Joanna’s wealthy family aspires to Herod’s inner circle, but when her father’s esteemed position in the Sepphoris Sanhedrin is threatened, her family harbors a dark secret. Entangled in the complexities of aristocratic life and an impending arranged marriage, Joanna is caught between her own desires and maintaining appearances. When tragedy strikes, Joanna grapples with a new future that challenges her sense of duty and hope for love.
Years later, Joanna is forever changed when a rabbi comes preaching a new kingdom and healing the sick. As she contributes to his ministry, Joanna treads a perilous path between a court that mocks Jesus of Nazareth, disciples who view her with suspicion, and a husband who guards his own secrets. With pressure increasing on all sides, Joanna must decide where her allegiances lie and protect her relationship to the Christ, whose message is as compelling as it is dangerous.
About the Author
Heather Kaufman lives in the Midwest with her husband and three children. She holds a BA from McKendree University and an MA from the University of Missouri—St. Louis. When not reading or writing, she can be found drinking copious amounts of coffee and exploring new parks with her family.
My Impressions
“I have to believe,” came her simple reply. “In order to live, I have to believe that He is present and that He cares.”– Dalia
What a Biblical fiction adventure this book is! Before the King: Joanna’s Story by Heather Kaufman brings us into an influential Jewish family’s life during the time of Herod Antipas and Jesus. ( Having read Kaufman’s debut Biblical novel, Up from Dust: Martha’s story, I knew I wanted to read Kaufman’s second novel, too!)
“I am an ordinary woman whom God chose to put in extraordinary places. Any strength to be found in my story is His alone. I only did what I could with what I had, and this, I now know, is how His Kingdom advances. Each of us doing what we can with what we have by His power. So no, I am not brave. I am needy—desperate for Adonai to meet me with His strength. My story is how He did just that.”– Prologues can be wealths of information, tone, and general direction setting of the novel. Kaufman’s prologues are not to be missed!
Though the story is told in first-person by Joanna, I find Joanna’s sister Dalia very central to the novel. Dalia has a serious illness, and the family decides to hide that fact in order to prosper in Herod’s court. Joanna rises to prominence and hopes for an advantageous love-match, yet her sister is never far from her mind. How can one sister have nothing and yet be happy, while the other has the world at her fingertips, and is still searching for that elusive feeling?
I love this novel because it shows how Jesus can reach down and touch any life, transforming even one that seems hopeless. It also shows, as does Kaufman’s debut novel, how Jesus cares about women’s needs for love, significance, and security: needs that were totally ignored and trampled in that society.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own copy for the keeper shelf . No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“You are frightened to accept God’s abundance, as was I once. You say His mercy is what drew you to Him, and yet you push that mercy back in His face.”
“Then we would be in God’s hands—…“An infinite God who promises His presence is worth trusting.”
“You must release them from whatever untruths they knowingly or unknowingly harbored. You must do this for yourself.”
“What do we do when God doesn’t give us what we want?”“Well . . .” Dalia had scrunched up her nose in thought. “I suppose we trust Him to give us what we need instead.” “But what if He doesn’t answer us at all?” “Oh, He does, Jojo. You just may not hear it because it’s not what you expected.”
“I am learning that sometimes God gives us things we cannot understand in order to shake us apart. To undo things we believe that we shouldn’t. To make room for the things we must believe.”– Joanna’s father
“God is as near as our own breath.”
“What others think of me has no bearing on who I am…What people think changes all the time. What is true never changes.” -Dalia
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Truly Magnificent!! We all have some of Joanna in us- searching for love, significance, and security that only Jesus can fulfill!
An ominous butterfly house. A sinister legacy. An untraceable killer.
In 1921, Marian Arnold, the heiress to a brewing baron’s empire, seeks solace in the glass butterfly house on her family’s Wisconsin estate as Prohibition and the deaths of her parents cast a long shadow over her shrinking world. When Marian’s sanctuary is invaded by nightmarish visions, she grapples with the line between hallucinations of things to come and malevolent forces at play in the present. With dead butterflies as the killer’s ominous signature, murders unfold at a steady pace. Marian, fearful she might be next, enlists the help of her childhood friend Felix, a war veteran with his own haunted past.
In the present day, researcher Remy Shaw becomes entangled in an elderly biographer’s quest to uncover the truth behind Marian Arnold’s mysterious life and the unsolved murders linked to an infamous serial killer. Joined by Marian’s great-great-grandson, can Remy expose the evil that lurks beneath broken wings? Or will the dark legacy surrounding the manor and its glass house destroy yet another generation?
“Wright is in a class by herself.”–Library Journal
About the Author
Jaime Jo Wright, multi award-winning author–including the Christy and Daphne du Maurier awards–is a coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire. She has entwined her life with the legendary Captain Hook, residing serenely in Wisconsin’s rural woodlands. Her literary vocation involves penning chilling Gothic tales, a baffling change from that of Austenites, with a strong preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe. Two mischievous urchins adorn their family, who keep their mother on her toes – providing an exhilarating amount chaos.
“It is all right to be afraid…“It’s what we do with that fear that’s important. What we allow it to shape us into.”
Specters in the Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright carries some heavier themes than some of her other books. In this dual timeline, Marian Arnold, a brewery heiress whose family lost everything due to Prohibition,is determined to discover the secrets behind her mysterious mother’s death. In the present day, Remy Crenshaw is a research assistant to famous author Elton Floyd, and they are housed in the summer home that formerly belonged to Marion Arnold and her mother before her.
Ghosts, alcohol, hearing voices, murders and near murders, beautiful butterflies used for nefarious purposes, a resurgence of the Butterfly Butcher years after he went quiet, lends to a great spooky atmosphere. An undertone of need is created in some of the characters as we see abject fear, a need for acceptance unfulfilled, a foster child who is seen in only a stereo-typical, negative way.
Fortunately, Wright also includes Hope in her stories. When Remy asks if her faith is just blindly acceptance, Abigail replies, “Not blind. No. Just belief. Belief in the evidence God has given us of His existence. Belief in the personal experiences I’ve already had—the blessings. Belief that, in the end, He will make all things good.”
I found it quite interesting in reading the prologue and author’s notes that the author mentions the Frederick Meijer Gardens butterfly house in Grand Rapids. Having been there, the picture o the front of the book took me there immediately. It is interesting how Jamie Jo Wright can take something so beautiful ( a butterfly house) and use it as a thing of evil and fear. But isn’t that exactly what the enemy does so often in our lives? Things that should be beautiful turn into things that destroy us.
I don’t think I’ve ever been caught off guard by Wright’s sense of humor before. I just don’t remember it poking its head up at crazy, desperate times. Just a pinch, like salt in a cookie recipe. Enough to off-set the heavy Gothic vibes. With the amount of heebie- jeebies that Wright’s words can produce, the humor is a welcome mini-reprieve before the next big scare.
I am still mulling over the issues some of the characters present. These issues keep them from being accepted in society in the historical story, yet I have to wonder how much more acceptance and understanding is typically offered in today’s society.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. I also bought my own copy for the keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Ambrose tapped Remy’s shoulder just over her heart. “And there’s a lot of good in there. I think it’s been protected. I think God has something bigger for you in mind.” Remy looked down at her hands in her lap. “I don’t know how to find it.” Ambrose was quiet for a moment, and then she answered, “He finds you, Remy. In the chaos, He finds you.””
“You’re richer for the pain, for the fear. In its twisted agony, God makes it so that life becomes deeper, more meaningful, and you can look into your future and hear the voices of the generations to come and ask yourself, What will I leave behind for them? Fear?… Or faith?” Felix took a sip of his water, then breathed deeply. “I chose faith—even though I’m still very much afraid most days.”
“Sometimes coffee really was all a person had to make the bad feel a little bit better.”
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction (Victorian Gothic Romance)
The shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined. . . .
In 1888 Victorian England, Ami Dalton navigates a clandestine dual life. By day, she strives to establish herself as a respected Egyptologist, overcoming the gender biases that permeate academia. But with a heart for saving black-market artifacts from falling into the wrong hands, she is most often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.
After eight years in India, Oxford’s most eligible bachelor, Edmund Price, has come out of the shadows to run for Parliament and is in search of an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. Expecting a renowned Oxford professor, Edmund instead finds himself entangled with Ami, the professor’s determined daughter. As they delve into the treasures, their connection deepens, but trouble emerges when a golden griffin–rumored to bear the curse of Amentuk–surfaces, and they’re left to wonder if the curse really is at play, or if something more nefarious is hiding among the shadows. . . .
“Don’t miss all the romance, adventure, and danger in [this] new page-turner.”–JULIE KLASSEN, bestselling author of Shadows of Swanford Abbey
About the Author
I hear voices. Loud. Incessant. And very real. Which basically gives me two options: choke back massive amounts of Prozac or write fiction. I’ve been writing since I discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. I seek to glorify God in all that I write–except for that graffiti phase I went through as teenager.
My Impressions
“Perhaps-just maybe- all her striving to prove her intelligence and credibility didn’t matter a whit to God…perhaps her worth was in who she was, who God made her to be, instead of being measured by what she achieved. Dare she believe that?”
The name Michelle Griep is synonymous in my book with “must buy.” Her latest, Of Gold and Shadows, is a great representation of her finest work. Griep combines a female Egyptologist who wants for recognition in the field, a rich young man with a strong moral compass but a misguided way of helping the needy, and treasures, one cursed, that literally seem up for grabs.
Ami Dalton is the young Egyptologist who has two goals: gain recognition in her field and make her archaeologist father proud of her. Cataloguing and valuing handsome, young Edmund Price’s Egyptian relics is a great job that should lead her a step closer to her goals.
Edmund has recently returned from India and has a heart for the people there, wishing to help them by acquiring a Parliament seat so he can be influential in laws governing taxes on India. We quickly get the idea that Edmund is a fish swimming upstream, as we see others of influence in England only wanting to benefit from India and its people. But, as noble and faith-based as his caring ideas are, will the ends justify the means?
I loved the twist revealed at the end! I could not figure out why a certain character behaved as he did! I also loved how Edmund and Ami took turns building each other up, using their faith. But will they allow God to ultimately guide their future, or will they each continue down their pre-determined paths?
Michelle Griep always delivers a compelling story, a swoony romance, and truth nuggets carefully placed for maximum effect. Her ability to create the atmosphere by use of language ( expressions like “bosh,” “ codswallop,”and “stars and lightning”) and lyrical prose is so expressive. Sometimes I would have to stop reading, reread a sentence, and just savor the beauty of it!
I highly recommend this book for any historical romance fans!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through NetGalley, but I also purchased my own copy for the keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“God’s will shall not be thwarted. He always makes as way.”
“Bottling up bad memories is a recipe for broken glass.”
“…his vulnerabilities were not s sign of weakness but were in fact opportunities for God’s love to be made perfect.”
“A good journalist could make a pile of manure into a bag of diamonds. A bad one, turn a saint into a sinner.”
“That’s the thing about fathers. They tend to have a way to make us feel like needy, negligible, little children-save for our Heavenly Father, that is…We are never insignificant in His eyes.”– Ami
An Appalachian Girl Seeks a Place to Belong Return to the mountains of 1910s Appalachia with beloved author Pepper Basham to discover Kizzie McAdams’s story.
Kizzie McAdams spent her childhood longing to see beyond the mountains of home, but when her job as a servant in a landowner’s house results in an unplanned pregnancy, her world tips into uncertainty and heartbreak. Disowned by her father, she seeks comfort in the arms of the man who promises to take care of her, but his support is conditional and inconsistent. She finds acceptance in the home of a nearby family who not only offer Kizzie friendship but point her to a deeper understanding of God’s love.
Despite her change of heart, her status as a social outcast brings with it continued threats and alienation so she flees her past in hopes of starting over in a nearby town. But her new world carries many of the same prejudices as the old. It also brings the unexpected friendship of businessman Noah Lewis, a man who lives with the same desire as Kizzie for helping the marginalized.
Unfortunately, Kizzie and Noah’s attempts to help those in need pit them against Noah’s elder brother, a powerful mill owner who holds control of the family finances. Is Kizzie and Noah’s growing romance strong enough to battle family power, social expectations, and Kizzie’s past to capture their happy ending? And when Kizzie’s first love returns to claim her, which future will she choose?
Pepper Bashamis an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.
More from Pepper
It’s pretty easy to overlook wildflowers.
I mean, until they show off all their pretty colors, especially in the middle of a barren place, then they’re noticed and usually appreciated but did you know there’s a lot more to wildflowers that…meets the eye?
Apart from providing food and shelter for smaller animals and/or insects or assisting bees in pollination, wildflowers can be used as an ingredient for healing remedies and contribute to soil health and reduce erosion.
Especially in places where other plants aren’t likely to grow. They’re known as “hardy” because they can survive all sorts of weather conditions, extreme temperature, animal damage, even drought.
So why am I talking about wildflowers??
Because, in lots of ways, wildflowers are a great example of what hope looks like.
Hope nourishes. Romans 15: 14 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” When we recall and reflect on what the Bible says about who we are in Christ, our hearts are encouraged and given the spiritual energy they need to remind ourselves of truth in the middle of hard times and wilderness-living.
Hope spreads – Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” A heart filled with the knowledge of the love of God is a heart filled and “overflowing” with hope…and that hope is contagious. When we know whose we are and what our future looks like because of the One who loves us, we live in joy…even when the storms come.
Hope restores and heals: “Isaiah 40:31 reads, “For those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Hope protects – Psalm 62:5-6 “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” Life is hard. Sometimes, bone-achingly, soul-shakingly hard. If we’re reliant on our own ability to protect our faith or mind or soul, we will fail. We’re not strong enough and neither is any of our human defenses, but God is amply able to protect us from the storms, trials, and droughts that mean to wither our hope. HE is the hero of our heart’s story and he is armed to overcome so we can trust Him with our hope and our futures.
And hope grows in the hard places. Hope does not consist of weak or wishful thinking, it grows out of nutrients squeezed from the soil it has. Hard-won, many times. Romans 5:3-4 “ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” A life with Christ doesn’t mean that pain is taken away, but there is a promise and purpose in the pain. The promise that God is with us and a purpose that He is making us more like Him.
Hope Like Wildflowers tells the story of hope, but the main character, Kizzie, isn’t relying on her own abilities to keep her hope strong. Oh no! She learned to trust in the only One who is strong enough to BE her hope. He nourishes her heart when her life has turned upside down and she’s been forsaken. He restores and heals her when she’s been broken and cast out. He protects her from dangerous men who try to hurt her, but also he protects her heart from choosing the wrong path. And through the hard places of life, Kizzie’s hope overflows in joy to touch the lives of those around her.
And it’s beautiful and unexpected.
Like wildflowers.
How has God helped bring hope to your life? What trials has His hope helped you through?
My Impressions
“Somehow, even in the middle of broken dreams, God touches the raw, painful remnants with a teensy bit of stardust.”
Pepper Basham invites us back to the 1910s in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where people are still divided by their socio-economic and racial status. This book, Hope Like Wildflowers, is so well-titled! As Basham explains, wildflowers will fight their way up through mountain rock and other areas that one would think impossible soil. Yet, beauty springs out of surprising hardship. It is leaning into the Rock that is bigger and stronger than ourselves that gives strength to endure and overcome. We cannot do it on our own, as Nella encourages Kizzie. “Life is hard, Kizzie. You can look for easy in all kinds of places, but more likely than not, that easy turns to its own kind of hard. The real test is what you do when the hard comes. There’s bound to be more times in life than not that the hard gets too big for your own shoulders. That’s why you need someone bigger, stronger, wiser.”
What a journey you will go on with young Kizzie McAdams. We first see a bedraggled, rejected, pregnant, poor, mountain girl struggling to survive. But as Kizzie begins to spend time with her friends John and Nella, she begins to see there is a different road to life available, if she chooses. One that she will not have to walk alone. At first, it seems Kizzie will get trampled and tossed aside by those who are bigger and stronger. Every decision she makes will have you yearning with her as you see her difficult choices.
Fortunately, Faith is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. As Kizzie makes decisions and moves to leave her old life behind, life actually gets harder in many ways. Will she return to her old ways, to the promised security, or will she continue to step out in faith and love?
Ms. Basham pens her novel with beautiful descriptions of the Appalachians, slices of local color, and great relatable characters with tough choices. While part of a series, this book can stand alone. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Catherine Marshall’s Christy.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own copy for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“It’s difficult to smile when your focus is on things that rarely lead to joy.”
“Sometimes the very best folks rise out of a second chance because they know what they’ve been forgiven of.”
“My mama says that our true self rises to the top when we’re mad or when no one’s looking.”-Kizzie
“The Lord don’t want nothing to do with the likes of me, Nella.” “Well, that just goes to show how little you know about the Lord. The broken kind’s who He’s been after from the start.”
“True compassion cared with a steel spine.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent! What a poignant time to read Hope Like Wildflowers- when Appalachia must again wade through a very difficult time, but is buoyed by the strength and resilience of its people and their hope for the future!
Book: A Hope Unburied (Treasures of the Earth Book Three)
Author: Kimberley Woodhouse
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: September 24, 2024
Beyond the perilous landscape lies a love that defies extinction. . . .
In the bustling world of paleontology in 1916, Eliza Mills defies societal expectations to pursue her passion. Having published her early groundbreaking papers under a false name, she has finally earned her place at the Carnegie Museum and seizes the opportunity to work at Dinosaur National Monument with a renowned paleontologist. But things in Jensen, Utah, aren’t what they appear. When Eliza gets the chance to dig up bones at a ranch with a dark history, it sparks a chain of events that will rock the very fabric of her carefully constructed world.
Devin Schmitt, Eliza’s closest friend since childhood, harbors unspoken feelings for her but knows he will never be able to win her heart. Just as he vows to give her up for good, Eliza begs him to visit her in Utah for another grand adventure. He reluctantly agrees, and within a few days of his arrival, he and Eliza find themselves entangled in a web of danger where the stakes are much higher than they ever anticipated. Together, Devin and Eliza must hold on to God as their hope as they navigate a treacherous terrain of betrayal to unbury the truth and save Eliza from those who wish to see her fail.
Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than forty fiction and nonfiction books. Kim and her incredible husband of thirty-plus years live in Colorado, where they play golf together, spend time with their kids and grandkids, and research all the history around them.
More from Kimberley
A couple of years ago, I asked readers on my Facebook page what they were interested in reading in Christian fiction. When one reader and friend suggested I write about the Bone Wars, I was intrigued and instantly excited. I had no idea how much of a blessing writing the Treasures of the Earth series would be.
I traveled all over western Colorado, eastern Utah and southern Wyoming, looking at the incredible displays of bones of magnificent creatures of our past. Stopping at every tiny museum along the way, and even driving miles and miles into the middle of nowhere to find just the right setting for The Secrets Beneath. But it was going to Dinosaur National Monument in Jensen, Utah that truly helped these three books come to life.
The monument was established in October 1915 by President Woodrow Wilson. The 80 acres encompassed the Carnegie Quarry, where paleontologist Earl Douglass was digging, trying to find intact dinosaur skeletons to send back to Carnegie’s museum in Pittsburgh. Eventually, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expanded the park to encompass more than 200,000 acres.
But this monument wouldn’t exist without the determination of one man: Earl Douglass. I had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with Diane Douglass Iverson, his granddaughter, during one of my research trips. She was generous with her time and memories as she shared her grandfather’s journals and memories with me. The longer we talked, the more the idea for what would be the third book of this series took shape. Though Earl is not a primary character in Eliza’s story, his presence and impact on the science of paleontology is felt through the pages.
In fact, each chapter of all three books has a quote from the book his son created out of his journal entries, titled Speak to the Earth and It Will Teach You. I am grateful to Diane for the opportunity to share his struggles, hopes, and dreams with my readers.
With this last book, I hope you enjoy Eliza’s joyful spirit, as well as her struggles to find her place in this world. She’s a spirited young woman with a passion for fossils and how God has created this incredible planet. You’ll get to visit Dinosaur National Monument with her, seeing the founding of this great national treasure through her eyes. I hope you love visiting there in your imagination and that you get the opportunity to visit on your own someday. But even more than that, I pray that, like Eliza, you find joy and confidence where God has placed you in His story.
My Impressions
“Promise me we’ll always be best friends. That we won’t ever let anything come between us.” ~ Eliza
(BTW- if you don’t read prologues, you will be missing a lot with this book!)
A Hope Unburied ( Treasures of the Earth, #3) by Kimberley Woodhouse is a tremendous conclusion to this series about the Bone Wars. I think this book can stand on its own. Historical fiction has gotten even better lately, as authors are beginning to add mystery, suspense, and danger to the straight-forward historical fiction genre! With dinosaur digs, a woman paleontologist struggling to prove her worth, a forbidden love, the Carnegie museum, intrigue, and plotting behind the scenes, this was one of my highly anticipated novels! Kimberley Woodhouse certainly knows how to slowly tease the reader with bits of the unknown, ( two different mysteries in this case) all the while developing solid, complex characters who discover they still need to grow and change. While most readers may not be aspiring paleontologists like Eliza or best friends to a rich family’s daughter like Devin, we can relate to the insecurities, inferiorities, lack of trust, and trying to do things on our own. Eliza finally is confronted by Devin about her lack of trust. “She’d been trying to deal with everything in her own strength. Once again. Why couldn’t she rest in her Savior? His salvation was perfect. And that was all that truly mattered.”
You will find this novel very captivating and romantic as you race towards the end to find out who is behind the rumors and disasters. You may end up wishing you had a best friend as steadfastly loyal like our hero, Devin. *Sigh.* Sometimes I wonder what we could accomplish as people who understand the feeling of truly being loved by the One Who forgives and loves us most of all.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought a few copies of the book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Attempting to walk in the way of Jesus without actually walking with Him, without letting Him work through her, was a sure recipe for disaster. The fruit of her actions proved that.”
“The battle between science and faith was real. Overwhelming at times.”
“It was exactly as Darwin said, survival of the fittest. Conquer or be conquered. Kill or be killed.”
“But what if He’s disappointed in me too? If He’s decided I’m too much of a problem to redeem?”
“Maybe He needed to get you alone so you would listen to Him. Wholly and completely.”
“Then he could go back home to his routine and work to carve her out of his heart.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent!! Kimberley Woodhouse is an A-list author for me!
To celebrate her tour, Kimberley is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card and a paperback set of the Treasures of the Earth series: The Secrets Beneath, Set in Stone, and A Hope Unburied!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Separated by centuries, the lives of two women intertwine through their shared pursuit of love, truth, and justice.
In 1885 London, Lillian Freemont embarks on a treacherous journey to reunite with her long-lost niece, Alice, who was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital eight years ago. Fueled by her sister’s plea and armed with the gold token that identifies her niece, Lillian teams up with investigative reporter Matthew McGivern to expose the grim reality of the shadowed streets of London. As Lillian and Matthew unravel the mystery of Alice’s disappearance, their partnership blossoms into one of shared purpose and undeniable attraction.
In present-day London, Janelle Spencer finds herself unexpectedly running the Foundling Museum. When filmmaker Jonas Conrad arrives to document the museum’s history, their collaboration takes a surprising turn as they uncover articles from the past that shed light on a haunting connection to the present. As Janelle becomes caught between exposing the truth and protecting the museum’s reputation, she must decide if she can risk everything for what she believes.
Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of twenty-one inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She loves traveling to England to research her Edwardian novels, including No Journey Too Far, No Ocean Too Wide, Across the Blue, and the Edwardian Brides series. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have received starred reviews from Christianbook.com and Library Journal.
More from Carrie
Come with me to London!
My latest novel, A Token of Love, is a dual-time story set in London during the late Victorian Era and present day. That prompted my husband and I to take a trip to London earlier this year. We were especially delighted to visit the Foundling Museum which tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, the first children’s charity home in England. The Foundling Hospital and Foundling Museum tie the historical and contemporary plots together in A Token of Love.
Thousands of children were taken in by the Foundling Hospital when their mothers could no longer care for them. Some of the mothers left small items such as coins, thimbles, and pieces of jewelry with their infants as identifiers in the hope that if their situation changed, they might be able to return and reclaim their child. Those items were called tokens, and we saw several of them on display at the Foundling Museum.
Each token is unique and represents a mother’s love and desire to be reunited with her child. It was very moving to view them on display and think of all the heartache and hope behind each token.
More than two years ago, I saw an image of the tokens on Pinterest. That sparked my curiosity, and I followed the research trail to learn more about them. That led to the Foundling Museum’s website, which offers a treasure trove of information and personal stories about the mothers and children connected by those tokens. What I discovered helped me develop the characters and plot for A Token of Love. The story highlights one mother who gave her daughter into their care, then eight years later tries to reclaim her. But her daughter is missing, and that sets off a series of events that stirs all of London. Family drama, romance, inspiration, and a touch of mystery will make the story meaningful for readers.
If you like stories based on true events in history that will touch your heart and lift your spirit, then I think you will enjoy reading A Token of Love!
If you’d like to see more photos from my research trip to London and the Foundling Museum, I hope you’ll visit my website photo page!
My Impressions
“Someone had to take a stand and speak for those who could not speak for themselves.”
How often do we idealize the earlier days, thinking life was simpler or more carefree? Carrie Turansky, in her poignant dual time novel, A Token of Love, details two distinct time periods of London, one present-day and one from the 1880s. In both eras, the same ugly problem (involving misuse and abuse of girls and women) raises its head. What will the people of that era do to stop it? Will their faith be an impetus for their push for change, and can a few really make a difference?
I loved the great historical research that accompanied the writing of this book. So much that I have been unaware of. I loved learning about the Foundling Museum and its history, and how it and its fellow organization, Coram, worked to educate and better the lives of the children in both centuries. The novel is by turns romantic and suspenseful, rich in relationships, and pushes the characters to the end of themselves. Will God help mend their various broken hearts, broken families, and broken dreams?
I considered some tidbits in the book that formed a strong part of each story as very informative. It was neat to learn about the start of investigative journalism, film making and all that goes into even a small film, and also to read about Josephine Butler. Thankfully, author notes sort out the fact from the great creative writing. Included discussion questions make this book a great book club choice.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit thru NetGalley. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Could she move forward and offer her heart again, knowing grief and loss could be right around the corner?”
“We are sisters, and sisters never give up on each other.”
“…terrible losses. Some we may have brought on ourselves; others happened because we live in a broken world where sin takes a great toll. We can’t change what happened to us in the past, but we can learn from it.”
“Your feelings are important, but truth is a much better guide.”
“We all have regrets, but there is no need to dwell on them. Seek the Lord’s forgiveness and let Him carry them for you.”
Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Brave: The Story of Ahinoam by Mesu Andrews hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Brave: The Story of Ahinoam Series: King David’s Brides #1 Author: Mesu Andrews Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Release Date: October 1, 2024 Genre: Biblical Fiction
In the tumultuous world of ancient Israel, Ahinoam–a dagger-wielding Kenite woman–flees her family farm with her unconventional father to join the ragtag band of misfits led by the shepherd-turned-warrior David ben Jesse. As King Saul’s treasonous accusations echo through the land, Ahinoam’s conviction that David’s anointing makes him Yahweh’s chosen king propels her on a perilous journey to Moab and back into Judah’s unforgiving wilderness, only to encounter more hardship and betrayal.
Amid the challenges, Ahinoam forges an unexpected bond with David’s sister and gains respect among David’s army through her knowledge of Kenite metalworking. Though some offer friendship, Ahinoam, scarred by past relationships, isolates to avoid more pain and refuses to acknowledge her growing feelings for the renegade king. As Ahinoam’s heart grapples for footing, King Saul’s army closes in, and Ahinoam must confront the true meaning of love, loyalty, and courage. Is she brave enough to trust new friends and love Israel’s next king?
Mesu Andrews is a Christy Award-winning, bestselling author of biblical novels and devotional studies, whose deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the Bible alive for readers. Her heritage as a “spiritual mutt” has given her a strong yearning to both understand and communicate biblical truths in powerful stories that touch the heart, challenge the mind, and transform lives. Mesu lives in Indiana with her husband, Roy, where she stays connected with her readers through newsy emails, blog posts, and social media.
Connect with Mesu by visiting mesuandrews.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
My Impressions
“I will capture your heart, Ahinoam bat Toren, no matter how hard you run.”
Brave: The Story of Ahinoam, by the Biblical fiction queen Mesu Andrews, is a remarkable novel that sews together Scripture and “what might have been.” The narrator alternates between Ahinoam and David, enough so I believe both men and women could enjoy this saga of David and his rag-tag band of malcontents in the desert. Much strategy, some conflicts in the camp and without, action aplenty, and a good look at the land of Israel all make this a compelling read. Can Ahinoam, an outsider, join the ranks, and more importantly, declare allegiance to the king-to-be’s heart?
Much research of the land, the times, and the customs of the various cultures is very evident, enriching the perilous journey as David flees from Saul. We see not only Ahinoam’s romance,but a loyal, steadfast group of followers who are threatened by thirst, hunger, and poverty as they protect the man they believe is God’s anointed. Andrews offers plausible ideas for David’s rejection within his own family. Psalms are woven into the story as well as other Scriptures that tell of David’s time running from Saul.
I both loved and wanted to cry when David and his family killed the sheep for Passover in the desert. They had kept this perfect lamb in the “home” for four days, until it was like a pet. Then, it was time to sacrifice it, a true heart sacrifice as everyone now loved the lamb giving its life for them.
The hardest part of the story for me, was the acceptance of multiple wives. Whether it is the culture, or whether it seems like it is not in God’s perfect will for there to be more than two people in a marriage, Ahinoam is warned by different people before she makes her decision. “Let no man—or woman—ever question your position or God’s love for you. You have the courage of a warrior. But to live as a royal wife, you must be brave enough to forgive a thousand times simply because your husband wills it. You must have the mettle to let a gentle reply deflect criticism. And, to maintain a peaceful royal house and your self-respect, you must fight the most formidable enemy of all—the other women who will bear David’s children.”
Ahinoam is certainly going to need to realize David’s humanity will fail at some point. Every married person needs to remember this: “So, remember the only One who never leaves you, never betrays, never abandons, never dies.”
Which leads me to mention that Abigail appears in the story, bringing hope, turmoil, and help. I was disappointed that we don’t see much of Abigail and her story seems so truncated. But Andrews offers a prequel “Abigail” found by subscribing to her newsletter. I was much happier after reading that.
Still, I have to think that a family with multiple wives will have a few more problems to come. I’m sure we will see more of this possible conflict of the hearts in the following books, including the next book about Maakah.
I received a copy of the book from Just Reads and Netgalley. I also purchased my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Do you trust God’s anointed leader with the authority to make decisions that differ from your own will and judgment?”
“rebuilding the relationship meant she took on the far more difficult task of choosing to resist bitterness whenever memories rekindled the hurt.”
“I will sometimes lead my people into hard places but never into known danger. Yahweh does the same…
“The barrenness strengthens and shapes us into what the Lord wants us to become.”
“Sometimes we need to worship God even more than God needs our worship.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Brave: The Story of Ahinoam and a $15 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight October 9, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on October 16, 2024. Winner 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.
Book: The Sisters of Corinth (The Emissaries: Book 2)
Author: Angela Hunt
Genre: Biblical Fiction
Release date: May 21, 2024
“Angela Hunt takes her craft to new heights–and depths–as she fully immerses us in the lives and struggles of first-century followers of Yeshua.”–Tamera Alexander, bestselling author on The Woman from Lydia
When the new provincial governor arrives in Corinth, the esteemed Chief Magistrate Narkis Ligus, father to Mariana and Prima, is delighted. He sees a golden opportunity to propel himself to greater power and fortune by uniting his and the governor’s households through the marriage of one of his beautiful unwed daughters to the governor’s firstborn son.
Yet complications quickly arise in Narkis’s own family. Mariana, his stepdaughter, holds steadfast faith in Yeshua, rendering her hesitant to marry a man devoted to the Roman gods, despite Narkis’s urging. On the other hand, Prima, his daughter by birth, yearns for a life of wealth and status and is willing to go to great lengths to secure a marriage that fulfills her desires–even if it means betraying Mariana to do so.
Angela Hunt is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 160 books, with nearly 6 million copies sold worldwide. Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for the RWA RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the HOLT Medallion. Four of her novels have received ForeWord Magazine‘s Book of the Year Award, and Angela is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from both the Romantic Times Book Club and ACFW. Angela holds doctorates in biblical studies and theology. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs and chickens.
More from Angela
Hello!
Thank you for helping me kick off the book tour for THE SISTERS OF CORINTH. This book is the second in my Emissaries series, but don’t worry—it reads like a stand alone.
The series features Gentiles who became believers in Christ through the ministry of Paul. The first book was about the woman called Lydia who lived in Philippi, and this book is about two step-sisters who lived in Corinth, the “Vegas” of the Roman Empire. What happened in Corinth stayed in Corinth, if you get my meaning, and there was a LOT going on in that pagan city.
I couldn’t help but think of Cinderella’s story as I wrote the opening of this book. The novel begins when the two sisters hear about the new governor coming to Corinth. He has a handsome and eligible son, and Narkis, the head of their family, is determined that one of his daughters should marry him. Prima is like her father, power-hungry and pretentious, while quiet Mariana is a believer in Yeshua. There’s a great deal of primping and preparing, scheming and scowling as the banquet draws near, and you’ll never guess which daughter the young man chooses—or maybe you will.
I hope you enjoy THE SISTERS OF CORINTH and thank you so much for taking part in this book tour. I am so grateful!
Always,
Angela Hunt
My Impressions
“Hester and Mariana could have their strange new god, but Father and I would remain true to the deities of Rome. They had made us part of an empire that brought its citizens power, slaves, and unimaginable luxuries.”
In The Sisters of Corinth, Angela Hunt spins a Biblical fiction tale so real, so suspenseful, and so engrossing that you want to put it down until you can finish it.
It is the story of the Roman world in the Apostle Paul’s time, during the reign of Nero. It is the story of a divided house. In a second marriage for both Corinthian statesman Narkis and his wife Hester, both bring daughters into the marriage. Prima and her father follow the Roman gods; Hester and her daughter, Mariana, have learned from Paulos and Acquilla & Priscilla to follow Yeshua.
Hunt’s novel is consists of two basic conflicts. As we read alternating chapters narrated by the sisters, we see sister pitted against sister for the love of the son of the new governor of Corinth. The other conflict pits all the gods of Rome against the God Who created the Universe. “How could the gods disappoint me? Mariana’s God could not be stronger than Aphrodite, Jupiter, and Asclepius. She had one God; I had dozens. Impossible that one foreign God could have prevailed against the gods of Rome.”
Power, lust, and greed are very real and driving forces in Corinth ( and Roman) politics. How far will Narkis and his daughter, Prima, go to ensure they climb the social and political ladder leading to Rome?
I was amazed by the attitudes toward slaves of the day. Yet, I think that Hunt probably went light on her description of the depravity there.
I loved how a daily witness of love and kindness in their homes influenced people around Jeshua’s followers. I also loved discovering that this is a second book in a series of three. So I must find the first book and prepare for the way Hunt will wrap up things in the third. My little experience with Hunt and this time period says it may not be as pretty as I’d like!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via Netgalley. I also purchased my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Freedom was found in truth, and truth was found only in Adonai and His Son.”
“Your Adonai,” she said, her voice firm, “He must be the true God…Because He is the only God who asks His followers to do what they cannot do without His help.”
“Even the small mistakes of rulers loom large in history, and that thought is what terrifies me.”
“Perhaps it is the same with your God—if you know He is good, you can trust Him to be kind.”
To celebrate her tour, Angela is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of The Woman from Lydia and The Sisters of Corinth and a $15 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
In 1910, Effie James is living a dream for two. Her younger sister is harboring a secret that has left timid Effie determined to fulfill her daring sister’s grand plan of seeking out adventure in their small Iowa town. When a British gentleman arrives, disrupting their peace with efforts to find the wife many claim lived her final days at the now abandoned house at 322 Predicament Avenue, Effie is thrust into intrigue she couldn’t have prepared for. But what she finds inside will forever link her to the scandal staining the house’s walls and to a woman whose secrets promise a curse.
A century later, Norah Richman is living out her late-twin’s dream of running their great aunt’s bed-and-breakfast on Predicament Avenue–a place Norah believes nothing good can come out of after her sister’s abduction and murder thirteen years ago. Her first guest is a crime historian and podcaster, and Norah resolves to stay far away from the charming and enigmatic man–until another guest is found dead. As they dig deeper, something sinister unfurls that will reveal an ominous unknown far greater than the possibility of death itself.
Jaime Jo, the coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire, has entwined her life with the legendary Captain Hook, residing serenely in Wisconsin’s rural woodlands.
Her literary vocation involves penning Gothic tales, a baffling change from that of Austenites, with a preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe.
More from Jaime Jo
True crime did NOT just become popular in this century! Scour the old newspapers for a full and detailed telling of the latest crime. That’s how I got the idea for Night Falls on Predicament Avenue! Yes! I read an old newspaper article from the late 1800’s in which they described in quite delectable detail, the crime scene of a murder in a house with questionable history. That being said, it’s also important to note, that forensics DID just recently become popular in the last 50-100 years. In the 1800’s, if you were murdered, it was common for your neighbor to tour and trample over your crime scene out of curiosity and/or the hope they might be of service in solving the crime. More likely than not, they were merely wanna-be podcast listeners of true crime shows simply born too early for that technological advancement.
My Impressions
“I can hear the darkness.”
“Sometimes findin’ out the truth is too painful. It’s easier to figure out how to get by an’ pretend the past doesn’t haunt you.”
Haunted, I am. Jaime Jo Wright, led by her self-acknowledged muse of Edgar Alan Poe, offers up one of her eeriest novels yet. What makes Wright, with her themes of death and fear so beloved?
For some, it may be the tendency towards the macabre. Wright pens this dual timeline and includes interludes of an unreliable narrator, totally obsessed with death and God’s judgment. At first, I questioned why I was reading something so dark. However, having read several of Wright’s books, I know that eventually the mysteries will be explained, and specters will be unmasked. Eventually, breaking through the dark clouds of the shadow of death, Wright will present that Ray of Hope that shines brightly enough to tunnel through the darkness victoriously.
Small town Shepherd, Iowa, holds secrets as it sees two murders a century apart. In 1901, the bankers’ daughters, Polly and Effie James, witness a terrible occurrence at 322 Predicament Avenue. Polly, terminally ill, becomes almost comatose after being an eye-witness. Effie, the bookish and more rule-oriented of the two, searches for a way to bring her sister back from what she believes is a premature sickness. Society conspires against Effie at every turn. At risk to her own reputation, Effie befriends a newcomer to town and starts investigating with him, breaking every expectation her parents have for her future.
Nearly a century later, Nora Richman owns 322 Predicament Avenue, capitalizing on its dark history to attract visitors to her B and B. A true-crime podcaster comes to stay, ruffling Nora’s nerves as he revives the two murders, one being that of Nora’s twin sister a decade earlier. Nora is a shell of herself since that event, barely able to leave her home, and wants nothing to do with resurrecting the hurtful past. Another death and a second visitor to the house sets in motion a course of events that could totally break Nora.
Fear of death. This is Effie’s predicament. “When a person lived afraid of death, when they could feel death’s cold breath on their neck every moment of the day, there was no courage left to be had. No anticipation. No hope. Only the force of one’s own will to try to outrun the fear before they were eaten alive by it. Before their greatest fear became their worst reality.” Whew, if reading that doesn’t explain Effie’s life and make you, the reader, afraid, I don’t know what will! Anderson, Effie’s English acquaintance, fears something very much.
Nora doesn’t so much fear death as life itself. Nora’s guest, Sebastian, is afraid of something that is altering his life. Nora has so many questions. How can she stop being afraid? Her friend answers, “He left you to live. So live, Norah. Believe there haven’t been mistakes, only a busted-up old world in need of hope.” The real question Wright challenges us, the reader with, is will we surrender to hope or fear? On what basis?
What an incredible wrap-up! I guessed one culprit, but never in a million years would I have nailed the other villain. Wright also drives home the point people are not as we judge them to be.
Bravo, Miss Wright! I’m ready for your next novel of creepy hope!!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own ecopy and a paperback for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Death had been a guest here at Predicament Avenue for decades, and it was clear that Death wasn’t ready to check out quite yet.”
“It’s a’right to admit you’re not a’right.”
“It was as if the sun had gone down at 322 Predicament Avenue the night Naomi’s murdered body had been found, and it had never risen again.”
“What was it about being afraid that pushed a person away from God instead of toward Him?”
“Fear steals our joy and is the agony of those with no hope. It will not define us. Fear is the enemy we will defeat.”
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! Nobody can tell a chilling tale like Jaime Jo Wright, yet bring enough hope into it that you are amazed at the journey, begging for more!!
To celebrate her tour, Jaime Jo is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 gift card to Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, MI and an autographed copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Martha of Bethany is no stranger to adversity. After her mother’s untimely death, Martha shoulders the responsibility of raising her siblings–quiet and studious Lazarus, and wild and rambunctious Mary. She finds solace in friendship and the beginnings of first love, but just as Martha begins to imagine a new future, hardship strikes again and her dreams crumble into dust.
Ten years later, Martha’s friend pleads for the new teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, to come and heal her husband. When Martha discovers that the carpenter-rabbi is connected to her past, she’s not sure she can trust him with her future. But as he continues to perform miracles, the invitation to believe becomes harder to resist, renewing Martha’s hardened heart, even as she faces an unknown future.
Heather Kaufman is the author of multiple books and devotions, praised by Kirkus Review for writing “a charming and well-crafted tale.” She delights in highlighting the goodness of God through storytelling. When not reading, writing, or accumulating mounds of books, Heather can be found exploring new parks with her husband and three children near their home in St. Louis, Missouri.
More from Heather
Up from Dust: Martha’s Story is the first of three books in my new series, “Women of the Way.” Each book focuses on a female follower of Christ, diving deep into her history before touching upon the events we know from Scripture. Book one is on Martha of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus and Mary.
Let me ask you a question: What comes to your mind when you think of Martha?
Busy? Angry? Worried?
How about: Teachable? Trusting? Strong?
I’m afraid we’ve distilled poor Martha down into a personality type, turning her into a cautionary tale for Christian women. When Scripture as a whole presents a much different picture.
The seed of this story was planted in my heart during an Easter sermon in 2016, when I was startled into a deep admiration for this remarkable woman of faith. “Why haven’t I been encouraged to be more like Martha?” I wondered. Martha . . . a woman who learned from her mistakes and took the living God at His word. A woman who confessed Jesus as the resurrection and the life while her brother was four days dead in a tomb. Her trajectory in Scripture from worry to radical trust is one to emulate and it led me to ask: What happened in this woman’s heart?
In Up from Dust, I linger over Martha, imagining what her life was like before Christ. The story traces all the “many things” that worried and troubled Martha’s heart and the Christ who pinpointed her pain, met her in the midst of it, and lifted her up. We watch Martha come of age as she works through her mother’s death and the heavy responsibility of raising her siblings. We journey with Martha as she experiences first love and learns to shoulder the mantle of womanhood, even while coping with a father who is stuck in his loss. When grief comes to Martha’s own heart, she is presented with a choice. Will she cling to her hurt more than to Adonai, the way her father has done? Or is there a better way forward?
May this story encourage you to remain openhearted even when life feels unbearably hard, to pin your hopes to Jesus, the only One able to lift you up from the ashes of grief.
While you read, consider listening to the Up from Dust playlist! It’s full of inspirational music that ties into the themes from the book. Give it a listen HERE. Happy reading (and listening)!
Surrendering with you to Him,
Heather
My Impressions
“How can I begin to tell of the many things I have found? Or of the One who found me? I see His hand in my story like a weaver’s shuttle through the warp, steady and sure, pulling here, loosening there, doing the work necessary for beauty. How do I tell of His capable hands, the ones that rescued me?”
“Before I can share the many ways I was found, I would have to begin with the day I was lost.”
And so, in the prologue, ( I hope you read prologues!) we have the reason for Heather Kaufman’s imagination of Martha’s life long before she ever met Jesus. As with other great Biblical fiction, Kaufman takes a few verses and passages we know of a Biblical individual. These are not changed from Scripture. But where Scripture is silent, the author suggests possible life events that send Martha, Mary, and Lazarus on their life trajectories until they encounter Jesus. “Maybe she or he reacted this way because…” In the meantime, Kaufman’s Martha becomes so real, so human, you will sympathize, you will judge, you will hold your breath as you hold her secrets, and you will wonder how she survived growing up in her father’s house. You will begin to understand a woman’s plight in Jewish society in the first century. Kaufman presents challenging relationships well. Some romantic, some familial, some friend-based. You will sigh, you will cry, you will ask, “Why?” But hopefully, when all is said and done, you will turn to the Biblical story to check out what truth we do know, and you’ll never view Martha or her siblings as 2- dimensional again!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher, through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley, plus I bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Yahweh keeps providing beacons of light in your life to guide you when you need it most.”
“None of us is worthy. We are all naked and undone before the holiness of God.”
“Who can stand before this holy God?”
“Those who align themselves with His Son.”
“Sometimes love engulfs us suddenly, like a consuming fire.”“…Other times it comes over us slowly, like a sunrise.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! An excellent Biblical times novel that offers a great look at the political and cultural settings of the times, and how a Jewish woman would fit into them. A Bible-honoring possible solution for how life made Martha who she was.
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 