ReviewsByErin

Lukio's much-aniticpated story is here! The fifteen-year-old who ran away at the end of To Dwell Among Cedars has now made himself into the champion of Ashdod—a fierce fighter renown for a decade of undefeated matches. But Lukio isn't content. His cousin Mataro has been skimming off the top of his winnings, and he's ready to use his fame to leverage himself into an even more powerful position—Master of Games and son-in-law of the king.

All thoughts of the king's beautiful daughter are swept away when he sees her maid, his childhood love. How was Shoshana enslaved? What happened to her family? Desperate to help her but also eager to maintain the status he's achieved, Lukio begins making quiet inquiries to see if there's any way he can get Shoshana back to Hebrew territory.

Shoshana has dedicated her life in the Philistine palace to saving other Hebrew slaves, especially children. She doesn't know if she'll ever see her own children again, but she will do what she can to save others. Lukio's presence, and his determination to spend time with her, puts everything at risk. She's never stopped loving him, but their paths have taken them to such different places. There's no use hoping for a future together.

What a gripping story from Connilyn Cossette! Not only does it wrap up a story which began tugging at heartstrings with the release of the first book in this series, but I appreciated the unique characters and glimpse at Philistine culture. The themes woven throughout brought tears to my eyes. I can't wait to see what's next from this author, and hope that maybe it will involve some of the minor characters we met here in The Covenant House series.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.

If you enjoy Biblical fiction, you might enjoy stepping back to the early days of the Old Testament, with Mesu Andrews' Love Amid the Ashes. We open with Jacob's disgraced daughter Dinah, two decades after the events at Shechem. She's spent the years tending her grandfather Isaac. At the patriarch's death, she is betrothed to a man she's never met—the son of Job of Uz.

Yes, the same Job who has his own book of the Bible! Job and Dinah head to Uz with his caravan, bonding along the way. They arrive at the famed city on the same day that Job's sorrows befall him, immediately leaving Dinah stranded in a strange land with no one except her Cushite maid. When boils overtake Job's body, Dinah becomes his caregiver.

Job doesn't understand why God has stricken him. He's been a faithful and just man. He's honored El Shaddai to the best of his knowledge. Now his prosperity has been reduced to nothing and he's lost his children and his health. Who can he find to marry Dinah so she won't sink into the misery that has come upon him?

There were parts of this story that were quite interesting and thought-provoking. I've done some research about why the author brought these two timelines together, and it's not without precedent, though it goes against the Biblical timeline as I was taught it. It also throws in quite a few other Bible characters and events that made me tilt my head.

Probably my biggest question about this story was why the author chose to make Job's suffering so much worse than it was in the Bible account. Was it to bring home the depth of the loss, since we're already familiar with the tale? The evil neighbor and the idol worship of Job's wife did not make the story better for me. Also I wondered how all these people could live in the same valley, close enough to see into each other's palaces and observe all their comings and goings. That was too much of a stretch for my imagination.

Overall, my favorite characters in this novel were the fictional ones, and this definitely brought the story to life in a new way. If it sounds intriguing, you should check it out.

The audiobook was well-read by Lisa Larsen. She did a wonderful job on the various voices, and her pronunciation and word flow was excellent. I would enjoy listening to more of her narration in the future.

 


Angela Hunt's new series will focus on women who were tangentially around Jesus during His earthly ministry. This first book is about Tasmin, one of the bakers at the wedding of Cana where Jesus turned the water into wine. Tasmin is skeptical about this Nazarene and sure He must have pulled a trick with the wine. She likes Jesus even less when her twin brother Thomas leaves their family business in order to follow the young rabbi.

Tasmin decides to go after Thomas and convince him to come home. She cannot travel by herself because she is an unmarried woman, but when Jesus' brother Jude passes through Cana on his way to find the group of travelers and talk his brother into giving up this madness, the two join up with a group of others to track Jesus across the country.

I was really captivated by the first part of this book. Tasmin's skepticism and getting an up-close look at Jesus' earthly family were both interesting drawing points. I understand historically why certain parts of the story had to draw out, but others seemed to be drawn out unnecessarily or beyond the suspension of disbelief. The end also wraps up very quickly.

If you enjoy Biblical fiction or are interested in what it might have looked like to live at the same time as Jesus but doubt that He was truly sent from God, this is a story I would recommend. Getting a different perspective always makes you think about the Bible in a new way. 

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.

The conclusion of Connilyn Cossette's Cities of Refuge series is just as thrilling as the rest. Tirzah longs for more than what her life as a young, childless widow has to offer. She confronts her brother Malakhi, leader of the local Hebrew spy network, and asks to train with his men. They have heard of Othniel, the nephew of the famous spy Caleb, and how he is making progress defeating their enemies and reclaiming their land. Tirzah wants to be a part of this mission.

Surprisingly, Malakhi agrees, and in a few months Tirzah has been placed in Shechem, where she serves as a cook to an enemy military leader. Her work in the shadows, and the fact that she hasn't betrayed she speaks their Aramean language, allows her to ferret out information to pass along to her brother.

Liyam's life came to a screeching halt the day he discovered his only child had been run over by a careless traveling merchant. Determined to track down this man and mete out justice, Liyam takes on the role of a Blood Avenger. He plans to stop at nothing until he has fulfilled his vow to kill this man. When months have passed and still the man eludes him, Liyam turns to old friends of his parents. When he meets Malakhi's family, they are horrified at his quest but agree to help under one condition—that he help rescue Tirzah after things in Shechem have gone very, very badly.

Although dismayed at the delay, Liyam sees the wisdom in having a whole network of spies at his disposal. With his half-Canaanite heritage, he can blend more easily into Shechem than any of Malakhi's trained men.

I love the way Connilyn Cossette twisted this story, making Liyam a Blood Avenger. That's so different from the other books in this series, and provided a nice contrast. Tirzah is a brave and fearless character. Although I would not recommend this for young readers, it's a really good reminder of God at work in the lives of His people, both in their hearts and on a larger scale. I would also not recommend this book as a standalone, as it relies heavily on stories from this series as well as Cosette's first series, Out Of Egypt. 

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.

 


I've wanted to read this book for a long time! Having followed it since pre-release buzz first began, it's been on my radar for quite a while. The stories depicted in the book of Daniel hold a certain fascination, as they show such big works of our God in undeniable ways. I was eager to see how Mesu Andrews would bring the story to light. 

The narrative style unfortunately took me out of the story before it even began. With back-and-forth settings, we open with Daniel as an old man, then rewind to the first day he was taken captive in Jerusalem, then ping-pong back to to old Daniel. Every time things would get interesting we'd be switched to another part of the story. I'm not a fan of non-linear storytelling, and it was exhausting to keep up with which characters belonged where and what was happening at any given time.

I also found the main character unlikable, and her journey not believable or interesting. I didn't even like Daniel very much. The most interesting scenes were any in which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego appeared. I would have loved to see more of them.

The author did a great job setting the stage with vivid details. I loved her version of the fiery furnace, as it brought a whole new dimension of the account to life for me. She also did a good job showing the friendly relationship between Daniel and King Darius, and how distraught the young king was when he learned that one of his closest advisers was going to be thrown to the lions. There was plenty of good, enlightening Biblical content. I just wish Abigail/Belili had won my heart and that we could have progressed naturally through the story instead of the constantly shifting timelines.

I received my copy of the book from NetGalley. All opinions in this review are my own.

 


Having recently enjoyed Jill Eileen Smith's nonfiction book When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams, I was excited to have the chance to review her new release on the loves of King Solomon. This book blends four novellas into one story, choosing to focus on four of the many, many women married to this most wise king. 

I was truly impressed with how the author blended Scripture, research, and imagination to flesh out King Solomon. For example, he had to have known the history of his parents, David and Bathsheba, and this story explores how that that cautionary tale may have played into his own pursuit of many wives. It also reflected on how David was not allowed to build the Temple because he was a man of war, while Solomon was called to a reign of peace and that may also have influenced the treaty marriages he undertook. 

The first wife portrayed is Naamah, whom the Bible lists as the mother of Solomon's heir Rehoboam. Though Smith does not directly forecast to events that took place after Solomon's death, it was easy to extrapolate how Rehoboam's mindset might have been shaped by Naamah and her experiences in Solomon's court. I realize that's speculation, but it was incredibly well done.

My favorite wife as written here was probably Abishag, the young woman first brought to the palace to tend to King David in his old age. The other two women who are given their own stories here are an Egyptian princess and the queen of Sheba.

I would recommend this story to readers of Biblical fiction, though given that marriage and the marriage relationship have such focus, I wouldn't recommend it for young readers. My only complaint about the story was that I wished we'd heard more from each wife throughout the entire length of the book, but I understand that's not how novellas work, even ones somewhat overlapping and woven together like these. This was my first fiction read by this author and I'd definitely be interested in reading through her previous releases at some point.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.

 


Jill Eileen Smith is a well-known writer of Biblical fiction, though somehow I have missed reading her books thus far. Unmatched dreams, though -- now that's something I'm more familiar with. Like most Christian women, I've read plenty about the ladies in the Bible, but something about this book seemed a little different. For one, Smith picks women from early in the Old Testament -- all these women come from either Genesis or Exodus. I don't know about you, but for all I've seen on the more popular Biblical women, I've never read anything that included an in-depth look at the wives of Lot or Potiphar. Hmm!

In another unique twist, Smith includes portions in each chapter when she dives into first-person fictional slices of that woman's life. This really sets the scene and gets you thinking about these stories in ways you might not have before. How willing a participant was Leah in tricking Jacob to marry her? What went through the mind of Lot's wife as she hosted the men who predicted the destruction of her city? These are questions for which we'll never know the answer, but Smith does an excellent job drawing out each woman's voice and perspective on the way things might have been.

I hadn't even reached the end of the first chapter before I began collecting quotes form this book. The first one I wrote down? "The details of our hurts don't matter so much as the fact that we have them." Ooh, that is good! I kept writing them down all throughout the book. Another of my favorites came from Chapter 8: "Never be afraid to ask for grace."

Two chapters in this book that really spoke to me were the ones on Hagar and Leah, women who went through a great deal of pain and were despised for various reasons. All the chapters were really good, and the truths on display are applicable to today's world. I'd recommend this for women everywhere, especially those in need of knowing they are not alone in whatever they may be facing. The women of the Bible were just as real as you and me, and the God who was involved in their lives is the One who cares for us even now.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

 

In recent years I’ve heard great things about Connilyn Cossette’s Biblical fiction, and she was on my list of authors I hoped to try in 2019. I was thrilled to pick up this first book in her Cities of Refuge series, and it did not disappoint.

Our story opens with Moriyah, an Israelite woman who lives a fairly solitary life due to an event in the past having left her face with a horrible scar. Moriyah wears a veil whenever she is in public and mostly keeps to herself. Now that her father is getting older he has decided it’s time to find a husband for Moriyah, and she will need to be brave and vulnerable in building the relationship.

Things quickly become complicated when she meets the man who has agreed to the betrothal, and furthermore when an accident claims the lives of two young boys.

This book’s setting is fascinating. Not just the focus on the Cities of Refuge, but the look at how things might have been for Israel under the leadership of Joshua as the tribes went in to conquer the Promised Land. This book is post-Jericho but before the Israelites were fully settled in Canaan.

Although this was the first book in a new series, it frequently referenced people and events from Cossette’s previous series. I did not have trouble following along, but I feel it might be even more enjoyable if you have read her Out From Egypt books. Overall I’d recommend this for anyone who enjoys Biblical fiction, and look forward to reading more from this author myself.

"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream." Psalm 126:1

In "Return to Me," Lynn Austin has tackled a unique time in Biblical history: the end of Israel's exile in Babylon. When King Cyrus issued a decree that the Jews could return to their homeland and rebuild the temple, Iddo was thrilled. He had been just a boy when he was taken from Jerusalem. Now he and his fellow priests can reclaim their role as helpers of God's people. He can't understand why his excitement is not shared by all of his friends and family. To go back to the Holy Land after years of pagan influence is everything Iddo he has ever dreamed of. But for those born in Babylon, it's not such an easy decision.

This is the story of those who made up the first caravan back to Israel. The main characters are Iddo, his wife Dinah, their grandson Zechariah, and neighbor Yael. They are not met enthusiastically by the Samaritans in their home country when they arrive, and they face the monumental task of rebuilding a city that had been turned to rubble many decades earlier. Those who had learned to trust the Babylonian gods have a hard time coming back spiritually to the Almighty One. Amidst the hardships, will they truly return to Him or lose their way once again?

As I read and after I finished this book, I looked up different things in the Bible to check for accuracy and context. I think it's a win for Biblical fiction when it drives you to do this! I grasped a few things I hadn't understood before, and I thank Lynn Austin for that.

The story itself didn't capture my attention as well as I would have liked. The book is over 450 pages long, but even so I never felt really connected with the characters. All of them kept making decisions that I wished they wouldn't, and their struggles were so hard it was a bit depressing to read. In the last third of the book there were a few scenes that were very well done and conveyed the message of the book, but overall as fiction it was rather bland and predictable. The look into history was the best part.

I received this book from LitFuse in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.

Lynn Austin is celebrating the release of Return to Me, the first book in her new Biblical fiction series, The Restoration Chronicles, with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat party.






One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX


• Return to Me by Lynn Austin

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 22nd. Winner will be announced at the "Return To Me" Facebook Author Chat Party on October 22nd. Connect with Lynn and friends for an evening of book chat, biblical trivia, prizes, and get an exclusive look at the next book in Lynn's Restoration Chronicles series!

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by clicking JOIN at the event page. Spread the word — tell your friends about the giveaway and party via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Hope to see you on the 22nd!

I have long enjoyed Tracy Higley's historical works, but after finishing "So Shines the Night," I can now say this is my new favorite of her novels. It holds a wonderful blend of elements: Biblical accuracy, history, suspense, romance. Being a busy person, I normally catch my reading time in little spurts here and there. While reading "So Shines the Night," I often found myself being upset when the clock informed me that I needed to go to work or had another responsibility to handle. I just wanted to find out what would happen next!

Daria is a tutor on the isle of Rhodes in AD 57. Being an educated woman at a time when all scholars were male has always set Daria apart. She fears little, but she knows there is evil in the world and has often felt it reaching out for her. When a confrontation with a sorcerer leaves her fleeing for her life, she literally runs into Lucas, a merchant just heading back to his home in Ephesus. Seeing something inside her that draws him, Lucas offers to bring her to the safety of his home in exchange for tutoring, and promises he can secure her a position at the famous school of Tyrannus. Daria decides to take the risk and lets him whisk her across the sea. But will his home be the safe haven he promises?

A tortured soul, Lucas is only months past the murder of his wife. Hers was the first in a continuing string of murders in Ephesus, and he himself has been one of the suspects. Vowing to exact revenge, Lucas has spent time ingratiating himself into many different sects within the city in order to determine who is responsible for the brutal crimes. Now on the inside of the silversmiths guild, the Christians, and the sorcerers, Lucas is in the middle of a spiritual war beyond his comprehension. At times he is pleasant and warm, at times rough and brusque. Daria longs to be the light that brings Lucas out of the darkness, while yet beginning to fear it may be too late to pull him back.

In exploring the city, Daria meets the dynamic teacher Paul and many of his friends. Observing Paul heal a man of demon possession, Daria is drawn to the power inside him. Striking up a friendship with the Christians, Daria is both confused and captivated by their faith in the One God. Here in a city totally devoted to the worship of Artemis (Diana), Daria must look at faith and devotion and decide who she will choose to serve.

With Christianity a growing force in Ephesus, the workers of darkness seek to strike against them. Demetrius and the silversmiths plot to retain their livelihood; the sorcerers seek to drive them out with dark spells. Although very familiar with the Acts 19 passage in which the story is set, and therefore knowing how things would end for our Biblical characters, I was on pins and needles to see how Lucas and Daria came out on the other side. I began to fear that we might reach the end having witnessed one or both of their deaths. I am not opposed to killing a main character if done well, and I knew Tracy would do it well if she did. There are twists and turns at the end, but the conclusion was completely satisfactory for this reader. You will have to check it out this amazing story for yourself and draw your own conclusions on it!

"So Shines the Night" releases today and is available at all retailers. I received my copy from BookSneeze in exchange for this honest review.



As part of Tracy Higley's Caravan, I'm pleased to share this interview with Tracy with you all! Keep reading to see her thoughts on this story, and don't miss the chance to win a $50.00 gift card below!

Q: You have gone on so many amazing travels. What was one of your favorite things about visiting Ephesus?
A: I think it was the sense of being somewhere “where Paul walked.” Sitting in the theater, looking down over the Harbor Street where he was likely kept prisoner at times, I had this amazing moment of “I can’t believe I’m here” – the kind of moment that gives you chills and makes you feel connected to something larger than yourself.

Q: What inspired the theme of So Shines the Night?
A: The idea of community is dear to my heart, and the struggle we all have to not live in isolation. I wanted to take a look at two people struggling to do the right thing, but going about it the wrong way because they were isolated both from other people and from God, and to see what would happen when they brushed up against a community like the first century church.

Q:  When you visited Ephesus, what was it like to be in the same city that Paul ministered in centuries ago?  
A: It was thrilling, to be succinct. There is a sense of “this is real – this really happened” that sweeps over you and pulls you back in time and into the world of the  Scripture in a new and fresh way. I loved it.

Q: What's one thing you learned about Ephesus and its importance to Christians that you found surprising/interesting/challenging?
A: I had never realized or noticed until studying this time in Paul’s life, how much time he spent there (nearly three years). I always pictured him hopping around from place to place fairly quickly. I was challenged by the time that he invested in people’s lives, the relationships and bonds he formed. Later, when the Ephesian elders said goodbye to him, the book of Acts tells us that they were literally weeping. It’s easy for me to minister to people “from afar” but I was really challenged by Paul’s relational  approach to sharing Christ.

Q: How was the experience of writing So Shines the Night, compared to your other Seven Wonders novels?
A: It was much the same, with the addition of really being able to picture the city itself, as I could with Pompeii, after having walked the streets that are still so intact. It was also fun bringing in the “guest characters” from the book of Acts, and even an appearance of some characters from another novel (I’m not saying who – you’ll have to figure it out!)

Q: How has your writing, research, and travels affected your spiritual life?
A: Great question. All of it has definitely given me a larger sense of the world and what God is doing in it, both now and through the past. It’s made me realize, as I’ve studied God’s work in the nations throughout history, that He has always been calling all people to Himself, and that He still is. It’s also given me a desire to see the kind of Christianity that was born in the fires of Roman persecution become part of our experience now – a living, breathing faith that radically transforms our lives.

Q: What is your favorite thing about writing?
A: You.
Seriously, writing is an isolated and lonely profession at times. I spend a lot of time in my office alone, working to put together stories that people will love, and that will touch their hearts. When I hear from readers, start to see the reaction to a new book, that is my favorite thing about the process.

Q: Can you share anything about your future projects?
A: The best way to get a sense of what I’m working on now would be to visit this page: http://tracyhigley.com/books/work-in-progress/ Although, don’t hold me to all those thoughts about the book I haven’t started yet – who knows where that will go!



Click the graphic above for a chance to win! Thank you so much, Tracy, for blessing my life with your storytelling abilities, and for the insightful interview! I'm proud to be part of the Caravan, and was so tickled when I found my name listed in the Special Thanks section. You're the best!