Book Review: "Miriam's Song" by Jill Eilieen Smith

Biblical Fiction has got to be one of my favorite genres! Jill Eileen Smith is one of the incredible Christian authors that can make someone's story out of the Bible jump right off the page and come to life! 

I was thrilled to read about Miriam's account and get a glimpse into what it was like to live in the shadow of her little brother, Moses. 

What courage it took for Miriam, as a little girl to watch her little brother be placed into the Nile River in hopes that he would be saved and not succumb to the wild waters or the creatures that lurked within. When Pharoah's daughter sees baby Moses in the basket and decides to raise him as her own, what strength it took for Miriam to step in and offer their own mother to be Moses' wet nurse.

Smith's book goes on to explore about 120 years worth of time between Miriam, Aaron, Moses, Joshua and Caleb's time. That is indeed a lot of ground to cover in one book and I think would have been more intriguing had she split this up and made it a series. Nonetheless, it makes for a thrilling account of the Israelite's exodus from Egypt and if you are a fan of Biblical fiction, this is not one to miss! Get your copy of this new book just released this month here.

From the Back Cover

She has prayed for deliverance from Egypt.

But perhaps the greatest liberation happens within the heart.

From the very beginning, Miriam has lived in her younger brother's shadow. Thrust into the role of protective older sister before Moses was even born, she will grow up into a woman who not only keeps her family's secret but bears the burden of leading a new nation. 

In her mind, she knows that she is serving both her God and her people. But in her heart, Miriam yearns for more. She longs to experience the privileges Moses has--to talk with God face-to-face. But when God finally does speak directly to her, the outcome is not at all what she expects.

With her impeccable research and keen eye for detail, bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith offers this epic novel to fill in the gaps in Miriam's story, following her from childhood to motherhood, obscurity to notoriety, and yearning to fulfillment as she learns that what God promises He provides--in His own perfect timing.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Revell Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: “All That We Carried” by Erin Bartels

 

I have been laying bed for the last several days sick and there is nothing like a good book to accompany you during a time like this. Erin Bartels is a new author to me and one I am looking forward to reading more in the future. 

In "All That We Carried" the Greene sisters are estranged after the parent's death 10 years prior. They decide to go on a hiking trip to reconnect and end up discovering much more than they bargained for. The girls get lost in the woods multiple times, close encounters with bears, mountain lions, and forest fires, that comes to a dramatic conclusion that brings them to a point of reconciliation neither of them can deny. 

Throughout most of the book the girls are bickering between each other and it reminds me of my two sons that never do seem to get along. (I had thought several times throughout the book that I needed to throw my kids into the forest and see if they can work out their issues.)

Beyond reconciliation with each other, they come to a point of reconciling their spiritual differences with God as well. They are both confused, hurt, and angry at a God that would allow both of their parents to die. Bartels does a great job of exploring the complicated emotions that comes with doubt, fear, and questioning God. 

The raw honesty and emotions throughout the book are heartbreaking yet speak so much truth. Kudos to Bartels for exploring such a difficult topic. This book comes out tomorrow, January 5, and I implore you to get your copy here.

I was given a free copy of this book to review from Revell publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: "An Uncommon Woman" by Laura Frantz

I love reading a good fiction book. I love both secular and Christian fiction, but when I stumbled upon Francine Rivers’ book “Redeeming Love”, I feel in love with the genre of Christian fiction. Today I am excited to share with you another incredible story that I believe falls under Christian historical fiction called “Uncommon Woman” by Laura Frantz. 

This is a new author, whose books I have not read before and was excited to dive into the book from a perspective of a colonist settling into new American territory around 1770. The era this book was written even referenced George Washington before he was our very first President. Dangers loomed everywhere for settlers between staking out new land from the local wildlife to the hostile tension that was created between settlers and Indian tribes. 

There is a lot of heated debate, even today, about the mistreatment of the Native American tribes during the time the white people began moving West and taking over more and more ancestral lands. But, both main characters from Laura Frantz’z book- Tessa, a brave frontier woman and Clay, former captive of the Indians that grew to love the family and people he was raised with brought out both sides of the Indian and settler viewpoints. This brought compassion and heartfelt appreciation for both cultures, respectfully. Weaving a beautiful love story, heat wrenching action, and an interesting look at the times these characters lived brought me to the frontier of West Virginia in the 18^th century. Laura’s use of older colonial English made me feel like I was there.

For fans for fans of the historical fiction genre, you will want to get a copy of this book. I am looking forward to reading more from this author and I hope you enjoy it as well. 

Even if this is a book review, I can't leave you without a song to listen to and I thought I would add "Never Lost" by Elevation Worship. In the times this book speaks of there were battles beginning to be waged over freedoms and land. In this song, it speaks to God having never lost a battle...ever. Isn't that such an encouragement that as Christians he wins and we already know the outcome? I hope you are encouraged by this song as I was hearing it.