Book Review: The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller

 

Women ahead of their time, living in a world that doesn't accept them, forging new paths that change the world for future generations of women, is the story you find in Vanessa Miller's The Ladies Hall. 

When Mary Church Terrell and Anna Julia Cooper enter Oberlin College, they soon learn the promise of equality doesn't match reality for Black women on campus. Mary and Anna enter the men’s academic track and immediately face resistance from classmates and faculty who doubt they belong. Joined by the quiet and steady Ida Gibbs Hunt, the three women navigate academic pressure, social hostility, and the unspoken rules of the Ladies Hall, where every interaction tests their resolve. Their shared fight for dignity and opportunity transforms them from isolated students into a united force, proving that progress is built through courage, intellect, and sisterhood.

What an amazing story. Vanessa Miller’s The Ladies Hall is a compelling blend of history and heart, offering readers an intimate look at three Black women determined to claim their place in higher education during the 1880s. Miller’s storytelling shines in the way she balances fact with emotional depth, giving Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, and Ida Gibbs Hunt distinct voices that are authentic and deeply human.

The novel’s greatest strength is its portrayal of sisterhood. Through moments of quiet support, shared frustration, and hard‑won triumph, Miller shows how these women shaped one another as much as they shaped history against the vivid backdrop of Oberlin College and the Ladies Hall. Their progress is constantly tested, making every victory resonate. 

For lovers of character‑driven historical fiction, you will find a touching story of three women who come together against odds they refuse to let defeat them. The Ladies Hall is an inspiring novel that is rich in history. It’s the kind of story that you won't be able to put down and won't stop thinking about even after you've turned the last page. 

• Publisher: ‎ Thomas Nelson
• Publication date: ‎ August 11, 2026
• Language: ‎ English
• Print length: ‎ 384 pages
• ISBN-10: ‎ 1400351103
• ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1400351107

I downloaded a copy of this novel from NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions, and I have not been compensated in any way.

Book Review: The Ledger by Steven Manchester

 

Steven Manchester is back with another heart-wrenching novel, this one set in a penitentiary in the mid-1990s. The Ledger, a companion to his novel The Menu, follows three different points of view from within the penitentiary in a story about forgiveness, grace, and redemption. Drawing on his years working as a Corrections Officer and prison investigator, Manchester weaves a tale that he says is the "most reality-based fiction I have ever penned." 

In The Ledger, the lives of inmate Roy Dagnault, prison guard Yanchuk, and Sergeant Jim Medeiros intersect within the walls of a medium-security prison, where bad choices, tough times, and danger swirl around them. Medeiros knows Yanchuk is trouble as much as he knows Dagnault deserves to be there. Meanwhile, Jim's mental health is suffering, as are his relationships with Kay and his daughter Heather. Can God be found in such a dark place? 

If you are looking for a quick, light read, don't pick up Manchester's books. All of his books that I have read unfold slowly and methodically, giving the reader time to think about their messages and process their emotions right alongside the characters. Known as an author of powerfully written Christian stories, he digs into his prior work experience for The Ledger, allowing him to draft an edgy novel that feels too real, which also makes the ending so superb. While I felt the ending was rushed when compared to the rest of the story, getting to that point was rewarding.

If you like gritty Christian novels, then The Ledger is the right book for you.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GYX8M1FN
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Luna Bella Media, Incorporated
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 26, 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 390 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8999472021

I received a digital copy from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - Mar 16

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. 

Happy Monday! Hope you had a nice weekend. We are expecting a wet and windy day, but at least we aren't in Wisconsin. Some areas had 20 inches of snow by midday on Sunday. I hope everyone there remains safe. 

My real estate schedule is filling up, and this weekend I worked most of Sunday. I had a speaking engagement on Thursday, which went well, and had a few appointments and showings. This coming week shows more red dots on my calendar, indicating things to do.

Here are a few photos from last week:

Dwight and Travis enjoyed the two sunny and warm days we had 

Bought myself some overalls

Vegetarian stir-fry during our Lenten fast

I finished listening to 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life by Dick Van Dyke. Look for my review soon. 

I listened to Hazel Gaynor's Before Dorothy last week, and it is getting interesting. 

I finished Dream Facades: The Cruel Architecture of Reality TV by Jack Balderrama Morley. Look for my review coming soon. 

I started Agatha Christie, She Watched by Teresa Peschel, for an April review. 

I also started Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst, which is for an April review. 

Photo credit: Freepik

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

I received a digital copy of The Ledger by Steven Manchester for review, which is a follow-up to The Menu, which I mentioned here. 

Upcoming Events

Women's Freedom: The Dawn of Possibilities by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein - Mar (Review)

Agatha Christie, She Watched by Teresa Peschel - Apr 15 (Review)

Murder, Local Style by Leslie Karst - Apr 20 (Review)

Scrap: Salvaging a Family by Luanne Castle - May 21 (Review)

The Ledger by Steven Manchester - May (Review)

Staged by Cailtin Rother - June (Review)

Christmas Year Round

Christmas Year Round's blog has two new posts since last week:

"Journey Through Christmases Past - Christmas 1918" here, and "Journey Through Christmases Past - Christmas 2001" here. Next week's post will be lighter. 

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Nothing new. 

Laura's Little Houses

Nothing new.

I have appointments this morning, so I look forward to visiting you in the afternoon. Enjoy your day!

Book Review: Chapters and Second Chances by Evelyn Grace Berry

 

Sweet romance abounds in this short story collection by Evelyn Grace Berry. Chapters and Second Chances is filled with touching, heartfelt romantic stories that make you sigh, chuckle, and feel so good about life and love. Moments of chance meetings, second chances, and faith blend to create beautifully-told stories with happy endings.  

Everything about this short story collection is delightful. The whimsical cover, the creative font for title and chapter headings, the artwork signifying scene or story breaks, the charming settings, and the flawed yet likable characters make for a collection that draws you in from the first story to the last, leaving you feeling happy for the characters and their newfound love. Told in bite-sized chunks, these stories are perfect for those moments when you need a quick pick-me-up, but can also be read one after the other. 

Chapters and Second Chances by Evelyn Grace Berry will have you celebrating how wonderful and uplifting love can be!

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0FZS93MQR
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Three Strands Publishing, LLC
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 4, 2025
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 302 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8993751016
• 
  

I won a paperback copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - Feb 23

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. 

Happy snowy Monday! Well, at least it is here anyway. Our latest weather event of winter 2025-2026 arrived last night. We are anticipating anywhere between 8 and 14 inches before it ends on Tuesday morning. Blizzard conditions with high winds and low visibility are expected. Thankfully, I rescheduled my appointment for today, and I expect our Tuesday office meeting will be canceled. Not quite sure where we will put all this new white stuff. We were just beginning to see over the mounds of snow to safely pull out of side streets. Please pray for all those who might lose power and those who still have to work in such a storm. 

Last week was a good one, with a decent balance of work and real life. However, I didn't get any writing done. Though I am looking over the thirteen pages of story ideas I've amassed over the last decade. My oldest sister and I spent Sunday together and took in some local theater. And exciting news: my nephew and his wife welcomed twins! 

Here are a few photos from the week:

In preparation for the Great Lenten fast, which starts today, I made Lagana, a Greek flatbread

My sister and I had breakfast at Reid's Corner on Sunday morning

I bought this colorful tunic top from The Scented Garden Gift Shoppe, 

which is my favorite local place to shop

My niece Bella delivered my Girl Scout cookie order 

I finished Creepy Kid by Caleb Roehrig. I loved everything about this book! Look for my review soon at my kid's book blog. 

I still need to write my review of Chapters and Second Chances by Evelyn Grace Berry. 

Also need to write my review of I Heard the Bells. 

I kept Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor on my virtual bookshelf. Instead, I continued listening to 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life by Dick Van Dyke. It's such a great book!

I started Dream Facades: The Cruel Architecture of Reality TV by Jack Balderrama Morley. 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

This first book is by a local lender I know. I grabbed Get Moving! by Angela Tourville and Michael K. Tourville with my Amazon digital credits. 

The rest of these were free as a newsletter subscriber. 

A Surprise Harvest Bride by Wendy Klopfenstein

The Marshal's Surrender by Wendy Galinetti

Honor's Mountain Promise by Misty M. Beller

Leaving Waverly by Sra R. Turnquist

Upcoming Events

I Heard the Bells by Darlene L. Turner et al - February (Review)

Chapters and Second Chances by Evelyn Grace Berry - February (Review)

Hook, Line, and Murder by GG Calpo - Mar 2 (Interview)

Agatha Christie, She Watched by Teresa Peschel - Apr 15 (Review)

Christmas Year Round

Christmas Year Round's latest "Journey through Christmases Past" travels back to Christmas 1955. You can read my post here.

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

Nothing new at my kid's book blog. My review of Creepy Kid and another book should be posted soon. 

Laura's Little Houses

Nothing new at Laura's Little Houses, but I plan to work on my Albert Quinn Ingalls profile today. 

I'm hoping to schedule reviews today, since I doubt I will have as much work as usual. The end of the week will be busier. Looking forward to visiting your blogs!

Release Day: I Heard the Bells by Sara Davidson Et al.

 

Four authors, four Christmas novellas of peace, joy, love (and red pickup trucks)

A Christmas Wedding to Die For by Darlene L. Turner

’Tis the season for deadly secrets.
Photographer Adelaide Fox thought she had the perfect assignment—capturing the winning shot at a high-profile Yukon wedding. But when the bride vanishes and a guest is found dead, holiday cheer turns to mystery. As a blizzard approaches, Adelaide teams up with the bride’s rugged brother, tracker Declan Stone. With danger closing in, suspicious guests, and threatening messages, Adelaide must unravel the truth—and maybe open her heart—to find peace on earth this Christmas.

Season of Forever by Helena Smrcek

Past meets present. Two hearts, WWII secrets, and a Christmas of second chances.
Past and present entwine in a story of love, loss, and second chances. In the shadows of WWII, a fragile romance is tested by sacrifice and distance. Decades later, in St. Jacobs, Ontario, Faith helps at her grandmother’s sweater shop, while next door Joseph acquires a charred WWII Bible marked with a red ribbon. Despite their rocky first encounter, will Faith and Joseph give their budding relationship a chance—and uncover the hidden story within the Bible’s pages?

Falling for You by Melanie Stevenson

A broken engagement, a broken rib, and a broken heart.
Author Laurel Bennett hadn’t planned to spend Christmas this way. Her escape to Banff was meant to avoid her ex-fiancé’s wedding, not land her in recovery at the Banff Springs Hotel. But when she crosses paths with Dr. Ethan Pine—the charming stranger who saved her on the slopes—everything changes. A whirlwind of magical days sparks undeniable chemistry, and they must decide if love can bridge both the distance and the wounds that threaten to keep them apart.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter by Sara Davison

He thought he knew exactly what he wanted.
Jack Miller is determined to make it big in the Big Apple. So why does he keep getting dragged back to the place—and the woman—he’s trying to leave behind? Playing the lead in his tiny Nova Scotian town’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life gives Jack a glimpse into the life that could have been his. Good thing it’s not the one he wants, since it’s clearly too late for him to get it back.

Purchase here!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Mailbox Monday - May 26

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are, and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

Photo credit: freepik.com

Welcome back to Monday! I am grateful you stopped by. In the States, we are honoring and remembering those lost in service to our country. Originally called Decoration Day, the first remembrance took place in 1868 to honor and remember those lost during the Civil War. It became known as Memorial Day in 1971. You can read some Memorial Day facts here.

Life has been incredibly busy, which is expected this time of year. The Lil' Diva's wedding is quickly approaching. I visited the Lil' Princess at the beginning of last week. And I am in the middle of continuing education for three states, one of which needs to be done before the end of this month. 

Here are some photos from the last couple of weeks:

The Lil' Princess and I sitting in the lifeguard's shack

Sunrise on Wrightsville Beach

Stony Hill Landscaping updated our front gardens

 Walk through the woods this weekend

My cousins celebrated their 50th anniversary this weekend, so they were looking at family photos. This is me (front with the short hair) with my two older sisters and our uncle. 

Not a ton of reading going on, but I did review this one at The Children's and Teen's Book Connection. 

I've been listening to this one while driving back and forth from appointments. 

Started this one on Saturday. 

These are next. 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

I grabbed these earlier in the month at the library book sale.

Upcoming Events

• Cayman Conundrum by Stacy Wilder - June 11 (First Chapter Review)
• Freedom Drop & Calypso Blue by Brian Silverman - June 18 (Showcase)
• Freedom Drop by Brian Silverman - June 21 (First Chapter Review)
• Calypso Blue by Brian Silverman - June 22 (First Chapter Review)
• Soul Stirrings by Anita Hackley Lambert - June 25 (Book Spotlight)
• To Murder a Marquis by Arabella Sheraton - June 27 - (Review)

Christmas Year Round has two new posts:

• Three Things to Do in May to Prepare for Next Christmas
• Christmas ... in the News

My review of My Grandma and Grandpa Rock! appears at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. You can read it here.  

Check out my latest post at  Laura's Little Houses - Is It Time to Stop Saying Michael Landon Strayed Too Far from the Books? This is my summary after comparing the books to the television series. Read it here.

That's it for me today. Looking forward to visiting you and seeing what you're reading.