Classic Faves
To Kill a Mockingbird
Cry, the Beloved Country
A Tale of Two Cities
Les Miserables
The Hobbit and all things Tolkien
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
Contemporary Christian Fiction
The Sentinels of Andersonville, by Tracy Groot
Near the end of the Civil War, inhumane conditions at Andersonville Prison caused the deaths of 13,000 Union soldiers in only one year. In this gripping and affecting novel, three young Confederates and an entire town come face-to-face with the prison’s atrocities and will learn the cost of compassion, when withheld and when given.
Shelly’s Scoop: Okay, I admit that Tracy is a good friend, but she’s also a Christy-Award winner for her historical fiction book Madman and one of the finest historical fiction writers in the industry. Her commitment to research shows in her writing. My husband Dan barely spoke a word to me for three days while he devoured The Sentinels of Andersonville.
Insider Tidbit: I got to vote on the final cover design as Tracy was weighing in on several designs from her publisher.
If you know anyone who enjoys military history, this book is a must-read.
I
nto the Free, by New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Julie Cantrell
In Depression-era Mississippi, Millie Reynolds longs to escape the madness that marks her world. With an abusive father and a “nothing mama,” she struggles to find a place where she really belongs.
For answers, Millie turns to the Gypsies who caravan through town each spring. The travelers lead Millie to a key that unlocks generations of shocking family secrets. When tragedy strikes, the mysterious contents of the box give Millie the tools she needs to break her family’s longstanding cycle of madness and abuse.
Through it all, Millie experiences the thrill of first love while fighting to trust the God she believes has abandoned her. With the power of forgiveness, can Millie finally make her way into the free?
Shelly’s Scoop: This book is a powerful resource for women who have experienced trauma and abuse. Julie Cantrell brings Millie to life for readers and paints powerful pictures that unlock the stories inside all of us. This novel is PTSDPerspectives’ most frequently recommended fiction resource for women to help them process their trauma.
Insider Tidbit: My co-writer Wanda Sanchez and I were blessed to spend a day with Julie at her family farm in Oxford,, MS, last year, hanging out and chatting through a sweet afternoon together. Julie made killer scones and other goodies, and we’re counting the days before we can find our way back to Oxford and the welcome of Julie’s friendship.
Be sure to check back, as more books are added!!
Sandscribblings 