Alison Hart

Where to begin with Alison Hart's "The In-Between Sky"? This book absolutely swept me away, and days later, I am still thinking about it. It is that kind of novel that lingers in your head-a beautiful, powerful exploration of family and history and the human spirit.

What struck me immediately was the breadth of the story. Hart takes us on an extraordinary journey, ranging in scope from the brutal realities of slavery in 1852 Richmond, Virginia, with Eliza and her family's harrowing experience show more being sold south, to the complex and racially charged landscape of 1990s San Francisco. It's quite a ride, but never once did it feel hurried or overwhelming. Hart masterfully weaves these disjointed timelines into a rich and intricate tapestry of ancestors and their descendants.

The early sections dealing with Eliza's escape and the family's struggles to reach Maine are deeply touching. You feel the injustice, the desperation, but also that flicker of hope propelling them forward. It’s heart-breaking to read about the horrors they endured, but it’s also inspiring to witness their resilience and their determination to build a life for themselves.

Then there are the later generations, and the story keeps on unfolding in such depth. The book does frame significant historical junctures, at times painful, like the Civil War and the eugenics movement. It is a sober reminder of all the ongoing struggles for equality and recognition that so many fought. Hart doesn't shy away from the ugliness of racism, but she always situates this within human connection and the search for belonging.

The two modern-day characters, Claude and Ella, are absolutely amazing. Being mixed-race siblings in the 90s, they struggle along with their own identities and how to reconcile some of the echoes from their ancestors. I can almost feel the real relevance in their journeys to find belonging and a place called home in San Francisco. I loved how their sibling bond-their love for one another-became this source of strength as they navigate the complexities of their past and the challenges of present-day. It's a beautiful portrayal of siblinghood, of how family, in its many forms, can be that bedrock of support.

What really struck a chord with me in "The In-Between Sky" is how Hart can create such immense emotion without anywhere near a preachy tone. She tells a powerful story, and the message of resilience, understanding our history, and continuous struggle toward acceptance comes through organically. It's one of those books that really makes you think and feel deeply. Honestly, if you're looking for a novel that's both historically significant and deeply personal, you absolutely have to pick up "The In-Between Sky." It's a story that speaks to the enduring power of family, the weight of history, and the unwavering human capacity to overcome. I was completely captivated from start to finish and can't recommend it enough! So glad I got to experience this incredible read. show less

I loved this book, though parts of it made me sad. War is horrible any way you slice it, and the author really made me feel what was going on in Mercy's head and heart: her fears, her hopes, and her undaunted courage in the line of fire.
Written in first-puppy POV, we follow Darling as she leaves her human family and goes from life in the country to life on the battlefield. We feel her exhilaration at finding a wounded soldier, her intense fear as the ground explodes around her while bullets show more whir overhead, her gut-wrenching desperation and drive to keep digging, to keep searching, for a soldier that, for personal reasons, she simply has to save.
Darling: Mercy Dog of World War I brought tears to my eyes. I don’t know if that’s because I read it on Veteran’s Day or if I’m just overly emotional, but Darling’s story gripped me by the heart and wouldn’t let me go. I just keep thinking about what I read and how it made me feel. I also think of all our modern-day dogs of war and the men and women they protect, sometimes at the cost of life or limb.
Darling’s tale is fictitious, but it’s rooted in the truth. Multiple British families sacrificed their beloved pets to the war; horses, dogs, and pigeons were used to find wounded soldiers, carry messages, and tote supplies—and many lost their lives in the process; they made the ultimate sacrifice playing a vital part in a human war they couldn’t possibly understand. show less

*spoilers*

I think this is my favorite Horse Diaries book so far. Bell's Star is a Morgan horse who learns about hard work on his owner's farm, as he pulls carriages and plows and wagons, helping Papa do field work all day. He cherishes the moments when he can ride free with Katie, the little girl who loves him. One day Katie and Star are at the river and end up rescuing a little girl from drowning. The girl, Eliza, is a runaway slave. Katie promises to help her escape to Canada and be show more reunited with her mother, but she has to hide Eliza from her Papa and the slave catchers who come sniffing around. I love the urgency in this book, as Star leads the slave hunters on a wild chase to distract them while Katie and Eliza run. And then Star takes Eliza, as fast as he can, to Canada. She reunites with her mother, and finally Star sees what freedom really is. He thought that maybe Canada held "freedom" for him as well, but in the end he realizes that he wants to be back with Katie. I love that Katie helped Eliza escape, and I love that Star improvised so quickly to lead the slave catcher's off her trail. I may have cried a bit when Eliza was reunited with her mother. show less

During a two-week stay at Grammy and Granpa's farm in the summer of 1944, Molly spends lots of time with her good friend Anna Schulz, the daughter of German immigrants who live on a neighboring farm. When Aunt Eleanor, now a WASP pilot, stops for a visit while ferrying a warplane from one airbase to another, a security check uncovers anti-American propaganda stashed aboard her plane. The FBI interrogates Eleanor but quickly zeroes in on another suspect--Anna's 17-year-old brother Max, who show more works at the local airfield. Though Anna knows her brother is loyal to America, she fears he'll be sent away to an interment camp as an enemy alien, as other German-American friends have been. Molly and Anna decide that the only way to clear Max is to find the person who is smuggling propaganda. With lots of daring and a little luck, the girls manage to finger the real culprit…but they discover that that may not be enough to save Max. In a poignant ending, Molly realizes that wartime, even on the home front, changes friends and family forever. show less