Book Review: "Daughter of Eden: Eve's Story" by Jill Eileen Smith

Smith does it again in her latest book release: "Daughter of Eden: Eve's Story". This story chronicles the first 6 chapters of Genesis, and she does a fantastic job at taking some very difficult and at times, otherworldly situations in the Bible that are hard to understand and give some context to the mystery in the Holy text.

From the creation of the world and its inhabitants to the creation of angels and those in what Smith calls the "unseen realm" to the explanation of how Nephilim were created and a time where people lived to be close to a thousand years old, Smith eloquently weaves a believable story throughout.

Of course this book takes a lot of liberty as all biblical fiction does in interpretation of scripture and filling in the gray areas and holes where the Bible leaves us guessing, but it left me hungry at the end to read God's word. 

I highly recommend this book as it gives a fascinating view on what life was like "in the beginning..." Click here to get your copy today!

From the back cover:

When the greatest joys she has ever known are stripped away, the first woman must find the courage to face an unknown future

The first time she opens her eyes, Eve gazes on one whose beauty nearly blinds her, whose breath is in her lungs. Her Creator takes her hand and gives her to another like her and yet different. Together, she and Adam experience pure joy as they explore Eden. Her favorite moments are when the Creator comes to walk with them, day after day.

Then everything changes.

Through one act of disobedience, Eve finds that her world is no longer a friendly place. With remorse in her heart, she must face the unknown future--the births, the deaths, the sacrifices, the loss of the only home she has ever known. Perhaps worst of all is the loss of trust, not only with her Creator but also with the man who shares her life. How will they ever survive out of Eden?

Bestselling biblical fiction author Jill Eileen Smith imagines the life of the first woman to ever live, unspooling an epic story of love, loss, and the promise of redemption.

This book was given to me by Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: "The Prince and the Prodigal" by Jill Eileen Smith

 

A book that makes you hungry to open scripture has always become my favorite. I love to read biblical fiction, and Jill Eileen Smith is one of my favorite authors that really gets the job done. To bring to life not just the story of Joseph, but his father Jacob's as well and explores brother Judah's also, is quite the feat. Smith does an incredible job explaining some very difficult-to-read Bible stories and really breathes life into each person's story that grabs your attention. 

The story of Judah and Tamar and the incestual affair they had, the level of Joseph's brother's betrayal and how they came to their conclusions, and exploring Jacob's favoritism between his sons are complex and dysfunctional family issues brought to light in this riveting book. How Joseph kept his cool being unfairly mistreated his whole life is an example of a man after God's Heart and an early representation of Jesus being led like a lamb to the slaughter later in the New Testament- unfairly convicted and quiet to protest. 

Smith's book just came out last month and is one I highly recommend adding to your Spring porch reading list! 

From the back cover:

"Two brothers. One betrayal.

The patriarch Jacob has made it no secret that young Joseph is his favorite son. Growing up as the pampered heir to his father's legacy, Joseph thrives under the praise of his father but struggles with the disdain of his older brothers, especially Judah. When a chance comes along to rid themselves of Joseph, his brothers sell him to slave traders and deceive their father about his fate.

Joseph, now serving the captain of Pharaoh's palace guard, is imprisoned after being falsely accused of rape. Back home, Judah leaves his father and builds a new life in Canaan, attempting to flee the memory of his complicity in the betrayal of his younger brother.

Decades later, the brothers will come face-to-face, and this time Joseph has the upper hand. Will forgiveness or vengeance win the day?"

I received this book for free from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: "Beyond the Tides" by Liz Johnson

 

I am a big fan of books and most of the time I read pretty heavy things like World War II fiction or stories of people surviving harrowing ordeals like human trafficking. Survival stories inspire me, and I love hearing how people overcome some of life's hardest struggles. 

But every once in a while, I like to sit and get lost in a book that is more on the lighthearted side. This is similar to a Hallmark movie but has a lot more depth to the characters. Meg and Oliver are forced to work a lobster boat while Meg's father decides who gets the business at the end of the season. Will it be Meg, his only daughter, that doesn't want to lose their family legacy? Or will it be Oliver- long time and loyal deckhand who always wanted his own fishing boat?

Besides the budding love story, a bigger story emerges- one about forgiveness and how important it is to give people second chances and remember the old saying "Hurting people hurt people". As Meg and Oliver work the boat together, they learn a lot more about each other and their family members that puts the boat competition in a different perspective altogether. 

I won't spoil it for you, but I really enjoyed wrapping up my summer reading with this great book. It is book one of a series and I am interested to see what will happen next on Prince Edward Island. Get your copy here.

From the Back Cover

"When Meg Whitaker's father decides to sell the family's lobster fishing business to her high school nemesis, she sets out to prove she should take it over instead. Though she's never had any interest in running the small fleet--or even getting on a boat due to her persistent seasickness--she can't stand to see Oliver Ross in charge. Not when he ruined her dreams for a science scholarship and an Ivy League education ten years ago.

Oliver isn't proud of what he did back then. Angry and broken by his father walking out on his family, he lashed out at Meg--an innocent bystander. But owning a respected fishing fleet on Prince Edward Island is the opportunity of a lifetime, as well as a way to provide for his mother, and he's not about to walk away just because Meg wants him to.

Meg's father has the perfect solution: Oliver and Meg will work the business together, and at the end of the season, he'll decide who gets it. Along the way, they may discover that their stories are more similar than they thought . . . and their dreams aren't what they expected."

I received this book for free from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: "When Twilight Breaks" by Sarah Sundin

 

I was first introduced to Sundin's work through my church library. I started with her "Sunrise at Normandy" Series about three Texas brothers whose path led them all to participate in one way or another in the battle of Normandy. It was such a fantastic series and each book really stood out alone. When the opportunity came with Revell Reads to be a first reader for her latest, "When Twilight Breaks" book that came out this month, I jumped at the opportunity!

The best thing about this novel is that it makes you want to bust open a history book (or do a simple Google search) to research and look up some of these historical events that are brought to life in the story.

You can tell Sundin does her research- from what the characters wear, to how they style their hair, to the kinds of cars driven in the era.

What I thought was most interesting is that this book is set in 1938 which is Pre- World War II. It explores so much about the thoughts, feelings, and emotions from those who sympathized with Hitler and the Nazi's and those of the Jews when the anti-semitic laws began to become more frequent and more harsh. 

I highly recommend this book as a fantastic exploration of this time period that explores love, history, war, and faith in God when it is put to the ultimate test. 

From the back cover:

Evelyn Brand is an American foreign correspondent determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated profession and to expose the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. To do so, she must walk a thin line. If she offends the government, she could be expelled from the country--or worse. If she does not report truthfully, she'll betray the oppressed and fail to wake up the folks back home.

Peter Lang is an American graduate student working on his PhD in German. Disillusioned with the chaos in the world due to the Great Depression, he is impressed with the prosperity and order of German society. But when the brutality of the regime hits close, he discovers a far better way to use his contacts within the Nazi party--to feed information to the shrewd reporter he can't get off his mind.

As the world marches relentlessly toward war, Evelyn and Peter are on a collision course with destiny.

Get your copy today at Amazon or your favorite online retailer, or click here!

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

Book Review: "The Edge of Belonging" by Amanda Cox

 

Unplanned pregnancies, abandonment, the plight of shuffled foster children, PTSD, abuse, human trafficking, infertility, adoption, and homelessness...Did I leave anything out? All of these major issues are beautifully interwoven into a gripping story that brings the most vulnerable populations at the feet of an endearing woman that points them all to Jesus. 

In Amanda Cox's new novel, "The Edge of Belonging", I find myself reading through the eyes of multiple different characters from present day to the past. The matriarchal character, Pearl, reminds me of my own grandmother reaching out to the lost and hurting despite her own baggage to show them the love of the Father. 

Ivy, the story's main character, goes on a journey to discover who she really is from the lessons of the past. In the process she realizes that despite her frail beginnings, she can rise up to be the strong woman God created her to be. 

As someone who has a degree in human services and psychology and worked in the criminal justice system and crisis pregnancy centers, I appreciate the raw feelings and emotions the author conveys through the story of Harvey and Ivy. I appreciate the detail in their plight and heartache to explain how some people labeled "at risk" arrive to this label. Sometimes it's all about having that one person in your life to love you through the hardest and darkest times in your life to give you a glimpse of God's love for you. 

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: 

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

I gave this book 5 stars on my Goodreads profile and I don't hand those out just nilly willy. You should pick up your copy today! 

**I received a free copy of this book by Revell publishing in exchange for my honest review.**