Judah's Wife: A Novel of the Maccabees (The Silent Years #2) by Angela Hunt

Title: Judah’s Wife: A Novel of the Maccabees (The Silent Years #2)

Author: Angela Hunt

Pages: 384

Release Date: January 2, 2018

Genre: Biblical Fiction - The Silent Years

Publisher: Bethany House Publisher

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     Seeking peace 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 can rest easily. But the land is ruled by Antiochus IV, descended from one of Alexander the Great’s generals, and when he issues a decree that all Jews are to conform to Syrian laws upon pain of death, devout Jews risk everything to follow the law of Moses.

     Judah’s father resists the decree, igniting a war that will cost him his life. But before dying, he commands his son to pick up his sword and continue the fight—or bear responsibility for the obliteration of the land of Judah. 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.

My review:

     This is a captivating biblical fiction story!

     The idea of a book set during the silent years between the Old and New Testaments of the Bible fascinated me. I knew nothing about this 400 year period. I knew that there were some books in the Catholic Bible called the Apocrypha and that some of them take place in this period. I have never read them so there is all my knowledge.

     The main male characters in this wonderful book are actual historical figures from this period. Their story is contained in the First and Second books of the Maccabees. 

     Angela has done a marvelous job of researching this historical period. She then developed wives and other characters to fill in the information that isn’t known. I loved all of her main characters and feel that she has presented a completely plausible account of what could have happened.

     One of my favorite characters was Rosana. She was gentle and caring to her family and any others that came into their lives. She shared her wisdom and encouragement in a sweet manner. She truly lived in a way that was guiding the younger women in how they should love and honor their husbands.

     After reading this marvelous book I am seriously considering reading all of the books of the Apocrypha.

     I find myself having to give this great book a rating of 5-stars. I am highly recommending it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor

Title: All-of-a-Kind Family (book 1)

Author: Sydney Taylor

Pages: 188

Year: 1951

Genre: Children’s Book

Publisher: Dell Yearling Books

Format: Hardcover (also available in paperback and eBook)

About the book:

     Meet the All-of-a-Kind Family — Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie — who live with their parents in New York City at the turn of the century.

     Together they share adventures that find them searching for hidden buttons while dusting Mama’s front parlor and visiting with the peddlers in Papa’s shop on rainy days. The girls enjoy doing everything together, especially when it involves holidays and surprises.

     But no one could have prepared them for the biggest surprise of all!

My review:

     A sweet children’s story set in the early 1900’s.

     I remember reading this book when I was growing up. I chose to reread it simply because of how much I enjoyed it then. 

     The characters are charming and easy to picture in how they relate to each other. The story is a delight to read. It definitely doesn’t hurt that they all love to read. Now that I’m an adult I found that one of my greatest joys in reading it was the amount of details given in how the family celebrates various Jewish holidays and feasts.

     I loved going down memory lane myself by reading a book from my own childhood. I’m giving this great little book a rating of 5-stars and recommending it.

The Sea Before Us (Sunrise at Normandy #1) by Sarah Sundin

Title: The Sea Before Us (Sunrise at Normandy #1)

Author: Sarah Sundin

Pages: 375

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Genre: Historical Romance - WWII

Publisher: Revell

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a “Wren” in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France—including those of her own family’s summer home—in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.

     As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.

     The tense days leading up to the monumental D-Day landing blaze to life under Sarah Sundin’s practiced pen with this powerful new series.

My review:

     This is an absolutely incredible historical romance!

     The main characters are fantastic! They are so well developed that I felt like I was their friend and just sitting down with them for a cup of tea. The heartaches that both Wyatt and Dorothy were carrying around were deep and very easy to understand. 

     I have one favorite quote that grabbed my attention and held me fast on one page for a good 5 minutes. “At least God had forgiven him. Thank you, Lord. Your forgiveness is all I need, but you know it isn’t all I want.”  There have been many times and situations in my life that I have felt that way. I was just never able to put it into words so clearly.

     The way that Wyatt and Dorothy slowly built a solid friendship was wonderful. They supported and encouraged each other so much. 

     I loved seeing what was involved in the planning of D-Day! It was also a lot of fun to get a look at how the U.S. Navy and the British Navy worked together and some of the differences in their terms and procedures. I had heard about the Blitz in London. This book really helped me to understand more fully how terrifying that had to have been.

     This marvelous book is getting a 5-star rating from me. I have to highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

A Passionate Hope: Hannah's Story (Daughters of the Promised Land #4) by Jill Eileen Smith

Title: A Passionate Hope: Hannah’s Story (Daughters of the Promised Land #4)

Author: Jill Eileen Smith

Pages: 384

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Publisher: Revell

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

     Can one woman’s prayers change the world?

     Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, share a deep and abiding love for each other, for their God, and for His tabernacle at Shiloh. Greatly disturbed by the corruption of the priests, they long for restoration and pray for a deliverer. But nothing changes as the years pass. Years that also reveal Hannah to be barren.

     Pressured by his family to take another wife, Elkanah marries Peninnah, who quickly begins to bear children. Disgraced and taunted by her husband’s new wife, Hannah turns again to prayers that seem doomed to go unanswered. Do her devotion and kindness in the face of Peninnah’s cruelty count for nothing? Will God remain silent and indifferent to her pleas?

     Travel back to the dusty streets of Shiloh with an expert guide as Jill Eileen Smith brings to life a beloved story of hope, patience, and deliverance that shows that even the most broken of relationship can be restored.

My review:

     Brings the bible to life!

     The two main women characters, Hannah and Peninnah, are so well written that I found myself fighting off feelings of depression as I read this wonderful book. Hannah’s story is covered in just a few verses in the bible. I can breeze through all of her difficulty in just a few seconds, get to her joy, and move on. The author has done a fantastic job of researching biblical times so that she could write a very believable story based on the short section we are given. 

     I was so burdened down with grief for all that Hannah was enduring at times that I simply had to put this book aside to let my own emotions settle down. Yet I also felt compelled by the depth of the story to return very quickly to progress through the book. I desperately wanted to see Hannah reach her time of rejoicing.

     Jill Eileen Smith has an incredible gift and I’m thrilled that she uses it to bring the stories and characters of the bible to life. I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I have missed a few of her previous books but I will be going back and reading each and every one of them.

     This marvelous book is getting a 5 star rating from me. I am HIGHLY recommending it. If you have any interest in biblical fiction you can’t go wrong in taking the time to read this story.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*