Thursday, May 21, 2020

Standoff By Patricia Bradley

Standoff
by Patricia Bradley
Publisher: Revell
ISBN: 9780800735739

Anyone else get nervous to try a new author? Hands raised! Since the last few suspense novels I've read thanks to Revell, I figured I couldn't go wrong getting Standoff for review from them! I'm glad I did!

Summary:

The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It's the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for Luke Fereday, it's also perfect for moving drugs. 

Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers. John's daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father's murder but soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her. 

Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who's going to keep him safe when he realizes he's falling--hard--for the daughter of the man he failed to save?

My Review:

How I haven't heard of Patricia Bradley before is a mystery to me! The cover of Standoff grabbed my attention before I even read the plot. It's book 1 in the Natchez Trace Park Rangers series.

First, there is a LOT going on in this story. I should've probably had a notebook next to me so I could keep track of how things were connected and who was connected to who. Thankfully it wasn't so much that I couldn't keep up. HA!

Can I just say I feel sorry for Brooke? All the gal wants to do is be sworn in as a park ranger, but calamity after calamity seems to want to keep that from happening. I just shared on Instagram that I don't trust anyone other than Brooke and Luke in this story. Then several chapters after that, it says, "At this point, Luke didn't trust anyone except Brooke." EXACTLY! Me either, buddy! The author literally kept me guessing.

Something I don't come across in most books is super short chapters. An author might put a break in a chapter when they move to a different character's POV, but in Standoff, she creates a new chapter. I actually liked it and it didn't phase me one bit. In fact, it helped give me random stopping points when needed.

I liked Brooke because, man, she was determined. She wasn't going to let the events around from putting her work off or from finding out what happened to her father. Whether sworn in or not, she was going to take care of business.

Luke on the other hand was always on the job. Dead bodies here, drugs being dealt there, figuring out how to keep everyone safe, the guy doesn't catch a break. I appreciated how he stayed true to his job because he had such a huge case to solve, but gave help to Brooke when she needed it the most, even when it jeopardized his life.

It was nail biting as things began to ramp up. The whole story was intense from start to finish, but as it led up to the culmination of who-done-it... I still wasn't sure, and the author left several red herrings to be sure! The ending was a bit abrupt, and I did have a question about one of the main characters who we didn't get closure with. I'm wondering if it'll be covered in book 2, which thankfully we're given a sample of at the end of this book!

About the Author:

Patricia Bradley is the author of Justice DelayedJustice BuriedJustice Betrayed, and Justice Delivered, as well as the Logan Point series. Bradley won an Inspirational Reader's Choice Award in Romantic Suspense, a Daphne du Maurier Award, and a Touched by Love Award, and she was a Carol Award finalist. She is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at www.ptbradley.com.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Three Authors Of Christian Speculative Fiction You Should Be Reading

For me, Christian speculative fiction was an oxymoron for a long time. I didn't see where the two could really live hand in hand. I mean, sure, there's the Lord of the Rings series and The Chronicles of Narnia, but they were the exception to the rule. That is, until now. Now we have authors who are writing amazing novels that absolutely fit this category and I'm thankful for it! Let's check them out, shall we?



I think my first introduction to Christian "fantasy" was Sharon Hinck. Years ago I read The Restorer and the consecutive books in the series (Sword of Lyric). What a fantastic read! This is a series I think I'll have to re-read... something I never do! That's how I fell in love with Sharon's writing. Then this past winter she release the first book in her newest series and it was exceptional! Her gift for writing is absolutely Heaven sent! I loved Hidden Current and can not WAIT for Forsaken Island to come out!

The Restorer:

A Soccer Mom in Our World. A Promised Deliverer in Another. 

Susan Mitchell thought she was an ordinary homemaker. She was wrong. Pulled through a portal into another world, she finds a desperate nation waiting for a promised Restorer. 

While she struggles to adapt to a foreign culture, she tackles an enemy that is poisoning the minds of the people, uncovers a corrupt ruling Council, and embraces a profound spiritual journey. Will this adventure demand her life? Can she find a way back to her family? She has always longed to do something important for God, but can she fill this role?

The Restorer's Son:

Chosen to save a people. Called to serve an enemy. 
Plunged again into the gray world of Lyric and Hazor, Susan and Mark search frantically for their teenage son, Jake, as all signs hint that a trusted ally has betrayed them. Assassins, political intrigue, false leads, and near misses beset their path, which will lead them into the dark prisons of Hazor before the One's purpose is revealed. 

Cast out by those he trusts and preferring to cross swords with the One rather than yield to His will, Kieran flees to enemy Hazor, only to find that the One knows no borders. Pursued by his calling, Kieran finds a boy without a home, a king with burning questions, and a nation torn by darkness. As he embraces the tasks the One has set before him, this new Restorer learns that the One requires his all–perhaps even his life. 

The Restorer's Journey:

His choices have the power to save or destroy. 

With a loved one's life at stake, Jake charges through the portal into Lyric to stage a dramatic rescue, trusting that the signs that mark him as Restorer will guarantee success. But everything familiar in Lyric has vanished, swept away by deadly lies and a corrupt king. As forces conspire to turn him from his purpose, Jake finds his path leading to places beyond his courage. 

While he confronts the temptation to flee his calling, Susan struggles in brutal captivity. Can she gain freedom before the enemy destroys her spirit, and will Jake choose to follow his destiny before everything is lost? 

The Deliverer:

 A lost song-keeper must lead her people to a long-awaited Deliverer.

Eager to serve the One, a young song-keeper travels to the dark and foreign nation of Hazor, but her confusing, rough-edged companion has lost his Restorer gifts. As danger rises against them both, she loses her freedom, her memories, and her hope. Now even the very music of her soul is threatened. 

In our world, Susan Mitchell no longer feels at home in the carpool lane. Burdened by the unhealed scars from her trips through the portal, she fights to suppress her worry about her son, who remains out of contact in Lyric. But when a mysterious message hints Jake is in danger, she and her husband are swept away-to the place they least expect. 

Clan rebellions. Lost Restorers. Has the One turned away, or will the face of the Deliverer bring light to the darkness?

Hidden Current:

The dancers of the Order direct their floating world of Meriel with their movements, but are they steering it toward destruction?
Calara spent her life learning dance patterns and seeking to become the perfect servant to her people. When she discovers the work of the Order is built on lies, she flees with a rough-edged herder, Brantley of Windswell. Pursued by soldiers, her journey through the suffering villages of the rim leads her to a forgotten truth that sends ripples through her world-and through her soul.
Calara seeks clues to her forgotten family and discovers newfound courage in the face of danger, while her quest awakens a growing but forbidden affection for Brantley. Yet even his support can’t fully be trusted, since he’d rather destroy the Order than bring reform.
She is a lone woman facing opposition from rim villages and treachery from the all-powerful Order. Can she restore the dance to its true purpose and bring freedom and hope to her people?
Forsaken Island:

On an uncharted world, happiness is effortless and constant … but can true joy exist without sacrifice?

The people of Meriel have long believed their island world floats alone in the vast ocean universe, so they are astonished when another island drifts into view. With resources becoming scarce, Carya and Brantley quickly volunteer to search the new land for supplies.

After navigating a barrier of menacing trees, the pair encounter a culture of perpetually happy people who readily share their talents and their possessions. But all is not what it seems. At the core of the island is a horror that threatens everyone, including Brantley and Carya.

Freeing the villagers of the bondage they’ve chosen may cost Carya and Brantley more than they could have imagined. Even if the two succeed, they’ll have to find a way to return to Meriel quickly … or be cut off from their home forever.


Next we have Morgan L. Busse. Morgan, Morgan, Morgan... I did NOT want the last book in her The Ravenwood Saga series to end. It was such a powerful series, but the last book did me in! What I loved about her books is that they picked up right where the last one left off. If you can get all 3 at once, that would be my suggestion! She actually has other series that are in the same genre, but seem more steampunk, but I haven't read those yet!

Mark of the Raven:

Lady Selene Has Come into Her Family's Power.
But Has She Inherited a Gift or a Curse? 

Lady Selene is heir to the House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person's dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. Soon after the gifting, however, Selene discovers that the Ravenwood women have been secretly using their gift to gather information or to assassinate those responsible for the fall of House Ravenwood to the Dominia Empire hundreds of years ago. 

As she becomes more entrenched in Ravenwood's dark past, Selene longs to find out the true reason behind her family's gift, believing that its original intent could not have been for such evil purposes, but she is torn about upholding her family's legacy--a legacy that supports her people. Selene's dilemma comes to a head when she is tasked with assassinating the one man who can bring peace to the nations--but who is also prophesied to bring about the downfall of her own house.

One path holds glory and power and will solidify her position as Lady of Ravenwood. The other path holds shame and likely death. Which will she choose? And is she willing to pay the price for the path chosen?

The Flight of the Raven:

Will Her New Life in a New Land Set Her on a Path
from Which She Can't Escape? 

Selene Ravenwood, once the heir to House Ravenwood, is now an exile. On the run and free of her family's destiny, Selene hopes to find the real reason her family was given the gift of dreamwalking. But first she must adapt to her new role as wife to Lord Damien Maris, the man she was originally assigned to kill.

While adjusting to her marriage and her home in the north, her power over dreams begins to grow. As the strongest dreamwalker to exist in ages, her expanding power attracts not only nightmares but the attention of the Dark Lady herself.

With a war looming on the horizon and a wicked being after her gift, Selene is faced with a choice: accept the Dark Lady's offer or search out the one who gave her the gift of dreamwalking. One path offers power, the other freedom. But time is running out, and if she doesn't choose soon, her decision will be made for her.

Cry of the Raven:

Wife. Warrior. Lady of Two Worlds.
As War Looms, Will Her Power Be Enough to Save the Ones She Loves?
Lady Selene Ravenwood has come into her full power as a dreamwalker--a power greater than any in history. She embraces her new role as Nightwatcher, able to intercede for her people in the dream world, but the dark shadow of war draws ever closer. 

Working together, the Great Houses come up with a plan to secure the borders from the approaching Dominia Empire. But dissension, conflict, and suspicion threaten to destroy their tenuous treaty, and as the empire burns a path across their lands, Damien Maris starts to lose his ability to raise the waters, leaving the lands vulnerable to the empire's attacks. 

The only one who can keep the Great Houses unified and restore her husband's power is Selene. But it will require that she venture deep into the dream world to confront the enemies of her past who will do anything to stop her power. Will it be enough, or will both worlds fall under the empire's might?



Next up is Patrick W. Carr. I've read all of his books. The End. hahahaha I kid, I kid. But I really have read them all and enjoyed them all. His books probably most of all reminded me of the fantasy novels I read as a tween/teen. Very adventurous, but also dark. I'd say the comparison would be LOTR. Oh look, I didn't go up in a ball of flames using LOTR as a comparison! Whew! He has 2 series and then, believe it or not, just released a Biblical fiction novel at the end of last year! The two series I read are The Staff and the Sword as well as The Darkwater Saga. His standalone is The End of the Magi.

A Cast of Stones:
In the backwater village of Callowford, roustabout Errol Stone is enlisted by a church messenger arriving with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Eager for coin, Errol agrees to what he thinks will be an easy task, but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he’s joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom.
Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom’s dynasty nears its end and the selection of the new king begins–but in secret and shadow. As danger mounts, Errol must leave behind the stains and griefs of the past, learn to fight, and discover who is hunting him and his companions and how far they will go to stop the reading of the stones.

The Hero’s Lot:
When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne.
In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol’s home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.

A Draw of Kings:
Dark Forces Have Gathered and the Final Battle for Illustra Has Begun
Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, they’ve been branded enemies of the kingdom. In the wake of the king’s death, Duke Weir is ruling the country–and he intends to marry Adora to bring an heir from the royal line. With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war–and threatened by hostile forces gathering on every side.
A dangerous mission to free Errol is attempted, but the dangers facing the kingdom mount with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferrals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw ever closer. Will the discovery of the true heir turn back the tide of Illustra’s destruction?

By Divine Right: (he has this as a free prequel!)
In the kingdom of Collum, Willet Dura makes his meager living investigating crimes. Ever since a terrible battle, he’s had a link to the dead–an uncanny ability to solve their crimes and sense foul play. When several of the gifted are found dead in close succession, Willet suspects a deeper threat and ends up chasing a mystery that will shake his world.

When one man is brutally murdered and the priest he works for mortally wounded, Willet Dura, reeve to the king of Bunard, is called to investigate. As he begins to question the dying priest, the man pulls Willet close and screams in a foreign tongue. Then he dies without another word.
Willet returns to his task, but the clues to the crime lead to contradictions and questions without answers, and his senses are skewed. People he touches appear to have a subtle shift, as though he can divine their deepest thoughts. In a world divided between haves and have-nots, gifted and common, Willet soon learns he’s been passed the rarest gift of all–a gift that’s not supposed to exist. 
Now Willet must pursue the murderer still on the loose in Bunard even as he’s pulled into a dangerous conflict that threatens not only his city, but his entire world–a conflict  that will force him to come to terms with his inability to remember how he escaped the Darkwater Forest–and what happened to him inside it. 

Victory over the dark forces during the feast of Bas-solas should have guaranteed safety for the continent. Instead, Willet and the rest of the Vigil discover they’ve been outsmarted by those seeking to unleash the evil that inhabits the Darkwater. Jorgen, the member of the Vigil assigned to Frayel, has gone missing, and new attacks have struck at the six kingdoms’ ability to defend themselves.

Just when the Vigil thought they had quenched the menace from their enemy in Collum, a new threat emerges: assassins hunting the Vigil, men and women who cannot be seen until it’s too late. The orders of the church and the rulers of the kingdoms, fearing the loss of the Vigil’s members altogether, have decided to take them into protective custody to safeguard their gift. On Pellin’s orders, the Vigil scatters, leaving Willet to be taken prisoner by the church in Bunard.
In the midst of this, Willet learns of the murder of an obscure nobleman’s daughter by one of the unseen assassins. Now he must escape his imprisonment and brave the wrath of the church to find the killer in order to turn back this latest threat to the northern continent.

The kings and queens of the northern continent lay siege to the Darkwater Forest, desperate to contain its evil. But rumors of gold and aurium have lured deserters and the desperate into its shadow, creating a growing army held in its sway. Desperate after the death and dissolution of their greatest ally, Willet and the Vigil seek the truth of what lies at the heart of the evil they face. They delve the mind of an old enemy and find an answer far worse than they could have imagined. 
Danger stalks the cities of the north, striking at the rulers of the kingdoms. As Willet and the rest of the Vigil seek to find answers, the group is scattered with an ever-growing darkness around them. Will they discover a path to keep their land safe, or will an ancient evil reclaim the world it once called its own?

There are a couple other authors who I am looking forward to reading. I have two books out of three by Lindsay A. Franklin. She has a series called The Weaver's Trilogy. Ronie Kendig, who I also mentioned in my suspense list of "must reads" has a series called Abiassa's Fire as well as a new series called The Droseran Saga. Lastly, Jill Williamson has a series called The Kinsman Chronicles. The covers look amazing and that's what's drawn me to her books!


Monday, May 18, 2020

Stay With Me By Becky Wade

Stay With Me
by Becky Wade
Publisher: Bethan House
ISBN: 9780764235603

I was so thankful when author, Becky Wade, asked me if I would review her book! It's the start of her new A Misty River Romance series so I couldn't say no to that!

Summary:

Loving her is a risk he can't afford . . . and can't resist.When acclaimed Bible study author Genevieve Woodward receives an anonymous letter referencing her parents' past, she returns to her hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains to chase down her family's secret. However, it's Genevieve's own secret that catches up to her when Sam Turner, owner of a historic farm, uncovers the source of shame she's worked so hard to hide.

Sam has embraced his sorrow, his isolation, and his identity as an outsider. He's spent years carving out both career success and peace of mind. The last thing he wants is to rent the cottage on his property to a woman whose struggles stir his worst failure back to life. Yet can he bear to turn her away right when she needs him most?

My Review:

What a fantastic book! I read it this past weekend and fell in love the the story and the characters. It was very raw and beautiful. The nuances in various situations brought the characters to life for me!

When we meet Genevieve, she is a hot mess and Sam can smell it a mile away. Sam on the other hand is a closed down and wants no one interfering in his shuttered life. THEN he meets Genevieve. She makes his world topsy-turvy.


I really felt for Sam. He just wants to be left alone (which of course isn't healthy), but he's got his routines and just wants to rent his guesthouse (team Sam on that one), but Genevieve convinces him to let her stay there. She and her sister seem to run roughshod over the poor guy. I just wanted to say, "Let the poor man call it his guesthouse!" hahahaha You have to read the story to understand. Even reading "cottage" on the back of the book made me frustrated for him. HA!

And Gen (can I call her that?), she reminded me of some well known authors and speakers for women's ministries. In a huge way she made them more real to me, and reminded me that they have struggles to. They're not to be put on pedestals. The story also made me wonder what kind of pressure they must be under. I can't even imagine.


Sam made the loss of someone to addiction so palpable. This comes up early on in the book so I don't feel like I'm giving anything away. Gen's secret makes him want to hold her at arms length while at the same time come along side her to make sure she's got someone holding her accountable. He doesn't want to be more than her landlord. Gen's struggle really made me realize how important it is for people with her secret to have at least a couple people they can really count on. Seriously, this storyline was handled so well! I appreciative of authors who tackle important topics and do their research. It evidenced throughout the Becky learned what she could about the topic.

I also learned what I really like in characters who have a romantic interest in each other. I like it to be drawn out over a period of time. I appreciate when we see the "reason" why characters fall for each other, watch (read) their feelings grow over a period of time and through different situations.


One of the main reasons I enjoyed this book is because I said earlier, the author adds so many nuances to her characters and circumstances. What could take other writers more time explain or become more drawn out, Becky does simply and seamlessly. If someone is pacing the floor, you can absolutely picture it. Honestly it was the attention to details that drew me in and kept me invested in the storyline!

About the Author:

Becky Wade (www.beckywade.com) is the 2018 Christy Award Book of the Year winner for True to You. She is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her children. When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction. Her humorous, heart-pounding contemporary romance novels have won three Christy Awards, the Carol Award, the INSPY Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award for Romance. Becky lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

I Still Believe & Giveaway

I'm here to date myself. I started listening to Jeremy Camp back in 2002 when his first album Stay came out. I can still sing every song by heart! Here we are 18 years later and there's a movie made out of one of the songs from that album, which is called I Still Believe. I still have the CD in my car!


I received the opportunity to watch the movie I Still Believe, which is based on a true story of Jeremy Camp's life. I remember when I first learned about the early years of his life. It was incredibly sad, but then came God's grace and mercy, and it wasn't so sad any more, but inspiring!

Unfortunately, I Still Believe released in theaters March 13, 2020 right when all of the crazy was beginning to happen! We weren't able to get to the movies to see it. Insert sad face What was awesome though was, it was the #2 movie opening weekend and #3 overall! The movie then was rushed to video on demand by the end of the month with movie theaters closing. I am SO thankful that there are movies out there that have hope, faith, and purpose woven into the story! This one reminds me so much of I Can Only Imagine. Great movie BTW!


Now, I will warn you, have tissues on hand. I think this is the first thing I've seen KJ Apa in. He did a great job of portraying Jeremy Camp. I was surprised at how much I kind of didn't like him to begin with. lol You'll have to see how he gets to know Melissa to understand why I wasn't a fan at the start of the movie. HA! I love Britt Robertson and I think I've everything she's in. She portrayed Melissa so beautifully. I liked how she put Jeremy in his place!

Honestly, this movie got me in the heart. The love he and Melissa had was beautiful, but also so tragic. One thing that I have to appreciate is Adrienne is that she's so supportive of this movie. Also Gary Sinise and Shania Twain play such great roles as his parents. I also had no idea Jeremy Camp has a brother with Down down syndrome. I learned so much with this movie.

Probably my favorite part was hearing a couple of the songs that I've loved of his. Very cool that KJ Apa actually sang the songs. And wow, I had no idea Britt could sing. Her voice is beautiful and she's definitely multitalented.



If you're looking to watch the movie, you can rent it or own it now! May 5th it became available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital. This is a not-to-be-missed movie!

Now for the giveaway deets! One person will win:

          • Official, commemorative pop socket
• Official, commemorative wristband
• Exclusive Q&A with Jeremy Camp (via video)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, May 15, 2020

At Love's Command By Karen Witemeyer

At Love's Command
by Karen Witemeyer
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764232077

I grabbed this book from NetGalley. I had no idea I was going to enjoy that site so much!

Summary:

He's fought through ruthless outlaws and injury. But with her, he's tempted to surrender.Haunted by the horrors of war, ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries known as Hanger's Horsemen who have become legends in 1890s Texas. They defend the innocent and obtain justice for the oppressed. But when a rustler's bullet leaves one of them at death's door, they're the ones in need of saving.

Dr. Josephine Burkett is used to men taking one look at her skirts and discounting her medical skills. What she's not used to is having a man change his mind in a heartbeat and offer to assist her in surgery. Matthew's dedication to his friend during recovery earns Josephine's respect, and when her brother is abducted, he becomes her only hope for rescue.

When plans go awry and Josephine is caught in the crossfire, Matthew may have to sacrifice everything--even his team--to save her.

My Review:

True to Karen Witemeyer's style, she's created characters who are easy to love and we want to root for!

Matt, Mark, Luke... and Jonah are a bunch of retired cavalry men who are always willing to help those in need and were willing to hire them. Matt's experience with loss causes him to avoid relationships. He and his men meet Dr. Jo and sparks fly. It was fun to read how Matt reacts to Jo when he's avoided relationships for so long - aside from the friendships he's made with this loyal friends.

Dr. Jo is feisty and a woman ahead of her time. She's always ready to challenge anyone who doesn't agree with her being a doctor. We get to see how she cares for her patients, even when they're trying to work their "magic" on her. lol

I loved how the men all worked together and seemed to know what the other was thinking without saying a word. They're a band of brothers who make a story strong. When Dr. Jo needs help, she knows the right men for the job.  I was surprised at how the story took an unexpected turn and things didn't go quite the way it was planned. There was plenty of western action to keep us engaged as readers.

I liked the growing relationship between "Josie" and Matt. They seemed so well suited for each other even though they had such different views on life... or so it seemed. They were both extremely likable characters and we definitely root for them as readers!

About the Author:

Voted #1 Reader's Favorite Christian Romance Author of 2019 by Family Fiction Magazine, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer(www.karenwitemeyer.com) offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. She makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Five Biblical Series Or Books You Should Read

The past couple of years Biblical fiction has really become popular and it has quickly become one of my favorite genres in Christian Fiction. So, today I thought I'd share some of my favorite authors I've read lately.




Let's start off with Connilyn Cossette. We're going to count this as 2 for my list since she has two series that I have loved thoroughly! The first series is Out From Egypt with 3 books in the series. Next came Cities of Refuge with 4 books in the series. We read book 1 from the Out From Egypt series in my book club for February called Counted With the Stars. I actually read the Cities of Refuge before Out From Egypt so that means I read them out of order. Who knew? Also, since I'm not putting descriptions of the 2nd series, here are my reviews for Shelter of the Most High, Until the Mountains Fall, and Like Flames in the Night.

Counted With the Stars:

Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.

Choosing to flee with the Hebrews, Kiya finds herself reliant on a strange God and drawn to a man who despises her people. With everything she's ever known swept away and now facing the trials of the desert, will she turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?

Shadow of the Storm:

Having escaped Egypt with the other Hebrews during the Exodus, Shira is now living in freedom at the foot of Mount Sinai. When the people rebel by worshipping a golden idol, the ensuing chaos gives Shira an unexpected opportunity to assist a midwife. When the experience awakens a new desire in her, she defies her mother's wish for her to continue in the family weaving trade and pursues her heart's calling as an apprentice midwife. 

But when a delivery goes horribly wrong, Shira finds herself in an impossible situation and bound to a man who betrayed her. As contention between the Hebrew tribes and the foreigners fans the flames of another dangerous rebellion, Shira comes face to face with the long-hidden pain of her past. Can she let go of all that has defined her to embrace who she truly is and believe in a hopeful future?

Wings of the Wind:

Can vengeance give way to forgiveness when one woman's destiny becomes entangled with the very enemies she sought to destroy?
Motherless and raised alongside her brothers, Alanah, a Canaanite, is no stranger to fighting. When her father and brothers are killed in battle with the Hebrews, she disguises herself and sneaks onto the battlefield to avenge her family. The one thing she never counted on was surviving.

Tobiah, a Hebrew warrior, has spent his share of time on the battlefield and is shocked to find an unconscious woman among the casualties. Compelled to bring her to a healer back at the Hebrew camp, he's unprepared for the consequences of what he intended as an act of compassion. 

In order to survive, Alanah must unite with her enemy. But will a terrible revelation drive her toward an even greater danger?



The next amazing series takes place during the "Silent Years", the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Not surprisingly the series is called The Silent Years. Angela Hunt is a prolific writer. I'm pretty sure there isn't a genre she can't write in. I've had the chance to read many of her books along with these ones and they're amazing. Personally I think they can be read as stand alone books because the stories have different characters unlike the one above. I think Judah's Wife was my favorite in the series. It absolutely made me cry! I don't cry in books.

Egypt's Sister:

You Don't Know Her Name. The World Remembers Only Her Greatest Friend: Cleopatra.Raised together in the Alexandrian palace, Chava, the Hebrew daughter of the royal tutor, and Urbi, an Egyptian princess, become as close as sisters--and rivals with their dreams of greatness. When Urbi unexpectedly ascends the throne as Queen Cleopatra, Chava believes their bond is strong enough to survive. But absolute power has a way of changing everything. 

The ultimate betrayal rips Chava from everything she's ever known and sends her to the lowest rung of Roman society where she must choose between love and honor, between her own desires and God's will for her life, if she hopes to rise again.

Judah's Wife:

To Be Silent Would Be to Deny Their God, To Defy Would Bring the Wrath of the King.Seeking quiet and safety after a hard childhood, Leah marries Judah, a strong and gentle man, and for the first time in her life Leah believes she'll have peace. But the very nation Judah was named for has been conquered by a cruel king, who decrees that all Jews are to conform to Syrian laws or risk death for following the laws of Moses.

Judah's father resists the decree, igniting a war that will cost him his life. But before dying, he commands Judah to pick up his sword and continue the fight--or bear responsibility for the obliteration of Israel. Leah, who wants nothing but peace, struggles with her husband's decision--what kind of God would destroy the peace she has sought for so long?

The miraculous story of the courageous Maccabees is told through the eyes of Judah's wife, who learns that love requires courage . . . and sacrifice.

Jerusalem's Queen:

Born in the small village of Modein, a town made famous by the warrior Maccabees, Salome Alexandra knows better than to harbor grand dreams for her future. She pales in comparison to her beautiful older sister, and though she learns to read at an early age, girls are not valued for their intellectual ability. But when her father and sister are killed, John Hyrcanus, a distant relative, invites Salome and her mother to live with his family in Jerusalem, where her thirst for knowledge is noticed and indulged.

When her guardian betroths her to a pagan prince, she questions HaShem's plan. When Hyrcanus finally marries her to a boy half her age, she questions her guardian's sanity. But though Salome spends much of her life as a pawn ordered about by powerful men, she learns that a woman committed to HaShem can change the world.

King's Shadow:

Their Lives Couldn't Be More Different,
but Their Goal Is the Same:
Survive King Herod's Rule.
Two women occupy a place in Herod's court. The first, Salome, is the king's only sister, a resentful woman who has been told she's from an inferior race, a people whom God will never accept or approve of.

The second woman, Zara, is a lowly handmaid who serves Salome, but where Salome spies conspiracies and treachery, Zara sees hurting people in need of understanding and compassion.

Powerful and powerless, Idumean and Jew, selfish and selfless--both women struggle to reach their goals and survive each day within Herod the Great's tumultuous court, where no one is trustworthy and no one is safe.


I was introduced to Tessa Afshar's writing with her newest release (Feb '20) called Daughter of Rome. We'll be reading this book in June for our church ladies book club. It was a wonderful fictionalization of Priscilla & Aquilla from the New Testament.

Daughter of Rome:

A woman with a devastating secret. A man bent on proving his worth. A chance encounter that catapults them into the heart of history.

When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God’s plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Their courtship unwittingly shadowed by murder and betrayal, Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they’re banished from their home by a capricious emperor, they must join forces with an unusual rabbi named Paul and fight to turn treachery into redemption.


Lastly there's Mesu Andrews. I was introduced to her only a couple of months ago. Of course, in pure Mimi fashion I read her book out of order. Yea, go ahead and facepalm with me! The book that I read of hers was called Isaiah's Legacy, and book one in The Novels of Prophets and Kings series is Isaiah's Daughter. This was a pretty intense book and I wasn't quite prepared for it. It's easy to forget what biblical times must have been like.

Isaiah's Daughter:

In this epic Biblical narrative, ideal for fans of The Bible miniseries, a young woman taken into the prophet Isaiah's household rises to capture the heart of the future king. 
 
Isaiah adopts Ishma, giving her a new name--Zibah, delight of the Lord--thereby ensuring her royal pedigree. Ishma came to the prophet's home, devastated after watching her family destroyed and living as a captive. But as the years pass, Zibah's lively spirit wins Prince Hezekiah's favor, a boy determined to rebuild the kingdom his father has nearly destroyed. But loving this man will awake in her all the fears and pain of her past and she must turn to the only One who can give life, calm her fears, and deliver a nation. 


Isaiah's Legacy:

The drama of the Old Testament comes to life as Judah's most notorious king ascends to the throne in this gripping novel from the award-winning author of Isaiah's Daughter

At eight years old, Shulle has known only life in a small village with her loving but peculiar father. When Uncle Shebna offers shelter in Jerusalem in exchange for Shulle's help tutoring King Manasseh, Judah's five-year-old co-regent who displays the same peculiarities as her father, she's eager to experience the royal court. But Shulle soon realizes the limits of her father's strict adherence to Yahweh's Law when Uncle Shebna teaches her of the starry hosts and their power. 

Convinced Judah must be freed from Yahweh's chains, she begins the subtle swaying of young Manasseh, using her charm and skills on the boy no one else understands. When King Hezekiah dies, twelve-year-old Manasseh is thrust onto Judah's throne, bitter at Yahweh and eager to marry the girl he adores. Assyria's crown prince favors Manasseh and twists his brilliant mind toward cruelty, beginning Shulle's long and harrowing journey to discover the Yahweh she'd never known, guided with loving wisdom by Manasseh's mother: Isaiah's daughter, the heartbroken Hephzibah. Amid Judah's dark days, a desperate remnant emerges, claiming the Lord's promise, "Though we're helpless now, we're never hopeless--because we serve El Shaddai." Shulle is among them, a girl who becomes a queen through Isaiah's legacy.


Now, I know there are other authors out there who would fit this category, but since this is a rather new genre for me, I haven't read them all and I don't know them all. If you have suggestions, please let me know!



 
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Woven by Words by Mimi B is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.