Blockade Runner

Bonnets and Bugles #5

by Gilbert Morris

A rich Southern boy, an escaped Yankee prisoner, and jealous Jeff Majors are all vying for Leah Carter’s attention. A blockade-running sea captain, a beautiful rebel spy, a gunboat in hot pursuit, and the words of Scripture hitting like a hammer all add to the ongoing story of Jeff and Leah’s tumultuous world during the Civil War.

Blockade Runner is the fifth of a ten book series, that tells the story of two close families find themselves on different sides of the Civil War after the fall of Fort Sumter in April 1861. Thirteen year old Leah becomes a helper in the Union army with her father, who hopes to distribute Bibles to the troops. Fourteen year old Jeff becomes a drummer boy in the Confederate Army and struggles with faith while experiencing personal hardship and tragedy. The series follows Leah, Jeff, family, and friends, as they experience hope and God’s grace through four years of war.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Young Adult, Christian, Fiction, Christian Historical Fiction, Childrens

152 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 1996

About the author

also published under the name Gilbert L. Morris

Gilbert Morris was one of today's best-known Christian novelists. He lived in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his wife, Johnnie. He is the father to Lynn Morris and Alan Morris

Series:
* Adventures of Kerrigan Kids
* American Century
* Appomattox Saga
* Barney Buck
* Bonnets and Bugles
* Cheney Duvall, M.D. (with Lynn Morris)
* Cheney and Shiloh: The Inheritance (with Lynn Morris)
* Chronicles of the Golden Frontier
* The Creole (with Lynn Morris)
* Danielle Ross Mystery
* Daystar Voyages
* Dixie Morris Animal Adventures
* Far Fields (with Robert Funderburk)
* House of Winslow
* Jacques and Cleo: Cat Detectives
* Katy Steele Adventures (with Alan Morris)
* Lady Trent Mystery
* Liberty Bell
* Lions of Judah
* Lone Star Legacy
* Omega (with Lynn Morris and Alan Morris)
* The Price of Liberty (with Robert Funderburk)
* Reno Western Saga
* Seven Sleepers
* Seven Sleepers: The Lost Chronicles
* Singing River
* Spirit of Appalachia (with Aaron McCarver)
* Too Smart Jones
*

Reviews

[Jasmine (Jazzie) [Jesus Loves You!!] · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my favorites in this series. I'm not sure why, but reading about spies, especially ones from the Civil War, has been an interest of mine for years, so meeting Belle Boyd in this book was amazing and I loved it!

There were a few inconsistencies that irked me a little bit... The first one is that the past book or two had Lucy Driscoll as an only child, but at the beginning of this book, it is said the Lucy has an older sister. Secondly, Belle calls Ensign Samual Hardinge John once in one of the last few chapters. And finally, in the first book we find out that Leah Carter is thirteen, her older sister, Sarah, is eighteen, and Jeff's older brother Tom is nineteen. In this book Leah is fourteen going on fifteen, so you'd think that Sarah and Tom are at least a year older, if not a bit more depending on when their birthdays are, right? Wrong, they are the exact same age they were originally, when in fact, they are supposed to be at least nineteen and twenty respectfully.

But no author is perfect. We all make mistakes, and even with them, this book is still wonderful!

[Morgan's Endless Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was nice that the series took time to show this aspect of the war. Leah and Jeff do have a lot of falling-outs for best friends, but I think that's rather realistic based on the circumstances.

I could do without the three love triangles currently going, though. Not counting the other three that aren't really present anymore. But they're teenagers, so stupid things like that are kind of par for the course, I guess.

[Ellie Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Content Rating: 4.6/5
Content Note: There were some undetailed mentions of soldiers not being the gentlemen they should be and making crude remarks toward the young women. Realistic, handled tastefully, slightly out of place for the age range.
Theme Rating: 3.75/5 (There was a theme that came on rather suddenly at the end. There was also a lot less faith content than in previous books.)
Age Rating: 9+(The content note would go over most kids' heads and was very undetailed.)

I honestly didn't enjoy this one quite as much as previous books in the series. It felt very much like the author had a plan for how this was going to go and forced it out, forced it to happen that way, and didn't let much else happen, even when it was naturally inclined to go that way. There was a lot of summary of conversation and stuff that just kinda pulled me out of the story. I enjoyed the very end with Jeff and Leah and some of the storyline with Belle. The morals/who's on what side were kinda gray but that's how it was at that time so that made sense, I guess. I'm mostly invested in this series because I want to see how Jeff and Leah end up and because of nostalgia.😅 This one wasn't great, definitely not the best of the series, but it was interesting to learn a little more about the blockade runners.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great story by Mr. Morris!

[The Third Place A Teen Library]

F MOR bab bk.5

[Rebecca Rash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked! :) Good way for young folks to learn about the Civil War.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another charming adventure in this series! This story was such a great throwback to simpler, safer times, where innocence was cherished and respected.

Content: tobacco