characters endure many surprises, challenges, jealousy, and heartache in a myriad of twists and turns that kept me riveted to this well-written story.

The contemporary side of this story, where readers will wonder if Olivia’s relationship with Chase has a future, kept me turning pages. The heartache in the historical story and how the two stories collide make this a page-turner.

I can’t wait to read the second book in the series. Highly recommended.  

Amazon

Death Under the Ice by Deborah Sprinkle

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Trouble in Pleasant Valley, Book 4

Homeland Security Analyst Claire Green comes to her brother Alan’s Pleasant Valley home, but he’s missing. She asks for help from Alan’s neighbors, Police Captain Nate Zuberi and his wife, Madison. They invite her to supper along with Private Investigator Rafe O’Connell, her former boyfriend.

He’s the only man Claire has ever loved, but she must focus on finding her brother. Clues that Alan had been involved in illegal activities frighten her. Can they find him in time to save his life?

This well-written and fast-paced story grabbed my attention and held on. Suspenseful. Action-packed. Real, believable characters. I tried to solve the mystery along with the detectives. I didn’t guess correctly.

A page turner! Highly recommended for those who love action-packed cozy mysteries.

I’ll look for more books by this author!

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Grave Decisions by Debra DuPree Williams

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

A Charlotte Graves Mystery, Book 2

Charlotte Graves now lives in the beautiful Rose Haven mansion with her grandmother. Her grandmother’s offer to give her the whole estate shocks her. Things are going so well with her renewed relationship with Roan Steele and her job as a genealogist. Before she can even consider it, people from her past challenge the home’s ownership.

Now she’s fighting for her family home. Intruders and murder quickly escalate the danger. And then someone close to Charlotte is accused of murder, further entangling her into the mayhem.

This talented author’s latest cozy mystery is another page-turner! Her strong Southern voice shines in Grave Decisions, the second book in the series. This well-written novel draws readers into the mystery from the beginning, one that includes William Shakespeare.  

Lovable, realistic characters invited me into a small Alabama town in the 1960s. Williams weaves such an authentic feel that the characters seem to step off the page.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy cozy mysteries!   

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Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Golden State Treasure, Book 1

Dr. Brody MacKenzie arrives at the Two Harts Ranch in California, determined to find his younger brothers and, if necessary, rescue them. Instead, he is relieved to find them in school and learning trades. No matter what their teacher, Ellie Hart, says, Brody is in a hurry to take them back East where he has a job waiting. His brothers are more interested in searching for their family’s hidden treasure.

Ellie immediately hires Brody as the ranch’s doctor, hoping to keep the man who has snagged her attention in California. Instead, she finds herself caught up in helping the brothers to follow a treasure map.

Unfortunately, they are not the only ones interested in the treasure.

Connealy has woven a multi-layered historical romance that kept me turning pages. Long-time readers of this author will recognize characters from another series within these pages.

My interest was snagged early, and I read the book quickly. I’ve read other books by this author, and they’ve always ended with a significant cliff-hanger. This one did the same. Readers are left with questions about upcoming events.

I liked the book, and can’t wait to read the next one.

Christianbook.com

Windswept Way by Irene Hannon

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

A Hope Harbor Novel

Ashley Scott yearns for a substantial change after her job and a promising relationship come to an end. She becomes part-owner of a beautiful Oregon home in Hope Harbor where she and the reclusive other owner intend to turn it into a wedding venue. The owner of a local landscaping business, Jonathan Gray, intrigues her.

Jonathan’s significant battle scars are only partially visible. His girlfriend at the time of the battle left the former male model. Wearing a mask, he keeps to himself and his dog. But Ashley makes him long for more.

The setting, the amazing historic home, and the characters drew me into the story. Hope Harbor is a place where I, as a reader, wanted to vacation with a book on the beach. Authentic characters with real struggles kept me turning pages.

The story is told from multiple viewpoints. Readers will find several interesting characters in Hope Harbor, possibly from other novels in the series.

A heartwarming series in a beautiful setting. I look forward to reading more of Hannon’s books.

Christianbook.com

The Ragpicker by Pegg Thomas

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Salem Village, Book 1

Eight-year-old Verity Manton is whisked away after her uncle’s funeral by a widow who takes in orphans. Her possessions are sold for food. Cold and hungry, she must beg for rags from the townspeople.

She’s told to stay away from the Quakers. Her uncle had been a Puritan, and they don’t like Quakers. Verity fears them.

The story opens in 1691. The widow’s shack is in Salem Village, where strange stories and chanting in the forest frighten Verity.

This heart-wrenching story snagged my attention from the first page, the first sentence. My heart broke for the little girl who lost her family and now is losing her only relative. She must rely on the kindness of strangers, but not everyone treats her kindly.

The story’s historical setting in the backdrop of the Salem Witch Trials drew me to the series.

Characters I grew to love pulled me into their plight under the author’s skillful storytelling. I can’t wait to read the next book!

This historical fiction story is a page-turner. Highly recommend. 

Amazon

Grave Consequences by Debra DuPree Williams

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Charlotte Graves is the new director of the local historical and genealogical society. She’s back in Loblolly after eight years but old hurts die hard. Or are murdered.

Before she knows what’s happening, Charlotte is arrested for the murder of Boopsie Sweets, an old enemy from her childhood. Worse, she’s arrested by Roan Steele, the man who’d broken her heart back in high school.

There’s mystery afoot that only a genealogist can decipher!

Lovable, realistic characters invited me into a small Alabama town in the 1960s. Williams weaves an authentic feel with details such as music, clothing, decorations, and furniture. The characters seem to step off the page from an era 50 years ago.

The story drew me in immediately. It was a page-turner for me!  

The story is well-written with escalating tension that kept me turning pages. I’ll look for more books by this author. Recommend!

Amazon