by admin | Feb 16, 2016 | Biblical, Books
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingPharaoh’s DaughterWaterBrook Press (March 17, 2015)byMesu AndrewsABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mesu Andrews’ deep understanding of and love for God’s Word brings the biblical world alive for her readers. She and her husband, Roy, enjoyed fourteen years of pastoral ministry before moving to the Pacific Northwest, where Roy now serves as Academic Dean at Multnomah Biblical Seminary. Mesu writes full-time, snuggled in her recliner beside a cozy fire on rainy Northwest days. The Andrews’ enjoy visiting their two married daughters and a growing tribe of grandkids. Mesu loves movies, football, waterfalls, and travel.
Biblical fiction is her favorite genre to read and write. Her first novel, Love Amid the Ashes (Revell, 2011), tells the story of Job and won the 2012 ECPA Book of the Year for a Debut Author.
ABOUT THE BOOK
“Fear is the most fertile ground for faith.”
“You will be called Anippe, daughter of the Nile. Do you like it?” Without waiting for a reply, she pulls me into her squishy, round tummy for a hug.
I’m trying not to cry. Pharaoh’s daughters don’t cry.
When we make our way down the tiled hall, I try to stop at ummi Kiya’s chamber. I know her spirit has flown yet I long for one more moment. Amenia pushes me past so I keep walking and don’t look back.
Like the waters of the Nile, I will flow.
Anippe has grown up in the shadows of Egypt’s good god Pharaoh, aware that Anubis, god of the afterlife, may take her or her siblings at any moment. She watched him snatch her mother and infant brother during childbirth, a moment which awakens in her a terrible dread of ever bearing a child. Now she is to be become the bride of Sebak, a kind but quick-tempered Captain of Pharaoh Tut’s army. In order to provide Sebak the heir he deserves and yet protect herself from the underworld gods, Anippe must launch a series of deceptions, even involving the Hebrew midwives—women ordered by Tut to drown the sons of their own people in the Nile.
When she finds a baby floating in a basket on the great river, Anippe believes Egypt’s gods have answered her pleas, entrenching her more deeply in deception and placing her and her son Mehy, whom handmaiden Miriam calls Moses, in mortal danger.
As bloodshed and savage politics shift the balance of power in Egypt, the gods reveal their fickle natures and Anippe wonders if her son, a boy of Hebrew blood, could one day become king. Or does the god of her Hebrew servants, the one they call El Shaddai, have a different plan—for them all?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Pharaoh’s Daughter, go HERE.
by admin | Oct 22, 2015 | Biblical, Books, Fantasy, Historical, Speculative, Time Travel
MY REVIEW:
Book three of Lynne Gentry’s The Carthage Chronicles series, “Valley of Decision” was a fitting conclusion to Lisbeth and Maggie’s time travel into third-century Carthage. There were times that I just wanted to close its covers and walk away – not because the writing wasn’t good or was difficult to read. No, I tend to be just a tad squeamish and I didn’t want to deal with events that I could see coming before the end. I pushed myself to read the entire book and was thankful that the events I feared were not described graphically but were tastefully written. Thank you Lynne.
Even more than the first two books of the series, “Valley of Decision” emphasized just how serious the decision to be a Christian could be during those tumultuous times. It sometimes required literally laying down one’s life for one’s beliefs or to protect others. I saw example after example of how the sacrificial and loving acts of early Christians, even toward their enemies influenced others for Christ and possibly even changed the course of history.
This is truly a book about decisions, both good and bad. Selfish and vengeful decisions that led to chaos, death, and disaster were vividly contrasted with decisions to love and forgive that led to healing and changed lives. “Valley of Decision” is a book to make its reader think about how our own decisions affect the people we come in contact each day. Can we live for Christ the same way here in our modern lives of comfort and plenty?
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Every choice has a consequence in the explosive conclusion to the Carthage Chronicles as Lisbeth returns to third-century Carthage for a thrilling final adventure.
Thirteen years ago, Lisbeth made an impossible decision—leave third-century Carthage and her husband Cyprian behind for good. She knew it was to protect her daughter Maggie, so Lisbeth gathered the strength to move on with her life.
All these years, Lisbeth has thrown herself into her work and raising her headstrong daughter, all to live up to the promise she made to Cyprian. But Maggie is sick of being protected. In an act of teenage rebellion Maggie decides to do what her mother can’t—secretly returning to the third century on a quest to bring her father back, leaving Lisbeth no choice but to follow.
With Maggie’s surprise arrival in Carthage, chaos ensues. She finds her grandmother on trial for murder and attempts to save her, but instead the diversion sparks a riot that nearly destroys the plagued city. Only one thing will appease the wrath of the new proconsul of Carthage: the death of the instigator.
Will Lisbeth arrive in time to save her daughter from the clutches of Rome? How can God possibly redeem such a slew of unwise decisions and deep regrets? Filled with heart-wrenching twists and riveting action, Valley of Decision brings the romantic adventure epic, The Carthage Chronicles, to an electrifying conclusion.
Learn more and purchase a copy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications. She is a professional acting coach, theater director, and playwright. Lynne is an inspirational speaker and dramatic performer who loves spending time with her family and medical therapy dog.
Find out more about Lynne at http://lynnegentry.com.
by admin | Mar 24, 2015 | Biblical, Books
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingThe TombHoward Books (March 17, 2015)byStephanie Landsem
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A word from the author:
I write historical fiction because I love adventure in far-off times and places. I’ve traveled since I was a teenager—backpacking through Germany and Eastern Europe, studying German in Salzburg, eating gelato in Italy, and riding camels in Morocco were some of the highlights. Travel kindles my imagination, fuels my love of history, and introduces me to one-of-a-kind characters. It’s the best kind of research.
When I can’t travel, I read. I love fiction, of course, but I’m often found behind a stack of history books or searching the web for historical tidbits. How people lived together, worked, and what they ate (I love food!) is usually what catches my imagination. No matter where or when we live, people are more alike than they are different. I love to find the similarities between our lives and those of the men and women of the ancient world.
I make my home in Minnesota with my husband of 22 years, four children, three fat cats, and a tortoise named Moe. When I’m not writing Biblical fiction, I’m feeding the ravenous horde of kids and their friends, volunteering at church and school, battling dandelions, and dreaming about my next adventure – whether it be in person or on the page.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In this captivating retelling of a classic biblical story, Jesus shocks the town of Bethany with Lazarus’s resurrection from the dead, leading Martha—a seemingly perfect woman trapped by the secrets of her past—to hope and a new life.
Everyone in Bethany admires Martha—the perfect Jewish woman. She feeds and clothes her loved ones, looks after the family farm, and meticulously follows every precept of the Pharisees’ strict laws. But Martha is hiding a secret. At her sister’s marriage feast, she gave her heart and her innocence to a young musician who promised to return and marry her, but instead betrayed her love and abandoned her.
Seven years later, only two people in Bethany know of Martha’s secret sin: her brother, Lazarus, and Simon, the righteous Pharisee to whom Martha is betrothed. When Lazarus falls ill, Martha is faced with a choice: send for Jesus to save her dying brother—risking the wrath of Simon who threatens to betray her—or deny Jesus’ healing power and remain trapped in her tomb of secrecy and lies.
Meanwhile, on the shores of Galilee, Isa roams the wilderness, tortured by demons and knowing only that someone is waiting for him. When he is healed by Jesus, he finds that seven years have passed since his descent into madness. Isa journeys home to Bethany only to find he is too late to win back Martha’s love.
When Martha risks all to heal Lazarus, will Jesus arrive in time, or will he—like Isa—come too late?
If you would like to read the first chapter of The Tomb, go HERE.
by admin | Jul 28, 2014 | Biblical, Books
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingIn The Field of GraceRiver North; New Edition edition (July 1, 2014)byTessa AfsharABOUT THE AUTHOR:
TESSA AFSHAR was voted “New Author of the Year” by the Family Fiction sponsored Reader’s Choice Award 2011 for her novel Pearl in the Sand. She was born in Iran, and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She moved to England where she survived boarding school for girls and fell in love with Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, before moving to the United States permanently. Her conversion to Christianity in her twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds an MDiv from Yale University where she served as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School. She has spent the last thirteen years in full-time Christian work.
Learn more about Tessa and her books on her Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Destitute, grief-stricken, and unwanted by the people of God, Ruth arrives in Israel with nothing to recommend her but Naomi’s, love. Her loftiest hope is to provide enough food to save Naomi and herself from starvation.
But God has other plans for her life. While everyone considers Ruth an outcast, she is astounded to find one of the most honored men of Judah showing her favor. Long since a widower and determined to stay that way, Boaz is irresistibly drawn to the foreign woman with the haunted eyes. He tells himself he is only being kind to his Cousin Naomi’s chosen daughter when he goes out of his way to protect her from harm, but his heart knows better.
Based on the biblical account of Ruth, In the Field of Grace is the story of a love that ultimately changes the course of Israel’s destiny and the future of the whole world.
If you would like to read the first chapter of In The Field of Grace, go HERE.
by admin | Feb 16, 2014 | Biblical, Books, Historical
MY REVIEW:
Jill Eileen Smith has taken a story from the Old Testament that is so familiar to most Christians that we may tend to miss the whole truth in how it could relate to our own lives. The author includes the actual scripture at the beginning of each section of the novel then with the use of much research and her vivid imagination begins to fill in between the lines with a captivating tale that gives her readers with a more intimate look at everyone involved. As we get to know Rachel, Jacob, and Leah better, we begin to see what motivated them. We also get some insight into possible reasons that Joseph’s history played out the way it did.
A story filled with jealousy, manipulation, and deception, “Rachel” was also laced with faith and prayer. It was interesting how the characters acknowledged God’s answers to their prayers yet fell back to their own plots and plans over and over again and only remembered to pray when they became desperate. I realized that many Christians today, myself included, tend to follow their example when our lives would probably run more smoothly if we would only follow the Lord’s will.
“Rachel” was an encouraging lesson as well as an enjoyable way to learn more about Old Testament people and customs. I believe it would be an excellent book to include in the required reading for high school age home schoolers.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Can true love overcome a legacy of betrayal?
Rachel wants nothing more than for her older half sister Leah to wed and move out of their household. Leah wishes her father would find a good man who would love her alone. Unbeknownst to either of them, Jacob is making his way to their home, trying to escape a past laced with deceit and find the future God has promised him.
But the past comes back to haunt Jacob when he finds himself on the receiving end of treachery. The man who wanted only one woman ends up with sisters who have never gotten along and now must spend the rest of their lives sharing a husband. In the power struggles that follow, only one woman will triumph . . . or will she?
Combining meticulous research with her own imaginings, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith not only tells one of the most famous love stories of all time but will manage to surprise even those who think they know the story inside and out.
“A faithful portrayal of the story of Jacob and his two wives, Rachel will make you feel the agony of two sisters in love with the same man. Smith has the knack of making her fiction feel truly authentic to the world of the Bible.”
—Tessa Afshar, award-winning author of Harvest of Gold
Read an excerpt from “Rachel” HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jill Eileen Smith is the author of the bestselling Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, all part of The Wives of King David series, and of Sarai and Rebekah in the Wives of the Patriarchs series. Her writing has garnered acclaim in several contests. Her research into the lives of biblical women has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan. Learn more at www.jilleileensmith.com.
by admin | Jul 23, 2013 | Biblical, Books, Historical
This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingHarvest of GoldRiver North; New Edition edition (July 1, 2013)byTessa AfsharABOUT THE AUTHOR:
TESSA AFSHAR was voted “New Author of the Year” by the Family Fiction sponsored Reader’s Choice Award 2011 for her novel Pearl in the Sand. She was born in Iran, and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She moved to England where she survived boarding school for girls and fell in love with Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, before moving to the United States permanently. Her conversion to Christianity in her twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds an MDiv from Yale University where she served as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the Divinity School. She has spent the last thirteen years in full-time Christian work.
Learn more about Tessa and her books on her Website.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The scribe Sarah married Darius, and at times she feels as if she has married the Persian aristocracy, too. There is another point she did not count on in her marriage-Sarah has grown to love her husband. Sarah has wealth, property, honor, and power, but her husband’s love still seems unattainable.
Although his mother was an Israelite, Darius remains skeptical that his Jewish wife is the right choice for him, particularly when she conspires with her cousin Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ordered to assist in the effort, the couple begins a journey to the homeland of his mother’s people. Will the road filled with danger, conflict, and surprising memories, help Darius to see the hand of God at work in his life-and even in his marriage?
A hidden message, treachery, opposition, and a God-given success, will lead to an unlikely bounty.
If you’d like to read the first chapter of Harvest of Gold, go HERE.
