The Founders’ Speech to a Nation in Crisis: What the Founders would say to America today. by Steven Rabb My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve been a little lax this year in reviewing books here on the blog that weren’t new releases. No excuse other than laziness, I guess. But not today! I received this book as a gift – yesterday. I’d never heard of it. But … wow! … it’s packed with so much wisdom and clarity. I devoured it. I will be rereading this one many times and likely finding more wisdom with each pass ..read more

Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this book! An honest – often harsh – look at the impact of the French and Indian War. Divided families, divided loyalties, and heart-wrenching losses, but through it all, a beautiful exploration of the human spirit and the ability to adapt and overcome. Well worth reading. View all my reviews ..read more

Beneath the Bending Skies by Jane Kirkpatrick My rating: 4 of 5 stars Classic Jane Kirkpatrick story with an in-depth look into life as it used to be. Jane brings history alive as few can. Beneath the Bending Skies adds an extra layer. It digs into the relationships – both family and interracial – and how expectations can hinder or help how we relate to each other. Well worth reading. View all my reviews ..read more

A Cord of Three Strands by Christy Distler My rating: 5 of 5 stars Stories set in Colonial America are few and far between anymore, and books featuring Quakers are even rarer. If you enjoy either or both, you’ll need to read this book! The author immerses readers into the time and culture while weaving a story with a strong faith element (they are – after all – Quakers) that illustrates the importance of family. I’m not a big fan of first-person point of view, but Distler writes it so well that I barely noticed it. I was involved with the characters from the start and intrigued by their Quaker ..read more

Under the Tulip Tree by Michelle Shocklee My rating: 5 of 5 stars I bought this book a while ago knowing that I enjoyed this author’s writing. However, I’m not a huge fan of 1st person point-of-view OR dual timeline novels. So it just mulled around in my TBR pile for a while. Boy am I glad I finally cracked it open! This is a dual timeline – but both timelines are historical – and maybe that’s why I enjoyed it so much. Rena Leland is hired in 1936 to interview and write down the stories of elderly slaves who still survive. Frustrated at losing her newspaper job, she’s thrilled about the opport ..read more

An Uncommon Woman by Laura Frantz My rating: 5 of 5 stars I bought this book right after it came out – two years ago! It was the beginning of the Covid shutdown, and I’d stocked up on a stack of paperbacks I wanted to read. And I always enjoy Laura Frantz’s books! But when I started reading it, I realized it was a little too close to the book I was writing at that time, Maggie’s Strength. Both deal with a settler girl taken captive and raised by Native Americans. So I stopped reading and shelved the book. I can’t tell you how many times I looked at it, wanted to get back into it, and yet had o ..read more

The Rebel Bride by Shannon McNear My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve read most of Shannon McNear’s books, but I think this one is her best. The setting, the characters, and the tension derived from split loyalties during the Civil War lead to a real page-turner. I enjoyed the story, even the secondary characters were well-defined and interesting. I wouldn’t mind knowing how the story of several of them played out in novels to come ..read more

Byway to Danger by Sandra Merville Hart My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a lovely conclusion to the series showcasing a pair of dedicated and compassionate people who risk everything to help end the war and slavery. We first met Meg in book one – so do read this series in order – but she blossoms in book three. Author Hart has presented a unique look at the undercover operations that were going on – on both sides of the Mason/Dixon Line – while the uniformed soldiers fought on the battlefields. She also offers a clear view of what life was like for those not involved in the fighting but living ..read more

Songbird and Other Stories by Jennifer Lamont Leo My rating: 5 of 5 stars A fun collection of 1920s stories that compliment the author’s two novels, You’re the Cream in my Coffee and Ain’t Misbehavin’. If you enjoy the Roarin’ 20s and the age of Downton Abbey – but in America – you’ll enjoy these stories ..read more

The Lucky Thirteen: The Winners of America’s Triple Crown of Horse Racing by Edward L. Bowen My rating: 4 of 5 stars A very readable account of the thirteen exceptional horses who have won all three legs of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. I remember watching Secretariat in 1973, Seattle Slew in 1977, Affirmed in 1978, then surviving the long drought until American Pharoah in 2015, and Justify in 2018. There is a lot of great backstory in these pages and plenty of detail on personalities, pedigrees, and racing forms. Enough for the enthusiast without being so much it muddles the weekend rac ..read more