Survival Secrets by Lana Christian Review and Giveaway

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Survival Secrets by Lana Christian, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Survival Secrets
Series: The Magi’s Encounters #2
Author: Lana Christian
Publisher: Scrivenings Press
Release Date: September 23, 2025
Genre: Biblical Fiction

On the run from Herod and the Nabataeans, Akilah makes a desperate decision to venture into the unforgiving Wilderness of Paran. To reach Egypt’s safety, his caravan must survive the elements while maintaining their anonymity and protecting the secrets they harbor. Their knowledge of Yeshua is one of many secrets that jeopardize their lives. When calamity tears one Wise Man away from the others, the group’s resolve and newfound faith start to crumble. Farther from their goal of returning to Persia than ever before, they encounter Yeshua’s family again. Its ramifications raise the stakes for their cost of belief in the Hebrew God.

Two thousand miles away, Akilah’s estranged cousin, Farzaneh, wrestles with the same as she tries to uncover secrets her husband took to the grave when he embraced the Hebrew faith. As life shifts radically for everyone, each person must risk trusting an unfathomable, sovereign God.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

More in This Series

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About the Author

Lana Christian is an award-winning author in business and creative writing. Since 2021, she has won a dozen awards for her biblical fiction and nonfiction. Her debut biblical fiction novel, “New Star,” has garnered six awards to date. She was a 2025 Selah Awards finalist in the Devotions Online category and also won an award from Baker Publishing Group for her short story about Lot. Lana is a science and history geek who loves hiking, secret staircases, and masala chai tea. Her greatest desire is that her stories will immerse readers in another place and time they may know little about but come away with an experience that exceeds their expectations.

Connect with Lana by visiting lanachristian.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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My Impressions

“…he could never repay her in full… He couldn’t put a price tag on finding Yeshua.” (Akilah)

Survival Secrets by Lana Christian taught me much about the ancient world at the time of Christ’s birth. I was amazed at all the culture and history of so many nations that Christian’s knows and sews together to make one tapestry of the wisemen’s journey to find Jesus, and in this book, actually their return journey to their homeland. I was thankful for the summary of the previous book at the beginning, as well as the character list with pronunciations. And the maps! I only wish the one hadn’t been at the end of the book! I referred to the maps often as I moved through the book. 

Danger, intrigue, and secrets are a common thread throughout the book. However, so many characters seem to vie for space that I had a difficult time connecting well with any of them. I would have preferred to see perhaps only the wisemen highlighted along with Akilah’s cousin with the others more in the background. 

I did enjoy seeing the faith journey of both Akilah and Farzaneh. It was exciting to see Akilah pray, early in the journey, in wonder that he is approaching the Hebrews’ God, and later, in full faith. “I don’t know His purposes for us, but no matter how dark the night gets, we must never forget to look up—and look to Him.”

Forgiveness is another topic that several of the characters are beginning to grapple with, especially in the Light of their belief in the One true God and His ways. 

Survival Secrets is a book I will say I am glad to have read. I can appreciate much about it, but it was not a simple read. I also want to admit not every book is for every reader, and I see that many are truly enjoying this work. With the novel’s ending, I just may have to read book three to find out what happens in the characters’ lives!

I received a copy of the book from JustRead Tours. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. 

Notable Quotables: 

“Knowing about the child isn’t as important as what we do with what we know”– Tallis

“God of the Hebrews, deliver us out of this hardship or show me a way through it. I’m not wise enough to choose the right way all the time. No one is.” – Akilah 

“The Hebrews’ God is concerned more about relationship than ritual. At least, that’s how He intends it to be. Not everyone practices that.” -Tallis

My Rating

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card + Plum Deluxe tea sampler*

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card

*tea sampler will include a packet of each of the following Plum Deluxe teas:

No Obligations Decaf (a hazelnut almond black tea and author’s fave)
Comfort Blend Cinnamon Orange black tea (caffeine)
Magical Butterfly Herbal tea (butterfly pea flower + berries)
(a close substitution may be made if one kind of tea is not available)

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 29, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 3, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!